JP2009129240A - Sensor network, service specification device, and method and program for providing service - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sensor network that can provide a variety of services to users by interconnecting sensors among the services. <P>SOLUTION: The sensor network has: a terminal 70 which stores service identification information 62; a first sensing device 10a for reading the service identification information from the terminal; a second sensing device 10 for acquiring particular information; a service providing device 40 for providing services by the second sensing device; and a service specification device 20 for storing a service list 21 to search for the address of the service providing device corresponding to the service identification information read by the first sensing device, and sending a service provision request to the service providing device according to the address searched for. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to sensor networks, and more particularly to connecting sensors among multiple services.

  One of the major research themes in ubiquitous technology is the so-called sensor network. A sensor network is a network of multiple terminals (hereinafter referred to as sensing devices) equipped with sensors (eg, temperature, vibration, acceleration, position, video, audio, radio waves, etc.), and is specified based on information from each sensor. It is a technology that tries to judge the situation of the range comprehensively. Application of sensor networks is expected in various fields.

  For sensor networks, for example, there are techniques as described below. Patent Document 1 discloses a service search system in which a terminal device interconnected with a server device caches a service object obtained by a master search in the server device, thereby reducing search time and cost. Yes. Patent Document 2 discloses a system that displays information searched by a user from advertisement information registered in a server device on a terminal.

  Patent Document 3 discloses a system in which an RFID reader reads a current location from an RFID tag of a mobile terminal and provides information corresponding to the read current location to a terminal. Patent Document 4 discloses a system for changing a service that can be received by a user authenticated by an RFID tag of a mobile terminal. Non-Patent Document 1 summarizes technical trends and issues regarding the ubiquitous sensor network as of July 2004.

JP 2002-169806 A JP 2003-208432 A JP 2004-235713 A JP 2005-109652 A "Final Report for Realization of Ubiquitous Sensor Network" Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Research Committee on Ubiquitous Sensor Network Technology, July 2004

  In order to introduce a sensor network, it is necessary to install a huge number of sensing devices in a living environment and network them. For this reason, in realizing a sensor network, there is a problem of who and how to bear the enormous cost required for that purpose.

  However, in the conventional technology, the installed sensing device can be used only by a specific installer for a specific service. That is, the sensing device and the service (installer) are fixed in a one-to-one relationship, and the sensing device is not used by any other service (installer).

  For this reason, the number of sensing devices that can be installed by a single service provider and the service provision range are greatly limited due to the cost required for installation. Furthermore, there is a risk that waste such as the fact that a plurality of service providers must arrange the same type of sensing device in the same location, for example, may occur. And it is difficult to provide various services to users in a wide range of provision.

  In order to solve the above problems, it is necessary to standardize a protocol, a charging system, etc. that connect and share sensors between services. However, this has not yet been realized as a realistic service.

  Incidentally, in the above-mentioned patent documents 1 to 4, a mechanism for receiving a service from the current location or user identification information is disclosed, but a mechanism for interconnecting a number of sensors between services is disclosed. Absent. Non-Patent Document 1 merely describes the prior art regarding sensor networks.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a sensor network, a service specifying device, a service providing method, and a service providing program that can provide various services to users by connecting sensors to each other.

  In order to achieve the above object, a sensor network according to the present invention is provided separately from a terminal that stores service identification information, a first sensing device that reads service identification information from the terminal, and a first sensing device. The second sensing device that acquires the information of the service, the service providing device that provides the service by the second sensing device, and the address of the service providing device corresponding to the service identification information read by the first sensing device are searched. And a service specifying device that stores a service list and transmits a service providing request to the service providing device using the retrieved address.

  To achieve the above object, a service specifying apparatus according to the present invention includes a tag receiving unit that receives service identification information read from a terminal by a sensing device, a service list that stores an address of a service providing device, and a tag receiving unit. A list search unit that searches the service list for the address of the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service identification information received by the server, and a server communication unit that transmits a service providing request to the service providing apparatus using the searched address. To do.

  To achieve the above object, a service providing method according to the present invention includes a terminal that stores service identification information, a first sensing device that reads service identification information from the terminal, a second sensing device, and a second sensing. A method of providing a service to a terminal in a sensor network comprising a service providing apparatus that provides a service by a device and a service specifying apparatus having a service list that searches for an address of the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service identification information. An identification information transmitting step in which the first sensing device transmits service identification information read from the terminal to the service identification device; and a service providing apparatus corresponding to the service identification information received by the service identification device from the first sensing device. Search the service list for An address search step, a first service request step in which the service specifying device transmits a service provision request to the service providing device using the retrieved address, and a service in which the service providing device provides a service in response to the service provision request And a providing step.

  To achieve the above object, a service providing program according to the present invention includes a terminal that stores service identification information, a first sensing device that reads service identification information from the terminal, a second sensing device, and a second sensing. In a sensor network comprising a service providing apparatus that provides a service by a device and a service specifying apparatus that has a service list for searching for an address of the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service identification information, a computer that configures the service specifying apparatus includes: A process of receiving service identification information read from a terminal from one sensing device, a process of retrieving an address of a service providing apparatus corresponding to the service identification information received from the first sensing device from a service list, and Support by address Characterized in that to execute a process of transmitting a service request to the bis-providing device.

  In the present invention, as described above, the service identification information is read from the terminal by the sensing device, and the service identification device searches for and accesses the corresponding service, so that any service is accessed via the network. Can be used. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a superior sensor network, service specifying device, service providing method, and service providing program that can provide various services to users by connecting sensors to each other.

  FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of a sensor network 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The sensor network 1 includes a sensing device 10, a service specifying device 20, a service registration device 30, and a service providing device 40 that are connected to each other via a network 50.

  Although only one to several of the sensing device 10, the service specifying device 20, the service registration device 30, and the service providing device 40 are depicted in FIG. 1 due to space limitations, there are actually many. To do. The network 50 is, for example, short-range wireless communication such as the Internet, public wireless communication network, Ethernet (registered trademark), wireless LAN, Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc., but the specific communication means is not particularly limited.

  The sensing device 10 is an RFID reader 10a that reads an RFID tag, an infrared sensor, a GPS antenna, a temperature sensor, and other sensors that acquire environmental information, the status of a specific person or place, identification information, and other specific information. Many are installed at any location. The sensing device 10 transmits information acquired by itself to the service providing apparatus 40 via the network 50.

  One of the sensing devices 10 is an RFID reader 10a. The RFID reader 10 a can read information such as the user identification information 61 and the service identification information 62 from the RFID tag 60 built in the portable terminal 70 and transmit the information to the service specifying device 20. The RFID tag 60 will be described later. The portable terminal 70 can be replaced with, for example, an IC card. Further, the mobile terminal 70 may store a plurality of pieces of service identification information 62, and among them, the information stored in the RFID tag 60 may be switched by a user operation.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the service specifying device 20 shown in FIG. The service specifying device 20 is a computer device such as a server, and includes a service list 21, a control unit 22, a tag receiving unit 23, a list search unit 24, a list update unit 25, and a server communication unit 26. The service list 21 is information for providing information to services such as service identification information and addresses. The control unit 22 includes a CPU, a RAM, and an OS, and executes various functions described below.

  The tag receiving unit 23 is a function executed by the control unit 22 and receives data from the RFID reader 10 a via the network 50. The list search unit 24 is a function executed by the control unit 22 and searches the service list 21. The list update unit 25 is a function executed by the control unit 22 and updates data of the service list 21. The server communication unit 26 is a function executed by the control unit 22 and communicates with the service registration device 30 and the service providing device 40 via the network 50.

  With these functions, the service specifying device 20 receives the data from the RFID reader 10a by the tag receiving unit 23, the list search unit 24 searches the service list 21 based on the received data, and the server communication unit 26 corresponds. The service providing request can be transmitted to the service providing apparatus 40 that performs the operation. If the retrieved data is not registered in the service list 21, the server communication unit 26 makes an inquiry about the service identification information to the service registration device 30, and obtains information for providing information to the service based on the inquiry result. The list updating unit 25 can also reflect the service list 21.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the service registration device 30 shown in FIG. The service registration device 30 is a computer device such as a server, and includes a service registration list 31, a control unit 32, a list search unit 33, a list update unit 34, and a server communication unit 35. The service registration list 31 is list information that associates service identification information with information for providing information to a service such as an address. The control unit 32 includes a CPU, a RAM, and an OS, and executes various functions described below.

  The list search unit 33 is a function executed by the control unit 32 and searches the service registration list 31. The list update unit 34 is a function executed by the control unit 32 and updates data in the service registration list 31. The server communication unit 35 is a function executed by the control unit 32 and communicates with the service specifying device 20 and the service providing device 40 via the network 50.

  With these functions, in the service registration device 30, the server communication unit 35 receives a registration request from the service providing device 40, and the list update unit 34 can reflect the received registration content in the service registration list 31. When the server communication unit 35 receives a service inquiry based on the service identification information from the service specifying device 20, the list search unit 33 searches the service registration list 31, and the server communication unit 35 returns the search result. You can also.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the service providing apparatus 40 shown in FIG. The service providing device 40 is a computer device such as a server, and includes a service log 41, a control unit 42, a sensor receiving unit 43, a service providing unit 44, a log update unit 45, a server communication unit 46, and a user authentication unit 47. The service log 41 is a record of contents provided by the service providing apparatus 40. The control unit 42 includes a CPU, a RAM, and an OS, and executes various functions described below.

  The sensor receiving unit 43 is a function executed by the control unit 42 and receives data from the sensing device 10 via the network 50. The service providing unit 44 is a function executed by the control unit 42 and provides various services based on data received from the sensing device 10. The log update unit 45 is a function executed by the control unit 42 and records the contents of the service provided by the service providing unit 44 in the service log 41.

  The server communication unit 46 is a function executed by the control unit 42 and communicates with the service specifying device 20 and the service registration device 30 via the network 50. The user authentication unit 47 identifies later-described user identification information 61 and determines whether or not service provision is appropriate. The user authentication unit 47 holds a list of users suitable for service provision (not shown) and a list of unsuitable users (not shown), and determines the suitability of service provision based on those lists. be able to. The list can be updated as appropriate by the service provider.

  With these functions, the service providing apparatus 40 acquires information from the sensing device 10 by the sensor receiving unit 43, and acquires the information from the sensing device 10 in response to the service request from the service specifying apparatus 20 received by the server communication unit 46. The service providing unit 44 can provide services based on various types of information. Further, when the service providing unit 44 provides a service, the log update unit 45 can record the contents in the service log 41.

  FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing a data structure of the service list 21 and the service registration list 31 shown in FIGS. The service list 21 and the service registration list 31 have the same data structure, and each includes service identification information 101, service providing apparatus identification information 102, a communication method 103, and a data type 104.

  The service identification information 101 is an ID that uniquely identifies a service. The service providing device identification information 102 is an address (IP address, URL, etc.) of the service providing device 40 that provides the service. The communication method 103 is a protocol for communicating with the service providing apparatus 40. The data type 104 is the type of data acquired by the service (temperature, acceleration, video, GPS, RFID, etc.). In addition to these, the service list 21 and the service registration list 31 may include data such as the name of a service and the name of a trader that provides the service.

  The service providing apparatus 40 registers the service in the service registration apparatus 30 in advance before starting the service. The information to be registered is the contents shown in FIG. In the service registration device 30, the list update unit 34 updates the service registration list 31 based on the registration contents received by the server communication unit 35 from the service providing device 40.

  FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing a data configuration of the service log 41 shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. The service log 41 records user identification information 151, service identification device identification information 152, and service provision date / time 153. The user identification information 151 is identification information of a user who wants to receive service provision, which is included in the service request and transmitted by the service identification device 20. The service specifying device identification information 152 is an address (IP address, URL, etc.) of the service specifying device 20 that transmitted the service request. The service provision date and time 153 is the date and time when the service is provided.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing operations performed when the service specifying device 20 and the service providing device 40 shown in FIG. 1 provide a service to a user. Steps S201 to 209 are executed by the service specifying apparatus 20, and steps S210 to 211 are executed by the service providing apparatus 40.

  The user who intends to use the service brings the portable terminal 70 including the RFID tag 60 including the user identification information 61 and the service identification information 62 close to the RFID reader 10a which is one of the sensing devices 10, and the contents of the RFID tag 60 To read.

  The RFID reader 10 a transmits user identification information 61 and service identification information 62 read from the RFID tag 60 to the service identification device 20 via the network 50. When the tag receiving unit 23 of the service specifying device 20 receives information from the RFID reader 10a, the following processing is started (step S201).

  The list search unit 24 searches the service list 21 for the service identification information 101 corresponding to the received service identification information 62 (step S202), and determines whether the service exists (step S203). If the service exists in step S203, the list search unit 24 reads the service providing device identification information 102 and the communication method 103 corresponding to the service identification information 101 from the service list 21, and the server communication unit 26 thereby reads the service providing device. 40 is accessed and a service provision request is transmitted (step S204). At that time, the server communication unit 26 transmits the user identification information 61 and the data type 104 to the service providing apparatus 40.

  If the service does not exist in step S203, the server communication unit 26 accesses the service registration device 30 and inquires whether there is a service corresponding to the service identification information 62 (step S205). In the service registration device 30, the list retrieval unit 33 retrieves the service identification information 62 from the service registration list 31 in response to the inquiry from the service identification device 20 received by the server communication unit 35. When a corresponding service is found, the server communication unit 35 transmits information registered in the service registration list 31 for the service to the service specifying device 20. If not found, the server communication unit 35 transmits a message indicating that it does not exist to the service specifying device 20.

  The control unit 22 makes a determination by receiving the answer from the service registration device 30 received by the server communication unit 26 (step S206). If there is a service in step S206, the list update unit 25 registers the information received from the service registration device 30 in its service list 21 (step S207), and the process proceeds to step S204, where the server communication unit 26 provides the service. Send a request. If the service does not exist in step S206, the control unit 22 presents to the user that “the service does not exist” (step S208), and ends the process.

  The service providing device 40 that has received access from the service identifying device 20 by the server communication unit 46 determines whether the user authentication unit 47 can provide the service from the user identification information 61 and the data type 104 transmitted from the service identifying device 20. (Step S209). If the user identification information 61 is not suitable for service provision, or if the data type 104 is not suitable for the service provided by the user, the service provision is rejected and the process ends (step S211). Otherwise, it is determined that it is eligible for service provision, and the service providing unit 44 provides the requested service and ends (step S210).

  Note that a user can arbitrarily specify a service provision destination (a display destination of information obtained by the service provided by the service provision unit 44). The portable terminal 70 may be used, and other types such as a personal computer may be designated.

  Each time the log update unit 45 provides a service in step S210, the user identification information 61 transmitted from the service identification device 20 and the identification information of the service identification device 20 that called the service provision device 40 are respectively identified by the user. Information 151 and service identification device identification information 152 are recorded in the service log 41.

  According to this configuration, since the sensing device and the service are not fixedly connected, a plurality of services can share a plurality of sensing devices. Therefore, it is possible to share the same type of sensing device among services that use the same type of information. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the waste that a plurality of service providers must arrange the same type of sensing device in the same place.

  In order to promote the widespread use of the sensor network 1, it is necessary to arrange a huge number and types of sensors in the living environment, which requires a huge cost. According to the present embodiment, a plurality of service providers can arrange sensing devices 10 as much as possible and share them. Therefore, the sensor network 1 can be constructed at a lower cost.

  In addition, since a plurality of services share a plurality of sensing devices, the range and types of services that can be received are greatly expanded, so that a highly convenient service can be provided to the user.

  In addition, the user identification information 61 of the user who uses the service and the record about the service specifying device 20 that called the service providing device 40 are recorded as a service log 41 in each service providing device 40. Therefore, the fee collected by the operator of the service identification device 20 from the owner of the RFID tag 60 can be distributed to the provider of the service providing device 40 for each service actually used.

  Therefore, it becomes easy to construct service provision by the sensing device 10 as a business. As more service providers enter the sensor network 1, it can be expected that a wider range of information can be provided in a wider range.

  The data recorded in the service log 41 can be used as high-value marketing information as appropriate because many users' information is collected from a plurality of services. Similarly, in the service specifying device 20 and the service registration device 30, information on the use of the service may be recorded in a log each time the service is used.

  It is possible to replace the RFID reader 10a and the RFID tag 60 with a barcode reader and a barcode, respectively. In this case, it is assumed that the barcode includes user identification information 61 and service identification information 62. In addition, the RFID reader 10 a and the RFID tag 60 can be replaced with various means as long as the information including the user identification information 61 and the service identification information 62 can be transmitted to the sensing device 10.

  Further, if the use of the service by the sensor network 1 is widened, it is expected that the access concentrates on the specific service registration device 30 or the service providing device 40 and an overload state occurs. In that case, a load distribution method such as disposing a plurality of service registration apparatuses 30 or service providing apparatuses 40 whose contents are mirrored for each sensor network 1 to enable access in a distributed manner is applied. Can do.

  Although the present invention has been described with the specific embodiments shown in the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings, and is known so far as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved. It goes without saying that any configuration can be adopted.

  The present invention can be applied to a sensor network in which a plurality of service providers participate.

It is a conceptual diagram which shows the structure of the sensor network which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the service specific apparatus shown in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the service registration apparatus shown in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the service provision apparatus shown in FIG. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the data structure of the service list and service registration list which were shown in FIGS. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the data structure of the service log shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement which the service specific apparatus and service provision apparatus shown in FIG. 1 perform when providing a service to a user.

Explanation of symbols

1 Sensor network 10 Sensing device (second sensing device)
10a RFID reader (first sensing device)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 Service specification apparatus 21 Service list 23 Tag receiving part 24 List search part 25 List update part 26 Server communication part 30 Service registration apparatus 31 Service registration list 40 Service provision apparatus 41 Service log (service provision log)
50 Network 60 RFID tag 61 User identification information 62 Service identification information 70 Mobile terminal (terminal)
101 Service identification information (service list)
102 Service providing device identification information (service list)
151 User identification information (service log)
152 Service specific device identification information (service log)

Claims (16)

A terminal for storing service identification information;
A first sensing device that reads the service identification information from the terminal;
A second sensing device that is provided separately from the first sensing device and acquires specific information;
A service providing apparatus for providing a service by the second sensing device;
A service for storing a service list for searching for an address of the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service identification information read by the first sensing device, and transmitting a service providing request to the service providing apparatus by the searched address A sensor network comprising a specific device. A service registration device storing a service provision list for registering an address of the service provision device corresponding to the service identification information;
When the service providing apparatus address corresponding to the service identification information does not exist in the service list, the service specifying apparatus queries the service registration apparatus for the address of the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service identification information. The sensor network according to claim 1.   When the service specifying device receives from the service registration device a result of inquiring about the address of the service providing device corresponding to the service identification information, the service specifying device transmits a service provision request to the service providing device using the address received from the service registration device. The sensor network according to claim 2, wherein the received address is stored in the service list in association with the service identification information. The terminal stores user identification information in advance,
The first sensing device reads the user identification information;
The service specifying device transmits the service provision request including the user identification information;
The sensor network according to claim 2, wherein the service providing apparatus determines whether the service can be provided based on the user identification information.   The sensor network according to claim 4, wherein the service providing apparatus records the user identification information and the identification information of the service specifying apparatus in a service provision log when providing the service.   6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the terminal transmits the user identification information to the first sensing device by any one of an RFID tag and a barcode. 7. The sensor network described in 1. A tag receiving unit for receiving service identification information read from a terminal by a sensing device;
A service list for storing addresses of service providing devices;
A list search unit that searches the service list for an address of a service providing device corresponding to the service identification information received by the tag receiving unit;
And a server communication unit that transmits a service provision request to the service provision apparatus based on the retrieved address.   When the address of the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service identification information does not exist in the service list, the server communication unit queries the service registration apparatus for the address of the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service identification information. The service specifying device according to claim 7. A list updating unit for updating data recorded in the service list;
When a result of inquiring about the address of the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service identification information is received from the service registration apparatus, the server communication unit transmits a service provision request to the service providing apparatus using the address received from the service registration apparatus. 9. The service specifying apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the list updating unit stores the received address in the service list in association with the service identification information. The tag receiving unit receives user identification information read by the sensing device from the terminal,
The service specifying apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the server communication unit transmits the service provision request including the user identification information. A terminal that stores service identification information, a first sensing device that reads the service identification information from the terminal, a second sensing device, a service providing apparatus that provides a service by the second sensing device, and the service In a sensor network comprising a service specifying device having a service list for searching for an address of the service providing device corresponding to identification information, a method of providing a service to the terminal,
An identification information transmitting step in which the first sensing device transmits the service identification information read from the terminal to the service specifying device;
An address search step in which the service specifying device searches the service list for an address of the service providing device corresponding to the service identification information received from the first sensing device;
A first service requesting step in which the service specifying device transmits a service providing request to the service providing device by the searched address;
A service providing method comprising: a service providing step in which the service providing apparatus provides the service in response to the service providing request.   When the address of the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service identification information does not exist in the service list in the address search step, the service specifying apparatus corresponds to the service identification information in a service registration apparatus separately provided in advance in the sensor network. The service providing method according to claim 11, further comprising an address inquiry step of inquiring an address of a service providing apparatus. The address inquiry process includes:
A second service requesting step of transmitting a service provision request to the service providing apparatus by the address received from the service registration apparatus by the service identifying apparatus;
13. The service providing method according to claim 12, further comprising an address storing step of storing the received address in the service list in association with the service identification information. The identification information transmission step includes a user identification information transmission step in which the first sensing device reads user identification information stored in advance by the terminal and transmits the user identification information to the service specifying device,
In the first service request step, the service specifying device transmits the service provision request including the user identification information,
The service providing method according to claim 12, wherein the service providing step includes a provision availability determination step in which the service providing apparatus determines whether the service can be provided based on the user identification information.   The service providing step includes a log recording step of recording the user identification information and the identification information of the service specifying device in a service providing log when the service providing device provides the service. 14. The service providing method according to 14. A terminal that stores service identification information, a first sensing device that reads the service identification information from the terminal, a second sensing device, a service providing apparatus that provides a service by the second sensing device, and the service In a sensor network comprising a service specifying device having a service list for searching for an address of the service providing device corresponding to identification information, a computer constituting the service specifying device is
A process of receiving the service identification information read from the terminal from the first sensing device;
A process of searching the service list for an address of the service providing apparatus corresponding to the service identification information received from the first sensing device;
A service providing program for causing the service providing apparatus to execute a process of transmitting a service providing request by using the searched address.

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