Local area information terminal device

• US 7,401,350 B1
• Filed: 09/22/1998
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Asada, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry; Hunter B.
• Application Number:
  US09/158,076
• Time in Patent Office: 3,584 Days
• Field of Search: 725 80- 81, 725/123, 370/313, 455450-454
• US Class Current: 725/81
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/61 for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/41 for identifying broadcast space, i.e. broadcast channels, broadcast stations or broadcast areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail

Abstract

Mobile terminals capable of transmitting and receiving HTML data etc. are prepared for actualizing simple bidirectional communications specified in a local area, and some broadcasting channels are prepared for ensuring the communications between the mobile terminals. A contrivance is that a receiver is able to transmit a return mail with respect to the broadcasting data received via the broadcasting channel, and the bidirectional communications at a stage just before persons concerned meet directly each other can be actualized.

Claims

1. A local area information terminal comprising:

a file storing unit storing a file previously created;

a channel retrieving unit comprising;

a tuner, and

a microprocessor connected to the tuner,

the channel retrieving unit determining a free channel by using the tuner in conjunction with the microprocessor, among broadcasting channels allocated to respective frequency bandwidths and retrieving the free channel through which no broadcasting is being conducted;

a channel selecting unit making, when there exist a plurality of free channels, a transmitter automatically select a free channel starting from a lower-number channel; and

a transmitting unit transmitting the file as broadcasting data stored in said file storing unit to within a local area via the selected channel, wherein the channel comprises a bandwidth defined per frequency of the broadcasting.

2. A local area information terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a cipher processing unit,

wherein the file read from said file storing unit is encrypted by said cipher processing unit and thereafter transmitted from said transmitting unit.

3. A local area information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the file is a file in an HTML format.

4. A local area information terminal selectively receiving broadcasting information transmitted via a plurality of channels within a local area, said terminal comprising:

a retrieving unit comprising;

a tuner, and

a microprocessor connected to the tuner determining a free channel through which the broadcasting data can be received by using the tuner in conjunction with the microprocessor, said broadcasting data being transmitted via a channel of the plurality of channels automatically selected starting with a lower-number channel from among a plurality of free channels and retrieving the free channel through which no broadcasting is being conducted;

a selecting unit selecting, when the broadcasting data different from each other are being transmitted via the plurality of channels, a receiving channel;

a displaying unit displaying the broadcasting data received by the selected channel;

an identifier storing unit extracting an identifier for specifying a transmitter out of the broadcasting data and storing the identifier;

a mail editing unit creating a return message to the transmitter on the basis of the transmitter identifier read from said identifier storing unit; and

a returning unit returning the mail created by said mail editing unit, wherein the broadcasting data being transmitted within the local area and the channel comprises a bandwidth defined per frequency of the transmitting.

5. A local area information terminal according to claim 4, further comprising a cipher processing unit, if the broadcasting data received have been encrypted, decoding the encrypted data by decrypting the same data.

6. A local area information terminal capable of transmitting and receiving broadcasting data within a local area, comprising:

a file storing unit storing a file previously created;

a channel retrieving unit comprising;

a tuner, and

a microprocessor connected to the tuner,

the channel retrieving unit determining a free channel by using the tuner in conjunction with the microprocessor, among broadcasting channels allocated to respective frequency bandwidths and retrieving the free channel through which no broadcasting is being conducted;

a transmitting unit transmitting the file as broadcasting data stored in said file storing unit to within a local area via the retrieved channel, said transmitting unit automatically selecting, when there exist a plurality of free channels, a free channel starting from a lower-number channel;

a retrieving unit retrieving a channel through which the broadcasting data can be received within the local area;

a selecting unit selecting, when the broadcasting data different from each other are being transmitted via the plurality of channels, a receiving channel; and

a displaying unit displaying the broadcasting data received via the selected channel, wherein the broadcasting data being transmitted within the local area and the channel comprises a bandwidth defined per frequency of the transmitting.

7. A local area information terminal capable of transmitting and receiving broadcasting data within a local area according to claim 6, further comprising:

a mail editing unit creating a return mail to a transmitter of the broadcasting data received; and

a returning unit for returning the return mail.

8. A local area information terminal capable of transmitting and receiving broadcasting data within a local area according to claim 7, further comprising

an identifier storing unit extracting an identifier for specifying a transmitter out of the broadcasting data and storing the identifier,

wherein said mail editing unit sets a return destination of the return mail to the transmitter on the basis of the transmitter identifier read from said identifier storing unit.

9. A local area information terminal comprising:

a file storing unit storing a file previously created;

a channel retrieving unit comprising;

a tuner, and

a microprocessor connected to the tuner,

the channel retrieving unit determining a free channel by using the tuner in conjunction with the microprocessor, among broadcasting channels allocated to respective frequency bandwidths and retrieving the free channel through which no broadcasting is being conducted;

a channel displaying unit displaying, when there exists a plurality of free channels, the plurality of free channels retrieved by the channel retrieving unit;

a channel selecting unit making a transmitter automatically select a free channel from the plurality of free channels starting from a lower-number channel; and

a transmitting unit transmitting the file as broadcasting data stored in said file storing unit to within a local area via the selected channel, wherein the broadcasting data being transmitted within the local area and the channel comprises a bandwidth defined per frequency of the transmitting.

10. A local area information terminal according to claim 9, further comprising a cipher processing unit,

wherein the file read from said file storing unit is encrypted by said cipher processing unit and thereafter transmitted from said transmitting unit.

11. A local area information terminal according to claim 9, wherein the file is a file in an HTML format.

12. A local area information terminal selectively receiving broadcasting information transmitted via a plurality of channels within a local area, said terminal comprising:

a retrieving unit comprising;

a tuner, and

a microprocessor connected to the tuner determining a plurality of free channels by using the tuner in conjunction with the microprocessor, and retrieving the plurality of channels through which no broadcasting is being conducted and through which the broadcasting data is received;

a channel displaying unit displaying, when the broadcasting data different from each other are being transmitted via the plurality of channels, the plurality of channels retrieved by the retrieving unit;

a selecting unit receiving input selecting a receiving channel from the plurality of channels;

a displaying unit displaying the broadcasting data received by the selected channel;

an identifier storing unit extracting an identifier for specifying a transmitter out of the broadcasting data and storing the identifier;

a mail editing unit creating a return message to the transmitter on the basis of the transmitter identifier read from said identifier storing unit; and

a returning unit returning the mail created by said mail editing unit, wherein the broadcasting is within the local area.

13. A local area information terminal according to claim 12, further comprising a cipher processing unit, if the broadcasting data received have been encrypted, decoding the encrypted data by decrypting the same data.

14. A local area information terminal capable of transmitting and receiving broadcasting data within a local area, comprising:

a file storing unit storing a file previously created;

a channel retrieving unit comprising;

a tuner, and

a microprocessor connected to the tuner,

the channel retrieving unit determining a free channel and by using the tuner in conjunction with the microprocessor, among broadcasting channels allocated to respective frequency bandwidths starting with a lower-number channel and automatically retrieving the free channel through which no broadcasting is being conducted;

a transmitting unit transmitting the file as broadcasting data stored in said file storing unit to within a local area via the retrieved channel;

a retrieving unit retrieving a channel through which the broadcasting data can be received within the local area;

a channel displaying unit displaying, when the broadcasting data different from each other are being transmitted via the plurality of channels, the plurality of channels retrieved by the retrieving unit;

a selecting unit selecting a receiving channel from the plurality of channels; and

a displaying unit displaying the broadcasting data received via the selected channel, wherein the broadcasting data being transmitted within the local area and the channel comprises a bandwidth defined per frequency of the transmitting.

15. A local area information terminal capable of transmitting and receiving broadcasting data within a local area according to claim 14, further comprising:

a mail editing unit creating a return mail to a transmitter of the broadcasting data received; and

a returning unit for returning the return mail.

16. A local area information terminal capable of transmitting and receiving broadcasting data within a local area according to claim 15, further comprising

an identifier storing unit extracting an identifier for specifying a transmitter out of the broadcasting data and storing the identifier,

wherein said mail editing unit sets a return destination of the return mail to the transmitter on the basis of the transmitter identifier read from said identifier storing unit.

17. A local area information terminal comprising:

a file storing unit storing a file previously created;

a channel retrieving unit retrieving a free channel through which no broadcasting is being conducted, by using a tuner in conjunction with a microprocessor, from among broadcasting channels allocated to respective frequency bandwidths and judging whether the free channel exists or not;

a channel retrieving unit comprising;

a tuner, and

a microprocessor connected to the tuner,

the channel retrieving unit determining a free channel by using the tuner in conjunction with the microprocessor, among broadcasting channels allocated to respective frequency bandwidths and retrieving the free channel through which no broadcasting is being conducted;

a channel display controlling unit controlling a display based on a judging result obtained by the channel retrieving unit;

a channel selecting unit making a transmitter select a free channel from the plurality of free channels if the channel retrieving unit judges that there exists a plurality of free channels; and

a transmitting unit transmitting the file as broadcasting data stored in said file storing unit to within a local area via the selected channel.

18. A local area information terminal selectively receiving broadcasting information transmitted via a plurality of channels within a local area, said terminal comprising:

a channel retrieving unit comprising;

a tuner, and

a microprocessor connected to the tuner judging whether an on-broadcasting channel exists or not by using the tuner in conjunction with the microprocessor, through which the broadcasting data can be received and retrieving a channel through which no broadcasting is being conducted;

a channel display controlling unit controlling a display based on a judging result obtained by the channel retrieving unit;

a selecting unit selecting a receiving channel from a plurality of on-broadcasting channels if the retrieving unit judges that there exists the plurality of on-broadcasting channels;

a displaying unit displaying the broadcasting data received by the selected channel;

an identifier storing unit extracting an identifier for specifying a transmitter out of the broadcasting data and storing the identifier;

a mail editing unit creating a return message to the transmitter on the basis of the transmitter identifier read from said identifier storing unit; and

a returning unit returning the mail created by said mail editing unit.

19. A local area information terminal capable of transmitting and receiving broadcasting data within a local area, comprising:

a file storing unit for storing a file previously created;

a channel retrieving unit comprising;

a tuner, and

a microprocessor connected to the tuner judging whether a free channel exists or not by using the tuner in conjunction with the microprocessor, among broadcasting channels allocated to respective frequency bandwidths and retrieving the free channel through which no broadcasting is being conducted;

a transmitting unit transmitting the file as broadcasting data stored in said file storing unit to within a local area via the retrieved channel if the channel retrieving unit judges that the free channel exists;

a retrieving unit for retrieving a channel through which the broadcasting data can be received within the local area and judging whether the on-broadcasting channel exists or not;

a channel display controlling unit controlling a display based on a judging result obtained by the channel retrieving unit;

a selecting unit selecting a receiving channel from a plurality of on-broadcasting channels if the retrieving unit judges that there exists the plurality of on-broadcasting channels; and

a displaying unit displaying the broadcasting data received via the selected channel.

20. A local area information terminal comprising:

a channel retriever comprising;

a tuner, and

a microprocessor connected to the tuner,

the channel retriever determining a free channel by using a the tuner in conjunction with the microprocessor, among a plurality of broadcasting channels allocated to respective frequency bandwidths and retrieving the free channel through which no broadcasting is being conducted;

a channel selector automatically selecting, upon a plurality of free channels existing, a lowest-numbered channel of the plurality of free channels; and

a transmitter transmitting a file as broadcasting data within a local area via the selected channel, wherein the selected channel comprises a bandwidth defined per frequency of the broadcasting.