Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-24
2001-12-25
Breene, John (Department: 2177)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000, C707S793000, C709S223000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06334126
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system which outputs data to other apparatuses, a communication terminal connected to a data output system, a data output method applied to a data communication system, and a storage medium applied to a system constructed data output system and communication terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
In searching for information, a searcher often gains access to a database on a network through a personal computer, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) or a telephone to acquire a desired search result.
Recently it has become popular for people (searchers) to connect to the Internet and obtain desired information.
If browser software is installed in a personal computer, PDA or the like, which is used in information searching, a user (searcher) can acquire information from any desirable homepage or a site which has been searched by a search engine.
A searcher can of course obtain various kinds of information from another apparatus/database located on a communication network without going through the Internet.
When a searcher uses any telephone (including a portable terminal or PHS), the searcher acquires desired information by manipulating buttons and the like in accordance with voice guidance.
Conventional database managing systems that are used on communication networks include a typical system named an OUS (Oracle Universal Server), a new generation information managing system by Oracle Corporation, which has separate storage areas in a server for different data attributes (image, voice and text) and manages image data, voice data and text data independently.
When a searcher (who uses a database via a communication network) accesses a database and requests information using a communication terminal with various functions and ability, like a personal computer, PDA or telephone, however, the aforementioned conventional server usually sends data, such as the result of the requested search, without considering the functions or ability of the communication terminal at the sender or the transmission destination.
Even if the server sends the search result to the communication terminal used by the searcher, the searcher may not be able to output the search result or the communication terminal may not be able to receive the search result, depending on the ability.
Suppose that the server acquires image data as a result of the requested search and sends the image data to the communication terminal of the searcher.
If the communication terminal does not have an image display function, the image data sent from the server appears as garbage, disabling a searcher to obtain the search result.
Existing cellular phones, when used as a communication terminal, are limited to transmit and receive electric mails (e-mails), except when they are used in data communication while being connected to a portable computer like a PDA, and cannot be used stand-alone to allow users to view homepages and the like.
As mentioned above, since the conventional servers do not consider the functions or ability of the communication terminal at the transmission destination at the time of outputting data to a searcher, the communication terminal at the data transmission destination cannot output the sent data, depending on the attribute of that data.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a data output system, a communication terminal to be connected to a data output system, a data output method and a storage medium, which output data to be output as a search result after converting the format of the data to the data format requested by a receiving end, based on the contents of a request made by a search requester.
To achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of this invention, a data output system, which is connected to data storage means for storing data of plural types of data formats and outputs data from the data storage means, comprises input means for inputting a search request for data stored in the data storage means; identification means for searching data stored in the data storage means based on a content of the search request and identifying a data format of a search result; detection means for detecting a data format requested by a data transmission destination based on the content of the search request; collation means for collating the data format of the search result, identified by the identification means, with the data format requested by the data transmission destination and detected by the detection means; an d conversion means for converting the data format of the search result to the data format requested by the data transmission destination, when both data formats do not match with each other.
With this structure, requested data can be output after converting the format of data to be output as a search result to the data format that is requested by a data transmission destination, based on the content of a search request made by a search requester.
The input means may include switch means for switching a control content in accordance with a data format to be input; discrimination means for discriminating the data format of the search request input through the input means; and control means for controlling the switch means in accordance with the data format discriminated by the discrimination means.
The data format requested by the data transmission destination may be included in the search request.
The data output system may further comprise communication terminals to be externally connected to the data output system via a network, and reception means for receiving data from the communication terminals; and the input means may input the data, received by the reception means, as at least one of a search request and a data format requested by a data transmission destination.
It is preferable that the data format requested by the data transmission destination is the format of data outputtable by a communication terminal to which the data is to be output.
The detection means may detect an ability of a communication terminal to which data is to be output, as the data format requested by the data transmission destination, and the conversion means may include processing means for processing data, read from the data storage means, based on the ability of the communication terminal detected by the detection means.
The detection means may detect a function of a communication terminal to which data is to be output, as the data format requested by the data transmission destination, and the conversion means may include processing means for processing data, read from the data storage means, based on the function of the communication terminal detected by the detection means.
The detection means may detect a capacity of a communication terminal to which data is to be output, as the data format requested by the data transmission destination, and the conversion means may include processing means for processing data, read from the data storage means, based on the capacity of the communication terminal detected by the detection means.
The data storage means may be located on an information public network specified by at least an address for designating a storage position for data; the data output system may further comprise acquisition means for acquiring information for specifying the data, and search means for searching for an address of the storage position for the data, based on the information acquired by the acquisition means; and the conversion means may read data stored at the address searched by the search means and convert the read data in such a way that a format of the read data matches with the data format detected by the detection means.
The information for specifying the data may be a keyword.
The searched address may be reported to a requester which has requested outputting of data.
According to the second aspect of this invention, a communication terminal, which is connected to a data output apparatus connected to data storage means for storing da
Nagatomo Shoichi
Yamaguchi Junji
Breene John
Casio Computer Co. Ltd.
Frishauf, Holtz Goodman, Langer & Chick, P.C.
Lewis Cheryl
LandOfFree
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