JP2010273086A - Communication system and communication method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technology for providing a user with information on an access point without wasting memory resources of a terminal which accesses a public wireless LAN and enabling the user to suitably access the access point using the information. <P>SOLUTION: A communication system is disclosed which includes: a server which unitarily manages access point information which allows access to each of a plurality of access points, when the access point information is requested from the user, on individual condition of the user, extracts an access point with which the user should be provided based on the condition, and provides the access point information including the extracted access point; and the terminal which stores the access point information provided from the server, presents the access points included in the stored access point information to the user, and connects to an access point selected by the user. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for accessing a public wireless LAN (Local Area Network).

  Public wireless LAN services that enable Internet connection by wireless LAN through access points installed at stations, airports, restaurants, etc. are provided by various businesses. In order to access an access point provided by each business operator, the user needs to investigate in advance information such as the installation location of the access point and settings for connecting to the access point. Information on each access point is published on the Internet by each business operator. The user can refer to the information of the access point when actually connecting to the access point by storing the information of the access point in a terminal that uses the information in advance.

  However, since access point information is disclosed separately to the Internet for each business operator, the user cannot easily search for access points that can be used on the go.

  Also, since the hard disk and memory of the terminal are limited, it is not desirable to store information on access points that are not likely to be connected to the terminal.

  Various technologies have been proposed so that users can recognize access points that can be used on the go.

  Patent Document 1 proposes a method of selecting an access point by a wireless terminal including a wireless communication unit that performs communication using a communication unit that is not a wireless LAN, in addition to a wireless communication unit that performs communication using a wireless LAN. The wireless terminal of Patent Document 1 communicates with a plurality of access points by a wireless communication unit that performs communication using a communication means that is not a wireless LAN, displays position information acquired from each access point to a user, and performs appropriate access. Let users select points.

  Patent Document 2 proposes a communication system including a service center that centrally manages access point location information. In the communication system of Patent Document 2, the communication terminal communicates with the service center via the public network immediately before accessing the access point, and inquires the service center about the nearest access point.

JP 2008-118538 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-164272

  Patent Document 1 described above is a technique for accessing an access point existing within the communication range of a wireless communication unit that performs communication using a communication means that is not a wireless LAN. For this reason, in Patent Document 1, a user cannot use an access point that exists outside the communication range of a wireless communication unit that performs communication using a communication means that is not a wireless LAN.

  In Patent Document 2, since the user needs to communicate with the service center via the public network immediately before accessing the access point, it takes time and labor to access the access point.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a technology for efficiently providing necessary access point information for a user at a terminal accessing a public wireless LAN and allowing the user to access the access point suitably using the information. It is.

  In order to achieve the above object, a communication system of the present invention unifies a plurality of access points that can be wirelessly connected from a terminal and access point information that enables access to each of the plurality of access points. When the access point information is requested by the user under individual conditions, the access point to be provided to the user is extracted based on the condition, and the extracted access point A server that provides access point information including: the access point information provided from the server is stored; the access point included in the stored access point information is presented to the user; A terminal connected to the access point selected by the user;

  In order to achieve the above object, a communication method according to the present invention is a communication method of a communication system having a plurality of access points that can be wirelessly connected from a terminal, wherein a plurality of access points are provided in a server. The access point information that enables access to each of the access points is centrally managed, and when the user requests access point information under individual conditions, the access point information is provided to the user based on the conditions. An access point to be extracted is extracted, access point information including the extracted access point is provided, and the access point information provided from the server is stored in the terminal, and the stored access point information is stored The access point included in the access point is presented to the user and connected to the access point selected by the user. To.

  In order to achieve the above object, the server of the present invention includes an information management unit that centrally manages access point information that enables access to each of a plurality of access points, and a user from the user. An information providing unit that extracts access points to be provided to the user based on the conditions, and provides access point information including the extracted access points. Have.

  In order to achieve the above object, the terminal of the present invention includes a plurality of access points that can be connected wirelessly from the terminal, and access point information that enables access to each of the plurality of access points. A terminal that is centrally managed, and is used in a communication system having an access point information management unit that stores the access point information provided from the server, and is included in the stored access point information A communication control unit that connects to the access point selected by the user, and when connecting to the access point, the date and time of connection to the access point and the user name are stored. An access point information update unit for registering the date and time and the user name in the server A.

  According to the present invention, a terminal accessing a public wireless LAN can efficiently provide access point information necessary for the user, and the user can preferably access the access point using the information.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the communication system in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the access point information which the server 1 manages. It is a figure which shows the example of the apparatus information which each provider manages. It is a figure which shows the example of the user profile information which the server 1 manages. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a sequence between the terminal 2 and the server 1 when the terminal 2 acquires access point information from the server 1 in the communication system illustrated in FIG. 1. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a communication system when using a terminal on the go. It is a figure which shows the example of the positional information on the access point recorded on RF tag. It is a figure which shows the sequence between the terminal 2 and the server when the terminal 2 updates the access point information of the server 1 in the communication system shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of the access point information which the server 1 provides to the terminal 2 when the terminal 2 whose user is U2 requests | requires the access point information whose area is Osaka from the server 1. It is a figure which shows the example of a display when the access point whose station name is FF is selected. It is a figure which shows the example of the access point information which the server 1 provides to the terminal 3 when the terminal 3 whose user is U3 requests | requires the access point information whose area is Osaka or Fukuoka from the server 1. It is a figure which shows a display example when the access point whose area is Fukuoka is selected as access point information displayed on the terminal.

  Next, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  In the communication system of the present embodiment, a server that centrally manages access point information provided by each business operator is installed. Each business operator stores information such as the installation location of the access point and settings for connecting to the access point on the server.

  The user acquires access point information from the server and saves it in the terminal before using the terminal on the go. When the terminal acquires the access point information from the server, the terminal also notifies the information of the free capacity that can store the access point information.

  The server manages information on users who have used the access point, in addition to information such as the location of the access point and settings for connecting to the access point. When a server is requested to acquire access point information from a terminal, the priority of the terminal, such as an access point that is frequently used by the user, is within the range of free space that can store the access point information. Highly accessible access point information is automatically provided to improve user convenience.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a server 1, a terminal 2, and a terminal 3.

  The server 1 is a server that manages public wireless LAN access point information (hereinafter referred to as “access point information”) and information about users for each business operator (hereinafter referred to as “user profile information”).

  The server 1 includes an information management unit 11, an information providing unit 12, and a storage device 13.

  The information management unit 11 records the access point information and user profile information registered by the business operator in the storage device 13.

  The information providing unit 12 extracts an access point to be provided to the user in response to a request from the user, reads the access point information from the storage device 13, and transmits the access point information to the terminals 2 and 3. In addition, the information providing unit 12 updates the access point information stored in the storage device 13 in response to a request for updating the access point information from the user.

  The storage device 13 is a storage device that stores access point information and user profile information.

  An example of access point information managed by the server 1 is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the access point information includes device information and usage information.

  The device information is managed by a provider that provides an access point. An example of device information managed by each business operator is shown in FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the device information includes information such as an area, a company name, a station name, a building name, a business type, an address, and setting information indicating settings for connecting to the access point. The device information of the access point information managed by the server 1 is updated by the provider that provides the access point.

  The usage information includes usage history information indicating usage history such as the date and time when the access point was used and the user name used, and coordinate information indicating the position of the access point. Usage information is updated by the user.

  An example of user profile information managed by the server 1 is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the user profile information includes user information regarding the number of each business operator, the business operator name, and the user who can use the service of that business operator.

  The terminals 2 and 3 are portable devices having a wireless LAN function. Terminals 2 and 3 access an access point installed outside the office by wireless LAN, and connect to a network such as the Internet beyond the access point.

  The terminals 2 and 3 may be any portable computer having a wireless LAN function, such as a notebook PC (Personal computer), PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), or thin client terminal.

  The terminal 2 includes an access point information management unit 21, a communication control unit 22, an access point information update unit 23, and a storage device 24.

  The terminal 3 includes an access point information management unit 31, a communication control unit 32, an access point information update unit 33, and a storage device 34.

  The access point information management units 21 and 31 acquire access point information from the server 1 according to instructions from the user and store them in the storage devices 24 and 34.

  The communication control units 22 and 32 perform control for connecting to an access point. When accessing the access point, the communication control unit 22 indicates the access point information stored in the storage devices 24 and 34 to the user and connects to the access point selected by the user.

  Moreover, the communication control units 22 and 32 have a function of displaying a map and indicating the position of the access point from which the own device acquires coordinate information on the map.

  When connecting to the access point, the access point information updating units 23 and 33 record the date and time of connection to the access point and the user name of the own device in the use result information of the access point information in the storage devices 24 and 34.

  The access point information update units 23 and 33 have a function of reading information recorded in the RF tag, read out the coordinate information of the access point from the RF tag installed in the vicinity of the access point, and store the storage devices 24 and 34. Is recorded in the coordinate information of the access point information.

  The storage devices 24 and 34 are storage devices that store access point information.

  First, a process when the terminal 2 acquires access point information from the server 1 in the communication system shown in FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a sequence between the terminal 2 and the server 1 when the terminal 2 acquires access point information from the server 1 in the communication system shown in FIG.

  The terminal 2 acquires access point information that can be used from the server 1 before being used on the go.

  The access point information management unit 21 of the terminal 2 first transmits an access point list acquisition request indicating an acquisition request for a list of access point information stored in the server 1 to the server 1 (step S1).

  When receiving an access point list acquisition request from the access point information management unit 21 of the terminal 2, the information providing unit 12 of the server 1 can use the service from the user profile information stored in the storage device 13 by the user of the terminal 2. The business operator is confirmed (step S2). The information providing unit 12 of the server 1 extracts from the access point information the access points provided by the service provider that can be used by the user of the terminal 2, and transmits a list of access point information of each access point to the terminal 2 ( Step S3).

  When the access point information list is received from the information providing unit 12 of the server 1, the access point information management unit 21 of the terminal 2 displays the list. And the access point information management part 21 of the terminal 2 transmits the access point information acquisition request which shows the acquisition request of the access point information with respect to the server 1 to the server 1 according to the request | requirement from a user (step S4).

  The access point information acquisition request includes an access point specified by the user for acquiring the access point information and information on the free capacity that can store the access point information in the terminal 2.

  In addition, the access point which acquires access point information may be designated by conditions, such as an area, a provider name, a station name, a building name, a business type, an address. In addition, the access point for acquiring the access point information may not be specified.

  Further, the terminal 2 can designate the upper limit size of the access point information acquired from the server 1 according to the capacity of the hard disk or memory of its own device.

  When the access point information acquisition request is received from the terminal 2, the information providing unit 12 of the server 1 extracts the access point information of the access point specified by the access point information acquisition request from the access point information stored in the storage device 13. (Step S5). In addition, the information providing unit 12 of the server 1 extracts access point information even for an access point with a high priority within the range of the free capacity of the terminal 2 included in the access point information acquisition request. Note that the priority is determined by, for example, the order of access points used frequently by the user of the terminal 2 or the date and time when the user of the terminal 2 used the new access point.

  When the access point information is extracted, the information providing unit 12 of the server 1 transmits the extracted access point information to the terminal 2 (step S6). If the access point for acquiring access point information is not specified in the access point information acquisition request, the information providing unit 12 of the server 1 transmits only the access point information extracted as an access point with a high priority.

  When the access point information is received, the access point information management unit 21 of the terminal 2 stores the received access point information in the storage device 24 (step S7).

  Next, processing when the terminal 2 is used on the go will be described.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication system when the terminal is used on the go.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the communication system when the terminal is used on the go has a PC 2, an access point 4, and an RF (Radio Frequency) tag 5.

  The access point 4 has a relay function for the terminal 2 to access a network such as the Internet. The access point 4 is connected to the terminal 2 via a wireless LAN, and is connected to a network such as the Internet via a wired LAN. The access point 4 converts the wireless LAN packet received from the terminal 2 into a wired LAN packet and transmits it to a network such as the Internet. The access point 4 converts a wired LAN packet received from a network such as the Internet into a wireless LAN packet and transmits the packet to the PC 2.

  The RF tag 5 is an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag attached to the access point 4. In the RF tag 5, position information of the access point 4 is recorded.

  An example of access point position information recorded in the RF tag 5 is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, the access point position information includes coordinates indicating latitude, longitude, and altitude in addition to device information indicating access point area, operator name, station name, building name, business type, address, and setting information. Have information.

  The communication control unit 22 of the terminal 2 carries the access point information stored in the storage device 24 in response to an instruction from the user when the user is connected to the access point that is carried by the user and installed in the place of going out. indicate. The user can select an access point to be displayed by specifying a condition such as a keyword. The communication control unit 22 of the terminal 2 displays a list of access point information for access points that meet the conditions specified by the user. When the access point to be connected is selected by the user, the communication control unit 22 of the terminal 2 requests connection to the access point based on the setting information of the selected access point, and the Internet or the like via the access point. Connect to your network.

  When connected to the access point, the access point information updating unit 23 of the terminal 2 records the date and time of connection to the access point and the user name of the own device in the access record information of the access point information stored in the storage device 34.

  Further, the access point information updating unit 23 of the terminal 2 reads the coordinate information of the access point 4 from the RF tag 5 attached to the connected access point 4 and uses it as the coordinate information of the access point information stored in the storage device 24. Record.

  When the access point information stored in the storage device 24 is displayed, the communication control unit 22 of the terminal 2 displays a map, and the position of the access point from which the own device acquires coordinate information on the map. You may make it represent. The communication control unit 22 of the terminal 2 calculates the position of the access point on the displayed map from the longitude, latitude, and altitude information of each access point, and displays the position of the access point on the map. The map may be a planar map or a three-dimensional map. When the access point information is displayed on the three-dimensional map, the communication control unit 22 of the terminal 2 includes the altitude information of the access point and the altitude of the access point on the displayed map from the height of the building. The location including the altitude of the access point is displayed on the map. By displaying the position of the access point on the three-dimensional map, the user can more precisely determine the position of the access point in the building when the access point to be connected exists in the building. Can be recognized.

  The function of displaying a map may be realized by linking with general-purpose map software.

  Next, processing when the terminal 2 updates the access point information of the server 1 in the communication system shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a sequence between the terminal 2 and the server 1 when the terminal 2 updates the access point information of the server 1 in the communication system shown in FIG.

  When the terminal 2 is connected to the server 1 by a user after connecting to an access point installed outside, the terminal 2 records on the server 1 the usage record information updated by the own device or the coordinate information acquired from the RF tag. Update the access point information.

  When connecting to the server 1, the access point information updating unit 23 of the terminal 2 first transmits an access point information update request indicating a request for updating the access point information of the server 1 to the server 1 (step S11). The access point information update request includes usage record information and coordinate information stored in the storage device 24.

  When the access point information update request is received from the access point information update unit 23 of the terminal 2, the information management unit 11 of the server 1 extracts the usage record information and the coordinate information from the received access point information update request and stores them in the storage device 13. The stored access point information is updated (step S12).

  When the access point information is updated, the information management unit 11 of the server 1 transmits an access point information update response indicating that the update of the access point information is completed to the terminal 2 (step S13).

  The server 1 can provide updated access point information to terminals other than the terminal 2 by updating the access point information in response to a request from the terminal 2. When the terminal other than the terminal 2 acquires the coordinate information of the access point updated by the terminal 2, the terminal updates the coordinate information stored in the storage device of the own device to the acquired coordinate information. Thereby, terminals other than the terminal 2 can display the position on the map of an own apparatus also about the access point which has not connected.

  Hereinafter, an example of access point information stored in the terminals 2 and 3 will be described.

  FIG. 9 shows an example of access point information provided by the server 1 to the terminal 2 when the terminal 2 whose user is U2 requests the server 1 for access point information whose area is Osaka.

  When receiving an access point information acquisition request from the terminal 2, the server 1 first extracts access points whose area is Osaka from the access points shown in FIG. Next, the server 1 extracts an access point that has been used by the user U2 in the past as an access point having a high priority, although the area is Tokyo. As shown in FIG. 9, the server 1 stores access point information of an access point whose area is Osaka, and access point information of an access point whose area is Tokyo but the user U2 has used in the past. Provided to the terminal 2.

  When the terminal 2 is carried by the user and connected to an access point installed outside, the terminal 2 displays the access point information stored in the own device in accordance with an instruction from the user. The user can select an access point to be displayed by specifying a condition such as a keyword. FIG. 10 shows a display example when an access point whose station name is FF is selected. As shown in FIG. 10, only the access point information of the access point whose station name is FF among the access point information shown in FIG. 9 is displayed.

  FIG. 11 shows an example of access point information provided by the server 1 to the terminal 3 when the terminal 3 whose user is U3 requests the server 1 for access point information whose area is Osaka or Fukuoka. As shown in FIG. 11, the user can also specify a plurality of access point conditions for obtaining access point information. In addition, the access point conditions for acquiring the access point information may be conditions other than the area, such as a business name, a station name, a building name, a business type, and an address.

  FIG. 12 shows a display example when an access point whose area is Fukuoka is selected as the access point information displayed on the terminal 3. As shown in FIG. 12, only the access point information of the access point whose area is Fukuoka is displayed among the access point information shown in FIG.

  Note that the size of the free capacity that can store the access point information included in the access point information acquisition request differs for each terminal. Therefore, even if the same user requests access point information from different terminals, the access point information provided from the server is different. Thereby, the user can acquire access point information of an appropriate size according to the application.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, a terminal accessing a public wireless LAN requests necessary access point information from a server that centrally manages access point information. At this time, the server automatically extracts a high-priority access point from the user under individual conditions, and provides the extracted access point information to the requested terminal. As a result, a terminal that accesses the public wireless LAN can acquire information on an access point appropriate for the terminal, so that necessary access point information can be efficiently stored in its own device. The access point can be preferably accessed using the information.

  In addition, the server can select an access point in descending order of use frequency by the user of the terminal, so that the terminal can store an access point that is likely to be used by the user.

  In addition, since the server selects the access points in the order of the date and time used in the past by the user of the terminal, the terminal may store the access points that are likely to be used by the user in the terminal. it can.

  In addition, by pasting the RF tag storing the coordinate information of the access point on the access point, the terminal that has read the coordinate information can display a map representing the position of the access point, and the user Convenience can be improved.

  Also, by recording altitude information in the coordinate information of the access point of the RF tag and making the map showing the access point information into a three-dimensional map, the user can access It is possible to recognize in more detail where the access point is located in the building.

  Even if the terminal that has acquired the coordinate information of the access point registers the coordinate information in the access point information of the server and shares the information with other terminals, the terminal has never used the access point. A map showing the location of the access point can be displayed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Server 2, 3 Terminal 4 Access point 5 RF tag 11 Information management part 12 Information provision part 13 Storage device 21, 31 Access point information management part 22, 32 Communication control part 23, 33 Access point information update part 24, 34 Storage apparatus

Claims (14)

Multiple access points that can be connected wirelessly from the terminal,
Access point information that enables access to each of the plurality of access points is centrally managed, and when a user requests access point information under individual conditions, based on the conditions, A server that extracts an access point to be provided to the user and provides access point information including the extracted access point;
The access point information provided from the server is stored, the access point included in the stored access point information is presented to the user, and the access point selected by the user is connected. A terminal,
A communication system. The terminal registers the date and user name when connecting to the access point in the server,
When the access point information is requested by the user, the server extracts the access points in descending order of use frequency of the user based on the information registered from the terminal, and includes the extracted access points Provide access point information,
The communication system according to claim 1. The terminal registers the date and user name when connecting to the access point in the server,
When the access point information is requested by the user, the server extracts the access points in the order of the latest date and time used by the user based on the information registered from the terminal. Provide access point information including points,
The communication system according to claim 1. The communication system further includes an RF tag installed in the vicinity of each of the plurality of access points, in which coordinate information indicating information on latitude and longitude at which each access point is located is recorded,
The terminal acquires the coordinate information of the access point from the RF tag, stores the coordinate information in the access point information stored in the own device, and stores it in the own device when connecting to the access point. Displaying a map representing the position indicated by the coordinated information to the user;
The communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The coordinate information further includes elevation information where the access point is located,
The communication system according to claim 4, wherein the map is a three-dimensional map. The terminal notifies the coordinate information to the server,
The server stores the coordinate information notified from a plurality of terminals in the managed access point information, and when requested by the user for the access point information, the server stores the access point information including the coordinate information. Offer to,
The terminal provided with the access point information from the server updates the access point information stored in its own device with the access point information.
The communication system according to claim 4 or 5. A communication method of a communication system having a plurality of access points that can be connected wirelessly from a terminal,
On the server,
Centrally managing access point information enabling access to each of the plurality of access points;
When the user requests access point information under individual conditions, the access point information to be provided to the user is extracted based on the conditions, and the access point information including the extracted access point Provide
On the terminal,
Save the access point information provided from the server,
Present the access point included in the stored access point information to the user,
A communication method for connecting to an access point selected by the user. Register the date and time when the terminal is connected to the access point and the user name in the server,
When the server requests access point information from the user, the server extracts the access points in descending order of usage frequency based on the information registered from the terminal, and includes the extracted access points Provide access point information,
The communication method according to claim 7. Register the date and time when the terminal is connected to the access point and the user name in the server,
When the server requests access point information from the user, based on the information registered from the terminal, the access point is extracted in the order of the date and time used in the past of the user, and the extracted access point Provide access point information including points,
The communication method according to claim 7. The communication system further includes an RF tag installed in the vicinity of each of the plurality of access points, in which coordinate information indicating information on latitude and longitude at which each access point is located is recorded,
The terminal is
Obtaining the coordinate information of the access point from the RF tag, storing the coordinate information included in the access point information stored in the own device,
When connecting to an access point, a map representing the position indicated by the coordinate information stored in the device is displayed to the user.
The communication method according to any one of claims 7 to 9. The coordinate information further includes elevation information where the access point is located,
The communication method according to claim 10, wherein the map is a three-dimensional map. The terminal notifies the server of the coordinate information;
The server stores the coordinate information notified from a plurality of terminals in the managed access point information,
When the access point information is requested by the user, the access point information including the coordinate information is provided,
The terminal provided with the access point information from the server updates the access point information stored in its own device by the access point information,
When connecting to the access point, a map representing the position indicated by the coordinate information included in the access point information stored in the device is displayed to the user.
The communication method according to claim 10 or 11. An information management unit that centrally manages access point information enabling access to each of a plurality of access points;
When the user requests access point information under individual conditions, the access point information to be provided to the user is extracted based on the conditions, and the access point information including the extracted access point An information provider that provides
Server with. A terminal used in a communication system having a plurality of access points that can be connected wirelessly from a terminal, and a server that centrally manages access point information that enables access to each of the plurality of access points Because
An access point information management unit for storing the access point information provided from the server;
A communication control unit that presents an access point included in the stored access point information to a user and connects to the access point selected by the user;
When connecting to the access point, an access point information update unit that stores the date and user name connected to the access point and registers the date and user name in the server;
A terminal having

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