Positioning method using mobile terminal and mobile terminal having positioning function

• US 20020055362A1
• Filed: 11/02/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Aoyama, Akio
• Granted Patent: US 7,047,022 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/06 using intensity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02 using radio waves using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning

Abstract

A mobile terminal has a neighboring mobile terminal communication unit for communicating with a neighboring mobile terminal existing near the mobile terminal for acquiring position information on the neighboring mobile terminal, and a position information calculation unit for calculating position information of the mobile terminal based on the position information acquired from the neighboring mobile terminal when such position information is available.

Claims

1. A positioning method using a mobile terminal comprising the steps of:

acquiring position information on a neighboring mobile terminal existing near said mobile terminal from said neighboring mobile terminal existing nearby; and

calculating the position of said mobile terminal based on said position information to perform positioning.

2. The positioning method using a mobile terminal according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

measuring the distance between said mobile terminal and said neighboring mobile terminal; and

calculating the position of said mobile terminal based on the result of measurement and said position information acquired from said neighboring mobile terminal.

3. The positioning method using a mobile terminal according to claim 2, wherein said step of measuring the distance between said mobile terminal and said neighboring mobile terminal includes:

changing a field strength of a transmitted signal in said mobile terminal gradually; and

upon receipt of a response signal from said neighboring mobile terminal for said transmitted signal, measuring the distance between said mobile terminal and said neighboring mobile terminal based on the field strength at the time said response signal is received.

4. The positioning method using a mobile terminal according to claim 2, wherein said step of measuring the distance between said mobile terminal and said neighboring mobile terminal includes:

changing a reception sensitivity in said mobile terminal gradually; and

upon receipt of a signal transmitted from said neighboring mobile terminal, measuring the distance between said mobile terminal and said neighboring mobile terminal based on the reception sensitivity at the time said mobile terminal receives the signal transmitted from said neighboring mobile terminal.

5. The positioning method using a mobile terminal according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

calculating the position of said neighboring mobile terminal based on position information on a mobile terminal existing near said neighboring mobile terminal; and

calculating the position of said mobile terminal based on the result of calculation.

6. The positioning method using a mobile terminal according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

calculating the position of said neighboring mobile terminal based on position information on a mobile terminal existing near said neighboring mobile terminal; and

calculating the position of said mobile terminal based on the result of calculation.

7. The positioning method using a mobile terminal according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

calculating the position of said neighboring mobile terminal based on position information on a mobile terminal existing near said neighboring mobile terminal; and

calculating the position of said mobile terminal based on the result of calculation.

8. The positioning method using a mobile terminal according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

calculating the position of said neighboring mobile terminal based on position information on a mobile terminal existing near said neighboring mobile terminal; and

calculating the position of said mobile terminal based on the result of calculation.

9. The positioning method using a mobile terminal according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

recursively repeating the acquisition of the position information in state of setting a limit to the number of times said neighboring mobile terminal acquires the position information from a mobile terminal existing near said neighboring mobile terminal so as not to acquire the position information repeatedly from one mobile terminal.

10. The positioning method using a mobile terminal according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

recursively repeating the acquisition of the position information in state of setting a limit to the number of times said neighboring mobile terminal acquires the position information from a mobile terminal existing near said neighboring mobile terminal so as not to acquire the position information repeatedly from one mobile terminal.

11. The positioning method using a mobile terminal according to claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

recursively repeating the acquisition of the position information in state of setting a limit to the number of times said neighboring mobile terminal acquires the position information from a mobile terminal existing near said neighboring mobile terminal so as not to acquire the position information repeatedly from one mobile terminal.

12. The positioning method using a mobile terminal according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

recursively repeating the acquisition of the position information in state of setting a limit to the number of times said neighboring mobile terminal acquires the position information from a mobile terminal existing near said neighboring mobile terminal so as not to acquire the position information repeatedly from one mobile terminal.

14. The mobile terminal having a positioning function according to claim 13, further comprising:

neighboring mobile terminal distance measuring means for measuring the distance between said mobile terminal and said neighboring mobile terminal,

wherein said position information calculating means calculates the position of said mobile terminal based on the result of measurement in said neighboring mobile terminal distance measuring means, and the position information received by said neighboring terminal communication means.

15. The mobile terminal having a positioning function according to claim 14, wherein:

said neighboring mobile terminal distance measuring means gradually changes a field strength of a transmitted signal in said neighboring mobile terminal communicating means, and upon receipt of a response signal from said neighboring mobile terminal for said transmitted signal, measures the distance between said mobile terminal and said neighboring mobile terminal based on the field strength at the time said response signal is received.

16. The mobile terminal having a positioning function according to claim 14, wherein:

said neighboring mobile terminal distance measuring means gradually changes a reception sensitivity in said neighboring mobile terminal communicating means, and, upon receipt of a signal transmitted from said neighboring mobile terminal, measuring the distance between said mobile terminal and said neighboring mobile terminal based on the reception sensitivity at the time said mobile terminal receives the signal transmitted from said neighboring mobile terminal.

17. The mobile terminal having a positioning function according to claim 13, further comprising:

recursive cooperative positioning means for adding a request for recursively repeating acquisition of position information on a mobile terminal existing near a neighboring mobile terminal existing near said mobile terminal to a signal transmitted from said neighboring mobile terminal communicating means to said mobile terminal existing near said mobile terminal.

18. The mobile terminal having a positioning function according to claim 14, further comprising:

recursive cooperative positioning means for adding a request for recursively repeating acquisition of position information on a mobile terminal existing near a neighboring mobile terminal existing near said mobile terminal to a signal transmitted from said neighboring mobile terminal communicating means to said mobile terminal existing near said mobile terminal.

19. The mobile terminal having a positioning function according to claim 15, further comprising:

recursive cooperative positioning means for adding a request for recursively repeating acquisition of position information on a mobile terminal existing near a neighboring mobile terminal existing near said mobile terminal to a signal transmitted from said neighboring mobile terminal communicating means to said mobile terminal existing near said mobile terminal.

20. The mobile terminal having a positioning function according to claim 16, further comprising:

recursive cooperative positioning means for adding a request for recursively repeating acquisition of position information on a mobile terminal existing near a neighboring mobile terminal existing near said mobile terminal to a signal transmitted from said neighboring mobile terminal communicating means to said mobile terminal existing near said mobile terminal.

21. The mobile terminal having a positioning function according to claim 17, further comprising:

cooperative positioning duplication/divergence preventing means for adding a request for limiting the number of times the position information is recursively acquired, and for preventing the acquisition of the position information repeatedly from one mobile terminal to a signal transmitted from said neighboring mobile terminal communicating means to a neighboring mobile terminal existing near said mobile terminal.

22. The mobile terminal having a positioning function according to claim 18, further comprising:

cooperative positioning duplication/divergence preventing means for adding a request for limiting the number of times the position information is recursively acquired, and for preventing the acquisition of the position information repeatedly from one mobile terminal to a signal transmitted from said neighboring mobile terminal communicating means to a neighboring mobile terminal existing near said mobile terminal.

23. The mobile terminal having a positioning function according to claim 19, further comprising:

cooperative positioning duplication/divergence preventing means for adding a request for limiting the number of times the position information is recursively acquired, and for preventing the acquisition of the position information repeatedly from one mobile terminal to a signal transmitted from said neighboring mobile terminal communicating means to a neighboring mobile terminal existing near said mobile terminal.

24. The mobile terminal having a positioning function according to claim 20, further comprising:

cooperative positioning duplication/divergence preventing means for adding a request for limiting the number of times the position information is recursively acquired, and for preventing the acquisition of the position information repeatedly from one mobile terminal to a signal transmitted from said neighboring mobile terminal communicating means to a neighboring mobile terminal existing near said mobile terminal.

13. A mobile terminal having a positioning function, comprising:

an antenna for transmitting and receiving a radio signal;

neighboring mobile terminal communicating means for transmitting position information on said mobile terminal through said antenna, and for receiving position information on a neighboring mobile terminal existing near said mobile terminal, transmitted from said neighboring mobile terminal, through said antenna; and

position information calculating means for calculating the position of said mobile terminal based on the position information received by said neighboring mobile terminal communication means.