Memorandum system, portable terminal, computer program, recording medium and memorandum information providing method

• US 7,175,080 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2005
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ohwa, Tsunayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): ST CYR, DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US11/114,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20050252965A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/462.45, 235/462.46, 235/472.01, 235/472.02
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

Memorandum information specific to a user is provided at proper timings by using a portable terminal, without accessing an external apparatus and without a necessity of secure and complicated operations. A portable terminal is equipped with: a storage unit for storing an ontological dictionary and a memorandum list; a memorandum list management unit for reading service item information listed-up in the memorandum list, collating the ontological dictionary, retrieving site location information related to site information from the site information on a site providing a service item, and writing into the memorandum list at least each service item information and the site location information related to the service item information; a current location information acquisition unit for acquiring current location information; and a notification unit for performing matching between the current location information and the site location information in the memorandum list and notifying a use of memorandum information on a service item related to the matched site location information.

Claims

1. A memorandum system for operating a portable terminal as a memorandum, comprising:

an ontological dictionary management server;

a portable terminal; and

a communication network for interconnecting the ontological dictionary management server and the portable terminal so as to enable bi-directional communications therebetween;

wherein;

the ontological dictionary management server includes;

an ontological dictionary management section for managing an ontological dictionary organized by correlating a service item, site information related to a site providing the service item and a site position information related to the site information; and

a communications apparatus providing the ontological dictionary in response to a request from the portable terminal;

the portable terminal includes;

a communications apparatus for receiving the ontological dictionary from the ontological dictionary management server;

a storage apparatus containing the ontological dictionary and a user-specific memorandum list including listed-up service item information;

a memorandum list management section for reading out the service item information listed up in the memorandum list;

collating the ontological dictionary, retrieving site position information related to the site information from site information providing the service item, and writing to the memorandum list by relating at least each service item information and the site position information related to the service item information;

a current position information acquisition section for acquiring current position information; and

a notification section for notifying memorandum information related to service item related to site position information matched by matching the current position information with the site position information of the memorandum list.

2. The memorandum system according to claim 1, wherein the ontological dictionary management section provides update information to the portable terminal when information registered in the ontological dictionary is updated.

3. A portable terminal comprising:

a storage apparatus containing a user-specific memorandum list including listed-up service item information, and an ontological dictionary organized by correlating a service item, site information related to a site providing the service item and a site position information related to the site information;

a memorandum list management section for reading out the service item information listed up in the memorandum list;

collating the ontological dictionary, retrieving site position information related to the site information from site information providing the service item, and writing to the memorandum list by relating at least each service item information and the site position information related to the service item information;

a current position information acquisition section for acquiring current position information; and

a notification section for notifying memorandum information related to service item related to site position information matched by matching the current position information with the site position information of the memorandum list.

4. The portable terminal according to claim 3, wherein:

the service item information includes product information;

the memorandum list includes shopping memorandum list;

the site information includes shop information;

the site position information includes shop position information; and

the memorandum information includes at least information on a product to be purchased.

5. The portable terminal according to claim 4, wherein the ontological dictionary comprises:

a first database organized to relate the product information and the shop information; and

a second database organized to relate the shop information and the shop location information.

6. The portable terminal according to claim 3, further comprising:

a communications apparatus for receiving update information of the ontological dictionary from the ontological dictionary management server; and

an update section for updating the ontological dictionary within the storage apparatus, when receiving the update information.

7. A computer program for causing a portable terminal to function as:

a memorandum list management section for reading out service item information listed up in a user-specific memorandum list, collating an ontological dictionary, retrieving site position information related to site information from site information providing the service item, and writing to the memorandum list by relating at least each service item information and site position information related to the service item information;

a current position information acquisition section for acquiring current position information; and

a notification section for notifying memorandum information related to service item related to site position information matched by matching the current position information with the site position information of the memorandum list;

wherein

the portable terminal comprises;

a storage apparatus containing the memorandum list including the listed-up service item information; and

the ontological dictionary organized by correlating a service item, site information related to a site providing the service item and site position information related to the site information.

8. The computer program according to claim 7, wherein:

the service item information includes product information;

the memorandum list includes shopping memorandum list;

the site information includes shop information;

the site position information includes shop position information; and

the memorandum information includes at least information on a product to be purchased.

9. The computer program according to claim 8, wherein the ontological dictionary comprises:

a first database organized to relate the product information and the shop information; and

a second database organized to relate the shop information and the shop location information.

10. The computer program according to claim 7, further performing the functions of:

a storage apparatus;

a communications apparatus for receiving update information of the ontological dictionary from the ontological dictionary management server; and

an update section for updating the ontological dictionary within the storage apparatus, when receiving the update information.

11. A computer-readable recording medium recording a program for causing a portable terminal to function as:

a memorandum list management section for reading out service item information listed up in a user-specific memorandum list, collating an ontological dictionary, retrieving site position information related to site information from site information providing the service item, and writing to the memorandum list by relating at least each service item information and the site position information related to the service item information;

a current position information acquisition section for acquiring current position information; and

a notification section for notifying memorandum information related to service item related to site position information matched by matching the current position information with the site position information of the memorandum list;

wherein the portable terminal comprises;

a storage apparatus containing the memorandum list including the listed-up service item information; and

the ontological dictionary organized by correlating a service item, site information related to a site providing the service item and site position information related to the site information.

12. A memorandum information providing method of providing memorandum information to a portable terminal including a storage apparatus containing a user-specific memorandum list including listed-up service item information, and an ontological dictionary organized by correlating a service item, site information related to a site providing the service item and a site position information related to the site information, the memorandum information providing method comprising:

a memorandum list producing step of reading out the service item information listed up in the memorandum list;

collating the ontological dictionary, retrieving site position information related to the site information from site information providing the service item, and writing to the memorandum list by relating at least each service item information and the site position information related to the service item information;

a current position information acquisition step for

acquiring current position information; and

a notification step of notifying memorandum information related to service item related to site position information matched by matching the current position information with the site position information of the memorandum list.

13. The memorandum information providing method according to claim 12, wherein:

the service item information includes product information;

the memorandum list includes shopping memorandum list;

the site information includes shop information;

the site position information includes shop position information; and

the memorandum information includes at least information on a product to be purchased.

14. The memorandum information providing method according to claim 13, wherein the ontological dictionary comprises:

a first database organized to relate the product information and the shop information; and

a second database organized to relate the shop information and the shop location information.

15. The memorandum information providing method according to claim 12, further comprising:

a receiving step of receiving update information of the ontological dictionary from the ontological dictionary management server; and

an update step of updating the ontological dictionary within the storage apparatus, when receiving the update information.