Method and system for exchanging messages on the basis of current position
First Claim
1. A method for operating a message exchanging system including a plurality of access points that transmit annunciation signals including their addresses, a portable terminal configured to be connected to a wide area network and to receive the annunciation signals transmitted from the access points, and a message server that is connected to the wide area network and stores a message table in which a message is associated with each set of the addresses of the plurality of access points, in order for the portable terminal to acquire the message from the message server, the method comprising:
- a first step, effected though the portable terminal, of searching for access points in a vicinity of the portable terminal and receiving the annunciation signal including the address of the access point from each of searched access points;
a second step, effected though the portable terminal, of transmitting to the message server, a message acquisition request which includes, as a query, a set of the addresses of the searched access points included in the annunciation signals;
a third step, effected though the message server, of comparing the set of the addresses as the query which is included in the message acquisition request, with a plurality of sets of addresses recorded in the message table stored in the message server, and extracting a message corresponding to a set of the addresses which ranks high among the sets of the addresses that are arranged in descending order of similarity; and
a fourth step, effected though the message server and the portable terminal, of transmitting the extracted message as a response to the portable terminal such that the portable terminal exchanges messages with other portable terminals which are in a vicinity of the portable terminal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Provided is a method for exchanging messages only between the users in a predetermined range around the current position, without intentionally grouping the users. A message server stores a message table where a message is associated with each set of addresses of a plurality of access points. A portable terminal searches for access points near the portable terminal and receives annunciation signal including the address of the access point from each access point. The portable terminal transmits, to a message server, a message acquisition request including, as a query, the set of the addresses included in the annunciation signals. The message server compares the set of the addresses as the query with a plurality of sets of addresses recorded in the message table, extracts messages corresponding to the sets of the addresses ranking high arranged in descending order of similarity, and transmits the messages to the portable terminal.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for operating a message exchanging system including a plurality of access points that transmit annunciation signals including their addresses, a portable terminal configured to be connected to a wide area network and to receive the annunciation signals transmitted from the access points, and a message server that is connected to the wide area network and stores a message table in which a message is associated with each set of the addresses of the plurality of access points, in order for the portable terminal to acquire the message from the message server, the method comprising:
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a first step, effected though the portable terminal, of searching for access points in a vicinity of the portable terminal and receiving the annunciation signal including the address of the access point from each of searched access points; a second step, effected though the portable terminal, of transmitting to the message server, a message acquisition request which includes, as a query, a set of the addresses of the searched access points included in the annunciation signals; a third step, effected though the message server, of comparing the set of the addresses as the query which is included in the message acquisition request, with a plurality of sets of addresses recorded in the message table stored in the message server, and extracting a message corresponding to a set of the addresses which ranks high among the sets of the addresses that are arranged in descending order of similarity; and a fourth step, effected though the message server and the portable terminal, of transmitting the extracted message as a response to the portable terminal such that the portable terminal exchanges messages with other portable terminals which are in a vicinity of the portable terminal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A message exchange system comprising:
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a plurality of access points that transmit annunciation signals including their addresses; a portable terminal that can be connected to a wide area network and receives the annunciation signals transmitted from the access points; and a message server that is connected to the wide area network and stores a message table in which a message is associated with each set of the addresses of the plurality of access points, wherein the portable terminal includes; an annunciation signal reception element that searches for the access points in a vicinity of the portable terminal and receives the annunciation signal including the address of the access point from each of the searched access points; a message acquisition request element that transmits, to the message server, a message acquisition request which includes, as a query, the set of the addresses of a plurality of the searched access points included in the annunciation signals; and a message response reception element that receives the message from the message server and presents the message to a user, and wherein the message server includes; a message acquisition request reception element that receives the message acquisition request from the portable terminal; an address search element that compares the set of the addresses as the query which is included in the message acquisition request with a plurality of sets of addresses recorded in the message table and extracts a message corresponding to a set of the addresses which ranks high among the sets of the addresses that are arranged in descending order of similarity; and a message response transmission element that transmits the extracted message as a response to the portable terminal. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification