Method and system for offering customer information service to specific users utilizing communication network and multi-functional communication terminal unit of network-adapted-type for use in same system

• US 20020007304A1
• Filed: 05/23/2001
• Published: 01/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Asahi Matsushita Electric Works Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Asahi Matsushita Electric Works Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyanoo, Tetsuji, Hieda, Satoru, Kasajima, Yasushi
• Application Number:
  US09/863,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20020007304A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data

Abstract

A method and system for offering customer information service to specific customers timely over communication network according to the changes in daily living circumstances of the customers staying or living in dwelling house, office building or the like and a multi-functional communication terminal unit of the network-adapted type are disclosed. According to which, monitoring information on living facilities and equipment used in dwelling houses, office buildings or the like is constantly watched by a dwelling management server and the dwelling management server automatically sends the monitoring information to a service server equipped on a communication network immediately when there occurs a change in monitoring information and at specific time intervals when there is no change in monitoring information. The dwelling management server includes communication terminals of the network-adapted type, is two-way communicably connected to communication network and the information communication network connected to the living facilities and equipment in the office buildings, dwelling houses or the like, selects from among different kinds of service information prepared in advance when receiving the monitoring information, and sends back the selected service information to the multi-functional terminal unit as visual displaying information.

Claims

1. A method for offering specific customer information service to specific customers timely over communication network according to the changes in daily living circumstances of said customers staying or living in dwelling house, office building or the like, said method comprising of the steps of;

monitoring at a dwelling management server equipped in said dwelling house, office building and the like, monitoring information on living facilities and equipment used in said dwelling houses, office buildings or the like,

automatically sending immediately from said dwelling management server said monitoring information to a service server equipped on said communication network when there occurs change in monitoring information and sending at specific time intervals said monitoring information to said service server when there is no change in monitoring information, said dwelling management server being connected to a two-way communicable communication network and an information communication network connected to said living facilities and equipment, and

receiving at said service server said monitoring information and selecting service information to be supplied in reply to the received monitoring information from among different kinds of service information prepared in advance and sending back said service information to said dwelling management server as visual display information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein attribute information on living facilities and equipment is sent as said monitoring information from said dwelling management server, and wherein introduction information on products and services prepared in advance corresponding to said attribute information is sent back as said service information from said service servers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein attribute information and operation information on living facilities and equipment is sent as said monitoring information from said dwelling management server, and wherein diagnostic information on results of analysis conducted on the basis of said monitoring information or needed advice information is sent back as said service information from said service server.

4. A system of offering customer information service to specific customers timely over communication network according to the changes in daily living circumstances of said customers staying or living in office buildings, dwelling houses, or the like, said system comprising:

a dwelling management server for monitoring information on living facilities and equipment used in the dwelling house, office buildings or the like, which is connected to a two-way communicable communication network and

a service server equipped on said network for offering said customer information service to said customers through said dwelling management server,

wherein said dwelling management server is connected to said communication network to which living facilities and equipment used in the dwelling house are connected, and constantly watches monitoring information on living facilities and equipment connected to said network and sends monitoring information to said service server immediately when there occurs a change in monitoring information and at specific time intervals when there is no change in monitoring information, and

wherein said service server selects service information to be supplied in reply to the received monitoring information from among different kinds of service information prepared in advance on receiving said monitoring information, and sends back said service information to said dwelling management server as visual display information.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said dwelling management server sends attribute information on living facilities and equipment as said monitoring information, and receives from said service server introduction information on products and service prepared in advance corresponding to said attribute information as said service information.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said dwelling management server sends attribute information and operation information on living facilities and equipment as said monitoring information and receives from said service server diagnostic information on results of analysis conducted on the basis of said monitoring information or needed advice information as said service information.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein said dwelling management server is a multi-functional communication terminal unit with function of displaying a request receiving screen on which requests and inquiries from office building or dwelling house occupant is displayed for acceptance of them, and wherein said service server analyzes request information received from said multi-functional communication terminal unit and selects the most appropriate advice information out of different kinds of advice information prepared in advance for said request information and sends the same back to said multi-functional communication terminal unit as visual information.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said living facilities and equipment include an emergency calling device, wherein said service server further comprises a users'"'"' management data base where location information such as addresses, telephone numbers or the like of the dwelling management servers and, wherein said service server reports to public organs such as the fire station and police station, together with information specifying location of the address and telephone number of the office building, dwelling house or the like from which emergency calling signals have been set in, referring to said users'"'"' management data base, on receiving said emergency calling signals.

9. The system of any one of claim 4 to claim 7, wherein a center management server with the customer'"'"'s use actual result is further equipped on said communication network, wherein said dwelling management server comprises means for collecting use actual result information on living facilities and equipment and sending the information to said center management server, and wherein said center management server analyzes said use actual result and stores the analysis results in said use actual result data base, on receiving said use actual result data from said dwelling management server.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said center management server further comprises means for executing a program prepared in advance to automatically prepare a market trend investigation report in a specific form, referring to said usage record data base as necessary and for sending said report thus prepared to other communication terminals of product manufactures or the like equipped on said communication network.

11. A multi-functional communication terminal unit of the network-adapted type comprising;

a display screen where necessary information is displayed for remote control or two-way communication,

means, connected to an indoor network in which control signals are at least transmitted to living facilities and equipment including electric appliances used in a dwelling house, for remote control of living facilities and equipment equipped in indoors and outdoors, and

means for two-way communicating with an information network such as the Internet and said indoor communication network,

whereby said multi-functional communication terminal unit accesses a specific management server to send specific information on said dwelling house over said information network when attribute information on living facilities and equipment connected to said indoor communication network is renewed, or each time a specific period of time passes, while said multi-functional unit displays on said screen renewed introduction information including advertisement on products and services on receiving it from said specific management server.

12. A multi-functional communication terminal unit of the network-adapted type comprising;

a display screen where necessary information is displayed for remote control or two-way communication,

means, connected to a power supply and information network from which electric power is supplied and control signals are sent to living facilities and equipment including electric appliances used in a dwelling house, for remote control of living facilities and equipment equipped in indoors and outdoors, and

means for two-way communicating with an power supply and information network and information communication network such as the Internet,

whereby said multi-functional communication terminal unit accesses a specific management server to send specific information on said dwelling house over said information network when attribute information on living facilities and equipment connected to said indoor communication network is renewed, or each time a specific period of time passes, while said multi-functional unit displays the introduction information including advertisement on products and service from said specific control server on receiving said introduction information from said specific management server.

13. The multi-functional communication terminal unit of claim 12, wherein said power supply and information network comprises a power distribution board, connected to information communication network like the Internet and a power information integration panel board supplying electric power within the dwelling house, and wherein said power supply and information network controls electric power and transmits control signals to said living facilities and equipment including electric appliances connected to a feed control line led out from said the power information integration panel board.