Information input/output system for offering various services to a user terminal through a communication network
First Claim
1. An information input/output system which transmits and receives information through a communication network between at least one user terminal, at least one service station which offers various services, and at least one service center which manages each of said service station,said service center comprising:
- a candidate selector which selects candidates for a first service station capable of providing a service in accordance with content of a request from said user terminal;
a request transmitter which transmits the request of said user terminal to said first service station selected by said user terminal from said selected candidates for said first service station;
a positional information transmitter which transmits, to said user terminal, information concerning a position of said first service station;
a route searching part which searches out an optimum route from a current position of said user terminal or a designated position to said first service station; and
a display/output confirming part which confirms by said user terminal whether map information in the vicinity of said optimum route is displayed or outputted;
said user terminal comprising;
a service requesting part which requests a service to said service center;
a station selector which selects any from said candidates for said first service station transmitted from said service center;
a selection result transmitter which transmits, to said service center, information for designating said selected first service station;
a display/output determining part which determines whether map information in the vicinity of said optimum route is displayed or outputted;
wherein said service center comprises;
a relay position selector which selects a second service station in a vicinity of said optimum route for outputting said map information, when being confirmed that said user terminal wants the output of said map information in the vicinity of said optimum route; and
map information transmitter which transmits said map information in the vicinity of said optimum route to said second service station selected by said relay position selector.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A service center for offering various services through a communication network, a plurality of service stations for transmitting/receiving information to/from the service center through the communication network, and a user terminal for transmitting/receiving information to/from the service center or the service station through the communication network are provided. An optimum service station is selected based on a service request from the user and the user is led to that service station, the user can reach a specific service station in a short period of time without going astray. Further, when an optimum service station is distanced away, detailed map information is provided to the user at a relay point, and the user can be hence safely and assuredly led irrespective of a position of the service station.
30 Citations
15 Claims
-
1. An information input/output system which transmits and receives information through a communication network between at least one user terminal, at least one service station which offers various services, and at least one service center which manages each of said service station,
said service center comprising: -
a candidate selector which selects candidates for a first service station capable of providing a service in accordance with content of a request from said user terminal;
a request transmitter which transmits the request of said user terminal to said first service station selected by said user terminal from said selected candidates for said first service station;
a positional information transmitter which transmits, to said user terminal, information concerning a position of said first service station;
a route searching part which searches out an optimum route from a current position of said user terminal or a designated position to said first service station; and
a display/output confirming part which confirms by said user terminal whether map information in the vicinity of said optimum route is displayed or outputted;
said user terminal comprising;
a service requesting part which requests a service to said service center;
a station selector which selects any from said candidates for said first service station transmitted from said service center;
a selection result transmitter which transmits, to said service center, information for designating said selected first service station;
a display/output determining part which determines whether map information in the vicinity of said optimum route is displayed or outputted;
wherein said service center comprises;
a relay position selector which selects a second service station in a vicinity of said optimum route for outputting said map information, when being confirmed that said user terminal wants the output of said map information in the vicinity of said optimum route; and
map information transmitter which transmits said map information in the vicinity of said optimum route to said second service station selected by said relay position selector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
said map information transmitter transmitting, to said user terminal, said map information in the vicinity from said optimum route of a current position of said user terminal to said first service station selected by said user terminal, every time said user terminal moves a predetermined distance. -
6. The information input/output system according to claim 5, wherein said position detector again detects a current position of said user terminal, when a moving distance of said user terminal exceeds a predetermined distance or when a lapsed time of the previous detection of a current position of said user terminal to the next detection exceeds a predetermined time.
-
7. The information input/output system according to claim 1, wherein said relay position selector shows and selects said second service station at which said user terminal stops to pick up the map to said first service station during moving along said optimum route, if a distance from the current position of said user terminal to a destination or said first service station selected by said user terminal is farther than a predetermined distance;
- and
wherein said service center further comprises;
a relay information provider which provides said user terminal with map information from the current position of said user terminal to said second service station.
- and
-
8. The information input/output system according to claim 7, wherein said relay information provider transmits, to said second service station, map information showing the optimum route from said second service station to said first service station selected by said user terminal.
-
9. The information input/output system according to claim 1, wherein said service center comprises:
-
an out-of-route judging part which judges whether a current position of said user terminal deviates from said route searched out by said route searching part; and
a warning transmitter which transmits warning information to said user terminal, when the deviation from said route is determined.
-
-
10. The information input/output system according to claim 9, wherein said user terminal comprises warning means for performing warning by at least one of an optical signal and a sound signal, when receiving said warning information from said service center.
-
11. The information input/output system according to claim 10, wherein said warning means executes the warning in such a manner that an out-of-route direction is comprehensible.
-
12. The information input/output system according to claim 1, wherein said route searching part determines said optimum route based on at least one of transportation route, a transportation expense, a traffic density and a necessary time to said first service station.
-
13. The information input/output system according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of said first service station comprises:
-
a printer which prints data requested from said user terminal; and
a FAX receiver which receives data transmitted from said service center by fax, the received data being delivered to a user without making a hard copy.
-
-
-
14. An information input/output method for transmitting and receiving information through a communication network between at least one user terminal, at least one service station which offers various services, and at least one service center which manages each of said service station, said method comprising:
-
requesting a service from said user terminal to said service center;
selecting candidates for a first service station capable of providing a service in accordance with the content of the request from said user terminal;
transmitting said selected candidates for said first service station from said service center to said user terminal;
selecting any from said candidates for said first service station transmitted from said service center;
transmitting information for designating said selected first service station to said service center;
searching out an optimum route from a current position of said user terminal to said first service station selected by said user terminal;
confirming by said user terminal whether map information in the vicinity of said optimum route is displayed or outputted;
selecting a second service station for outputting said map information, when being confirmed that said user terminal wants the output of said map information in the vicinity of said optimum route; and
transmitting said map information in the vicinity of said optimum route to the selected second service station.
-
-
15. A recording medium recording therein a program for transmitting and receiving information through a communication network between at least one user terminal, at least one service station for offering various services, and at least one service center for managing each of said service station, said medium comprising a program for executing;
-
requesting a service from said user terminal to said service center;
selecting candidates for a first service station capable of providing a service in accordance with the content of the request from said user terminal;
transmitting said selected candidates for said first service station from said service center to said user terminal;
selecting any from said candidates for said first service station transmitted from said service center;
transmitting information for designating said selected first service station to said service center;
searching out an optimum route from a current position of said user terminal to said first service station selected by said user terminal;
confirming by said user terminal whether map information in the vicinity of said optimum route is displayed or outputted;
selecting a second service station for outputting said map information, when being confirmed that said user terminal wants the output of said map information in the vicinity of said optimum route; and
transmitting said map information in the vicinity of said optimum route to the selected second service station.
-
Specification