JP3521848B2 - Mobile terminal multicast service system and method - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system and method for providing a two-way conversation service by a plurality of mobile terminals and a multicast service to the mobile terminals.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, mobile phones have become widespread and used by many people. In addition, mobile phone services have become diverse, and character information and image data can be transmitted and received. In addition, with the technological progress of mobile phones, the transfer rate has increased, and music distribution and data distribution using mobile tools have become possible.

[0003]

However, such a conventional mobile phone service has the following problems.
Mobile phone calls are limited to one-to-one calls. Since there is no concept of a group in information distribution of mobile phones, it is impossible to provide services to specific users. Since multicast communication has not been realized in the use of mobile phones, network traffic will increase in the information distribution service to a plurality of people.

An object of the present invention is to solve the conventional problems as described above and to introduce a multicast service to a mobile phone service, thereby providing a two-way conversation service by a mobile terminal for a plurality of persons and a multicast service to the mobile terminal. To do.

[0005]

This onset Ming mobile terminal the multicast service system SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION may, and the Internet, and each of the mobile terminals, each of the plurality of mobile terminal user owned,
An exchange that accommodates the mobile terminal, interfaces with the exchange, and provides voice and IP (Internet Protocol)
A gateway for converting between packets and for interfacing to the Internet, a gatekeeper for connecting to the Internet for converting a given telephone number and an IP address of a connection destination, and connecting to the Internet for the portable terminal. A multicast management server that manages a multicast service, wherein the mobile terminal user dials a multicast request telephone number and class D IP to request multicast
Correspondence table registration means for registering a multicast group address correspondence table showing correspondence with a multicast group address which is an address, the multicast group address, and transmission of data to the multicast group address and transmission of the portable terminals belonging to the same group Mapping table registering means for registering a group address mapping table indicating correspondence with a personal IP address, multicast requesting means for requesting multicast by the mobile terminal by the multicast request telephone number, and the multicast request telephone number from the mobile terminal. Multicast request receiving means for receiving the multicast request telephone number, and referring to the correspondence table and the mapping table by receiving the multicast request telephone number. Address and means for obtaining sender IP addresses of the plurality of mobile terminals belonging to the same group, and a multicast routing protocol based on the obtained multicast group address and a plurality of sender IP addresses on the Internet. And a bidirectional communication path establishing means for establishing a multicast bidirectional communication path for bidirectionally multicast-connecting the plurality of mobile terminals.

Further, the mobile terminal multicast service system of the present invention comprises: a first assigning means for assigning a multicast group address to a multicast request telephone number by a mobile telephone operator; and a mobile telephone operator.
A second assigning unit that assigns the multicast group address to a plurality of sender IP addresses belonging to the same group, and the correspondence table registering unit registers the assigned multicast group address for each of the multicast request telephone numbers. However, the mapping table registration means registers a plurality of sender IP addresses belonging to the same group for each of the assigned multicast group addresses.

Further, the mobile terminal multicast service system of the present invention includes the Internet, a video distribution server which connects to the Internet and distributes video, each mobile terminal owned by each of a plurality of mobile terminal users, and An exchange for accommodating a mobile terminal, and a gateway for interfacing with the exchange to convert between voice and IP (Internet Protocol) packets, and for interfacing with the Internet, and for connecting to the Internet and connecting a given telephone number. A multi-cast that allows the mobile terminal user to dial in order to request a multicast, comprising a gatekeeper for converting the above IP address and a multicast management server for connecting to the Internet and managing a multicast service for the mobile terminal. Correspondence table registering means for registering a multicast group address correspondence table showing correspondence between a requesting telephone number and a multicast group address which is a class D IP address, the multicast group address, and data is transmitted to this multicast group address. Mapping table registration means for registering a group address mapping table indicating correspondence with the IP address of the video distribution server; multicast request means for the mobile terminal to request a multicast by the multicast request telephone number; Multicast request receiving means for receiving the multicast request telephone number, and the multicast request telephone number for receiving the multicast request telephone number and referring to the correspondence table and the mapping table, A strike group address, the address obtaining means for obtaining an IP address of the video distribution server, based on the multicast group address was determined to IP address of the video distribution server, the multicast routing protocol,
A multicast communication path establishing means for establishing a multicast communication path for multicast connection of the plurality of mobile terminals on the Internet is provided.

Also, the portable terminal multicast service method of the present invention interfaces with the Internet, each portable terminal owned by each of a plurality of portable terminal users, an exchange accommodating the portable terminal, and the exchange, A gateway that interfaces between the voice and IP (Internet Protocol) packets and interfaces to the Internet, and connects to the Internet,
A mobile terminal multicast service method comprising: a gatekeeper for converting a given telephone number and an IP address of a connection destination; and a multicast management server for connecting to the Internet and managing a multicast service for the mobile terminal. Correspondence table registration step for registering a multicast group address correspondence table showing correspondence between a multicast request telephone number dialed by a terminal user to request multicast and a multicast group address which is an IP address of class D, and the multicast group address And the sender I of the portable terminal belonging to the same group by transmitting data to this multicast group address.
A mapping table registration step of registering a group address mapping table showing correspondence with P addresses, a multicast request step of requesting multicast by the portable terminal by the multicast request telephone number, and a multicast request telephone number from the portable terminal. A step of receiving a multicast request to receive,
An address acquisition step of receiving the multicast request telephone number and referring to the correspondence table and the mapping table to obtain a multicast group address and sender IP addresses of the plurality of mobile terminals belonging to the same group; A bidirectional communication path for establishing a multicast bidirectional communication path for bidirectionally multicasting between the plurality of mobile terminals on the Internet by a multicast routing protocol based on the multicast group address and a plurality of sender IP addresses And establishing step.

Further, the portable terminal multicast service method of the present invention comprises a first allocating step of allocating a multicast group address to a multicast request telephone number by a mobile phone operator, and a mobile phone operator.
A second assigning step of assigning the multicast group address to a plurality of sender IP addresses belonging to the same group, wherein the correspondence table registering step registers the assigned multicast group address for each of the multicast request telephone numbers. 5. The mobile terminal multicast service method according to claim 4 , wherein the mapping table registration step registers a plurality of sender IP addresses belonging to the same group for each assigned multicast group address.

Further, the mobile terminal multicast service method of the present invention comprises: the Internet, a video distribution server which connects to the Internet and distributes video, each mobile terminal owned by each of a plurality of mobile terminal users, and An exchange for accommodating a mobile terminal, and a gateway for interfacing with the exchange to convert between voice and IP (Internet Protocol) packets, and for interfacing with the Internet, and for connecting to the Internet and connecting a given telephone number. What is claimed is: 1. A mobile terminal multicast service method, comprising: a gatekeeper for converting an IP address as described above; and a multicast management server connected to the Internet for managing a multicast service for the mobile terminal, wherein the mobile terminal user is a multicast user. Correspondence table registration step of registering a multicast group address correspondence table showing correspondence between a multicast request telephone number dialed to request a multicast group address that is an IP address of class D, the multicast group address, and this multicast group A mapping table registration step of registering a group address mapping table showing a correspondence with the IP address of the video distribution server that transmits data to an address; and a multicast request step of the mobile terminal requesting multicast by the multicast request telephone number. A multicast request receiving step of receiving the multicast request telephone number from the mobile terminal; An address acquisition step of obtaining a multicast group address and the IP address of the video distribution server by referring to the correspondence table and the mapping table, and multicast routing based on the obtained multicast group address and the IP address of the video distribution server. A multicast communication path establishing step of establishing a multicast communication path for multicast connection of the plurality of mobile terminals on the Internet by a protocol.

Further, the portable terminal multicast service method of the present invention is arranged such that, in response to a request from the portable terminal user, the portable telephone operator can use the Internet,
A notification step of notifying the mobile terminal user of the mobile terminal of the multicast request telephone number.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the first embodiment, FIG. 5 is a multicast group address correspondence table, and FIG. 6 is a group address mapping table.

Referring to FIG. 1, the first embodiment of the present invention is the Internet 100, and mobile terminals 10, 11, 12 including a mobile phone terminal and a mobile videophone terminal owned by a mobile terminal user. 10, 11, housing mobile terminals
12 exchanges 600, 601, 602 and interfaces with the exchanges, voice and IP (Internet Protocol)
Converts between packets and connects to the Internet 10
Gateways 300, 301 that interface to 0,
302, a gatekeeper 400 connected to the Internet 100, and a multicast management server 500 connected to the Internet 100, and a plurality of mobile terminals 10, 11 under the control of the mobile phone operator 200. , 12 to provide an interactive conversation service and an interactive television conversation service, and perform multicast of character information, voice information and video information from one mobile terminal 10 to a plurality of mobile terminals 11 and 12.

The gatekeeper 400 stores a multicast group address correspondence table 402 showing correspondence between multicast request telephone numbers and multicast group addresses as shown in FIG.

The multicast request telephone number is a telephone number that a mobile terminal user dials to request multicast. This multicast request phone number is
This is a telephone number that identifies each of the groups to which the mobile terminal or the video distribution server that transmits data for multicast belongs. For example, in FIG. 5, the mobile terminal 1
0, 11 and 12 form one group, and the mobile terminal 10
The multicast request telephone number dialed when each of 11, 11 and 12 becomes a sender and requests a multicast is 1000.

The multicast group address is TC
P / IP IGMP (Internet Group)
In Multicast Protocol),
It is an IP address called Class D used for performing multicast communication.

Further, the gatekeeper 400 is configured to obtain a multicast group address corresponding to the multicast request telephone number transmitted from the portable terminal from the multicast group address correspondence table 402, and notify the multicast management server 500 of the multicast group address.

The multicast management server 500 is shown in FIG.
Group address mapping table 50 as shown in
Store and have 2.

Group address mapping table 50
2 sends a message to the multicast group address and this multicast group address,
It is a table showing correspondence with sender IP addresses of senders belonging to the same group. For example, according to FIG.
When the multicast group address is 2000, the sender IP addresses belonging to the same group are 3000 and 3
001 and 3002.

Further, the multicast management server 500
Refers to the group address mapping table 502 and sets the sender IP address to the gateway 300, 30.
It is configured to notify 1, 302.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the first embodiment.

The operation will be described mainly with reference to FIG. 2 and with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

The mobile phone operator 200 gives the mobile terminal user A the IP address: 3000 and the mobile terminal user B.
To the mobile terminal user C with IP address: 3001
IP address: 3002 is assigned in advance.

Further, the mobile phone carrier 200 allocates a multicast group address before starting the service provision, registers the multicast request telephone number and the multicast group address in the multicast group address correspondence table 402, and
The multicast group address and the sender IP address are registered in the group address mapping table 502.

Before the mobile terminal user receives the service, the mobile terminal user applies to the mobile phone operator 200 to grant the multicast request telephone number, and the mobile phone operator 200 receives the request.
Notifies the mobile terminal user of the multicast request telephone number.

The mobile terminal user A is a mobile terminal user B,
When a multicast request telephone number: 1000 is input from the mobile terminal 10 as a multicast request in order to realize a conversation with a plurality of persons with C, the mobile terminal 10 sends the multicast request telephone number: 1000 to the gateway 300 via the exchange 600. (Step S1).

When the gateway 300 receives the multicast request telephone number: 1000 from the exchange 600,
Multicast request telephone number: The gatekeeper 40 makes a multicast group address search request, which is a request to search the multicast group address for 1000.
0 (step S2).

Upon reception of the multicast group address search request, the gatekeeper 400 searches the multicast group address correspondence table 402 for the multicast group address: 2000 corresponding to the multicast request telephone number: 1000, and the multicast group address which is the search result: The gateway 300 is notified of 2000 (step S3).

The gateway 300 sends a sender IP address search request, which is a request for searching the sender IP address of the sender who sends a message to the notified multicast group address: 2000, to the multicast management server 500 (step S4). ).

When the multicast management server 500 receives the sender IP address search request, the sender IP address for the multicast group address: 2000 is sent from the group address mapping table 502:
3000, 3001, 3002 are searched, and the search result is notified to the gateway 300 (step S5).

Based on the notified sender IP addresses: 3000, 3001, 3002 and the multicast group address: 2000, the gateway 300 constructs the multicast communication path 800 on the Internet 100 by the multicast routing protocol.
As a result, a multicast call connection is established between the mobile terminals 10, 11 and 12, and the mobile terminal users A, B, C
It becomes possible to carry out a two-way conversation with a mobile phone and perform multicast of character information, voice information and video information from one mobile terminal to a plurality of other mobile terminals.

Next, a second embodiment will be described.

FIG. 3 is a configuration block diagram of the second embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 3, in the second embodiment of the present invention, the Internet 100, the mobile terminals 10, 11 and 12 of the mobile terminal user, and the exchange 60 accommodating the mobile terminal.
0, 601, 602 and gateways 300, 301,
302, a gatekeeper 400, a multicast management server 500, and a video distribution server 700 that is connected to the Internet 100 and distributes video including live video.
Under the control of the mobile operator 200,
A multicast service is provided to a plurality of mobile terminals 10, 11, 12. In the second embodiment, the other components except the video distribution server 700 are the same as the components of the first embodiment. Here, the video distribution server 700
Is assumed to have an IP address of 4000.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the second embodiment.

The operation will be described mainly with reference to FIG. 4 and with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

When the mobile terminal users A, B, and C use the video distribution service, when they input the multicast request telephone number: 1001 from the mobile terminals 10, 11, and 12, the mobile terminals 10, 11, and 12 receive This multicast request telephone number: 1001 is assigned to the exchanges 600, 601, 60
It is transmitted to the gateways 300, 301 and 302 via 2 (step S11).

The gateways 300, 301 and 302 are
When the multicast request telephone number: 1001 is received from the exchanges 600, 601, 602, a multicast group address search request for searching the multicast group address for the multicast request telephone number: 1001 is sent to the gatekeeper 400 (step S12).

Upon receipt of the multicast group address search request, the gatekeeper 400 searches the multicast group address correspondence table 402 for the multicast group address: 2001 corresponding to the multicast request telephone number: 1001 and finds the multicast group address: 2001 is notified to the gateways 300, 301 and 302 (step S13).

The gateways 300, 301 and 302 are
Multicast group address notified: 2001
A sender IP address search request, which is a request to search the sender IP address of the sender who sends the message to the multicast management server 500 (step S1).
4).

When the multicast management server 500 receives the sender IP address search request, the sender IP address for the multicast group address: 2001 from the group address mapping table 502:
4000 is searched, and the search result is the gateway 30
0, 301 and 302 are notified (step S15).

The gateways 300, 301 and 302 are
Based on the notified sender IP address: 4000 and the multicast group address: 2001, the multicast communication paths 900, 901, 902 are constructed on the Internet 100. Thereby, the mobile terminals 10 and 11
And 12 can receive the video distribution service from the video distribution server 700.

The present invention can provide services not only to mobile terminals but also to fixed terminals.

[0047]

As described above, according to the present invention, the TCP
/ IP has a group address mapping table that shows the correspondence between the multicast group address defined in / IP and the IP address of a mobile terminal that transmits data to this multicast group address and that belongs to the same group. Since it is configured to perform the multicast communication, there is an effect that the mobile terminal user can realize a 1-to-n two-way call.

Further, according to the present invention, a mobile phone user can transmit character information and video information to a plurality of other mobile phone users by multicast group address communication. There is an effect that the character information transmitted to only one mobile phone user can be transmitted to all mobile phone users participating in the multicast group.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a configuration block diagram of a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a multicast group address correspondence table.

FIG. 6 is a group address mapping table.

[Explanation of symbols]

10, 11, 12 Mobile terminal 100 Internet 200 mobile operators 300, 301, 302 Gateway 400 gatekeeper 500 Multicast management server 600, 601, 602 exchanges 700 video distribution server

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-11-17707 (JP, A) International publication 00/033537 (WO, A1) Hideaki Yamada, Minoru Oda, Distributed voice conference call system utilizing IP network Method, IEICE technical report IN99-74, Japan, The Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, November 18, 1999, Vol. 99 No. 436, p31-36 Takeshi Tamura, Takaro Miyamoto, Masakichi Hisakuni, Yoichi Tamura, Isao Takahashi, H. 323 Base IP network construction for next-generation distance education research, IEICE Technical Report ET99-48, Japan, The Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, September 25, 1999, Vol. 99 No. 332, p67-72 (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04L 12/56 H04M 3/56 H04M 11/00 302

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] 1. An Internet, each mobile terminal owned by each of a plurality of mobile terminal users, an exchange that accommodates the mobile terminal, an interface with the exchange, and between voice and IP (Internet Protocol) packets. A gateway for converting and connecting to the Internet, and connecting to the Internet,
The mobile terminal user requests a multicast, comprising a gatekeeper for converting a given telephone number and a connection destination IP address, and a multicast management server for connecting to the Internet and managing a multicast service for the mobile terminal. Correspondence table registration means for registering a multicast group address correspondence table showing correspondence between the multicast request telephone number dialed for this purpose and the multicast group address which is the class D IP address, the multicast group address, and this multicast group address Mapping table registration means for transmitting data and registering a group address mapping table indicating correspondence with the sender IP address of the portable terminal belonging to the same group;
Multicast request means for requesting multicast by the mobile terminal by the multicast request telephone number;
The multicast request receiving means for receiving the multicast request telephone number from the mobile terminal, the multicast request telephone number being received, the correspondence table and the mapping table being referred to, and the multicast group address and the group belonging to the same group. Address acquisition means for obtaining sender IP addresses of a plurality of mobile terminals, and a multicast routing protocol based on the obtained multicast group address and a plurality of sender IP addresses, on the Internet,
A mobile terminal multicast service system, comprising: a bidirectional communication path establishing means for establishing a multicast bidirectional communication path for bidirectionally multicast-connecting the plurality of mobile terminals. 2. A first allocating means for allocating a multicast group address to a multicast request telephone number by a mobile phone operator, and the multicast group address for a plurality of sender IP addresses belonging to the same group by the mobile phone operator. A second assigning means, wherein the correspondence table registering means registers the assigned multicast group address for each of the multicast request telephone numbers, and the mapping table registering means comprises a plurality of senders belonging to the same group. I
Mobile terminal multicast service system according to claim 1, wherein the registering the P address, for each of the assigned multicast group address. 3. The Internet, a video distribution server that connects to the Internet and distributes video, each mobile terminal owned by each of a plurality of mobile terminal users, an exchange that accommodates the mobile terminal, and the exchange. A gateway that interfaces with the Internet to convert between voice and IP (Internet Protocol) packets, and also interfaces with the Internet, and a gatekeeper that connects to the Internet and converts a given telephone number and an IP address of a connection destination. , A multicast management server that connects to the Internet and manages a multicast service for the mobile terminal, and the mobile terminal user dials a multicast request telephone number and a multicast address that is a class D IP address for requesting multicast. A correspondence table registration means for registering a multicast group address correspondence table showing correspondence with a multicast group address, the correspondence between the multicast group address and the IP address of the video distribution server for transmitting data to this multicast group address are shown. Mapping table registration means for registering a group address mapping table, multicast request means for the mobile terminal to request multicast by the multicast request telephone number, and multicast request reception means for receiving the multicast request telephone number from the mobile terminal. , The multicast request telephone number is received, the correspondence table and the mapping table are referenced, and the multicast group address and the IP address of the video distribution server are received. Based on the obtained multicast group address and the IP address of the video distribution server, a multicast communication path for establishing a multicast connection of the plurality of mobile terminals on the Internet is established on the Internet based on the obtained multicast group address and the IP address of the video distribution server. A multicast communication system for mobile terminals, comprising: 4. The Internet, each mobile terminal owned by each of a plurality of mobile terminal users, an exchange accommodating the mobile terminal, an interface with the exchange, and between voice and IP (Internet Protocol) packets. A gateway for converting and connecting to the Internet, and connecting to the Internet,
A mobile terminal multicast service method comprising: a gatekeeper for converting a given telephone number and an IP address of a connection destination; and a multicast management server for connecting to the Internet and managing a multicast service for the mobile terminal. Correspondence table registration step for registering a multicast group address correspondence table showing correspondence between a multicast request telephone number dialed by a terminal user to request multicast and a multicast group address which is an IP address of class D, and the multicast group address And the sender I of the portable terminal belonging to the same group by transmitting data to this multicast group address.
A mapping table registration step of registering a group address mapping table showing correspondence with P addresses, a multicast request step of requesting multicast by the portable terminal by the multicast request telephone number, and a multicast request telephone number from the portable terminal. A step of receiving a multicast request to receive,
An address acquisition step of receiving the multicast request telephone number and referring to the correspondence table and the mapping table to obtain a multicast group address and sender IP addresses of the plurality of mobile terminals belonging to the same group; A bidirectional communication path for establishing a multicast bidirectional communication path for bidirectionally multicasting between the plurality of mobile terminals on the Internet by a multicast routing protocol based on the multicast group address and a plurality of sender IP addresses A mobile terminal multicast service method comprising: an establishing step. 5. A first allocating step of allocating a multicast group address to a multicast request telephone number by a mobile phone operator, and assigning the multicast group address to a plurality of sender IP addresses belonging to the same group by the mobile phone operator. A second assigning step, wherein the correspondence table registering step registers the assigned multicast group address for each of the multicast request telephone numbers, and the mapping table registering step comprises a plurality of senders belonging to the same group. 5. The mobile terminal multicast service method according to claim 4 , wherein an IP address is registered for each assigned multicast group address. 6. The Internet, a video distribution server that connects to the Internet and distributes video, each mobile terminal owned by each of a plurality of mobile terminal users, an exchange that accommodates the mobile terminal, and the exchange. A gateway that interfaces with the Internet to convert between voice and IP (Internet Protocol) packets, and also interfaces with the Internet, and a gatekeeper that connects to the Internet and converts a given telephone number and an IP address of a connection destination. A mobile terminal multicast service method, comprising: a multicast management server that connects to the Internet and manages a multicast service for the mobile terminal, wherein the mobile terminal user dials to request multicast. Correspondence table registration step of registering a multicast group address correspondence table showing correspondence between a number and a multicast group address which is an IP address of class D, the multicast group address, and the video distribution for transmitting data to this multicast group address A mapping table registration step of registering a group address mapping table showing correspondence with the IP address of the server, a multicast request step of requesting multicast by the mobile terminal by the multicast request telephone number, and the multicast request phone from the mobile terminal. A multicast request receiving step of receiving a number, receiving the multicast request telephone number and referring to the correspondence table and the mapping table, An address acquisition step of obtaining a cast group address and an IP address of the video distribution server, and a plurality of the plurality of the above-mentioned Internet on the Internet by a multicast routing protocol based on the obtained multicast group address and the IP address of the video distribution server. And a multicast communication path establishing step of establishing a multicast communication path for multicast connection of mobile terminals. 7. In response to a request from the user of the mobile terminal, the mobile phone operator sends the request via the Internet.
The mobile terminal multicast service method according to any one of claims 4 and 6 , further comprising a notification step of notifying the mobile terminal of the mobile terminal user of the multicast request telephone number.