Server, user terminal, information providing service system and information providing service method

• US 20020103781A1
• Filed: 06/27/2001
• Published: 08/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Mori, Shinichiro, Hirokawa, Yukio
• Granted Patent: US 7,096,233 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

An information providing service method comprising the steps of selecting an object displayed on a map in a user terminal, transmitting coordinate information relating to an object selected in the terminal and display object attribute information representing attributes of service information to be provided by the object to a server connected to the terminal over a network, transmitting spatial range information, attribute information and a URL based on the transmitted coordinate information and display object attribute information from the server to the terminal, and displaying an information bubble along with the object at a position indicated by the transmitted spatial range information on a display unit of the terminal, whereby the service information is provided such that the service information is linked with map information of the terminal to the user, and the information bubble is displayed in an appropriate size on the map information.

Claims

1. A server in a system providing information to a user terminal being able to display a map comprising:

a database for holding a specific information document having index information composed of a plurality of elements out of information documents having attribute information representing attributes of service information to be provided as bubble data in which spatial range information in the three-dimensional space is associated with retrieval information for obtaining said service information;

a retrieving unit for retrieving specific bubble data including coordinate information and display object attribute information in said bubble data on the basis of a mapping request, transmitted from said user terminal, having said coordinate information on an object displayed on said map and said display object attribute information representing attributes of service information to be provided by said object; and

a notifying unit for notifying said user terminal of a mapping response having said spatial range information, said attribute information and said retrieval information included in said specific bubble data.

2. The server according to claim 1, wherein said notifying unit notifies of said mapping response having spatial range information including a similar bubble diameter having a diameter according to a scale of a map displayed on said user terminal and address information.

3. The server according to claim 1, wherein said database correlates said bubble data with a unique number by which contents of service information of said bubble data can be identified, and holds said bubble data and said unique number.

4. A server in a system providing information to a user terminal being able to display a map comprising:

a database for holding a specific information page having index information composed of a plurality of elements relating to attribute information out of information pages having attribute information representing attributes of various information relating to an object or service information relating to said various information as bubble data in which spatial range information composed of latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter of said object in the three-dimensional space is associated with address information for obtaining said service information;

a retrieving unit for retrieving specific bubble data including coordinate information and display object attribute information in said bubble data on the basis of a mapping request, transmitted from said user terminal, having said coordinate information in the three-dimensional space composed of latitude, longitude and altitude of an object displayed on said map and said display object attribute information representing attributes of various information relating to said object displayed on said map or service information relating to said various information; and

a notifying unit for notifying said user terminal of a mapping response having said spatial range information, said attribute information and said address information of said specific bubble data.

5. The server according to claim 4, wherein said notifying unit notifies of said mapping response having spatial range information including a similar bubble diameter having a diameter according to a scale of a map displayed on said user terminal and address information.

6. The server according to claim 4, wherein said retrieving unit retrieves said specific bubble data in another database connected to a network on the basis of said mapping request.

7. The server according to claim 4 further comprising:

a Web information outputting unit for holding user information; and

an address generating unit for generating an address at which said user information held in said Web information outputting unit is held.

8. The server according to claim 4, wherein said database holds an animation element to be displayed on said user terminal in document type definition information.

9. The server according to claim 4, wherein said database holds an application program element f or displaying said map in document type definition information.

10. The server according to claim 4, wherein said database holds a communication partner information element relating to a specific communication partner in document type definition information.

11. The server according to claim 4, wherein said database classifies document type definition information according to a plurality of elements, and holds said document type definition information.

12. The server according to claim 4, wherein said database correlates said bubble data with a unique number by which contents of service information of said bubble data can be identified, and holds said bubble data and said unique number.

13. The server according to claim 12, wherein said database holds monitoring bubble data for detecting a moving object and a bubble diameter of said monitoring bubble data based on position information on said moving object, and records a moving object element by which said moving object can be specified in a file held in said database.

14. The server according to claim 4, wherein said database records data relating to a similar bubble diameter having a diameter according to a scale of a map displayed on said user terminal in a file.

15. The server according to claim 4, wherein said database holds at least either one of history information of address information caused by an access of said user terminal and identifier information by which said user terminal can be identified in a file.

16. The server according to claim 4, wherein said database holds data relating to a counter whose count value can be changed in a file.

17. The server according to claim 4, wherein said database holds data relating to an accessible time in a file.

18. The server according to claim 4, wherein said database holds data relating to an application program for displaying a map on said user terminal in a file.

19. The server according to claim 4, wherein said database handles address information based on said spatial range information as an electronic mail address, and holds said spatial range information correspondingly to said electronic mail address.

20. A server in a system providing information to a user terminal being able to display a map comprising:

a database for holding a specific home page having document type definition information composed of a plurality of tags relating to attribute information out of home pages having said attribute information representing attributes of facility information relating to a building or service information of said facility information as bubble data in which spatial range information composed of latitude, longitude, and altitude and a bubble diameter of said building in the three-dimensional space is associated with a uniform resource locator for obtaining said service information;

a retrieving unit for retrieving specific bubble data including coordinate information and display object attribute information in said bubble data on the basis of a mapping request having said coordinate information in the three-dimensional space composed of latitude, longitude and altitude of a building displayed on said map and said display object attribute information representing attributes of facility information relating to a building displayed on said map or service information of said facility information; and

a notifying unit for notifying said user terminal of a mapping response having said spatial range information, said attribute information and said uniform resource locator of said specific bubble data.

21. The server according to claim 20, wherein said notifying unit notifies of said mapping response having spatial range information including a similar bubble diameter having a diameter according to a scale of a map displayed on said user terminal and address information based on said coordinate information included in said mapping request.

22. The server according to claim 20, wherein said database correlates said bubble data with a unique number by which contents of service information of said bubble data can be identified, and holds said bubble data and said unique number.

26. The user terminal according to claim 25, wherein said receiving unit receives said mapping response having spatial range information including a similar bubble diameter having a diameter according to a scale of said map displayed on said display unit and address information based on said coordinate information included in said mapping request.

27. The user terminal according to claim 25 further comprising a detecting unit for detecting position information including a latitude of an object, a longitude thereof, an altitude thereof, a direction thereof, and an inclination angle thereof in the three dimensional space.

28. The user terminal according to claim 27, wherein said detecting unit comprises at least any one of a direction sensor being able to measure the direction, a satellite information receiving unit being able to receive satellite information through the use of a global positioning system, and an inclination sensor being able to measure an inclination angle of said user terminal with respect to the horizontal line.

29. The user terminal according to claim 25, wherein said transmitting unit transmits said mapping request using an electronic mail address generated on the basis of said coordinate information.

23. A user terminal in a system providing information to said user terminal being able to display a map comprising:

a map information outputting unit for outputting map information;

a display unit for displaying an image of an object on the basis of said map information outputted from said map information outputting unit;

a transmitting unit for transmitting a mapping request having coordinate information in the three-dimensional space on said object displayed on said display unit and display object attribute information representing attributes of service information to be provided by said object to a server connected to said user terminal over a network;

a receiving unit for receiving a mapping response having spatial range information in the three-dimensional space corresponding to said coordinate information, attribute information representing attribute information of service information to be provided by said object, and retrieval information for obtaining said service information notified from said server in response to said mapping request;

a mapping unit for displaying an image geometry along with said map at a position indicated by said spatial range information included in said mapping response on said display unit; and

a mapping data holding unit for correlating said image geometry displayed by said mapping unit with said retrieval information included in said mapping response, and holding said image geometry and said retrieval information.

24. A user terminal in a system providing information to said user terminal being able to display a map comprising:

a map information outputting unit for outputting map information on an object in the three-dimensional space;

a display unit for displaying an image of said object on a screen on the basis of said map information outputted from said map information outputting unit;

a transmitting unit for transmitting a mapping request having coordinate information in the three-dimensional space composed of latitude, longitude and altitude of said object displayed on said display unit and display object attribute information representing attributes of various information relating to said object or service information relating to said various information to a server connected to said user terminal over a network;

a receiving unit for receiving a mapping response having spatial range information composed of latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter of said object in the three-dimensional space corresponding to said coordinate information and address information for obtaining said service information notified from said server in response to said mapping request;

a mapping unit for displaying an image geometry along with an image of said object at a position indicated by said spatial range information included in said mapping response on said display unit; and

a mapping data holding unit for correlating said image geometry displayed by said mapping unit with said address information included in said mapping response, and holding said image geometry and said address information.

25. A user terminal in a system providing information to said user terminal being able to display a map comprising:

a map information outputting unit for outputting map information on a building in the three-dimensional space;

a display unit for displaying an image of said building on a screen on the basis of said map information outputted from said map information outputting unit;

a transmitting unit for transmitting a mapping request having coordinate information composed of latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter in the three-dimensional space of said building displayed on said display unit and display object attribute information representing attributes of facility information relating to said building or service information of said facility information to a server connected to said user terminal over a network;

a receiving unit for receiving a mapping response having spatial range information composed of latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter of said building in the three-dimensional space corresponding to said coordinate information and a uniform resource locator for obtaining said service information notified from said server in response to said mapping request;

a mapping unit for displaying an image geometry along with an image of said building at a position indicated by said spatial range information included in said mapping response on said display unit; and

a mapping data holding unit for correlating said image geometry displayed by said mapping unit with said uniform resource locator included in said mapping response, and holding said image geometry and said uniform resource locator.

30. An information providing service system providing information to a user terminal being able to display a map comprising:

a server for holding a specific information page having document type definition information out of information pages having attribute information representing attributes of various information relating to an object or service information relating to said various information and said document type definition information composed of a plurality of elements as bubble data in which spatial range information composed of a latitude of said object, a longitude thereof, an altitude thereof and a bubble diameter thereof in the three-dimensional space is associated with address information for obtaining said service information;

said user terminal connected to said server over a network to display said various information retrieved using said bubble data;

said server comprising;

a database for holding said bubble data;

a retrieving unit for retrieving specific bubble data including coordinate information and display object attribute information in said bubble data on the basis of a mapping request having said coordinate information in the three-dimensional space composed of a latitude of said object, a longitude thereof and an altitude thereof displayed on said map and said display object attribute information representing attributes of various information relating to said object or service information relating to said various information transmitted from said user terminal;

a notifying unit for notifying said user terminal of a mapping response having said space region information, said attribute information, and said address information of said specific bubble data;

said user terminal comprising;

a map information outputting unit for outputting map information on an object in the three-dimensional space;

a display unit for displaying an image of an object on a screen on the basis of said map information outputted from said map information outputting unit;

a transmitting unit for transmitting a mapping request having space region information composed of a latitude of said object, a longitude thereof, an altitude thereof and a bubble diameter thereof in the three-dimensional space of an image of said object displayed on said display unit and attribute information representing attributes of various information relating to said object or service information relating to said various information to said server connected to said user terminal over a network;

a receiving unit for receiving a mapping response having spatial range information composed of a latitude of said object, a longitude thereof, an altitude thereof, and a bubble diameter thereof in the three-dimensional space corresponding to said space region information and address information for obtaining said service information notified from said server in response to said mapping request;

a mapping unit for displaying an image geometry along with an image of said object at a position indicated by said space region information included in said mapping response; and

a mapping data holding unit for correlating said image geometry displayed by said mapping unit with said address information included in said mapping response, and holding said image geometry and said address information.

31. An information providing service system providing information to a user terminal being able to display a map comprising:

a database for holding a specific information page having document type definition information out of information pages having attribute information representing attributes of various information relating to an object or service information relating to said various information and said document type definition information composed of a plurality of elements as bubble data in which spatial range information composed of a latitude of said object, a longitude thereof, an altitude thereof and a bubble diameter thereof in the three-dimensional space is associated with address information for obtaining said service information;

a user terminal connected to said database over a network to display said various information retrieved using said bubble data;

a retrieving unit for retrieving specific bubble data including coordinate information and display object attribute information in said bubble data on the basis of a mapping request having said coordinate information in the three-dimensional space composed of a latitude of said object, a longitude thereof and an altitude thereof displayed on said map and said display object attribute information representing attributes of various information relating to said object or service information relating to said various information;

a notifying unit for notifying said user terminal of a mapping response having said spatial range information, said attribute information and said address information of said specific bubble data;

said user terminal comprising;

a map information outputting unit for outputting map information on an object in the three-dimensional space;

a display unit for displaying an image of said object on a screen on the basis of said map information outputted from said map information outputting unit;

a transmitting unit for transmitting a mapping request having coordinate information composed of a latitude of said object, a longitude thereof, an altitude thereof and a bubble diameter thereof in the three-dimensional space displayed on said display unit and attribute information representing attributes of various information relating to said object or service information relating to said various information to said server connected to said user terminal over a network;

a receiving unit for receiving a mapping response having spatial range information composed of a latitude of said object, a longitude thereof, an altitude thereof and a bubble diameter thereof in the three-dimensional space corresponding to said spatial range information and address information for obtaining said service information notified from said server in response to said mapping request;

a mapping unit for displaying an image geometry along with an image of said object at a position indicated by said spatial range information included in said mapping response on said display unit; and

a mapping data holding unit for correlating said image geometry displayed by said mapping unit with said address information included in said mapping response, and holding said image geometry and said address information.

32. An information providing service method in a system providing information to a user terminal being able to display a map comprising the steps of:

a selecting step of selecting an object displayed on a map by said user terminal;

a user terminal transmitting step of transmitting coordinate information relating to said object selected at said selecting step and display object attribute information representing attributes of service information to be provided by said object from said user terminal to a server connected to said user terminal over a network;

a server transmitting step of transmitting spatial range information, attribute information and address information to said user terminal from said server on the basis of said coordinate information and said display object attribute information transmitted at said user terminal transmitting step; and

a mapping step of displaying an image geometry along with said object at a position indicated by said spatial range information transmitted at said server transmitting step on a display unit of said user terminal.

33. An information providing service method in a system providing information to a user terminal being able to display a map comprising the steps of:

a map displaying step of displaying a map on a display unit displaying an image in said user terminal;

a selecting step of selecting an object from map information displayed at said map displaying step in said user terminal;

a transmitting step of transmitting a mapping request having coordinate information in the three-dimensional space relating to said object selected at said selecting step and display object attribute information representing attributes of service information to be provided from said user terminal to a server connected to said user terminal over a network;

a retrieving step of retrieving by said server specific bubble data including coordinate information and display object attribute information in bubble data in which spatial range information composed of a latitude of said object, a longitude thereof, an altitude thereof and a bubble diameter thereof in the three-dimensional space is associated with address information for obtaining service information provided by said object on the basis of said mapping request at said transmitting step;

a notifying step of notifying said user terminal from said server of a mapping response having said spatial range information and said address information of said specific bubble data retrieved at said retrieving step;

a mapping step of displaying an image geometry along with said object at a position indicated by said spatial range information included in said mapping response notified at said notifying step on said display unit in said user terminal; and

a providing step of providing said image geometry and said map displayed at said mapping step to said user terminal.

34. The information providing service method according to claim 33, wherein at said map displaying step, said user terminal displays said map on said screen on the basis of at least either one of the latitude or the longitude obtained.

35. The information providing service method according to claim 33, wherein said notifying step comprises the steps of:

a changing step of outputting a similar bubble diameter having a diameter according to a scale of said map displayed on said display unit of said user terminal from said server on the basis of said coordinate information included in said mapping request transmitted at said transmitting step; and

an inserting step of inserting said similar bubble diameter outputted at said changing step into said mapping response in said user terminal.

36. The information providing service method according to claim 35, wherein at said changing step, said server changes said similar bubble diameter on the basis of at least any one of the number of accesses, an accessible time and an accessible season.

37. The information providing service method according to claim 33, wherein at said notifying step, said server notifies of information relating to an application program for displaying a map on said user terminal.

38. The information providing service method according to claim 33, wherein at said retrieving step, said server retrieves using a counter whose count value can be changed by an access.

39. The information providing service method according to claim 38, wherein at said retrieving step, said server nullifies a predetermined file when said count is stopped.

40. The information providing service method according to claim 33, wherein at said retrieving step, retrieval is performed on the basis of the number of accesses that said server can receive concurrently.

41. The information providing service method according to claim 33, wherein at said retrieving step, retrieval is performed on the basis of communication partner information relating to a specific communication partner.

42. The information service providing method according to claim 33, wherein said retrieving step comprises the steps of:

a reading step of reading communication partner bubble data agreeing with information set beforehand relating to said communication partner in said server;

a present position information receiving step of receiving present position information on said user terminal by said server; and

an approach detecting step of detecting approach of said user terminal and said communication partner to each other by said server on the basis of said communication partner bubble data and said present position information.

43. An information service providing method in a system providing information to a user terminal being able to display a map comprising the steps of:

a map displaying step of displaying a map on a display unit displaying an image in said user terminal;

a selecting step of selecting an object from map information displayed at said map displaying step in said user terminal;

a transmitting step of transmitting a mapping request having coordinate information composed of a latitude of said object, a longitude thereof, an altitude thereof and a bubble diameter thereof in the three-dimensional space selected at said selecting step and display object attribute information representing attributes of various information relating to said object or service information relating to said various information from said user terminal to a server connected to said user terminal over a network;

a retrieving step of retrieving by said server specific bubble data including said coordinate information and said display object attribute information in bubble data in which spatial range information composed of a latitude of said object, a longitude thereof, an altitude thereof and a bubble diameter thereof in the three-dimensional space is associated with address information for obtaining various information relating to said object or service information relating to said various information on the basis of said mapping request at said transmitting step;

a notifying step of notifying said user terminal from said server of a mapping response having said spatial range information and said address information of said specific bubble data retrieved at said retrieving step; and

a mapping step of displaying an image geometry along with said object at a position indicated by said spatial range information included in said mapping response on said display unit of said user terminal on the basis of said specific bubble data notified at said notifying step.

44. An information providing service method in a system providing information to a user terminal being able to display a map comprising the steps of:

an information page recording step of recording a specific information page composed of a plurality of elements relating to attribute information out of information pages having said attribute information representing attributes of various information relating to an object or service information relating to said various information in a database by said user terminal;

a bubble data registering step of registering by said server bubble data in which spatial range information composed of a latitude of said object, a longitude thereof, an altitude thereof and a bubble diameter thereof in the three-dimensional space is associated with address information for obtaining said service information on the basis of said information page recorded at said information page recording step; and

a providing step of providing information generated from said bubble data registered at said bubble data registering step from said server to said user terminal.

45. The information providing service method according to claim 44, wherein said bubble data registering step comprises the steps of:

a specific document type definition information extracting step of extracting by said server plural pieces of specific document type definition information having a predetermined element out of said document type definition information of said information pages recorded at said information page recording step; and

a first registering step of registering by said server said plural pieces of specific document type definition information as said bubble data.

46. The information providing service method according to claim 44, wherein said bubble data registering step comprises the steps of:

a recording step of recording by said server said information page recorded at said information page recording step in another database; and

a second registering step of registering by said server said information page recorded at said recording step as bubble data in which spatial range information composed of a latitude of said object, a longitude thereof, an altitude thereof and a bubble diameter thereof in the three-dimensional space is associated with address information for obtaining said service information on said database.