Access method and system using small number of identifiers

• US 20020027568A1
• Filed: 09/05/2001
• Published: 03/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Hosomi, Itaru, Nino, Yuichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,093,014 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/741
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A website access system allowing easy operation and a small number of steps for accessing a desired one of a great number of websites is disclosed. A plurality of domain areas are provided, which is determined so that a number of information providers is restricted. An address registration database retrievably registers a plurality of address identifiers uniquely identifying respective ones of website addresses which have been registered for each of the domain areas. An access management server receives an address identifier from the user terminal located in one of the domain areas, searches the address registration database for a corresponding website address according to the address identifier and the domain area where the user terminal is located, and then uses the corresponding website address to make the user terminal access the desired website on the network.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of domain areas, each of which is a geographic area that is determined so that a number of information providers is restricted, wherein each of the domain areas is covered by at least one base station to allow a user terminal located in the domain area to connect to a network;

an address registration database for retrievably registering a plurality of address identifiers uniquely identifying respective ones of server addresses which have been registered for each of the domain areas; and

an access manager causing the user terminal to access a desired server on the network such that, when receiving an address identifier from the user terminal located in one of the domain areas, the access manager searches the address registration database for a corresponding server address according to the address identifier and the domain area where the user terminal is located, and then uses the corresponding server address to make the user terminal access the desired server on the network.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the domain areas is a communication area formed by a single base station, wherein the domain area where the user terminal is location is determined by identification of a base station that communicates directly with the user terminal.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the base station is a selected one of a plurality of types of base stations having different communication distances so that a number of the access identifiers is limited to within a predetermined range.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a locations identifying device for identifying a location of the user terminal,

wherein the domain areas are formed by dividing a system service area covered by all base stations, wherein the domain area where the user terminal is located is determined based on an identified location of the user terminal.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the domain areas are defined by each of a plurality of carriers and the user terminal is operable in domains areas defined by the carriers,

wherein

the address registration database retrievably registering the plurality of address identifiers uniquely identifying respective ones of server addresses which have been registered for each of the domain areas defined by each of the carriers, and

the access manager causes the user terminal to access the desired server on the network such that, when receiving the address identifier from the user terminal located in one of the domain areas defined by a carrier, the access manager searches the address registration database for a corresponding server address according to the address identifier, the domain area where the user terminal is located, and the carrier the user terminal is using, and then the access manager uses the corresponding server address to make the user terminal access the desired server on the network.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein, when receiving a request for registering a new server address in a domain area from the user terminal, the access manager searches the address registration database for an available address identifier that is not used in the domain area and registers the available address identifier uniquely identifying the new server address of the domain area in the address registration database.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the domain areas are defined by each of a plurality of carriers and the user terminal is operable in domains areas defined by the carriers,

wherein the request includes a designated carrier and the access manager searches the address registration database for an available address identifier that is not used in the domain area of the designated carrier and registers the available address identifier uniquely identifying the new server address of the domain area of the designated carrier in the address registration database.

8. The system according to claim 7, further comprising:

an area management database for retrievably registering overlapping domain areas defined by the carriers,

wherein the access manager searches the address registration database and the area management database to find an available address identifier that is not used in any of domain areas of the designated carrier and a carrier overlapping with the designated carrier, and registers the available address identifier uniquely identifying the new server address of the domain area of the designated carrier in the address registration database.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the designated carrier is a carrier used for the user terminal to send the request.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the designated carrier is a carrier used for the user terminal to send the request.

11. The system according to claim 6, wherein the domain area is a domain area where the user terminal sends the request to the access manager.

12. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an information providing medium installed in each of the domain areas, for informing users of an address identifier that has been registered in the address registration database.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the information providing medium uses alphanumeric characters to inform users of an address identifier that has been registered in the address registration database.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the information providing medium informs users by sound of an address identifier that has been registered in the address registration database.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the user terminal comprises a speech recognizer for recognizing the sound outputted from the information providing medium to produce the address identifier.

16. The system according to claim 12, wherein the information providing medium informs users by bar code of an address identifier that has been registered in the address registration database.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the user terminal comprises a bar code reader for reading the bar code displayed in the information providing medium to produce the address identifier.

18. The system according to claim 12, wherein the information providing medium transmits a radio signal conveying an address identifier that has been registered in the address registration database.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the user terminal comprises a radio receiver for receiving the radio signal from the information providing medium to produce the address identifier.

20. The system according to claim 1, wherein the network is the Internet and a server address is a URL address of a website on the Internet.

21. An access service providing method for providing a user terminal with access service of accessing a designated server address on a network, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a plurality of domain areas, each of which is a geographic area that its determined so that a number of information providers is restricted, wherein each of the domain areas is covered by at least one base station to allow the user terminal located in the domain area to connect to the network;

b) retrievably registering a plurality of address identifiers in an address registration database, the address identifiers uniquely identifying respective ones of server addresses which have been registered for each of the domain areas;

c) when receiving an address identifier from the user terminal, determining a domain area where the user terminal is located;

d) searching the address registration database for a corresponding server address according to the address identifier and the domain area where the user terminal is located; and

e) making the user terminal access the desired server on the network using the corresponding server address.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein each of the domain areas is a communication area formed by a single base station, wherein the domain area where the user terminal is location is determined by identification of a base station that communicates directly with the user terminal.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the domain areas are defined by each of a plurality of carriers and the user terminal is operable in domains areas defined by the carriers,

wherein

the step b) is a step of retrievably registering the plurality of address identifiers uniquely identifying respective ones of server addresses which have been registered for each of the domain areas defined by each of the carriers,

the step c) is a step of determining the domain area defined by a carrier when receiving the address identifier from the user terminal, and

the step d) is a step of searching the address registration database for a corresponding server address according to the address identifier, the domain area where the user terminal is located, and the carrier the user terminal is using.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the domain areas are defined by each of a plurality of carriers and the user terminal is operable in domains areas defined by the carriers, wherein the request includes a designated carrier,

the step c) is a step of searching the address registration database for an available address identifier that is not used in the domain area of the designated carrier, and

the step d) is a step of registering the available address identifier uniquely identifying the new server address of the domain area of the designated carrier in the address registration database.

26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of:

retrievably registering overlapping domain areas defined by the carriers in an area management database,

wherein

the step c) is a step of searching the address registration database and the area management database to find an available address identifier that is not used in any of domain areas of the designated carrier and a carrier overlapping with the designated carrier, and

the step d) is a step of registering the available address identifier uniquely identifying the new server address of the domain area of the designated carrier in the address registration database.

27. The method according to claim 23, wherein the designated carrier is a carrier used for the user terminal to send the request.

28. The method according to claim 25, wherein the designated carrier is a carrier used for the user terminal to send the request.

29. The method according to claim 21, wherein the network is the Internet and a server address is a URL address of a website on the Internet.

30. The method according to claim 24, wherein the network is the Internet and a server address is a URL address of a website on the Internet.

24. A method for registering an address identifier uniquely identifying a server address in an address registration database that is used to allow a user terminal to access to a server identified by the server address on a network, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a plurality of domain areas, each of which is a geographic area that is determined so that a number of information providers is restricted, wherein each of the domain areas is covered by at least one base station to allow the user terminal located in the domain area to connect to the network;

b) receiving a request for registering a new server address in a domain area from the user terminal;

c) searching the address registration database for an available address identifier that is not used in the domain area; and

d) registering the available address identifier uniquely identifying the new server address of the domain area in the address registration database.

31. A mobile terminal having a function of accessing a desired server on a network through an access server, comprising:

a transceiver operable in each of a plurality of domain areas which is a geographic area covered by at least one base station to allow the mobile terminal located in the domain area to connect to the network;

an address identifier receiver for receiving address identifier data from an information providing medium, wherein the address identifier is associated with the desired server; and

a controller controlling such that the address identifier data is sent to the access server to access the desired server.

32. The mobile terminal according to claim 31, wherein the address identifier receiver is a speech recognizer for recognizing sound outputted from the information providing medium to produce the address identifier.

33. The mobile terminal according to claim 31, wherein the address identifier receiver is a bar code reader for reading a bar code displayed in the information providing medium to produce the address identifier.

34. The mobile terminal according to claim 31, wherein the address identifier receiver is a radio receiver for receiving a radio signal from the information providing medium to produce the address identifier.

35. An access service providing method for providing a user terminal with access service of accessing a website provided by an advertisement distributor, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of domain areas, that is determined so that a number of information providers is restricted, wherein each of the domain areas is each of which is a geographic area covered by at least one base station to allow the user terminal located in the domain area to connect to the website;

providing the advertisement distributor with an address identifier uniquely identifying the website, wherein the advertisement distributor informs the user terminal located in a domain area for advertising of an address identifier; and

when receiving the address identifier from the user terminal, finding the website according to the address identifier and the domain area where the user terminal is located; and

making the user terminal access the website.

36. A computer program for instructing a computer to provide a user terminal with access service of accessing a designated server address on a network, the program comprising the steps of

a) providing a plurality of domain areas, that is determined so that a number of information providers is restricted, wherein each of the domain areas is each of which is a geographic area covered by at least one base station to allow the user terminal located in the domain area to connect to the network;

b) retrievably registering a plurality of address identifiers in an address registration database, the address identifiers uniquely identifying respective ones of server addresses which have been registered for each of the domain areas;

c) when receiving an address identifier from the user terminal, determining a domain area where the user terminal is located;

d) searching the address registration database for a corresponding server address according to the address identifier and the domain area where the user terminal is located; and

e) making the user terminal access the desired server on the network using the corresponding server address.

37. A computer program for instructing a computer to register an address identifier uniquely identifying a server address in an address registration database that is used to allow a user terminal to access to a server identified by the server address on a network, the program comprising the steps of:

a) providing a plurality of domain areas, that is determined so that a number of information providers is restricted, wherein each of the domain areas is each of which is a geographic area covered by at least one base station to allow the user terminal located in the domain area to connect to the network;

b) receiving a request for registering a new server address in a domain area from the user terminal;

c) searching the address registration database for an available address identifier that is not used in the domain area; and

d) registering the available address identifier uniquely identifying the new server address of the domain area in the address registration database.

38. A recording medium storing a computer program for instructing a computer to provide a user terminal with access service of accessing a designated server address on a network, the program comprising the steps of:

a) providing a plurality of domain areas, that is determined so that a number of information providers is restricted, wherein each of the domain areas is each of which is a geographic area covered by at least one base station to allow the user terminal located in the domain area to connect to the network;

b) retrievably registering a plurality of address identifiers in an address registration database, the address identifiers uniquely identifying respective ones of server addresses which have been registered for each of the domain areas;

c) when receiving an address identifier from the user terminal, determining a domain area where the user terminal is located;

d) searching the address registration database for a corresponding server address according to the address identifier and the domain area where the user terminal is located; and

e) making the user terminal access the desired server on the network using the corresponding server address.

39. A recording medium storing a computer program for instructing a computer to register an address identified uniquely identifying a server address in an address registration database that is used to allow a user terminal to access to a server identified by the server address on a network, the program comprising the steps of:

a) providing a plurality of domain areas, that is determined so that a number of information providers is restricted, wherein each of the domain areas is each of which is a geographic area covered by at least one base station to allow the user terminal located in the domain area to connect to the network;

b) receiving a request for registering a new server address in a domain area from the user terminal;

c) searching the address registration database for an available address identifier that is not used in the domain area; and

d) registering the available address identifier uniquely identifying the new server address or the domain area in the address registration database.