JP2002259261A - Information distribution method and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide an information distribution method and apparatus capable of reducing the work of a distributor when distributing information. SOLUTION: A content management unit 14 and a content I
The D management unit 12 stores and manages the content distributed by the distributor and the uniquely determined content ID associated with the content. The address management unit 16 stores and manages the distribution address of the content for each content ID. The content distribution trigger management unit 18 stores and manages a content distribution trigger that determines a trigger for distributing the content stored and managed in the content management unit 14. When the opportunity to distribute the content arrives, the content associated with the content ID specified by the content distribution opportunity is distributed to the distribution address associated with the content ID.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for distributing information, and more particularly to a method for distributing information to a plurality of destinations (terminal apparatuses such as personal computers connected to a network such as the Internet, fixed telephones, facsimile machines, portable terminals). The present invention relates to an information distribution method and apparatus suitable for use when distributing information to a computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The Internet is a world-wide network in which computers and routers are interconnected. Character information, audio information, music information, and image information (moving images and still images) digitized across national borders. The transmission and reception of various kinds of digitized data (including images) and the distribution of various kinds of data are actively performed. In addition, apart from the Internet, a telephone, a facsimile, a portable terminal, and the like have been conventionally used as communication means. However, when making a telephone call using a telephone, a caller uses a telephone to connect via a telephone line network. When making a call and transmitting a document, the sender must transmit the data from the facsimile to the recipient's facsimile via the telephone network. Further, when making a call using a mobile phone, which is a kind of mobile terminal, both parties have used a mobile phone to make a call via a wireless network.

In recent years, the above-mentioned conventional communication means and the Internet have been interconnected, and information via conventional communication means (for example, voice information for a telephone or a mobile phone, transmission information for a facsimile, etc.). Digitized data, various kinds of data (hereinafter referred to as contents) such as various kinds of digitized information (character information, audio information, music information, image information (including moving images and still images)) handled on the Internet. ) Can be handled in the same way.

[0004]

When information is to be distributed, basically, the specified content is distributed to the specified destination at the time specified by the distributor. For example, when distributing a document by facsimile, the distributor dials the distribution destination, and when the facsimile performs an operation of reading the content (content) of the document, the content (content) of the read document is dialed. Delivered to the destination. Therefore, conventionally, it is basically impossible to distribute the content at a timing different from the registration of the content (corresponding to the operation of reading the contents of the document into the facsimile in the above example). Further, it has not been possible to distribute contents registered at the same timing to the same distribution destination or to a plurality of different distribution destinations. Further, when the content of the content to be transmitted is updated, the distributor needs to specify the distribution destination, register the content, and specify the distribution time again, which is extremely troublesome. This situation applies not only to the case where the contents of a document are directly delivered to a destination facsimile using a facsimile, but also to the case where various contents are delivered via the Internet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide an information distribution method and apparatus which can reduce the work of a distributor when distributing information.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an information distribution method according to the present invention uses, as shown in FIG. 4, information (31) in which uniquely determined identification information (30) is associated.
(S1) to store the information (31)
Destination specifying step (S2) for specifying distribution destinations (32a to 32c) for distributing information, and identification information (3
0) and the information (31) in which the specified identification information (30) is associated with the specified distribution destinations (32a to 32c).
(S4). Here, FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a basic flow of the information distribution method of the present invention. According to the present invention, identification information is associated with information to be distributed in advance,
When distributing information, the distributor distributes information for each distribution destination simply by specifying the destination and the identification information associated with the information to be distributed. Accordingly, the distributor does not need to transmit information for each distribution destination, and can reduce the work of the distributor when distributing information. Further, the present invention further includes a distribution destination storage step (S20) for storing the distribution destination designated in the distribution destination designation step (S2), and the distribution step (S4) includes the identification information designation step (S2).
The information (31) associated with the identification information (30) specified in 3) is stored in the destination storage step (S20).
And is distributed to the distribution destination stored in (1). According to the present invention, since the identification information is associated with the information to be distributed in advance and the distribution destination is stored in association with the identification information, when distributing the information, the distributor sets the identification associated with the information to be distributed. Since it is only necessary to specify the information, the work of the distributor at the time of distributing the information can be further reduced. Further, according to the present invention, distribution trigger information (33a to 33c) giving a trigger for distributing the information (31) is provided.
And a delivery opportunity information storage step (S30) for storing the delivery destination information stored when the delivery opportunity indicated by the delivery opportunity information (33a to 33c) arrives. The information (3) specified in the distribution trigger information (33a to 33c) in (32a to 32c)
0) is distributed. According to the present invention, when the distribution trigger indicated by the distribution trigger information arrives, the information specified by the distribution trigger information is automatically distributed to the distribution destination stored in advance. Work can be greatly reduced. The information distribution apparatus according to the present invention further includes an identification information management unit (12) that stores and manages identification information (30) uniquely determined, and the identification information (3).
0) is provided with an information management means (14) for storing and managing the information (31) associated with the information (31). In addition, information (31) associated with the specified identification information (30) is distributed to the specified distribution destinations (32a to 32c). . Further, the information distribution apparatus of the present invention further includes a distribution destination storage means (16) for storing the specified distribution destinations (32a to 32c), and the identification information (30) is specified when the identification information (30) is specified. Information (31) associated with information (30) is distributed to distribution destinations (32a to 32c) stored in the distribution destination storage means (16). Further, the information distribution apparatus of the present invention provides a distribution trigger information (33) for triggering the distribution of the information (31).
a-33c) distribution trigger information storage means (18)
When the distribution trigger indicated by the distribution trigger information (33a to 33c) arrives, the distribution trigger information (33a) is stored in the stored distribution destinations (32a to 32c).
It is characterized in that information (31) specified by .about.33c) is distributed.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a configuration of an information distribution device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes an information distribution device according to the present embodiment. This information distribution apparatus 10 is an Internet network N
1, connected to a telephone network N2 and a wireless network N3, respectively. The information distribution device 10 includes terminating devices 20a to 20
c is provided to terminate the connection of each of the networks N1 to N3.

A terminal device T1 such as a personal computer is connected to the Internet network N1, and a telephone line network N2
Is connected to a telephone T2, and a wireless telephone network N3 is connected to a mobile telephone T3 via a base station B. Although not shown, a facsimile may be connected to the telephone network N2 and a portable terminal device such as a mobile terminal may be connected to the wireless network N3. Hereinafter, when these are collectively referred to, they are simply referred to as “terminal devices”.

In the following, for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the terminal T1, the telephone T2, the portable telephone T3 shown in FIG. 1, and the facsimile and the portable terminal not shown are all owned by the distributor. . In other words, the distributor is the terminal device T1, the telephone T2, the mobile telephone T3, the facsimile,
The content distribution instruction is performed using any one of the mobile terminal device and the mobile terminal device.

In the present embodiment, the information means various digitized data such as digitized character information, voice information, music information, and image information (including moving images and still images). Further, the voice information includes voice information transmitted via a telephone or a mobile phone, and the image information includes data transmitted from a facsimile (not shown). Hereinafter, information referred to in the present invention is referred to as content.

The information distribution apparatus 10 of the present embodiment has a content ID management unit 12, a content management unit 14, an address management unit 16, and a content distribution opportunity management unit 18. The content ID management unit 12 stores and manages a content ID as identification information associated with the content. Here, the content ID is uniquely determined for each content. Therefore, the content ID management unit 12 monitors the presence / absence of duplication of the content ID, and manages such that no duplicate content ID exists. The content management unit 14 stores and manages the content associated with the content ID stored and managed in the content ID management unit 12. In this embodiment, since the type of the content can be set, the content management unit 14 also manages the type for each content. Here, the content type indicates, for example, whether the information is information related to a computer or information related to life.

The address management unit 16 stores and manages a delivery address for delivering content for each content ID.
Here, the distribution address refers to an e-mail address, an incoming number of the terminal device T1, the telephone T2, the mobile telephone T3, and a facsimile and a mobile terminal device (not shown). When setting the incoming call number to the delivery address,
A call number prefixed with a special number such as "00 **" may be used.

The content distribution opportunity management unit 18 stores and manages information that determines an opportunity for distributing content. The content distribution opportunity management unit 18 stores the content ID, the distribution time, and the distribution content associated with the content to be distributed. Here, the content managed by the content management unit 14, the distribution address managed by the address management unit 16, and the content distribution trigger management unit 18
Will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 shows the content management unit 14 and the address management unit 1
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of information managed by a content distribution opportunity management unit.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the content management unit 14 stores and manages the content ID 30 and the content file 31 in which the content is converted into a file format. Further, as shown in (b), the address management unit 16 stores and manages distribution addresses 32a to 32c for distributing the content to which the content ID 30 is attached, in association with the content ID 30.

Further, as shown in (c), the content distribution trigger management section 18 associates the content ID 30 with the content distribution triggers 33a to 33c as information indicating a trigger for distributing the content with the content ID 30.
3c is stored and managed. Items set as the content distribution trigger are the time at which the content is distributed and the type of the content to be distributed. However, the type of the content can be omitted. If only the distribution time is specified as the content distribution trigger, the content with the specified content ID is distributed at the specified time. When the distribution time and the type are specified as the content distribution trigger, even if the distribution time specified by the content distribution trigger arrives, the type of the content with the specified content ID is different from the specified type. Sometimes content distribution is not performed. As described above, in the present embodiment, the content file 31, the distribution addresses 32a to 32a
2c and the content distribution triggers 33a to 33c are all stored and managed in association with the content ID 30.

The configuration of the information distribution apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention has been described above. Next, the operation of the information distribution apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, that is, the information distribution method according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. I do. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a schematic flow of the information distribution method according to one embodiment of the present invention. The distributor gives a distribution instruction using any one of the terminal device T1, the telephone T2, the mobile telephone T3, the facsimile, and the mobile terminal device. Here, for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the terminal device T1 is used for distributing the content.

First, the distributor accesses the information distribution apparatus 10 using the terminal device T1, assigns a content ID to the content to be distributed, and assigns the assigned content ID.
Is registered in the content ID management unit 12. In the present embodiment, a case where a content ID is assigned by a distributor will be described as an example. However, a content ID uniquely determined by the information distribution apparatus 10 may be assigned.

Next, the distributor causes the content management unit 14 to store and manage the content by accumulating the content to which the content ID is assigned in the content management unit 14 (step S10). Here, it should be noted that the distributor distributes (transmits) the content only in step S10. When distributing the content to a plurality of distribution addresses, the distributor distributes the content. Instead, the information distribution device 10 distributes the information.

When the above processing is completed, the distributor operates the terminal device T1 to register the destination address (distribution address) corresponding to the content ID in the address management unit 16 (step S20). Here, as shown in FIG. 2B, one or more distribution addresses of distribution destinations are registered in association with the content ID. Next, the distributor registers a content distribution opportunity corresponding to the content ID in the content distribution opportunity management unit 18 (step S30).

In this step, the distributor specifies the content ID associated with the content to be distributed and the distribution start time and registers. Here, when transmitting the content associated with the content ID a plurality of times, a plurality of distribution start times are specified.
Note that the content of the content associated with the content ID may be changed as appropriate. This has the advantage that, for example, when information that changes with time is included in the content, these related information can be managed with one content ID. As described above, the distribution time and the type can be designated as the content distribution trigger. However, for simplification of the description, a case where only the distribution time is designated as the distribution trigger will be described as an example.

When the above operation is completed, each time the time specified by the content distribution trigger comes, the information distribution apparatus 1
0 distributes the content associated with the content ID 30 associated with the content distribution opportunity to the distribution destination specified by the distribution address associated with the content ID (step S40). In this way, by registering the content, the distribution address, and the content distribution trigger in advance in association with the content ID, when the time specified by the content distribution trigger comes, the content is automatically designated to the designated destination. Is delivered.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the above-described embodiment, the content, the distribution address, and the content distribution trigger are registered in advance in association with the content ID, so that when the time specified by the content distribution trigger comes, the automatically designated distribution destination The example of distributing to has been described. However, only the content and the distribution address may be stored in advance in association with the content ID. In this case, when distributing the content, the distributor specifies only the content ID to be distributed using the terminal device T1.

When the content ID is specified by the distributor, the content stored and managed in the content management unit 14 and the distribution address stored and managed in the address management unit 16 are specified in association with the specified content ID. Is done. Therefore, the information distribution device 10 distributes the specified content to the specified distribution address.

Further, in the present invention, only contents may be registered in advance. In this case, the distributor specifies a content ID and a transmission destination associated with the content to be distributed using the terminal device 10. When the content ID and the distribution destination are specified by the distributor, the information distribution device 10 transfers the content stored and managed in the content management unit 14 in association with the specified content ID to the distribution destination specified by the distributor. To deliver.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the content ID is associated with the content in advance and stored and managed in the content ID management unit 12 and the content management unit 14, so that the distributor can distribute the content. When performing the distribution, it is only necessary to specify the content ID and the distribution destination associated with the content to be distributed, and the distributor does not need to distribute the content for each distribution destination.
The burden on the distributor is greatly reduced. In addition, when the distribution destination of the content is known in advance, the distribution address is further stored and managed in the address management unit 16, thereby further reducing the work load of the distributor. Further, by storing and managing the content distribution opportunity in the content distribution opportunity management unit 18 in advance, the content distribution can be automated, and the work load on the distributor can be greatly reduced.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be freely modified within the scope of the present invention. For example, FIG.
, A content ID management unit 12, a content management unit 14, an address management unit 16,
And the content distribution opportunity management unit 18 may be realized by hardware, or may be realized by software. Further, these may be realized as one device, or may be realized as individual devices connected via a network.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Identification information is associated with information to be distributed in advance, and when distributing information, the distributor only needs to specify the distribution destination and the identification information associated with the information to be distributed, and the information is distributed for each distribution destination. Therefore, there is an effect that the distributor does not need to transmit information for each distribution destination, and can reduce the work of the distributor when distributing information. Also, according to the present invention, since the identification information is associated with the information to be distributed in advance and the distribution destination is stored in association with the identification information, when distributing the information, the distributor is associated with the information to be distributed. Since it is only necessary to specify the identification information, there is an effect that the work of the distributor at the time of distributing the information can be further reduced. Furthermore, according to the present invention, when the distribution trigger indicated by the distribution trigger information arrives, the information specified by the distribution trigger information is automatically distributed to the distribution destination stored in advance. There is an effect that the work of the distributor can be greatly reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a configuration of an information distribution device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a content management unit 14 and an address management unit 1
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of information managed by a content distribution opportunity management unit.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a schematic flow of an information distribution method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a basic flow of the information distribution method of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

12 Content ID management unit (identification information management unit) 14 Content management unit (information management unit) 16 Address management unit (distribution destination storage unit) 18 Content distribution opportunity management unit (delivery opportunity information storage unit) 30 Content ID (identification information) 31 Content file (information) 32a to 32c Distribution address (distribution destination) 33a to 33c Content distribution trigger (distribution trigger information)

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A storage step for storing information associated with uniquely determined identification information, a distribution destination specification step for specifying a distribution destination for distributing the information, and identification information for specifying identification information of the information to be distributed A designation step, and information associated with the designated identification information,
A distribution step of distributing to the designated distribution destination. 2. A distribution destination storage step for storing a distribution destination designated in the distribution destination designation step, wherein the distribution step is associated with the identification information designated in the identification information designation step. 2. The information distribution method according to claim 1, wherein information is distributed to the distribution destination stored in the distribution destination storing step. 3. A distribution trigger information storing step of storing distribution trigger information giving a trigger for distributing the information, wherein the distribution step is stored when a distribution trigger indicated by the distribution trigger information arrives. 3. The information distribution method according to claim 2, wherein information specified by said distribution trigger information is distributed to said distribution destination. 4. An identification information management means for storing and managing uniquely determined identification information, and an information management means for storing and managing information associated with the identification information, wherein the identification information and the delivery destination of the information to be distributed are provided. An information distribution device, wherein when specified, information associated with the specified identification information is distributed to the specified distribution destination. 5. A delivery destination storage means for storing the designated delivery destination, wherein when the identification information is designated, information associated with the identification information is stored in the delivery destination storage means. The information distribution apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the information is distributed to a stored distribution destination. 6. A distribution trigger information storage unit for storing distribution trigger information for giving a trigger for distributing the information, wherein the distribution stored when the distribution trigger indicated by the distribution trigger information arrives. 6. The information distribution apparatus according to claim 5, wherein information specified by the distribution trigger information is distributed first.