JP3613511B2 - Mobile terminal device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a terminal device that is not normally connected to a network and that is assumed to move, and particularly when the terminal device connects to the network and starts communication with another device, The present invention relates to a terminal device that automatically communicates between management servers.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A terminal that is assumed to be mobile (hereinafter referred to as a mobile terminal) is different from a “half-fixed” terminal (for example, Desktop PC) that is used in a company, and a wired line (for example, a LAN (Local Area Network)). Cannot connect to the network using
Also, when connecting to a network, in many cases, it is normal to connect to a network with a target server via a public line.
However, due to the use of the public line, “billing” is inevitably caused by using the network.
For this reason, the user who uses the terminal needs to devise so as to reduce the number of times and time to connect to the network as much as possible and not to increase the amount to be “charged”.
[0003]
Similarly, in the case of a mobile terminal, it is assumed that the mobile terminal operates only with resources mounted on the terminal.
For this reason, the power source is currently the most resource bottleneck, and users usually try to reduce extra work as much as possible to maintain the power of the power source.
[0004]
Conventionally, in order to connect a mobile terminal to a management server via a network and distribute software and data, manage the hardware configuration, and check the installed software, the mobile terminal software for management Must be explicitly launched by the user and the user must explicitly connect to the required server.
However, as a user who uses the terminal, it is necessary to connect to the network in order to perform management, so the user does not bother to connect for management that is not profitable for the user for the reason mentioned at the beginning. Is normal.
Also, since management is not possible unless the user is connected, when trying to manage a mobile device, there will be a situation where the user will not connect to the management server indefinitely. It was very difficult to manage.
[0005]
Several methods have already been proposed to solve the above problems.
For example, regarding “distribution of software to a terminal”, which is one of management elements for a terminal, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-32618, the management server determines in advance whether there is information to be distributed to a client (terminal). When connected from a client (terminal), if there is no information to be distributed, the management server side immediately disconnects the line.
In order to minimize the burden on the user who uses the terminal, in JP-A-10-333914, management work is performed at a high probability that the user is not using the terminal (in this example, software distribution). Like to do.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-32618, a user who uses a terminal needs to be connected with the management server in mind. However, since many users dislike complicated operations, there is a problem that a reliable operation of the management function cannot be guaranteed.
Further, according to the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-333914, management can be performed during a time when the user is not using it. It is necessary to keep. Therefore inevitably increases the consumption of electricity, from the limit of the battery capacity mounted on a terminal, there is a problem that limits the time used for the user.
[0007]
An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problem, in a mobile terminal, without being particularly conscious of a user, automatically connects to a management server, receives necessary software and data, and receives hardware management information and The software management information can be sent to the management server.
Another object of the present invention is to automatically collect data created when the user is offline by collecting information on specific files and data in the terminal in accordance with instructions from the server side in addition to information distribution. Is to be able to do that.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides:
In the mobile terminal device, the mobile terminal device user detects the mobile terminal device connected to the other device via the network and starts communication with the other device for business execution. A monitoring unit that monitors a communication port of the terminal device; and when the monitoring unit detects that the mobile terminal device has started communication with the other device, the management server is searched through the network and searched. The management server is connected to the mobile terminal device via the network, and management means for starting communication with the management server is provided.
[0009]
In addition, the management means transfers software information or data stored in the mobile terminal apparatus to the management server after starting communication with the management server.
[0010]
In addition, after the management means starts communication with the management server, the hardware configuration information of the mobile terminal device is transferred to the management server via the network.
[0011]
In addition, the management means starts to communicate with the management server, and then transfers the software configuration information of the mobile terminal device to the management server via the network.
[0012]
In addition, the management means collects a specific file or data in the mobile terminal device or a file or data in a specific directory after starting communication with the management server, and the collected file or data is It is transferred to the management server.
[0013]
The mobile terminal apparatus receives software information and data transferred from the management server after starting communication with the management server.
[0014]
In addition, the mobile terminal device has means for acquiring position information of the terminal itself when communication with the management server is started, and transfers the acquired information to the management server by the management means and transfers it from the management server. Based on the position information, the software information and data optimum for the position selected by the management server are received.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The system assumed as an object of the present invention is a system in which business is performed on a daily basis using a terminal at a moving destination on the premise of an outside salesman or moving.
Many terminals are already used in in-house systems, and the terminals use a management server to distribute software and data, manage hardware and software configuration information, and so on.
As described above, management is realized by various methods for terminals that are almost fixedly used in the company, but for mobile terminals (hereinafter, mobile terminals are also simply referred to as terminals). The current situation is that almost no management is performed unless the user returns to the company from outside and connects to the LAN.
Since these terminals always move with the user, they are usually not connected to the network where the management server exists.
When connecting to the network, it is only necessary when doing business (for example, checking emails), and not connecting to the network in order to manage the terminal being used.
This is because connecting a terminal to a network consumes resources of the terminal, for example, a battery of the terminal, and a line usage fee is incurred for connection using a public line.
As a user, in particular, management of a terminal that does not directly affect his or her business is usually less important than the business he or she performs.
[0016]
However, when many mobile terminals are introduced and operated, it is very important to grasp and manage the status of each terminal from the viewpoint of the operation manager.
In this embodiment, in order to solve the dilemma between the user who uses the terminal mentioned above and the administrator, when the user connects to the network for business, the configuration information of the mobile terminal is automatically The management information is raised to the management server, and if necessary, the software and data are distributed to the mobile terminals from the management server.
[0017]
FIG. 1 shows a conceptual diagram of an example of a system to which the present invention is applied.
In the system of FIG. 1, a mobile terminal is connected to a mobile business server and a distribution / management server via a network such as a public line or the Internet while moving. The distribution / management server is also simply referred to as a management server.
When this system is used, the following operations can be seen from the user using the mobile terminal.
As shown in (1) in FIG. 1, the user starts accessing the business server in order to perform business.
In FIG. 1, the mobile terminal accesses the business server, but may access a remote database or start an email business.
A communication monitoring agent that monitors communication is resident in the mobile terminal, and is waiting while monitoring that communication is started (this is not visible to the user).
When communication (1) in FIG. 1 is started and the communication monitoring agent senses it, the management agent starts to search for a server to communicate with in the form of sharing the communication (1) for management. Yes (this is also invisible to the user).
When a server to be communicated is found (in this case, the distribution / management server A), the communication is started together with the communication (1), and the communication is started as shown in (2) in FIG.
When communication begins,
It will automatically upload management information and download necessary software and data (also not visible to the user).
For download only, mobile users may need to move immediately after the required work is completed, so a dialog for whether to download can be used to “reject download”.
In this way, when viewed from a user using a mobile terminal, it is possible to perform business using the terminal without recognizing the situation of being “managed”.
In order to realize this, the mobile terminal is preloaded with a communication monitoring agent or management agent agent program (hereinafter abbreviated as "agent") in a storage area (eg, non-volatile memory or hard disk) in the terminal. deep.
When the terminal is started, the agent is automatically started, and the communication monitoring agent monitors whether the terminal is connected to the network, and the management agent tells the current status of the terminal and what information is sent to the management server. Judgment is automatically made.
[0018]
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the management server and the mobile terminal.
The management server includes an OS (operating system), communication control software, and a management application, and further includes a communication device, a terminal authentication DB, and a terminal management data DB.
The mobile terminal includes an OS (operating system), communication control software, a communication monitoring agent for monitoring a communication port, a management agent for managing the mobile terminal, a user AP (application program) group to be managed, a modem, and the like Communication equipment, hardware within a terminal to be managed, and a management information storage (memory, hard disk, etc.) for storing management information.
[0019]
Hereinafter, processing performed mainly by the communication monitoring agent and the management agent will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.
The agent residing on the mobile terminal automatically starts up simultaneously when the mobile terminal is activated. If it is not resident, it is read from the external storage device or the like and starts resident (211).
The communication monitoring agent monitors the communication port of the mobile terminal and checks the state of the communication port to determine whether communication is performed (212).
As a result of the check, when the communication monitoring agent senses that communication has started due to the start of an e-mail service or the like and the communication port is connected to the network, the management agent starts operation (213).
When the operation is started, first, a communication destination (management server) is searched (215).
[0020]
There are several ways to search the management server.
For example, after connecting to the network, a method of transmitting a broadcast packet for searching the management server from the terminal side to the network and accessing the server that has responded earliest.
There is also a method in which all addresses of servers to be accessed in advance on the client side are stored and polled until these addresses are connected in a certain order.
As a method of improving efficiency by improving this method, the location information of each management server is recorded in advance in a list in which addresses are recorded, and when the terminal side can obtain the location information, the obtained location information and the management server A method is also conceivable in which the terminal side automatically determines the management server considered to be the closest by comparing the position information and calls the management server.
Whichever method is used, in this system, the terminal serving as the client automatically searches for a server and connects.
[0021]
As a result of the port status check (212), if the communication port is not connected to the network and communication is not being performed, the timer is checked, and if the timer value has passed a certain time, management is performed. The agent periodically collects hardware and software management information to be notified to the server side.
In the case of hardware, the management information collected here is, for example, the type of CPU installed, the clock speed, the amount of memory installed, the maximum capacity of the hard disk, the current capacity, the name of the installed driver, It is information such as the type, and in the case of software, it is information such as the name and version of the software.
These collected data are temporarily stored in the terminal.
[0022]
The management agent automatically collects management information (311), determines whether or not it is the first collection (312), and if it is determined that the management information is collected for the first time at the terminal, the collected management information is stored in the terminal Are stored in the database (313), the timer is reset (317), and the process returns to step 212.
If management information has already been collected, the management information already accumulated in the DB is compared with the management information collected this time (314). If there is a change, that portion is managed in the DB. The changed part is reflected (315), and the changed part is registered as management information data to be sent to the management server next time (316), the timer is reset (317), and the process returns to step 212.
[0023]
The search result is checked (215). When the search is successful and the terminal is connected to the server, communication with the management server is started (216), and user authentication is first performed (217). User authentication is performed by transmitting an authentication request from the terminal to the management server, the management server performing authentication processing, and transmitting authentication approval to the terminal.
When the authentication is completed, the terminal determines whether there is information to be sent to the management server (218). If there is information to be sent, the terminal sends the extracted management information to the server side (219).
On the server side, after receiving the data received from the mobile terminal, the received data is stored and managed in the form of DB or file as management information for each terminal.
Note that the management server can specify to the mobile terminal whether to send all of the stored data to the management server or to send part of the specified information to the management server.
Information for this designation is sent from the management server to the terminal when the management server returns a response to the terminal when the terminal is connected to the management server.
[0024]
Next, after receiving the management information from the terminal, the management server determines whether there is information to be transmitted to the terminal (220). If there is information to be transmitted to the terminal, the management server first distributes the information to the terminal. It is confirmed whether it is acceptable (221).
This confirmation is performed by determining that distribution is rejected when a message instructing termination of management of the management server is transmitted from the terminal, and determining that distribution is not rejected if this message is not transmitted. When this message is sent, the management server performs a management termination process in accordance with the message, and sends a message for instructing a management termination process / line disconnection meaning receipt of distribution rejection to the terminal.
[0025]
If distribution is allowed, the management server downloads distribution information to the terminal (222).
The management server registers the software and data to be distributed in units of “packages” in advance.
When distributing, in addition to the method in which the administrator instructs the registered package in advance, the necessary software and data are obtained based on the hardware and software management information notified from the terminal. There are ways to distribute.
As a result, it is possible to prevent the distribution of already distributed ones from being duplicated, and it is not necessary to spend more communication time than necessary.
On the other hand, if there is information that must be distributed, the necessary software and data can always be stored in the terminal by automatically distributing this information.
[0026]
Some software and data to be distributed depend on the “location” of the terminal.
For example, it is assumed that a certain product group is a product whose market competition is intense and the price changes at very short intervals, and that there is a price difference depending on the region.
To distribute and use such data, the server determines where the terminal is located and distributes only the necessary data to the current location, or distributes all the data at once. A method is conceivable.
Comparing the former method with the latter method, it can be said that the former requires less data to be distributed than the latter, and is more efficient.
As described above, in order to efficiently distribute position-dependent software and data, it is possible to notify the server of position data on the terminal side and distribute software and data most suitable for the position data. It is necessary to.
There are still several ways to know the location on the terminal side.
For example, position information can be obtained in latitude / longitude units using GPS (Global Positioning System).
In addition, when communication is performed between a terminal and a server using a mobile phone, PHS (Personal Handy phone System), etc., the antenna (base station) with which the communication terminal is communicating If a service is used to determine whether or not the carrier is specified, a rough position (minimum 1 km, maximum 10 km for mobile phones, minimum 100 m, maximum 500 m for PHS) can be found.
By these means, the terminal obtains the position information and sends it to the management server, whereby software and data suitable for the position can be distributed to the terminal.
[0027]
In addition, when performing such distribution, depending on the size of the software and data to be distributed, the load during communication may interfere with the work that the user originally wants to execute. .
To prevent this, the management agent on the terminal side checks the CPU usage rate, network usage rate, etc. at regular intervals so that it does not affect the execution of applications used by the user. ing.
For example, when a user performs business using e-mail or the like, e-mail is transmitted and received. In this case, the communication monitoring agent in the terminal automatically senses communication, the management agent in the terminal searches for and connects to the management server, and starts communication. Dynamically adjust the communication speed between the management agent and the management server so that mail can be sent and received smoothly.
As described above, the management agent has a function of dynamically adjusting the load on the CPU and the network so as not to hinder the work actually used by the user.
[0028]
In a business using a mobile terminal, a user using the terminal may perform business using the terminal offline.
In this case, the results of the work are accumulated in the memory and storage in the terminal.
When the terminal is connected to the management server, the management agent in the terminal collects the files and data when the terminal is connected to the management server and sends it to the management server. It has a function to do.
The terminal determines whether or not there is a collection instruction from the management server (223). If there is an instruction, the management agent collects files and data and transmits them to the management server (224).
[0029]
For example, record the results of business operations on a terminal in a specific directory as data, and the management server will automatically collect the data stored in that directory when connected. By giving various instructions, the business results of each terminal can be collected on the management server side.
When trying to do business in this way, conventionally the user on the terminal side accesses the management server at a certain timing and sends the business result, or after returning home, connect to the internal network or to his own PC etc. In other words, the business results were sent to the management server.
However, if this method is used, the user can automatically connect to the management server and collect data from the terminal when executing business applications that require communication, such as e-mail. Data can be collected automatically during normal business operations without the user being aware of it.
[0030]
In addition, by applying this collection function, the log information in the mobile terminal is periodically collected on the management server, so that the usage status and problems of the hardware and software in the terminal are analyzed on the management server. If so, it is possible to notify the administrator, or automatically send software for taking measures at the next connection to the terminal.
As a result, it is possible to detect abnormalities on the terminal side in advance and take necessary countermeasures, and when viewing the terminal from the user, the terminal can always be used in the best situation without particular awareness. .
[0031]
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a telegram sequence between the mobile terminal and the management server.
When the terminal monitors the communication port and detects that communication is being performed, the terminal performs a management server search (10).
The numbers in parentheses are message types in the message specifications shown in FIG.
The management server sends a management server address reply (1010) message to the terminal.
The terminal recognizes the first management server address reply message received and ignores other management server address reply messages.
The terminal sends a user authentication request (20) message to the management server, and the management server sends a user authentication approval message (1020) to the terminal.
Next, when there is terminal location information, the terminal sends a message of terminal location notification (60) to the management server, and then sends configuration information collected at the terminal (30).
The terminal can send a distribution rejection (80) message to the management server in order to reject the distribution of information from the management server. Upon receiving this message, the management server sends a message of distribution rejection acceptance (1050) to the terminal. When receiving the message of delivery rejection receipt, the terminal disconnects the line between the management servers.
When the management server does not receive the message of distribution rejection, the management server sends a message of information distribution (1030) to the terminal, and the terminal sends a message of notification of distribution status (70). Upon receiving this message, the management server sends the message for information distribution (1030) to the terminal again in order to transmit the next distribution information. Between the terminal and the management server, a telegram of notification of distribution status (70) and a telegram of information distribution (1030) to the terminal are exchanged as many times as necessary.
Next, a message of distribution end / collection inquiry (40) is sent from the terminal to the management server. Upon receiving this message, the management server ends transmission of the distribution information to the terminal, and further checks whether or not a collection instruction for collecting data as a result of performing the business on the terminal is necessary.
As a result of the check, if a collection instruction is necessary, the management server sends a collection instruction (1040) message to the terminal.
The terminal sends a collected information up (50) message to the management server, and sends the collected information in the terminal to the management server. The management server sends a message of information collection status notification and a collection status notification (1070) requesting transmission of the next collection information to the terminal.
Between the management server and the terminal, the telegram of the collection status notification (1070) and the telegram of the collection information up (50) are exchanged as many times as necessary.
When the transmission of the collected information is finished, the terminal sends a connection disconnection notification (80) (same as distribution rejection (80)) to the management server, and the management server accepts the connection disconnection (1050) (delivery rejection received). (Same as (1050)).
Thereby, the process between the mobile terminal and the management server is terminated.
[0032]
FIG. 5 shows the contents of a message exchanged between the client and server shown in FIG.
In FIG. 5, a table written as “terminal → management server” indicates the contents of a message flowing from the mobile terminal to the management server. In FIG. 5, a table written as “management server → terminal” indicates the contents of a message flowing from the management server to the mobile terminal.
The meaning of each item is as follows.
“Message type”: a unique code indicating which message type it is. This code corresponds to the number in parentheses in FIG.
“Additional information”: Indicates additional information such as data embedded in a message.
“Operational contents of terminal”: An outline of how this electronic message operates when it is sent to the management server or the mobile terminal.
[0033]
FIG. 6 is an example or block diagram in which a part to be mounted in a mobile terminal is created in correspondence with the protocol stack layer of the OSI communication protocol.
In this figure, a case where a TCP / IP protocol, which has recently been mainstream in communication protocols, is used as an example. The common interface for communication (Socket interface) corresponds to the boundary between the fourth layer and the fifth layer in the OSI communication protocol.
In this figure, when data is transmitted from the terminal to the management server, the data flows from the upper layer (upper) to the lower layer (lower) and processed in each layer. By the way, it is converted into data that actually flows on the line and transmitted to the server.
When receiving data from the management server, the data sent from the management server flows to the lowest layer and is processed in each layer as it moves from the lower layer to the upper layer. The data is converted into data that can be used by the AP or management agent.
In this figure, the portions directly related to the present invention are the “communication monitoring agent” layer and the “management agent” layer.
The “communication monitoring agent” is an agent that monitors the “communication device” layer in the layer immediately below to monitor whether or not communication has occurred and the state of communication. The monitored result is sent to the “management agent”.
The “management agent” is a core part of the present invention. The “management agent” is a main body of an agent that realizes various functions in the present invention. The “management agent” performs communication start / end, server search, data transfer, and the like based on information from the “communication monitoring agent”.
[0034]
As described above, by using this system, automatic maintenance and management, and software distribution and collection can be performed for mobile terminals that have been difficult to maintain and manage.
[0035]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) It becomes possible to automatically collect the management information of the hardware and software of the mobile terminal without being particularly aware that the terminal user performs management.
As a result, these terminals, which have been difficult to manage until now, can be managed centrally from the management server.
(2) It is possible to distribute software, data, and files to the mobile terminal without making the user who uses the terminal particularly aware.
As a result, in order to distribute software until now, users can either automatically connect to the management server, or move to a location where the management server is located and connect to a network such as a LAN. It can be done easily and easily.
(3) With respect to the mobile terminal, it is possible to automatically expand the distributed data and files without making the user who uses the terminal particularly aware, and to install or upgrade software.
As a result, software distribution and software upgrade can be performed for terminals that are not connected to the management server at almost the same timing as the connected terminals.
(4) With respect to the mobile terminal, the management server side can select appropriate software, files, and data based on the information on the current position of the terminal, and distribute it to the terminal.
This makes it possible to appropriately distribute the information that the terminal needs most now.
(5) With respect to the mobile terminal, it is possible to automatically collect data and files in the terminal at the location designated by the management server without making the user using the terminal particularly aware.
As a result, the results of business applications performed offline, log information, and the like can be collected periodically.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of an example of a system to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart of processing of a mobile terminal and a management server.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flowchart that follows the flowchart of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a telegram sequence between a mobile terminal and a management server.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the contents of a message exchanged between the mobile terminal and the management server.
FIG. 6 is a communication layer block diagram in a mobile terminal.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a management server and a mobile terminal.

Claims (7)

In a mobile terminal device,
Communication port of the mobile terminal device for detecting that the user of the mobile terminal device has connected the mobile terminal device to another device via the network and started communication with the other device for business execution Monitoring means for monitoring
When the monitoring means detects that the mobile terminal device has started communication with the other device, the management server is searched via the network, and the searched management server and the mobile terminal device are connected to the network. A mobile terminal device comprising management means for connecting via the communication server and starting communication with the management server. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein
The management means transfers software information or data stored in the mobile terminal device to the management server after starting communication with the management server. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein
The management means transfers the hardware configuration information of the mobile terminal device to the management server via a network after starting communication with the management server. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein
The management means transfers the software configuration information of the mobile terminal device to the management server via a network after starting communication with the management server. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein
The management means collects specific files and data in the mobile terminal device or files and data in a specific directory after starting communication with the management server, and the collected files and data are collected in the management server The mobile terminal device is characterized by being transferred to the mobile terminal device. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein
The mobile terminal device receives software information and data transferred from the management server after starting communication with the management server. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein
The mobile terminal device has means for acquiring position information of the terminal itself when communication with the management server is started, and transfers the acquired information to the management server by the management means and is transferred from the management server A mobile terminal device that receives software information and data optimum for the position selected by the management server based on the position information.

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