Broadcast control server, event detection server, broadcast system, broadcast communication method and program

Abstract

To allow the input work of broadcast requests in a broadcast system to be made easier.SOLUTION: A broadcast control server includes: a template information storage unit that stores template information that defines a sender, a broadcast destination, and the content of a broadcast message; a broadcast condition storage unit that stores, for each event, broadcast conditions that define the transmission conditions of the broadcast message defined in the template information; a broadcast reception unit that, when a broadcast request including event identification information for identifying the event is received from the sender, selects a template from the broadcast condition storage unit, and determines the sender, broadcast destination, and content of the broadcast message defined in the template; and a transmission control unit that, in accordance with instructions from the broadcast control unit, transmits the content of the broadcast message with the set sender to the broadcast destination.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a notification control server, an event detection server, a notification system, a notification communication method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a notification system that can receive notification requests from IP (Internet Protocol) phones, IP-facsimiles (FAX), email terminals, etc., and simultaneously transmit phone calls, FAX, and emails to pre-registered notification destinations. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an example of an information communication system that reduces the work load of employees and enables rapid voice broadcasting in a notification wireless system.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The above-described notification system is convenient in that it can simultaneously transmit the same content to a large number of destinations, but depending on the content of the notification transmission, there may be a need to change the destinations. Also, generally, there are a large number of destinations, and the confirmation work becomes enormous.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a notification control server, an event detection server, a notification system, a notification communication method, and a program that can facilitate the input work of notification requests in a notification system.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] From the first perspective, a template information storage unit stores template information defining the sender, the recipients, and the content of the broadcast message; a broadcast condition storage unit stores broadcast conditions that define the conditions for sending the broadcast message defined in the template information for each event; and a broadcast reception unit, when it receives a broadcast request from the sender including event identification information to identify the event, selects a template from the broadcast condition storage unit and determines the sender, the recipients, and the content of the broadcast message defined in the template, and the broadcast reception unit reception A broadcast control server is provided, which includes a transmission control unit that, in accordance with instructions from the department, transmits the content of a broadcast message with the specified sender to the broadcast recipient.

[0007] From a second perspective, an event detection server is provided that includes an event detection unit that, when it detects the occurrence of an event, notifies the broadcast control server of claim 1 of the sender and event identification information.

[0008] From a third perspective, a broadcasting system is provided that includes the aforementioned broadcasting control server and an event detection server.

[0009] From a fourth perspective, a broadcast communication method is provided for a computer that includes a template information storage unit that stores template information defining a sender, a broadcast recipient, and the content of a broadcast message, and a broadcast condition storage unit that stores broadcast conditions that define the conditions for sending a broadcast message defined in the template information for each event, and when the computer receives a broadcast request from a sender that includes event identification information for identifying the event, it selects a template from the broadcast condition storage unit, determines the sender, broadcast recipient, and content of the broadcast message defined in the template, and transmits the content of the broadcast message with the specified sender to the broadcast recipient according to the determined content.

[0010] From a fifth perspective, a computer is provided that includes a template information storage unit that stores template information defining a sender, a recipient, and the content of a broadcast message, and a broadcast condition storage unit that stores broadcast conditions that define the conditions for sending a broadcast message defined in the template information for each event. When the computer receives a broadcast request from a sender that includes event identification information for identifying the event, it is made to perform the following processes: select a template from the broadcast condition storage unit, determine the sender, recipient, and content of the broadcast message defined in the template, and transmit the content of the broadcast message with the specified sender to the recipient according to the determined content. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] This disclosure makes it possible to simplify the input process for broadcast requests in a broadcast system. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This figure shows the configuration of one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a diagram illustrating the operation of one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] This is a diagram illustrating the operation of one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] This is an overall diagram illustrating the first configuration of this disclosure. [Figure 5] This figure shows the configuration of the broadcast control server in the first configuration of this disclosure. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of template information held by the broadcast control server in the first configuration of this disclosure. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of a broadcast message transmitted by a broadcast control server in the first configuration of this disclosure. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of broadcast conditions held by the broadcast control server in the first configuration of this disclosure. [Figure 9] This is a sequence diagram illustrating the operation of the first configuration of this disclosure. [Figure 10]It is a diagram showing the configuration of the notification control server of the second configuration of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] It is a diagram showing an example of the template information held by the notification control server of the first configuration of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] It is a diagram showing an example of the notification conditions held by the notification control server of the first configuration of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] It is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation of the second configuration of the present disclosure. [Figure 14] It is a diagram showing the configuration of the notification control server of the third configuration of the present disclosure. [Figure 15] It is a diagram showing an example of the event information held by the notification control server of the third configuration of the present disclosure. [Figure 16] It is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation of the third configuration of the present disclosure. [Figure 17] It is an overall diagram for explaining the fourth configuration of the present disclosure. [Figure 18] It is a diagram showing the configuration of the event detection server of the fourth configuration of the present disclosure. [Figure 19] It is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation of the fourth configuration of the present disclosure. [Figure 20] It is a diagram showing the configuration of the computer installed in the notification control server or the event detection server of the present disclosure.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] First, an overview of one embodiment of this disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The reference numerals in the drawings provided in this overview are for convenience and serve as examples to aid understanding; they are not intended to limit this disclosure to the illustrated embodiments. Furthermore, the connecting lines between blocks in the drawings and other references in the following description include both bidirectional and unidirectional lines. Unidirectional arrows schematically represent the flow of the main signal (data) and do not exclude bidirectional communication. The program is executed via a computer device, which includes, for example, a processor, storage device, input device, communication interface, and, if necessary, a display device. This computer device is also configured to communicate with internal or external devices (including computers) via the communication interface, whether wired or wireless. While there are ports or interfaces at the input / output connection points of each block in the diagram, they are not shown in the illustration.

[0014] In one embodiment, this disclosure can be implemented using a broadcast control server 10, as shown in Figure 1, which includes a template information storage unit 11, a broadcast condition storage unit 12, a broadcast reception unit 13, and a transmission control unit 14. More specifically, the template information storage unit 11 stores template information that defines the sender, the broadcast recipients, and the content of the broadcast message (see Figure 2).

[0015] The broadcast condition storage unit 12 stores broadcast conditions for each event, which define the conditions for sending the broadcast message as defined in the template information (see Figure 2).

[0016] When the broadcast reception unit 13 receives a broadcast request from a sender that includes event identification information for identifying the event, it selects a template from the broadcast condition storage unit and determines the sender, broadcast recipients, and content of the broadcast message as defined in the template.

[0017] The transmission control unit 14 transmits the content of the broadcast message, for which the sender has been set, to the broadcast recipient in accordance with the instructions from the broadcast reception unit 13.

[0018] The broadcast control server 10 configured as described above operates as follows. First, when the broadcast control server 10 receives a broadcast request from the sender that includes event identification information to identify the event, it selects a template from the broadcast condition storage unit. Here, it has received a broadcast request that event A has occurred. "Event A-T1" in the upper right callout in Figure 3 means that template T1 will be selected when event A occurs. In this case, the broadcast control server 10 selects template T1 corresponding to event A.

[0019] Next, the broadcast control server 10 reads the template information of the selected template T1 and determines the broadcast recipients and the content of the broadcast message. In the upper right callout in Figure 3, "T1|Event A|a,b,c,···|Event A occurred" is an example of the template information of template T1, where "a,b,c,···" is the recipient list and "Event A occurred" is the content of the broadcast message. The broadcast control server 10 creates broadcast messages for each of the aforementioned broadcast recipients in the broadcast reception unit 13 and sends them from the transmission control unit 14 (see "Recipient a, Sender A, "Event A occurred" and subsequent entries in the lower right callout in Figure 3"). In the above explanation, the symbol "|" indicates a delimiter.

[0020] As explained above, this disclosure makes it possible to set the recipients and content of the broadcast message and send it simultaneously simply by specifying a broadcast request that includes event identification information. In other words, this disclosure can significantly reduce the input work required for broadcast requests in a broadcast system.

[0021] [First Embodiment] Next, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Figure 4 is a diagram showing a first configuration in which the present disclosure is applied to a broadcasting system that uses an IP network for broadcasting. Referring to Figure 4, a configuration is shown in which a broadcasting control server 100, a management terminal 120, an IP telephone 210, an IP-FAX 220, and a mail server 230 are connected to an IP network 500.

[0022] The management terminal 120 is a terminal for managing template information and broadcasting conditions held by the broadcast control server 100. The management terminal 120 displays a maintenance screen and provides functions such as registering, changing, deleting, and confirming the registered contents of template information and broadcasting conditions. The management terminal 120 can also be implemented as a web server on the network. In this case, the broadcast control server 100 and the management terminal 120 are connected via the internet or similar. The management terminal 120 displays a maintenance screen to accessing users and sends the received information to the broadcast control server 100.

[0023] The other IP phones 210, IP-FAX 220, and mail server 230 will receive broadcast messages from the broadcast control server 100. Note that the types and number of devices receiving broadcast messages, such as the IP phones 210, IP-FAX 220, and mail server 230 shown in Figure 4, are merely examples, and not all of them need to be recipients of broadcast messages. For example, the broadcast control server 100 and mail server 230 could be connected to the IP network 500.

[0024] The mail server 230 sends a mass email, entrusted to it by the mass email control server 100, to smartphones 240 and PCs (personal computers) 250 via the internet or other means.

[0025] Figure 5 shows a broadcast control server in the first configuration of this disclosure. Referring to Figure 5, the broadcast control server 100 includes a template information storage unit 101, a broadcast condition storage unit 102, a broadcast reception unit 103, a transmission control unit 104, and a broadcast reception table 105.

[0026] The template information storage unit 101 stores template information defined as the template name, sender, broadcast group, and content of the broadcast message. Figure 6 shows an example of template information stored in the template information storage unit 101. The sender in Figure 6 is the sender name of the broadcast message. This sender name may differ from the sender information of the broadcast conditions described later. The broadcast group is the group name of the addresses that will be broadcast recipients, which have been set in advance. For example, template T1 is a template that sends "Event A" to recipients belonging to group a under the name of sender A. As shown in Figure 6, by creating multiple template information according to the type of event and sender name, the content of the broadcast message and the broadcast recipients can be changed depending on the sender, even for the same event.

[0027] In the example in Figure 6, the content of the broadcast message is simply "Event A," but the format of the broadcast message is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Figure 7, by creating a broadcast message to announce the occurrence of an earthquake and registering it in the template information storage unit 101, it is possible to send a broadcast message with any content. For example, even for the same earthquake event, by preparing different templates for the content of the broadcast message depending on the magnitude of the earthquake, the distance from the epicenter, etc., it is possible to send broadcast messages with different content depending on the magnitude of the earthquake, the distance from the epicenter, etc. Of course, by preparing broadcast groups in advance, the recipients of the broadcast can also be changed.

[0028] The broadcast condition storage unit 102 stores broadcast conditions for each event, which define the conditions for sending the broadcast message as defined in the template information. Figure 8 shows an example of broadcast conditions stored in the broadcast condition storage unit 102. In the example in Figure 8, broadcast conditions are shown that link the event name, the sender, and the template name. For example, the template when sender A requests the occurrence of event A is template T1. Also, the template when sender B requests the same event A is template T2. In this way, even for the same event, the template to be sent can be changed.

[0029] The broadcast reception unit 103 receives a broadcast request from the sender, including the sender's information, determines the recipients and content of the broadcast, and requests the transmission control unit 104 to send the broadcast message. Those who can make this broadcast request include not only users who have been given prior authorization, but also users of IP phones 210, IP-FAX 220, smartphones 240, and PCs 250.

[0030] Furthermore, the broadcast reception unit 103 can use various methods, such as various forms or automated voice reception functions, to receive broadcast requests from these devices. For example, if a user of an IP phone 210 requests the broadcast control server 100 to send a broadcast message informing it of the occurrence of event A, the user of the IP phone 210 calls a pre-known telephone number. The broadcast reception unit 103 or a voice guidance service operating in conjunction with the broadcast reception unit 103 accepts the broadcast request by prompting the user of the IP phone 210 to input information via automated voice prompts.

[0031] Alternatively, a dedicated website for broadcast requests can be established on the internet, allowing each user to submit their broadcast request. In this case, the information each user previously entered can be stored for a predetermined period of time in the form or on the broadcast control server 100. By providing a function to display the previously entered information upon the next login, the user's operation can be further simplified.

[0032] The broadcast reception unit 103 refers to the broadcast condition storage unit 102 and determines the template information to be broadcast from the information of the event that occurred and the sender information included in the broadcast request. Then, the broadcast reception unit 103 reads the sender, broadcast group, and content of the broadcast message of the determined template from the template information storage unit 101 and records it in the broadcast reception table 105.

[0033] The transmission control unit 104 refers to the contents recorded in the broadcast reception table 105, creates a broadcast message with the specified sender name, and sends it to the recipients set in the broadcast destination group. If the transmission is successful, the transmission control unit 104 changes the broadcast status field of the corresponding entry in the broadcast reception table 105 from "Received" to "Distributed".

[0034] The broadcast reception table 105 is a table that holds entries containing fields for the sender of the template, the recipient group, the content of the broadcast message, as well as the reception date and time and the broadcast status. In this embodiment, the transmission of broadcast messages is managed using this broadcast reception table 105. Furthermore, the status of the broadcast can also be checked by referring to this broadcast reception table 105.

[0035] Next, the operation of one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Figure 9 is a sequence diagram illustrating the operation of the first configuration of the present disclosure. In Figure 9, the broadcast requester is one of the following: an IP phone 210, an IP-FAX 220, a smartphone 240, or a PC 250 user.

[0036] When the broadcast request is received from the broadcast request source (step S001), the broadcast reception unit 103 of the broadcast control server 100 obtains the event name and sender information from the broadcast request. The event name may be received in the form of a pre-determined event ID or similar.

[0037] Next, the broadcast reception unit 103 of the broadcast control server 100 identifies the template corresponding to the acquired event name and sender from the broadcast condition storage unit 102. Furthermore, the broadcast reception unit 203 of the broadcast control server 100 identifies the template information of the identified template from the template information storage unit 101. This completes the identification of the broadcast content (step S002). However, there are cases where the template corresponding to the event name and sender cannot be identified, such as when a broadcast request comes from an unregistered sender. In this case, the broadcast reception unit 103 does not send the broadcast message. That is, the broadcast control server 100 will refuse broadcast transmissions from senders other than those registered in the broadcast condition storage unit 102. In this way, the distribution of broadcast messages due to mischief or accidental operation can be suppressed.

[0038] Next, the broadcast reception unit 103 of the broadcast control server 100 registers the identified broadcast content in the broadcast reception table 205 (step S003). Furthermore, the broadcast reception unit 203 of the broadcast control server 100 instructs the transmission control unit 204 to start broadcasting (step S004).

[0039] Upon receiving the aforementioned instruction, the transmission control unit 104 reads entries one by one from the broadcast reception table 105 and begins distributing the broadcast message to the specified destination (step S005). Furthermore, if the transmission control unit 104 receives a distribution result from the broadcast destination device (step S006), it changes the corresponding entry in the broadcast reception table 105 to "distributed" (step S007). In the example in Figure 9, the transmission control unit 104 receives the distribution result from the broadcast destination device after completing the distribution of the broadcast message; however, the transmission control unit 104 may receive the distribution result from the broadcast destination device each time a broadcast message is distributed.

[0040] Once the series of processes is complete, the transmission control unit 104 notifies the broadcast reception unit 103 that the broadcast has ended (step S008).

[0041] As described above, this embodiment allows for the selection of an appropriate template according to the content of the event and distribution to the appropriate recipients. In particular, when the same sender sends different broadcast messages depending on the type of event, the process of setting and confirming recipients can be streamlined.

[0042] [Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment will be described in which an event detection function is added to the broadcast control server 100a. Figure 10 shows another example of the broadcast control server of this disclosure. The difference from the example configuration shown in Figure 5 is that the broadcast control server 100a has been given the function of an event detection unit 106 distributing broadcast messages via the event detection unit 106. The other configurations are the same as those in Figure 5, so the following will focus on explaining the differences.

[0043] The event detection unit 106 is connected to sensors S such as seismometers, fire alarms, infrared sensors, and thermometers. When the sensor S detects an event such as an abnormality, the event detection unit 106 sends a broadcast request containing information about the event to the broadcast reception unit 103. In this embodiment, the event detection unit 106 acts as the sender of the broadcast request.

[0044] Figure 11 shows another example of template information stored in the template information storage unit 101. The sender in Figure 11 is information used to identify sensors of different types and locations. The broadcast destination group is the group name of the addresses that will be broadcast to, which has been set in advance. For example, template T11 is a broadcast message that notifies of an abnormality in sensor A, and it is a template that notifies recipients belonging to group aa of the occurrence of "sensor A abnormality". As shown in Figure 11, by creating multiple template information according to the type of sensor, location, and type of abnormality, the content of the broadcast message and the broadcast destinations can be changed according to the content of the event that occurred.

[0045] Figure 12 shows another example of broadcast conditions stored in the broadcast condition storage unit 102. In the example in Figure 12, broadcast conditions are shown that associate the event name, sender, and template name. For example, the template when an abnormality of sensor A is notified by sensor A is template T11. In addition, if the content of the abnormality or sensor values ​​are sent from sensor A, the template may be changed according to that content.

[0046] When the broadcast reception unit 103a receives a broadcast request from the event detection unit 106, it refers to the broadcast condition storage unit 102 and determines the template information to be broadcast from the information of the event that occurred and the sender information included in the broadcast request. As described above, by preparing broadcast conditions that define the information of each sensor as the sender information, the broadcast reception unit 103a can identify the template information for the corresponding combination of sensor and event.

[0047] The broadcast reception unit 103a then reads the sender, broadcast recipient group, and broadcast message content of the identified template from the template information storage unit 101 and records them in the broadcast reception table 105.

[0048] Figure 13 is a sequence diagram illustrating the operation of the second configuration of this disclosure. The first operational difference from the first embodiment shown in Figure 9 is that in step S101, the sensor S notifies the system of the occurrence of an anomaly (step S101). The second operational difference from the first embodiment is that the event detection unit 106 analyzes the type of the source sensor S and the data received from the sensor S to determine the content of the event. The third operational difference from the first embodiment is that the event detection unit 106 notifies the broadcast reception unit 103a of the occurrence of the event (step S102). The subsequent operations are the same as in the first embodiment and are therefore omitted from the explanation.

[0049] As explained above, this embodiment allows for the distribution of broadcast messages without waiting for manual notification. In the example shown in Figure 13, the event detection unit 106 is described as automatically notifying the broadcast reception unit 103a of the occurrence of an event, but it can be configured to require final confirmation by an operator or the like. In this case, for example, after receiving data from the sensor S, the broadcast control server 100a requests the operator or the like to confirm the data from the sensor S. After receiving final confirmation from the operator or the like, the broadcast control server 100a notifies the operator or the like of the occurrence of an event. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of so-called false alarms.

[0050] In the above explanation, an example was given in which the sensor S is connected to the event detection unit 106. However, the broadcast control server 100a can be modified to detect the occurrence of an event using other information. For example, the broadcast control server 100a can be modified to obtain information from various servers on the internet instead of the sensor S. For example, the broadcast control server 100a can obtain the same effect by receiving disaster information and news from these servers to detect the occurrence of an event. Furthermore, the various servers may include time information providers such as NTP (Network Time Protocol) servers. By doing so, it becomes possible to have the broadcast control server 100a automatically distribute a broadcast message at a certain time.

[0051] [Third Embodiment] Next, a third embodiment will be described in which a function to identify the sender from the content of an event is added to the broadcast control server 100b. Figure 14 shows another example of the broadcast control server of this disclosure. The differences from the example configuration shown in Figure 10 are that an event table 107 is added to the broadcast control server 100b and a sender identification unit 1061 is added to the event detection unit 106b. The other configurations are the same as those in Figure 10, so the following will focus on explaining the differences.

[0052] Figure 15 shows an example of event information held in event table 107. In the example in Figure 15, a table is shown that holds entries linking monitored event information with its sender information. For example, in the example in Figure 13, sender A is linked to event A, and sender B is linked to both event A and event B.

[0053] When the sender identification unit 1061 within the event detection unit 106b detects the occurrence of an event, it refers to the event table 107 to identify the sender of the event. For example, when event A in Figure 13 occurs, the sender identification unit 1061 refers to the event table 107 to identify the sender. In this case, if multiple senders are configured, as in event A in Figure 13, the event detection unit 106b treats each of the two events as having occurred and sends a broadcast request containing information about the events to the broadcast reception unit 103.

[0054] When the broadcast reception unit 103b receives a broadcast request from the event detection unit 106b, it refers to the broadcast condition storage unit 102 and determines the template information to be broadcast from the information of the event that occurred and the sender information included in the broadcast request. Other operations are the same as in the first embodiment, so their explanation is omitted.

[0055] Figure 16 is a sequence diagram illustrating the operation of the third configuration of this disclosure. The operational difference from the second embodiment shown in Figure 13 is that in step S102a, the event detection unit 106b refers to the event table 107 to determine the content of the event and the sender. The event detection unit 106b then notifies the broadcast reception unit 103b of the occurrence of the event and its sender (step S102a). The subsequent operations are the same as in the first embodiment and are therefore omitted from the explanation.

[0056] As described above, this embodiment makes it possible to generate a broadcast request with the appropriate sender set for the event that has occurred, create an appropriate broadcast message, and distribute it. As mentioned above, by selecting a template using the sender information in addition to the event that has occurred, it is possible to create a more detailed broadcast message and distribute it simultaneously to the appropriate recipients. For example, there are cases where it is necessary to send different broadcast messages even for the same event, such as the occurrence of an earthquake. For example, it is possible to simultaneously send a first broadcast message informing fire prevention personnel of the occurrence of an earthquake, with the sender being a fire department official, and a second broadcast message informing system personnel of the occurrence of an earthquake, with the sender being the system headquarters. Furthermore, in this embodiment, by using different template information for each, the broadcast range of the first broadcast message and the broadcast range of the second broadcast message can be set to different ranges.

[0057] [Fourth Embodiment] Next, a fourth embodiment will be described in which the event detection function of the broadcast control server 100b of the third embodiment is located on an external server. Figure 17 is an overall diagram illustrating the fourth configuration of this disclosure. The difference from the configuration example shown in Figure 14 is that the event detection server 300 is connected to the IP network 500. Various sensors S are also connected to the event detection server 300.

[0058] The event detection server 300 is configured such that the event detection unit of the third embodiment is made an external device and independent from the broadcast control server 100. Figure 18 shows an example of the configuration of the event detection server 300 of this disclosure. Referring to Figure 18, the event detection server 300 comprises an event detection unit 306 and an event table 307. The event detection unit 306 comprises a sender identification unit 3061.

[0059] The contents held in event table 307 are the same as those in event table 107 of the third embodiment, so a description will be omitted. Also, the functions of event detection unit 306 are the same as those of event detection unit 106b of the third embodiment, so a description will be omitted.

[0060] Figure 19 is a sequence diagram illustrating the operation of the fourth configuration of this disclosure. Since it is the same as the operation of the third embodiment shown in Figure 16, except that the operation of the event detection unit 106b is replaced by the event detection server 300, a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0061] As described above, according to this embodiment, similar to the third embodiment, it is possible to set an appropriate sender for an event that has occurred, create an appropriate broadcast message, and broadcast it. In the above description, the event detection server 300 was described as having the same functionality as the event detection unit 306b of the third embodiment, but it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the event detection server 300 has the same functionality as the event detection unit 306 of the second embodiment.

[0062] While the embodiments of this disclosure have been described above, this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and further modifications, substitutions, and adjustments can be made without departing from the basic technical concept of this disclosure. For example, the network configurations, element configurations, and data representations shown in the drawings are examples to aid in understanding this disclosure and are not limited to the configurations shown in these drawings.

[0063] For example, in the embodiments described above, it was assumed that the broadcast control server 100 and the broadcast destination device are connected via an IP network 500, but the scope of application of this disclosure is not limited to this. For example, it can also be applied when the broadcast control server 100 and the broadcast destination device are connected via the Internet or a dedicated line network.

[0064] (Regarding hardware configuration) In each embodiment of this disclosure, each component of each device represents a functional unit block. Some or all of each component of each device is realized by any combination of an information processing device 900 and a program, for example, as shown in Figure 20. Figure 20 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the information processing device 900 that realizes each component of each device. The information processing device 900 includes, as an example, the following configuration. ·CPU(Central Processing Unit)901 • ROM (Read Only Memory) 902 ·RAM(Random Access Memory)903 • Program 904 loaded into RAM903 • Storage device 905 for storing program 904 • Drive device 907 for reading and writing recording medium 906 • Communication interface 908 connected to communication network 909 • Input / output interface 910 for data input and output. • Bus 911 connecting each component

[0065] Each component of each device in each embodiment is realized by the CPU 901 acquiring and executing a program 904 that realizes these functions. That is, the CPU 901 in Figure 20 executes a broadcast reception program and a transmission control program, and performs update processing of each calculation parameter held in RAM 903, storage device 905, etc. The program 904 that realizes the functions of each component of each device is, for example, stored in advance in storage device 905 or ROM 902, and read by the CPU 901 as needed. The program 904 may be supplied to the CPU 901 via a communication network 909, or it may be stored in advance in a recording medium 906, and the drive device 907 may read the program and supply it to the CPU 901.

[0066] There are various variations in how each device is implemented. For example, each device may be implemented by any combination of a separate information processing device 900 and a program for each component. Alternatively, the multiple components of each device may be implemented by any combination of a single information processing device 900 and a program. That is, the broadcast control server and event detection server shown in the first to fourth embodiments described above can be implemented by a computer program that causes the processor mounted on these devices to execute the above-described processes using its hardware.

[0067] Furthermore, some or all of the components of each device are realized by other general-purpose or dedicated circuits, processors, etc., or combinations thereof. These may be made up of a single chip or multiple chips connected via a bus.

[0068] Some or all of the components of each device may be realized by a combination of the circuits and programs described above.

[0069] When some or all of the components of each device are implemented by multiple information processing devices or circuits, these multiple information processing devices or circuits may be centrally located or distributed. For example, the information processing devices or circuits may be implemented in a form in which each is connected via a communication network, such as a client-and-server system or a cloud computing system.

[0070] The embodiments described above are preferred embodiments of this disclosure and do not limit the scope of this disclosure to these embodiments alone. That is, a person skilled in the art can modify or substitute the embodiments described above to construct various modified forms without departing from the gist of this disclosure.

[0071] Some or all of the above embodiments may also be described as follows, but are not limited to the following.

[0072] [Note 1] A template information storage unit stores template information that defines the sender, the recipients, and the content of the broadcast message. A broadcast condition storage unit stores broadcast conditions for each event, which define the conditions for sending the broadcast message as defined in the template information. When a broadcast request is received from the sender, which includes event identification information to identify the event, the broadcast condition storage unit selects a template, and the broadcast reception unit determines the sender, broadcast recipients, and content of the broadcast message as defined in the template. The aforementioned broadcast reception A transmission control unit transmits the content of a broadcast message with the specified sender to the broadcast recipient in accordance with instructions from the department, A broadcast control server equipped with the following features. [Note 2] The broadcast reception unit of the broadcast control server described above can be configured to request sender information, in addition to the event type, from the sender as event identification information. [Note 3] The broadcast condition storage unit of the broadcast control server described above has a designated sender for each event who has the authority to send the broadcast message. The broadcast reception unit can be configured to reject broadcast transmissions from senders other than those registered in the broadcast condition storage unit. [Note 4] The broadcast control server described above further: The system includes an event detection unit that detects the occurrence of an event and transmits the event identification information to the broadcast reception unit, The broadcast reception unit may be configured to determine the sender, the recipients of the broadcast, and the content of the broadcast message based on the event identification information notified by the event detection unit. [Note 5] The event detection unit of the broadcast control server described above is When the occurrence of the aforementioned event is detected, the system can be configured to notify the broadcast reception unit of the sender and event identification information. [Note 6] The broadcast control server described above receptionThe unit stores broadcast requests received from the same sender for a predetermined period of time. When receiving input of a broadcast request from the aforementioned sender, the system can be configured to set the contents of the stored broadcast request. [Note 7] An event detection server equipped with an event detection unit that, upon detecting the occurrence of an event, notifies the broadcast control server described above of the sender and event identification information. [Note 8] A template information storage unit stores template information that defines the sender, the recipients, and the content of the broadcast message. A broadcast condition storage unit stores broadcast conditions for each event, which define the conditions for sending the broadcast message as defined in the template information. When a broadcast request is received from the sender, which includes event identification information to identify the event, the broadcast condition storage unit selects a template and determines the sender, broadcast recipients, and content of the broadcast message as defined in the template. reception Department and, The aforementioned broadcast reception A transmission control unit transmits the content of a broadcast message with the specified sender to the broadcast recipient in accordance with instructions from the department, A broadcast control server equipped with, If an event is detected, The aforementioned Event detection that notifies the broadcast control server of the sender and event identification information department The event detection server is equipped with, A broadcasting system that includes this. [Note 9] A template information storage unit stores template information that defines the sender, the recipients, and the content of the broadcast message. A computer comprising a broadcast condition storage unit that stores broadcast conditions for each event, which define the conditions for sending the broadcast message as defined in the template information, When a broadcast request is received from the sender, including event identification information to identify the aforementioned event, a template is selected from the broadcast condition storage unit, and the sender, recipients, and content of the broadcast message specified in the template are determined. A broadcast communication method that transmits the content of a broadcast message with the specified sender to the broadcast recipient in accordance with the aforementioned decision. [Note 10] A template information storage unit stores template information that defines the sender, the recipients, and the content of the broadcast message. A computer comprising: a broadcast condition storage unit that stores broadcast conditions for each event, which define the conditions for sending the broadcast message as defined in the template information; When a broadcast request is received from the sender, including event identification information to identify the event, the broadcast condition storage unit selects a template and determines the sender, broadcast recipients, and content of the broadcast message as defined in the template. The process of sending the content of the broadcast message with the specified sender to the broadcast recipients in accordance with the aforementioned decision, A program that executes the command. Furthermore, the forms described in each of the above appendices can be combined with each other after making the necessary modifications. For example, a configuration that combines the contents described in appendice 2 and the contents described in appendice 4 is also included within the scope of disclosure of this specification. Furthermore, the forms described in appendices 8 to 10 above can be expanded into the forms described in appendices 2 to 6, similar to appendice 1.

[0073] Furthermore, each disclosure in the above-mentioned patent documents is incorporated into this document by reference and may be used as the basis or part of this disclosure as necessary. Within the framework of this disclosure (including the claims), further modifications and adjustments to the embodiments or examples are possible based on their fundamental technical ideas. Also, within the framework of this disclosure, various combinations or selections (including partial deletions) of various disclosure elements (including each element of each claim, each element of each embodiment or example, each element of each drawing, etc.) are possible. In other words, this disclosure naturally includes the entire disclosure, including the claims, and various modifications and alterations that a person skilled in the art could make in accordance with the technical idea. In particular, with respect to the numerical ranges described in this document, any numerical value or sub-range included within that range should be interpreted as being specifically described, even if not otherwise stated. Furthermore, each disclosure in the above-mentioned cited documents may, as necessary, be used in part or in whole as part of this disclosure, in accordance with the spirit of this disclosure, and this may also be considered to be included in the disclosure of this application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 10, 100, 100a, 100b Broadcast control server 11, 101 Template Information Storage Unit 12, 102 Broadcast condition storage unit 13, 103 Broadcast Reception Department 14, 104 Transmission Control Unit 100 Broadcast control server 105 Simultaneous reception table 106, 106b, 306 Event detection unit Event Tables 107, 307 120 Management terminals 210 IP phone 220 IP-FAX 230 Mail Server 240 Smartphones 250 PCs (Personal Computers) 300 Event Detection Servers 500 IP Networks 900 Information Processing Equipment 901 CPU(Central Processing Unit) 902 ROM (Read Only Memory) 903 RAM (Random Access Memory) 904 Program 905 Storage device 906 Recording media 907 Drive unit 908 Communication Interface 909 Communication Network 910 Input / Output Interface 911 Bus 1061, 3061 Sender Identification Department S sensor

Claims

1. A template information storage unit stores template information that defines the sender, the recipients, and the content of the broadcast message. A broadcast condition storage unit stores broadcast conditions for each event, which define the conditions for sending the broadcast message as defined in the template information. When a broadcast request is received from the sender, which includes event identification information to identify the event, the broadcast condition storage unit selects a template, and the broadcast reception unit determines the sender, broadcast recipients, and content of the broadcast message as defined in the template. A transmission control unit transmits the content of a broadcast message with the specified sender to the broadcast recipient in accordance with instructions from the broadcast reception unit, A broadcast control server equipped with the following features.

2. The broadcast control server according to claim 1, wherein the broadcast reception unit requests, as event identification information, sender information in addition to the event type from the sender.

3. The aforementioned broadcast condition storage unit has a designated sender for each event who has the authority to send the broadcast message. The broadcast reception unit rejects broadcast transmissions from senders other than those registered in the broadcast condition storage unit, according to claim 2, broadcast control server.

4. The system includes an event detection unit that detects the occurrence of an event and transmits the event identification information to the broadcast reception unit, The broadcast control server according to claim 1, wherein the broadcast reception unit determines the sender, the broadcast recipients, and the content of the broadcast message based on event identification information notified by the event detection unit.

5. The event detection unit, The broadcast control server according to claim 4, which, upon detecting the occurrence of the aforementioned event, notifies the broadcast reception unit of the sender and event identification information.

6. The aforementioned broadcast reception unit stores broadcast requests received from the same sender for a predetermined period of time. When receiving input of a broadcast request from the aforementioned sender, the stored content of the broadcast request is set. A broadcast control server according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. An event detection server comprising an event detection unit that, upon detecting the occurrence of an event, notifies the broadcast control server of claim 1 of the sender and event identification information.

8. A template information storage unit stores template information that defines the sender, the recipients, and the content of the broadcast message. A broadcast condition storage unit stores broadcast conditions for each event, which define the conditions for sending the broadcast message as defined in the template information. When a broadcast request is received from the sender, which includes event identification information to identify the event, the broadcast condition storage unit selects a template, and the broadcast reception unit determines the sender, broadcast recipients, and content of the broadcast message as defined in the template. A transmission control unit transmits the content of a broadcast message with the specified sender to the broadcast recipient in accordance with instructions from the broadcast reception unit, A broadcast control server equipped with, An event detection server, which includes an event detection unit that, upon detecting the occurrence of an event, notifies the broadcast control server of the sender and event identification information, A broadcasting system that includes this.

9. A template information storage unit stores template information that defines the sender, the recipients, and the content of the broadcast message. A computer comprising a broadcast condition storage unit that stores broadcast conditions for each event, which define the conditions for sending the broadcast message as defined in the template information, When a broadcast request is received from the sender, including event identification information to identify the aforementioned event, a template is selected from the broadcast condition storage unit, and the sender, recipients, and content of the broadcast message specified in the template are determined. A broadcast communication method that transmits the content of a broadcast message with the specified sender to the broadcast recipient in accordance with the aforementioned decision.

10. A template information storage unit stores template information that defines the sender, the recipients, and the content of the broadcast message. A computer comprising: a broadcast condition storage unit that stores broadcast conditions for each event, which define the conditions for sending the broadcast message as defined in the template information; When a broadcast request is received from the sender, including event identification information to identify the event, the broadcast condition storage unit selects a template and determines the sender, broadcast recipients, and content of the broadcast message as defined in the template. The process of sending the content of the broadcast message with the specified sender to the broadcast recipients in accordance with the aforementioned decision, A program that executes the command.

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