Information providing system and information providing method

• US 20080242275A1
• Filed: 07/03/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Component Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Component Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Inventors: Kurashima, Shigemi, Yanagi, Masahiro, Arita, Takashi, Yuba, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,666,371 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/2531 wireless, e.g. Bluetooth, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/15 Information service where the information is dependent on the location of the subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

A disclosed information providing system includes a communication device; an information providing apparatus; and a mobile terminal device carried by a shopper and configured to communicate by wireless communication with the communication device and to communicate via a network with the information providing apparatus. The information providing apparatus is configured to supply information to the mobile terminal device via the network or via the communication device and the wireless communication.

Claims

1. An information providing system, comprising:

a communication device;

an information providing apparatus; and

a mobile terminal device carried by a shopper and configured to communicate by wireless communication with the communication device and to communicate via a network with the information providing apparatus;

wherein the information providing apparatus is configured to supply information to the mobile terminal device via the network or via the communication device and the wireless communication.

2. The information providing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless communication is short-range wireless communication.

3. The information providing system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the short-range wireless communication is ultra wideband wireless communication.

4. The information providing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal device is a mobile phone.

5. The information providing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information providing apparatus is configured to supply the information to the mobile terminal device via the communication device and the wireless communication when the communication device and the mobile terminal device are able to communicate with each other by the wireless communication.

6. The information providing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal device has a communication program stored therein for the wireless communication and becomes capable of communicating with the communication device when the communication program is executed.

7. The information providing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information providing apparatus is configured to supply information to the mobile terminal device based on a request from the mobile terminal device.

8. The information providing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the communication device is configured to send a response request to the mobile terminal device, to measure response time between a timing when the response request is sent and a timing when a response to the response request is received from the mobile terminal device, and to send the response time to the information providing apparatus;

and

the information providing apparatus is configured to determine a location of the mobile terminal device based on the response time and to supply the information to the mobile terminal device according to the determined location of the mobile terminal device.

9. An information providing method of supplying information from an information providing apparatus to a mobile terminal device carried by a shopper via a network or via a communication device and wireless communication, comprising the steps of:

supplying the information from the information providing apparatus to the mobile terminal device via the communication device and the wireless communication when the communication device and the mobile terminal device are able to communicate with each other by the wireless communication; and

supplying the information from the information providing apparatus to the mobile terminal device via the network when the communication device and the mobile terminal device are unable to communicate with each other by the wireless communication.

10. The information providing method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the wireless communication is short-range wireless communication.

11. The information providing method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the short-range wireless communication is ultra wideband wireless communication.

12. The information providing method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the mobile terminal device is a mobile phone.

13. The information providing method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the information is supplied from the information providing apparatus to the mobile terminal device via the communication device and the wireless communication when a communication program for the wireless communication is executed on the mobile terminal device.

14. The information providing method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the information is supplied from the information providing apparatus to the mobile terminal device based on a request from the mobile terminal device.

15. The information providing method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

sending a response request from the communication device to the mobile terminal device;

measuring a response time between a timing when the response request is sent and a timing when a response to the response request from the mobile terminal device is received by the communication device;

sending the response time from the communication device to the information providing apparatus;

determining a location of the mobile terminal device based on the response time; and

supplying the information from the information providing apparatus to the mobile terminal device according to the determined location of the mobile terminal device.