Portable information terminal and information transmitting method

• US 20030139144A1
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ikeda, Minoru, Suzuki, Koji, Hanaoka, Seishi, Kitajima, Hidetoshi
• Granted Patent: US 6,996,423 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/69
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

The disclosed invention provides a portable information terminal making it possible to easily transmit a plurality of kinds of information. The portable information terminal allows its user to select information categories to transmit from items stored as personal and/or schedule information in its memory. The selected categories are associated with one of data class of business use, private use, and the like. When the user selects the name and instructs the terminal to transmit, the terminal reads the information belonging to selected categories of the data class from the memory and transmits them, according to the specified transmission distance or destinations.

Claims

1. A portable information terminal comprising:

memory means for storing a plurality of informational data, each of which belongs to one of a plurality of categories;

category selecting means for selecting one or more categories from said plurality of categories;

entering means for associating said category or categories selected by said selecting means with a data class and storing said category or categories with said data class into said memory means as data to transmit;

display means for displaying said data class stored by said memory means;

data class selecting means for selecting one of data classes displayed by said display means;

reading means for reading said informational data belonging to said category or categories associated with the selected data class, from said memory means; and

transmitting means for transmitting said informational data read by said reading means.

2. A portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein,

said category selecting means allows an user to select said category or categories via a graphical interface displayed on said display means.

3. A portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein,

said display means displays said categories in a table format, said table format including said category, a check box and a data class pop up menu, and said category selecting means allows an user to select said category or categories from said table by using said check box and said data class by using said data class pop up menu displayed on said display means.

4. A portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein,

said data class indicates business or private use.

5. A portable information terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

distance selecting means for allowing said user to specify the distance over which said information is transmitted; and

power adjusting means for adjusting transmitting power, according to the distance specified through said distance selecting means,

wherein said transmitting means transmits said informational data at the transmitting power adjusted by said power adjusting means.

6. A portable information terminal comprising:

a memory unit which stores a plurality of informational data, each of which belongs to one of a plurality of categories;

a category selector which selects one or more categories from said plurality of categories;

an entering device which associates with said category or categories selected by said category selector with a data class, and stores said category or categories with said data class into said memory as data to transmit;

a display which displays said data class stored by said memory unit;

a data class selector which selects one of data classes displayed by said display;

a reading device which reads said informational data belonging to said category or categories associated with the selected data class, from said memory unit; and

a transmitter which transmits said informational data read by said reading device.

7. A portable information terminal according to claim 6, wherein,

said category selector allows an user to select said category or categories via a graphical interface displayed on said display.

8. A portable information terminal according to claim 6, wherein,

said display displays said categories in a table format, said table format including said category, a check box and a data class pop up menu, and said category selector allows an user to select said category or categories from said table by using said check box and said data class by using said data class pop up menu displayed on said display.

9. A portable information terminal according to claim 6, further comprising:

a distance selector which allows said user to specify the distance over which said informational data is transmitted; and

a power adjustor which adjusts transmitting power according to the distance specified through said distance selector,

wherein said transmitter transmits said informational data at said transmitting power adjusted by said power adjustor.

10. An information transmitting method for use in an operator center for receiving data from a first portable information terminal and transmitting data to a second portable information terminal, said information transmitting method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at said operator center, a plurality of informational data, each of which belongs to one of a plurality of categories from said first portable information terminal;

storing, at said operator center, the received informational data;

selecting, at said operator center, at least one category from said information data stored, associating a file of the selected category or categories with a data class, and storing the file into the storage;

transmitting, at said operator center, said data class to said first portable information terminal;

receiving, at said operator center, a request to transmit information including a destination indicating said second portable information terminal and said data class to transmit from said first portable information terminal;

reading, at said operator center, the file of informational data stored, associated with said data class; and

transmitting, at said operator center, said file to said second portable information terminal.

11. A portable information terminal comprising:

a display which displays a plurality of categories;

an input device allowing the user of the portable information terminal to select at least one category from said plurality of categories displayed on said display, and to select/input a data class for handling informational data belonging to selected one or more categories as one group of data to transmit;

a memory unit which stores said informational data belonging to said categories, said data class inputted/selected by said input device, said category or categories associated with each data class, wherein a plurality of combinations of one data class and category or categories are stored; and

a communication interface unit which transmits said informational data associated with said data class, when one of a plurality of data classes is selected and instructed to transmit said informational data through said input device.

12. A portable information terminal according to claim 11 wherein:

said data class indicates business or private use.

13. A portable information terminal according to claim 11 wherein:

said informational data has at least one of personal information, image data, and schedule data.

14. A portable information terminal according to claim 11 wherein:

said category has an identification number, and said memory unit stores said identification number indicating selected category with said data class.

15. A portable information terminal according to claim 11 wherein:

said memory stores transmission distance information associated with said data class; and

when one of a plurality of data classes is selected and instructed to transmit said informational data through the input device, said communication interface unit adjusting transmitting power, according to said distance information associated with said data class, and transmitting said informational data associated with selected data class.

16. A portable information terminal according to claim 11, wherein,

said input device allows an user to select said category via a graphical interface displayed on said display.

17. A portable information terminal according to claim 11, wherein,

said display displays said categories in a table format, said table format including said categories, a check box and a data class pop up menu, and said input device allows an user to select said category or categories from said table by using said check box and said data class by using said data class pop up menu displayed on said display.

18. A program product readable by a portable information terminal when executed by the portable information terminal, causing the portable information terminal to perform the steps comprising:

displaying a plurality of categories on the display;

selecting at least one category from the plurality of the categories displayed on the display and selecting/inputting a data class for handing informational data belonging to the selected one of more categories as one group of data to transmit;

storing a plurality of informational data, data class selected/inputted, and the categories associated with each data class; and

transmitting informational data associated with the selected data class when one of a plurality of data classes is selected and instructed to transmit said informational data.

19. A program product according to claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

storing transmission distance information associated with each said data class;

adjusting transmitting power according to the distance information associated with the selected data class; and

transmitting the informational data associated with the selected data class at the adjusted transmitting power when one of a plurality of data classes is selected and instructed to transmit said informational data.

20. A program sending method at a sever having said program product,

said program product readable by a portable information terminal when executed by the portable information terminal, causing the portable information terminal to perform the steps having:

displaying a plurality of categories on the display;

selecting at least one category from the plurality of the categories displayed on the display and selecting/inputting a data class for handing informational data belonging to the selected one of more categories as one group of data to transmit;

storing a plurality of informational data, data class selected/inputted, and the categories associated with each data class; and

transmitting informational data associated with the selected data class when one of a plurality of data classes is selected and instructed to transmit said informational data, said program sending method comprising the steps of;

receiving a request for sending said program from said portable information terminal; and

sending said program to said portable information terminal.