Information mediating system and method for mediating information

• US 20020111822A1
• Filed: 10/02/2001
• Published: 08/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Shimizu, Atsushi, Ando, Tanichi, Oyagi, Masayuki, Masuda, Kiyoshi, Yamato, Masaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,149,696 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The object of this invention is to offer an information mediating system which can mediate the specific information out of the received information from an information provider. The specific information is information which fulfills the objective specification. This system charges a service fee to the information beneficiary, and pays a compensation to the information provider. The service fee and the compensation are offset for each terminal. The information beneficiary and provider are selected each time according to the objective specification. An information mediating system provided with a plurality of terminals which have both information sending and receiving functions, or either an information sending or a receiving function through a network, and provided with an information mediator which has an information mediating function to mediate an received information through the network. The information mediating function comprises 1) a grouping function to select an information provider and an information beneficiary out of the plurality of terminals according to an objective specification to specify a specific information to be obtained; and 2) a data transmission function to transmit the specific information obtained from the selected information provider, which fulfills the objective specification, to the selected information beneficiary through the network.

Claims

1. An information mediating system provided with a plurality of terminals which have both information sending and receiving functions, or either an information sending or a receiving function through a network, and provided with an information mediator which has an information mediating function to mediate a received information through said network, said information mediating function, comprising:

a grouping function to select an information provider and an information beneficiary out of said plurality of terminals according to an objective specification to specify a specific information to be obtained; and

a data transmission function to transmit said specific information obtained from said selected information provider, which fulfills said objective specification, to said selected information beneficiary through said network.

2. An information mediating system according to claim 1, wherein said specific information to be transmitted to said selected information beneficiary is obtained based on a specific state information of said selected information provider to represent specific states of said terminal of said selected information provider.

3. An information mediating system according to claim 2, wherein said specific state information of said selected information provider is a sensing information.

4. An information mediating system according to claim 2, wherein said specific state information of said selected information provider is a sensing information, and a data processing function provided in said information meditating function processes said sensing information detected at said selected information provider to fulfill said objective specification, then said data transmission function transmits said processed sensing information to said selected information beneficiary through said network.

5. An information mediating system according to claim 4, wherein said information meditating function is further provided with a data search function to search an outer data base to obtain an additional information to fulfill said objective specification, and said data processing function provided in said information meditating function processes said sensing information and said additional information obtained from said outer data base to fulfill said objective specification, then said data transmission function transmits said processed sensing information and additional information to said selected information beneficiary through said network.

6. An information mediating system according to claim 4, wherein said processed information is an optimized information based on a plurality of sensing information to fulfill said objective specification, and said data transmission function transmits said optimized sensing information to said selected information beneficiary through said network.

7. An information mediating system according to claim 1, wherein said information mediating function has a secondary use function, which stores said obtained specific information in said information mediator, searches a secondary specific information out of said stored specific information according to a secondary objective specification, and then transmits to a secondary information beneficiary.

8. An information mediating system according to claim 1, wherein said information mediating function further comprises a verification function to verify said plurality of terminals before said data transmission.

9. An information mediating system according to claim 8, wherein said verification function identifies a type of said received information based on a verification data assigned to each terminal.

10. An information mediating system according to claim 1, wherein said information mediating function further comprises an objective modification function to create a modified objective specification which are broken down into a plurality of understandable detailed conditions for said information mediator, and said information mediating function mediates said received information based on said modified objective specification.

11. An information mediating system according to claim 10, wherein said information mediating function ignores said received information which does not fulfill said objective specification.

12. An information mediating system according to claim 10, wherein said grouping function to select said information provider and said information beneficiary out of said plurality of terminals according to said objective specification, said objective specification has a plurality of terminal classification data to classify said plurality of terminals based on a layered address of each terminal, a terminal address for each type of machine, sensor, and event of transmission.

13. An information mediating system according to claim 1, wherein said information mediator is connected with said plurality terminals of said information provider and said information beneficiary through a single or plurality of networks.

14. An information mediating system according to claim 13, Wherein said information mediator is connected with said plurality of unspecified terminals of said information provider and said information beneficiary through a same or different network.

16. An information mediating system according to claim 15, wherein said fee mediation function switches said information provider and said information beneficiary, and reverses a fee charge direction to said switched information beneficiary, based on a value of said mediated specific information in response to different objective specifications.

17. An information mediating system according to claim 15, wherein said fee mediation function is provided with an information value evaluation function to evaluate said mediated specific information which is processed and value added information by said information mediator, then said data transmission function transmits said mediated specific information to said selected information beneficiary through said network.

18. An information mediating system according to claim 16, wherein said fee mediation function is provided with a fee calculation function to calculate total fee for each selected information beneficiary.

19. An information mediating system according to claim 15, wherein said fee mediation function is provided with an information provider extraction function to identify said selected information provider.

20. An information mediating system according to claim 19, wherein said fee mediation function is provided with a percentage calculation function to calculate a weight of contribution toward achieving said specific information.

21. An information mediating system according to claim 20, wherein said fee mediation function is provided with a compensation calculation function to calculate total compensation for each selected information provider.

22. An information mediating system according to claim 15, wherein said fee mediation function is provided with a grand totaling function to offset a total fee to pay as said information beneficiary and a total compensation to receive as said information provider, and obtain a grand total for each terminal.

23. An information mediating system according to claim 15, wherein said fee mediation function is provided with different fee tables depending on said objective specification.

24. An information mediating system according to claim 23, wherein said fee tables are fluctuated according to an economy.

25. An information mediating system according to claim 23, wherein said fee tables are fluctuated according to how many information providers and information beneficiaries are selected.

26. An information mediating system according to claim 23, wherein said fee tables are fluctuated according to an outer occurrence of events.

27. An information mediating system according to claim 23, wherein said fee tables are fluctuated according to a usage purpose of said specific information and a number of usage at said information beneficiary.

28. An information mediating system according to claim 23, wherein said fee tables are fluctuated according to a processing level of said specific information.

29. An information mediating system according to claim 23, wherein said fee tables are fluctuated according to a sales amount, a profit, and an expected growth of a business which is related to said specific information.

30. An information mediating system according to claim 15, wherein said a compensation to be paid to said information provider, and a fee to be paid to said information beneficiary, are recorded in memory device provided in each terminal.

31. An information mediating system according to claim 15, wherein said information mediating function selects a transmission type of information providers according to said objective specification, out of monitored transmission which requires monitoring by said information mediating function, independent transmission which controls a timing of data transmissions to said information mediator by itself, and event transmission which transmits data only when an unforeseen accident or breakdown occurred, and said information from said information providers are sent to said information mediator according to said selected transmission type.

15. An information mediating system provided with a plurality of terminals which have both sending and receiving functions, or either an information sending or a receiving function through a network, and provided with an information mediator which has an information mediating function to mediate a received information through said network, said information mediating function, comprising:

a grouping function to select an information provider and an information beneficiary out of said plurality of terminals according to an objective specification to specify a specific information to be obtained;

a data transmission function to transmit said specific information obtained from said selected information provider, which fulfills said objective specification, to said selected information beneficiary through said network; and

a fee mediation function to pay a compensation to said information provider, and charge a fee to said information beneficiary, based on a value of said specific information.

32. An information mediating system provided with a plurality of terminals which have both information sending and receiving functions, or either an information sending or a receiving function through a network, and provided with an information mediator which has an information mediating function to mediate a received information through said network, said information mediating function, comprising:

a grouping function to select an information provider and an information beneficiary out of said plurality of terminals according to an objective specification to specify a specific information to be obtained; and

a data transmission function to transmit said specific information obtained from said selected information provider, which fulfills said objective specification, to said selected information beneficiary through said network;

wherein said selected information beneficiary has a maintenance order function to automatically order a maintenance service to a maintenance agency based on said received specific information in order to conduct said maintenance service for a specific terminal of said information provider.

33. An information mediating system provided with a plurality of terminals which have both information sending and receiving functions, or either a information sending or a receiving function through a network, and provided with an information mediator which has an information mediating function to mediate a received information through said network, said information mediating function, comprising:

a grouping function to select an information provider and an information beneficiary out of said plurality of terminals according to an objective specification to specify a specific information to be obtained; and

a data transmission function to transmit said specific information obtained from said selected information provider, which fulfills said objective specification, to said selected information beneficiary through said network;

wherein said selected information beneficiary has a security order function to automatically order a security service to a security agency based on said received specific information in order to conduct said security service for a specific terminal of said information provider when said specific information contains an abnormal or malfunction information.

35. An information mediating method according to claim 34, wherein said specific information to be transmitted to said selected information beneficiary is obtained based on a specific state information of said selected information provider to represent specific states of said terminal of said selected information provider.

36. An information mediating method according to claim 34, wherein said specific state information of said selected information provider is a sensing information.

37. An information mediating method according to claim 34, further comprising a step of verifying said plurality of terminals before said data transmission.

38. An information mediating method according to claim 34, further comprising a step of creating a modified objective specification which are broken down into a plurality of understandable detailed conditions for mediating said received information based on said modified objective specification.

39. An information mediating method according to claim 34, wherein said plurality terminals of said information provider and said information beneficiary are connected with through a single or plurality of networks.

34. An information mediating method to mediate a specific information obtained from an information provider out of a plurality of terminals which have both information sending and receiving functions, or either an information sending or a receiving function through a network, and send said specific information to an information beneficiary out of said plurality of terminals, comprising steps of:

grouping to select said information provider and said information beneficiary out of said plurality of terminals according to an objective specification to specify said specific information to be obtained; and

transmitting said specific information obtained from said selected information provider, which fulfills said objective specification, to said selected information beneficiary through said network.

40. An information mediating method to mediate a specific information obtained from an information provider out of a plurality of terminals which have both information sending and receiving functions, or either an information sending or a receiving function through a network, and send said specific information to an information beneficiary out of said plurality of terminals, comprising steps of:

grouping to select said information provider and said information beneficiary out of said plurality of terminals according to an objective specification to specify said specific information to be obtained;

transmitting said specific information obtained from said selected information provider, which fulfills said objective specification, to said selected information beneficiary through said network; and

paying a compensation to said information provider, and charging a fee to said information beneficiary, based on a value of said specific information.

41. An information mediating method to mediate a specific information obtained from an information provider out of a plurality of terminals which have both information sending and receiving functions, or either an information sending or a receiving function through a network, and send said specific information to an information beneficiary out of said plurality of terminals, comprising steps of:

selecting a transmission type of information providers according to said objective specification, out of a monitored transmission which requires monitoring by said information mediating function, independent transmission which controls a timing of data transmissions to said information mediator by itself, and event transmission which transmits data only when an unforeseen accident or breakdown occurred; and

sending said information obtained by said selected transmission type to said mediating step.

42. An information mediating method to mediate a specific information obtained from an information provider out of a plurality of terminals which have both information sending and receiving functions, or either an information sending or a receiving function through a network, and send said specific information to an information beneficiary out of said plurality of terminals, comprising steps of:

grouping to select said information provider and said information beneficiary out of said plurality of terminals according to an objective specification to specify said specific information to be obtained; and

transmitting said specific information obtained from said selected information provider, which fulfills said objective specification, to said selected information beneficiary through said network.

automatically outputting, at said selected information beneficiary, a maintenance order to automatically order a maintenance service to a maintenance agency based on said received specific information in order to conduct said maintenance service for a specific terminal of said selected information provider.

43. An information mediating method to mediate a specific information obtained from an information provider out of a plurality of terminals which have both information sending and receiving functions, or either a information sending or a receiving function through a network, and send said specific information to an information beneficiary out of said plurality of terminals, comprising steps of:

grouping to select said information provider and said information beneficiary out of said plurality of terminals according to an objective specification to specify said specific information to be obtained;

transmitting said specific information obtained from said selected information provider, which fulfills said objective specification, to said selected information beneficiary through said network; and

automatically outputting, at said selected information beneficiary, a security order to automatically order a security service to a security agency based on said received specific information in order to conduct said security service for a specific terminal of said selected information provider when said specific information contains an abnormal or malfunction information.