Information transmission system and method

• US 6,824,048 B1
• Filed: 07/05/2001
• Issued: 11/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Katsunori, Itabashi, Tatsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Diane
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAYLOR, APRIL ALICIA
• Application Number:
  US09/869,819
• Time in Patent Office: 1,244 Days
• Field of Search: 455/11.1, 455/436, 455/437, 455/411, 455/414, 455/417, 235/375, 235/380, 235/492, 379/201.01, 379/201.07
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/26 Government or public services business processes related to the transportation industry G06Q50/40
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/005 with transmission via computer network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/006 with transmission via telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4547 for personal communications, i.e. using a personal identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/12 Inter-network notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/105 PBS [Private Base Station] network H04W84/12 - H04W84/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

In an information communication system and method, firstly, when individual identification information of a user that originated from a portable terminal is received by a communicating device, the individual identification information is stored and managed in connection with the communicating device, and the user is connected via the accessible communicating device on the basis of the individual identification information designated by an outside source. Secondly, the position of the user and accessible equipment to the user are managed on the basis of the individual identification information of each user that originated from the terminal and thereby, the user is provided with the predetermined information on the basis of the management information.

Claims

1. An information communication system comprising:

a terminal which is carried by a user and originates individual identification information of said user that is given in advance;

communicating means for performing communication with outside via a corresponding plurality of predetermined communicating routes employing corresponding different transmission methods and for receiving said individual identification information originated from said terminal; and

managing means for storing and managing said individual identification information, which is sent from said communicating means through one of said plurality of predetermined communicating routes via said corresponding transmission method, when said communicating means receives said individual identification information;

wherein said managing means accesses said terminal of said user via a best one of said communicating means, via said corresponding communicating route and transmission method, on the basis of said individual identification information received from said outside.

2. The information communication system according to claim 1, wherein

said managing means controls said communicating means at predetermined time intervals.

3. The information communication system according to claim 1, wherein

said communicating means controls said terminal at predetermined time intervals.

4. The information communication system according to claim 1, wherein:

a plurality of said communicating means and corresponding communicating route and transmission method are accessible to said user; and

said managing means accesses each of the accessible communicating means, through said corresponding one or more predetermined communicating routes and communicating methods, on the basis of an indication of preferred communicating methods in said individual identification information received from said outside.

5. The information communication system according to claim 1, wherein

said communicating means and/or managing means receive(s) only said predetermined individual identification information set in advance.

6. The information communication system according to claim 1, wherein:

said terminal comprises;

an IC card recording said individual identification information; and

originating means for reading said individual identification information from said IC card, wherein

said IC card protects the reading-out of said recorded individual identification information using a predetermined password set in advance.

7. The information communication system according to claim 1, wherein

said communicating means informs said managing means of said individual identification information when a predetermined password set in advance is inputted.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

a plurality of said communicating means and corresponding different transmission methods are accessible to said user; and

said managing means accesses a preferred one of said plurality of communicating means and corresponding transmission method in accordance with a communicating means and corresponding transmission method via which said individual identification information is received.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein:

a plurality of said communicating means and corresponding different transmission methods are accessible to said user; and

said managing means accesses a preferred one of said plurality of communicating means and corresponding transmission method in accordance with a communicating means and corresponding transmission method on the basis of an indication of a preferred communicating method in said individual identification information.

10. An information communication method comprising the steps of:

receiving individual identification information of a user which is originated from a terminal carried by the user, with communicating means for performing communication with outside via a corresponding plurality of predetermined communicating routes employing corresponding different transmission methods;

storing and managing said individual identification information, which is transmitted from said communicating means through one of said plurality of predetermined communicating routes via said corresponding transmission method, when the communicating means receives said individual identification information; and

accessing said terminal of said user via a best one of said communicating means, via said corresponding communicating route and transmission method, on the basis of said individual identification information received from said outside.

11. The information communication method according to claim 10, wherein:

in said storing and managing step, said communicating means is controlled at predetermined time intervals.

12. The information communication method according to claim 10, wherein:

a plurality of said communicating means and corresponding communicating route and transmission method are accessible; and

in said accessing step, each of the accessible communicating means is accessed through said corresponding one or more predetermined communicating routes and communicating methods, on the basis of an indication of preferred communicating methods in said individual identification information received from said outside.

13. The information communication method according to claim 10, wherein:

in said receiving, and storing and managing steps, only said predetermined individual identification information set in advance is received and/or stored.

14. The information communication method according to claim 10, wherein:

said receiving step comprises;

a reading-out step of reading said individual identification information from said IC card in which said individual identification information is recorded with a terminal carried by a user; and

an originating step of originating said read individual identification information from said terminal, wherein

in said read-out step, said individual identification information recorded in said IC card is read out by inputting a predetermined password set in advance in said terminal.

15. The information communication method according to claim 10, wherein

in storing and managing step, when a predetermined password set in advance is inputted to said communicating means at the time when the communicating means receives said individual identification information, the communicating means informs said managing means of said received individual identification information, through said corresponding one or more predetermined communicating routes to said managing means.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein:

a plurality of said communicating means and corresponding different transmission methods are accessible to said user; and

said managing means accesses a preferred one of said plurality of communicating means and corresponding transmission method in accordance with a communicating means and corresponding transmission method via which said individual identification information is received.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein:

a plurality of said communicating means and corresponding different transmission methods are accessible to said user; and

said managing means accesses a preferred one of said plurality of communicating means and corresponding transmission method in accordance with a communicating means and corresponding transmission method on the basis of an indication of a preferred communicating method in said individual identification information.

18. An information communication system, comprising:

a terminal for originating individual identification information of a user which is given in advance;

receiving means for receiving said individual identification information, which is originated from said terminal, informing a management section of the received individual identification information and performing communication with outside via a corresponding plurality of predetermined communication routes employing corresponding different transmission methods; and

managing means provided in said management section, for managing a position of a corresponding user and managing accessible equipment to the user, on the basis of said individual identification information given from said receiving means via said corresponding transmission method;

wherein said managing means provides predetermined information to said user in a designated area via a best one of said accessible equipment and via said corresponding communicating route and transmission method, on the basis of the position of said corresponding user.

19. The information communication system according to claim 18, wherein

said managing means provides said receiving means with said information in advance.

20. An information communication method, comprising the steps of:

originating individual identification information of a user given in advance in a terminal;

receiving said individual identification information originated in said terminal, and informing a management section of the received individual identification information;

performing communication with outside via a corresponding plurality of predetermined communication routes employing corresponding different transmission methods;

managing a position of a corresponding user and managing accessible equipment to the user, on the basis of said given individual identification information via said corresponding transmission method; and

providing said user in a designated area, with predetermined information via a best one of said accessible equipment and via said corresponding communicating route and transmission method on the basis of the position of said corresponding user.