JP5331664B2 - Method for restricting operation outside of setting area of information processing apparatus for wireless communication with host apparatus through mobile communication network, information processing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus that wirelessly communicates with a host device through a high-speed mobile communication network operated by a communication carrier such as Wilcom, e-mobile, or NTT Docomo, and in particular, the information processing apparatus is outside a preset area. The present invention relates to a technique for appropriately restricting operation.

  A high-speed mobile communication network has been established, and a personal computer can be connected to the Internet by wireless communication even when riding a car or train. Telecom operators continue to invest in improving communications technology and developing base station networks in order to expand the environment where users can connect to the wireless Internet stably, regardless of where they are at high speed.

=== Trigger of invention ===
The inventor has come up with an application of mobile communication that is slightly different from the original use assumed by the high-speed mobile communication technology. Specifically, it is a portable communication karaoke apparatus for business use. This is a communication karaoke apparatus used in, for example, a hot spring inn. The computer, operation panel, display, and speaker system are all integrated and equipped with wheels and handles so that they can be easily carried into and out of the cabin (Japanese Patent No. 3115235). The conventional one connects to the host device via a telephone line, for example, once a week, uploads an operation history, and downloads new song data.

  If communication between the commercial portable karaoke device for business use and the host device is performed using the above-mentioned mobile communication network, it is possible to completely eliminate the hassle of maintaining the environment related to communication with the host device at the operation site such as hot spring inns. Can be eliminated. This form of use merely uses the mobile communication network as a wireless connection means, but its superiority is clear compared to the case where a wireless LAN is installed in a hot spring inn.

  As for the portable communication karaoke apparatus for business use, it is stolen and there is a concern that others will use it elsewhere. As a countermeasure, if the communication with the host device is not performed for a certain period of time or if the IP address is changed, the karaoke device does not function as a karaoke device under the control of the computer (Japanese Patent No. 3196166). (Kaihei 2004-109259).

  When the karaoke apparatus is configured to be wirelessly connected to a base station of a mobile communication network, there is a concern that the karaoke apparatus is stolen and the data communication card is removed so that others can use it elsewhere. Therefore, similarly to the existing karaoke apparatus, for example, if communication with the host apparatus is not performed for a certain period of time, the karaoke apparatus may be configured not to function as a karaoke apparatus under the control of the computer.

  Going further, the inventor, when configuring the karaoke device to wirelessly connect to the base station of the mobile communication network, take it out from the hot spring inn, which is the usual operating location, to the campsite lodge in the summer or to use it in the winter I realized that there was a way to use it by taking it out to a ski resort resthouse. Even during such a take-out period, since it is wirelessly connected to the base station of the mobile communication network, it is possible to communicate with the host device once a week. This cannot be realized with a type connected to a fixed telephone line or a type connected to a wireless LAN in an inn.

  However, for such active use, we thought that it was necessary to assume an unexpected situation where the karaoke device was stolen and others used it elsewhere. And the invention which adds a restriction | limiting to operation outside the area | region which the karaoke apparatus set beforehand was created.

  The above-mentioned problems concerning commercial portable karaoke devices for business use may also apply to information processing devices in other fields such as arcade game devices, photo sticker photographing printing devices, and vending machines, which will be described in detail below. The present invention can be usefully applied to these similar devices different from the portable communication karaoke device.

=== The core of the invention ===
The core of the present invention is that in an information processing apparatus that wirelessly communicates with a host device through a mobile communication network, one or more base station identifiers are stored in a storage means, and a base station identifier attached to a received packet is The packet counter is incremented when it does not match any of the base station identifiers stored in the storage means, and communication is prohibited when the count value reaches a set value.
In this invention, when the base station identifier attached | subjected to the received packet corresponds with either of the base station identifiers stored in the memory | storage means, you may comprise so that the count value of a packet counter may be cleared.

=== Effect of Invention ===
According to the present invention, when an information processing device that communicates wirelessly with a host device through a mobile communication network is operated by taking it out of a preset area, communication with the host device is possible to some extent, but there is a limit. It can no longer be used continuously, and is useful in specific operational situations.

1 is a schematic diagram of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart of operation | movement of the controller 4 in an Example same as the above.

  As is clear from the above description, the essence of the present invention is not related to a unique system configuration for realizing a karaoke function in a portable communication karaoke apparatus for business use, for example. In addition, even when the present invention is applied to information processing apparatuses in other fields such as arcade game apparatuses, photo sticker photographing printing apparatuses, and vending machines, there is no particular connection between the system configuration unique to those apparatuses and the present invention. . Therefore, in order to avoid the redundancy of the description, the embodiment of the present invention will be described at an abstract level as “an information processing apparatus wirelessly communicating with a host apparatus through a mobile communication network”.

  FIG. 1 shows an information processing apparatus according to the present invention. This apparatus includes a communication apparatus 1 and a computer 2. Under the control of the computer 2, the communication device 1 is wirelessly connected to a base station of a high-speed mobile communication network operated by a communication carrier such as Wilcom, e-mobile, or NTT Docomo, and is connected to an external host device (not shown) via the Internet or VPN. Data communication between the computer 2 and the computer 2.

  The communication device 1 has a non-volatile memory 3 in which a plurality of base station identifiers ID1 to IDn are stored. In the present invention, it is assumed that the information processing apparatus is normally operated in a specific geographical area (the case where the area is a plurality of different areas is not excluded). Base stations with which the communication device 1 can communicate are limited in this normally operated region. The limited base station identifiers are base station identifiers ID1 to IDn stored in the memory 3. Of course, only one base station identifier may be stored in the memory 3.

  When the communication apparatus 1 communicates with a base station in these limited areas, any of the base station identifiers ID1 to IDn is attached to the received packet from the base station. However, when the information processing apparatus of the embodiment is taken out of the assumed region and communicates with the base station of the high-speed mobile communication network, the base station identifier attached to the received packet is the base station stored in the memory 3 It is different from any of the identifiers ID1 to IDn.

  The flowchart of FIG. 2 shows an outline of processing performed by the controller 4 of the communication device 1. When the controller 4 receives a packet from the base station, the controller 4 sequentially determines whether the base station identifier attached to the received packet matches any of the base station identifiers ID1 to IDn stored in the memory 3 or not. doing. If it does not match any of the base station identifiers ID1 to IDn, the packet counter 5 set in the memory 3 is incremented. Further, when it matches any of the base station identifiers ID1 to IDn, the packet counter 5 is cleared. As another embodiment, a method may be employed in which the packet counter 5 is not cleared even if they match.

  When the packet counter 5 is incremented, the controller 4 determines whether or not the count value of the counter 5 has reached a set value. When the count value of the counter 5 reaches the set value, the communication with the base station is stopped at that time, and the computer 2 is notified that the communication has been stopped. The set value is described in the program of the controller 4 or stored in the memory 3.

Claims (4)

  In an information processing apparatus that wirelessly communicates with a host device through a mobile communication network, one or more base station identifiers are stored in a storage unit, and a base station identifier attached to a received packet is stored in the storage unit A method wherein the packet counter is incremented if it does not match any of the above, and communication is prohibited when the count value reaches a set value. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the base station identifier attached to the received packet matches any of the base station identifiers stored in the storage means, the count value of the packet counter is cleared.   An information processing apparatus that wirelessly communicates with a host device through a mobile communication network, a storage unit that stores one or more base station identifiers, and a base station identifier that stores a base station identifier attached to a received packet in the storage unit An information processing apparatus, comprising: means for incrementing a packet counter if no match is found; and means for prohibiting communication when the count value reaches a set value. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising means for clearing the count value of the packet counter when the base station identifier attached to the received packet matches any of the base station identifiers stored in the storage means.

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