Method for data communication, data communication system and mobile communication terminal

• US 8,407,310 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2006
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
• Original Assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
• Inventors: Murai, Yusuke, Doi, Masayuki, Aoyagi, Tatsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): LAZARO, DAVID R
• Application Number:
  US11/595,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20070078951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,325 Days
• Field of Search: 709200-253
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5016 the resource being the memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications

Abstract

A cellular phone 10 transmits a request for management information including size information of object data which is desired to be downloaded, and determines whether a size of the object data exceeds a predetermined value or not, based on the size information. If the size of the object data does not exceed the predetermined value, the cellular phone 10 stores the object data, received in response to the download request, in a temporary storage area. If the size of the object data does exceed the predetermined value, the cellular phone 10 determines whether a free area for storing the object data in a permanent storage area exists or not. If a free area exists, the object data received in response to the download request is stored in the permanent storage area. As a result, the temporary storage area to be used for storing history is not used for storing a large amount of content data, and the history of a number of operations can be held in the temporary storage area without providing a large temporary storage area.

Claims

1. A method for data communication of downloading data to a mobile communication terminal which is in a process of executing a browser application, comprising steps of:

making a request for object-data management information, wherein the mobile communication terminal transmits a request for object-data management information which includes size information of object data desired to be downloaded;

receiving the object-data management information by the mobile communication terminal;

judging a data size wherein the mobile communication terminal makes a judgment of whether or not a size of the object data exceeds a predetermined size, based on the size information of the object data;

making a request for a first downloading, wherein when a judgment result at the step of judging the data size is negative, the mobile communication terminal transmits a request for downloading the object data;

performing the first downloading to download the object data to the mobile communication terminal;

storing a first object data, wherein the mobile communication terminal receives the object data and stores the object data in a temporary storage area which stores a history of the browser application, the temporary storage area being located in the mobile communication terminal;

judging a free area, wherein, when the judgment result at the step of judging the data size is affirmative, a judgment of whether or not there exists a free area for storing the object data in a permanent storage area in which stored data is not deleted when there is no explicit command from a user is made, the permanent storage area being located in the mobile communication terminal;

when the judgment result at the step of judging the free area is negative, suggesting that a free space be secured and judging whether the free space has been secured;

making a request for a second downloading, wherein, when a judgment result at the step of judging the free area is affirmative, the mobile communication terminal transmits a request for downloading the object data; and

storing a second object data, wherein the mobile communication terminal receives the object data and stores the object data in the permanent storage area.

2. The method for data communication according to claim 1, wherein said suggesting

includes the mobile communication terminal suggesting the user to secure a size of the free space not smaller than a size of the object data.

3. The method for data communication according to claim 1, further comprising a step of:

determining a data communication method which is to be used for downloading the object data, based on the size information, by the mobile communication terminal which has received the object-data management information, wherein

at the step of making the request for downloading, a request for downloading of the object data is transmitted upon specifying the communication method which is determined.

4. The method for data communication according to claim 1, further comprising a step of:

confirming a request for downloading, wherein, the mobile communication terminal which has received the object-data management information entrusts to a judgment of the user of the mobile communication terminal as to whether or not to execute the step of making the request for downloading upon displaying the size of the object data.

5. The method for data communication according to claim 1, further comprising steps of:

making a request for downloading of a remaining portion, wherein, when the downloading of the object data is not completed at the step of storing the object data, the mobile communication terminal makes a request for downloading a remaining portion which is a request for downloading related to the remaining portion which is a portion other than a portion which is already downloaded; and

storing the remaining portion, wherein, the mobile communication terminal receives the remaining portion and stores the remaining portion in the permanent storage area.

6. A data communication system which downloads data to a mobile communication terminal which is in a process of executing a browser application, wherein the mobile communication terminal comprises:

a processor and a memory;

a means for making a request for object-data management information which transmits a request for object-data management information which comprises size information of object data desired to be downloaded;

a data-size judging means for making a judgment of whether or not a size of the object data exceeds a predetermined size, based on the size information of the object data;

a first-downloading means for transmitting a request for downloading the object data, for downloading the object data to the mobile communication terminal, and for storing the object data which is sent back, in a temporary storage area which stores a history of the application, when a judgment result of the judgment made by the data-size judging means is negative;

a free area judging means for making a judgment of whether or not there exists a, free area for storing the object data in a permanent storage area in which stored data is not deleted when there is no explicit command from a user, when the judgment result of the judgment made by the data-size judging means is affirmative, the permanent storage area being located in the mobile communication terminal;

a suggesting and judging means for suggesting that a free space be secured and for judging whether the free space has been secured, when the judgment result of the judgment made by the free area judging means is negative; and

a second-downloading means for transmitting a request for downloading the object data, and for storing the object data which is sent back in response to the request for downloading, in the permanent storage area, when the judgment result of the judgment made by the free area judging means is affirmative.

7. The data communication system according to claim 6, comprising:

a management information server unit which transmits the object-data management information to the mobile communication terminal, in response to a request for the object-data management information; and

an object-data server unit which transmits the object data by the communication method determined, to the mobile communication terminal, in response to a request for downloading.

8. The data communication system according to claim 7, wherein the management-information server unit and the object-data server unit are one and the same unit.

9. The data communication system according to claim 7, wherein

the management-information server unit and the object-data server unit are mutually different units, and

the object data management information comprises information of a position at which the object-data server unit is located.

10. The data communication system according to claim 6, wherein the temporary storage area is located in the mobile communication terminal.

11. A mobile communication terminal which is capable of executing a browser application, comprising:

a processor and a memory;

a means for making a request for object-data management information which transmits a request for object-data management information which comprises size information of object data desired to be downloaded while executing the browser application;

a data-size judging means for making a judgment of whether or not a size of the object data exceeds a predetermined size, based on the size information of the object data;

a first-downloading means for transmitting a request for downloading the object data, for downloading the object data to the mobile communication terminal, and for storing the object data which is sent back, in a temporary storage area which stores a history of the application, when a judgment result of the judgment made by the data-size judging means is negative;

a free area judging means for making a judgment of whether or not there exists a free area for storing the object data in a permanent storage area in which stored data is not deleted when there is no explicit command from a user, when the judgment result of the judgment made by the data-size judging means is affirmative, the permanent storage area being located in the mobile communication terminal;

a suggesting and judging means for suggesting that a free space be secured and for judging whether the free space has been secured, when the judgment result of the judgment made by the free area judging means is negative; and

a second-downloading means for transmitting a request for downloading the object data, and for storing the object data which is sent back in response to the request for downloading, in the permanent storage area, when a judgment result of the judgment made by the free area judging means is affirmative.

12. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 11, wherein the suggesting that a free space be secured includes suggesting a user to secure a size of the free space not smaller than a size of the object data.

13. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 11, further comprising:

a data-communication method determining means for determining a data-communication method to be used for downloading the object data, based on the size information, wherein

the first downloading means and the second downloading means transmit a request for downloading of the object data upon specifying the communication method which is determined.

14. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 11, wherein the first downloading means and the second downloading means entrust to a judgment of the user as to whether or not to transmit the request for downloading upon displaying the size of the object data.

15. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 11, wherein, the permanent storage area is divided according to a type of data, the object-data management information further comprises information of a type of object data, and the temporary storage area is located in the mobile communication terminal.