JP4140474B2 - Service providing server - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a service providing server that provides a user with a wireless connection service for connecting to an access point of a communication network.

  In recent years, so-called ubiquitous, which is accessible to the Internet at stations, hotels, and stores such as coffee shops and family restaurants using wireless LAN, which is a short-range communication medium, has become an information network such as the Internet anytime, anywhere. (Accessible) environment has spread.

  Users can access the Internet by connecting information communication devices such as mobile PCs (Personal Computers), PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), and mobile phones equipped with wireless LAN brought into the store to wireless terminals (access points). Various services such as content distribution (real-time information, weather forecast, regional information), IP (Internet Protocol) telephone, streaming distribution, net game, company mail, file server access, etc. can be enjoyed (for example, see Patent Document 1). .

  Here, the service forms can be classified into a free spot type in which an unspecified number of users can freely connect and a commercial spot type that requires pre-registration.

  In particular, the commercial spot type can be expected to develop aggressively in the future in order to differentiate it from competitors in various service industries, mainly in the food and beverage industry. Parking lots at convenience stores, paid parking lots, etc. Even in the outdoors, it is thought that it will develop into wireless connection services such as the creation of further Internet lifestyles and the provision of mobile offices in the business stage.

  In the case of the three-spot type, the security mechanism is not set so that each unspecified number of users can connect freely, so bring in an information communication device equipped with a wireless LAN and use a wireless terminal (access point). You can connect by simply searching for.

On the other hand, in the case of a commercial spot type, when using a service, a user ID and password for connecting to a wireless terminal (that is, an access point) by registering a user with a provider that provides the service in advance, It is necessary to have the setting information such as the ESS-ID and WEP key of the access point issued.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 14-315058

By the way, when the present inventor examined the above-mentioned current commercial spot type wireless connection service, the following three items were mainly considered as problems.
(1) When a user wants to use a plurality of different spot-type services from different service providers, there is a troublesome pre-registration with a plurality of service providers. Alternatively, it is not possible to enjoy the wireless connection service at a destination where you stop by (that is, even if you jump into the store). (Convenience is bad).
(2) On the other hand, service providers cannot provide services to users who stop by (dive-type users), unfamiliar first users, or “Ichigen-san”. (That is, you can't import as a user.)
(3) When providing a wireless connection service outdoors, there is a risk of unauthorized use by unpurchased merchandise. That is, there is a possibility that a person who has not purchased the product will enjoy the wireless connection service.

  In particular, when providing a user with a wireless connection service that connects to a wireless terminal (access point) at a paid parking facility that parks the user's car for a fee, a person who does not use the paid parking facility approaches the paid parking facility. There is a possibility to enjoy a wireless connection service.

  Therefore, in view of the above points, the present invention provides a wireless connection service to users who have not previously registered with a service provider while preventing a non-purchased product from enjoying the wireless connection service. An object of the present invention is to provide a service providing server that can be used.

  The present invention provides a service capable of providing a wireless connection service to a user who has not been registered in advance with a service provider while preventing an unused user of a pay parking facility from enjoying the wireless connection service. A second object is to provide a server.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a service providing server that provides a user with a wireless connection service that connects to an access point of a communication network in a pay parking facility where a user parks a car for a fee. And
Providing the user with setting information for wireless connection to the access point when it is determined that there is a car entering the entrance based on detection of a car detector that detects a car entering the entrance of the paid parking facility It has a means (310), It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  Thereby, since setting information is provided to a user, a wireless connection service can be provided at a pay parking facility even for a user who has not previously registered with a service provider.

In addition, when it is determined that there is a car entering the entrance of the pay parking facility , the setting information is provided to the user, so that it is possible to prevent an unused user of the pay parking facility from enjoying the wireless connection service.

Specifically, in the invention according to claim 2, the vehicle detector detects a weight of a vehicle entering an entrance of the pay parking facility, and the vehicle detector detects a weight of a certain value or more. It is determined that there is a vehicle entering the entrance.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the providing means provides the setting information to the user by issuing a parking ticket describing the setting information at the entrance of the pay parking facility .

  In addition, the code | symbol in the bracket | parenthesis of each said means shows the correspondence with the specific means as described in embodiment mentioned later.

(First embodiment)
1 to 3 show a first embodiment of a wireless connection service system to which a service providing server according to the present invention is applied. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a wireless connection service system, and FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the wireless connection service system.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the wireless connection service system provides a product purchaser with a wireless connection service for connecting to an access point (wireless terminal) outdoors in a store facility of a convenience store.

  Specifically, the wireless connection service system includes a service providing server SS, a wireless terminal M, and a printer P as shown in FIG. The service providing server SS is a well-known computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory, a hard disk device, and the like. Only for this, a service providing process for providing the wireless purchase service to the product purchaser is executed.

  Here, the register R is arranged in a store facility of a convenience store and is operated by an employee, and the sales amount for the customer is input for each product with a keyboard (or the sales amount is a barcode). The total sales amount of each input product is calculated as a billing amount.

  The wireless terminal M communicates with the service providing server SS and wirelessly communicates with the information communication device of the product purchaser via an external antenna disposed outside the store facility. As a result, the wireless terminal M serves as an access point for the information purchaser's information communication device to connect to the Internet IP.

  Here, as the information communication device, a terminal such as a PC 10 (Personal Computer), a PDA 11 (Personal Digital Assistant), a mobile phone 12, an in-vehicle information communication device 13, and the like can be used. For example, a wireless LAN is used as a wireless communication method between the wireless terminal M and the information communication device.

  For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the in-vehicle information communication device 13 is a wireless terminal mounted on a vehicle, and performs wireless communication with the wireless terminal M via the in-vehicle antenna 13A. The printer P is controlled by the service providing server SS and issues a receipt indicating the billing amount on paper.

  Next, as an operation of the present embodiment, a customer who has purchased a product at a convenience store brings in a mobile phone 12 as an information communication device, and enjoys a wireless connection service outdoors in a store facility of the convenience store with this mobile phone 12. A specific example will be described with reference to FIGS.

  4 and 5 are flowcharts showing service providing processing by the service providing server SS. First, the service providing server SS executes the computer program stored in the memory at regular intervals according to the flowcharts shown in FIGS.

  That is, it is determined whether or not a charge amount for the customer is input from the register R (step 100). When the charge amount for the customer is input from the register R, the customer (user) purchases a product at a convenience store (store). It is determined that

  Accordingly, it is determined whether or not the billing amount is a predetermined amount or more (step 110). Here, when the billing amount is less than a certain amount, a receipt indicating the billing amount is issued from the printer P by paper as shown in FIG.

  On the other hand, when the billing amount is a certain amount or more, as shown in FIG. 7, the setting information for connecting to the wireless terminal and a receipt indicating the billing amount are issued from the printer P on paper (step 111).

  Here, the setting information includes a user ID for connecting to a wireless terminal (access point), a password, an ESS-ID of the wireless terminal, a key for encryption (used for security measures), and the like. The key for encryption will be described later.

  Note that a wireless terminal (access point) serves as a reception port when accessing in a computer communication network, and is issued when a dial-up connection is made to a user who is not always connected to a communication network such as the Internet. Call and connect.

  The receipt issued from the printer P is handed to the customer by the employee of the convenience store when the employee receives the bill amount from the customer. Then, the customer goes outside the store facility of the convenience store, reads the setting information from the receipt, inputs the read setting information by key operation to the mobile phone 12, and the content server on the Internet IP The process for connecting to the CS (see FIG. 2) is started.

  On the other hand, the wireless terminal M transmits a call signal at regular intervals. When the mobile phone 12 receives the call signal sent from the wireless terminal M, the wireless terminal M transmits a response signal to request authentication. This response signal includes a user ID, a password, and the like.

  Accordingly, when the response signal from the mobile phone 12 is received by the wireless terminal M, the service providing server SS permits the connection of the mobile phone 12 based on the user ID (identification code) and password included in the response signal. It is determined whether or not.

  For example, the service providing server SS permits the connection of the mobile phone 12 if the user ID and password stored therein match the user ID and password included in the response signal. That is, it is authenticated that the mobile phone 12 is connected to the wireless terminal (step 130: YES).

  Thereafter, the service providing server SS assigns an IP address (or gateway address) to the mobile phone 12 using the TCP / IP protocol. Along with this, the connection between the mobile phone 12 and the wireless terminal M is started, and the wireless terminal M relays the connection of the mobile phone 12 to the content server CS via the Internet IP (step). 140).

  Here, the mobile phone 12 is connected to the wireless terminal M, the service providing server SS, the public line, the Internet IP, and the content server CS and receives, for example, content distribution from the content server CS.

  Thereafter, when the customer performs an operation on the mobile phone 12 to end the wireless connection between the mobile phone 12 and the wireless terminal M, the mobile phone 12 transmits an end signal. Along with this, when the service providing server SS receives the end signal via the wireless terminal M, a message signal including a message indicating the end of the wireless connection is transmitted from the wireless terminal M to the mobile phone 12, and the mobile phone The connection between the telephone 12 and the wireless terminal M is disconnected (step 170).

  When the mobile phone 12 receives the message signal, the mobile phone 12 notifies the customer by displaying on the display panel that the wireless connection will be terminated.

  Further, the customer does not perform an operation for terminating the wireless connection between the mobile phone 12 and the wireless terminal M with respect to the mobile phone 12, but the mobile phone 12 and the mobile phone 12 When the wireless terminals M are connected, the connection between the mobile phone 12 and the wireless terminal M is restricted (that is, the connection time is managed) as follows.

  For example, the service providing server SS sets the expiration date of the user ID to a certain period T1, and sends a request signal for requesting the user ID to the mobile phone 12 from the wireless terminal M every certain period T2 (<< T1). To send to. On the other hand, the mobile phone 12 returns a user ID every time a request signal is received.

  Then, each time the service providing server SS receives a user ID sent from the mobile phone 12 by the wireless terminal M, the service providing server SS determines whether or not the user ID is valid.

  Here, if the user ID is valid (that is, before connecting to the wireless terminal for a predetermined period of time T1), the wireless terminal M and the mobile phone 12 are allowed to continue to be connected. .

  Further, when the user ID is out of the validity period (that is, when a predetermined period T1 or more has elapsed after connecting to the wireless terminal) (step 160), a message including a message indicating the end of the wireless connection. A signal is transmitted from the wireless terminal M to the mobile phone 12, and the connection between the mobile phone 12 and the wireless terminal M is disconnected (step 170).

  In step 130, if the user ID and password stored in the mobile phone 12 and the user ID and password included in the response signal do not match, the mobile phone 12 is connected to the wireless terminal as the service providing server SS. It returns to the process of step 120 without authenticating.

  Next, the effect of this embodiment is demonstrated. That is, when it is determined that the customer has purchased a product at the store, the service providing server SS provides the customer with the setting information for describing the setting information for wireless connection to the wireless terminal on the receipt.

  As described above, since the setting information is provided to the user, it is possible to provide the wireless connection service even to a user who is not registered in advance with the service provider (provider).

  When it is determined that the customer has purchased the product at the store, the setting information is described in the receipt and provided, so that it is possible to prevent a person who has not purchased the product from enjoying the wireless connection service.

In the present embodiment, the service providing server SS manages the time for providing the wireless connection service to the user and limits it to a certain time. For this reason, it can suppress that a customer sits for a long time and enjoys a wireless connection service.
Next, the setting information will be described. The setting information is a security measure, such as a WEP key, a TKIP key, or AES. In the case of IEEE802.1x, it means user ID and password. (It can be combined with a user ID, password, or ESS-ID as long as the setting operation does not become cumbersome.)

  Here, the WEP key (Wired Equivalent Privacy) is one of security measures used to prevent eavesdropping, and a secret encryption method or the like is used. The secret encryption method is an encryption method that uses the same key for encryption and decryption (common key encryption).

  That is, a sender (for example, a user) and a receiver (for example, a wireless terminal) share the same key, and the sender uses the key to transmit data, and the receiver also uses the same key to transmit data. Decompose. Specifically, when the WEP key is designated by a character string such as alphanumeric characters, 5 characters are designated by 64 bits and 13 characters are designated by 128 bits.

  In addition, as a TKIP key (Temporary key integrity protocol), a “Per-Packet key Mixing Function” that changes the WEP key for each packet exchanged over the wireless LAN and information for checking the integrity of the data are added. There is "Per-Packet Message Integrity Code" that prevents data from being tampered with.

  AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) corresponds to long encryption keys of 128/192/256 bits, and is a top-level encryption method for both strength and speed.

  IEEE802.1x is a method of rejecting connection to a wireless terminal unless a user name and password are authenticated as follows.

Briefly describing this method, when a station (information communication device) transmits a connection request to a wireless terminal, a user ID and a password are requested. Here, the station inputs and transmits the user ID and password issued by the service provider. The wireless terminal sends it to the authentication server to check if it is the correct user. If the user authentication is successful, the wireless terminal distributes the WEP key to the station. When the station receives the WEP key, it can establish an encrypted connection with the wireless terminal for the first time.
(Second Embodiment)
In the above-described embodiment, an example of providing a user with a wireless connection service that connects to a wireless terminal on the Internet by wireless communication at a convenience store that sells products has been described. In the second embodiment, instead, As shown in FIG. 8, an example will be described in which a wireless connection service is provided to a user for wireless connection to a wireless terminal of a communication network at a pay parking facility where a customer parks a car for a fee.

  A schematic configuration of the wireless connection service system in this case is shown in FIG. The wireless connection service system according to the present embodiment includes a service providing server SS, each wireless terminal M, a ticketing machine HK, a receipt machine Ro, and a car detector CK. 9, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 2 denote the same items.

  As will be described later, the service providing server SS executes processing for providing setting information for connecting to a wireless terminal to a customer who uses a pay parking facility.

  Each wireless terminal M communicates with the service providing server SS and wirelessly communicates with an information communication device brought in by a customer via an external antenna arranged in a pay parking facility.

  The ticket-issuing machine HK is a printer for issuing a parking ticket (see FIG. 11) with paper. As the parking ticket, setting information for a conventional parking ticket in which the entrance time of a pay parking facility is described. The description is added.

  The parking ticket is coated with a strip-shaped magnetic body, and various information such as entrance time and setting information is stored in the magnetic body.

  The receipt machine Ro is installed on the exit side of the pay parking facility and, as will be described later, displays the parking fee and the wireless connection service usage fee on the display panel, as well as the parking fee and the wireless connection service usage fee from the customer. Is configured to be inserted.

  The car detector CK is a sensor that is installed on the entrance side of the pay parking facility and detects a vehicle entering the entrance. For example, as the vehicle detector CK, a sensor element that is installed on the ground and measures the weight can be used.

  Next, as an operation of the present embodiment, a customer using a pay parking facility brings in a mobile phone 12 as an information communication device and parks, and the mobile phone 12 enjoys a wireless connection service at the pay parking facility. An example will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing service providing processing by the service providing server SS. 10, the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 4 and 5 indicate the same process or substantially the same process.

  First, the service providing server SS executes the computer program stored in the memory at regular intervals according to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  First, when a vehicle on which a customer is boarded enters the entrance of a pay parking facility, the vehicle passes over the sensor element of the vehicle detector CK. Accordingly, the weight of the vehicle is detected by the detection by the sensor element.

  Here, the service providing server SS determines that a vehicle is present at the entrance when the weight detected by the vehicle detector CK is equal to or greater than a certain value. That is, it is determined that the customer (user) is about to park in the pay parking facility (step 300).

  Along with this, the service providing server SS issues a parking ticket with paper by the ticket issuing machine HK (step 310). As the parking ticket, the entry time and setting information of the pay parking facility are described, and the entry time and setting information are stored in a magnetic material.

  Here, the customer receives the parking ticket issued by the ticket issuing machine HK, parks the vehicle, reads the setting information from the parking ticket, and inputs the read setting information to the mobile phone 12 by key operation. Then, a process for connecting to the content server CS on the Internet IP is started.

  On the other hand, the wireless terminal M transmits a calling signal at regular intervals, and when the mobile phone 12 receives the calling signal transmitted from the wireless terminal M, the wireless terminal M transmits a response signal to the calling signal.

  Here, the service providing server SS performs response presence / absence determination processing (step 120), authentication connection processing (step 130), service provision processing (step 140), termination request determination processing (step 150), and service termination message transmission processing (step 150). Step 170) is executed and the process proceeds to Step 320.

  For example, when the customer moves the vehicle to the exit to leave the paid parking facility and inserts a parking ticket into the receipt machine Ro, the service providing server SS sets the entry time from the parking ticket by the receipt machine Ro, Information such as information is read, and the parking fee is calculated based on the entrance time and the current time. In addition, the parking fee is displayed on the display panel of the receipt machine Ro. Thereafter, the customer enters the parking fee into the receipt machine Ro and leaves the paid parking facility.

  Next, the function and effect of the second embodiment will be described. That is, when the service providing server SS that provides the wireless connection service to the user determines that the customer is about to park in the pay parking facility, the service providing server SS describes the setting information for wireless connection to the wireless terminal on the parking ticket and this parking Offer tickets to customers.

  As described above, since the setting information is provided to the customer, it is possible to provide the wireless connection service even to a user who is not registered in advance with the service provider.

In addition, since the setting information is provided only to customers who intend to use the pay parking facility, it is possible to prevent an unused user of the pay parking facility from enjoying the wireless connection service.
(Other embodiments)
In the first embodiment described above, an example has been described in which the Internet is used as a communication network that is connected for communication by an information communication device brought in by a customer. However, instead of this, another communication network may be used.

In the first embodiment described above, in order to provide the setting information to the user, the example in which the setting information is described in the receipt and the receipt is provided to the user has been described. Instead, a product is purchased. Various means may be used as long as setting information is provided to the user for the customer.
For example, the setting information may be written on a separate sheet instead of the receipt for the customer who purchased the product.

  In the first embodiment described above, an example of using a paper receipt as the receipt for providing the setting information to the user has been described. However, for example, a receipt of electronic data may be issued.

  In this case, for example, the service providing server SS transmits an electronic data receipt to the information communication device brought in by the customer by e-mail or the like.

  In the first embodiment described above, the example in which the time for providing the wireless connection service to the user is limited to a certain time has been described, but instead, the time for providing the wireless connection service to the user is limited. It may not be possible.

  In this case, it is preferable to charge the user for a usage fee based on the time when the user uses the wireless connection service.

  In the first embodiment described above, an example has been described in which a wireless connection service for connecting to a wireless terminal on the Internet is provided to a product purchaser outside a store facility of a convenience store, but instead, a store of a convenience store is provided. You may make it provide a goods purchaser with the radio | wireless connection service which connects with the radio | wireless terminal of the internet in a plant | facility.

  In the first embodiment described above, an example of providing a product purchaser with a wireless connection service that connects to a wireless terminal on the Internet at a convenience store has been described, but instead, a store facility other than a convenience store, for example, You may make it provide a goods purchaser with the wireless connection service connected to the wireless terminal of an internet in a restaurant, a fast food store, etc.

  In the first embodiment described above, an example in which a wireless LAN is used as a wireless communication method between the wireless terminal M and the information communication device of the product purchaser has been described, but instead of this, Bluetooth, ultra-high speed wireless communication technology ( UWB: Ultra Wideband, DSRC: Dedicated Short Range Communications, etc. may be used.

  In the above-described second embodiment, the example in which the setting information is provided to the customer by describing and issuing the setting information on the parking ticket has been described. Instead, the setting information is described separately from the parking ticket. Paper may be provided to customers.

  In the second embodiment described above, the parking fee is calculated, and the calculated parking fee is charged to the customer by the receipt machine Ro. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Good.

  That is, the period during which the mobile phone 12 is connected to the wireless terminal by wireless communication is counted, the communication fee is counted based on the counted time, and the customer charges the communication fee together with the parking fee by the receipt machine Ro. You may make it do.

  In the second embodiment described above, an example of using a paper ticket as a parking ticket has been described. However, the parking ticket is not limited to this, and a parking ticket may be used for electronic data. In this case, as the service providing server SS, an electronic data parking ticket is transmitted to the information communication device brought in by the customer by e-mail or the like.

It is a figure which shows the outline of the wireless connection service system of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the wireless connection service system of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the vehicle-mounted information communication apparatus of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows a part of process of the service provision server of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the remainder of the process of the service provision server of FIG. It is a figure which shows the receipt issued from the service provision server of FIG. It is a figure which shows the receipt issued from the service provision server of FIG. It is a figure which shows the outline of the wireless connection service system of 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the wireless connection service system of 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows a part of process of the service provision server of FIG. It is a figure which shows the parking ticket issued by the service provision server of FIG. It is a figure which shows the parking ticket issued by the service provision server of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

SS ... service providing server, M ... wireless terminal, P ... printer, R ... register,
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... PC, 11 ... PDA, 12 ... Mobile phone, 13 ... In-vehicle information communication equipment.

Claims (3)

A service providing server that provides a user with a wireless connection service that connects to an access point of a communication network at a paid parking facility where a user parks a car for a fee,
Providing the user with setting information for wireless connection to the access point when it is determined that there is a car entering the entrance based on detection of a car detector that detects a car entering the entrance of the paid parking facility A service providing server comprising means (310). The car detector is for detecting the weight of a car entering the entrance of the paid parking facility,
2. The service providing server according to claim 1 , wherein when the vehicle detector detects a weight of a predetermined value or more, it is determined that there is a vehicle entering the entrance . The said provision means provides the said setting information to the said user by issuing the parking ticket which describes the said setting information at the entrance of the said pay parking facility, The said setting information is provided to the said user . Service providing server.

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