Public wireless LAN connection servicing device and method

A utilization ticket is provided with a wireless IC (Integrated circuit) interface section for performing bi-directional communication with a portable terminal and a first communication program transmission section, a ticket issuing device is connected to an authentication server via a communication network and provided with a communication program and a first utilization ticket issuing section, the portable terminal is provided with a wireless IC interface section for performing bi-directional communication with the utilization ticket, a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) interface section for performing bi-directional communication with an access point, a first terminal information transmission section, and a communication-related settings making section, and the access point is provided with a wireless LAN interface section for performing bi-directional communication with the portable terminal, an authentication requesting section, and an authentication result information transmitting section.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a public wireless LAN (Local Area Network) connection servicing device and method, and more particularly to the public wireless LAN connection servicing device and method that includes a utilization ticket for adding a wireless IC tag to a portable terminal to make settings of a communication relation in the portable terminal, so that the portable terminal may be connected to a public wireless LAN and a ticket issuing device for issuing the utilization ticket, to provide a user of the portable terminal with service of making the above communication-related settings.

The present application claims priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-079109 filed on Mar. 18, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

2. Description of the Related Art

When a user utilizes a public wireless LAN connection (hot spot) service, conventionally settings of a wireless LAN adapter, such as a wired equivalent privacy (WEP) key or an extended services set-identity (ESS-ID), network settings of an Internet protocol (IP) address or a default gateway, and installing of various kinds of communication application programs to be used have been made to a portable terminal of the user in advance.

When making such wireless LAN adapter settings and network settings, depending on providers who provide the hot spot service, the user has to keep in mind such points as the wireless LAN adapter and contents of network settings that vary with their security policies and portable terminal configurations and operation methods in setting that vary with types of the wireless LAN adapter and the portable terminal.

Further, to utilize a special communication application, conventionally it has been necessary to install a dedicated communication program prepared by the hot spot service provider or a like.

These points may not be difficult to perform for the user familiar with an operation of network equipment, but are difficult to do so for the user not familiar with the operation of network equipment, thus leading to a problem that the user cannot utilize the hot spot service after all even if the user wants to do so. Further, for example, even the user familiar with the operation of network equipment cannot easily set the wireless LAN adapter or a network properly when the user is on the road, which is a significant drawback. Therefore, means and a method for facilitating such settings have been desired by the user not familiar with the operation of the network equipment so that the user can make settings without assistance from persons familiar with it; and means and a method for facilitating such settings have been desired by the user familiar with it so that the user can make settings when the user is on the road.

Conventionally, as these means and methods, those have been known that are described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 2003-101545, 2003-178144, 2002-353852, and a like.

Next, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 2003-101545 (see pp. 1-8), and 2003-178144 (see pp. 1-28) among the above patent documents will be described in detail.

First, according to a “Method for Controlling Sign-Up of Wireless LAN Terminal for Wireless LAN, Wireless LAN Base Station device, and Wireless LAN Terminal Device” described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-101545, configuration information of a plurality of wireless LANs from a wireless base station are transmitted to a wireless LAN terminal based on authentication information of a wireless tag added to the wireless LAN terminal, to connect the wireless LAN terminal to any one of the plurality of wireless LANs without jeopardizing security of resources or a like on the wireless LANs in such a manner that a user of the wireless LANs may not need to know about an LAN configuration.

Also, with configurations of a “Method for Assisting Provision of Network Connection Service” described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-178144, to permit a computer to access a service providing system, an on-line sign-up program required to rewrite a setting file of the computer is provided, to facilitate provision of service related to utilization of a network, thereby permitting persons having less knowledge of the computer to access the network relatively easily.

Configurations disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-101545 are based on the assumption that its invention is utilized on a restricted condition of a factory or a like and suffers from a great bottleneck that a wireless tag needs to be attached to a terminal in advance, so that it is not well suited for utilization of public wireless LAN connection service when the user is on the road, and that configuration information of a plurality of wireless LANs from a wireless base station are transmitted to a wireless LAN terminal and obtained; and so configuration information of a wireless LAN that need not be connected is also stored in a memory in the wireless LAN terminal, so that the memory cannot be utilized effectively, and also has such a disadvantage that if, for example, the wireless LAN terminal with the wireless tag is lost, the lost wireless tag may be hijacked illegally by a third party.

Configurations disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-178144 are based on the assumption that an on-line sign-up program is provided only to a computer. Therefore, a small portable apparatus such as a portable telephone or a built-in apparatus is not provided with an interface having an external medium such as CD-ROM (compact disc-read only memory) or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory often, so that the program cannot be installed in it in some cases. Further, the installing involves much manpower, and therefore is troublesome. Further, some types and apparatus configurations have a disadvantage that they cannot be applied to different contents of settings of the wireless LAN or the network.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above, the present invention has been developed, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a public wireless LAN connection servicing device and method that, when making settings of a wireless LAN adapter or a network to a portable terminal of a user in order to connect the portable terminal to a public wireless LAN, exempts the user from making these settings in terms of the user's operation, reduces a size of a memory to be used to a minimum required value in terms of resources of the portable terminal, and provides secured service in terms of security.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a public wireless local area network (LAN) connection servicing device for providing service of making settings of a communication relation in a portable terminal of a user, the servicing device including:

a utilization ticket including a wireless integrated circuit (IC) tag to make the settings of the communication relation in the portable terminal, so that the portable terminal may be connected to a public wireless local area network; and

a ticket issuing device for issuing the utilization ticket, wherein the utilization ticket includes a wireless integrated circuit interface section for performing bi-directional communication with the portable terminal and a memory section;

wherein the wireless integrated circuit (IC) tag in the utilization ticket includes a wireless integrated circuit interface section for performing bi-directional communication with the portable terminal and a memory section;

wherein the ticket issuing device includes a communication program of the communication relation, in accordance with each type and each class of the portable terminal and a first utilization ticket issuing means for issuing the utilization ticket by storing the communication program in the memory section in the utilization ticket when the user wishes to purchase the utilization ticket; and

wherein the portable terminal includes a wireless integrated circuit interface section for performing bi-directional communication with the utilization ticket, a terminal memory section for at least storing terminal information containing the type and the class of the portable terminal, and a first terminal information transmitting means for transmitting the terminal information to the utilization ticket.

In the foregoing, a preferable mode is one wherein the utilization ticket further includes a first communication program transmitting means for receiving the terminal information from the portable terminal and, based on the type and the class contained in the terminal information, obtaining the corresponding one of the communication programs from the memory section and transmitting the communication program to the portable terminal; and the portable terminal further includes a communication-related settings making means for receiving the communication program transmitted by the first communication program transmitting means, storing the communication program in the terminal memory, and initiating the communication program to make the settings of the communication relation in the portable terminal.

Also, a preferable mode is one wherein the ticket issuing device is connected via a communication network to an authentication server for generating and managing authentication information of the user; and the first utilization ticket issuing means, when the user wishes to purchase the utilization ticket, requests the authentication server to generate the authentication information, receives the generated authentication information, stores the communication program to which the authentication information is added in the memory section in the utilization ticket, and issues the utilization ticket.

Another preferable mode is one that wherein the portable terminal further includes: a wireless local area network interface section for performing bi-directional communication with an access point connected to a plurality of devices on the communication network; an access point connection means for connecting the communication program to the access point in response to notification that settings of the communication relation have been completed, from the communication-related settings making means; and an authentication information transmitting means for transmitting the authentication information added to the communication program to the access point in response to notification that the connection between the access point and the communication program has been established, from the access point connection means; and the access point further includes: a wireless local area network interface section for performing bi-directional communication with the portable terminal; an authentication requesting means for receiving the authentication information from the portable terminal, transmitting the received authentication information to the authentication server, and requesting the authentication server to generate authentication result information in response to the transmitted authentication information; and an authentication result information transmitting means for receiving the generated authentication result information from the authentication server and transmitting the received authentication result information to the portable terminal which has transmitted the authentication information.

Still another preferable mode is one wherein the terminal information of the portable terminal further includes a terminal identification code that distinguishes the portable terminal from any others of the portable terminals; the memory section in the utilization ticket further stores the terminal identification code obtained when the terminal information from the portable terminal is received for the first time by the first communication program transmitting means; and the first communication program transmitting means further includes a terminal information checking means for, when having received the terminal information from the portable terminal, checking the terminal identification code contained in the received terminal information against the terminal identification code stored in the memory section and, only when the received terminal identification code matches with the stored terminal identification code as a result of the checking by the terminal information checking means, obtaining the corresponding one of the communication programs from the memory section based on the type and the class contained in the received terminal information and transmitting the obtained communication program to the portable terminal and, if the received terminal identification code does not match with the stored terminal identification code, avoiding transmitting the obtained communication program to the portable terminal.

An additional preferable mode is one wherein the ticket issuing device includes a wireless integrated circuit interface section for performing bi-directional communication with the portable terminal, and a second utilization ticket issuing means for, when the user wishes to purchase the utilization ticket, requesting the authentication server to generate the authentication information, for receiving the generated authentication information, for storing the received authentication information in the memory section of the utilization ticket, and for issuing the utilization ticket; the portable terminal includes a wireless integrated circuit interface section for performing bi-directional communication with the ticket issuing device, an authentication information receiving means for receiving the authentication information from the utilization ticket, and a second terminal information transmitting means for transmitting the authentication information and the terminal information received by the authentication information receiving means to the ticket issuing device; and the ticket issuing device further includes a second communication program transmitting means for receiving the authentication information and the terminal information from the portable terminal and, based on the type and the class contained in the received terminal information, obtaining the corresponding one of the communication programs, adding the received authentication information to the obtained communication program, and transmitting it to the portable terminal.

Also, another preferable mode is one wherein the portable terminal is further connected via the communication network to a providing server from which the communication program is provided; the providing server is provided with the communication program of the communication relation, in accordance with each type and each class of the portable terminal; the ticket issuing device is provided with address information that contains a network address required to connect the portable terminal to the providing server and a third utilization ticket issuing means for, when the user wishes to purchase the utilization ticket, requesting the authentication server to generate the authentication information, for receiving the generated authentication information, for storing the received authentication information and the address information in the memory section of the utilization ticket, and for issuing the utilization ticket; and the portable terminal further includes an authentication address information receiving means for receiving the authentication information and the address information from the utilization ticket, an authentication terminal information transmitting means for transmitting the authentication information and the terminal information to one of the providing servers that corresponds to the network address contained in the address information received by the authentication address information receiving means, and a third communication program receiving means for receiving from the providing server the communication program to which the authentication information is added, based on the type and the class contained in the terminal information transmitted by the authentication terminal information transmitting means.

An additional preferable mode is one wherein the utilization ticket or the ticket issuing device is utilized in an area that can be connected to the public wireless local area net work or commercial facilities utilized by the user.

Also, a further preferable mode is one wherein the communication network is a portable telephone network or a personal handy-phone system network.

According to a second aspect, there is provided a public wireless LAN connection servicing method for providing service of making settings of a communication relation in a portable terminal of a user, by using the portable terminal of the user including a wireless integrated circuit interface section and a terminal memory section for at least storing terminal information containing a type and a class of the portable terminal, a utilization ticket including a wireless integrated circuit tag which includes a wireless integrated circuit interface section and a memory section, so that the settings of a communication relation may be made in the portable terminal, and a ticket issuing device for issuing the utilization ticket, the method including:

a communication program storing step of storing in advance the communication-related communication program that corresponds to each type and each class of the portable terminal in the ticket issuing device;

a first utilization ticket issuing step of, when the user wishes to purchase the utilization ticket, storing the communication program in the memory section of the utilization ticket and issuing the utilization ticket;

a first terminal information transmitting step of transmitting the terminal information to the utilization ticket.

With the above configurations, a communication program in accordance with a type and a class of a portable terminal of a user is transmitted to this portable terminal from a utilization ticket capable of bi-directional communication with the portable terminal and automatically run, to make communication-related settings to the portable terminal, so that the user need not make the communication-related settings to the portable terminal for himself/herself, to save labor of installation and avoid mistakes in setting, thereby enabling providing a public wireless LAN connection servicing device and method that enables very simple and accurate connection to a public wireless LAN in terms of user operations.

Further, with the configuration, only such a communication program as to be in accordance with the type and the class of the user's portable terminal is transmitted to this portable terminal from the utilization ticket capable of bi-directional communication with portable terminal, so that it is possible to provide a public wireless LAN connection servicing device and method that can utilize a memory in the user's portable terminal effectively in terms of resources of the portable terminal.

With another configuration as described above, when a utilization ticket is used for the first time, a terminal identification code of a portable terminal used is stored in a memory section of the utilization ticket so that when the utilization ticket is used next time, the terminal identification code stored in the memory section is compared with a terminal identification code of a portable terminal used next and only if the former terminal identification code matches with the later terminal identification code as a result of the checking, a communication program may be sent to the portable terminal. It is thus possible to provide, in terms of security, a secured public wireless LAN connection servicing device and method that prevents illegal hijacking of the utilization ticket by any other than its owner even if, for example, the utilization ticket is lost or stolen.

With a further configuration as described above, a communication program for making communication-related settings to a portable terminals is obtained from a ticket issuing device and transmitted to the portable terminal, to eliminate necessity of storing the communication program in a utilization ticket in terms of its resources, so that it is possible to provide a public wireless LAN connection servicing device and method that can significantly reduce a size of a memory in a wireless IC to be added to the utilization ticket.

With a still further configuration as described above, a communication program for making communication-related settings to a portable terminal is obtained from a providing server and transmitted to the portable terminal, to eliminate necessity of storing the communication program in a utilization ticket in terms of its resources, so that it is possible to provide a public wireless LAN connection servicing device and method that can significantly reduce a size of a memory in a wireless IC to be added to the utilization ticket and also decreases occupied time required by a ticket issuing device to issue the utilization ticket as well as the number of the ticket issuing devices to be installed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Best mode of carrying out the present invention will be described in further detail using various embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

An object, in terms of operations of a user, of preventing settings of a wireless LAN adapter or a network from being made to a portable terminal of the user to be connected to a public wireless LAN is realized by providing such a configuration that a communication program in accordance with a type and a class of the portable terminal may be transmitted to the portable terminal of the user from a utilization ticket capable of bi-directional communication with the portable terminal and automatically run to make communication-related settings to the portable terminal.

Another object, in terms of resources of the portable terminal of the user, of reducing a size of a memory to be used to a minimum required value is realized by providing such a configuration that only such a communication program as to be in accordance with a type and a class of the portable terminal may be transmitted to the portable terminal from a utilization ticket capable of bi-directional communication with the portable terminal.

A further object, in terms of security, of ensuring safety is realized by providing such a configuration that when a utilization ticket is used for first time, a terminal identification code of the portable terminal used is stored in a memory section of the utilization ticket so that when the utilization ticket is used next time, the terminal identification code stored in the memory section is compared with a terminal identification code of a portable terminal used next and only if the former terminal identification code matches with the later terminal identification code as a result of the checking, a communication program may be sent to the portable terminal.

First Embodiment

The following will describe the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1is a block diagram for showing a configuration of a public wireless local area network (LAN) connection servicing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. First, an overall configuration of the system is described below.

As shown in theFIG. 1, the public wireless LAN connection servicing system of the embodiment includes a portable terminal1(1),1(2), . . . ,1(n) provided with communication section by use of a wireless LAN interface and another communication section by use of a wireless integrated circuit (IC) interface, an access point2provided with communication section by use of the wireless LAN interface, a communication network serving as a media for connecting the plurality of access points2, an authentication server4, and the Internet to each other, the authentication server4for generating authentication information to be sent to the portable terminal1and authenticating the portable terminal1, a utilization ticket3provided with a communication section for storing a communication program which runs in the portable terminal1to communicate with the portable terminal1by using the wireless IC interface, and a ticket issuing device5provided with a section for writing a communication program to the utilization ticket3.

Next, the components of the public wireless LAN connection servicing system will be described in detail.

The portable terminal1is an information processing terminal such as a notebook personal computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a portable telephone and, as shown inFIG. 2, provided with a central processing unit (CPU) section11, a memory section12, a display section13, an input section14, a wireless LAN interface section15, and a wireless IC interface section16, thus having a function of bi-directional communication via the access point2by use of the wireless LAN interface section15. It is further provided with the wireless IC interface section16for communication with a wireless IC tag30integrated into the utilization ticket3, thus having a function of transmitting data to and receiving it from the wireless IC tag30. It further has a function to execute the communication program read from the wireless IC tag30via the wireless IC interface section16.

The communication program is provided with a function to make communication-related settings of the portable terminal1and a function to provide a communication application via the public wireless LAN. The communication-related settings include specifically, for example, all of those related to a wireless LAN adapter such as ESS-ID (Extended Service Set-Identity) or WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) keys and those related to a network such as TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) for IP (Internet Protocol) addresses or DNS (Domain Name Protocol) server addresses. The communication application may be of, for example, an IP voice telephone function for conversion between portable terminals, a TV (Television) telephone function, a mail function, a chat function, an attraction reserving function in an amusement park, or a like. Although the wireless IC interface section16in this embodiment may be of, for example, ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 14443, IS015693, or a like, the system is not limited individually in the present invention.

The access point2is provided with the wireless LAN interface, establishing connection between a plurality of portable terminals, thus having a function to have mutual connection with any other access points2or a device such as authentication server4on the communication network. It also has a function to obtain authentication information from the portable terminal1to prevent illegal access and make an authentication request to the authentication server4.

The utilization ticket3, which is issued by a provider who provides public wireless LAN connection service, can be utilized in commercial facilities available for a user, and the wireless IC tag30is incorporated in the utilization ticket3. The wireless IC tag30is provided with a function to transmit and receive data between the portable terminal1and the ticket issuing device5, and includes, for example as shown inFIG. 3, an antenna31, a wireless control section32, a clock section33, a power source section34, and a logic section35, each making up a wireless IC interface section, and a memory section36. The hardware configuration of the wireless IC tag30is not directly related to a servicing method of the present invention, but is only an example and so not specific at all.

The authentication server4manages information of the user and has a function to generate authentication information to be written (stored as data) in the utilization ticket3when the ticket issuing device5issues the utilization ticket3and a function to perform authentication of the portable terminal1, when the authentication server4receives an authentication request for the portable terminal1of the user from the ticket issuing device5via the access point2.

The ticket issuing device5issues the utilization ticket3and has a function to write authentication information obtained from the authentication server4and a communication program containing settings information of the portable terminal1, or a like, into the wireless IC tag30of the utilization ticket3.

Next, a processing procedure for operations of the public wireless LAN connection servicing system of this embodiment is described with reference to a flowchart ofFIG. 4.

The system of this embodiment is made up a first utilization ticket issuing section51aincluded in the ticket issuing device5; a first terminal information transmitting section18a, a communication-related settings making section18b, an AP (access point) connection section18c, and an authentication information transmitting section18dincluded in the portable terminal1; a first communication program transmitting section35aincluded in the utilization ticket3; and an authentication requesting section21a, and an authentication result information transmitting section21bincluded in the access point2. According to the above procedure, processing is performed on the first utilization ticket issuing section51a, the first terminal information transmitting section18a, the first communication program transmitting section35a, the communication-related settings making section18b, the AP connection section18c, the authentication information transmitting section18d, the authentication requesting section21aand the authentication result information transmitting section21bin this order. The operations in these sections are described below along the order.

First, when the user makes a request to the ticket issuing device5for purchase of the utilization ticket3(Step A1), in the ticket issuing device5, the first utilization ticket issuing section51arequests the authentication server4to generate authentication information required to connect the portable terminal1to the public wireless LAN (Step A2), receives the generated authentication information from the authentication server4(Step A3). And then, in Step A4, the first utilization ticket issuing section51aincorporates the received authentication information into a communication program in the ticket issuing device5, writes this communication program into the memory section36of the utilization ticket3, and issues the utilization ticket3(Step A5).

Next, the first terminal information transmitting section18aof the portable terminal1transmits via the wireless IC interface section16to the utilization ticket3, terminal information that enables identifying a type, a class, or a like of the portable terminal1(Step A6).

Next, the first communication program transmitting section35ain the utilization ticket3receives the terminal information from the portable terminal1and, based on the type and the class contained in this terminal information, selects the corresponding one of the communication programs from the memory section36of the utilization ticket3and prepares for transmission of this communication program to the portable terminal1(Step A7).

Next, the communication-related settings making section18bin the portable terminal1receives via the wireless IC interface section15the communication program transmitted by the first communication program transmitting section35a, to store this communication program in the memory section12of the portable terminal1and runs this communication program (Step A8). When run, the communication program first makes communication-related settings to the portable terminal1through an API (Application Programming Interface) of the portable terminal1(Step A9) It is to be noted that the communication program has been selected in accordance with the type and the class of the portable terminal1at Step A7, to completely accommodate possible cases where a setting method varies with the type and the class. The communication-related settings may include, for example, settings of the wireless LAN interface or TCP/IP for the ESS-ID, WEP keys, or a like. When the setting is completed, the communication program notifies the AP connection section18cof completion of the communication-related settings.

Next, in response to notification of the completion of the communication-related settings from the communication-related settings making section18b, the AP connection section18cin the portable terminal1connects the communication program to the access point2(Step A10) and, upon completion of this connection, notifies the authentication information transmitting section18dof completion of the connection.

Next, in response of notification of the completion of the connection from the AP connection section18c, the authentication information transmitting section18din the portable terminal1transmits the authentication information added to the communication program to the access point2, to make a request for authentication of connection to a communication network6(Step A11).

Next, the authentication requesting section21ain the access point2receives the authentication information from the portable terminal1and transmits it to the authentication server4to make a request for authentication (Step A12).

Next, the authentication result information transmitting section21bin the access point2receives information of a result of authentication based on the authentication information transmitted from the authentication server4(Step A13) and transmits this authentication result information to the portable terminal1to which this authentication result information relates (Step A14).

Next, when having received the authentication result information from the access point2, the portable terminal1performs communication through the access point2and the communication network6if the authentication result is “OK” (Step A15).

With the configuration of the first embodiment as described above, the communication program in accordance with a type and a class of the portable terminal1of the user is transmitted to the portable terminal1of the user from the utilization ticket3through the wireless IC interface capable of bi-directional communication with the portable terminal1and automatically run, to make communication-related settings to the portable terminal1, so that the user need not make the communication-related settings to the portable terminal1for himself, to save labor of installation and avoid mistakes in setting, thereby enabling providing a public wireless LAN connection servicing system that enables very simple and accurate connection to the public wireless LAN in terms of user operations.

Further, in this configuration, only such a communication program as to be in accordance with the type and the class of the user's portable terminal1is transmitted to the portable terminal1from the utilization ticket3through the wireless IC interface capable of bi-directional communication with the portable terminal1, so that it is possible to provide the public wireless LAN connection servicing system that can utilize the memory mounted in the portable terminal1effectively in terms of the resources of the portable terminal1of the user.

Second Embodiment

The following will describe the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5is a flowchart for showing a processing procedure for operations of a public wireless LAN connection servicing system according to the second embodiment of the present invention, a configuration of which is significantly different from that of the above-described first embodiment (FIG. 4) in that in this second embodiment, once a portable terminal1has read a communication program, the communication program cannot be read any more. A procedure for the processing different from that of the first embodiment ofFIG. 4is described below with reference toFIG. 5.

The system of this second embodiment has such a configuration that a terminal information checking section35bis included in a first communication program transmitting section35aprovided to a utilization ticket3, so that a procedure for processing to transmission of terminal information from the portable terminal1to the utilization ticket3(Steps B1to B6) is the same as that (Steps A1to A6) of the first embodiment.

The terminal information about the portable terminal1contains a terminal identification code that distinguishes the portable terminal1from any other portable terminals, so that when having received the terminal information from the portable terminal1, the first communication program transmitting section35adecides whether the terminal information has been received for the first time (Step B7) and, if such is the case, stores this obtained terminal identification code in a memory section36of the utilization ticket3(Step B8).

Next, when having received a terminal information from the portable terminal1, the terminal information checking section35bincluded in the first communication program transmitting section35aof the utilization ticket3compares and checks a terminal identification code contained in this terminal information with the terminal identification code in the memory section of the utilization ticket3(Step B9). Only if the former terminal identification code matches with the later terminal identification code, as a result of the checking by the terminal information checking section35b, the first communication program transmitting section35aacquires the corresponding one of the communication programs from the memory section36of the utilization ticket3based on a type and a class indicated by the received terminal information and prepares for transmission of this communication program to the portable terminal1(Step B10) and, if the former terminal identification code does not match with the later terminal identification code, avoids transmission of the communication program to the portable terminal1. That is, the first communication program transmitting section35awill not transmit the communication program, even if the first communication program transmitting section35areceives a request from the portable terminal1for reading of the communication program. The terminal information in such a case is supposed to contain information that enables identifying not only a type and a class but also a terminal itself. For example, the terminal identification code may be an MAC (Media Access Control) address of the wireless LAN interface section of the portable terminal1.

The subsequent processing procedure (Steps B11to B18) is the same as that (Steps A8to A15) of the first embodiment.

With the configuration of the second embodiment as described above, when the utilization ticket3is used for the first time, a terminal identification code of the portable terminal1used is stored in the memory section of the utilization ticket3so that when the utilization ticket3is used next time, the terminal identification code stored in the memory section is compared and checked with a terminal identification code of a portable terminal1used next time and only if the former terminal identification code matches with the later terminal identification code, as a result of the checking, the communication program may be sent to the portable terminal1. It is thus possible to provide, in terms of security, a secured public wireless LAN connection servicing system that prevents illegal hijacking of the utilization ticket3by any other than its owner even if, for example, the utilization ticket3is lost or stolen.

Third Embodiment

The following will describe the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6is a flowchart for showing a processing procedure for operations of a public wireless LAN connection servicing system according to the third embodiment of the present invention, a configuration of which is significantly different from that of the above-described first embodiment (FIG. 4) in that a ticket issuing device5is provided with a wireless IC interface function and a portable terminal1is arranged to read a communication program from the ticket issuing device5. A procedure for the processing different from that of the first embodiment ofFIG. 4is described below with reference toFIG. 6.

The system of the third embodiment has such a configuration that the ticket issuing device5includes a wireless IC interface section for performing bi-directional communication with the portable terminal1, a second utilization ticket issuing section51bthat substitutes for a first utilization ticket issuing section51a, and a second communication program transmitting section51cthat substitutes for a first communication program transmitting section35aand the portable terminal1includes a wireless IC interface section for performing bi-directional communication with the ticket issuing device5, an authentication information receiving section18e, and a second terminal information transmitting section18fthat substitutes for a first terminal information transmitting section18a, so that a procedure for processing to obtaining of authentication information from an authentication server4by the ticket issuing device5(Steps C1to C3) is the same as that (Steps A1to A3) of the first embodiment.

When a user wishes to purchase a utilization ticket3, the second utilization ticket issuing section51bin the ticket issuing device5requests the authentication server4to generate authentication information (Step C2), receives the generated authentication information (Step C3). And then, in Step4, the second utilization ticket issuing section51bstores the authentication information in a memory section36of the utilization ticket3, and after this, issues the utilization ticket3(Step C5).

Next, the authentication information receiving section18ein the portable terminal1receives the authentication information from the utilization ticket3(Step C6).

Next, the second terminal information transmitting section18fin the portable terminal1transmits the authentication information received by the authentication information receiving section18eand terminal information to the ticket issuing device5, to request for provision of a communication program (Step C7).

Next, the second communication program transmitting section51cin the ticket issuing device5receives the authentication information and the terminal information from the portable terminal1and, based on a type and a class contained in this terminal information, obtains the corresponding one of the communication programs, adds the received authentication information to this communication program, and prepares for transmitting it to the portable terminal1(Step C8).

Next, communication-related settings making section18bin the portable terminal1receives, via the wireless IC interface section15, the communication program transmitted by the second communication program transmitting section51c(Step C9).

The subsequent processing procedure (Steps C10to C16) is the same as that (Steps A9to A15) of the first embodiment.

In such a manner, according to the configuration of this third embodiment, a communication program required to make communication-related settings to the portable terminal1is not obtained from the utilization ticket3but obtained from the ticket issuing device5and transmitted to the portable terminal1, to eliminate necessity of storing the communication program in the utilization ticket3in terms of its resource, so that it is possible to provide a public wireless LAN connection servicing system that can significantly reduce a size of a memory in a wireless IC to be added to the utilization ticket3and reduce costs of the wireless IC tag30.

Fourth Embodiment

The following will describe the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8is a flowchart for showing a processing procedure for operations of a public wireless LAN connection servicing system according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, a configuration of which is significantly different from that of the above-described first embodiment (FIG. 4) in that a portable terminal1is provided with third communication section such as a portable telephone or PHS (Personal Handy-phone System) so that the portable terminal1may download a communication program from the third communication section. That is, as shown inFIG. 7, the portable terminal1obtains from a utilization ticket3via a wireless IC interface a network address (URL: Universal Resource Identifier, or a like) where a communication program is stored.

The portable terminal1accesses that address via the third communication section, that is, a portable telephone network or a PHS network, to obtain the communication program and execute it.

A procedure for the processing different from that of the first embodiment ofFIG. 4is described below with reference toFIG. 8.

The system of this fourth embodiment has such a configuration that the portable terminal1is connected via the portable telephone network or the PHS network to a providing server7from which the communication program is provided, the providing server7is provided with a communication-related communication program in accordance with each type and each class of the portable terminal1in place of a ticket issuing device5, the ticket issuing device5is provided with address information that contains a network address required to connect the portable terminal1to the providing server7and a third utilization ticket issuing section51dthat substitutes for a first utilization ticket issuing section51a, and the portable terminal1includes an authentication address information receiving section18gthat substitutes for a first terminal information transmitting section18a, an authentication terminal information transmitting section18h, and a third communication program receiving section18ithat substitutes for a first communication program transmitting section35a, so that a procedure for processing to obtaining of authentication information from an authentication server4by the ticket issuing device5(Steps D1to D3) is the same as that of the first embodiment.

When the user wishes to purchase the utilization ticket3, the third utilization ticket issuing section51din the ticket issuing device5requests the authentication server4to generate authentication information (step D2), receives the generated authentication information (step D3). And then, in step D4, the third utilization ticket issuing section51dstores the authentication information and address information in a memory section of the utilization ticket3, and after this, issues the utilization ticket3(Step D5).

Next, the authentication address information receiving section18gin the portable terminal1receives the authentication information and the address information from the utilization ticket3through the wireless IC interface (Step D6).

Next, the authentication terminal information transmitting section18hin the portable terminal1accesses a destination indicated by a network address contained in the address information received by the authentication address information receiving section18gthrough the third communication section, that is, the portable telephone network or the PHS network and transmits the authentication information and the terminal information to the providing server7(Step D7).

Next, the third communication program receiving section18iin the portable terminal1receives from the providing server7the communication program to which the authentication information is added, based on a type and a class contained in the terminal information transmitted by the authentication terminal information transmitting section18h(Step D8).

The subsequent processing procedure (Steps D9to D16) is the same as that (Steps A8to A15) of the first embodiment.

With the configuration of the fourth embodiment as described above, a communication program for making communication-related settings to the portable terminal1is obtained from the providing server7in place of the utilization ticket3and transmitted to the portable terminal1, to eliminate necessity of storing the communication program in the utilization ticket3in terms of its resources, so that it is possible to provide a public wireless LAN connection servicing system that can significantly reduce a size of the memory in the wireless IC to be added to the utilization ticket3and also decreases occupied time required by the ticket issuing device5to issue the utilization ticket3as well as the number of the ticket issuing devices5to be installed, thereby benefiting the service provider as well as the user because he must wait less to utilize the ticket issuing device5.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to them and changes, if any, in design or a like that do not depart from a gist of the present invention are included in the present invention.

For example, although the above first and second embodiments have employed such a configuration that the ticket issuing device5is provided with the first utilization ticket issuing section51a, the portable terminal1is provided with the first terminal information transmitting section18a, and the utilization ticket3is provided with the first communication program transmitting section35aand the third embodiment has employed such a configuration that the ticket issuing device5is provided with the second utilization ticket issuing section51bthat substitutes for the first utilization ticket issuing section51aand the second communication program transmitting section51cthat substitutes for the first communication program transmitting section35aand the portable terminal1is provided with the authentication information receiving section18eand the second terminal information transmitting section18fthat substitutes for the first terminal information transmitting section18a, and the fourth embodiment has employed such a configuration that the ticket issuing device5is provided with the third utilization ticket issuing section51dthat substitutes for the first utilization ticket issuing section51aand the portable terminal1is provided with the authentication address information receiving section18gthat substitutes for the first terminal information transmitting section18a, the authentication terminal information transmitting section18h, and the third communication program receiving section18ithat substitutes for the first communication program transmitting section35a, such a configuration may be employed that the section indicated by the first through fourth embodiments are all provided so that the user of the portable terminal1can select any such of all the means included in this configuration as to be indicated by any one of these embodiments.

In the above first embodiment, when the user makes a request to the ticket issuing device5so that he can purchase the utilization ticket3, he may purchase the utilization ticket3either by directly operating the ticket issuing device5for himself or by permitting an operator on the side of the service provider to operate it.

Although the above second embodiment has exemplified an MAC address included in the wireless LAN interface section in the portable terminal1as the terminal identification code that distinguishes the portable terminal1from any other portable terminals, any unique identification code or a like may be employed as far as it can distinguish the portable terminal1from any other portable terminals.

Since a communication program is configured to be built in the portable terminal1automatically, the present invention can be applied not only to a communication program (for example, Web browser, Internet mail, or a like) for a standard communication application that is installed into a typical portable terminal1from the beginning, but also to a case where a provider of public wireless LAN connection service provides its own communication application service. It may include, for example, attraction reserving service in an amusement park or a like.