Communication network system in which an unregistered terminal being used by a party can be located for starting a session

• US 5,864,670 A
• Filed: 09/15/1995
• Issued: 01/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Hayashi, Toshimitsu, Mori, Kenjiro, Ishizaki, Takeshi, Kameda, Masami, Nakayama, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Shin, Christopher B.
• Application Number:
  US08/529,057
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200, 395/200.3, 395/200.34, 395/200.57, 370/13, 370/260, 379/201, 379/202
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4547 for personal communications, i.e. using a personal identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4555 Directories for electronic mail or instant messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to offer a communication network system in which it is possible to connect a logical channel for performing information exchange or information communication between terminals connected to the communication network without inputting an address of a terminal to communicate with. In the communication network according to the present invention in which a logical channel is connected between desired terminals connected to the communication network to perform information exchange or information communication between the desired terminals, a connection controller for a network and communication is provided which specifies a terminal which can be used by a person to communicate with through the communication network by inputting information excluding the address of the terminal to which a connection request is issued to connect the logical channel to the specified terminal.

Claims

1. A communication network system in which a logical channel is connected between desired terminals being connected to said communication network to perform information exchange or information communication between said desired terminals, comprising:

a mail server for storing mail address translation data being connected to said communication network corresponding to a group of terminals composed of a plurality of information processing terminals connected to said communication network;

said information processing terminal comprising;

an input portion for inputting a mail address of a user to communicate with as the information to be a clue for finding a terminal having a large probability that the person desired to communicate with through said communication network is using the terminal; and

a transmitting portion (a connection controller for a network and communication) for transmitting a mail address of said user to communicate with input from the input portion to said mail server; and

said mail server comprising a connection controller for a network and communication for specifying a mail server being connected to a terminal which is desired to connect by said information processing terminal by virtue of the mail address transmitted from said transmitting portion based on said mail address translation data, selecting a terminal to communicate with having a large probability that a person having the user'"'"'s name is using the terminal based on a selecting information stored in said specified mail server, transmitting a connection request to said selected terminal through said communication network, investigating if the person of the user'"'"'s name can actually use the terminal or is using it, specifying a terminal being usable or in use, and connecting a logical channel to said specified terminal through said communication network.

2. An information processing terminal being connected to a communication network and connecting a logical channel between said desired terminals being connected to said communication network to perform information exchange or information communication between said terminals, comprising:

a memory unit for making and storing beforehand a selecting information being able to select a terminal to be connected having a large probability that a user to communicate with is using it, said selecting information being obtained from the corresponding relation between a user'"'"'s name of a terminal which is desired to perform information communication through said communication network or information corresponding to said user'"'"'s name, and specific information relating to said user'"'"'s name, and said user'"'"'s name or information corresponding to said user'"'"'s name and specific information relating to said user'"'"'s name;

an input portion for inputting at least either a user'"'"'s name of a terminal which is desired to perform information communication through said communication network or information corresponding to said user'"'"'s name, or specific information relating to said user'"'"'s name; and

a connection controller for a network and communication for retrieving, using either the user'"'"'s name or the information corresponding to said user'"'"'s name, or the specific information relating to the user'"'"'s name input in the input portion, the other, based on the correspondence relation stored in said memory unit, selecting a terminal to be connected at the other end of a line having a probability that a person having the user'"'"'s name is using it from the one party input in said input portion and the other party obtained by retrieval based on the selecting information stored in said memory unit, transmitting a connection request to the selected terminal through said communication network, investigating if the person of the user'"'"'s name can actually use the terminal or is using it, specifying a terminal to be connected being usable or in use, and connecting a logical channel to said specified terminal through said communication network.

3. An information processing terminal according to claim 2, wherein in a case where a terminal to be connected to communicate with being in use is specified, when a terminal is in a waiting state where application software is activated by a user, a terminal activating daemon is investigated and specified.

4. A communication network system comprising:

a server being connected to said communication network; and

an information processing terminal being connected to said communication network in which a logical channel is connected between desired terminals to perform information exchange or information communication between the terminals;

said server comprising a memory unit for making and storing beforehand a selecting information being able to select a terminal to be connected having a large probability that a user to communicate with is using it, said selecting information being obtained from a user'"'"'s name of a terminal which is desired to perform information communication through said communication network or information corresponding to said user'"'"'s name, and specific information relating to said user'"'"'s name; and

said information processing terminal comprising;

an input portion for inputting a user'"'"'s name of a terminal which is desired to perform information communication through said communication network or information corresponding to said user'"'"'s name, and specific information relating to said user'"'"'s name; and

a connection controller for a network and communication for selecting a terminal to be connected at the other end of a line having a large probability that a person having the user'"'"'s name is using it by virtue of the user'"'"'s name or information corresponding to said user'"'"'s name, and specific information relating to said user'"'"'s name input in said input portion based on the selecting information to be obtained through said communication network and stored in said memory unit in said server, transmitting a connection request to the selected terminal through said communication network, investigating if the person of the user'"'"'s name can actually use the terminal or is using it, specifying a terminal to be connected being usable or in use, and connecting a logical channel to said specified terminal through said communication network.

5. A communication network system according to claim 4, wherein each of the memory units provided in said server comprises tables showing the correspondence between a user'"'"'s name or information corresponding to said user'"'"'s name, and the address of a terminal to be connected based on the history of usage of a person having said user'"'"'s name, and the correspondence between telephone numbers, positions or places as specific information relating to said user'"'"'s name, and the addresses of terminals existing in the vicinities of said telephone numbers, positions or places, as said selecting information to be stored.

6. A communication network system comprising:

a server being connected to said communication network; and

an information processing terminal being connected to said communication network in which a logical channel is connected between desired terminals to perform information exchange or information communication between the terminals;

said server comprising;

a memory unit for making and storing beforehand a selecting information being able to select the address of a terminal to be connected having a large probability that a user to communicate with is using it, said selecting information being obtained from a user'"'"'s name of a terminal which is desired to perform information communication through said communication network or information corresponding to said user'"'"'s name, or specific information relating to said user'"'"'s name; and

said information processing terminal comprising;

an input portion for inputting a user'"'"'s name of a terminal which is desired to perform information communication in connecting a logical channel through said communication network or information corresponding to said user'"'"'s name, or specific information relating to said user'"'"'s name; and

a connection controller for a network and communication for selecting an address of a terminal to be connected at the other end of a line having a large probability that a person having the user'"'"'s name is using it by virtue of the user'"'"'s name or information corresponding to said user'"'"'s name, or specific information relating to said user'"'"'s name input in said input portion based on the selecting information to be obtained through said communication network and stored in said memory unit in said server, transmitting a connection request to the address of the selected terminal through said communication network, investigating if the person of the user'"'"'s name can actually use the terminal or is using it, specifying a terminal to be connected being usable or in use, and connecting a logical channel to said specified terminal through said communication network.

7. A communication network system according to claim 6, wherein each of the memory units provided in said server comprises a table showing the correspondence between a user'"'"'s name or information corresponding to said user'"'"'s name and the address of a terminal to be connected based on the history of usage of a person having the user'"'"'s name, as said selecting information to be stored.

8. A communication network system according to claim 6, wherein each of the memory units provided in said server comprises a table showing the correspondence between telephone numbers, positions or places as specific information relating to said user'"'"'s name and the address of the terminal existing in the vicinities of said telephone numbers, positions or places, as said selecting information to be stored.

9. An information processing terminal being connected to a communication network and connecting a logical channel between said desired terminals being connected to said communication network to perform information exchange or information communication between said terminals, comprising:

a memory unit for storing beforehand a selecting information being able to select a terminal to be connected having a large probability that a user to communicate with is using it, said selecting information being obtained from a user'"'"'s name of a terminal which is desired to perform information communication through said communication network or information corresponding to said user'"'"'s name, and specific information relating to said user'"'"'s name;

an input portion for inputting a user'"'"'s name of a terminal which is desired to perform information communication through said communication network or information corresponding to said user'"'"'s name, and specific information relating to said user'"'"'s name; and

a connection controller for a network and communication for selecting a terminal to be connected at the other end of a line having a large probability that a person having the user'"'"'s name is using it by virtue of the user'"'"'s name or information corresponding to said user'"'"'s name, and specific information relating to said user'"'"'s name input in said input portion based on the selecting information stored in said memory unit, transmitting a connection request to the selected terminal through said communication network, investigating if the person of the user'"'"'s name can actually use the terminal or is using it, specifying a terminal to be connected being usable or in use, and connecting a logical channel to said specified terminal through said communication network.

10. An information processing terminal according to claim 9, wherein each of the memory units provided in a plurality of said desired terminals comprises tables showing the correspondence between a user'"'"'s name or information corresponding to said user'"'"'s name, and the address of a terminal to be connected based on the history of usage of a person having said user'"'"'s name, and the correspondence between telephone numbers, positions or places as specific information relating to said user'"'"'s name, and the addresses of terminals existing in the vicinities of said telephone numbers, positions or places, as said selecting information to be stored.

11. An information processing terminal communicating with a terminal via a communication networks, said information processing terminal connecting a logical channel between said desired terminals being connected to said communication network to perform information exchange or information communication between said terminals, comprising:

a memory unit for storing beforehand a selecting information being able to select the address of a terminal to be connected having a large probability that a user to communicate with is using it, said selecting information being obtained from a user'"'"'s name of a terminal which is desired to perform information communication through said communication network or information corresponding to said user'"'"'s name, or specific information relating to said user'"'"'s name, such as a telephone number or a place and suggesting which terminal said user is using;

an input portion for inputting information corresponding to a user to communicate with in order to establish a logical channel selecting an address of a terminal to be connected at the other end of a line having a large probability that a person having the user'"'"'s name is using it by virtue of the user'"'"'s name or information corresponding to said user'"'"'s name, or specific information relating to said user'"'"'s name in said input portion based on the selecting information stored in said memory unit, transmitting a connection request to the address of the selected terminal through said communication network, investigating if the person of the user'"'"'s name can actually use the terminal or is using it, specifying a terminal probably being used by said user based on said selecting information and said inputted information from said input portion, and connecting a logical channel to said specified terminal through said communication network.

12. An information processing terminal according to claim 11, wherein each of the memory units provided in a plurality of desired terminals comprises a table showing the correspondence between a user'"'"'s name or information corresponding to said user'"'"'s name and the address of a terminal to be connected based on the history of usage of a person having the user'"'"'s name, as said selecting information to be stored.

13. An information processing terminal according to claim 11, wherein each of the memory units provided in a plurality of desired terminals comprises a table showing the correspondence between telephone numbers, positions or places as specific information relating to said user'"'"'s name and the address of the terminal existing in the vicinities of said telephone numbers, positions or places, as said selecting information to be stored.

16. An information processing terminal according to claim 11,

wherein said connection controller confirms which said user is using said terminal and establishes a logical channel with said terminal when said user uses said terminal.

14. An information processing terminal being connected to a communication network and connecting a logical channel between said desired terminals being connected to said communication network to perform information exchange or information communication between said terminals, comprising:

an input portion for inputting a name of a user to communicate with corresponding to a terminal to be connected or information corresponding to said user'"'"'s name in order to connect a logical channel between terminals selected out of a plurality of terminals connected to said communication network; and

a connection controller for a network and communication for specifying a usable terminal at the other end of a line and connecting a logical channel to the terminal through said communication network based on the information input from said input portion.

15. An information processing terminal according to claim 14, wherein said input portion inputs specific information relating to a user'"'"'s name in said terminal to be connected at the other end of a line, such as a telephone number or a place.