JPH03178254A - Communication terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate the management such as installed set number. kind of terminal equipments and user information or the like by using a data communication section and informing it to a center via a public network when it is discriminated that a terminal data and user information are not informed to the center. CONSTITUTION:A communication terminal equipment 1 is provided with a data storage section 11, a center notice discrimination section 12 and a control section 13 and the data storage section 11 stores user information depending on a user and a terminal data specific to the communication terminal equipment 1 itself. Moreover, the center notice discrimination section 12 discriminates whether or not the terminal data and the user information have already sent to the center 2, and the control section 13 informs the terminal data and the user information stored in the data storage section 11 to the center 2 when the terminal data and the user information are not informed based on the result of discrimination of the center notice discrimination section 12. Thus, the installation information of all the communication terminal equipments 1 is informed in real time to the center 2 without missing and the collection and processing of the installation information are facilitated.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] The purpose of this invention is to facilitate the management of the number of installed devices, terminal types, user information, etc. regarding communication terminal devices that are connected to a public network and are capable of transmitting and receiving character data. A communication terminal device connected to a center that manages information and user information via a public network stores terminal data unique to the communication terminal device itself and user information dependent on the user of the communication terminal device. a data storage unit, a center notification determination unit that determines whether or not the terminal data and user information have already been notified to the center via the public network listed in 0 by the data communication unit; When it is determined that the terminal data and user information have not been notified to the center based on the determination result of the center notification determination section at the time of power-up or when the terminal data and user information stored in the data storage section are and a control section that uses the data communication section to notify the center of information via the public network.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a communication terminal device, and more particularly, to a communication terminal device connected to a public network and capable of transmitting and receiving character data.

For communication terminal equipment, the sales volume and
It is necessary for manufacturers to understand installation information and user information, such as the types of units sold in large numbers, for subsequent maintenance inspections, sales strategies, product development, etc.

Therefore, it is desired to simplify and automate the collection and analysis of installation information and user information.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in order to collect installation information and user information about communication terminal devices, a reply postcard to the manufacturer was attached to the communication terminal device, and the user who purchased the communication terminal device was asked to write information on the reply postcard. had been mailed.

Additionally, as a well-known technique, accommodation information, etc. is automatically notified between a processing device (center) and a device to be processed using a polling method in which the center is the main unit and the device to be processed is the subordinate device at the time of system startup. Therefore, it is conceivable to apply this known technique to communication terminal devices as well.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, among the conventional techniques mentioned above, the former method of using reply postcards leaves the posting of reply postcards to the user's discretion, making it impossible to completely collect installation information. Furthermore, even when a reply postcard is sent from a user, it takes a large amount of man-hours to compile and process the contents.

In addition, in a method of applying the latter known technique to a communication terminal device, the center requests accommodation information notification from the device to be processed,
Since it is a polling method in which the processing device responds and returns its accommodation information, in the case of communication terminals connected to a public network, the number of installed communication terminals is large and the installation location is unknown. Installation information and user information of commercially available communication terminal devices cannot be automatically collected.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a communication terminal device that facilitates the management of the number of installed devices, terminal types, user information, etc.

[Means to solve the problem]

FIG. 1 shows a basic configuration diagram of the present invention. In the figure, a communication terminal device 1 according to the present invention is connected to a center 2 that manages terminal installation information and user information via a public network 3.
The data communication unit 14 is configured to transmit and receive data, and the data storage unit 11. It is configured to include a center notification determination section 12 and a control section 13.

Here, the data storage section 11 stores terminal data unique to the communication terminal device 1 itself and user information depending on the user. Further, the center notification determination unit 12 determines whether the above terminal data and user information have already been notified to the center 2. Furthermore, the control section 13
is the data storage unit 1 when the terminal data and user information have not been notified based on the determination result of the center notification determination unit 12.
The information stored in the center 1 is notified to the center 2.

[Effect]

The center 2 has a communication unit 21 that communicates with the communication terminal device 1.
, a storage section 22 that stores terminal data and user information, and a control section 23 that controls the communication section 21 and the storage section 22 . The communication terminal device 1 connected to the center 2 via the public network 3 operates in a flowchart 1 as shown in FIG.
- Notify the terminal data and user information to the center 2 according to the following.

In FIG. 2, when the communication terminal device 1 is powered on, in step 41), the control unit 13 starts the initial setting operation according to the program stored in the data storage unit 11, and the initial setting end operation is completed. (or when power-up is detected) (step 42), the control unit 13 instructs the center notification determination unit 12 to determine whether the terminal data and user information have been notified to the center.

The center notification determination unit 12 checks a predetermined flag in the data storage unit 11 and determines whether the notification has been completed based on the value of the flag (step 43), and if the notification has not been completed, it notifies the control unit 13 to that effect. . As a result, the control unit 13
The data communication unit 14 sends an information transmission notification using a specific protocol different from normal communication (step 44), and after communication is established between the center 2 that received this notification and the TM terminal device 1, The control unit 13 reads out the terminal data and user information stored in the data storage unit 11, and transmits them from the data communication unit 14 to the center 2 via the public network 3 (step 45).

When the control unit 23 of the center 2 receives the above terminal data and user information via the communication unit 21, it stores them in the storage unit 2.
When these processes are completed, a predetermined termination pattern that notifies the communication terminal device 1 of normal termination is sent to the public network 3 via the communication unit 21.

When the control unit 13 in the communication terminal device 1 receives the above termination pattern via the data communication unit 14, the control unit 13 in the data storage unit 1
The value of the predetermined flag in 1 is set as a value indicating that notification has been completed, and the process is terminated (Step 47).

On the other hand, when the center notification determination unit 12 determines that the notification has been completed based on the value of the predetermined flag stored in the data storage unit 11 in step 43, the center notification determination unit 12 notifies the control unit 13 to that effect. Notification is made and the process is terminated (step 48).

Therefore, according to the present invention, the communication terminal device 1 accesses the center 2 by user operation or automatically via the public network 3 without being based on a notification request from the center 2, and accesses the center 2 only once for the first time. Data and user information can be notified to the center 2.

(Embodiment) Fig. 3 shows a configuration diagram of a first embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention.In the figure, the same components as in Fig. 1 are given the same reference numerals.

In this embodiment, the communication terminal device 1 is a facsimile (hereinafter referred to as
This is an example applied to the device 1a (abbreviated as FaxJ), and the data storage unit 11 stores a terminal serial number 111 unique to this fax device 1a (here, r123).
456J') and terminal type 112 (rABc here).
J ) and the terminal version number 113 (
V 1.0 here), the center number q114 (03-111-1111 here) which is the telephone number of the center to be communicated with this fax machine 1a, and the center notification flag 115 (here "Unnotified, 1"). ), consisting of
Terminal data that does not depend on the user is stored in advance before the product is shipped.

In addition, as will be described later, the data storage unit 11 has this F a
Fax incoming number 116 (
Here, for example, 03-222-2222), an external call special number 117 (here, for example, "O") when connected as an extension of the exchange, and the name 118 of the user using this fax machine 1a (here, FUJ1 Ding SU)
User information such as the following information is also stored by the user.

Further, reference numeral 15 denotes a Fax 13 function section for realizing the Fax function, which performs reading of text, conversion into digital signals, and the like. Reference numeral 16 denotes an input unit for inputting user information, device operation information, etc., and is composed of an E-pad for receiving input from the user. 17 is an end pattern detection section, which detects the center (
A predetermined end pattern sent from f) shown in the figure is detected.

Normally, the fax device 1a functions as a fax terminal, but
When the user specifies the initial setting operation of the terminal, the operation according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 4 is performed. When the control unit 13 detects that the user has pressed a predetermined initial setting t- in the input unit 16 (step 51 in FIG. 4)
, the control unit 13 starts the initial j[I] stage setting operation (step 52), and receives the Faxli communication number 116. which is input by the user using the input unit 16 during this initial setting operation.
The user name 118 and, when the fax machine 1 is connected as an extension of a private branch exchange, the outside line calling special number 117 are stored in the data storage section 11 to prevent erroneous connection (step 53 in the same).

B1] When the supra 13 determines that the initial Ill setting operation has been completed (
In step 54 in FIG. 4, the center notification flag 1 in the data storage unit 11 in FIG.
15 to determine whether the terminal data and user information have been notified to the center (step 55). At the time of first initial setting, the value of the center notification flag 115 indicates not notified, so it is determined whether the terminal data and user information have been notified to the center or not. In this case, the presence or absence of the input of the special number for calling an outside line is determined from the contents 117 of the data storage section 11 (step 56). If the special number is not manually input, the center number 114 read from the data storage section 11 is automatically entered.
full, and perform a call operation via the data communication unit 14 (
On the other hand, if the special number is manually operated, the value of the outside line calling special number 117 read from the data storage unit 11 is automatically added to the beginning of the dialing number of the center number 114, and the dialing operation is performed. is performed via the data communication unit 14 (step 58>).

After the calling operation in step 57 or 58, the control unit 13 communicates with the center using the terminal information notification procedure (in FIG.
Step 59). The f order for this Ga tree information notification is as follows:
It is possible to transmit on a carrier with a different frequency from the normal fax transmission carrier, or use a handshake method in a different f order on the same carrier, so that this communication is not a normal fax transmission and the terminal The center is made to identify that it is a notification to the center of data and user information.

After the processing in step 59, the control section 13 controls the center and F.
It is determined whether communication has been established with the ax device 1 (step 60 in FIG. 4), and if communication has not been established, the call operation or initial settings are restarted as an abnormal termination (step 61 in the same figure). ). On the other hand, if one communication is established, the control section 13 outputs the terminal serial number 111. which is stored in the data storage section 11 in FIG. Cutting wood type 112. The terminal version number 113 and the fax number 116 are read out and sent from the data communication unit 14 to the center via the public network (step 62 in FIG. 4).

Although the center is not shown in FIG. 3, it is the center 2 in FIG. 1, which identifies the terminal information notification procedure described above, and
Terminal serial number 111. Terminal type 112, terminal version 1
13 and the fax number 116 are received and stored in the storage section, a predetermined termination pattern is generated and transmitted to the fax device 1a. When the υ control unit 13 of the Eax device 1a receives this transmission end pattern via the data communication unit 14 (step 63 in FIG. 4), the data storage unit 11
The center notification flag 115 of ``Notified'' is changed to the value ``notified'', and the terminal data and user information notification process is terminated (step 64).After this, the fax machine 1a returns to normal F a
Move to x@saku.

Note that if the end pattern cannot be received from center b after a predetermined period of time has elapsed after sending each piece of information in step 62, a timeout occurs and the process ends as an abnormality has occurred. Also, 2
At the time of initialization after the initial setting, the center notification flag in the data storage unit 11 has been changed to the value indicating "notified" in step 64, so as a result of the determination process in step 55, the process is terminated (step 66). Therefore, transmission of terminal data and user information to the center is performed only at the first initial setting, and not at the second and subsequent initial settings.

As described above, according to this embodiment, by requiring the initial setting of the fax device ff11a, user information and terminal data are automatically sent to the center at the time of the first initial setting, so that the center can easily install the fax device 1a. It is possible to completely collect user information and terminal data without knowing the user information. Moreover, since the user information and terminal data sent from the fax machine 1a can be centrally managed within the center, statistical processing such as the total number of equipment, the number of installed machines by model, and the number of installed machines by version can be easily performed. can.

Next, a second embodiment of the device of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, in which the same components as in FIGS. 1 and 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the explanation thereof will be omitted. The second embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is an example in which a modem device 1b is used as the communication terminal device 1, and is characterized in that an initial start-up determination section 18 is provided to automate the transmission of terminal data to the center.

The initial start-up determining section 18 monitors whether the modular jack 10a of the modem device 1b is connected to the line 30 to the public network and whether the power switch 10b of the modem device 1b is turned on or off.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, when the start-up determining unit 18 detects that the power switch 10b is turned on and the modular jack 10a is connected to the line 30, it notifies the control unit 13 in FIG. A transition is made to the information notification mode (step 71 in FIG. 6). That is, when the power is turned on in a state where the modular jack 10a is connected to the line 30, the control section 13 uses the data storage section 1 of FIG.
It is determined whether the terminal data has been notified to the center by looking at the center notification flag 115 in step 72 of FIG.
Since 15 indicates that the call has not been made, the center number 114 read from the data storage section 11 is automatically dialed to make a call (step 73).

Hereinafter, similarly to the first embodiment, the modem device 1bi communicates with the center using the terminal information notification process (step 74 in FIG. 6), and determines whether communication is established (step 75).
, if it is not established, it is considered to be abnormally terminated, and step 7
6), if established, the terminal serial number 111. When the terminal data consisting of the terminal type 112 and the terminal version 113 is transmitted to the center (step 77), and a termination pattern from the center is detected (step 78), the center notification flag 115 is set to the value "notified". After changing (same,
At step 79), the normal operation mode is entered, at step 80), and the process is ended (at step 81).

In addition, initial start-up iJ fixed section 18 modular jack 1
When detecting at least one of the disconnection of 0a and the off of the power switch 10b, this terminal information notification process is not performed (step 84 in Figure 6), and the center notification is also performed when the power is turned on from the second time onwards. Since the flag 115 has been changed to the value of ``notified'', this terminal information notification process is not performed and the process ends in normal mode (steps 82 and 83>. Therefore, this embodiment is also the same as the first embodiment. It has similar features.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. 13 to the center 2 via an analog line, but can also be applied to a terminal device such as an integrated services digital network (ISDN) connected via a digital line.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the center is accessed through the public network by user operation or automatically without a notification request from the center, and terminal data and user information are sent to the center only once for the first time. Since it is possible to notify the center of all the installation information of all communication terminal devices in real time, it is possible to have the center automatically collect the installation information reliably, and it is also possible for the center to Since it can be centrally managed, it has features such as extremely easy aggregation and processing of installation information.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a diagram of the first embodiment of the device of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the operation of FIG. 5. In the figure, 1 is a communication terminal device, 2 is a center, 3 is a public network, 11G is a data storage section, 12 is a center notification determination section, 13 is a control section, and 14 is a data communication section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A communication terminal device (1) connected via a public network (3) to a center (2) that manages terminal installation information and user information.
, a data storage unit (11) storing terminal data unique to the communication terminal device (1) itself and user information depending on the user of the communication terminal device (1); a center notification determination unit (12) that determines whether or not the data communication unit (14) has already notified the center (2) via the public network (3); At startup, if it is determined that the terminal data and user information have not been notified to the center (2) based on the determination result of the center notification determination section (12), the terminal data and user information are stored in the data storage section (11). and a control unit (13) that causes the data communication unit (14) to notify the center (2) of the terminal data and user information via the public network (3). Communication terminal equipment.