Found-item information management server, found-item information management program, and found-item information management method

• US 20040002998A1
• Filed: 03/06/2003
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Takahashi, Junji, Tadano, Tooru, Munekata, Eri
• Granted Patent: US 7,318,069 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/104.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24573 using data annotations, e.g. user-defined metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2462 Approximate or statistical queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• 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

A found-item information management server is able to hand a lost item over to the owner early with a high probability. When the finder of a found item sends found-item information to the found-item information management server using a first terminal, a found-item reporting unit registers the found-item information, partly as secret particular information, in a found-item information database. Thereafter, the owner of the found item sends a request to refer to the found-item information registered in the found-item information database using a second terminal. An information disclosing unit sends the found-item information registered in the found-item information database, except for the particular information, to the second terminal. When the owner sends lost-item information to the found-item information management server using the second terminal, a match determining unit determines a match between the lost-item information and the particular information stored in the found-item information database, and sends a determined result to the second terminal.

Claims

1. A found-item information management server for managing information about lost items, comprising:

found-item reporting means for accepting found-item information about a found item which is entered from a first terminal via a network, and registering the found-item information, partly as secret particular information, in a found-item information database;

information disclosing means for sending the found-item information registered in said found-item information database, except for said particular information, to a second terminal in response to a request, which is entered from said second terminal via said network, to refer to said found-item information; and

match determining means for accepting lost-item information about a lost item which is entered from said second terminal via said network, determining a match between said lost-item information and said particular information stored in said found-item information database, and sending a determined result to said second terminal.

2. The found-item information management server according to claim 1, wherein said particular information comprises information about contents of said found item.

3. The found-item information management server according to claim 1, wherein said found-item reporting means comprises means for accepting reporter information including contact information of a finder who has found said found item, as well as said found-item information, from said first terminal, and registering said reporter information in a reporter information database, and said match determining means comprises means for, if information representing that the found item is handed over to an owner thereof has not been set with respect to said found-item information over a predetermined period after the found-item information is registered, indicating an elapse of said predetermined period to said finder based on said reporter information.

4. The found-item information management server according to claim 1, further comprising:

lost-item reporting means for accepting lost-item information about a lost item which is entered from said second terminal via said network, and registering the lost-item information, partly as secret particular information, in a lost-item information database;

said match determining means comprising means for determining a match between said lost-item information registered in said lost-item information database and said found-item information registered in said found-item information database.

5. The found-item information management server according to claim 4, wherein said lost-item reporting means comprises means for accepting reporter information including contact information of an owner who has lost said lost item, as well as said lost-item information, from said second terminal, and registering said reporter information in a reporter information database, and said match determining means comprises means for determining a match with said found-item information registered in said found-item information database after said lost-item information is registered, and if said lost-item information and said found-item information match each other, indicating the match to said owner based on said reporter information.

6. The found-item information management server according to claim 1, wherein said information disclosing means comprises means for sending advertisement information held thereby in addition to said found-item information to said second terminal.

7. The found-item information management server according to claim 6, wherein said information disclosing means comprises means for acquiring information of a shop which keeps said found item from said found-item information stored in said found-item information database, and sending advertisement information provided from said shop to said second terminal.

8. The found-item information management server according to claim 1, wherein said match determining means comprises means for sending a particular information candidate including said particular information and dummy information mixed therewith to said second terminal, and accepting an input to select said particular information.

9. The found-item information management server according to claim 1, wherein said match determining means comprises means for, if said lost-item information and said particular information in said found-item information database match each other, sending a request to enter a phrase which is more specific in concept than the matched information to said second terminal for determining a match based on whether said phrase agrees with said particular information or not.

10. A found-item information management server for managing information about lost items, comprising:

found-item reporting means for accepting found-item information about a found item which is entered from a first terminal via a network, said found-item information including a storage location of said found item, and registering the found-item information in a found-item information database; and

information disclosing means for acquiring information about a shop which keeps said found item from said found-item information registered in said found-item information database in response to a request to refer to said found-item information which is entered from a second terminal via said network, and sending advertisement information provided by said shop and said found-item information to said second terminal.

11. A found-item information management program for managing information about lost items by enabling a computer to perform a process comprising the steps of:

accepting found-item information about a found item which is entered from a first terminal via a network, and registering the found-item information, partly as secret particular information, in a found-item information database;

sending the found-item information registered in said found-item information database, except for said particular information, to a second terminal in response to a request, which is entered from said second terminal via said network, to refer to said found-item information; and

accepting lost-item information about a lost item which is entered from said second terminal via said network, determining a match between said lost-item information and said particular information stored in said found-item information database, and sending a determined result to said second terminal.

12. A found-item information management program for managing information about lost items by enabling a computer to perform a process comprising the steps of:

accepting found-item information about a found item which is entered from a first terminal via a network, said found-item information including a storage location of said found item, and registering the found-item information in a found-item information database; and

acquiring information about a shop which keeps said found item from said found-item information stored in said found-item information database in response to a request to refer to said found-item information which is entered from a second terminal via said network, and sending advertisement information provided by said shop and said found-item information to said second terminal.

13. A method of managing information about found items with a computer, comprising the steps of:

accepting found-item information about a found item which is entered from a first terminal via a network, and registering the found-item information, partly as secret particular information, in a found-item information database;

sending the found-item information registered in said found-item information database, except for said particular information, to a second terminal in response to a request, which is entered from said second terminal via said network, to refer to said found-item information; and

accepting lost-item information about a lost item which is entered from said second terminal via said network, determining a match between said lost-item information and said particular information stored in said found-item information database, and sending a determined result to said second terminal.

14. A method of managing information about found items with a computer, comprising the steps of:

accepting found-item information about a found item which is entered from a first terminal via a network, said found-item information including a storage location of said found item, and registering the found-item information in a found-item information database; and

acquiring information about a shop which keeps said found item from said found-item information stored in said found-item information database in response to a request to refer to said found-item information which is entered from a second terminal via said network, and sending advertisement information provided by said shop and said found-item information to said second terminal.

15. A recording medium readable by a computer and recording therein found-item information management program for managing information about found items, said found-item information management program enabling said computer to perform a process comprising the steps of:

accepting found-item information about a found item which is entered from a first terminal via a network, and registering the found-item information, partly as secret particular information, in a found-item information database;

sending the found-item information registered in said found-item information database, except for said particular information, to a second terminal in response to a request, which is entered from said second terminal via said network, to refer to said found-item information; and

accepting lost-item information about a lost item which is entered from said second terminal via said network, determining a match between said lost-item information and said particular information stored in said found-item information database, and sending a determined result to said second terminal.

16. A recording medium readable by a computer and recording therein found-item information management program for managing information about found items, said found-item information management program enabling said computer to perform a process comprising the steps of:

accepting found-item information about a found item which is entered from a first terminal via a network, said found-item information including a storage location of said found item, and registering the found-item information in a found-item information database; and

acquiring information about a shop which keeps said found item from said found-item information stored in said found-item information database in response to a request to refer to said found-item information which is entered from a second terminal via said network, and sending advertisement information provided by said shop and said found-item information to said second terminal.