FR2920937A1 - METHOD FOR BROADCASTING INFORMATION FROM A PLATFORM INTEGRATING A SERVER AND A DATABASE TO A MOBILE TERMINAL - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves proposing a welcome page by a server if a mobile terminal (10) is in a database e.g. SQL, where the page comprising data entry field of information demand is sent in wireless markup language or extensible HTML format. The database is interrogated by the server to verify existence of a response to the demand. The response is delivered to the terminal if the response exists, where contents of the response are determined by utilizing a dynamic language i.e. Coldfusion(RTM: software language), based on processing and display characteristics of the terminal.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for broadcasting information of a platform integrating a server and a database to a mobile terminal using the WAP protocol. A particularly interesting application of the invention lies in the field of the dissemination of information incorporating photos or videos to mobile terminals such as mobile phones following a request from the user of said terminal. The information may include, but is not limited to, real estate. The WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) protocol, also called mobile Internet, is a communication protocol whose purpose is to allow access to the Internet using a mobile terminal such as for example a mobile phone or a mobile phone. Personal Assistant PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). Mobile operators offer access to websites or web portals accessible through these WAP-enabled devices. However, the distribution of websites on mobile phones poses some difficulties. Thus, websites are built in HTML format which is the most commonly used for-mat; the HTML format has been adapted to mobile telephony: the most widespread format is the WML format designed for the WAP protocol. Since the original format of the site to be broadcast is a site in HTML format, there is a degraded display of the site on some mobile terminals incorporating a browser designed to operate only in WML. In addition, there is a very large number of mobile terminal models with variable screen dimensions and scrolling capabilities (scrolling in English) also variable. Therefore, it is easily conceivable that sites intended to operate on a computer screen, is displayed optimally on a mobile phone screen.

In addition, it is increasingly common to broadcast from sites of the type of photos or videos; some mobile devices are not equipped with applications allowing the reading of these photos and / or video. In addition, these photos and / or videos may be recorded in a format that is not readable by the mobile terminal. At present, to play a video clip with a mobile phone, the most common format is the 3GP format. Files with the .3GP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) extension are compressed videos intended for broadcast over third generation mobile networks. They usually have .3gp or .3g2 extension. One can also find mobile terminals reading files in MPEG4 format. Therefore, a .AVI or MPEG4 file (conventional formats used when capturing video sequences by a digital camera) can not be played on a terminal that only reads files in 3GP format. In this context, the present invention aims to provide a method of disseminating information of a platform integrating a server and a database to a mobile terminal using the WAP protocol to overcome the aforementioned problems. To this end, the invention proposes a method for broadcasting information of a platform integrating a server and a database into a mobile terminal using the WAP protocol, said database storing processing and data processing characteristics. display associated with a plurality of mobile terminals and said method comprising the following steps: -sa mobile terminal requests access to said server, said access request being made either directly to said server or by a step by an operator mobile telecommunication, - said server detects the model of said terminal, - said server interrogates said database by comparing said detected model with the models of said database in order to recover the processing and display characteristics associated with said terminal, - if said detected model is not present in said database, the server sends a message to said terminal indicating the incompatibility of said termi nal with said platform, - if said terminal is present in said base, said server proposes a home page built by said server using a dynamic language from said processing and display characteristics, said homepage comprising least one field for inputting an information request by the user of said terminal, said server queries said database to verify the existence of at least one response to said request for information, if at least one response to said request for information exists, said server delivers said response to said terminal, the contents of said response being determined using a dynamic language according to said processing and display characteristics of said terminal. The mobile terminal is understood to mean any type of mobile terminal such as, for example, a mobile phone or a personal assistant of the PDA type. In addition, a database is defined as a database management system (DBMS) that allows both management and access to the database, it being understood that the database management system can host several databases. databases, which are intended for different software or themes. The term database also covers a plurality of DBMSs.

Thanks to the invention, a quadruple check is performed following the request for access to the mobile terminal user's server: In a first step, the platform integrating the server starts by detecting the terminal model used. In a second step, the server ensures that the detected terminal model is able to receive its home page; take the case of a terminal which can not receive a page built in WML: the homepage being in WML, the server then warns the user that the application must be broken. The server may also decide to broadcast the home page in a format accepted by the terminal browser: this format may be WML or xHTML for example. Thirdly, the server checks in its database, if there is at least one response associated with the request of the user.

In a fourth step, again from the detected terminal model and in response to the input of the user, the server decides from a dynamic language whether or not it can broadcast specific data such as video data or photos that can be integrated into the response to the user. The method according to the invention therefore advantageously uses the detection of the mobile phone model associated with a program designed in dynamic language querying the databases of the platform to build a response adapted to the terminal model.

Furthermore, it may be noted that the method according to the invention requires for its implementation a relatively low investment and can be used with the majority of mobile phones (most phones now use the WAP protocol). The process according to the invention may also have one or more of the following characteristics, considered individually or in any technically possible combination: Advantageously, the process according to the invention comprises the following steps: if said treatment characteristics and display of said terminal allow the display of videos and / or photos with a 3GP format or MPEG4 format and that some videos and / or photos with this format are associated with said response, these videos and / or photos are proposed to the user of said terminal in said content of said response, - if said processing and display characteristics of said terminal do not allow the display of videos and / or photos having a 3GP format or an MPEG4 format and that certain videos and / or photos having this format are associated with said answer, these videos and / or photos are not available to the user dudi t terminal in said content of said response. Preferably, the method according to the invention comprises at least one of the following steps: a data provider exports its data, for example in the form of an RSS feed, to said database of said platform. said server extracts the data intended for said database from data stored in supplier databases, for example using robots; a provider uses a private URL locator for connection to said platform which allows him to deposit his data. The home page can be sent in WML or xHTML format. Advantageously, the format of the home page is determined according to said processing and display characteristics. Advantageously, the method according to the invention comprises the following steps: said terminal sends a SMS message, also called SMS short mes-sage service, to the mobile telecommunication operator, said mini- message comprising a service code, said operator mobile telecommunication recognizes said service code and returns to said terminal a short message containing an access url locator. Preferably, said step during which said mobile terminal requests access to said server takes place according to the following steps: said mobile terminal requests access to said server via an access to an url locator, said request transiting through said mobile telecommunication operator, said mobile operator adds to said url locator a unique identifier associated with said mobile terminal before sending it to said server, said identifier is stored in said database of said platform. According to a preferred embodiment, a time counter corresponding to the reception of the identifier is also stored in said database of said platform. Preferably, the method according to the invention comprises a step of verifying the solvency of said user of said terminal after the user of said terminal has accepted a commercial proposal for the provision of the requested information. The method according to the invention finds particular application. interesting in the field of real estate information research.

Thus, particularly advantageously, said input field per-puts the entry of a real estate reference on which the user of said terminal wishes to obtain information. Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge clearly from the description which is given below, by way of indication and in no way limiting, with reference to the appended FIG. 1 which is a simplified schematic representation of the various steps of the method. according to the invention. The method according to the invention comprises a series of steps taking place between a mobile client terminal 10 such as a mobile phone or a PDA operating according to the WAP protocol, a mobile operator 11 and a publisher platform 12 integrating: a server not shown, - a database management system (DBMS) clients 13, - a database management system (DBMS) references 14. The DBMS can be queried using a language of the type SQL (Structured query language in English). The terminal 10 can connect to a mobile network 15 of the operator 11, said mobile network 15 being connected by at least one gateway to a data transmission network 16 such as the Inter-net network according to a protocol of the type Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTPS) or HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secured in English), giving access to the platform 12. In a first step 1, access to the WAP service is achieved by sending by the mobile terminal 10 a SMS message (Short Mes-sage Service) to a number dedicated to a particular service, for example a number corresponding to a service relating to information on real estate. This dedicated number may be a five-digit short number, the SMS containing a code associated with the service mentioned above. According to step 2, the mobile operator 11 recognizes the service code and delivers back to the terminal 10 an SMS containing a path to a URL (Uniform Resource Locator), literally uniform resource locator. According to step 3, the user of the terminal 10 activates the access path and requests the service home page. According to step 4, the operator 11 will add in the header of the request of the user a unique identifier (or alias) UID (User Identifier) of the SIM card of the user. mobile terminal 10. The generation of this unique identifier can be obtained by different methods specific to each operator. This identifier can for example be calculated from the phone number of the user but is preferably anonymous for reasons of confidentiality. The path and the identifier are sent to the platform 12 according to the HTTP or HTTPS protocol. With reference to step 5, the server of the platform 12 retrieves in the headers both the user's identifier and the user-agent parameter provided in the http protocol. The user-agent parameter is used to determine the model of the mobile terminal 10. This is done using a dynamic language such as Coldfusion to query the headers. ColdFusion is a syntax-based language that is syntactically similar to HTML and allows developers to quickly perform operations such as interacting with a SQL-like database or dynamically displaying information on Web pages. Other dynamic languages such as PHP, ASP or JSP can also be used. An example of source code for this recovery is given below: ri sotte <output> <set x GetHttp {tequesiData (<bop collection = ## x.headers # item = ittp_item "> # http_item # #StructFind (x.headers , http_item) # <flow> <output mile if you return ttt lrt? 1 jf / lltt '? ftllll Value CF 0 = 1 33680. CFTOKEN-ESE? 3117; urt of the caller {-utioo {type "? r ':! {exu'l {tm :, application / yod xhtnill + xmI f, c {, - o {k xh u applicatirznfynd wap {nt e {ii c appli s = va r hiv.o, apis mUserAlias : 373641738227

Nokia6630i1.0 (4.03.40) SymbianOSf8.0 Series6012.6 profitefMIDP-2.0 Configuration7CLDC-1.1 TT MODE .r heep- is l att it, is' tOS4 t; cs 2; 1.1--43 s en - hop iindsl udssok { (Sri7? 5 z the "GPRS ~ uti?" C5if39Y ::: 1 CET HTTPt1.1 The querying of headers (see above) returns the user identifier (here: 373641738227) as well as the model of the terminal (here: Nokia 6630).

From the terminal model, the server searches in a not shown DBMS (integrating for each terminal model technical information of the terminal such as the display and processing characteristics of the terminal) the presence of the terminal detected by the user-agent and its associated characteristics. These features include: support for image, video, streaming, download, terminal display protocol (WML, xHTML, Java ...). If the terminal model 10 is not in the DBMS, the platform 12 indicates to the user the incompatibility of the terminal 10 with the proposed method and the exchange stops. An example of a source code illustrating the process is given below: WAP-Network-info Cr-i-er User-Agent X-Nokia-C) NNEt T3 3 C, crmec <: - in t nt .. -r and r, cade source 5.1-b. .set Terminal_User-Agent = #http_Use {_Agent #} <output> <query name = 'GETTM' datasource = ourBDD. "> SELECT UserAgent, others, ... FROM ourdbddetermines </ heals> sloop quer} = L GET_TM" > <if Terminal Model CONTMNS '# GET_TM.UserAgent #'> il If the mr: bi exists in our Bî.1C7, we rcup, re tou •, aw ,, be a {;: ng, loading lar.gt usu a Appiication.video = Application.inaage = Application.iangage_support = Etc ... fi on initialized fapplicadicin Application.initialized = 1 <'eiue> Io; _zai not found in our BDD, on in Model not supported <abort> -fit> </ bop> </ output> t c.o & 9.1 The platform 12 stores the UID in the client DBMS 13 which groups the user information, the platform 12 also stores in the client DBMS 13 a counter of time corresponding to the date of receipt of the UID Remember that the UID is anonymous with respect to the phone number of the customer but is unique. The associated user will then identify the customer when he / she logs in again and manage the user's rights according to his / her subscription (including the duration of his / her subscription compared to the elapsed time on the meter). In other words, if the user reconnects, the platform 12 can immediately check if the user is still in his subscription period. The platform 12 also makes it possible to propose to the customer, at each new visit, adapted contents or to let him access

specific sections of the application. This step also allows you to deny access to a user identified as doubtful. The complete identification of the user and the terminal model 10 being realized, the platform dynamically builds (again using a dynamic language such as Coldfusion) the homepage of the service that

will be proposed on the mobile terminal 10. Thus the format of the home page can be for example WML or xHTML depending on whether or not the terminal accepts these formats (we have this information via the characteristics of the terminal). An example of source code for such an implementation is given below: ..ri..f>, iu d ap; ation, i.iaitianterrent <a reckless plug or minus functions tur.cn cor.Daust of the: ariral applicati on <if App {ication.support_language = xHTML> <IDOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-l / W ' APFORUMI / DTD XHTML Mold 1.Qf1E I http./i w.wapfor lm.org/DTDfxhIml-mabile1G? D <html xmins = "http /fwww.w3argf1? 99ixhtnnl "> <head> <title> <ftitle> K" Ihead> <body> Etc.

<else Application.language_support = WML> <? xml version = 1 .0 'encoding =' iso-8859-1 '?> <IDOCTYPE wml PUBLIC "-IJW'APFORUMUDTD WML' Ii / IEN" p rg`DTD / wmll 1 dtd ">. <wml> <card> <! if> Source cade 5.3 The home page is displayed on the terminal 10; this home page includes at least one form field allowing the user to enter an alphanumeric reference corresponding for example to a real estate property (example of a reference on an apartment panel for sale in the street). The homepage can also contain a more complete search engine with different fields to fill: number of rooms, surface area, price ...

According to step 6, the user enters said reference in the input field and validates this entry.

The local reference database 12 of the platform 12 integrates data from different data providers; while remaining in the field of real estate data, the supply of the reference DBMS 14 requires contracting with the supplier. The provision of data can be done in different ways.

The supplier can first export, for example as a feed in RSS format (usually used to disseminate updates of sites whose content changes frequently, typically information sites) its data to the reference DBMS 14 .

It is also possible to use specific robots for each provider that can extract the data directly from the different vendor servers.

Another solution may be to use a private URL on platform 12 (intranet or extranet) which allows the providers to deposit their data. The data is not only textual data relating to real estate but also images or videos of the proposed real estate. To be able to play video with most mobile devices, it is best to provide 3GP-like files: files with .3GP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) ex- tension are compressed videos that are intended to be broadcast. through third generation mobile networks. They usually have .3gp or .3g2 extension. You can also have terminals that read files in MPEG4 format (note however that many mobile terminals do not read the MPEG4 format).

Sequences captured with a digital camera forming an AVI file will not be readable by the majority of mobile terminals. Therefore, it is preferable to record only 3GP and possibly MPEG4 format videos in the reference DBMS 14. A solution may be for the data provider to capture photos or videos of the real estate (or any other type of good according to the application) using a mobile terminal so as to directly have a file in ad-hoc format and to propose and / or export these files to the reference DBMS 14. These files can even be be transferred directly to the platform 12 from the mobile terminal of the data provider. According to step 7, the platform 12 checks in the reference DBMS 14 if at least one answer corresponds to the reference entered by the user (in the case of a multi-field homepage, depending on the case, one can decide that at least one answer must be given to the set of fields entered or to at least one field entered).

If no property corresponds to the request of the user, the platform 12 sends an error message (or indicates that there is no available property) to the user and redirects it to the beginning of the application . If the reference is detected in the DBMS 14, the platform 12 collects all the information (text, video, image) useful for delivering the content and sends the user a purchase dialog page on which the The user has the option of accepting the proposed transaction (several types of transactions may be offered, for example with or without a subscription for a predetermined duration).

The payment system may be hosted indifferently by the operator 11 or by the platform 12. In the case of a payment system hosted by the operator 11, according to steps 8 and 9, if the user accepts the transaction, the validation of the transaction uses a gateway (gateway in English) for dialogue between the operator 11 and the platform 12; it is the operator 11 who will debit the user and therefore check the creditworthiness of the customer. If the operator is solvent, he informs the platform 12. It can be noted that in case of too long response time between the platform 12 and the operator 11, a deactivation (timeout in English) is provided.

For some operators, it is the platform that hosts the payment system and it is therefore the platform that asks the operator whether or not the user is solvent. So there is always the verification of solvency by the operator but it is not the customer who asks the operator if it is solvent (it is the platform that offers the purchase dialogue to the customer and who then asks the operator if the user is solvent). If the user is not solvent, an error message is sent on the terminal 10. In the opposite case, the operator 11 returns to the platform 12 via the gateway the information relating to the transaction.

According to step 10, the platform 12 stores the information relating to the transaction in the client DBMS 13 and delivers the information concerning the reference entered by the user.

The information relating to the property is thus proposed to the user in accordance with the characteristics of the terminal 10. An example of source code for generating the display of the information on the terminal 10 is given below: iodine source display of your own according to of the terrai type {{{{1 Application.fanguage support = WML> <? xml version = 1 .0 "encoding =" iso-8859-i "?> <1DOCTYPE wml PUBLIC '-IPWAPFORUM1 / DTDWML 1 1? IEN" 'http: flwww_, wapforum.orgîDTD; wrr7111_cttd "> 1> card> Type of property: #BDD_type of property # Nb rooms: #BDD nb room # Detailed description: # BDD_descriptif # Price: # BBD_price # ETC ._. .e the ad su o o the proposed ones (> a + '[<t arr ement or xfi ariain g <if Api! on.vic o'_ Yes> loop on the video #BDD video # <Ioop on the videos> <else> i Otherwise, a {b ° 'reopos nothing ... <f> If r {1e terminai supports the images fpg, gifl, on <if Application images = Yes> sloop on the photos> # BDD_photo # eloop on photos> Ise> proposes den ... <li I It ends by providing the contacts of the professional Agency x Address: `about the phone number: a function allows to call d <recremo <t r.3 {s to be dialed nrrmere. Tel: <call> +330000000000 </ call> </ late> 11> Thus, the method according to the invention makes it possible to display the result by taking into account the characteristics of the terminal that may allow for example: WML or xHTML, videos or not, - if the terminal reads videos: streaming download or streaming, images or not. It is also possible to call directly the contact in charge of the property without dialing the phone number of the contact. The response page will always have a top and a bottom of the page, together with information adapted to the terminal. Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment just described.

It will thus be noted that the invention, although preferentially described in the case of immovable property, can be applied to other types of service (meeting service for information on shows) when a request for information from a client from a mobile terminal is required. Finally, any means can be replaced by equivalent means.

Claims (10)

A method for broadcasting information of a platform integrating a server and a database to a mobile terminal using the WAP proto-dimension, said database storing processing and display characteristics associated with a plurality mobile terminals and said method comprising the following steps: said mobile terminal requests access to said server, said access request being made either directly to said server or by a mobile telecommunication operator; server detects the model of said terminal, - said server interrogates said database by comparing said detected model with the models of said database in order to recover the processing and display characteristics associated with said terminal, -if said detected model is not not present in said base, the server sends a message to said terminal indicating the incompatibility of said terminal with said platform, - if the edit terminal is present in said base, said server proposes a home page built by said server using a dynamic language from said processing and display characteristics, said homepage comprising at least one input field of a request for information by the user of said terminal, - said server queries said database to verify the existence of at least one response to said request for information, - if at least one response to said request for information exists, said server delivers said response to said terminal, the content of said response being determined using a dynamic language according to said processing and display characteristics of said terminal. 2. Method according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises the following steps: - if said processing and display characteristics of said terminal allow the display of videos and / or photos with a 3GP format or MPEG4 format and that some vi-deos and / or photos having this format are associated with said response, these videos and / or photos are proposed to the user of said terminal in said content of said response, - if said characteristics of processing and display of said terminal do not allow the display of videos and / or photos with a 3GP format or MPEG4 format and that some videos and / or photos with this extension or format are associated with the said response, these videos and / or photos are not not proposed to the user of said terminal in said content of said response. 3. Method according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that it comprises at least one of the following steps: a data provider exports its data, for example in the form of an RSS feed, to said database of said platform. said server extracts the data intended for said database from data stored in supplier databases, for example using robots; a provider uses a private URL locator for connection to said platform which enables it to deposit his data. 4. Method according to the preceding claim characterized in that said homepage is sent in a WML or xHTML format. 5. Method according to the preceding claim characterized in that the format of the home page is determined according to said processing and display characteristics. 6. Method according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that it comprises the following steps: - said terminal sends a short message, also called SMS Short mes-sage service, to the mobile telecommunication operator, said short message comprising a code of service, - said mobile telecommunication operator recognizes said service code and sends back to said terminal a short message containing an access url locator. 7. Method according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that said step during which said mobile terminal requests access to said server takes place according to the following steps: - said mobile terminal requests access to said server via access to a locator url, said request transiting through said mobile telecommunication operator, said mobile operator adds to said url locator a unique identifier associated with said mobile terminal before sending to said server, said identifier is stored in said database of said pla -teforme. 8. Method according to the preceding claim characterized in that a time counter corresponding to the receipt of the identifier is also stored in said database of said platform. 9. Method according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that it comprises a step of checking the solvency of said user of said terminal after the user of said terminal has accepted a commercial proposal for the provision of requested information 10. Method according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that said input field allows the entry of a real estate reference on which the user of said terminal wishes to obtain information.