Server apparatus for space information service, space information service providing method, and charge processing apparatus and charging method for space information service

• US 20020103911A1
• Filed: 08/28/2001
• Published: 08/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Mizuma, Keiji, Aoki, Hideyuki, Meifu, Yoshinobu
• Granted Patent: US 6,978,295 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A server apparatus comprises an information bubble managing unit for managing bubble data (information bubble) in which space range information including position information in a real physical space is correlated with desired supply information, an extracting unit for extracting supply information of bubble data including retrieval object space range information based on position information on a user terminal, a providing unit for providing the extracted supply information to the user terminal, and an information bubble movement control unit for updating at least position information of the bubble data to virtually move the information bubble in the real physical space. In providing an information service, it is possible to retrieve and refer information in an analog-like operation closer to human sensation in the user terminal by using an information bubble virtually registered in the real physical space, and provide information to many and unspecified users with a less number of information bubbles.

Claims

1. A server apparatus for a space information service comprising:

an information bubble managing unit for managing bubble data in which space range information including position information in a real physical space is correlated with supply information in order to virtually register an information bubble related with said desired supply information in said real physical space;

an extracting unit for extracting supply information of bubble data including retrieval object space range information based on position information on a user terminal from said information bubble managing unit;

a providing unit for providing said supply information extracted by said extracting unit to said user terminal; and

an information bubble movement control unit for updating at least position information of said bubble data to virtually move said information bubble in said real physical space.

2. The server apparatus for a space information service according to claim 1, wherein said information bubble movement control unit comprises:

an information bubble behavior setting unit for setting behavior data defining behavior of said information bubble in said real physical space; and

an information bubble moving unit for updating position information of said bubble data on the basis of said behavior data set by said information bubble behavior setting unit to move said information bubble according to said behavior data.

3. The server apparatus for a space information service according to claim 2, wherein said information bubble behavior setting unit comprises a random number generating unit for generating a random number with respect to position information of said bubble data as behavior data;

and

said information bubble moving unit comprises a first information bubble position updating unit for randomly updating position information of said bubble data with the random number generated by said random number generating unit to randomly move said information bubble in said real physical space.

4. The server apparatus for a space information service according to claim 3, wherein said information bubble behavior setting unit comprises a condition setting unit for setting condition data with respect to a time to move said information bubble to a specific position in said real physical space as said behavior data;

and

said information bubble moving unit comprises a second information bubble position updating unit for updating position information of said bubble data to position information on said specific position at a time defined by said condition data.

5. The server apparatus for a space information service according to claim 4, wherein said information bubble behavior setting unit sets an initial registered position for said information bubble as said specific position.

6. The server apparatus for a space information service according to claim 5, wherein said condition setting unit sets data with respect to an available period to move said information bubble as said condition data.

7. The server apparatus for a space information service according to claim 4, wherein said condition setting unit sets data with respect to an available period to move said information bubble as said condition data.

8. The server apparatus for a space information service according to claim 4, wherein said information bubble managing unit comprises a supply information updating unit for updating said supply information according to update information about said supply information from user terminals having received said supply information.

9. The server apparatus for a space information service according to claim 8, wherein said condition setting unit sets data with respect to the number of times of update of said supply information by said supply information updating unit as said condition data.

10. The server apparatus for a space information service according to claim 2, wherein said information bubble behavior setting unit comprises a condition setting unit for setting condition data with respect to a time to move said information bubble to a specific position in said real physical space as said behavior data;

and

said information bubble moving unit comprises a second information bubble position updating unit for updating position information of said bubble data to position information on said specific position at a time defined by said condition data.

11. The server apparatus for a space information service according to claim 5, wherein said information bubble behavior setting unit sets an initial registered position for said information bubble as said specific position.

12. The server apparatus for a space information service according to claim 10, wherein said condition setting unit sets data with respect to an available period to move said information bubble as said condition data.

13. The server apparatus for a space information service according to claim 10, wherein said information bubble managing unit comprises a supply information updating unit for updating said supply information according to update information about said supply information from a user terminal having received said supply information.

14. The server apparatus for a space information service according to claim 13, wherein said condition setting unit sets data with respect to the number of times of update of said supply information by said supply information updating unit as said condition data.

15. The server apparatus for a space information service according to claim 1, wherein said information bubble managing unit comprises a supply information updating unit for updating said supply information according to update information about said supply information from a user terminal having received said supply information.

16. The server apparatus for a space information service according to claim 1, wherein said information bubble managing unit comprises an information bubble position representation converting unit for converting position information of said bubble data into a geographical representation form in said real physical space;

and

said providing unit comprises an information bubble present position providing unit for providing information converted by said information bubble position representation converting unit as present position information in said real physical space on said information bubble to a user terminal having registered said information bubble.

17. The server apparatus for a space information service according to claim 1, wherein said space range information is defined by latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble radius in said real physical space.

19. The method for providing a space information service according to claim 18, wherein at said information bubble moving step, position information of said bubble data is updated using a random number to randomly move said information bubble in said real physical space.

20. The method for providing a space information service according to claim 19, wherein at said information bubble moving step, position information of said bubble data is updated to specific position information when a predetermined period is elapsed after a start of movement of said information bubble to move said information bubble to a specific position in said real physical space.

21. The method for providing a space information service according to claim 20, wherein at said information bubble moving step, position information of said bubble data is updated to specific position information when the number of times of update of said supply information by user terminals having received said supply information reaches a predetermined number of times after a start of movement of said information bubble to move said information bubble to a specific position in said real physical space.

22. The method for providing a space information service according to claim 19, wherein at said information bubble moving step, position information of said bubble data is updated to specific position information when the number of times of update of said supply information by user terminals having received said supply information reaches a predetermined number of times after a start of movement of said information bubble to move said information bubble to a specific position in said real physical space.

23. The method for providing a space information service according to claim 22, wherein said specific position is an initial registered position of said information bubble.

24. The method for providing a space information service according to claim 18, wherein at said information bubble moving step, position information of said bubble data is updated to specific position information when a predetermined period is elapsed after a start of movement of said information bubble to move said information bubble to a specific position in said real physical space.

25. The method for providing a space information service according to claim 24, wherein at said information bubble moving step, position information of said bubble data is updated to specific position information when the number of times of update of said supply information by user terminals having received said supply information reaches a predetermined number of times after a start of movement of said information bubble to move said information bubble to a specific position in said real physical space.

26. The method for providing a space information service according to claim 24, wherein said specific position is an initial registered position of said information bubble.

27. The method for providing a space information service according to claim 18, wherein at said information bubble moving step, position information of said bubble data is updated to specific position information when the number of times of update of said supply information by a user terminal having received said supply information reaches a predetermined number of times after a start of movement of said information bubble to move said information bubble to a specific position in said real physical space.

28. The method for providing a space information service according to claim 27, wherein said specific position is an initial registered position of said information bubble.

29. The method for providing a space information service according to claim 18, wherein said space range information is defined by latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble radius in said real physical space.

18. A method for providing a space information service comprising the steps of:

an information bubble registering step of registering bubble data in which space range information including position information in a real physical space is correlated with supply information in order to virtually register an information bubble related with said desired supply information in said real physical space;

an information bubble moving step of updating at least position information of said bubble data to virtually move said information bubble in said real physical space;

an extracting step of extracting supply information of bubble data including retrieval object space range information based on position information on a user terminal; and

a providing step of providing said supply information extracted at said extracting step to said user terminal.

30. A charge processing apparatus for a space information service that manages bubble data in which space range information including position information in a real physical space is correlated with supply information in order to virtually register an information bubble related to said desired supply information in said real physical space, and provides supply information of bubble data including retrieval object space range information based on position information on a user terminal to said user terminal, said charge processing apparatus comprising:

an attribute information storing unit for storing plural kinds of attribute information being able to define service modes of said space information service;

a charge type information storing unit for storing information on plural types of service charges which can be objects of charge in said service modes;

a charged account information storing unit for storing information on a plurality of charged accounts;

a charge policy setting unit for arbitrarily combining various kinds of information in said storing unit to set a charged account for an arbitrary service mode and a service charge of an arbitrary type of charge; and

a charge processing unit for executing a charging process to charge said service charge to said charged account according to a setting by said charge policy setting unit.

31. The charge processing apparatus for a space information service according to claim 30, wherein said attribute information storing unit stores attribute information on said user terminal and a user of said user terminal.

32. The charge processing apparatus for a space information service according to claim 31, wherein said attribute information storing unit stores attribute information on said supply information.

33. The charge processing apparatus for a space information service according to claim 32, wherein said attribute information storing unit stores attribute information on a registrant of said supply information.

34. The charge processing apparatus for a space information service according to claim 31, wherein said attribute information storing unit stores attribute information on a registrant of said supply information.

35. The charge processing apparatus for a space information service according to claim 30, wherein said attribute information storing unit stores attribute information on said supply information.

36. The charge processing apparatus for a space information service according to claim 35, wherein said attribute information storing unit stores attribute information on a registrant of said supply information.

37. The charge processing apparatus for a space information service according to claim 30, wherein said attribute information storing unit stores attribute information on a registrant of said supply information.

38. The charge processing apparatus for a space information service according to claim 30, wherein said charge type information storing unit stores information on a use charge and a communication charge for said supply information at the time that said user terminal receives said supply information, and a registration charge for said supply information as information with respect to said service charges.

40. The method for charging a space information service according to claim 39, wherein said attribute information is attribute information on said user terminal and a user of said user terminal.

41. The method for charging a space information service according to claim 40, wherein said attribute information is attribute information on said supply information.

42. The method for charging a space information service according to claim 41, wherein said attribute information is attribute information on a registrant of said supply information.

43. The method for charging a space information service according to claim 40, wherein information on said service charge is information on a use charge and a communication charge at the time that said user terminal receives said supply information, and a registration charge for said supply information.

44. The method for charging a space information service according to claim 39, wherein said attribute information is attribute information on said supply information.

45. The method for charging a space information service according to claim 44, wherein said attribute information is attribute information on a registrant of said supply information.

46. The method for charging a space information service according to claim 39, wherein said attribute information is attribute information on a registrant of said supply information.

47. The method for charging a space information service according to claim 39, wherein information on said service charge is information on a use charge and a communication charge at the time that said user terminal receives said supply information, and a registration charge for said supply information.

39. A method for charging a space information service that manages bubble data in which space range information including position information in a real physical space is correlated with supply information in order to virtually register an information bubble related to said desired supply information in said real physical space, and provides supply information of bubble data including retrieval object space information based on position information on a user terminal to said user terminal, said method comprising the steps of:

a charge policy setting step of arbitrary combining plural kinds of attribute information being able to define service modes of said space information service, information on types of plural kinds of service charges that can be objects in said service modes, and information on a plurality of charged accounts to set an arbitrary service mode and a charged account for a service charge of each type of charge; and

a charge processing step of executing a charging process to said charged account for said service charge according to a setting at said charge policy setting step.