Title: System and apparatus for receiving an application
Abstract: A system for receiving an application includes a communication terminal for reading imaged information representing information on an input guidance prompting a user to do an input operation to receive an application and on a telephone number of an apparatus for receiving an application, analyzing the imaged information to produce input guidance information and outputs it to a user, receiving a selected input concerning the application presented by the user according to the input guidance information, connecting to the apparatus for receiving an application based on the telephone number, sending the selected input data of the application, receiving a response message for the application from the apparatus for receiving an application, and outputting the received response message to the user.
Patent Number: 6,983,304 Issued on 01/03/2006 to Sato
| Inventors:
|
Sato; Maki (Tsutiura, JP)
|
| Assignee:
|
Hitachi, Ltd. (Tokyo, JP)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
126362 |
| Filed:
|
April 19, 2002 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
| Jun 04, 2001[JP] | 2001-168337 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
709/203; 709/202 |
| Current Intern'l Class: |
G06F 15/16 (20060101) |
| Field of Search: |
709/201,202,203
|
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
| 5576951 | Nov., 1996 | Lockwood.
| |
| 5598477 | Jan., 1997 | Berson.
| |
| 6789113 | Sep., 2004 | Tanaka.
| |
| 6795703 | Sep., 2004 | Takae et al.
| |
| Foreign Patent Documents |
| 2961333 | Dec., 1997 | DE.
| |
| 20003864 | May., 2000 | DE.
| |
| 07-073242 | Mar., 1995 | JP.
| |
| 11-055251 | Feb., 1999 | JP.
| |
Primary Examiner: Maung; Zarni
Assistant Examiner: Madamba; Glenford
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Townsend and Townsend and Crew LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A system for receiving an application, said system comprising at least one
communication terminal with an application function and an apparatus for receiving
an application that receives a predetermined application from the communication terminal,
wherein said communication terminal with an application function comprises:
communication unit for connecting to a desired communication destination over
a public communication line network;
imaged information reading unit for reading imaged information representing information
on an input guidance prompting a user to do an input operation to receive the application
and on a telephone number of said apparatus for receiving an application;
imaged information analyzing unit for analyzing the imaged information to produce
the input guidance information;
input guidance outputting unit for outputting the input guidance information
to the user according to the analyzed input guidance information;
operation input receiving unit for receiving a selected input concerning the
application presented by the user according to the input guidance information;
application data sending unit for connecting to said apparatus for receiving
an application via said communication means based on the telephone number to send
the selected input data of the application received by said operation input receiving unit;
response message receiving unit for receiving, via said communication unit, a
response message for the application from said apparatus for receiving an application
which has received the data; and
response message outputting unit for outputting the received response message
to the user, and
wherein said apparatus for receiving an application comprises:
user information storing unit for storing information such as a name of a user
who wants to make the application and a telephone number thereof;
communication unit for receiving a message from the communication terminal with
an application function;
caller number obtaining unit for obtaining an incoming caller number sent from
said communication terminal with an application function;
caller number checking unit for checking if the obtained caller number is registered
with said user information storing unit;
application receiving unit for executing predetermined reception processing based
on the data on the application sent from said communication terminal with an application
function if the obtained caller number is registered with said user information
storing unit; and
response message generating and sending unit for generating a response message
and sending the generated response message to said communication terminal with
an application function over the public communication line network based on an
execution result of the reception processing.
2. The system for receiving an application according to claim 1, wherein said
communication terminal with an application function further comprises application
data storing unit that stores the data selectively entered via said operation input
receiving unit and
wherein, after said operation input receiving unit receives the selected input
of the application, said application data sending unit makes a call to said apparatus
for receiving an application via said communication unit to connect thereto and
reads the data from the application data storing unit for transmission to said
apparatus for receiving an application.
3. The system for receiving an application according to claim 1, wherein said
apparatus for receiving an application further comprises imaged information generating
unit for generating imaged information and including the imaged information into
the response message, said imaged information indicating that the user is allowed
to execute contents of the received application when the user actually executes
the application, and
wherein said response message outputting unit of said communication terminal
with an application function has a function for printing, or a function for displaying,
contents of the response message including the imaged information,
said system for receiving an application further comprising an application checking
communication terminal installed in a facility where the application is to be executed
and providing a communication function,
wherein said application checking communication terminal comprises imaged information
reading and analyzing unit for reading and analyzing imaged information included
in the printed or displayed response message; and execution permission information
obtaining unit for obtaining execution permission information based on the analyzed
imaged information.
4. The system for receiving an application according to claim 3, wherein said
application checking communication terminal connects to said apparatus for receiving
an application via an appropriate communication line for transmission of the execution
permission information thereto and requests said apparatus for receiving an application
to check if the execution permission information is valid.
5. An apparatus for receiving an application that receives a predetermined application
from a communication terminal with an application function connected over a public
communication line network, said apparatus for receiving an application comprising:
user information storing unit for storing information such as a name of a user
who wants to make the application and a telephone number thereof;
receiving unit for receiving a message from the communication terminal with an
application function;
caller number obtaining unit for obtaining an incoming caller number sent from
said communication terminal with an application function;
caller number checking unit for checking if the obtained caller number is registered
with said user information storing unit;
application receiving unit for executing predetermined reception processing based
on data on the application sent from said communication terminal with an application
function if the obtained caller number is registered with said user information
storing unit; and
response message generating and sending unit for generating a response message
and sending the generated response message to the communication terminal with an
application function over the public communication line network based on an execution
result of the reception processing.
6. The apparatus for receiving an application according to claim 5, further comprising
imaged information generating unit for generating imaged information and including
the imaged information into the response message, said imaged information indicating
that the user is allowed to execute contents of the received application when the
user actually executes the application.
7. The apparatus for receiving an application according to claim 6, wherein the
imaged information of the response message is either two-dimensional codes or bar
code patterns.
8. A communication terminal with an application function connected to a predetermined
apparatus for receiving an application over a public communication line network
and executing application processing, said communication terminal comprising:
communication unit for connecting to a desired communication destination over
the public communication line network;
imaged information reading unit for reading imaged information on an input guidance
prompting a user to do an input operation to receive the application and on a telephone
number of said apparatus for receiving an application;
imaged information analyzing unit for analyzing the imaged information to produce
the input guidance information;
input guidance outputting unit for outputting the input guidance information
to the user according to the analyzed input guidance information;
operation input receiving unit for receiving a selected input concerning the
application presented by the user according to the input guidance information;
application data sending unit for connecting to said apparatus for receiving
an application via said communication unit based on the telephone number for transmission
of the selected input data of the application received by said operation input
receiving unit;
response message receiving unit for receiving, via said communication unit, a
response message for the application from said apparatus for receiving an application
which has received the data; and
response message outputting unit for outputting the received response message
to the user.
9. The communication terminal with an application function according to claim
8, further comprising application data storing unit for storing the data selectively
entered via said operation input receiving unit and
wherein, after said operation input receiving unit receives the selected input
of the application, said application data sending unit makes a call to said apparatus
for receiving an application via said communication unit to connect thereto and
reads the data from the application data storing unit for transmission to said
apparatus for receiving an application.
10. The communication terminal with an application function according to claim
8, wherein the imaged information is either two-dimensional codes or bar code patterns.
11. The communication terminal with an application function according to claim
8, wherein said input guidance outputting unit has either a function for displaying
the input guidance contents on an attached display or outputting the input guidance
contents via voice from an attached speaker.
12. The communication terminal with an application function according to claim
8, wherein said response message outputting unit has a function for printing the
response message contents or a function for displaying the response message contents
on the display.
13. An apparatus for receiving an application that receives a predetermined application
from a communication terminal with an application function connected over a communication
path, said apparatus for receiving an application comprising:
user information storing unit for storing information such as a user who wants
to make the application and a telephone number thereof;
receiving unit for receiving a message from the communication terminal with an
application function;
caller number obtaining unit for obtaining an incoming caller number sent from
said communication terminal with an application function;
caller number checking unit for checking if the obtained caller number is registered
with said user information storing unit;
application receiving unit for executing predetermined reception processing based
on data on the application sent from said communication terminal with an application
function if the obtained caller number is registered with said user information
storing unit; and
response message generating and sending unit for generating a response message
and sending the generated response message to the communication terminal with an
application function over the communication path based on an execution result of
the reception processing.
14. The apparatus for receiving an application according to claim 13, further
comprising imaged information generating unit for generating imaged information
and including the imaged information into the response message, said imaged information
indicating that the user is allowed to execute contents of the received application
when the user actually executes the application.
15. The apparatus for receiving an application according to claim 14, wherein
the imaged information of the response message is either two-dimensional codes
or bar code patterns.
16. A communication terminal with an application function connected to a predetermined
apparatus for receiving an application over a communication path and executing
application processing, said communication terminal comprising:
communication unit for connecting to a desired communication destination over
the communication path;
imaged information reading unit for reading imaged information on an input guidance
prompting a user to do an input operation to receive the application and on a telephone
number of said apparatus for receiving an application;
imaged information analyzing unit for analyzing the imaged information to produce
the input guidance information;
input guidance outputting unit for outputting the input guidance information
to the user according to the analyzed input guidance information;
operation input receiving unit for receiving a selected input concerning the
application presented by the user according to the input guidance information;
application data sending unit for connecting to said apparatus for receiving
an application via said communication unit based on the telephone number for transmission
of the selected input data of the application received by said operation input
receiving unit;
response message receiving unit for receiving, via said communication unit, a
response message for the application from said apparatus for receiving an application
which has received the data; and
response message outputting unit for outputting the received response message
to the user.
17. The communication terminal with an application function according to claim
16, further comprising application data storing unit for storing the data selectively
entered via said operation input receiving unit and
wherein, after said operation input receiving unit receives the selected input
of the application, said application data sending unit makes a call to said apparatus
for receiving an application via said communication unit to connect thereto and
reads the data from the application data storing unit for transmission to said
apparatus for receiving an application.
18. The communication terminal with an application function according to claim
16, wherein the imaged information is either two-dimensional codes or bar code patterns.
19. The communication terminal with an application function according to claim
16, wherein said input guidance outputting unit has either a function for displaying
the input guidance contents on an attached display or outputting the input guidance
contents via voice from an attached speaker.
20. The communication terminal with an application function according to claim
16, wherein said response message outputting unit has a function for printing the
response message contents or a function for displaying the response message contents
on the display.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system for receiving an application, and more
particularly to an apparatus for receiving an application and a system for receiving
an application with communication terminals each with the application function.
Service-over-the-counter provided by a self-governing body
to the citizens has been digitized with more and more web pages created for the
citizens over the Internet. Through those web pages, a citizen uses an information
terminal such as a personal computer to make a reservation or execute an application
procedure for public facilities such as a public hall. This convenient system enables
a citizen to make a reservation or to execute an application procedure without
having to go to the service window of the self-governing body or to the public facility.
However, although very convenient for those who are familiar with information
technology, such information-terminal based procedures are inconvenient for those
who have no personal computers at hand and, especially for those who are unfamiliar
with information technology, it is even painful to sit at a personal computer.
In addition, even if a personal computer is available, the Internet connection
environment is not yet established in some cases and, even if the Internet connection
environment is already established, it is troublesome to start the personal computer
to access web pages.
This leads to the development of a technology that allows the user to automatically
access a desired web page simply by feeding a bar code printed on a pamphlet or
a technology that allows the user to use, not a personal computer but a telephone
with the FAX function, to execute operation according to the voice guidance to
get reservation information on public facilities.
However, even if a web page may be easily accessed, the user must start
a personal computer in advance to connect to the Internet. When making a reservation
or executing an application procedure, the user must enter personal information
such as a user's name, address, and telephone number; when the user actually uses
a public facility later, the user must enter an ID and a password for personal
identification. Those entry operations are troublesome.
In addition, if the computer must stay in connection with the Internet over the
telephone line during the entry operation, the Internet connection charge and the
phone bill are required.
Even in the case where reservation information on public facilities is entered
according to the voice guidance using, not a personal computer, but a pamphlet
with a printed bar code, the phone bill is required during the operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide
a technology that eliminates the need for entering personal information, an ID,
and a password when making a reservation or executing an application procedure
and that minimizes the phone bill for entering that information.
To achieve the above object, the technology of application reception according
to the present invention is implemented by a system for receiving an application,
the system comprising at least one communication terminal with an application function
and an apparatus for receiving an application that receives a predetermined application
from the communication terminal, wherein the communication terminal with an application
function comprises communication unit for connecting to a desired communication
destination over a public communication line network; imaged information reading
unit for reading imaged information representing information on an input guidance
prompting a user to do an input operation to receive the application and on a telephone
number of the apparatus for receiving an application; imaged information analyzing
unit for analyzing the imaged information to produce the input guidance information;
input guidance outputting unit for outputting the input guidance information to
the user according to the analyzed input guidance information; operation input
receiving unit for receiving a selected input concerning the application presented
by the user according to the input guidance information; application data sending
unit for connecting to the apparatus for receiving an application via the communication
unit based on the telephone number to send the selected input data of the application
received by the operation input receiving unit; response message receiving unit
for receiving, via the communication unit, a response message for the application
from the apparatus for receiving an application which has received the data; and
response message outputting unit for outputting the received response message to
the user, and wherein the apparatus for receiving an application comprises user
information storing unit for storing information such as a name of a user who wants
to make the application and a telephone number thereof; communication unit for
receiving a, message from the communication terminal with an application function;
caller number obtaining unit for obtaining an incoming caller number sent from
the communication terminal with an application function; caller number checking
unit for checking if the obtained caller number is registered with the user information
storing unit; application receiving unit for executing predetermined reception
processing based on the data on the application sent from the communication terminal
with an application function if the obtained caller number is registered with the
user information storing unit; and response message generating and sending unit
for generating a response message and sending the generated response message to
the communication terminal with an application function over the public communication
line network based on an execution result of the reception processing.
The communication terminal with an application function refers to a telephone
and an information terminal with the communication function, including a home telephone,
a cellular phone including a PHS, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistance) with the
telephone function, and an information terminal such as a personal computer with
the modem function.
The caller number is a calling number received by the apparatus for receiving
an application, that is, the subscriber's telephone number of a communication terminal
with the application function.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent
from the following description of the embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the general configuration of a system for receiving
an application in one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2A is a diagram showing the data structure of two-dimensional codes used
in the system for receiving an application in one embodiment of the present invention
and showing the data structure of list A containing an reservation application menu.
FIG. 2B is a diagram showing the data structure of two-dimensional codes used
in the system for receiving an application in one embodiment of the present invention
and showing the data structure of a confirmation message including a reception number.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing reservation application reception processing procedure
executed by a telephone 100 in one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing reservation application reception processing procedure
executed by a server 200 in one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an external perspective view of the telephone 100 in one embodiment
of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the telephone 100
in one embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the
FIGS. 1-6. As shown in the general configuration diagram in FIG. 1, when the user
wants to reserve a public facility (a municipal gymnasium, etc.) or apply for a
meeting (a seminar, etc.), he or she first uses a telephone
100 to connect
to the service provider over the telephone line. In the service provider, for example,
in a self-governing body's office such as a city office, a server dedicated to
the WWW service (hereinafter simply called a "server")
200 is installed.
This server
200 receives a reservation or an application request from the
telephone
100.
An example of the configuration of the telephone
100 is shown, for example,
in the external perspective view in FIG. 5. The telephone
100 comprises
a code reader (laser scanner)
101 that is bar code information reading unit
for reading bar code information, a key entry panel
102 that is operation
unit for specifying various operations and for entering numeric values, a liquid
crystal display
103 that is display unit for displaying various types of
information, a microphone
104 that is voice information entry unit for receiving
voice information, a speaker
105 that is voice information output unit for
outputting voice information, and an antenna
106 that sends and receives
radio waves in the PHS communication mode. As shown in the figure, the telephone
100 is configured as a code-reader-equipped mobile telephone that can be
carried easily.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the telephone
100.
In addition to the code reader (laser scanner)
101, key entry panel
102,
liquid crystal display
103, microphone
104, speaker
105, and
antenna
106, the telephone
100 further comprises a memory
109
that is storage unit for storing various types of numeric data and various types
of applications, a PHS (Personal Handyphone System) communication controller
110
that is PHS communication unit for sending and receiving information via the antenna
106 in the PHS communication mode, a voice converter
107 that converts
voice entered from the microphone
104 into digital signals and, at the same
time, drives the speaker
105 based on the signals received via the antenna
106, and a controller
108 that is control means for controlling the
execution of an application based on the operation specified via the key entry
panel
102. The memory
109 stores an application that provides the
PHS communication-mode telephone function, an application that analyzes two-dimensional
codes for producing binary data, and an application that receives a reservation
application request from the user based on the analyzed data.
Next, an example of the configuration of the server
200 and the databases
used with the server
200 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the server
200 comprises a program
200a that generates two-dimensional
codes, a facility reservation server
200b, a database management
system (DBMS)
200c, a mail program
200d that sends
and receives mail, and an operation system (OS)
200e. The server
200 provides various databases
210a-
210c used
for various purposes. The member master database
210a contains user
information. The menu database
210b contains menu information on
the facilities that users will request to reserve. The reservation database
210c
contains information on the reservation application reception status. A modem
220 for communication with external units via a public line and a printer
(PR)
230 are connected to the server
200.
In the telephone
100 and the server
200, a known technology disclosed
in JP-A-11-55251 is used for converting from various types of data to two-dimensional
codes and from two-dimensional codes to data.
A sequence of processing for receiving reservation applications will be described
using a specific example. A self-governing body creates reservation application
menu list A that contains items for making a reservation for public facilities
or for applying for medical examinations and makes the list available for use by
users. This list A contains known two-dimensional codes for each reservation application
object. For those two-dimensional codes, the information codes with the data structure
shown in FIG. 2(A) are used. That is, the information codes comprise a data identifier,
called a form information, indicating whether or not the information codes are
valid, a telephone number used to access the server
200, a reservation application
object name called a menu name, and a sequence of prompt entry items including
information on the requested date and time, the number of persons, and whether
to join the waiting list.
A user who will obtain list A and execute the reservation application procedure
must register required user information with the member master data-base
210a
of the server
200 in advance. This user information, such as the telephone
number, address, and name, will be required for the authentication at reservation
application time.
The user, who has executed this registration procedure, is able to execute the
reservation application procedure using the telephone
100 as shown in FIG.
1. That is, as shown in the flowchart of the telephone
100 in FIG. 3, the
user reads the two-dimensional codes from the code reader (laser scanner) equipped
with the telephone
100. The telephone
100 analyzes two-dimensional
codes that have been read and stores the analyzed data into the memory
109.
First, the telephone
100 checks if the data identifier of the analyzed data
is valid form information (S
10). If the information is not valid as the
result of this checking (S
10: NO), no processing is performed (END). Conversely,
if the information is valid (S
10: YES), the telephone
100 reads one
of the above-described entry items of analyzed data from the memory
109
and outputs a voice guidance prompting the user to specify information, such as
"requested date/time", from the speaker
105 via the voice converter
107.
At the same time, the telephone
100 displays a corresponding message on
the liquid crystal display
103 via the controller
108 (S
20).
The telephone
100 receives a user's operation input entered in response
to the voice guidance or the displayed message (S
30). This user's operation
input is entered by pressing buttons (keys) or via voice from the microphone. The
input entered via keys or voice is stored in the memory
109 and, at the
same time, output from the speaker
105 and on the liquid crystal display
103 to help the user confirm the operation (S
40). Steps S
20
to S
40 are repeated for all input items. After that (S
50: YES), when
a predetermined operation input is received from the user (for example, "press
call button"), a call is made to the server
200. Then, the telephone
100
sends all input item data stored in the memory
109 to the server
200
at a time (S
60) and ends the reservation application processing (END).
Next, with reference to the general configuration diagram in FIG. 1 and the
flowchart in FIG. 4, the following describes how the server
200 receives
data on the input items from the telephone
100. First, the server
200
uses the caller number information service, provided by the operator of the public
telephone line network, to obtain the received caller number (subscriber's number
of the telephone
100) of the telephone
100 and authenticates the
caller number. That is, if the received telephone number is not registered with
the member master database
210a (S
110: NO), the server
200
prepares an error message to be sent to the telephone
100 (S
120),
sends the message (S
130), and ends the reception processing (END). Conversely,
if the received telephone number is registered with the member master database
210a (S
110: YES), the server
200 starts the reservation
application reception processing and checks the reservation status using the reservation
database
210c (S
140) based on the received input item data.
That is, the server
200 checks if the requested date/time, number of persons,
and other items match the current reservation status (S
150). If the user's
reservation application contents match the reservation status (S
150: YES),
the server
200 receives the reservation application, registers the reservation
with the reservation database
210c, generates two-dimensional codes
including a reception number (execution permission information for reservation
application) that will be used to authenticate the user when the user uses the
facility (S
160), sends the confirmation message including those codes (S
130),
and ends the reception processing (END). The two-dimensional codes in the reception
completion confirmation message have the data structure such as that shown in FIG.
2(B), where the codes are composed of a data identifier indicating that the information
is "reception completion information", a service provider's telephone number, and
a reception number. On the other hand, if the user's reservation application contents
do not match the reservation status (S
150: NO), the server
200 checks
if the user wants to join the waiting list based on the received data (S
170).
If the user wants to join the waiting list (S
170: YES), the server
200
registers the user with the reservation database
210c as a standby
user (S
180), sends a message indicating the condition (S
130), and
ends the reception processing (END). If one of reservations is canceled later,
the server
200 makes a call using the telephone number of the standby user
to notify that the user's reservation application will be able to be registered.
Conversely, if the user does not: want to join the waiting list (S
170: NO),
the server
200 creates a list of information including alternatives such
as dates and times when the facility is available (S
190), sends the list
(S
130), and ends the reception processing (END).
When the reception processing ends, communication with the telephone
100 ends.
In response to the confirmation message from the server
200, the telephone
100 outputs two-dimensional codes including the above-described reception
number. That is, the telephone
100, if provided with the print function
such as a FAX function or connectable to a printer, prints the two-dimensional
codes as well as the received reservation application contents. And, when actually
using the facility, the user feeds the printed two-dimensional codes into a code
reader
301 of a telephone
300 provided in the facility as an application
checking communication terminal, as shown in FIG. 1. This telephone
300
may have the configuration similar to that of the user's telephone
100 or
may be an information terminal with the telephone function that can read the two-dimensional
codes. If the telephone
100 is a cellular phone, the two-dimensional codes
are not printed but displayed on the liquid crystal display
103 of the telephone
100; in this case, the user brings the liquid crystal display
103
near the code reader
301 of the telephone
300 to allow the code reader
301 to read the two-dimensional codes. The telephone
300 analyzes
the two-dimensional codes that have been read, obtains the reception number, accesses
the server
200, and sends the number and the request information to the
server
200 to ask it to check if the user is a valid user. The server
200
searches the reservation database
210c for the received reception
number and the request information to check if the user is a valid user, and sends
the result to the telephone
300. If the user is a valid user, the user is
allowed to use the facility. If the user is not a valid user, the server
200
sends an error message that is display on a display
303 of the telephone
300; in this case, the user is not allowed to use the facility.
If the user wants to cancel a received reservation application, the user uses
the code reader
101 of the telephone
100 to read the two-dimensional
codes included in the reception completion confirmation message and executes a
predetermined input operation (For example, press the Send button). In response,
the telephone
100 accesses the server
200 to send the reception number
included in the two-dimensional codes. Upon receiving the reception number from
the telephone
100 as well as the telephone number thereof, the server
200
regards that a cancel request has been received and cancels the corresponding reservation
application contents registered with the reservation database
210c.
If the user who uses the cellular-type telephone
100 wants to cancel a reservation
application after receiving a mail-format reception completion confirmation message,
the user sends back the message without changing the mail contents. In response
to this sent-back message, the server
200 regards that the user has canceled
the application.
The present invention is not limited to the reservation application of a facility
as described in the above embodiment but may be applied broadly to an application
procedure for various objects. In addition, the design of the system and the apparatus
according to the present invention may be modified without departing from the sprit
thereof. For example, instead of the two-dimensional codes described above, bar
codes, microbar codes, an IC chip, and an IC tag may be used.
In addition, a card containing two-dimensional codes, an IC chip, or an IC tag
containing user information may be issued when the user is registered. This enables
the card reader on the user's telephone
100 to read the user information
from the card to make the reservation application entry operation easier. Alternatively,
user information may be stored in the memory
109 of the telephone
100
so that information, such as a telephone number and an address, may be sent to
the server
200 when the user executes a predetermined input operation.
Furthermore, for use in canceling a reservation application, a two-dimensional
code for cancellation may be recorded on the reservation application menu list
A. The user uses the code reader
101 of the telephone
100 to read
this two-dimensional code for transmission to the server
200.
Furthermore, when receiving reservation application specifications from
the user via two-dimensional codes read by the telephone
100, all entry
items may be displayed at a time instead of one at a time.
In addition, as a communication terminal with the application function, not only
the telephone
100 described above but also a telephone and an information
terminal with the communication function including a home telephone, a cellular
phone including a PHS, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistance) with the telephone function,
and an information terminal such as a personal computer with the modem function
may be used.
The embodiment has the following effects. The system according to the present
invention eliminates the need for the user to enter user information when making
a reservation or executing an application procedure or to enter an ID and a password
when using a facility. In addition, the communication terminal with the application
function further comprises application data storing unit in which data selected
by operation input receiving unit is stored. After the operation input receiving
unit receives an application selection input, application data sending unit sends
via communication unit a call to an application reception unit to connect thereto
and reads data from the application data storing unit for transmission. By doing
so, this method minimizes the phone bill that is required.
The system according to the present invention eliminates the need for the user
to enter user information when making- a reservation or executing an application
procedure or to enter an ID and a password when using a facility.
It should be further understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing
description has been made on embodiments of the invention and that various changes
and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit
of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.
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