KR20070072729A - Method for community service using wireless lan - Google Patents

Abstract

A community service method using a wireless LAN(Local Area Network) is provided to be capable of offering human communication among users who subscribe for a particular community service by using mobile communication terminals having wireless LAN functions, thereby activating communities. A network with another mobile communication terminal is formed(S300). A communication request message is transmitted to another mobile communication terminal(S305). A response message which contains the first user information which is information on a user of another mobile communication terminal is received(S310). If the first user information is identical with the second user information, location information is exchanged with another mobile communication terminal(S315-S335).

Description

Community service method using wireless LAN {Method for community service using wireless LAN}

1 is a block diagram of an example of a mobile communication terminal used in a community service method according to the present invention;

2 is a diagram illustrating a network environment to which a community service method according to the present invention is applied; and

3 is a flowchart provided to explain a community service method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

105: wireless LAN communication unit 110: communication unit

115: key input unit 120: display unit

125: sound processor 130: memory unit

140: control unit

The present invention relates to a community service method, and more particularly, to a community service method that can provide a human exchange between users who subscribe to a specific community service using a mobile communication terminal having a wireless LAN function. .

Mobile communication terminals such as mobile phones and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) may provide various additional functions in addition to basic call functions. Recently, a Wi-Fi mobile communication terminal having a wireless LAN function has also been released. A user of a Wi-Fi mobile terminal can wirelessly access e-mail, web, and streaming media using Wi-Fi. In other words, Wi-Fi gives users wireless broadband Internet access, allowing them to get online quickly and easily on the go, at home and at the office.

Using these Wi-Fi mobile communication terminals, it is possible to configure a wireless Ad-hoc network between mobile communication terminals. Therefore, it may be considered to provide a community service through such a wireless ad hoc network configuration.

Conventionally, there has been a method of detecting a case where a user having a terminal supporting Bluetooth is adjacent to a service range and providing a certain additional service. As an example, Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-0037800 has a name of "Invention-type search apparatus and method using Bluetooth," and registers its own information and the opposite party's information in a Bluetooth terminal, and the counterpart terminal within the communication range. Disclosed are an apparatus and method for searching for an ideal partner using Bluetooth that notifies a user if there is any.

However, in the case of the service using Bluetooth as described above, mobility and proximity are secured, but the serviceable distance becomes very narrow due to the characteristics of the communication protocol. In addition, there is no way to automatically detect when members of the online community, which are widely distributed on the Internet, are adjacent while moving. Therefore, it is necessary to consider a wireless ad hoc network-based community service that provides a method of human exchange between users subscribed to various community services and ultimately selects people desired by the user and enables one-on-one face-to-face contact.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a community service method capable of providing human exchange between users who have subscribed to a specific community service using a mobile communication terminal having a wireless LAN function.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a community service method comprising: forming a network with another mobile communication terminal, transmitting an exchange request message to the other mobile communication terminal, and information on a user of the other mobile communication terminal. Receiving a response message including the first user information, and exchanging location information with the other mobile communication terminal when the first user information and the preset second user information coincide with each other.

The method may further include transmitting a predetermined message to the other mobile communication terminal when the first user information and the second user information do not match. The first and second user information is preferably set based on online community information.

Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings will be described the present invention in more detail.

The community service method according to the present invention is basically applied to a WLAN network based on the IEEE 802.11 standard, but is not necessarily limited thereto, and may be applied to other wireless network environments that satisfy the conditions according to the present invention.

1 is a block diagram of an example of a mobile communication terminal used in a community service method according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the mobile communication terminal includes a wireless LAN transceiver 105, a wireless communication unit 110, a key input unit 115, a display unit 120, a sound processor 125, a memory unit 130, and And a controller 140.

The WLAN transceiver 105 provides an interface for communicating with other devices connected to a WLAN network. In particular, the wireless LAN transceiver 105 forms a wireless ad-hoc network with another mobile communication terminal having a wireless LAN function, thereby enabling communication through the formed wireless ad-hoc network. The wireless communication unit 110 provides an interface for wireless communication with a base station, a duplexer filter for separating transmission and reception signals from an antenna, a power amplifier for amplifying a transmission signal, a frequency upconversion circuit of a transmission path, and a frequency downlink of a reception path. A conversion circuit and the like.

The key input unit 115 includes a plurality of keys including a numeric key and a function key, and transmits a signal corresponding to a key pressed by the user to the controller 140 to receive an operation command or data of the user. The display unit 120 includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) and the like, and displays information on an operation state of a mobile communication terminal or a menu requiring user selection according to a command input by a user.

The sound processor 125 amplifies the signal output from the controller 140 and outputs it to a speaker or the like, or converts a sound signal input through a microphone into an electrical signal and transmits the signal to the controller 140.

The memory unit 130 includes a ROM, a RAM, a flash memory, and the like, and stores programs and data necessary for operating a mobile communication terminal, and various data that a user wants to store. In particular, the memory unit 130 stores the user's community subscription information and exchange information between the members of the community.

The controller 140 controls the overall operation of the mobile communication terminal. For example, the controller 140 processes data input through the key input unit 115 and controls the display 120 to display a menu required for the operation. In particular, the controller 140 controls the wireless LAN transceiver 105 and the wireless communication unit 110 to control voice call communication through the mobile communication network and data transmission and reception through the WLAN network.

2 is a diagram referred to describe a network environment to which a community service method according to the present invention is applied. Referring to FIG. 2, the first to fifth mobile communication terminals 100, 200, 210, 220, and 230 having a wireless LAN function constitute one wireless ad hoc network, and one mobile communication terminal in the configured network includes: Become a coordinator 2 illustrates a case where the first mobile communication terminal 100 is a mediator. The first mobile communication terminal 100, which is an arbiter, broadcasts a beacon frame, which is a synchronization signal, to the remaining mobile communication terminals 200, 210, 220, and 230 to synchronize the mobile communication terminals connected to the network. In FIG. 2, only one arbiter 100 and four mobile communication terminals 200, 210, 220, and 230 are illustrated for convenience of description, but there may be more mobile communication terminals connected to the wireless ad hoc network.

3 is a flowchart provided to explain a community service method according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 to 3, a community service method will be described in an embodiment of the present invention.

First, as illustrated in FIG. 2, a mobile communication terminal equipped with a wireless LAN function forms a wireless ad-hoc network with another adjacent mobile communication terminal (S300). In forming such a wireless ad hoc network, only the mobile communication terminal meeting the conditions can be joined to the network through the authentication process. The authentication process may be performed based on community information subscribed to by the user of the mobile communication terminal. After the network is formed, even when another mobile communication terminal enters the network, only the mobile communication terminal satisfying the condition can participate in the network through this authentication process.

The formed wireless ad hoc network is synchronized by the mobile communication terminal which acts as a mediator. In this case, all mobile communication terminals participating in the wireless ad-hoc network may be a mediator for synchronizing the wireless ad-hoc network environment every beacon frame using a backoff method. It is also possible to have only one moderator present while the wireless ad hoc network environment is maintained.

When the network is formed, the exchange request message is transmitted to any one of the mobile communication terminals participating in the network (S310). The mobile communication terminal receiving the exchange request message transmits a response message when the mobile communication terminal accepts the exchange request. For example, in the network as shown in FIG. 2, if the first mobile communication terminal 100 transmits an exchange request message to the second mobile communication terminal 200, the second mobile communication terminal 200 transmits the first mobile communication. Send a response message to the terminal 100. In addition, the wireless ad hoc network is formed and the transmission and reception of messages is performed through the wireless LAN transceiver 105 under the control of the controller 140.

The response message includes user information on another mobile communication terminal, and the user information is compared with the preset registered user information to determine whether the person is a selected person (S310 and S315). The previously registered user information may be registered by setting a person that the user wants to face off-line in an online community or the like, or may be automatically set based on the proximity of the community.

As a result of the determination, if the user information included in the response message matches the pre-registered user information, it is selected whether or not to contact directly (S325), otherwise, the user preset message is transmitted. In this case, the preset message may be selected as an appropriate phrase by the user.

If direct contact is selected, location information is exchanged with the corresponding mobile communication terminal (S335). Such exchange of location information is repeatedly exchanged at predetermined intervals until the user can move according to the location information displayed on the display unit 120 to grasp the location of another mobile communication terminal and face the user, and thereby exchange the location information. Induce direct contact with the liver. If, even by exchanging location information, does not succeed in face-to-face contact with the selected person, a contact failure message is transmitted to the mobile communication terminal applying for the exchange (S345). If the contact is successful in the face-to-face with the selected person, the service is terminated by the user's selection (S350). Or, if you want to contact with others, repeat the above process.

By this process, the user information and the current location information received from the moment of formation or entry of the wireless ad-hoc network can be exchanged at regular intervals through the wireless ad-hoc network, which can be used as a means of mutual interaction.

In addition, although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but the technical field to which the invention belongs without departing from the spirit of the invention claimed in the claims. Of course, various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art, and these modifications should not be individually understood from the technical spirit or the prospect of the present invention.

As described above, according to the present invention, by providing a community service method using a wireless LAN, a wider range of services is possible than when using Bluetooth. In addition, by expanding the opportunities for offline human exchange through online community information, the community is activated, and the quality of the interaction between users can be automatically selected and discriminated. In addition, it is possible to expand the exchange opportunities with the users selected by the user, and to increase the efficiency by utilizing as a customer management means of various sales activities.

Claims (8)

Forming a network with another mobile communication terminal; Transmitting an exchange request message to the other mobile communication terminal; Receiving a response message including first user information which is information on a user of the other mobile communication terminal; And And exchanging location information with the other mobile communication terminal when the first user information and the preset second user information coincide with each other. The method of claim 1, And transmitting a predetermined message to the other mobile communication terminal when the first user information and the second user information do not coincide with each other. The method of claim 1, And the first and second user information are set based on online community information. The method of claim 3, And the predetermined second user information is user information about a person selected from the online community subscribers. The method of claim 3, And the predetermined second user information is set based on the proximity between the online community subscribers. The method of claim 1, And the location information is repeatedly exchanged with the other mobile communication terminal until a predetermined distance is reached. The method of claim 1, And a step of authenticating each other with the other mobile communication terminal when the network is formed. The method of claim 1, The network is a community service method characterized in that the wireless ad hoc network using a wireless LAN.

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