US20070129069A1 - Mobile telephone apparatus with remote access function for external network and remote access method for mobile communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

In a mobile telephone apparatus, an information storing section stores information, and a control section receives a remote access request signal from an external network to access the information storing section.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• 1. Field of the Invention
• The present invention relates to a mobile telephone apparatus with a remote access function and a remote access method for a mobile communication system.
• 2. Description of the Related Art
• Generally, personal information such as telephone directory, mail information or schedule information is loaded in a mobile telephone apparatus, not in a personal pocket book. As a result, if there is a need to call, the owner can rapidly respond thereto by using the personal information loaded in the mobile telephone apparatus.
• On the other hand, since the mobile telephone apparatus needs to be charged, the owner may forget to bring the mobile telephone apparatus. In this case, since the owner usually does not have a personal pocket book, it is impossible to obtain his or her personal information.
• In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, in the prior art, a remote access method from another mobile telephone apparatus has been suggested (see: JP-A-2000-125025 & JP-A-2000-216858).
• In the above-described prior art remote access method, however, since a remote access is not carried out from an external network such as the Internet, the security is not protected. Also, renewal of answering messages in an answering mode by a remote access method is not suggested. Further, obtaining of Internet contents through a mobile telephone apparatus by a remote access method is not suggested.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• It is an object of the present invention to provide a mobile telephone apparatus capable of further protecting security, renewing answering messages in an answering mode and obtaining Internet contents.
• Another object is to provide a remote access method for a mobile communication system including the above-mentioned mobile telephone apparatus.
• According to the present invention, in a mobile telephone apparatus, an information storing section stores information, and a control section receives a remote access request signal from an external network to access the information storing section.
• Also, in a remote access method for a mobile communication system comprising at least one mobile telephone apparatus, a mobile telephone network capable of communicating with the mobile telephone apparatus, an Internet connected via a gateway to the mobile telephone network, an access control server connected to the Internet, and at least one access request client connected to the Internet, a remote access request signal is transmitted from the access request client via the Internet to the access control server, and a first mail including the remote access signal is transmitted from the access control server via the Internet, the gateway and the telephone network to the mobile telephone apparatus. Then, a second mail is generated by the mobile telephone apparatus in accordance with the first mail, and the second mail is transmitted from the mobile telephone apparatus via the mobile telephone network, the gateway and the Internet to the access control server. Then, a third mail including the second mail is transmitted from the access control server to the access request client.
• Further, in a remote access method for a mobile communication system comprising at least one mobile telephone apparatus, a mobile telephone network capable of communicating with the mobile telephone apparatus, an Internet connected via a gateway to the mobile telephone network, an access control server connected to the Internet, a public switched telephone network connected to the mobile telephone network, and at least one fixed telephone apparatus connected to the public switched telephone network, a connection request signal including an action number is transmitted from the fixed telephone apparatus via the public switched telephone network and the mobile telephone network to the mobile telephone apparatus. Then, it is determined whether or not a predetermined ringing time has passed. As a result, only after the predetermined ringing time has passed, is a download request signal corresponding to the action number transmitted from the mobile telephone apparatus via the mobile telephone network, the gateway and the Internet to the access control server. Then, an Internet content is transmitted from the access control server via the Internet, the gateway and the mobile telephone network to the mobile telephone apparatus, after the access control server has received the download request signal. Then, the Internet content is transmitted from the mobile telephone apparatus via the mobile telephone network and the public switched telephone network to the fixed telephone apparatus.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The present invention will be more clearly understood from the description set forth below, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
• FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the mobile communication system according to the present invention;
• FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the mobile telephone unit ofFIG. 1;
• FIG. 3 is a detailed block circuit diagram of an internal circuit of the mobile telephone unit ofFIG. 2;
• FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing a first operation of the mobile communication system ofFIG. 1;
• FIGS. 5A,5B5C and6 are diagrams showing examples of the mail generated by the access control server ofFIG. 4;
• FIG. 7 is a detailed flowchart for explaining the operation of the mobile telephone apparatus ofFIG. 1;
• FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram showing a second operation of the mobile communication system ofFIG. 1; and
• FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram illustrating a modification of the sequence diagram ofFIG. 8.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
• InFIG. 1, which illustrates an embodiment of the mobile communication system according to the present invention,reference numeral1 designates a mobile telephone apparatus, and2 designates a base station which is connected to amobile telephone network3.
• Themobile telephone network3 is connected via a gateway4 to the Internet5. Also, anaccess control server6 for performing a remote access control upon themobile telephone apparatus1 and anaccess request client7 for accessing themobile telephone apparatus1 are connected to the Internet5. For example, theaccess request client7 is a personal computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or an information terminal installed at a store or a public institution.
• Further, a public switches telephone network (PSTN)8 connected to a fixed telephone apparatus9 is connected to themobile telephone network3.
• A connection between themobile telephone apparatus1 and the access control server5 is carried out by a line switching call and/or a packet switching call. On the other hand, a connection between themobile telephone apparatus1 and the fixed telephone apparatus9 is carried out by a line switching call.
• InFIG. 2, which is a schematic view of the mobile telephone apparatus ofFIG. 1, themobile telephone apparatus1 is constructed by ahousing11, anantenna12, a liquid crystal display (LCD)unit13 and akey operation unit14.
• InFIG. 3, which is a block circuit diagram of an internal circuit of thehousing11 ofFIG. 2, acontrol section111 is provided. Thecontrol section111 is connected via aradio transceiver section112 to theantenna12, and is also connected to theLCD unit13 and thekey operation unit14.
• Also, thecontrol section111 is connected to a personalinformation storing section113, an audioinformation storing section114 and an accessinformation database section115. The personalinformation storing section113 stores personal information such as a telephone directory, mail information and schedule information. The audioinformation storing section114 stores one or more answering messages in an answering mode, stores responding messages from originators in an answering mode, and Internet contents. The accessinformation database section115 stores a mode bit for indication of whether or not the mobile telephone apparatus is in an answering mode, a relationship table between telephone numbers of originators and answering messages, a password used in a remote access mode, and a relationship table between action numbers and operations.
• The personalinformation storing section113, the audioinformation storing section114 and the accessinformation database section115 are constructed by a nonvolatile memory such as an electrically-erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM).
• Further, thecontrol section111 analyses received data. As a result, if the received data indicates a control command, thecontrol section111 processes this control command. Also, thecontrol section111 generates response data using the contents of the personalinformation storing section113, the audioinformation storing section114 and the accessinformation database section115.
• Thecontrol section111 is constructed by a microcomputer which can be operated in accordance with programs stored in a read-only memory116 which can be constructed by an EEPROM. Also, thecontrol section111 may have a multi-call function for simultaneously carrying out a line switching call and a packet switching call.
• A first operation of the mobile communication system ofFIG. 1 is explained next with reference toFIGS. 4, 5A,5B,5C,6 and7. Here,FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram,FIGS. 5A, 5B,5C and6 are diagrams showing examples of mails generated by theaccess control server6 inFIG. 4, andFIG. 7 is a detailed flowchart for explaining the operation of the mobile telephone apparatus inFIG. 4.
• First, theaccess request client7 transmits a connection request signal S1 via the Internet5 to the homepage of theaccess control server6. As a result, theaccess control server6 transmits an authentication request signal S2 to theaccess request client7, in order to protect security.
• Next, theaccess request client7 transmits a password signal S3 to theaccess control server6. As a result, only when the password signal S3 is satisfactory, does theaccess control server6 transmit a connection permission signal S4 to theaccess request client7, so that theaccess request client7 can access the homepage of theaccess control server6.
• Next, theaccess request client7 transmits a request signal S5 to theaccess control server6 with reference to the homepage thereof. As a result, theaccess control server6 generates a mail addressed to themobile telephone apparatus1 in accordance with the request signal S5. For example, if the request signal S5 indicates a reference request for the telephone directory, the mail is as shown inFIG. 5A. Also, if the request signal S5 indicates a reference request for the mail information, the mail is as shown inFIG. 5B. Further, if the request signal S5 indicates a reference request for the schedule, the mail is as shown inFIG. 5C. Additionally, if the request signal S5 indicates a renewal request for answering messages, the mail is as shown inFIG. 6.
• Next, theaccess control server6 transmits the mail as shown inFIG. 5A, 5B,5C or6 to themobile telephone apparatus1. Note that this mail can be transmitted by using a short message service which includes a telephone number of theaccess request client7, in order to further protect security.
• Next, upon receipt of the mail from theaccess control server6, themobile telephone apparatus1, i.e., thecontrol section111 carries out an operation as shown inFIG. 7 which will be explained below.
• The flowchart ofFIG. 7 is started when theradio transceiver section112 has received a mail.
• Atstep701, the mail is transmitted from theantenna12 via theradio transceiver section112 to thecontrol section111 which determines whether or not the mail is directed to a remote access request in accordance with the content of “Subject” of the mail. As a result, only when the mail is directed to a remote access request such as “reference request” or “renewal request”, does the control proceed to step702. Otherwise, the control proceeds to step705 in which thecontrol section111 carries out a usual mail processing.
• Atstep702, thecontrol section111 determines whether or not the password coincides with the remote access mode password stored in the accessinformation database section115. As a result, only when the password of the mail coincides with the remote access mode password, does the control proceed to step703. Otherwise, the control proceeds to step706 which generates an access refusal mail.
• Atstep703, thecontrol section111 determines whether the mail is directed to a reference request or a renewal request in accordance with the content of “Subject ” of the mail. As a result, when the mail is directed to a reference request, the control proceeds to step704. On the other hand, when the mail is directed to a renewal request, the control proceeds to707.
• Atstep704, thecontrol section111 reads information from the personalinformation storing section113 in accordance with the “object” and the like of the mail. For example, if the mail is as shown inFIG. 5A, thecontrol section111 reads name information of the telephone directory having initial “a” from the personalinformation storing section113. If the mail is as shown inFIG. 5B, thecontrol section111 reads mail information having the data “today” from the personalinformation storing section113. If the mail is as shown inFIG. 5C, thecontrol section111 reads the schedule information having the data “today” from the personalinformation storing section113. As a result, thecontrol111 generates a mail including the name information, the mail information or the schedule information.
• Atstep707, thecontrol section111 renews the corresponding answering messages stored in the audioinformation storing section114. Also, thecontrol section111 renews the relationship between telephone numbers of originators and answering messages stored in the accessinformation database section116. For example, one renewed answering message is “I left this telephone apparatus at home, so I cannot use it all day long”.
• Next, atstep708 thecontrol section111 generates a mail on renewal result.
• The control atsteps704,706 and708 returns toFIG. 4.
• Thecontrol section111 transmits a signal S7 including the mail generated atstep704,706 or708 ofFIG. 7 to theaccess control server6.
• Finally, theaccess control server6 transmits a signal S8 including the mail generated atstep704,706 or708 ofFIG. 7 to theaccess request client7.
• Thus, according to the above-described first operation, theaccess request client7 can access personal information such as the telephone directory, the mail and the schedule stored in the personalinformation storing section113. Also, theaccess request client7 can renew answering messages stored in the audioinformation storing section114.
• A second operation of the mobile communication system ofFIG. 1 is explained next with reference toFIG. 8.
• First, the fixed telephone apparatus9 transmits a connection request signal S11 including an action number “01234567890” to themobile telephone apparatus1.
• Next, atstep801, in themobile telephone apparatus1, thecontrol section111 retrieves an operation in the accessinformation database section115 using the action number “01234567890”. In this case, the operation is to regenerate Internet contents such as audio data, stationary or moving picture data from the Internet5.
• Next, atstep802, thecontrol section111 determines whether or not a ringing time has passed. If themobile telephone apparatus1 is responded to before the ringing time has passed, the control proceeds to step803 which carries out a usual speech processing. On the other hand, if the ringing time has passed, the control proceeds to step804 which carries out an answering operation.
• Next, themobile telephone apparatus1 transmits a download request signal S12 for downloading the Internet content, corresponding to the operation retrieved atstep801, to theaccess control server6. In this case, themobile telephone apparatus1 uses the multi-call function to access theaccess control server6 by a packet switching call.
• Next, theaccess control server6 generates a download signal S13, so that the above-mentioned Internet content is downloaded from theaccess control server6 to themobile telephone apparatus1 where thecontrol section111 stores the Internet content in the audioinformation storing section114.
• Next, thecontrol section111 transmits an Internet content signal S14 in the audioinformation storing section114 to the fixed telephone apparatus9.
• Next, thecontrol section111 transmits a message request signal S15 to the fixedtelephone apparatus1. As a result, the fixed telephone apparatus9 transmits a message signal S16 to thecontrol section111, so that the message signal S16 is stored in the audioinformation storing section114.
• Finally, the fixed telephone apparatus9 transmits a disconnection request signal S17 to thecontrol section111, so that thecontrol section111 stops the storing operation of the audioinformation storing section114.
• Thus, according to the above-described second operation, the fixed telephone apparatus9 can access Internet contents.
• InFIG. 9, which illustrates a modification ofFIG. 8, if the Internet content retrieved atstep801 is already stored in the audioinformation storing section114, the transmission of the download request signal S12 and the transmission of the Internet content signal S14 ofFIG. 8 are omitted.
• As explained hereinabove, according to the present invention, since information stored in a mobile telephone apparatus is remotely accessed through an external network such as the Internet, the information can be referred to and renewed while protecting security. Also, contents of an external network such as the Internet can be obtained through a mobile telephone apparatus.

Claims (5)

1-8. (canceled)

9. A mobile telephone apparatus comprising:

an information storing section for storing information; and

a control section for receiving a first mail from an Internet, determining whether or not a subject item of said first mail includes a remote access request, determining whether or not a password item of said first mail includes a remote access mode password, and accessing said information section after it is determined that the subject item of said first mail includes said remote access request and the password item of said first mail includes said remote access mode.

10. The mobile telephone apparatus as set forth inclaim 9, wherein the accessing of said control section includes referring to the information stored in said information storing section and transmitting a second mail including the information stored in said information storing section to the Internet.

11. The mobile telephone apparatus as set forth inclaim 9, wherein the accessing of said control section includes renewing the information stored in said information storing section and transmitting a second mail including a renewed result of the information stored in said information storing section to the Internet.

12-20. (canceled)

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