JPH11239386A - Information communication equipment and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide information communication equipment that controls communication to receive a message in response to a communication available time and to provide its method. SOLUTION: In the step S201, a communication available time is calculated based on a residual battery capacity of the communication equipment. In the step S203, a message denoting disabled communication with a mail server is displayed. In the step S204, a message denoting setting of a selection condition of an electronic mail is displayed. In the step S205, the selection condition of the electronic mail desired to be down-loaded preferentially is set. In the step S206, a kind of an attached file unnecessary to down-load is designated. In the step S207, a text to which the selection condition of the electronic mail or the like is set is generated. In the step S208, the communication equipment starts communication with the mail server. In the step S209, the text is sent to the mail server.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information communication apparatus and method, and more particularly to an information communication apparatus and method for communicating messages such as electronic mail between a portable information communication apparatus and an external device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Along with diversification of information transmission means, a portable personal computer or a portable information communication device is combined with a portable radio telephone to access a mail server without being restricted by a place or time. Information communication devices capable of transmitting and receiving e-mails have been proposed.

[0003]

However, the above technique has the following problems.

[0004] In a portable information communication device, when the remaining amount of the battery for supplying power to the information communication device becomes insufficient, the connection with the mail server is interrupted while downloading the e-mail from the mail server to the information communication device. In some cases, you are disconnected and cannot receive important e-mail.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an information communication apparatus and a method for controlling communication for receiving a message according to a communicable time.

[0006]

The present invention has the following configuration as one means for achieving the above object.

An information communication apparatus according to the present invention is an information communication apparatus driven by a battery. The information communication apparatus wirelessly communicates with an external device. The communication device detects a remaining power amount of the battery and communicates with the external device. Calculating means for calculating the communicable time, setting means for setting a selection condition of a message to be received among the messages stored in the external device, and receiving the message according to the calculated communicable time. And control means for controlling communication for communication.

The information communication method according to the present invention wirelessly communicates with an external device, detects a remaining power amount of the battery, calculates a communicable time with the external device, and transmits a message stored in the external device. An information communication method comprising: setting a selection condition of a message to be received; and controlling communication for receiving the message according to the calculated communicable time.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an information communication apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention and a control method thereof will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an information communication apparatus 101 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numeral 101 denotes a portable information communication device,
For example, connect to a mail server using a telephone line or the like,
Processing such as reception of the e-mail stored in the mail server or transmission of the e-mail to the mail server 102 can be performed. Reference numeral 102 denotes a mail server for storing electronic mail. 103 is
A battery for supplying power to the information communication apparatus 101. Reference numeral 104 denotes a communication time calculation unit for detecting the remaining power of the battery 103 based on the terminal voltage of the battery 103 and calculating the communication available time of the transceiver 115 with the mobile telephone network from the remaining power. For example, battery 10
Assuming that the transceiver 115 can communicate with the mobile telephone network for the remaining 20 minutes based on the remaining amount of power of 3, the predetermined time of the remaining 20 minutes is set between the information communication apparatus 101 and the mail server 102. Communication time is assumed.

Reference numeral 105 denotes a character string specifying unit for specifying a title of an electronic mail to be downloaded with priority or a character string (for example, the name of the sender) included in the sender address. Reference numeral 106 denotes a file type designation unit for designating the type of a file not to be downloaded among the attached files of the e-mail. Reference numeral 107 denotes a command creation unit that creates a command including conditions for selecting an electronic mail downloaded from the mail server 102 based on the conditions input by the character string designation unit 105 and the file type designation unit 107.

Reference numeral 108 denotes a display unit for the operator to display an e-mail or to display the operation status of the information communication apparatus 101. Reference numeral 109 denotes, for example, the mail server 1 via a transceiver 115 for performing wireless communication with a mobile telephone network.
02 is a network interface unit for connecting to the network interface 02. Reference numeral 110 denotes a mailbox for storing electronic mail in the mail server 102. A command analysis unit 111 selects and extracts an e-mail that meets the selection conditions from the e-mails stored in the mailbox 110 based on the e-mail selection conditions included in the command transmitted by the information communication device 101. .

Reference numeral 112 denotes a network interface unit for connecting to the information communication apparatus 101. 113
Is a storage unit for storing electronic mail downloaded from the mail server 102. A control unit 114 includes a one-chip CPU and the like for controlling the entire information communication apparatus 101 and the like.

Next, the command transmission operation of the information communication apparatus 101 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In step S201, the information communication device 10
The available time for communication with the mail server 102 is calculated from the remaining battery power of No. 1. In step S202, the calculated communicable time is T, and the thresholds are t1 and t2 (t1 <t2).
If, for example, the communicable time T is less than the threshold value t1 (for example, 5 minutes), the process proceeds to step S203. If the communicable time T is equal to or more than the threshold value t1 and less than t2 (for example, 10 minutes), the process proceeds to step S204. If T is greater than or equal to t2, the process proceeds to step S207. These threshold values t1 and t
2 is set in advance by a user or the like, and the set threshold values t1 and t2 are stored in a storage unit such as a built-in RAM of the control unit 114. Step S203
In this case, a message indicating that communication with the mail server 102 cannot be performed is displayed because the battery level of the information communication apparatus 101 is low.

In step S204, the information communication device 10
1 is low on the battery, the mail server 102
A message is displayed to the effect that the selection conditions for the e-mail to be downloaded from are set. In step S205, among the e-mails stored in the mailbox 110, selection conditions for e-mails that are important to the user and that the user wants to download preferentially are set. For example, when downloading an e-mail sent from a specific user, a character string included in the sender name of the transmitted e-mail is specified.

In step S206, a file type that does not need to be downloaded is designated from among the files attached to the electronic mail. For example, image data and the like attached to an electronic mail often have a large file size, and a lot of time is spent for downloading. Therefore, when a file that does not need to be downloaded is attached to the e-mail, the type of the attached file (for example, JP
EG, WAV file, etc.), only the electronic mail can be downloaded.

Step S205 and step S205
The selection conditions and the like set in 206 may be set in advance by the user. In this case, the selection conditions and the like are stored in the built-in RAM or the like of the control unit 114, and in steps S205 and S206, it is confirmed whether the preset conditions are sufficient. Condition can be modified.

In step S207, the mail server 10
Then, a command is set in which the conditions for selecting an electronic mail to be downloaded from Step 2 to the information communication apparatus 101 are set. In step S208, the information communication device 101 starts communication with the mail server 102. In step S209, a command in which selection conditions of an e-mail to be downloaded from the mail server 102 to the information communication apparatus 101 are set is transmitted to the mail server 102.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the format of this command. As shown in FIG. 5, the command includes header information indicating information such as the destination of the command (mail server 102) and the sender of the command, selection conditions for e-mail to be downloaded from the mail server 102 to the information communication apparatus 101, and And the types of attached files that are not downloaded from the mail server 102 to the information communication device 101 among the files attached to the e-mail.

In step S202, when the communicable time (T) between the information communication apparatus 101 and the mail server 102 is, for example, equal to or longer than the threshold value t2, the electronic mail which is particularly important for the user and which the user wants to download preferentially. Is not set, the information communication device 1
All electronic mails addressed to the user using 01 will be downloaded. At this time, only the header information is set in the above-described command, and the mail server 1
02.

Next, the operation of the mail server 102 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step S301, the mail server 102 starts communication with the information communication device 101 when confirmation of a user ID, a password, and the like is completed in response to a connection request from the information communication device 101. In step S302, a command transmitted from the information communication device 101 is received. In step S303,
Analyze the received command.

In step S304, as a result of analyzing the received command, if the selection condition of the e-mail to be downloaded from the mail server 102 to the information communication apparatus 101 is set, the e-mail stored in the mailbox 110 Select an e-mail that meets the selection conditions from. In addition, the information communication device 1
When the selection condition of the e-mail to be downloaded to 01 is not set, all the e-mails stored in the mailbox 110 are selected. In step S305, the selected e-mail is transmitted to information communication device 101.

Next, the command receiving operation of the information communication apparatus 101 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In step S401, the mail server 10
2 to receive an e-mail or the like. In step S402, the received electronic mail or the like is stored in the storage unit 113. In step S403, the user arbitrarily selects an e-mail stored in the storage unit 113,
08 is displayed.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to receive all e-mails addressed to the user stored in the mailbox 110 of the mail server 102 according to the remaining battery level of the information communication apparatus 101. It can be determined whether or not it is possible. Therefore, the information communication device 1
01, the user can selectively receive only important e-mails. If the battery of the information communication device 101 is high, the user can receive all e-mails addressed to the user. can do.

[0028]

[Other Embodiments] Even if the present invention is applied to a system including a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, a reader, a printer, etc.), an apparatus (for example, a copying machine) Machine, facsimile machine, etc.).

Another object of the present invention is to provide a storage medium storing a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and to provide a computer (or CPU) of the system or apparatus.
And MPU) read and execute the program code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the function of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD
-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS (Operating System) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. ) May perform some or all of the actual processing, and the processing may realize the functions of the above-described embodiments.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instruction of the program code, It goes without saying that the CPU included in the function expansion board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention,
An information communication device and a method for controlling communication for receiving a message according to a communicable time can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of an information communication device;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining a command transmission process of the information communication apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining processing of a mail server;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining an e-mail reception process of the information communication apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a format example of a command.

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. An information communication device driven by a battery, comprising: a communication unit for wirelessly communicating with an external device; and detecting a remaining power amount of the battery and calculating a communicable time with the external device. Calculating means; setting means for setting a selection condition of a message to be received among the messages stored in the external device; control for controlling communication for receiving the message according to the calculated communicable time An information communication device comprising: 2. The control means according to claim 1, wherein said communicable time is T, and predetermined thresholds are t1 and t2 (t1
<T2), if T <t1, the reception of the message from the external device is disabled, and if t1 <= T <= t2, the message corresponding to the selection condition set by the setting unit is limited. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein
An information communication device according to claim 1. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit sets, as a part of the selection condition, a type of a file that does not need to be received among files attached to the message. Information communication device. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit sends a command including a selection condition set by the setting unit to the external device via the communication unit. An information communication device according to any one of the preceding claims. 5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein T <t1 and t <t1.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when 1 <= T <= t <b> 2, the user is notified of a message indicating that the remaining power of the battery of the information communication apparatus is low. 6. An information communication device according to claim 1. 6. A wireless communication with an external device, a remaining power amount of the battery is detected, a communication available time with the external device is calculated, and a message to be received is selected from messages stored in the external device. An information communication method comprising: setting a condition; and controlling communication for receiving the message according to the calculated communicable time. 7. Assuming that the communicable time is T and the preset thresholds are t1 and t2 (t1 <t2),
When T <t1, reception of a message from the external device is disabled, and when t1 <= T <= t2, a message corresponding to the selection condition set by the setting unit is limitedly received. The information communication method according to claim 6, wherein 8. A recording medium on which a program code for an information communication process is recorded, wherein the program code is for wirelessly communicating with an external device, and the remaining power amount of the battery is detected to communicate with the external device. A program code for calculating a possible time; a program code for setting a selection condition of a message to be received among the messages stored in the external device; and A program code for controlling communication for receiving. 9. Assuming that the communicable time is T and thresholds set in advance are t1 and t2 (t1 <t2),
In the case of T <t1, a program for disabling reception of a message from the external device and, when t1 <= T <= t2, receiving a message corresponding to the selection condition set by the setting unit in a limited manner The recording medium according to claim 8, comprising a code.