Radio apparatus capable of detecting its position and position search method

• US 20020123355A1
• Filed: 03/04/2002
• Published: 09/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Hosono, Shizu
• Granted Patent: US 7,120,452 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking

Abstract

When receiving an incoming call, a portable telephone that receives a search request judges whether or not this incoming call is the search request sent from a second portable telephone, which is a source of the search request. When the portable telephone judges that the incoming call is the search request sent from the second portable telephone, it is judged whether or not the receiving portable telephone is capable of determining its position information. When the portable telephone is incapable of determining its position information, the portable telephone automatically switches to a response hold state and transmits a search response message to the second portable telephone based on information stored in advance. Further, when the portable telephone is capable of determining its position information, the portable telephone determines its position information and transmits the position information to the portable telephone.

Claims

1. A radio apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving a radio signal;

judging means for judging whether said apparatus is capable of determining its position information; and

setting means for setting a response hold state when said apparatus is incapable of determining its position information.

2. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising sending means for sending a message to a sender of said radio signal.

3. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising checking means for checking whether said radio signal includes information indicating a search request for determining the position information of said radio apparatus.

4. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising storing means for storing said message.

5. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said setting means sets a response hold state and said sending means sends said message even if said radio apparatus is capable of determining its position information.

6. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

positioning means for determining its position information; and

sending means for sending the result of said positioning means to a sender of said radio signal.

7. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said message indicates that said radio apparatus is incapable of determining its position information.

8. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said message indicates that said radio apparatus rejects said request to determine its position information.

9. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said message is the latest positioning data of a plurality of radio apparatus positioning data.

10. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said message is the position information of a base station located closest to said radio apparatus.

11. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said radio apparatus is a portable telephone.

12. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said radio apparatus receives radio signals from a plurality of senders, and said storing means stores a message for each one of the plurality of senders.

13. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein at least one message stored in said storing means is different from another message stored in said storing means.

15. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a transmitter that sends a message to a sender of said radio signal.

16. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a receiver controller that checks whether said radio signal includes information indicating a search request for determining the position information of said radio apparatus.

17. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a memory that stores said message.

18. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said controller sets a response hold state and said transmitter sends said message even if said radio apparatus is capable of determining its position information.

19. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

a positioning mechanism that determines the position information; and

a transmitter that sends the result of said positioning mechanism to a sender of said radio signal.

20. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said message indicates that said apparatus is incapable of determining its position information.

21. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said message indicates that said apparatus rejects said request to determine its position information.

22. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said message is the latest positioning data of a plurality of radio apparatus positioning data.

23. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said message is the position information of a base station located closest to said radio apparatus.

24. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said radio apparatus is a portable telephone.

25. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said radio apparatus receives radio signals from a plurality of senders, and said storing means stores a message for each one of the plurality of senders.

26. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein at least one message stored in said storing means is different from another message stored in said storing means.

28. The position search system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said first radio apparatus further comprises sending means for sending a message to said second radio apparatus.

29. The position search system as claimed in claim 28, wherein said first radio apparatus further comprises checking means for checking whether said radio signal includes information indicating a search request for determining the position information of said first radio apparatus.

30. The position search system as claimed in claim 28, wherein said first radio apparatus further comprises storing means for storing said message previously determined on the basis of said second radio apparatus.

31. The position search system as claimed in claim 28, wherein said first radio apparatus sets a response hold state and sends said message to said second radio apparatus even if said first radio apparatus is capable of determining its position information.

32. The position search system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said first radio apparatus further comprising:

positioning means for determining its position information; and

sending means for sending the result of said positioning means to said second radio apparatus.

33. The position search system as claimed in claim 28, wherein said message indicates that said first radio apparatus is incapable of determining its position information.

34. The position search system as claimed in claim 29, wherein said message indicates that said first radio apparatus rejects said request to determine its position information.

35. The position search system as claimed in claim 28, wherein said message is the latest positioning data of a plurality of radio apparatus positioning data.

36. The position search system as claimed in claim 28, wherein said message is the position information of a base station located closest to said first radio apparatus.

37. The position search system as claimed in claim 27, at least one of said first radio apparatus and said second radio apparatus are portable telephones.

38. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 30, wherein said radio apparatus receives radio signals from a plurality of senders, and said storing means stores a message for each one of the plurality of senders.

39. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 38, wherein at least one message stored in said storing means is different from another message stored in said storing means.

14. A radio apparatus comprising:

a receiver that receives a radio signal;

a positioning mechanism that judges whether said apparatus is capable of determining its position information; and

a controller that sets a response hold state when said apparatus is incapable of determining its position information.

27. A position search system including a first radio apparatus and a second apparatus, wherein said first radio apparatus comprises:

receiving means for receiving a radio signal from said second radio apparatus;

judging means for judging whether said first radio apparatus is capable of determining its position information; and

setting means for setting a response hold state when said first radio apparatus is incapable of determining its position information.

40. A position search method for searching a position of a radio apparatus, said method comprises:

receiving a radio signal;

judging whether said radio apparatus is capable of determining its position information; and

moving to a response hold state when said radio apparatus is incapable of determining its position information.

41. The position search method as claimed in claim 40, wherein said method further comprises sending a message to a sender of said radio signal.

42. The position search method as claimed in claim 41, wherein said method further comprises checking whether said radio signal includes information indicating a search request for determining the position information of said radio apparatus.

43. The position search method as claimed in claim 41, wherein said method further comprises storing said message.

44. The position search method as claimed in claim 40, wherein said method further comprises:

moving to a response hold state when said radio apparatus is capable of determining its position information; and

sending a message to a sender of said radio signal.

45. The position search method as claimed in claim 40, wherein said method further comprises:

determining its position information of said radio apparatus; and

sending the positioning result to a sender of said radio signal.

46. The position search method as claimed in claim 40, wherein said radio apparatus is a portable telephone.

47. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 43, wherein said radio apparatus receives radio signals from a plurality of senders, and said storing means stores a message for each one of the plurality of senders.

48. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein at least one message stored in said storing means is different from another message stored in said storing means.