Information provision system, information regeneration terminal, and server

• US 6,600,930 B1
• Filed: 07/09/1998
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hayasaka, Koichi, Sakurai, Hiroshi, Morita, Takashi, Ukita, Yoshitaka, Yoshii, Fumihiko, Terayama, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US09/112,278
• Time in Patent Office: 1,846 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412, 455/422, 455/426, 455/445, 455/552, 455/566
• US Class Current: 455/414.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5651 Reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00214 details of transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/324 intermediate the transmitter and receiver terminals, e.g. at an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32432 in a particular memory file for retrieval by the user, e.g. in a facsimile mailbox
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32438 Informing the addressee of reception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/00 Local resource management

Abstract

An information communication system includes a portable radiocommunication terminal, an information provision system in which various provided information can be readily acquired, and a server. The server and a plurality of portable radiocommunication terminals are connected via a network by a wireless connection. Send information and receive information are communicated between the terminal and the server according to a predetermined protocol and a predetermined communication data format respectively suitable for the network and independent of an established communication system. When a user of the terminal performs an operation for calling specifying a party according to the established communication system, the server receives send information including a request for calling and executes processing for information communication suitable for the established communication system. Data addressed to each terminal is received by the server and stored in the storage means of the server. Each terminal acquires desired receive by requesting the server for the data.

Claims

1. An information provision system, comprising:

a server; and

an information regeneration terminal, wherein

said server is connected to a plurality of information providers for providing information via a network,

said server includes means for generating a channel between said server and said information regeneration terminal in response to a request for connection from said information regeneration terminal, means for receiving a request for provided information and information identifying functions for processing data and/or capacity for processing data of the information regeneration terminal from said information regeneration terminal, and means for acquiring said provided information from an information provider via said network and sending said provided information to said information regeneration terminal via said channel based on the information identifying functions for processing data and/or capacity for processing data of the information regeneration terminal such that the provided information conforms to the functions for processing data and capacity for processing data of the information regeneration terminal, and

said information regeneration terminal comprising

means for receiving a user operation for requesting connection, sending a request for connection to said server, and generating said channel between said server and said information regeneration terminal,

means for sending said request for provided information to said server via said channel based upon a user operation for requesting provided information and sending the information identifying functions for processing data and/or capacity for processing data of the information regeneration terminal, and

means for acquiring and regenerating said provided information from said server.

2. An information provision system according to claim 1, wherein

said server includes means for sending information of a list of providable information to said information regeneration terminal via said channel after said server generates said channel is response to said request for connection from said information regeneration terminal,

said information regeneration terminal includes means for receiving said information of said list of providable information from said server and providing said information to said user, and

said user operation for requesting said provided information is an operation for selecting information from said list of providable information.

3. An information provision system according to claim 1, wherein

said information regeneration terminal and said server are connected via a network to which a communication terminal is connected,

said information regeneration terminal sends to said server said request for connection along with identification information showing that said information regeneration terminal can receive said provided information from said server, and

said server verifies that said information regeneration terminal can receive said provided information based upon said identification information and sends said provided information to said information regeneration terminal in response to said request for provided information.

4. An information provision system according to claim 3, wherein

said network to which said information regeneration terminal and said server are connected includes a network for a portable telephone terminal, and

said information regeneration terminal is provided with radiocommunication means for communication via a radio base station for said portable telephone terminal.

5. An information provision system according to claim 4, wherein

said server is connected to a dedicated network via said network for said portable telephone terminal, and

said server is connected to said information provider via a wide area network.

6. An information regeneration terminal to which information is provided from a server via a network, said terminal comprising:

a memory in which address information of said server in said network is stored;

connection request sending means for sending a request for connection addressed to said server via said network using said address information of said server in response to a user operation requesting connection;

channel generating means for generating a channel between said server and said information regeneration terminal;

means for sending a request for provided information to said server via said channel in response to a user operation for requesting said provided information and information identifying functions for processing data and/or capacity for processing data of the information regeneration terminal such that the provided information to be sent from the server conforms to the functions for processing data and/or capacity for processing data of the information regeneration terminal; and

means for acquiring and regenerating said provided information from said server via said channel.

7. An information regeneration terminal according to claim 6, wherein

said information regeneration terminal is connected to said server via a network to which a communication terminal is connected, and

said connection request sending means sends to said server said request for connection along with identification information showing that said information regeneration terminal can receive said provided information from said server.

8. An information regeneration terminal according to claim 6, wherein

said channel generated between said server and said information regeneration terminal includes a network for a portable telephone terminal,

said information regeneration terminal is provided with radiocommunication means for communicating via a radio base station for said portable telephone terminal, and

said information regeneration terminal is portable.

9. A server for providing requested information to an information regeneration terminal, wherein said server is connected to a plurality of information providers for providing information via a network, said server comprising:

means for generating a channel between said server and an information regeneration terminal in response to a request for connection from said information regeneration terminal; and

means for acquiring requested provided information from an information provider via said network in response to a request for provided information from said information regeneration terminal and sending said acquired provided information to information regeneration terminal via said channel based on information identifying functions for processing data and/or capacity for processing data of the information regeneration terminal provided by the information regeneration terminal such that the provided information conforms to the functions for processing data and/or capacity for processing data of the information regeneration terminal.

10. A server according to claim 9, wherein

said server is connected to said information regeneration terminal via said network to which a communication terminal is connected,

said server checks whether said information with radiocommunication means for communicating via a radio base station for said portable telephone terminal, and

said information regeneration terminal is portable.

11. An information communication method in which a server and a portable radiocommunication terminal are connected via a network by a wireless connection, said portable radiocommunication terminal sends information specifying a party in cooperation with said server, and receive data sent to said portable radiocommunication terminal is received by said server, stored in storage means of said server, and acquired by said portable radiocommunication terminal when said portable radiocommunication terminal requests said server to send said receive data, said method comprising the steps of:

said server executing a process for sending or receiving information to/from said party; and

communicating send information and receive information between said portable radiocommunication terminal and said server according to a communication system suitable for said network based on information identifying functions for processing data and/or capacity for processing data of the portable radiocommunication terminal provided by the portable radiocommunication terminal such that the information received by the portable radiocommunication terminal from the server conforms to the functions for processing data and/or capacity for processing data of the portable radiocommunication terminal.

12. A server which is connected to a plurality of portable radiocommunication terminals via a network by a wireless connection and for enabling each of said plurality of portable radiocommunication terminals to acquire received information addressed to its own terminal in cooperation with each of said plurality of portable radiocommunication terminals, said server comprising:

received information storing means for storing received information addressed to each of said plurality of portable radiocommunication terminals;

means for receiving a request to acquire related information related to said received information and information identifying functions for processing data and/or capacity for processing data of a portable radiocommunication terminal sent from the portable radiocommunication terminal, generating related information based upon said received information stored in said storage means and addressed to said portable radiocommunication which sent said request to acquire and sending said generated related information to said portable radiocommunication terminal which sent said request to acquire based on the information identifying functions for processing data and/or capacity for processing data of the portable radiocommunication terminal such that the general related information conforms to the functions for processing data and/or capacity for processing data of the portable radiocommunication terminal; and

means for receiving a request to process related information related to said received information sent from said portable radiocommunication terminal, processing said related information according to said request to process and sending said processed related information to said portable radiocommunication terminal which sent said request to process.

13. A server according to claim 12, wherein said server executes processing for enabling each of said portable radiocommunication terminals to send information specifying another party according to an established communication system in cooperation with each of said plurality of portable radiocommunication terminals.

14. An information communication method in which a server and a plurality of portable radiocommunication terminals are connected via a network by a wireless connection and said server provides data communication service in response to a request from each of said portable radiocommunication terminals, comprising the steps of:

each of said portable radiocommunication terminals sending to said server performance identification information for identifying functions for processing and/or a capacity for processing of a respective portable radiocommunication terminal; and

said server identifying said functions for processing and said capacity for processing of each of said portable radiocommunication terminals based upon said performance identification information sent from each of said portable radiocommunication terminals and generating information to be sent to each of said portable radiocommunication terminals based upon an identification result such that the information to be sent to each of said portable radiocommunication terminals conforms to the functions for processing and/or capacity for processing of each of said plurality of portable radiocommunication terminals.

15. An information communication method in which a server and a plurality of portable radiocommunication terminals are connected via a network by a wireless connection and said server provides data communication service in response to a request from each of said portable radiocommunication terminals comprising the steps of:

said server storing terminal related information generated by relating identification information sent from said plurality of portable radiocommunication terminals connected to said server via said network and information showing functions for processing and/or a capacity for processing of each of said portable radiocommunication terminals; and

said server referring to said terminal related information based upon said identification information sent from said plurality of portable radiocommunication terminals, identifying said functions for processing and/or said capacity for processing of each of said portable radiocommunication terminals, and generating information to be sent to each of said portable radiocommunication terminals based upon an identification result such that the information to be sent to each of said portable radiocommunication terminals conforms to the functions for processing and/or capacity for processing of each of said plurality of portable radiocommunication terminals.

16. An information communication system in which a server and a plurality of portable radiocommunication terminals are connected via a network by a wireless connection and said server provides data communication service in response to a request from each of said portable radiocommunication terminals, said system comprising:

a portable radiocommunication terminal, comprising;

storage means for storing performance identification information for identifying functions for processing and/or a capacity for processing of said portable radiocommunication terminal,

reading means for reading said performance identification information from said storage means, and

performance identification information sending means for sending said performance identification information read by said reading means to said server; and

a server, comprising;

performance identifying means for identifying said functions for processing and/or said capacity for processing of said portable radiocommunication terminal based upon said performance identification information from said portable radiocommunication terminals,

send information generating means for generating send information to be sent to said portable radiocommunication terminal based upon an identification result from said performance identifying means such that the send information conforms to the functions for processing data and/or capacity for processing data of the portable radiocommunication terminal, and

sending means for sending said send information generated by said send information generating means to said portable radiocommunication terminal.

17. An information communication system in which a server and a plurality of portable radiocommunication terminals are connected via a network by a wireless connection and said server provides data communication service in response to a request from each of said portable radiocommunication terminals, said system comprising:

a server, comprising;

terminal related information storing means for storing terminal related information generated by relating identification information sent from each of said portable radiocommunication terminals connected to said server via said network and information showing at least functions for processing and/or a capacity for processing of said portable radiocommunication terminals,

performance identifying means for referring to said terminal related information stored in said terminal related information storing means based upon said identification information sent from said portable radiocommunication terminals and identifying at least said functions for processing and/or said capacity for processing of said portable radiocommunication terminals;

send information generating means for generating send information to be sent to each of said portable radiocommunication terminals based upon an identification result from said performance identifying means such that the send information to be sent to each of said portable radiocommunication terminals conforms to the functions for processing and/or capacity for processing of each of said plurality of portable radiocommunication terminals; and

sending means for sending said send information generated by said send information generating means to said each of said portable radiocommunication terminals.

18. A portable radiocommunication terminal connected to a server via a network by a wireless connection and to which information according to one of functions for processing and/or capacity for processing of said portable radiocommunication terminal is provided from said server, said portable radiocommunication terminal comprising:

storage means for storing performance identification information for identifying one of said functions for processing and said capacity for processing which said portable radiocommunication terminal is provided;

reading means for reading said performance identification information from said storage means; and

performance identification information sending means for sending said performance identification information read by said reading means to said server such that information to be sent to said portable radiocommunication terminal from said server conforms to the functions for processing and/or capacity for processing of said portable radiocommunication terminal.

19. A server connected to a portable radiocommunication terminal via a network by a wireless connection for generating information relating to said portable radiocommunication terminal and providing said information to said portable radiocommunication terminal, said server comprising:

performance identifying means for identifying one of functions for processing and/or a capacity for processing of said portable radiocommunication terminal based upon performance identification information sent from said portable radiocommunication terminal;

send information generating means for generating send information to be sent to said portable radiocommunication terminal based upon an identification result of said performance identifying means such that the information to be sent to said portable radiocommunication terminal conforms to the functions for processing and/or capacity for processing of said portable radiocommunication terminal; and

sending means for sending said send information generated by said send information generating means to said portable radiocommunication terminal.

20. A server connected to a portable radiocommunication terminal via a network by a wireless connection for generating information relating to said portable radiocommunication terminal and providing said information to said portable radiocommunication terminal, said server comprising:

storing means for storing terminal-related information generated by relating identification information sent from a portable radiocommunication terminal connected to said server via said network and information showing one of functions for processing and a capacity for processing which said portable radiocommunication terminal is provided;

performance identifying means for referring to said terminal-related information stored in said storing means based upon said identification information sent from said portable radiocommunication terminal and identifying one of said functions for processing and said capacity for processing which said portable radiocommunication terminal is provided;

send information generating means for generating send information sent to said portable radiocommunication terminal based upon an identification result by said performance identifying means such that the send information to be sent to said portable radiocommunication terminal conforms to the functions for processing and/or capacity for processing of said portable radiocommunication terminal; and

sending means for sending said send information generated by said send information generating means to said portable radiocommunication terminal.

21. A portable radiocommunication terminal connected to a server via a network by a wireless connection and to which information according to processing functions thereof is provided from said server, said portable radiocommunication terminal comprising:

storage means for storing identification information for identifying one of said functions with which said portable radiocommunication terminal is provided;

reading means for reading said identification information from said storage means;

display means for displaying said identification information read from said storage means for subsequent selections; and

identification information sending means for sending selected identification information to said server such that information to be sent to said portable radiocommunication terminal from the server conforms to the functions with which the portable radiocommunication terminal is provided.

22. A portable radiocommunication terminal connected by a wireless connection to a server via a network and to which information relating to processing functions thereof is provided, said portable radiocommunication terminal comprising:

storage means for storing identification information for identifying said processing functions with which said portable radiocommunication terminal is provided;

reading means for reading out said identification information from said storage means;

display means for displaying said identification information read out from said storage means;

selecting means for permitting a user to make a selection from said identification information being displayed; and

identification information sending means for sending the selected identification information to said server such that the information to be sent to said portable radiocommunication terminals from the server conforms to the processing functions of said portable radiocommunication terminal.