JP4260461B2 - Infrared communication system, infrared gateway device and infrared communication program - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an infrared communication system, an infrared gateway device, an infrared communication method, and an infrared communication program.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A mobile terminal such as a cellular phone in recent years can access a web page on the Internet. This allows a mobile terminal to access a desired web server by passing through a dedicated gateway device provided by a communication carrier during such access. In this case, the user of the mobile terminal must bear all communication costs from the start to the end of communication. Further, due to the communication capacity of the mobile terminal, this communication often takes a long time. For this reason, when performing communication through the Internet, there is a problem that the user of the mobile terminal is not necessarily advantageous from the viewpoint of cost and communication time.
[0003]
On the other hand, an information processing device capable of performing infrared communication with a mobile terminal and capable of accessing a web page regardless of the operation of infrared communication is prepared. There is a technology to substitute the acquisition of This is intended to smoothly download web page data without imposing a heavy burden on a personal digital assistant (PDA) or the like as a download destination (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-11-15761
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
According to the above prior art, it is possible to download a web page by performing information communication conforming to the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP). However, it cannot be said that sufficient consideration is given to information communication based on protocols other than HTTP. For example, a user of a mobile terminal can install an application from the Internet according to the user's needs, and introduce various functions according to the user's taste into the mobile terminal. However, applications that can be installed in such mobile terminals are only compliant with the HTTP protocol, and applications corresponding to other protocols are not fully supported. On the Internet, there are communication nodes not only according to HTTP but also according to various protocols. Currently, the types of services that can be provided to users using mobile terminals are limited to those related to HTTP.
[0006]
Note that information communication based on a protocol other than HTTP, such as e-mail, can be performed under certain conditions in a mobile terminal. For this purpose, it is necessary to equip the mobile terminal with a dedicated application in advance, not an application that will be installed afterwards via the Internet. Use of a gateway device). However, in order to provide various services according to the user's taste, it is difficult to equip a mobile terminal with various applications in advance from the viewpoint of effective use of memory resources. Even if it can be equipped, not all users will use these many applications meaningfully.
[0007]
Therefore, it is difficult in the prior art to provide various services using not only HTTP but also other protocols to a device having a limited capacity such as a mobile phone.
[0008]
An object of the present application is to provide a wider range of services than before in an infrared communication system that enables a mobile terminal capable of infrared communication to access a desired destination node via an infrared gateway device. An infrared communication system, an infrared gateway device, an infrared communication method, and an infrared communication program are provided.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the present invention,
In an infrared communication system having a mobile terminal capable of infrared communication and an infrared gateway device connected to a communication network and capable of performing information communication according to the Internet protocol,
The mobile terminal has means for notifying the infrared gateway device of information relating to a desired protocol selected from a plurality of protocols and a desired destination node;
The infrared gateway device performs information communication based on the desired protocol with the destination node through the communication network instead of the mobile terminal, and generates an infrared signal generated based on the result of the information communication. Having means for transmitting to the mobile terminal
Infrared communication system characterized in that
Is provided.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a schematic overall view of an infrared communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The infrared communication system 100 includes a mobile terminal 102 which is a mobile phone, for example, and an infrared gateway 104 capable of performing infrared communication with the mobile terminal 102. Infrared communication is performed based on a protocol such as OBEX, for example. The infrared gateway 104 is connected to the Internet network 108 via a wired connection line 106, and can perform information communication based on TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol). Various access nodes (not shown) are connected to the Internet 108, and for example, a server 110 that can be an information communication partner node of the infrared gateway device 104 is connected.
[0011]
When the mobile terminal 102 accesses the server 110 serving as a desired destination node, the mobile terminal 102 transmits the protocol used for information communication with the destination node, the identification information indicating the URL or location of the destination node, and other necessary information to the infrared gateway. It transmits to the device 104 using an infrared signal. Wireless communication using an infrared signal is performed in a short-distance section such as 20 to 30 cm. The infrared gateway device 104 performs information communication with the destination node 110 on behalf of the mobile terminal 102. This information communication is performed based on the protocol specified by the mobile terminal. Information acquired as a result of information communication is transmitted to the mobile terminal using an infrared signal. For example, if the mobile terminal 102 requests acquisition of the web page of the server 110, the infrared gateway device 104 performs the acquisition, and transmits information about the acquired web page to the mobile terminal.
[0012]
FIG. 2 shows a block diagram relating to the main functions of the mobile terminal used in the infrared communication system. The mobile terminal 102 includes a transmission signal creating unit 202 that creates a transmission signal to be transmitted to the infrared gateway device 104. The transmission signal indicates a desired protocol selected from a plurality of protocols, identification information indicating a destination node URL (Uniform Resource Locator) or a location, and what kind of processing is performed by accessing the identification information. Contains commands and other necessary information. For example, when browsing a web page, the transmission signal includes a command indicating that the protocol to be used is HTTP, the URL of the web page, and acquisition of the page. In the case where identification is performed at the time of browsing, identification information such as name, address, and identification number is also included in the transmission signal. When receiving an e-mail, the protocol is POP or SMTP, a URL indicating a server where the e-mail is stored, and a command indicating acquisition of the e-mail are included. In addition, when sending an e-mail, in addition to the URL of the destination node and a command indicating sending the e-mail, the contents to be sent are also included in the transmission signal. When digital contents are distributed by file transfer, the transmission signal includes a protocol indicating that the protocol is FTP, a destination node URL, a command indicating that distribution is desired, and the like. As described above, the transmission signal generation unit 202 generates a transmission signal so that information necessary for communicating with a desired destination node via the Internet 108 is notified to the infrared gateway device 104.
[0013]
The mobile terminal 102 includes a transmission unit 204 that transmits the transmission signal created by the transmission signal creation unit 202 from the antenna 206 as an infrared signal. In addition, the mobile terminal 102 includes receiving means 208 that receives an infrared signal from the infrared gateway device 104 through the antenna 206. Note that the transmission means, the reception means, and the antenna when the mobile terminal performs wireless communication different from infrared communication may be combined with 204, 206, and 208, or may be provided separately. Further, the mobile terminal 102 includes signal processing means 210 that performs signal processing such as extraction and synthesis of desired data from the received signal received from the infrared gateway device 104.
[0014]
FIG. 3 shows a block diagram relating to the main functions of the infrared gateway device used in the infrared communication system. The infrared gateway device 104 includes receiving means 304 that receives an infrared signal from a mobile terminal through an antenna 302. The infrared gateway device 104 includes a signal processing unit 306 that extracts information such as a protocol designated by the mobile terminal, a destination node URL or location, and a command. This information is given to the communication means 308 that communicates with a desired destination node on behalf of the mobile terminal.
[0015]
On the other hand, the infrared gateway device 104 creates a transmission signal for transmitting information acquired as a result of information communication with the destination node to the mobile terminal. This transmission signal is created by transmission signal creation means 310. In infrared communication with a mobile terminal, a signal of a predetermined size is transmitted. However, when the amount of information of a signal to be transmitted to the mobile terminal exceeds a predetermined size in one infrared communication, it is difficult to appropriately transmit to the mobile terminal. In this case, the transmission signal creating means 310 divides the information to be transmitted to the mobile terminal to create a plurality of transmission signals so that each transmission signal does not exceed the predetermined size. The transmission signal created in this way is transmitted to the mobile terminal through the transmission means 312 and the antenna 302.
[0016]
FIG. 4 shows a conceptual diagram of a program in the communication means of the infrared gateway device. As shown in the figure, main operations in the communication unit 308 are controlled by the proxy client management program 402 and the proxy client program 404. In addition to activating the proxy client program 404, the proxy client management program 402 also controls operations necessary to communicate with means such as the signal processing means 306 and the signal creation means 310. Proxy client program 404 includes a number of programs 406-416. The HTTP proxy client program 406 is a program that allows the communication unit 308 to perform information communication with a desired destination node based on the HTTP protocol. This allows access to web pages, for example. The HTTPS proxy client program 408 enables information communication based on the HTTPS protocol. For example, an encryption function is added to enable HTTP information communication. The POP proxy client program 410 and the SMTP proxy client program 412 enable information communication based on the POP protocol and the SMTP protocol, for example, transmission / reception of electronic mail. The NTTP proxy client program 414 enables information communication based on the NTTP protocol, for example, enables an electronic news distribution service. The FTP proxy client program 416 enables information communication based on the FTP protocol, for example, enables file transfer.
[0017]
The proxy client program 404 runs a proxy client program related to the protocol extracted by the signal processing unit 306 in response to an instruction from the proxy client management program 402. For example, if the protocol extracted by the signal processing unit 308 is HTTP, the proxy client management program 402 activates the HTTP proxy client program 406. Similarly, the proxy client management program 402 uses the HTTPS proxy client program 408 if the protocol notified from the signal processing creation means 308 is HTTPS, the POP proxy client program 410 if the protocol is POP, and the SMTP. If there is, the SMTP proxy client program 412 is started, if it is NTTP, the NTTP proxy client program 414 is started, and if it is FTP, the FTP proxy client program 416 is started. As described above, the proxy client programs 404 are not all activated at the same time, but only those corresponding to the protocol specified by the mobile terminal are activated under the control of the proxy client management program 402. .
[0018]
When an appropriate proxy client program is activated, the proxy client management program 402 provides information necessary for information communication. The activated proxy client program communicates with the destination node through the Internet, and transfers the received signal to the proxy client management program 402 as a result. This signal is further transferred to transmission signal creation means 310.
[0019]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the infrared communication system according to the embodiment of the present application. As shown in step 502, the mobile terminal 102 installs necessary applications through the Internet. More specifically, a predetermined application server on the Internet is accessed using a browser built in the mobile terminal 102. The application server stores a wide variety of applications that can be used by the mobile terminal 102. In the present embodiment, since many types of protocols are prepared, it is possible to give the user many options for installable applications. The user selects a necessary application from among a large number of options and installs it on his / her mobile terminal 102. At the time of this installation, the communication path of the communication carrier is directly used instead of infrared communication. The mobile terminal can create and transmit a transmission signal to the infrared gateway device 104 using the installed application, and a desired destination connected to the Internet via the infrared gateway device 104. It becomes possible to perform information communication with the node.
[0020]
As shown in step 504, the mobile terminal 102 creates a transmission signal including a protocol, a destination node, a command, and the like to perform desired information communication using the installed application, and transmits the infrared signal to the infrared gateway device 104. Send through. Therefore, the mobile terminal 102 is located near the infrared gateway device 104 at least at this point so that infrared communication is possible (for example, a distance of several tens of centimeters), unlike the installation in step 502 described above. Need to be. For convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the mobile terminal 102 browses a web page. In this case, the transmission signal includes a command indicating that the protocol is HTTP, the URL of the destination node, and the web page to be acquired.
[0021]
As shown in step 506, the infrared gateway device 104 analyzes the infrared signal received from the mobile terminal 102 by the signal processing means 306. Then, a protocol, a destination node, a command, etc. are extracted.
[0022]
As shown in step 508, these pieces of information are transferred to the communication means 308, and the HTTP proxy client program 406 is activated under the control of the proxy client management program 402.
[0023]
As shown in steps 510 and 512, the HTTP proxy client program 406 receives notification of a destination node and a command from the proxy client management program 402, accesses a desired destination node, and acquires a web page.
[0024]
As shown in step 514, the infrared gateway device 104 creates a transmission signal for transmitting the acquired web page to the mobile terminal 102. When the amount of information to be transmitted to the mobile terminal 102 exceeds the limit capacity of one infrared communication, the information amount of each signal is prevented from exceeding the limit capacity by dividing it into a plurality.
[0025]
As shown in step 516, the transmission signal created in this way is transmitted to the mobile terminal 102 as an infrared signal. In the illustrated example, the data is transmitted in three times.
[0026]
As shown in step 518, the mobile terminal 102 sends additional signals to the infrared gateway device 104 as needed. For example, when it is desired to jump to the link destination indicated in the acquired web page, the mobile terminal 102 may transmit the URL of the link destination to the infrared gateway device 104. In addition, in order to input a character string to be searched for to the acquired web page, information on the character string may be transmitted. In short, information necessary for information communication with the destination node 110 is transmitted to the infrared gateway device 104. Thereafter, similar processing is performed.
[0027]
In the illustrated example, the mobile terminal and the infrared gateway device have a one-to-one relationship. However, the present invention is not limited to such a form. For example, a plurality of mobile terminals communicate with the same infrared gateway device. It is also possible to do. In such a case, the infrared gateway device 104 needs to distinguish what kind of communication is performed with which mobile terminal. For this reason, for example, it is advantageous to include the application ID in the transmission signal from the mobile terminal to the infrared gateway device. This application ID is identification information uniquely given when the mobile terminal downloads the application from the application server.
[0028]
Also, the screen size and data processing capacity differ depending on the mobile terminal model. Therefore, it is advantageous to include information on the model of the mobile terminal in the transmission signal from the mobile terminal so that the transmission signal created by the infrared gateway device 104 becomes appropriate data for the mobile terminal. . Thereby, for example, the infrared gateway device 104 is divided into a plurality of times according to the data processing capability of the mobile terminal even if the amount of data allowed to be communicated at one time is allowed according to the infrared communication standard. Infrared signals can be transmitted.
[0029]
In the above embodiment, the acquisition of the web page has been described as an example. However, the present invention can be used for information communication based on an arbitrary protocol. For example, at a music software store, an infrared gateway device is installed at the store, and digital contents such as promotional videos are stored in an FTP server on the Internet. And according to the request of the customer at the store, it is possible to make the customer's mobile terminal perform information distribution using the FTP protocol. It is also possible to provide an infrared gateway device at a store such as a restaurant and to send and receive e-mails from the customer's mobile terminal through this device.
[0030]
As described above, according to the embodiment of the present application, it is possible to perform information communication by selecting a desired protocol from a plurality of protocols, and thus it is possible to provide a wider range of services than before. Communication with a desired destination node through the Internet is performed by the infrared gateway device, and the mobile terminal communicates with the infrared gateway device, so that communication through the Internet is performed quickly, and it is possible to suppress an increase in communication time. . In addition, since the mobile terminal performs only infrared communication after the step 502 of installing the application, the user of the mobile terminal is free when the operator bears the communication cost between the infrared gateway device and the destination node, for example. It becomes possible to communicate with. Therefore, even when the data transmission / reception capability is limited as in the case of a portable terminal, it is possible to reduce the time and economical burden.
[0031]
The means taught by the present invention are listed below.
[0032]
(Supplementary note 1) In an infrared communication system having a mobile terminal capable of infrared communication and an infrared gateway device connected to a communication network and capable of performing information communication according to the Internet protocol,
The mobile terminal has means for notifying the infrared gateway device of information relating to a desired protocol selected from a plurality of protocols and a desired destination node;
The infrared gateway device performs information communication based on the desired protocol with the destination node through the communication network instead of the mobile terminal, and generates an infrared signal generated based on the result of the information communication. Having means for transmitting to the mobile terminal
An infrared communication system.
[0033]
(Supplementary note 2) The infrared communication system according to supplementary note 1, wherein the mobile terminal is configured to notify the infrared gateway device of model information of the mobile terminal.
[0034]
(Additional remark 3) When the data amount which should be transmitted to the said mobile terminal from the said infrared gateway apparatus exceeds predetermined magnitude | size, it has a means to produce the some infrared signal that each becomes below the said predetermined magnitude | size The infrared communication system according to appendix 1, wherein
[0035]
(Supplementary Note 4) An infrared gateway device capable of performing infrared communication with a mobile terminal, connected to a communication network, and capable of performing information communication according to the Internet protocol,
Means for receiving information about a desired protocol selected from a plurality of protocols and a desired destination node from the mobile terminal;
Means for performing information communication based on the desired protocol with the destination node through the communication network instead of the mobile terminal, and transmitting an infrared signal created based on the result of the information communication to the mobile terminal Have
An infrared gateway device characterized by that.
[0036]
(Additional remark 5) The infrared gateway apparatus of Additional remark 4 characterized by being formed so that the model information of the said mobile terminal may be received from the said mobile terminal.
[0037]
(Additional remark 6) When the data amount which should be transmitted to the said mobile terminal from the said infrared gateway apparatus exceeds predetermined magnitude | size, it has a means to produce the some infrared signal so that each becomes below the said predetermined magnitude | size The infrared gateway device as set forth in appendix 4, wherein:
[0038]
(Supplementary note 7) An infrared communication method in a communication system having a mobile terminal capable of performing infrared communication and an infrared gateway device connected to a communication network and capable of performing information communication according to the Internet protocol, A notification step in which the mobile terminal notifies the infrared gateway device of information on a desired protocol selected from a plurality of protocols and a desired destination node;
The infrared gateway device performs information communication based on the desired protocol with the destination node through the communication network instead of the mobile terminal;
A transmission step of transmitting an infrared signal created based on the result of the information communication to the mobile terminal
An infrared communication method comprising:
[0039]
(Supplementary note 8) The infrared communication method according to supplementary note 7, wherein in the notification step, model information of the mobile terminal is also notified to the infrared gateway device.
[0040]
(Additional remark 9) When the said transmission step exceeds the predetermined magnitude | size to which the data amount which should be transmitted to the said mobile terminal from the said infrared gateway apparatus, several infrared signal which each becomes below the said predetermined magnitude | size The infrared communication method according to appendix 7, characterized by comprising the steps of creating and transmitting them to the mobile terminal.
[0041]
(Additional remark 10) Before the said notification step, it connects to the internet network by the communication path | route different from the path | route by infrared communication, and the step which installs the application which enables the said notification to the said mobile terminal is performed. 8. The infrared communication method according to 7.
[0042]
(Supplementary Note 11) An infrared communication program used in a communication system having a mobile terminal capable of performing infrared communication and an infrared gateway device connected to a communication network and capable of performing information communication according to the Internet protocol There,
A notification step in which the mobile terminal notifies the infrared gateway device of information related to a desired protocol selected from a plurality of protocols and a desired destination node;
The infrared gateway device performs information communication based on the desired protocol with the destination node through the communication network instead of the mobile terminal;
A transmission step of transmitting an infrared signal created based on the result of the information communication to the mobile terminal
An infrared communication program characterized in that
[0043]
(Supplementary note 12) The infrared communication program according to supplementary note 11, wherein in the notification step, model information of the mobile terminal is also notified to the infrared gateway device.
[0044]
(Additional remark 13) In the said transmission step, when the data amount which should be transmitted to the said mobile terminal from the said infrared gateway apparatus exceeds predetermined magnitude | size, several infrared signal which each becomes below the said predetermined magnitude | size is sent. The infrared communication program according to appendix 11, wherein the infrared communication program is created.
[0045]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, in an infrared communication system that enables a mobile terminal capable of infrared communication to access a desired destination node via an infrared gateway device, it is more extensive than before. It becomes possible to provide services.
[0046]
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 shows an overall view of an infrared communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows a block diagram relating to the main functions of a mobile terminal used in an infrared communication system.
FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the main functions of an infrared gateway device used in an infrared communication system.
FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of a program in communication means of the infrared gateway device.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation in the infrared communication system according to the embodiment of the present application.
[Explanation of symbols]
100 Infrared communication system
102 Mobile terminal
104 Infrared gateway device
106 connection line
108 Internet network
110 server
202 Transmission signal creation means
204 Transmission means
206 Antenna
208 Receiving means
210 Signal processing means
302 Antenna
304 Receiving means
306 Signal processing means
308 communication means
310 Transmission signal creation means
312 Transmission means
402 Proxy Client Management Program
404 Proxy client program
406 HTTP proxy client program
408 HTTPS proxy client program
410 POP proxy client program
412 SMTP proxy client program
414 NTTP proxy client program
416 FTP proxy client program

Claims (3)

In an infrared communication system having a mobile terminal capable of infrared communication and non-infrared communication, and an infrared gateway device connected to a communication network and capable of performing information communication according to the Internet protocol,
Infrared information including information indicating a desired protocol selected from a plurality of protocols based on an application installed by the mobile terminal using non-infrared communication, information indicating a desired destination node , and model information of the mobile terminal Means for transmitting a signal to the infrared gateway device;
The infrared gateway device, instead of the mobile terminal, between the destination node through the communication network, performs information communication based on the desired protocol, the data to be notified to the information of communication result the mobile terminal prepared, have a means for transmitting an infrared signal including the data to the mobile terminal, an infrared signal addressed the mobile terminal is transmitted by the number of times corresponding to the data processing capability of the mobile terminal shown by the model information infrared communication system, characterized in that that. It is possible to a mobile terminal and infrared communication is connected to a communication network, an infrared gateway device capable of information communication in accordance with the Internet protocol, to an application which the mobile terminal has installed by non-infrared communication A desired protocol is selected from a plurality of protocols by the mobile terminal , and the infrared gateway device is
Means for receiving information indicative of the desired protocol, an infrared signal including information and model information of the mobile terminal indicating the desired destination node from said mobile terminal,
Instead of the mobile terminal, information communication based on the desired protocol is performed with the destination node through the communication network , and data to be notified to the mobile terminal is prepared as a result of the information communication. an infrared signal including have a means for transmitting to said mobile terminal,
The infrared gateway apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the infrared signal addressed to the mobile terminal is transmitted at a number of times corresponding to the data processing capability of the mobile terminal indicated by the model information . A mobile terminal capable of infrared communication is connected to a communication network, an infrared communication program for use in a communication system having an infrared gateway device capable of information communication in accordance with the Internet Protocol, the Based on the application installed by the mobile terminal by non-infrared communication, the mobile terminal selects a desired protocol from a plurality of protocols, and the infrared communication program is
And transmitting information indicating the desired protocol, an infrared signal including information and model information of the mobile terminal indicating the desired destination node to the infrared gateway device,
The infrared gateway device performs information communication based on the desired protocol with the destination node through the communication network instead of the mobile terminal;
Preparing data to be notified to the mobile terminal as a result of the information communication , and transmitting an infrared signal including the data to the mobile terminal;
Was carried out, an infrared signal addressed the mobile terminal, infrared communication program characterized Rukoto sent by the number of times corresponding to the data processing capability of the mobile terminal shown by the model information.

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