JP2011100370A - Device, system and method for providing information - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To distribute information to an information display terminal while reducing the processing load on an information providing device. <P>SOLUTION: The information providing device providing information to an information display terminal via a network includes a control part, a storage part for storing information, and a communication processing part that communicates with the information display terminal. When the communication processing part receives a request to distribute information from the information display terminal, the control part calculates the expected time of an information update, and then the communication processing part sends information to the information display terminal, together with the expected time of the update calculated. After the expected time of the update has elapsed since the transmission of the information, the communication processing part receives a request to distribute the information, the request being sent again by the information display terminal based on the expected time of the update; in this case, if the information has not been updated since the last transmission, the communication processing part waits for the information to be updated and transmits the updated information to the information display terminal. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an information providing apparatus, an information providing system, and an information providing method, and more particularly, to a technique for distributing information to an apparatus connected to a network.

  In recent years, in addition to stationary information processing terminals such as PCs and Internet home appliances, mobile information processing terminals such as mobile phones and PDAs have become widespread, and various information services for these terminals are becoming common. As one of them, there is an operation information guidance service for notifying the status of delays and transfers when the operation schedule of public transportation such as trains and buses is disturbed. For example, there is a service that provides information on a homepage when a delay of a certain time or more occurs on a specific route or when a delay is expected to occur.

  In addition, there is a method of providing detailed information on railways and trains in real time to a portable information terminal in cooperation with an operation management system (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, the train information distribution server opens a train information providing site based on train operation status display device information, diagram data, and maintenance work plan data received from an operation management system, a diamond management system, and a maintenance work management system. Then, in response to access from the portable information terminal and input operation, a screen displaying various types of train information is transmitted.

  On the other hand, HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol), which is widely used as a communication protocol on the Internet, is a pull-type communication protocol in which a Web server sends a response message in response to a request message from a Web browser as a client. There is a technique of transmitting a message to a client in a push type (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1). In Non-Patent Document 1, the server does not immediately respond to the request message from the client, but puts it on hold, thereby enabling transmission at the timing when the message is to be transmitted from the server to the client.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-308099 (page 4, FIG. 1)

Realized with Tomcat 6! Communication technology beyond Ajax, [online], IT Media Corporation, [October 30, 2009 search], Internet <http://www.atmarkit.co.jp/fjava/rensai4/safetomcat_03/safetomcat_03_1.html>

  Patent Document 1 is a pull-type information provision for accessing a page of an information provision site from a user terminal. When the user wants to obtain the latest operation information, the user himself / herself accesses the server several times. There is also a problem that it takes time and effort for the user. In addition, since the user does not know when the information is updated, the access operation to the server is repeated in some cases even when the information is not updated at all. As a result, the server processing load increases, And the network transmission load between clients increases.

  Further, since Non-Patent Document 1 keeps a request message from a client on hold on the server side, there is a problem in that the processing load on the server increases when request messages from a large number of clients are received.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to enable information distribution to an information display terminal while reducing the processing load of the information providing apparatus.

  In order to solve at least one of the above problems, the present invention is an information providing apparatus that provides information to an information display terminal via a network, and includes a control unit, a storage unit that stores information, and an information A communication processing unit that communicates with the display terminal. When the communication processing unit receives an information distribution request from the information display terminal, the control unit calculates the scheduled update time of the information, and the communication processing unit The information processing terminal sends it to the information display terminal together with the calculated update scheduled time, and after the scheduled update time has elapsed from the transmission of information, the communication processing unit accepts the information distribution request sent again by the information display terminal based on the scheduled update time. When the information has not been updated since the previous transmission, the communication processing unit waits for the information to be updated and transmits the updated information to the information display terminal. Equipment Subjected to.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it becomes possible to distribute information to an information display terminal, reducing the processing load of an information provision apparatus.

It is a figure which shows the example of a system outline | summary of the Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the hardware structural example of the information delivery server 1020. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the process example with respect to a delivery request | requirement. 10 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a distribution request management table 2080. FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a processing example of an update interval calculation unit 1070. It is a figure which shows the structural example of an update space | interval determination table. It is a figure which shows the structural example of a data classification and content condition table. It is a figure which shows the structural example of a log | history data condition table. It is a figure which shows the structural example of an operation management system state condition table. It is a flowchart which shows the process example which distributes information. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing of the information display terminal 1030. It is a figure which shows the example of a screen of the information display terminal 1030. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a code table 2130. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an acquisition history table 2140. FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a system outline of the present embodiment. At least one of the plurality of information display terminals 1030 transmits an information distribution request to the information distribution server 1020 by the information reception / display unit 1090. When the distribution request receiving unit 1100 of the information distribution server 1020 receives the information distribution request, the control information acquisition unit 1060 receives the network 1040 from at least one of the plurality of operation management systems 1010 according to the content of the received request. Various information is acquired via. The information to be acquired is, for example, train location information (route name, train number, traveling direction, train position, track circuit number, kilometer, train speed, etc.), diamond information, maintenance work information, and the like. The update interval calculation means 1070 calculates the scheduled update time when the acquired information value is updated next. The information distribution unit 1080 is connected to a plurality of information display terminals 1030 via the network 1050, and transmits the acquired information together with the scheduled update time of the information calculated by the update interval calculation unit 1070. The information receiving / displaying unit 1090 of the information display terminal displays the received information, and transmits the information request message to the information distribution server again after the time when the value of the information is next updated.

  In this configuration example, for example, the operation management system 1010 and the information distribution server 1020 are computers such as personal computers and workstations, the information display terminal 1030 is a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone, PDA, and notebook PC, and the networks 1040 and 1050 are Ethernet. (Registered trademark) or wireless LAN, the control information acquisition means 1060, the update interval calculation means 1070, and the information distribution means 1080 are Web servers and Java (registered trademark) programs, and the information reception / display means are Web browsers and JavaScript (registered trademarks). ) Can be constructed using a known system development method.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of the information distribution server 1020. The main control unit 2010 performs hardware control and program execution processing. The input unit 2020 inputs a program execution start instruction and a stop instruction from the system administrator. The output unit 2030 outputs a program execution state and the like. The communication processing unit 2040 exchanges data with other computers. The storage management unit 2050 reads and records programs and data. The communication unit 2060 exchanges data between the functional units.

  The storage management unit 2050 includes an information distribution program 2070 for processing the distribution request receiving unit 1100, the control information acquisition unit 1060, the update interval calculation unit 1070, and the information distribution unit 1080, a distribution request management table 2080, and an update interval determination table. 2090, a data type / content condition table 2100, a history data condition table 2110, an operation management system state condition table 2120, a code table 2130, and an acquisition history table 2140 are stored.

  In the above configuration, for example, the main control unit 2010 is a CPU, the input unit 2020 is a keyboard, the output unit 2030 is a liquid crystal display, the communication processing unit 2040 is Ethernet (registered trademark), and the storage management unit 2050 is a hard disk and memory. By realizing the communication unit 2060 with Bus, it can be configured with a conventionally well-known device.

  Note that a part of each table stored in the storage management unit 2050 may be provided outside the information distribution server 1020, and the information distribution server 1020 may acquire information as necessary. For example, instead of providing the acquisition history table 2140, information may be appropriately acquired from another device that collects information on the operation management system.

  Each functional unit in the present embodiment is realized by an information distribution program that the main control unit 2010 reads from the hard disk of the storage management unit 2050 and executes. The main control unit 2010 causes the communication processing unit 2040 to send and receive data so as to realize the function.

  Each process described below is realized by a program that is read from the hard disk and executed by the main control unit of the apparatus that performs the process. These programs are composed of codes for performing various operations described.

  Hereinafter, processing by each functional unit in the present embodiment will be described.

  For example, when the operation management system is implemented as an autonomous distributed system, information with a content code added is broadcasted on the data field.

  The control information acquisition unit 1060 receives the broadcast data on the data field, refers to the code table 2130, acquires the value of the item name included in the content code added to the data, and registers it in the acquisition history table.

  FIG. 13 shows a configuration example of the code table 2130. This table is a list of lines including the content code 13010 of the acquired information and the item name 13020 included in the data of the content code. FIG. 14 shows a configuration example of the acquisition history table 2140. This table is a list of lines including an item name 14010 of information and a plurality of history data 14020 of the item.

  Further, the distribution request receiving unit 1100 stores the distribution request information received from the information display terminal 1030 in the distribution request management table 2080.

  An example of processing for a distribution request will be described with reference to FIG.

  The main control unit 2010 reads the distribution request management table 2080 in which the distribution request information is stored, and determines whether or not the value of the item requested for distribution has been updated in the operation management system 1040 since the previous check. Referring to the acquisition history table 2140, the history data of the corresponding item is checked (step 3010).

  FIG. 4 shows a configuration example of the distribution request management table 2080. This table includes a socket handle 4010 for handling the communication connection of each distribution request from the information display terminal by a program, the item name 4020 of each requested information, the latest item value 4030 corresponding to each item name, and the update schedule Time 4040, an update flag 4050 indicating whether or not the information has been updated since it was last distributed to the information display terminal, a thread number 4060 in which the response of the HTTP request message from the information display terminal is put on hold, and each distribution request This is a list of rows including a request time 4070 indicating the time when the message is received and a request flag 4080 indicating whether or not a distribution request is accepted, and row data is added each time a distribution request for a new item is received from each information display terminal. To do.

  If a distribution request for an item for which information has already been distributed is received again from the same information display terminal 1030, the request time 4070 of the corresponding row data is overwritten and the value of the request flag 4080 is set to 1.

  Returning to FIG. 3, as a result of comparing the latest data in the acquisition history table 2140 with the item value 4030 for the distribution request item whose request flag 4080 has a value of 1, both are different, and the previous information display terminal 1030 is displayed. When it is determined that the information of the operation management system has been updated since the information was transmitted, or when the distribution request for a new item is not recorded in the item value 4030, the main control unit 2010 manages the distribution request. The latest data of the acquisition history table 2140 is recorded in the latest item value 4030 of the corresponding item name in the table (step 3020). Next, the update interval calculation means 1070 calculates the update scheduled time when the item value is updated next, and records it in the update scheduled time 4040 (step 3030). Next, the value of the update flag 4050 of the row is changed to 1, and the information distribution unit 1080 transmits the information of the item whose update flag 4050 is 1 to the information display terminal 1030 that has made the distribution request ( Step 3040). Return to step 3010. This process is repeated until an input operation is received from the system administrator by the input unit 2020.

Subsequently, a processing example of the update interval calculation unit 1070 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
First, after setting a predetermined default value (for example, 1 minute) as the time when the item value is updated next, the update interval determination table 2090 is read (step 5010). This default value is used as the scheduled update time when the corresponding item name is not found in any condition table.

  FIG. 6 shows a configuration example of the update interval determination table. This table is a list of lines including information item names 6010 and determination types 6020. In this table, for each item of information, how to determine the time when the item value is updated next is set. In the present embodiment, as will be described later, it is possible to specify either the calculation from the data type / content, the calculation from the history data, or the calculation from the state of the operation management system. It may be set in advance by the system administrator.

Returning to FIG. 5, next, if there is a corresponding item name in the update interval determination table (step 5020), the main control unit 2010 determines the subsequent processing from the corresponding determination type (step 5030).
If the determination type is “calculated from data type / content”, the data type / content condition table 2100 is read to check whether there is a corresponding data type / content (step 5040).

  FIG. 7 shows a configuration example of the data type / content condition table. This table is a list of rows including data types / contents 7010 and update intervals 7020. An update interval can be set for each data type and data content of information. For example, it is preset according to the data type, such as 30-second intervals for line A implementation schedule information, and the track circuit installation interval varies from section to section for train location information, so it is appropriate for each section. Set the update interval. It may be set in advance by the system administrator. If there is a corresponding data type or data content in the data type / content condition table, the corresponding update interval is acquired (step 5050), registered in the scheduled update time 4040 of the distribution request management table 2080, and this processing is terminated.

  Returning to FIG. 5, if the determination type is “calculated from history data”, the history data condition table 2110 is read to check whether there is a corresponding item name (step 5060).

  FIG. 8 shows a configuration example of the history data condition table. This table is a list of lines including information item names 8010 and calculation methods 8020. A method for calculating the update interval is set in advance from the fluctuation of the value and the history data of the update interval for each item of information. The history data can be acquired by referring to the acquisition history table 2140. For example, if the train speed is on line B, it is determined immediately after stopping at the station from the previous n times of history data and the position on the track circuit (for example, on track circuit X (within the station) and five times before Since the speed value of 10 km / h or less) does not depart until passengers get on and off, for example, the update interval is 30 seconds, and if it is on the track circuit Y (between stations), for example, the past three update intervals The next update interval is calculated from the average of.

  Returning to FIG. 5, if there is a corresponding item name in the history data condition table, the corresponding update interval is calculated from the history data (step 5070) and registered in the scheduled update time 4040 of the distribution request management table 2080. finish.

  If the determination type is “calculated from the state of the operation management system”, the operation management system state condition table 2120 is read to check whether there is a corresponding item name (step 5080).

  FIG. 9 shows a configuration example of the operation management system state condition table. This table is a list of rows including information item names 9010 and operation management system state conditions 9020. For each item of information, a method for calculating the update interval from the state of the operation management system is set. For example, when the operation management system is in a state where the operation is being organized, the update interval is calculated according to how many trains have a train delay time of less than a minute.

  Returning to FIG. 5, if there is a corresponding item name in the operation management system state condition table, the corresponding update interval is calculated from the state of the operation management system (step 5090), and the calculated update interval is determined in the distribution request management table 2080. Registration is made at the scheduled update time 4040 of the row, and this processing is terminated.

  The scheduled update time calculated by the update interval calculation unit 1070 is more preferably slightly shorter than the actual information update time in consideration of the time required for processing the distribution request.

Next, an example of processing for distributing information will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
As shown in FIG. 10, two flows A and B are processed in parallel to distribute information.

  First, for flow A, when the distribution request receiving means 1100 receives an HTTP request message (information distribution request) from the information display terminal 1030 (step 10010), is there a row corresponding to the received distribution request in the distribution request management table 2080? When a distribution request for a new item is received and there is no corresponding line, a new thread for holding an HTTP reply is generated, a socket handle 4010, and a requested information item name 4020. The generated thread number 4060 and request time 4070 are registered, and the value of the request flag 4080 is set to 1 (step 10020). If a distribution request for the same item has already been received from the same information display terminal 1030 and information distribution has been performed and the corresponding line is registered, the request time 4070 is registered by overwriting, and the value of the request flag Set to 1.

  The main control unit 2010 keeps the HTTP reply for the HTTP request on hold (step 10030).

  For flow B, the main control unit 2010 checks whether there is a row for which the update flag is 1 in the distribution request management table 2080 (step 10060). An HTTP reply message including the item name 4020, the updated latest item value 4030, and the scheduled update time 4040 is created for each row (step 10070). These values are stored in the HTTP reply header or message body. The timing for checking the update flag may be repeated at predetermined time intervals.

  Further, it notifies the thread of thread number 4060 in the row that the information has been updated, and passes the created HTTP reply message (step 1080). Here, in the flow A, the thread that has held the HTTP reply receives the message (step 1040), transmits the HTTP reply message to the requesting information display terminal 1030 using the socket handle 4010, and performs the main control. The section 2010 sets the request flag and update flag of the corresponding row in the distribution request management table to 0 (step 10050).

  In flow B, after the processing of step 10060 or step 10080, the main control unit 2010 checks whether or not there is a row in the distribution request management table 2080 that has passed a predetermined time from the request time 4070 to the current time. If there is a corresponding row (step 10090), the processing of the thread having the thread number 4060 of the row is terminated and the row data is deleted (step 10100).

  Thereby, when the process is terminated by an input operation from the user of the information display terminal 1030, unnecessary row data can be prevented from permanently remaining in the distribution request management table. This is also effective when the value of the request flag is 1, that is, when the information display terminal 1030 finishes the process while the information reception / display unit 1090 is waiting for a response from the information distribution unit 1080. The time from receiving the distribution request to deleting the row data may be set in advance by the administrator.

  Subsequently, a processing example of the information display terminal 1030 will be described with reference to a flowchart of FIG. The information display terminal 1030 includes a distribution request transmission unit (not shown) for making a distribution request in addition to the information reception / display unit 1090 shown in FIG. In addition, examples of hardware configurations include a control unit, a communication processing unit that communicates with the information distribution server 1020, a storage unit that stores data and programs, an input unit that receives user input operations, and a display unit that displays information. Is provided. Each process shown below is realized by a program that is read and executed by a CPU as a control unit, for example, from a hard disk as a storage unit. These programs are composed of codes for performing various operations described.

  First, when there is an information distribution request operation from the user, first, the distribution request transmission unit transmits a message requesting information to the information distribution server 1020 as an HTTP request message. It waits for a response to the HTTP reply message (step 11010). Here, the Web content (JPEG image or the like) constituting the user's operation screen is requested in the HTTP pull type, and only the information desired to be acquired immediately when the information is updated is requested in the HTTP push type.

  Each user can select information he / she wants to refer to using, for example, a check box or a drop-down list. If there is a response, the display screen is updated using the information in the message (step 11020).

  FIG. 12 shows a screen example 12010 when the user selects information for which a distribution request is made. An example of a display screen for the acquired information is shown in 12020.

  Returning to FIG. 11, next, it is checked whether or not the information includes the information of the scheduled update time when the information is updated next (step 11030), and the information of the scheduled update time is included. If so, the present process sleeps until the time elapses (step 11040). After the elapse of the time, a message requesting information distribution is transmitted again to the information distribution server 1020 as an HTTP request message (step 11050), and the process returns to step 11010. The distribution request, information acquisition, and information display are performed by this process until the end operation is received from the user.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the processing example in the case where the update interval calculation unit 1070 calculates the time interval (for example, 3 minutes) until the information is updated next to be the scheduled update time has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a time when the information is updated next (for example, 12:20:30) may be calculated and transmitted to the information display terminal 1030.

  In the present embodiment, the processing example in the case where the update time is calculated using the history data recorded in the history data condition table 2110 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a larger amount of past history data is accumulated in the database, and the scheduled update time is stochastically calculated by statistical calculation (for example, normal distribution calculation) (for example, updated within 3 minutes). The probability that the request message is actually transmitted by each information display terminal 1030 may be determined from the probability.

  In the present embodiment, the processing example in the case where the information held by the operation management system is transmitted at the updated timing has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any information that can be used to calculate the update time can be used for the terminal while reducing the processing load of the server by using this method, even if the information is other than the operation management system information. It is possible to deliver.

  In the present embodiment, the processing example in the case where HTTP is used as the communication protocol between the server and the client has been described. However, it is not limited to HTTP, and if it is a pull-type communication protocol that transmits a request from a client to a server, this method can be used to distribute information while reducing the processing load on the server. Is possible.

  The present invention can be used in the field of information distribution using an information processing apparatus.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1010 ... Operation management system, 1020 ... Information distribution server, 1030 ... Information display terminal, 1040, 1050 ... Network, 1060 ... Control information acquisition means, 1070 ... Update interval calculation means, 1080 ... Information distribution means, 1090 ... Information reception / display Means, 1100: Distribution request receiving means, 2010: Main control unit, 2020 ... Input unit, 2030 ... Output unit, 2040 ... Communication processing unit, 2050 ... Storage management unit, 2060 ... Communication unit, 2070 ... Information distribution program, 2080 ... Distribution request management table, 2090 ... update interval determination table, 2100 ... data type / content condition table, 2110 ... history data condition table, 2120 ... operation management system state condition table, 2130 ... code table, 2140 ... acquisition history table

Claims (8)

An information providing apparatus that provides information to an information display terminal via a network,
A control unit;
A storage unit for storing the information;
A communication processing unit for communicating with the information display terminal,
When the communication processing unit receives a distribution request for the information from the information display terminal,
The control unit calculates a scheduled update time of the information;
The communication processing unit transmits the information to the information display terminal together with the calculated update scheduled time,
After the scheduled update time has elapsed from the transmission of the information, when the communication processing unit receives a distribution request for the information transmitted again by the information display terminal based on the scheduled update time, the information is transmitted last time. If not updated from time,
The communication processing unit waits for the information to be updated, and transmits the updated information to the information display terminal. The information providing device according to claim 1,
When the information is updated since the previous transmission when the delivery request is accepted again,
The information providing apparatus, wherein the communication processing unit transmits the updated information to the information display terminal. The information providing device according to claim 1, wherein:
The information providing apparatus, wherein the control unit calculates the scheduled update time based on a type of the information that has received a distribution request. The information providing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The information providing apparatus is characterized in that the information is information acquired by the communication processing unit from an operation management system of a transportation facility and stored in the storage unit. The information providing device according to claim 4,
The storage unit stores information previously transmitted to the information display terminal,
When the communication processing unit receives the information distribution request from the information display terminal again,
The control unit compares the acquired latest information with the previously transmitted information, and as a result of comparison, when the latest information is different from the previously transmitted information, the control unit determines that the information has been updated,
The information providing apparatus, wherein the communication processing unit transmits the latest information to the information display terminal. The information providing device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein
The communication processing unit acquires the information broadcast to the network of the operation management system and stores the information in the storage unit. An information providing apparatus is an information providing system that provides information to an information display terminal via a network,
The information display terminal transmits a distribution request for the information to the information providing device;
When receiving the distribution request, the information providing apparatus calculates an update scheduled time of the information, and transmits the information to the information display terminal together with the calculated update scheduled time.
The information display terminal receives the information and the scheduled update time, and after the scheduled update time has elapsed after receiving the information, transmits the information distribution request again based on the scheduled update time,
When the information providing apparatus receives the distribution request again, if the information has not been updated since the previous transmission, the information providing apparatus waits for the information to be updated, and displays the updated information in the information display. An information providing system characterized by being transmitted to a terminal. An information providing method in which an information providing apparatus provides information to an information display terminal via a network,
The information display terminal transmits a distribution request for the information to the information providing device;
When receiving the distribution request, the information providing apparatus calculates an update scheduled time of the information, and transmits the information to the information display terminal together with the calculated update scheduled time.
The information display terminal receives the information and the scheduled update time, and after the scheduled update time has elapsed after receiving the information, transmits the information distribution request again based on the scheduled update time,
When the information providing apparatus receives the distribution request again, if the information has not been updated since the previous transmission, the information providing apparatus waits for the information to be updated, and displays the updated information in the information display. An information providing method comprising transmitting to a terminal.

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