Multimedia information delivery system and mobile information terminal device
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Accused Products
Abstract
A plurality of handheld or “mobile” information terminals send forth position information detected periodically toward an information delivery server 50; the information delivery server 50 comprises a position management unit 50-4 for generating image data used to compose for visual display certain users belonging to the same group onto the same land map image screen, a situation/history management unit 50-7 for arithmetically processing the user'"'"'s distribution in units of target facilities and then generating information indicative of such distribution, an image management unit 50-9 for storing therein more than one photographic image as sent from mobile information terminal(s) in units of users or alternatively in units of groups and then transferring the stored image toward a target or “destination” mobile information terminal, and a route search management unit 50-6 for searching for a recommendable route in view of the degree of congestion and/or popularity as calculated at the situation/history management unit 50-7. In a multimedia information delivery system, perform provision of information services by recognizing the position of a user and then utilizing the user position thus recognized.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1-20. -20. (canceled)
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21. An information delivery system including a plurality of information terminal devices and a server apparatus connected to respective ones of said information terminal devices for providing information as required from each information terminal device, wherein each of said plurality of information terminal devices comprises:
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position detection means for detecting a position of itself;
terminal information means for generating flag information indicative of allowability of visual displaying of user'"'"'s own position;
terminal side communication means for transmitting information indicative of said position thus detected toward said server apparatus while receiving information as sent from said server apparatus, and for transmitting said flag information indicative of allowability of visual displaying of user'"'"'s own position;
operation instruction receipt means for receiving and accepting from a user an operation instruction for instruction of the content of a service required, and said flag information indicative of allowability of visual displaying of user'"'"'s own position, and for permitting transmission of the operation instruction and of said flag information toward said server apparatus through said terminal side communication means; and
output means for outputting the information as sent from said server apparatus in a way corresponding to said service required, and wherein said server apparatus comprises;
server information means for receiving said flag information indicative of allowability of visual displaying of user'"'"'s own position;
server side communication means for receiving information indicative of a position being sent from said each information terminal device and for transferring information as generated by utilization of the position information toward more than one information terminal device; and
processor means for generating information to be sent to said information terminal device by utilizing the position information as sent from said information terminal device, wherein said information terminal device is operable to detect the position of said information terminal device at a predefined timing for transmission of information indicative of the detected position toward said server apparatus, and said server apparatus further comprises position information storage means for storing therein position information as sent from said plurality of information terminal devices in units of users of the information terminal devices, and said server apparatus further comprises position displaying means for generating image information for displaying said information indicative of said position only when said server indicates the allowance of display thereof. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31)
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24. An information delivery system including a plurality of information terminal devices and a server apparatus connected to respective ones of said information terminal devices for providing information as required from each information terminal device, wherein each of said plurality of information terminal devices comprises:
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position detection means for detecting a position of itself;
terminal side communication means for transmitting information indicative of said position thus detected toward said server apparatus while receiving information as sent from said server apparatus;
operation instruction receipt means for receiving and accepting from a user an operation instruction for instruction of the content of a service required and for permitting transmission of the operation instruction toward said server apparatus through said terminal side communication means; and
output means for outputting the information as sent from said server apparatus in a way corresponding to said service required, and wherein said server apparatus comprises;
server side communication means for receiving information indicative of a position being sent from said each information terminal device and for transferring information as generated by utilization of the position information toward more than one information terminal device; and
processor means for generating information to be sent to said information terminal device by utilizing the position information as sent from said information terminal device, wherein said information terminal device is operable to detect the position of said information terminal device at a predefined timing for transmission of information indicative of the detected position toward said server apparatus, and said server apparatus further comprises position information storage means for storing therein position information as sent from said plurality of information terminal devices in units of users of the information terminal devices, said server apparatus further comprising group information storage means for storing therein information used to specify a group to which said user belongs on a per-user basis, wherein said group information storage means is for storing, in addition to the information for specifying a group to which said each user belongs, group display flag information indicative of allowability of visual displaying of its own position when generating said processor means image information for displaying on the same land map image screen the position of a user belonging to the same group, and the processor means of said server apparatus comprises position service means for generating, when the operation instruction being sent from said information terminal device requires a group display service, image information adapted to be used for displaying on the same land map image screen a combination of a user position as indicated by the position information from said information terminal device and a position as sent from the information terminal device of another user who belongs to the same group as said user and for permitting the image information thus generated to be transmitted from said server side communication means to said information terminal device, wherein said position service means generates image information for displaying on the same land map image screen only the user'"'"'s position that said group information storage means indicates the allowance of display thereof.
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30. An information delivery system including a plurality of information terminal devices and a server apparatus connected to respective ones of said information terminal devices for providing information as required from each information terminal device, wherein each of said plurality of information terminal devices comprises:
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position detection means for detecting a position of itself;
terminal side communication means for transmitting information indicative of said position thus detected toward said server apparatus while receiving information as sent from said server apparatus;
operation instruction receipt means for receiving and accepting from a user an operation instruction for instruction of the content of a service required and for permitting transmission of the operation instruction toward said server apparatus through said terminal side communication means; and
output means for outputting the information as sent from said server apparatus in a way corresponding to said service required, and wherein said server apparatus comprises;
server side communication means for receiving information indicative of a position being sent from said each information terminal device and for transferring information as generated by utilization of the position information toward more than one information terminal device;
processor means for generating information to be sent to said information terminal device by utilizing the position information as sent from said information terminal device, and image upload means for sending image information to said server apparatus through said terminal side communication means, and image download means for receiving image information from said server apparatus via said terminal side communication means, wherein said information terminal device is operable to detect the position of said information terminal device at a predefined timing for transmission of information indicative of the detected position toward said server apparatus, said server apparatus further comprises position information storage means for storing therein position information as sent from said plurality of information terminal devices in units of users of the information terminal devices, said server apparatus further comprises image storage means for storing therein more than one image as sent from said information terminal device on a per-user basis, and the processor means of said server apparatus comprises;
image service means for storing, when the operation instruction being sent from said information terminal device requests an image upload service, more than one image being sent from the information terminal device which has sent the operation instruction in said image storage means on a per-user basis, and for permitting, when said operation instruction requests an image download service, transmission of image information being presently stored in said image storage means from said server side communication means to said information terminal device in a way corresponding to the user of the information terminal device which has sent the operation instruction.
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32. An information terminal device for receipt of provision of more than one information service while being connected to a server apparatus operatively associated therewith, said information terminal device comprising:
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position detection means for detecting a position of itself;
terminal information means for generating flag information indicative of allowability of visual displaying of user'"'"'s own position; and
terminal side communication means for sending information indicative of said position thus detected toward said server apparatus and for receiving information as sent from said server apparatus, and for transmitting said flag information indicative of allowability of visual displaying of user'"'"'s own position, said position detection means being operable to detect a position once at a time whenever a specified time has elapsed from its previous position information transmission event and then send forth information concerning such newly detected position toward said server apparatus through said terminal side communication means.
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33. An information terminal device for receipt of provision of more than one information service while being connected to a server apparatus operatively associated therewith, said information terminal device comprising:
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position detection means for detecting a position of itself; and
terminal side communication means for sending information indicative of said position thus detected toward said server apparatus and for receiving information as sent from said server apparatus, said position detection means transmitting, when the newly detected position changes to be greater than a predefined threshold value, information concerning the newly detected position by adding the group information toward said server apparatus via said terminal side communication means.
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34. A server apparatus connected to a plurality of information terminal devices for providing information as required from each information terminal device, said server apparatus comprising:
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server information means for receiving flag information indicative of allowability of visual displaying of user'"'"'s own position;
server side communication means for receiving information indicative of a position as sent from said each information terminal device and for sending information generated by utilizing the position information toward more than one information terminal device;
position displaying means for generating image information for displaying said information indicative of said position only when said server indicates the allowance of display thereof;
processor means for utilizing the position information as sent from said information terminal device to generate information to be sent to said information terminal device; and
position information storage means for storing therein position information as sent from said each information terminal device and a history thereof in units of users of said information terminal devices, wherein each of said information terminal devices is operable to detect the position of each of said terminal device at a predefined timing for transmission of information indicative of the detected position toward said server apparatus.
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35. An information service providing method for use in an information delivery system comprising a plurality of information terminal devices and a server apparatus connected to each of said plurality of information terminal devices for providing information as required from each information terminal device, said method comprising the steps of:
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operating each of said plurality of information terminal devices to detect its own position of each of said plurality of terminal devices at a predefined timing for transmission of information indicative of the detected position toward said server apparatus, and to indicate flag information indicative of allowability of visual displaying of user'"'"'s own position;
causing each of said plurality of information terminal devices to send toward said server apparatus both the information indicative of its own position and information for specifying a group to which users of the information terminal devices belong, including said flag information indicative of allowability of visual displaying of user'"'"'s own position; and
permitting said server apparatus to generate from the position information as sent from said plurality of information terminal devices and the information for specifying said group certain image information for synthesis and display of a position of each user belonging to the same group on the same land map and then send forth such generated image information toward a request-issued information terminal device, said server apparatus generating image information for displaying said information indicative of said position only when said server indicates the allowance of display thereof.
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36. An information service providing method for use in an information delivery system comprising a plurality of information terminal devices and a server apparatus connected to each of said plurality of information terminal devices for providing information as required from each information terminal device, said method comprising the steps of:
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causing each of said plurality of information terminal devices to send to said server apparatus both information indicative of its own position and information indicating the content of a service required;
permitting said server apparatus to generate information to be provided in reply to a request from said each information terminal device and send such generated provision information to a request-issued information terminal device presenting; and
letting said server apparatus determine an amount of money charged on a user in accordance with the content of said sent provision information while storing a history of information indicative of the amount of charged money thus determined and that of said position information as sent thereto on a per-user basis.
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37. An information service providing method for use in an information delivery system comprising a plurality of information terminal devices and a server apparatus connected to each of said plurality of information terminal devices for providing information as required from each information terminal device, said method comprising the steps of:
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letting a user carry said information terminal device when the user comes into a land area in which a plurality of enterable facilities are disposed;
causing said each information terminal device to detect its own position and transmit information indicative of such detected position to said server apparatus;
causing said each information terminal device to generate coordinate positions of its own position to group said information terminal devices relative to coordinate positions of said plurality of facilities;
permitting said server apparatus to calculate the number of said information terminal devices grouped relative to said coordinate positions of said plurality of facilities; and
permitting said server apparatus to calculate from position information being sent from each of said plurality of information terminal devices an index number indicating either a degree of congestion or a degree of popularity with respect to each of said plurality of facilities and then send information indicating such calculated index number to said information terminal device which has issued a request to do so.
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38. An information service providing method for use in an information delivery system comprising a plurality of information terminal devices and a server apparatus connected to each of said plurality of information terminal devices for providing information as required from each information terminal device, said method comprising the steps of:
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causing said each information terminal device to detect its own position and then send information indicative of the detected information to said server apparatus;
causing said each information terminal device to generate coordinate positions of its own position to group said information terminal devices relative to coordinate positions of said plurality of facilities;
permitting said server apparatus to calculate the number of said information terminal devices grouped relative to said coordinate positions of said plurality of facilities;
permitting said server apparatus to calculate the number of said information terminal devices grouped relative to said coordinate positions of said plurality of facilities; and
permitting said server apparatus to calculate from position information being sent from each of said plurality of information terminal devices an index number indicative of either a degree of congestion or popularity with respect to a plurality of preregistered facilities, execute a route search to determine a route leading to a destination location from a starting place under search conditions at least including the index number thus calculated, and send information indicating the searched route toward said information terminal device which has issued a request to do to.
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39. An information service providing method for use in an information delivery system comprising a plurality of information terminal devices and a server apparatus connected to each of said plurality of information terminal devices for providing information as required from each information terminal device, said method comprising the steps of:
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operating each of said plurality of information terminal devices to detect its own position of each of said plurality of terminal devices at a predefined timing for transmission of information indicative of the detected position toward said server apparatus, and to indicate flag information indicative of allowability of visual displaying of user'"'"'s own position;
causing each of said plurality of information terminal devices to send to said server apparatus both the information indicative of its own position and information as required to be stored at said server apparatus, including said flag information indicative of allowability of visual displaying of user'"'"'s own position; and
permitting said server apparatus to store on a per-user basis said position information as sent thereto and said information required to be stored and then transmit, upon issuance of a request from said information terminal device, the presently stored information to an original request-issued information terminal device in a way corresponding to the information terminal device'"'"'s user, said server apparatus generating image information for displaying said information indicative of said position only when said server indicates the allowance of display thereof.
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40. An information service method using a plurality of information terminal devices and a server apparatus connected to a respective one of said plurality of information terminal devices for receiving information from each information terminal device, said method comprising the steps of:
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operating each of said plurality of information terminal devices to detect its own position of each of said plurality of terminal devices at a predefined timing for transmission of information indicative of the detected position toward said server apparatus, and to indicate flag information indicative of allowability of visual displaying of user'"'"'s own position;
causing said each information terminal device to detect its own position and send information indicative of such detected position to said server apparatus, including said flag information indicative of allowability of visual displaying of user'"'"'s own position; and
letting said server apparatus generate information indicating a distribution of users from the position information being sent from each of said plurality of information terminal devices and to generate image information for displaying said information indicative of said position only when said server indicates the allowance of display thereof.
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Specification