Communication parameter search apparatus and communication support apparatus using the same

• US 6,446,043 B1
• Filed: 12/19/1997
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Fukuyama, Noriyuki, Manabe, Ai, Okuyama, Satoshi, Matsumoto, Yasuhide, Okada, Sumiyo
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hayes, John W.
• Application Number:
  US08/994,997
• Time in Patent Office: 1,719 Days
• Field of Search: 705/8, 705/9, 705/32, 705/1, 345/963, 395/672, 395/673, 395/557, 395/200.3, 702/178, 707/8, 379/211, 379/157, 379/156, 379/217, 379/212, 379/214, 379/201
• US Class Current: 705/7.18
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups

Abstract

A communication parameter search apparatus includes a location managing part for receiving a signal indicating a location of each user, and for managing the location of each user, an input receiving part for receiving an input designating a location from an operator, a communication parameter storing module for storing communication parameters necessary for communication with each user, a user search module for referring to information managed by the location managing part and for searching for users present in the location designated by the input received by the input receiving part, and a communication parameter search module for searching the communication parameter storing module for communication parameters concerning the users searched for by the user search module.

Claims

1. A communication parameter search apparatus, comprising:

location managing means for receiving a signal, indicating a location of each user positioned in any place among a plurality of locations, and for managing the location of each user and further comprising location history information storing means for storing a history of location information representing a location of each managed user together with time information;

input receiving means for receiving an input, designating a place, and an input, of a range of time, from an operator;

communication parameter storing means for storing one or more communication parameters necessary for communication with each user;

user group means for grouping users who were present in the same designated place and same range of time received by the input receiving means, by referring to information, stored in the location history information storing means and managed by the location managing means;

communication parameter search means for searching the communication parameter storing means for identifying the communication parameters of the users grouped by the user group means;

a display means for displaying a list of selectable communication parameters corresponding to a name of each grouped user who were present at the same designated place during the same designated range of time; and

communication means for communicating with the grouped users using their corresponding selected communication parameters.

2. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

schedule input receiving means for receiving an input of a schedule from each user; and

schedule storing means for storing a schedule received by the schedule input receiving means,

wherein, if a range of time designated by an input received by the input receiving means includes a time after the time of reception of the input, the user search means refers to the schedule so as to search for users present in a location designated by the input received by the input receiving means in the designated range of time.

3. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the input receiving means further receives an input of a minimum stay period of users to be searched for from an operator;

the user search means further comprises stay period calculating means for calculating a stay period of searched users, referring to the location history information storing means and the schedule storing means; and

the communication parameter search means searches for communication parameters concerning users whose stay period calculated by the stay period calculating means is longer than the minimum stay period received by the input receiving means.

4. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

communication control means for performing communication using communication parameters searched for by the communication parameter search apparatus.

5. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

display means for displaying an addressee searched for by the communication parameter search apparatus;

correction input receiving means for receiving an input of correction concerning the addressee from an operator; and

correction means for correcting communication parameters for performing communication based on the input received by the correction input receiving means,

wherein the communication control means performs communication using the communication parameters corrected by the correction means.

6. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the input receiving means further receives an input designating an attribute value of users to be searched for;

the communication parameter storing means further stores the attribute value of each user; and

the communication parameter search means searches for communication parameters concerning users having the attribute value designated by the input.

7. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

communication control means for performing communication using communication parameters searched for by the communication parameter search apparatus.

8. The communication search apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

display means for displaying an addressee searched for by the communication parameter search apparatus;

correction input receiving means for receiving an input of correction concerning the addressee from an operator; and

correction means for correcting communication parameters for performing communication based on the input received by the correction input receiving means,

wherein the communication control means performs communication using the communication parameters corrected by the correction means.

9. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

communication control means for performing communication using communication parameters searched for by the communication parameter search apparatus.

10. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

display means for displaying an addressee searched for by the communication parameter search apparatus;

correction input receiving means for receiving an input of correction concerning the addressee from an operator; and

correction means for correcting the communication parameters for performing communication based on the input received by the correction input receiving means,

wherein the communication control means performs communication using the communication parameters corrected by the correction means.

11. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the input receiving means further receives an input of a minimum stay period of users to be searched for from an operator;

the user search means further comprises stay period calculating means for calculating stay period of searched users, referring to the location history information storing means and the schedule storing means; and

the communication parameter search means searches for communication parameters concerning users whose stay period calculated by the stay period calculating means is longer than the minimum stay period received by the input receiving means.

12. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:

the input receiving means further receives an input designating an attribute value of users to be searched for;

the communication parameter storing means further stores the attribute value of each user; and

the communication parameter search means searches for communication parameters for users having the attribute value designated by the input.

13. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

communication control means for performing communication using communication parameters searched for by the communication parameter search apparatus.

14. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

display means for displaying an addressee searched for by the communication parameter search apparatus;

correction input receiving means for receiving an input of correction concerning the addressee from an operator; and

correction means for correcting communication parameters based on the input received by the correction input receiving means,

wherein the communication control means performs communication using the communication parameters corrected by the correction means.

15. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

communication control means for performing communication using communication parameters searched for by the communication parameter search apparatus.

16. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising:

display means for displaying an addressee searched for by the communication parameter search apparatus;

correction input receiving means for receiving an input of correction concerning the addressee from an operator; and

correction means for correcting communication parameters for performing communication based on the input received by the correction input receiving means,

wherein the communication control means performs communication using the communication parameters corrected by the correction means.

17. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the input receiving means further receives an input designating an attribute value of users to be searched for;

the communication parameter storing means further stores the attribute value of each user; and

the communication parameter search means searches for communication parameters concerning users having the attribute value designated by the input.

18. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:

communication control means for performing communication using communication parameters searched for by the communication parameter search apparatus.

19. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising:

display means for displaying an addressee searched for by the communication parameter search apparatus;

correction input receiving means for receiving an input of correction concerning the addressee from an operator; and

correction means for correcting communication parameters based on the input received by the correction input receiving means,

wherein the communication control means performs communication using the communication parameters corrected by the correction means.

20. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

communication control means for performing communication using communication parameters searched for by the communication parameter search apparatus.

21. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claims 20, further comprising:

display means for displaying an addressee searched for by the communication parameter search apparatus;

correction input receiving means for receiving an input of correction concerning the addressee from an operator; and

correction means for correcting communication parameters for performing communication based on the input received by the correction input receiving means,

wherein the communication control means performs communication using the communication parameters corrected by the correction means.

22. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

communication control means for performing communication using communication parameters searched for by the communication parameter search apparatus;

display means for displaying an addressee searched for by the communication parameter search apparatus;

correction input receiving means for receiving an input of correction concerning the addressee from an operator; and

correction means for correcting communication parameters for performing communication based on the input received by the correction input receiving means,

wherein the communication control means performs communication using the communication parameters corrected by the correction means.

23. A method for electronically transmitting a message to persons who were in attendance at a particular meeting, after the meeting, said method comprising the steps of:

grouping the persons who were in attendance at the particular meeting based on previously stored information regarding the time of the meeting, previously stored information regarding the place of the meeting and trace information of the location regarding the moving of each person;

searching previously registered addresses for current addresses of the grouped persons at the time of transmitting the message; and

transmitting automatically an electronic message to the addresses searched in the searching step.

24. A communication parameter search method, comprising:

receiving a signal indicating a location of each user positioned in any place among a plurality of locations;

managing the location of each user in accordance with the received signal and with location history information of each managed user together with time information;

receiving an input designating a place and a range of time;

storing one or more communication parameters necessary for communication with each user;

grouping managed users who were present in the same designated place and same range of time by referring to stored location history information for managed users;

searching the stored communication parameters to identify communication parameters of the grouped users;

displaying a list of selectable identified communication parameters corresponding to a name of each grouped user who was present at the same designated place during the same designated range of time; and

communicating with the grouped users using their corresponding selected communication parameters.

25. The communication parameter search method according to claim 24, further comprising:

receiving and storing an input of a schedule from each managed user; and

if the range of time designated by the input includes a time after the time of reception of the input, referring to the stored schedule of the user so as to search for the user indicated to be in the location designated by the input, in the designated range of time.

26. The communication parameter search method according to claim 25, further comprising:

receiving an input of a minimum stay period of users to be searched for;

calculating a stay period of searched users, referring to at least one of the stored location history information and the stored schedules of the managed users; and

searching for communication parameters concerning managed users whose calculated stay period is longer than the minimum stay period of the received input.

27. A method as recited in claim 24, further comprising:

performing communications using communication parameters uncovered by searching the stored communication parameters;

displaying an addressee obtained by searching the stored communication parameters;

receiving an input of a correction concerning the addressee;

correcting the stored communication parameters for performing a communication, based on the correction input; and

performing a communication using the corrected communication parameters.

28. A memory medium storing a program for controlling a computer to perform a communication parameter search, by:

receiving an input designating a place and a range of time;

storing one or more communication parameters necessary for communication with each of a plurality of users;

grouping managed users who were present in the same designated place and same range of time by referring to stored location history information for managed users;

searching the stored communication parameters to identify communication parameters of the grouped users;

displaying a list of selectable communication parameters corresponding to a name of each grouped user who was present at the same designated place during the same designated range of time; and

communicating with the grouped users using their corresponding selected communication parameters.

29. The memory medium storing a program according to claim 28, further comprising:

receiving and storing an input of a schedule from each managed user; and

if the range of time designated by the input includes a time after the time of reception of the input, referring to the stored schedule of the user so as to search for the user indicated to be in the location designated by the input, in the designated range of time.

30. The memory medium storing a program according to claim 29, further comprising:

receiving an input of a minimum stay period of users to be searched for;

calculating a stay period of searched users, referring to at least one of the stored location history information and the stored schedule; and

searching for communication parameters concerning users whose calculated stay period is longer than the minimum stay period of the received input.

31. A communication parameter search apparatus, comprising:

a location managing unit receiving a signal, indicating a location of each user positioned in any place among a plurality of locations, and managing the location of each user and further comprising a location history information memory storing a history of location information representing a location of each managed user together with time information;

an input receiving unit receiving an input, designating a place, and an input, of a range of time, from an operator;

a communication parameter memory storing one or more communication parameters necessary for communication with each user;

a user grouping unit for grouping users who were present in the same designated place and same range of time received by the input receiving unit, by referring to information stored in the location history information memory and managed by the location managing unit;

a communication parameter search unit searching the communication parameter memory to identify communication parameters of the users grouped by the user grouping unit;

a display unit for displaying a list of selectable communication parameters corresponding to a name of each user who was present at the same designated place during the same designated range of time; and

a communications unit for communicating with the grouped users using their corresponding selected communication parameters.

32. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claim 31, further comprising:

a schedule input receiving unit receiving an input of a schedule from each user; and

a schedule memory storing a schedule received by the schedule input receiving unit,

wherein, if a range of time designated by an input received by the input receiving unit includes a time after the time of reception of the input, the user search unit refers to the schedule so as to search for users present in a location designated by the input received by the input receiving unit in the designated range of time.

33. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claim 32, wherein:

the input receiving unit further receives an input of a minimum stay period of users to be searched for from an operator;

the user search unit further comprises a stay period calculating unit calculating a stay period of searched users, referring to at least one of the location history information memory and the schedule memory; and

the communication parameter search unit searches for communication parameters concerning users whose stay period calculated by the stay period calculating unit is longer than the minimum stay period received by the input receiving unit.

34. The communication parameter search apparatus according to claim 33, further comprising:

a communication control unit performing communication using communication parameters searched for by the communication parameter search apparatus.

35. A method of automatically communicating with groups of people, comprising:

inputting the location and a range of time;

determining, when the range includes a past time, a first group of people, whose members were present at the location during the time, by searching a location history database;

determining, when the range includes a past time, a second group of people, whose members are currently present at the location during the time, by searching the location history database and a schedule database;

determining a third group of people, when the range includes a future time, whose members are scheduled to be present at the location during the time, by searching the schedule database;

determining, for each member of each group, a communication method and address corresponding to the member and the method, by searching a directory; and

communicating a message to each member of each group by using the communication and address corresponding to each member.

36. The method according to claim 35, further comprising designating a stay duration, and wherein said determining the first group further comprises eliminating from the first group members that were not at the location for longer than the stay duration, wherein said determining the second group further comprises eliminating from the second group members that were not at and will not be at the location for the minimum stay duration, and wherein said determining the third group further comprises eliminating from the third group members that are not scheduled to be at the location for longer than the stay duration.