JP2009171484A - Communication system, annunciation information processor, and communication apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To promote more smoothly this kind of one-to-many communication by transmitting information to only those who are around an assigned area among object persons to whom a certain mobile terminal user wants to transmit information. <P>SOLUTION: In a communication system 301, an annunciation object identification information which identifies a peculiar information of the mobile terminal 101 of annunciation object is set by the mobile terminal 101 of transmitting side, the transmitting side mobile terminal 101 includes a position identification information which identifies the position of the mobile terminal 101 of the annunciation object in the annunciation information when transmitting the annunciation information, the annunciation information transmitted from the transmitting side mobile terminal 101 is annunciated only to the mobile terminal 101 identified by the position identification information among the mobile terminal 101 of the annunciation object identified by the annunciation identification information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication system, a notification information processing apparatus and a communication apparatus used in the communication system.

  In recent years, among mobile communication devices, the mobile communication market represented by mobile phones has been dramatically developed, and its penetration rate with respect to the population is very high. Also, the mobile communication network has an expanded service area and is almost 100% covered in urban areas. In addition, the service area has been expanded in the subway premises and the like, and has already become an important communication means to replace the fixed telephone. In addition to the conventional voice communication, the rate of data communication is rapidly increasing.

  Furthermore, in the current mobile communication system, various services based on location information detected by the mobile phone terminal itself are also provided. For example, in the CDMA system, this position information can be measured using radio waves received from a plurality of base stations. In addition, the function of measuring the current position using radio waves received from GPS satellites is becoming a de facto standard function of mobile phone terminals.

  In recent years, in order to prevent child kidnapping cases, lost children, lost elderly people, missing persons, etc., the target person has a mobile phone terminal and is more familiar with services such as notifying parents and guardians of their location. Services to answer personal requests are being expanded. In addition, devices and services aimed at preventing and promptly resolving emergencies such as incidents and accidents are expanding.

  Patent Document 1 describes a communication system that provides information to other communication devices around the communication device based on location information notified from a mobile terminal in an emergency. This communication system will be described as an example of the prior art.

  The configuration of the communication system of Patent Document 1 is shown in FIG. 1A of the document. The communication system includes a mobile terminal 101, a base station 111, a network connection device 121, a voice communication network 131, a data communication network 132, an emergency notification processing device 141, and a notification destination 151. The mobile terminal 101 to the base station 111 are connected by a wireless line, and the base station 111 to the voice communication network 131, the data communication network 132, and the emergency call processing device 141 are connected by a wired line. The emergency call processing device 141 has a notification function.

  The notification function of the emergency notification processing device 141 is a function that creates a notification signal based on position information transmitted from a reporter using the mobile terminal 101 and transmits the notification signal to the network connection device 121. For example, the emergency call processing device 141 is installed as a facility for an operator who operates a mobile network including the mobile terminal 101, the base station 111, and the network connection device 121. As shown in the figure, the voice communication network 131 and the data communication network 132 are connected in parallel, and the report destination 151 is connected by a dedicated line.

  FIG. 3 of Patent Document 1 shows an arrangement example of mobile terminals. When the caller presses the emergency call button of the mobile terminal 1 (101), personal information, location information, etc. from the mobile terminal 1 (101) is sent to the emergency call processing device 141 via the base station 111 and the network connection device 121. Transferred.

  The emergency call processing device 141 transfers personal information, position information, and the like from the mobile terminal 1 (101) to the call destination 151 indicated by the call destination information. Furthermore, using the notification function, a notification signal is created based on the location information transmitted from the reporter, and is transmitted to the cell where the reporter is located and its neighboring cells via the network connection device 121 and the base station 111. Sent. In the case of the arrangement example of FIG. 3 of Patent Document 1, the data is transmitted to the mobile terminal 2 (101) and the mobile terminal 3 (101).

  FIG. 2 of Patent Document 1 shows the configuration of the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal 101 includes a wireless transmission / reception unit 201, a control unit 211, a storage unit 212, a microphone unit 221, a speaker unit 222, a key input unit 223, a screen display unit 224, and a GPS reception unit 231. The emergency call button is included in the key input unit 223. The control unit 211 has a position comparison function, a time adjustment function, and an automatic notification function.

  The position comparison function of the control unit 211 is a function for comparing the position information of the reporter included in the notification signal with the position information measured by the GPS receiving unit 231. The mobile terminal 2 (101) determined to be within the determination area (within the circle drawn with a dotted line) shown in FIG. 3 of Patent Document 1 based on the comparison result of the position comparison function displays the received information. A time adjustment function described later is activated. The mobile terminal 2 (101) determined to be outside the determination area does nothing.

  The time adjustment function is a function that is activated according to the result of the position comparison function and adjusts the time until the automatic notification function is activated for each mobile terminal 101. The automatic notification function is a function that is activated by the time adjustment function and automatically transmits personal information, position information, and the like held in the storage unit 212 to the emergency call processing device 241. The time adjustment function is a function used to distribute the time until transmission in each mobile terminal 101.

  As described above, communication systems for specific applications such as emergency call services have already been proposed. On the other hand, in terms of commercial services using location information, the needs of mobile terminal users are diversifying, and it will become even more difficult to provide services that accurately capture those needs. It is.

  One of the diversifying needs is that a terminal user wants to contact a person who is an acquaintance of the terminal user and is near the current location. As a solution, for example, it is conceivable to send a message to the acquaintances who live around the area all at once by means of e-mail or the like.

JP 2007-74449 A

  However, in the above-described method, there is a problem that it is difficult to achieve the above-mentioned purpose because there are cases where only one-way communication is performed, and in some cases, not all persons are around the target area.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and a mobile terminal user transmits information only to a person who is in the vicinity of a specified area among information persons who want to transmit information. The purpose is to facilitate many types of communication more smoothly.

  In the communication system according to the present invention, notification target specifying information for specifying unique information of a communication device to be notified is set by a communication device on the transmission side, and the communication device on the transmission side notifies the notification information when transmitting the notification information. The notification information transmitted from the communication device on the transmission side, including the position specifying information for specifying the position of the target communication device, is specified by the position specifying information from the communication target devices specified by the notification target specifying information. Only the communication device is notified.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to transmit information only to a communication device existing in an area desired by a user of the communication device on the transmission side.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings showing embodiments thereof.

<Embodiment 1>
(Constitution)
The configuration of the communication system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. A communication system 301 is connected in parallel with a mobile terminal (communication device) 101, a base station 111 connected to the mobile terminal 101 by radio, a network connection device 121 connected to a plurality of base stations 111, and a network connection device 121. A voice communication network 131, a data communication network 132, and a notification information processing apparatus 141 are included. The notification information processing apparatus 141 has an area identification notification function 142 and a notification function use information management function 143.

  The area specifying notification function 142 creates a notification signal addressed to the notification target terminal whose area is specified by the position specifying information from the notification target terminals specified by the notification target specifying information transmitted and set by the caller. This is a function for transmitting to the network connection device 121.

  In addition, the notification function use information management function 143 is a function for storing and managing notification target specification information necessary for using the region specification notification function 142, the location information use permission status of the notification target terminal, and the like. The location information use permission will be described later.

  The notification information processing apparatus 141 is installed as a facility of an operator who operates a mobile network including the mobile terminal 101, the base station 111, and the network connection apparatus 121. As described above, the voice communication network 131 and the data communication network 132 are connected in parallel. It is also possible to connect via the voice communication network 131 and the data communication network 132 instead of connecting directly to the network connection device 121.

  Next, FIG. 2 shows the configuration of mobile terminal 101 according to the present embodiment. The mobile terminal 101 includes a wireless transmission / reception unit 201, a storage unit 212, a microphone unit 221, a speaker unit 222, a key input unit 223, and a screen display unit 224 connected to an antenna, and is connected to the control unit 211. The control unit 211 includes a notification service registration function 213 and a location information notification ON / OFF function 214.

  The notification service registration function 213 of the control unit 211 is a function for performing registration for using the service provided by the notification information processing apparatus 141. The user on the transmission side uses the notification service registration function 213 to preset mobile terminals to be notified in units of groups. The information is transmitted to and stored in the notification information processing apparatus 141.

  Moreover, since the service of this communication system does not specify the use, permission (location information use permission) of whether the location information can be used by the user of the mobile terminal 101 to be notified is necessary. The position information notification ON / OFF function 214 of the control unit 211 is a function for switching permission / non-permission of use of position information of the own terminal. The position information notification ON / OFF function 214 of the control unit 211 is a part of a component that manages the availability of position information regarding this notification function.

(Operation)
Next, the operation of the communication system 301 according to the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 3 shows a registration management sequence at the start of service use when using the function of this communication system, that is, a notification function for further specifying a region for a limited member. The registration management operation in the notification information processing apparatus 141 described below is mainly performed by the notification function use information management function 143.

  In the registration, a screen for inputting information necessary for registration is displayed on the image display unit 224 of the mobile terminal 1 (101), and the necessary information is directly input by operating the key input unit 223. Alternatively, registration information inputted by calling information from telephone book data stored in the storage unit 212 is transmitted to the notification information processing apparatus 141. The notification information processing apparatus 141 stores the transmitted registration information. The registered content is specific information (such as a telephone number) of the mobile terminal 101 to be notified. A group is set for each notification target, and registration is performed in units of groups.

  The notification information processing apparatus 141 that has received the registration information transmits a notification service registration completion notification to the mobile terminal 1 (101) that has requested the notification service registration, and the mobile terminal 2 (101), which is the notification target mobile terminal. The mobile terminal 3 (101) is inquired about whether or not the location information can be used in this service. The mobile terminal 2 (101) and the mobile terminal 3 (101) that have received the inquiry about whether or not the location information can be used are displayed on the image display unit 224 as to whether or not to permit the use of the location information. Chooses allow and deny. The location information availability response is transmitted to the notification information processing apparatus 141.

  The notification information processing apparatus 141 that has received a response regarding availability of location information stores a response regarding availability of location information for each mobile terminal 101 that is subject to notification. In addition, the notification information processing apparatus 141 notifies the mobile terminal 1 (101) that has made a notification service registration request of the answer status of availability of location information. If registration is completed and there is a notification target terminal that can use location information, the registrant can use the notification service of the present invention. The mobile terminal 101 that has made a reply permitting the use of the location information can thereafter send the broadcast information specifying the area and the target terminal without inquiring whether or not the location information can be used.

  Also, if you want to make a change when you want to temporarily refuse to use the location information when you are replying that you can use the location information, use the location information notification ON / OFF function 214 of the control unit 211 to use the location information. Can be switched between permit / deny. The setting contents are transmitted to the notification information processing apparatus 141 and stored.

  Next, the operation when the transmitting-side mobile terminal 101 transmits notification information to the notification target will be described with reference to FIG. The operation in the notification information processing apparatus 141 when transmitting the notification information shown below is mainly performed by the area specifying notification function 142.

  When the transmitting mobile terminal 101 transmits the notification information, the location specifying information for specifying the location of the mobile terminal 101 to be notified and the group of groups for each notification target set in advance in the notification information processing apparatus 141 The selection information indicating which group to select from is included in the notification information and transmitted to the notification information processing apparatus 141. The broadcast target specifying information for specifying the specific information of the mobile terminal 101 to be notified is based on the information of the group group for each notification target transmitted in advance by the mobile terminal 101 on the transmission side and the selection information transmitted by being included in the broadcast information. Is set.

  The notification information processing apparatus 141 receives position specifying information, notification target specifying information, and notification information transmitted from the mobile terminal 101 on the transmission side. (However, the information on the group group for each notification target in the notification target specifying information is received in advance).

  Here, after the information is received by the notification information processing apparatus 141, the notification information processing apparatus 141 determines an appropriate notification target area based on the position specifying information and determines a notification target terminal in the area. The notification information processing apparatus 141 needs to associate the notification target area designated by the notification information sender with a cover area such as a base station in the mobile communication network. Here, a case where the location registration area of the mobile communication network is used as a constituent unit of the notification target area will be described.

  The notification information processing apparatus 141 associates the location specifying information transmitted from the notification information sender with one or more location registration areas (hereinafter, location registration area group) in the mobile communication network. As the position specifying information, for example, a region name such as a prefecture name or a municipality name is used.

  Next, using the notification target specifying information transmitted from the notification information sender, the location registration area to which the mobile terminal 101 to be specified specified by the notification target specifying information from the registration database in the network connection device currently belongs is specified. The location registration area group associated as the notification target area is collated. As the notification target specifying information, the telephone number of the mobile terminal 101 or the like is used. As a result, if the location registration area is included in the location registration area group and the location information is set to be available, the broadcast information is transmitted to the target terminal. It is determined that the user is absent from the area and the broadcast information is not transmitted. In addition, the broadcast information is not transmitted even when the location information is unavailable.

  When it is determined that the user is absent, the notification information processing apparatus 141 notifies the absence of the notification target terminal to the mobile terminal 101 on the transmission side. If the location information is not available, a notification signal reception rejection message is notified to the mobile terminal 101 on the transmission side.

  Furthermore, in order to narrow down the areas, the cells in the location registration area (areas covered by the base station) are associated with the target area designation information. At this time, it is desirable to express the association hierarchically such as the level of the location registration area and the level of the cell in the location registration area.

  The notification target mobile terminal 101 in the notification target area receives the notification information transmitted by the notification information processing apparatus 141 by the wireless transmission / reception unit 201, displays the received notification information by the image display unit 224, and further stores the storage unit 212. Remember me.

  By performing these operations for all the notification target terminals, the notification information transmitted from the mobile terminal 101 on the transmission side is the position specification information among the notification target mobile terminals 101 specified by the notification target specification information. A communication system in which only the mobile terminal 101 specified by is notified is realized.

  Note that the switching of permission / rejection of use of position information is set only by the mobile terminal 101, and information does not have to be transmitted to the notification information processing apparatus 141. In this case, the notification information processing apparatus 141 transmits the notification information to all notification-target mobile terminals 101 in the notification target area. Thereafter, if rejection is set in the mobile terminal 101 to be notified, the mobile terminal 101 does not display the information on the terminal even if it receives the notification information, and receives the notification signal to the notification information processing apparatus 141. Send a reject (location information use reject) message. The notification information processing apparatus 141 transmits a notification signal reception refusal (location information use refusal) message together with other absence information to the terminal of the notification information sender.

(effect)
According to the present invention, notification information can be transmitted only to the mobile terminal 101 that exists in an area desired by the user of the mobile terminal 101 on the transmission side. Further, when the mobile terminal 101 to be notified does not exist in the desired area, the user of the mobile terminal 101 on the transmission side can know this fact. That is, the notification information sender can know the mobile terminal 101 that has received the notification information in the target area and the mobile terminal 101 that has not been received due to absence.

<Embodiment 2>
(Constitution)
A configuration of a communication system 301 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the present embodiment, the area identification notification function 142 has a function of detecting the latitude and longitude of the center of the area corresponding to the position identification information (designation of area name) notified from the mobile terminal 101 on the transmission side. . In addition, the area specifying notification function 142 includes the latitude / longitude information detected as described above and the radial distance information (area dimension information) described later as notification target area information in the notification information, so that the position of the notification target mobile terminal 101 is included. Regardless of this, it has a function of transmitting to all the mobile terminals 101 to be notified that the location information availability setting is made.

  Note that a concentric area designated by the radial distance information from this central portion is a notification target area. Radial distance information is also specified from the mobile terminal 101 side on the transmission side. Since the other configuration of the communication system 301 is the same as that of the first embodiment, a detailed description thereof is omitted here.

  Next, FIG. 4 shows the configuration of mobile terminal 101 according to the present embodiment. A GPS receiving unit 231 that is connected to an antenna and detects position information of the terminal itself is provided. The GPS receiving unit 231 is connected to the control unit 211. The control unit 211 includes a location comparison function 215 in addition to the notification service registration function 213 and the location information notification ON / OFF function 214.

  The position comparison function 215 is a function that compares the notification target area information included in the notification information transmitted from the notification information processing apparatus 141 with the position information of the terminal itself. The position information measured by the GPS receiver 231 is used as the position information of the terminal itself. Alternatively, the position of the base station received by the terminal itself may be acquired and used as an alternative to the position of the terminal itself.

  Since other configurations of the mobile terminal 101 are the same as those in the first embodiment, a detailed description thereof is omitted here.

(Operation)
Next, the operation in this communication system will be described.

  Since the registration management sequence at the start of service use is the same as that of the first embodiment, detailed description thereof is omitted here.

  An operation when the broadcast information is transmitted will be described with reference to FIG. The following operations in the notification information processing apparatus 141 are mainly performed by the area identification notification function 142.

  When the transmitting-side mobile terminal 101 transmits the notification information, the notification information is set in the position information, the radial distance information report, and the notification information processing apparatus 141 that specifies the position of the mobile terminal 101 to be notified. It transmits to the information processing apparatus 141 including selection information on which group to select for each target. As the position specifying information, for example, a region name such as a prefecture name or a municipality name is used. The broadcast target specifying information for specifying the specific information of the mobile terminal 101 to be notified is based on the information of the group group for each notification target transmitted in advance by the mobile terminal 101 on the transmission side and the selection information transmitted by being included in the broadcast information. Is set.

  The notification information processing apparatus 141 receives the position specifying information, the radial distance information, the notification target specifying information, and the notification information transmitted from the mobile terminal 101 on the transmission side. (However, the group setting information for each notification target in the notification target specifying information has been received in advance.) Further, the notification information processing apparatus 141 corresponds to the location specifying information transmitted from the notification information sender. The latitude / longitude information of the center is detected.

  Next, the broadcast information processing apparatus 141 is the broadcast target mobile terminal 101 specified by the broadcast target specifying information, and the latitude / longitude information of the center is set for the mobile terminal 101 that is set to be able to use location information. Radial distance information and broadcast information are transmitted. If the location information is unavailable, a notification signal reception refusal message is notified to the notification information sender.

  The mobile terminal 101 to be notified receives the latitude / longitude information, the radius information, and the notification information of the central location transmitted by the notification information processing apparatus 141 by the wireless transmission / reception unit 201. Thereafter, the GPS receiving unit 231 measures its own position, and the position comparison function 215 uses the latitude / longitude information based on the latitude / longitude information of the center as the center and the concentric area whose radius is the value of the radial distance information and its own The position information is compared, and it is determined whether or not it exists in a concentric area.

  When the position comparison function 215 determines that the position is within the concentric area, the screen display unit 224 displays the notification information, and the storage unit 212 stores the notification information. When it is determined that the position comparison function 215 is not within the concentric area, the wireless transmission / reception unit 201 transmits the absence information to the notification information processing apparatus 141. The notification information processing apparatus 141 receives the absence information from the mobile terminal 101 to be notified and notifies the mobile terminal 101 on the transmission side.

(effect)
In the present embodiment, a concentric area centered on the center of the position specifying information can be set as a notification target area, and is not limited to an area such as a municipality, but an area that is equidistant from the center is notified. It is possible to target.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the mobile communication network which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the mobile terminal which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a sequence diagram of the use registration of the alerting | reporting service which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the mobile terminal which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Mobile terminal, 111 Base station, 121 Network connection apparatus, 131 Voice communication network, 132 Data communication network, 141 Notification information processing apparatus, 142 Area specific notification function, 143 Notification function utilization information management function, 201 Radio transmission / reception unit, 211 Control Unit, 212 storage unit, 213 notification service registration function, 214 position information notification ON / OFF function, 215 position comparison function, 221 microphone unit, 222 speaker unit, 223 key input unit, 224 image display unit, 231 GPS reception unit, 301 Communications system.

Claims (5)

Notification target specific information for identifying specific information of the communication device to be notified is set by the communication device on the transmission side,
When the communication device on the transmission side transmits the notification information, the notification information includes position specifying information for specifying the position of the communication device to be notified,
The notification information transmitted from the communication device on the transmission side is notified only to the communication device specified by the position specifying information from the communication target devices specified by the notification target specifying information.
Communications system. A notification information processing apparatus used in the communication system according to claim 1,
Means for receiving the position specifying information, the notification target specifying information and the notification information transmitted from the communication device on the transmission side;
Means for associating the location specifying information with one or more location registration areas (hereinafter referred to as location registration areas) of the mobile communication network;
Means for collating the belonging position registration area to which the communication device to be notified specified by the notification target specifying information currently belongs and the position registration area group;
Means for transmitting the notification information to the notification target communication device when the belonging position registration area is included in the position registration area group;
Means for notifying the absence side information to the communication device on the transmission side when the belonging position registration area is not included in the position registration area group,
Notification information processing apparatus. Receiving means for receiving the broadcast information transmitted by the broadcast information processing apparatus according to claim 2;
Display means for displaying the notification information received by the receiving means;
Storage means for storing the notification information received by the receiving means,
Communication device. A notification information processing apparatus used in the communication system according to claim 1,
Means for receiving the position specifying information, the notification target specifying information, the notification information, and area size information transmitted from the communication device on the transmission side;
Means for detecting latitude and longitude information of the center of the position specifying information;
Means for transmitting the latitude / longitude information of the center, the area dimension information, and the notification information to a communication device to be notified specified by the notification target specifying information;
Means for receiving absence information from the communication device to be notified and notifying the communication device on the caller side,
Notification information processing apparatus. Receiving means for receiving the notification information, the latitude / longitude information of the center, and the area dimension information transmitted by the notification information processing apparatus according to claim 4;
A determination means for comparing the position information of the concentric area corresponding to the area dimension information with the latitude and longitude of the center as the center, and determining whether or not it exists in the concentric area,
Display means for performing display for notifying the notification information when the determination means determines that the determination means is within the concentric area;
Storage means for storing the notification information when it is determined that the determination means is in the concentric area;
Transmission means for transmitting absence information to the notification information processing apparatus according to claim 4 when the determination means determines that it is not within the concentric area.
Communication device.

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