WO2000072577A1

WO2000072577A1 - Portable information terminal

Info

Publication number: WO2000072577A1
Application number: PCT/JP2000/003244
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hiroyuki Nakai; Masaki Wakamoto; Shigemi Matsunaga
Original assignee: Pascal Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 1999-05-20
Filing date: 2000-05-22
Publication date: 2000-11-30
Also published as: AU4615100A; JP2000332943A

Abstract

A portable information terminal such as a cell phone, which has functions exceeding conventional ones of talking and transferring short messages, and which can automatically transmit, to communication addresses stored in a communication address storage unit, image data read by an image read unit or an electronic camera, memorandum information and voice memorandum attached to the image data, and position data received by a GPS antenna, whereby still image information can be stored in communication terminals connected to a communication network and in various servers such as a mail server. In addition, the above communication address storing unit can store image information, stored in the image read unit or the like, by automatically converting them into communication addresses.

Description

Specification

Technical field of portable information terminals

The present invention relates to a mobile phone capable of transmitting and storing still image information such as pictures, characters, and photographs as image data to a communication terminal connected to a communication network or various server communication devices such as a mail server. The present invention relates to a portable information terminal such as a telephone. Background art

Conventionally, portable information terminals such as mobile phones and PHS (Personal Handy Phone) have been widely used, and when a destination phone number is entered, the entered phone number is transmitted as a radio signal to the nearest base or access point Then, the mobile phone to which the telephone number is assigned is called to make a call.

Recently, a service for exchanging short messages between mobile information terminals has become widespread. When this service is used, short messages can be sent from the mobile information terminal to the other party's telephone number or other party's e-mail. You can send by specifying the address.

By the way, the above-mentioned conventional portable information terminal has only a function of making a call with a communication terminal of the other party or exchanging a short message.

Therefore, in the present invention, in consideration of the above circumstances, still image information such as pictures, characters, and photographs is transmitted as image data to various terminals such as a communication terminal connected to a communication network and a mail server. We have decided to provide a portable information terminal that is further equipped with a storage function. Disclosure of the invention

Therefore, in the portable information terminal device according to claim 1 of the present invention, an image reading unit that reads a still image information such as a picture, a character, and a photograph with a scanner using a CCD camera and stores the information as image data, A communication address registration unit for pre-registering various servers connected to the Internet and communication addresses such as e-mail addresses; A communication control unit provided with a communication network interface for transmitting the work by designating the above-mentioned communication address by transmitting various data as a wireless signal to the work, and an image data stored in the image reading unit. A data conversion processing unit for converting into a signal format that can be processed by the communication network interface, a signal processing unit having at least functions necessary for communication control and image processing, a display unit, and an operation unit. In addition, the image data stored in the image reading unit is automatically transmitted to the communication address registered in the communication address registration unit, and is stored as electronic data.

Here, the various servers include, for example, all servers existing in the communication network, such as WWW servers, mail servers, and FTP servers.

The portable information terminal according to the second aspect is provided with an electronic camera instead of the image reading unit.

Here, unlike claim 1, a picture, a character, a photograph, and the like can be read as a subject image from a remote position.

In the portable information terminal device according to the third aspect, the communication address registration unit automatically converts the image information of the two-dimensional code stored in the image reading unit or the electronic camera into a communication address and registers the information. Configuration.

The portable information terminal device according to claim 4 further includes a communication unit having a microphone and a speaker, and can be used as a mobile phone.

The portable information terminal according to claim 5 further includes a memo information addition unit, and uses a numeric keypad or the like having a conversion function of Kana and English characters while viewing the display unit during image display. Memo information such as characters can be added.

The portable information terminal device according to claim 6 further includes a voice memo adding unit, so that a voice memo input through a microphone can be added to the image data.

The portable information terminal according to claim 7 further includes a GPS antenna, and a position data conversion processing unit that converts the position data received by the GPS antenna into a signal format that can be processed by the communication network interface. .

Therefore, this portable information terminal has a handy type navigation function. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a usage form of the portable information terminal of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining a communication address registration operation. FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining an example of image data transmission operation.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing another example of the usage of the portable information terminal of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a position data transmission operation. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, the portable information terminal device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining an example of a usage form of the portable information terminal of the present invention.

Here, a mobile phone is shown as the mobile information terminal 1, but the present invention is not limited to this example, and may be a terminal having a wireless communication function such as a PHS. The portable information terminal 1 includes a signal processing unit 10 for controlling the following units, and a communication control unit 1 / F11A for transmitting various data as wireless signals to a communication network. A communication address registration unit 12 for registering communication addresses such as a server 4 and an e-mail address, and an antenna ANT. Image data is stored in a predetermined signal format, that is, a communication network I / F 11 A data conversion processing unit 13 that converts the signal into a signal format that can be processed by A, a memo information addition unit 14 that adds memo information to the image data, and an audio memo to add image data The voice memo addition section 15, the display section 16 composed of an LCD screen, etc., the operation section 17 composed of various operation keys such as numeric keys, and still image information are read by the CCD camera 18 A. In the memory 18B as image data An image reading portion 1 8 to product, and a microphone 1 9 A speaker 1 9 B, for a call with the other party of the communication terminal A communication unit 19 is provided.

Here, the communication network is composed of a base station 2, a public line network Nl, a provider 3, and the Internet N2, and a communication terminal 5 such as a personal convenience network is connected to the public line network N1. Sano 4 is connected to Yuichi Net N2.

Here, the server 4 can be configured by a WWW server, an FTP server, or the like. Further, the server 4 may be provided in the provider 3. Further, the image reading means 18 may be an electronic camera such as a digital camera.

The communication network is not limited to one connected to a wired telephone line or communication cable, but may be a wireless system using a mobile phone network as a medium.

The communication address is registered in the communication address registration unit 12 in the following procedure.If the operator performs a predetermined operation using the operation unit 19, the signal processing unit 10 receives the address and receives the address. Is performed, and the operation shown in the flowchart (100 to 104) of FIG. 2 is performed. In the figure, the operation of two systems is shown for convenience.

In this portable information terminal, if the operator reads the two-dimensional code to which the communication address is added by the image reading unit 18 or inputs the communication address by the operation unit 19 (100), the signal processing unit 10 The following operation is performed.

That is, when the two-dimensional code to which the communication address is added is read by the image reading unit 18, the signal processing unit 10 stores the read two-dimensional code in the memory 18B as image data (101), The stored two-dimensional code is converted into a predetermined character code (102) and registered in the communication address registration unit 12 (103). In this case, in order to reduce the burden of signal processing on the portable information terminal, the two-dimensional code is read as image data and then converted to character codes by a communication terminal additionally connected to the portable information terminal. Alternatively, a communication network may be accessed.

On the other hand, when a communication address is input from the operation unit 19, the signal processing unit 10 registers the input communication address as it is in the communication address registration unit 12 (1 Next, the basic operation of the portable information terminal 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart (200 to 205) of FIG.

That is, if the operator performs a predetermined operation by operating an operation key of the operation unit 19 or the like, the signal processing unit 10 executes the image transmission mode in response to the predetermined operation, and the operator performs a picture or text operation. When the still image information such as a photograph is read by the image reading unit 18 (200), the signal processing unit 10 stores the read still image as an image in the memory 18B. (201).

When the operator inputs memo information from the operation unit 17 or inputs a voice memo using the microphone 19 B of the communication unit 19 (202), the signal processing unit 10 receives the input memo information. The memo information and the voice memo are added to the image data stored in the memory 18B (203). Subsequently, the signal processing unit 10 converts the image data stored in the memory 18B into a predetermined signal format, that is, the communication network I / F 11A, by the data conversion unit 13. The signal is converted into a processable signal format (204). In this case, the data conversion may be additionally performed, for example, after the operator operates a transmission instruction button (not shown).

At this time, the data conversion processing unit 13 may convert the data into a predetermined signal format after compressing the capacity of the image data as needed.

Then, the signal processing unit 10 specifies the image data via the communication network I / F 11 A, specifies the communication address (for example, the server 4) registered in the communication address registration unit 12, Transmit to base station 2 (205).

At this time, the base station 2 transmits the received image data to the specified communication address (here, the server 4) via the public line network Nl, the provider 3, and the Internet N2. The received image data is stored.

At this time, the server 4 timestamps the received image data with the date and time of reception, and then accumulates the data in a predetermined e-mail box or private box.

For this reason, the communication terminal 5 installed at home or office connects to the server 4 via the public line network Nl, the provider 3, and the Internet N2, and retrieves the stored image data as needed. Can be referred to. Next, another example of usage of the portable information terminal of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining another example of the usage of the portable information terminal of the present invention.

This portable information terminal is characterized in that the internal configuration of the portable information terminal 1 described above further includes a position data conversion processing unit 20 having a GPS antenna ANT '.

Here, the GPS antenna ANT 'receives the position data transmitted as a radio signal from the orbiting satellite G' ■ ', and the position data conversion processing unit 20 converts the position data received by the GPS antenna ANT' The signal is converted into a predetermined signal format, that is, a signal format that can be processed by the communication network I / F 11A.

According to such a portable information terminal, if the position data receiving mode is set, the position data is transmitted to a portable information terminal or a communication terminal having a navigation function via a communication network. This allows the destination to be notified of the exact location of the destination, which is useful for knowing the location of those who need to be monitored, such as wandering elderly people. It is also useful for crime prevention.

Here, the position data receiving mode may be such that the position data is transmitted to the other party's communication terminal separately from the time of the call, or may be automatically set during the call. Furthermore, the location data by GPS can be added to the image data and transmitted to the communication terminal, and can be used in various ways.

The flowchart (300 to 302) in FIG. 5 describes the procedure for transmitting the portable information terminal 1, that is, the position data.

The portable information terminal 1 may be provided with navigation software, and the current position may be displayed on the display unit 16 based on the position data received by the GPS antenna ANT '.

As described above, the portable information terminals 1, 1 'transmit the image data and the position data to the base station 2, but the present invention is not limited to this example. Instead of the base station 2, an access point connected to a LAN (local area network), an Internet connection network, a public line network, or the like may be provided, and data may be transmitted to the access point. . The invention's effect

As can be understood from the above description, in the portable information terminal of the present invention, if there are articles in newspapers and magazines that are thought to be on the go, such articles are sent to their own e-mail boxes and the like on the spot. Since it can be stored and stored as electronic data, a private electronic library (information bank) can be realized.

In addition, since the image data can be read by the image reading unit and the read image data can be sent to the communication address registered in the communication address registration unit, still image information such as pictures, characters, and photos can be transferred to the communication network. Image data can be transmitted and stored to various communication terminals connected to the server and various servers such as a mail server.

In addition, in the case where the electronic camera is provided instead of the image reading unit, the image data can be read from a position separated from the still image information only by operating the shutter. The communication address registration unit automatically converts the image information of the two-dimensional code stored in the image reading unit or electronic camera into a communication address and registers it, so it can be printed on business cards, magazines, advertising articles, etc. By simply reading the two-dimensional code, the communication address can be registered, which is convenient.

In a portable information terminal further provided with a communication unit having a microphone and a speaker, this portable information terminal can be used as a mobile phone or a PHS.

In a mobile terminal device further equipped with a memo information addition unit, memo information such as characters is added to the image data, so any memo can be written in the image data to be transmitted. is there.

Further, in a device further provided with a voice memo adding unit, a voice memo input through a microphone is added to the image data, so an arbitrary voice memo is added to the image data to be transmitted. Can be convenient.

Further, in a device further provided with a GPS antenna and a position data conversion processing unit, the received position data is converted into a signal format that can be processed by the communication network interface by the position data conversion processing unit. The location data can be transmitted by specifying the registered communication address, and the communication terminal that receives the data confirms the location of the portable information terminal based on the received location data. be able to.

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. An image reading unit that reads still image information such as pictures, characters, and photos with a scanner using a CCD camera, and stores it as image data.

A communication address registration unit for pre-registering various servers connected to the communication network and communication addresses such as an e-mail address;

A communication control unit having a communication network interface for designating the communication address and transmitting the various data as wireless signals to the communication network;

A data conversion processing unit that converts the image data stored in the image reading unit into a signal format that can be processed by the communication network interface;

A signal processing unit having at least functions necessary for communication control and image processing, a display unit, and an operation unit,

A portable information terminal device configured to automatically transmit the image data stored in the image reading unit to the communication address registered in the communication address registration unit and store the image data as an electronic data file.

2. In Claim 1,

A portable information terminal including an electronic camera instead of the image reading unit.

3. In Claim 1 or 2,

A portable information terminal in which the communication address registration unit is configured to automatically convert and register the image information of the two-dimensional code stored in the image reading unit or the electronic camera into a communication address.

4. In Claims 1-3,

A portable information terminal further comprising a communication unit having a microphone and a speaker.

5. In any one of claims 1 to 4,

A memo information adding unit is further provided, and memo information such as characters is added to the image data. A portable information terminal that can be used.

6. In claim 4,

A portable information terminal further comprising a voice memo adding unit, wherein a voice memo input through the microphone can be added to the image data overnight.

7. In any one of claims 1 to 6,

A portable information terminal further comprising a GPS antenna, and a position data conversion processing unit that converts a position data received by the GPS antenna into a signal format that can be processed by the communication network interface.