Communication system, communication method, action execution apparatus, and program in action execution apparatus

• US 20030108156A1
• Filed: 12/03/2002
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Takahashi, Shinichi, Komaki, Kaoru
• Application Number:
  US10/308,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20030108156A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/67.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2083 Confirmation by serviced party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects

Abstract

The present invention relates to a communication system/method including a message export section/step of exporting a message to a user terminal through a communication network on the basis of a preset export condition, a reply confirming section/step of receiving from the user terminal through the communication network a reply to the message exported by the message export section/step, and confirming the reply, and an action executing section/step of executing a preset action when no reply is confirmed by the reply confirming section/step. In the communication system/method, the user terminal and an action execution apparatus which executes the steps are connected through the communication network.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

message export means for exporting a message to a user terminal through a communication network on the basis of a preset export condition;

reply confirming means for receiving from the user terminal through the communication network a reply to the message exported by said message export means, and confirming the reply; and

action executing means for executing a preset action when said reply confirming means confirms no reply.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said system further comprises user setting information storage means for storing user setting information containing an address of the user terminal, the export condition, and the action, and

said message export means and said action executing means execute respective functions on the basis of the user setting information stored in said user setting information storage means.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein said action executing means executes the action stored in said user setting information storage means or transmits information that causes execution of the action to a contact terminal connected through the communication network.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said reply confirming means has a timer which counts a time elapsed from message export by said message export means, and when the elapsed time counted by the timer has reached predetermined time, determines that no reply is received from the user terminal.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the action is submission to a contact terminal of the user.

6. A system according to claim 2, wherein the user setting information is arbitrarily set from the user terminal through the communication network.

7. A system according to claim 2, wherein the user setting information is arbitrarily set from a terminal apparatus which is connected through the communication network and is different from the user terminal.

8. A system according to claim 2, wherein the user setting information is arbitrarily set from a portable terminal connected through a mobile communication network.

9. A communication system comprising an action execution apparatus,

said action execution apparatus comprising:

a message export section which exports a message to a user terminal through a communication network on the basis of a preset export condition;

a reply confirming section which receives from the user terminal through the communication network a reply to he message exported by said message export section, and confirms the reply; and

an action executing section which executes a preset action when said reply confirming section confirms no reply,

wherein the user terminal and said action execution apparatus are connected through the communication network.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein

said action execution apparatus further comprises a user setting information storage section which stores user setting information containing an address of the user terminal, the export condition, and the action, and

said message export section and said action executing section execute respective functions on the basis of the user setting information stored in said user setting information storage section.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein said action executing section executes the action stored in said user setting information storage section or transmits information that causes execution of the action to a contact terminal connected through the communication network.

12. A system according to claim 9, wherein said reply confirming section has a timer which counts a time elapsed from message export by said message export section, and when the elapsed time counted by the timer has reached predetermined time, determines that no reply is received from the user terminal.

13. A system according to claim 9, wherein the action is submission to a contact terminal of the user.

14. A system according to claim 10, wherein the user setting information is arbitrarily set from the user terminal through the communication network.

15. A system according to claim 10, wherein the user setting information is arbitrarily set from a terminal apparatus which is connected through the communication network and is different from the user terminal.

16. A system according to claim 10, wherein the user setting information is arbitrarily set from a portable terminal connected through a mobile communication network.

17. A communication method comprising:

the message export step of exporting a message to a user terminal through a communication network on the basis of a preset export condition;

the reply confirming step of receiving from the user terminal through the communication network a reply to the message exported in the message export step, and confirming the reply; and

the action executing step of executing a preset action when no reply is confirmed in the reply confirming step.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein

the method further comprises the user setting information storage step of storing user setting information containing an address of the user terminal, the export condition, and the action, and

in the message export step and the action executing step, respective processes are executed on the basis of the user setting information stored in the user setting information storage step.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein in the action executing step, the action stored in the user setting information storage step is executed, or information that causes execution of the action is transmitted to a contact terminal connected through the communication network.

20. A method according to claim 17, wherein in the reply confirming step, a time elapsed from message export in the message export step is counted, and when the elapsed time has reached predetermined time, it is determined that no reply is received from the user terminal.

21. A method according to claim 17, wherein the action is submission to a contact terminal of the user.

22. A method according to claim 18, wherein the user setting information is arbitrarily set from the user terminal through the communication network.

23. A method according to claim 18, wherein the user setting information is arbitrarily set from a terminal apparatus which is connected through the communication network and is different from the user terminal.

24. A method according to claim 18, wherein the user setting information is arbitrarily set from a portable terminal connected through a mobile communication network.

25. A communication method in a communication system in which a user terminal is connected to an action execution apparatus through a communication network, comprising causing the action execution apparatus to execute:

the message export step of exporting a message to the user terminal through the communication network on the basis of a preset export condition;

the reply confirming step of receiving from the user terminal through the communication network a reply to the message exported in the message export step, and confirming the reply; and

the action executing step of executing a preset action when no reply is confirmed in the reply confirming step.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein

the action execution apparatus further executes the user setting information storage step of storing user setting information containing an address of the user terminal, the export condition, and the action, and

in the message export step and the action executing step, respective processes are executed on the basis of the user setting information stored in the user setting information storage step.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein in the action executing step, the action stored in the user setting information storage step is executed, or information that causes execution of the action is transmitted to a contact terminal connected through the communication network.

28. A method according to claim 25, wherein in the reply confirming step, a time elapsed from message export in the message export step is counted, and when the elapsed time has reached predetermined time, it is determined that no reply is received from the user terminal.

29. A method according to claim 25, wherein the action is submission to a contact terminal of the user.

30. A method according to claim 26, wherein the user setting information is arbitrarily set from the user terminal through the communication network.

31. A method according to claim 26, wherein the user setting information is arbitrarily set from a terminal apparatus which is connected through the communication network and is different from the user terminal.

32. A method according to claim 26, wherein the user setting information is arbitrarily set from a portable terminal connected through a mobile communication network.

33. An action execution apparatus connected to a user terminal through a communication network, comprising:

message export means for exporting a message to the user terminal through the communication network on the basis of a preset export condition;

reply confirming means for receiving from the user terminal through the communication network a reply to the message exported by said message export means, and confirming the reply; and

action executing means for executing a preset action when said reply confirming means confirms no reply.

34. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein

said apparatus further comprises user setting information storage means for storing user setting information containing an address of the user terminal, the export condition, and the action, and

said message export means and said action executing means execute respective functions on the basis of the user setting information stored in said user setting information storage means.

35. An apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said action executing means executes the action stored in said user setting information storage means or transmits information that causes execution of the action to a contact terminal connected through the communication network.

36. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said reply confirming means has a timer which counts a time elapsed from message export by said message export means, and when the elapsed time counted by the timer has reached predetermined time, determines that no reply is received from the user terminal.

37. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the action is submission to a contact terminal of the user.

38. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the user setting information is arbitrarily set from the user terminal through the communication network.

39. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the user setting information is arbitrarily set from a terminal apparatus which is connected through the communication network and is different from the user terminal.

40. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the user setting information is arbitrarily set from a portable terminal connected through a mobile communication network.

41. A program used in a communication system formed by connecting a user terminal to an action execution apparatus through a communication network, said program causing the action execution apparatus to execute:

a message export process for exporting a message to the user terminal through the communication network on the basis of a preset export condition;

a reply confirming process for receiving from the user terminal through the communication network a reply to the message exported by the message export process, and confirming the reply; and

an action executing process for executing a preset action when no reply is confirmed by the reply confirming process.

42. A program according to claim 41, wherein

the action execution apparatus further executes a user setting information storage process for storing user setting information containing an address of the user terminal, the export condition, and the action, and

in the message export process and the action executing process, respective processes are executed on the basis of the user setting information stored by the user setting information storage process.

43. A program according to claim 42, wherein in the action executing process, the action stored by the user setting information storage process is executed, or information that causes execution of the action is transmitted to a contact terminal connected through the communication network.

44. A program according to claim 41, wherein in the reply confirming process, a time elapsed from message export by the message export process is counted, and when the elapsed time has reached predetermined time, it is determined that no reply is received from the user terminal.

45. A program according to claim 41, wherein the action is submission to a contact terminal of the user.

46. A program according to claim 42, wherein the user setting information is arbitrarily set from the user terminal through the communication network.

47. A program according to claim 42, wherein the user setting information is arbitrarily set from a terminal apparatus which is connected through the communication network and is different from the user terminal.

48. A program according to claim 42, wherein the user setting information is arbitrarily set from a portable terminal connected through a mobile communication network.