JP2009124199A - Id notification adapter, presence management device and telephone system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that, in order to provide a service, such as a telephone system for transferring a call to the location of a person, which is interlinked with location(presence) information of the person, a wireless tag is attached to belongings of the person and ID information received from the wireless tag by a wireless tag reader installed in advance is transmitted to a location management server to provide relative position information of the wireless tag with respect to each apparatus, wherein it is required to install many wireless tag readers, thereby remarkably increasing a system installation cost and maintenance cost therefor. <P>SOLUTION: An inexpensive tag is mounted on respective places without installing a tag reader in the respective places, the tag specifying the place is read by communication equipment carried by the person, and the services of a presence function and a call transfer function or the like are provided on the basis of the position information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to an ID notification adapter that can specify a location of a user of a communication device or an information terminal, and a presence management device and a telephone system that cooperate with the communication device.

Services such as a telephone system for transferring a call to a person's location are being provided in cooperation with the person's location information.
However, in this type of conventional service, it is necessary for the person receiving the service to notify the service providing system of information in order to specify his / her location, and the key operation of the information terminal for this purpose is troublesome.

As a technique for improving this, in Patent Document 1, a wireless tag is attached to an article carried by a person, and ID information received from the wireless tag is positioned by a wireless tag reader, a wireless LAN terminal, and a wireless LAN access point that are installed in advance. A technique is disclosed that can be transmitted to a management server and confirmed from a mobile phone terminal or the like as relative position information of a wireless tag viewed from each device.
JP 2005-109919 A

However, in Patent Document 1, since it is necessary to install a large number of wireless tag readers and wireless LAN terminals in various places, there is a drawback that the introduction cost of the system and the maintenance cost thereof are extremely expensive.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances. Rather than installing tag readers in various places, the tag for specifying a place is placed on the side of a communication device carried by a person with inexpensive tags attached to each place. In addition to reading, it is possible to provide services such as a presence function and a transfer telephone function based on the position information.

In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, an ID reading adapter is provided in an ID notification adapter that constitutes a communication device, and IDs are read in advance from tags that are mounted in advance and have IDs serving as position information, and communication is started. Before the data transmission / reception starts or during the data transmission / reception, the read tag ID and the ID of the own communication device are transmitted to a predetermined destination.

According to the present invention, since tags that are much cheaper than tag readers are attached to various places, the system cost and the maintenance cost can be greatly reduced.

In the first embodiment, the read wireless tag ID is determined together with the own terminal ID by the ID notification adapter of the present invention in which a reading function of a wireless tag (hereinafter also referred to simply as a tag) ID (IDentification) is implemented. The present invention relates to a communication system that realizes a presence service and a telephone transfer service based on user ID information of an ID notification adapter or information terminal registered in advance and information on the position of a read wireless tag.

Specifically, by utilizing the ID reading means and notification means of the present invention to detect and computerize the location and communication status of a person, the service can be linked with the functions of the presence server and the telephony server. Can be provided.

For example, you can check the location and communication status of the person you want to contact from a data terminal such as a personal computer or a telephone terminal. You can make phone calls and send simple messages.

In addition, a transfer service that automatically forwards incoming calls addressed to a phone terminal at your home position to a destination phone terminal, a service that automatically activates an answering machine function that notifies you by voice message of an answering record or destination, a conference call It can also be linked with a service that automatically sets the connection destination.

In addition, information is not simply based on the presence of information, but is classified according to the combination of the state in which the communication device is connected, the state of communication, the frequency of communication, the keyboard operation frequency, etc. It is possible to express whether it has moved completely, just left for a while, or whether it is in a busy state, and can also be developed as an advanced presence service.
This will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a system configuration diagram of the first embodiment, and reference numeral 10 denotes a communication device incorporating an ID notification adapter according to the present invention, which is carried by an employee or the like. When an employee or the like performs communication at the destination by the communication device 10, the communication device 10 reads the ID of a nearby tag among the tags 30 attached to various places, and the read ID and the own terminal ID are (Local Area
The server 20 is notified via the (Network) 60. As a result, the server 20 can grasp the location of the user of the communication device 10, and controls the location control from the data terminal 50 and the call control device 70, which is the center of the telephone system, to the user of the communication device 10. Can be transferred to a telephone terminal (extension) in the vicinity of the location.

FIG. 2 shows a functional block diagram of the communication device 10 of the present invention. The communication device 10 includes an ID notification adapter 1 and an information terminal 2. The ID notification adapter 1 includes a tag ID reading unit 11 and a tag ID / terminal ID notification unit 12. The information terminal 2 communicates with a terminal function unit 13. It consists of part 14. Each of these units may have an integrated configuration, or may be separated into unit units of arbitrary components.

Here, the terminal ID notified by the tag ID / terminal ID notification unit 12 is an ID for identifying the communication device 10, and may be the ID of the notification adapter 1 or the ID of the information terminal 2. In short, it may be an ID of a device or unit that can identify the user.

If the ID notification adapter 1 and the information terminal 2 are separated and the ID notification adapter 1 is shared, the ID of the information terminal 2 for each individual is the terminal ID. In this case, the tag ID / terminal ID notification unit 12 monitors transmission data of the communication unit 14 of the information terminal 2, extracts the ID of the information terminal 2 from the transmission data, and sends the extracted ID as a terminal ID to the server 20 together with the tag ID.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the server 20 that cooperates with the ID notification adapter 1 of the present invention, and is composed of an ID table unit 21, a tag ID / terminal ID receiving unit 22, a server function unit 23, and a communication unit 24. .
In a company or the like, it is a popular business form that an employee or the like connects his / her information terminal 2 such as a portable personal computer to the LAN 60 at his / her own seat or at a destination seat.

When the employee or the like operates the communication device 10 to perform a job, the communication device 10 starts transmission / reception of data with the server 20 via the LAN 60, but immediately before the data transmission / reception. Alternatively, the ID reading unit 11 of the ID notification adapter 1 of the present invention is activated during data transmission / reception to read the ID of the wireless tag 30 in the vicinity. Next, the tag ID / terminal ID notification unit 12 installed in the ID notification adapter 1 operates, and the read ID and the ID of the own communication device 10 are used to connect the LAN 60 using the communication unit 14 of the information terminal 2. To the server 20.

In the server 20, the communication unit 24 transmits / receives data to / from the communication device 10 via the LAN 60. The ID of the wireless tag 30 and the communication device sent from the communication device 10 immediately before or during data transmission / reception 10 IDs are received and transferred to the tag ID / terminal ID receiving unit 22 in the server 20.

The server 20 has an ID table unit 21. FIG. 4 shows one specific example of the ID table 21.
Among them, the wireless tag location information table 210 is a table for managing the installation location of the wireless tag 30, and the wireless tag ID 2101, the wireless tag location information 2102, and the neighboring extension 2103 information are registered in advance by the administrator. ing.

The nearby extension means an extension telephone number of a telephone terminal that is in the vicinity of the installation position of the wireless tag 30 and can call a user of the communication device 10 located in the vicinity when an incoming call is received. The contents of these tables are not changed unless the installation position of the wireless tag 30 is changed, or there is no change in the arrangement or extension number of a nearby telephone terminal.

On the other hand, the communication device user table 211 is a table for managing the user of the device and the current position of the device. In this table, a terminal ID 2111, a device user 2112, and a normal extension 2113 are registered in advance. The normal extension means the extension telephone number of the telephone terminal used when the user of the apparatus performs normal business.

The contents of this table will not change unless the user is changed, the arrangement of the telephone terminal is changed, or the extension number is changed. However, in the table 211, a reading wireless tag ID 2114 is also registered. The reading wireless tag ID 2114 is the ID of the nearby wireless tag 30 read by the communication device 10 and sent to the server 20 together with its own terminal ID 2111. This is stored in the terminal ID receiving unit 22. The reception unit 22 searches the table 211 using the received / stored terminal ID 2111 as a key, and the content of the read wireless tag ID 2114 column corresponding to the corresponding terminal ID 2111 is stored in the wireless tag stored in the reception unit 22 Update with 30 IDs.

In this way, the content of the read wireless tag ID 2114 is updated each time the server 20 receives the read wireless tag ID from the communication device 10, and is always in the latest state.

For example, when there is a location inquiry of Mr. A from the data terminal 50 or the like, the presence service searches the table 211 and acquires the ID 2114 of the reading wireless tag corresponding to the terminal ID 2111 column used by Mr. A. The table 210 is searched using the acquired wireless tag ID 2114 as a key, and the position information 2102 registered in advance corresponding to the ID 2101 of the wireless tag 30 that matches the content of the wireless tag ID 2114, the neighboring extension telephone number 2103 is read, They are notified to the data terminal 50. Receiving the notification, the data terminal 50 recognizes that Mr. A is working at another seat, and displays on the screen of the data terminal 50 that he is working at another seat along with the nearby extension telephone number. The user of the data terminal 50 looks at the screen, knows that Mr. A is working at another seat, and determines whether or not to call the displayed extension number.

If there is an incoming call to Mr. A, the same search procedure is used to search for a place where Mr. A is working, and in cooperation with the call control device 70, a nearby telephone terminal 40 (extension) is searched. The incoming call can be automatically transferred. If the wireless tag ID 2114 associated with Mr. A does not exist, the normal extension telephone number indicated by 2113 in the table 211 is displayed, or the answering machine function is utilized. The presence service is not limited to this, and can be freely configured using information registered by the function of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a processing flowchart for reading the RFID tag ID and transmitting the terminal ID of the communication apparatus 10 of the present invention. This process is started, for example, when the communication device 10 is powered on.

In S501, it is determined whether data transmission / reception has been started. The determination may be made based on whether or not a general LAN protocol message such as TCP or UDP is transmitted / received, or may be determined based on whether or not a predetermined specific message such as registration processing in the server 20 is transmitted / received. .

As long as the power is turned on without any operation by the user, data that is automatically transmitted / received may be entered as a determination target, or may be omitted from the determination target. It can be considered that the user determines that he / she is on the spot when the power is turned on, and enters the determination target in order to display the location. However, when the power is turned on and no data transmission / reception is performed, the correct location is not necessarily displayed. If the strictness of the center position is required, it is considered that automatically transmitted / received data should be omitted from the determination target even if the data is not transmitted / received when the power is turned on. However, since it is difficult to determine the exactness because it is difficult to distinguish between the case where it is not operated for a long time even if it is not in the middle and it is not operated for a long time, it is difficult to obtain the strictness. You only have to set it.

When data transmission / reception is started in S501 (YES), an ID reading operation of the wireless tag 30 is executed in S502. In step S503, the read ID of the wireless tag 30 and the own terminal ID are transmitted in pairs to a predetermined destination (in the present embodiment, the server 20). Here, an IP address or a MAC address set in the own terminal may be used as the own terminal ID. If there is no wireless tag 30 in the vicinity and the ID of the wireless tag 30 cannot be read in S502, an ID indicating that the wireless tag 30 could not be read may be notified to a predetermined destination.

When the user's work is settled and the user finishes the operation of the communication device 10, it is uncertain whether the user continues to exist near the communication device 10. Therefore, it is desirable to delete the content of the read wireless tag ID 2114 corresponding to the terminal ID 2111 described in the user table 211 of the communication device.

Therefore, in S504, it is determined whether data transmission / reception has stopped and a certain time has elapsed. The fixed time is a predetermined numerical value. For example, 10 minutes or 30 minutes is set, and if no data transmission / reception is performed during this period, it is determined that the user has finished the work. As described above, it is conceivable that data to be automatically transmitted / received without being operated by the user may be included in the determination target, and there are advantages and disadvantages as described above.

If the data transmission / reception is stopped in S504 and a certain time has elapsed (YES), the wireless tag ID 2114 deletion notification is sent to the destination (server 20 in the first embodiment) that has transmitted the above-mentioned wireless tag ID 2114 and its own terminal ID. Return to S501 and wait for resumption of data transmission / reception.

Although the user has not finished his / her business, since a certain time has passed since data transmission / reception stopped, YES is determined in S504, and the information of the wireless tag ID 2114 is deleted from the user table 211 of the communication device of the server 20. However, since data transmission / reception is resumed after returning to S501, the wireless tag ID 2114 is read again through the YES route of S501, sent to the server 20, and written to the table 211 when data transmission / reception is resumed. There will be no hindrance.

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of the ID notification reception process and the wireless tag deletion process in the server 20 of the present invention.

When the server 20 is turned on and is in a processable state, it starts to determine whether or not an ID has been received from the communication device 10 (S601). Here, the ID means the terminal ID 2111 and the read wireless tag ID 2114.

If it is determined in S601 that the terminal ID 2111 and the wireless tag ID 2114 have been received (YES), the user management table 211 of the communication device in the ID table 21 is searched using the terminal ID 2111 as a key (S602).

The received wireless tag ID is registered in the read wireless tag ID 2114 column corresponding to the searched terminal ID 2111, and the content is updated (S602a). Thereafter, the communication device 10 continues to wait for ID notification (S601).

If the ID notification from the communication device 10 is not received in S601 (NO), it is determined whether or not the wireless tag ID deletion notification is received from the communication device 10 (S603).

When a wireless tag ID deletion notification is received from the communication device 10 in S603 (YES), the communication device user management table 211 is searched using the received terminal ID as a key (S604).

The contents of the read wireless ID 2114 column corresponding to the searched terminal ID 2111 are deleted (S605).
The contents are deleted by rewriting the table contents to, for example, all '1' or all '0'.
Thereafter, the communication device 10 continues to wait for ID notification (S601).

When the wireless tag deletion notification is not received from the communication device 10 in S603 (NO), the ID notification from the communication device 10 is kept waiting (S601).

In the second embodiment of the present invention, the information terminal 2 and the ID notification adapter 1 of the present invention are separate units, and power line carrier communication is used as a communication means between the ID notification adapter 1 and the server 20. This will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 7 shows a system configuration diagram of the second embodiment.
In the present invention, wireless tags 30-1 and 30-2 are attached to predetermined portions of the power outlets 80-1 and 80-2, respectively. The ID notification adapters 100 and 110 with a power line communication function are physically independent of the information terminals 50-1 and 50-2, and are integrated with a power plug. The ID notification adapter with the power line communication function wirelessly transmits and receives data between the information terminal 50-2 and the ID notification adapter 100 with the wired access point type power line communication function that performs data transmission and reception with the information terminal 50-1. There are two types of ID notification adapter 110 with a wireless access point type power line communication function.

A power line communication adapter (master unit) 90 integrated with a power plug relays data between the ID notification adapters 100 and 110 with a power line communication function and the LAN 60. As a result, the ID information from the ID notification adapters 100 and 110 with the power line communication function passes through the outlet 80-1 or 80-2, the power line 61, the outlet 80-4, the power line communication adapter 90 integrated with the power plug, and the LAN 60. It reaches the server 20.
Through the same route, the information terminals 50-1 and 50-2 can perform data communication with each device connected to the LAN 60, and a WAN (Wide Area) via a gateway (not shown).
Network).
Note that the cooperative operation between the data terminal 50 and the call control device 70 is the same as that in the first embodiment, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram of the ID notification adapter 100 with wired access point type power line communication function of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram of the ID notification adapter 110 with wireless access point type power line communication function of the present invention. Show.
When the power adapter integrated ID notification adapter 100 or 110 of the second embodiment is inserted into the power outlet 80-1 or 80-2, the power outlet 80-4 and the power source are connected to the server 20. A power line carrier communication path is established via the plug 90.

At the same time, the ID notification adapter 100 or 110 with the power line communication function activates the tag ID reading unit 101 or 111, and the wireless tag 30-1 or 30-2 previously attached to the power outlet 80-1 or 80-2. Read each ID. The read wireless tag ID is registered in the tag ID / terminal ID notification unit 102 or 112.

The data relay unit 105 or 115 starts exchanging data with the information terminal 50-1 or 50-2 via the wired LAN communication unit 103 or the wireless LAN communication unit 113, and relays the data to the power line communication unit 104 or Data is exchanged with the server 20 via 114.

In this data relay operation, the data relay unit 105 or 115 monitors the content of the relay data, reads the terminal ID of the information terminal 50-1 or 50-2, and uses the read terminal ID as the tag ID / terminal ID. Register in the notification unit 102 or 112.

The tag ID / terminal ID notification unit 102 or 112 is a pair of the registered tag ID and terminal ID with respect to the server 20 that is a predetermined destination, the power line communication unit 104 or 114, the power outlet 80-1 or 80- 2. Send it via power line 61, power outlet 80-4, power plug 90.
The power supply units 106 and 116 receive commercial AC power from the power outlet 80 and supply DC power to the ID notification adapter 100 or 110 with a power line communication function. The power feeding unit 107 functions as a power adapter that feeds power from the power source unit 106 to the terminal 50-1.

FIG. 10 shows a processing flowchart of the ID notification adapters 100 and 110 with the power line communication function.
This process is started, for example, when the ID notification adapter 100 or 110 with the power line communication function integrated with the power plug is inserted into the power outlet 80-1 or 80-2 and the power is turned on.

That is, when the power is turned on, the ID of the wireless tag 30-1 or 30-2 attached to the power outlet 80-1 or 80-2 is read (S1001).

Next, it is determined whether or not data transmission / reception of the information terminal 50-1 or 50-2 connected to the subordinate has started (S1002). The determination is the same as in the first embodiment. For example, the determination may be made based on whether or not a general protocol message such as TCP or UDP is transmitted or received. You may judge by the presence or absence of transmission / reception of a message.

Note that data that is automatically transmitted / received as long as the power is turned on without being operated by the user may be included in the determination target, or may be omitted from the determination target. The reason is the same as in the first embodiment.

When data transmission / reception is started in S1002 (YES), the data is monitored and the terminal ID is read (S1003). In this case, the terminal ID may be an IP address or the like.

The read RFID tag ID and the monitored terminal ID are sent as a pair to the server 20, which is a predetermined destination (S1004).

Next, it is determined whether or not data transmission / reception has stopped and a certain time has elapsed (S1005). The fixed time is a predetermined numerical value, for example, 10 minutes, 30 minutes or the like is set.

As described above, as described above in the first embodiment, it is possible to include or omit data that is automatically transmitted / received without being operated by the user as described above.

If data transmission / reception has stopped in S1005 and a certain period of time has elapsed (YES), the wireless tag ID deletion notification is sent to the destination that previously transmitted the wireless tag ID and terminal ID, and then the data transmission / reception is awaited (S1002) .

When a plurality of terminals are connected to the ID notification adapter with the power line communication function, the processing after S1002 is performed for each terminal.

The ID table (FIG. 4) and the process flowchart (FIG. 6) of the server 20 are common to the first embodiment and the second embodiment, and the ID reading means and the notification means in the ID notification adapter of the present invention are used to It is also possible to provide services in cooperation with the functions of the presence server (server 20) and telephony server (call control device 70) by detecting the location and work status of the computer Since the description is omitted here because it is common to Example 1 and Example 2, the presence server (server 20) and the telephony server (call control device 70) are realized by software installed in the hardware of the same server. It is also possible.

In the first and second embodiments, the wireless tag is used as a tag, and the wireless tag reader is used as a tag reading unit. However, as a wireless tag, when a radio wave is emitted from the wireless tag reader, power is generated from the radio wave. There are a passive type that generates and emits a radio wave including ID information, and an active type that emits a radio wave with a built-in battery, both of which are applicable. However, in the present application, a large number of wireless tags are mounted at various locations, so the passive type is more suitable in terms of cost and maintainability.
By the way, the tag may be a barcode tag or the like, and the reading means may be a barcode reader or the like, and is not limited to a wireless tag or a wireless tag reader.

System configuration diagram of Example 1 Functional block diagram of communication device Server functional block diagram ID table on the server ID reading and sending process flowchart ID notification reception process and RFID tag deletion process flowchart System configuration diagram of Example 2 Functional block diagram of ID notification adapter with wired access point type power line communication function Functional block diagram of ID notification adapter with wireless access point type power line communication function Processing flow chart of ID notification adapter with power line communication function

Explanation of symbols

1
ID notification adapter
2
Information terminal
10 Communication equipment
11 Tag ID reader
12 Tag ID / terminal ID notification section
13 Terminal function
14 Communications department
20 servers
21 ID table section
22 Tag ID / terminal ID receiver
23 Server function
24 Communications department
30 wireless tag
40 Telephone equipment
50 data terminals
60 LAN
61 Power line
80 Power outlet
90 Power line communication adapter with a power plug (base unit)
100 Wired access point type ID notification adapter with power plug integrated with power plug
101 Tag ID reader
102 Tag ID / terminal ID notification section
103 Wired LAN communication section
104 Power line communication department
105 Data relay part
106 Power supply
107 Power supply unit
110 ID notification adapter with wireless access point type power line communication function integrated with power plug
111 Tag ID reader
112 Tag ID / terminal ID notification section
113 Wireless LAN communication section
114 Power line communication department
115 Data relay section
116 Power supply
210 Wireless tag location information table
211 Communication device user table
2101 ID of wireless tag
2102 Wireless tag location information
2103 Adjacent terminal
2111 Device ID
2112 User
2113 Normal extension
2114 Read RFID tag ID

Claims (7)

ID reading means for reading an ID from a tag present in the vicinity;
ID information notifying means for notifying the ID read by the ID reading means and the terminal ID of the own communication device to a predetermined destination as ID information immediately before starting data transmission / reception or during data transmission / reception. ID notification adapter. In the ID notification adapter according to claim 1,
The ID notification adapter, wherein the tag present in the vicinity is a wireless tag, and the ID reading means is a wireless tag reader. In the ID notification adapter according to claim 1 or 2,
The ID reading adapter is configured to be integrated with a power plug of the own ID notification adapter or mounted near the power plug and reads an ID of a tag mounted near the power outlet. . In the ID notification adapter according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The ID notification adapter, wherein the terminal ID is extracted from data transmitted by an information terminal connected to the self ID notification adapter. In the ID notification adapter according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The ID information notifying unit notifies the predetermined destination using a power line carrier system. A presence management device that receives the ID information from the ID notification adapter according to claim 1,
Tag mounting location storage means for storing the tag mounting location in association with the ID of the tag, the ID notification adapter or the ID of the information terminal connected to the ID notification adapter and the communication device or the user of the information terminal A user storage means for storing the ID information and an ID information receiving means for receiving the ID information notified from the ID notification adapter. From the received ID information, the ID notification adapter or the information terminal A presence management device characterized by specifying a location of a user. A telephone system including the ID notification adapter according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and the presence management device according to claim 6,
When there is an incoming call to the user of the information terminal connected to the ID notification adapter or the communication device, it is associated with a predetermined absence response or the location information according to the location information specified by the presence management device. A telephone system characterized by transferring the call to an extension.