Mobile terminal device and positional information system

• US 20030129995A1
• Filed: 12/31/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Niwa, Satoshi, Ichihara, Masaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,330,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/02 by periodical registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination

Abstract

A geomagnetic sensor for detecting geomagnetism is provided in a mobile terminal device. The output value of the geomagnetic sensor is compared with a first set value that has been set in advance, and the mobile terminal device is determined to be stationary when the output value of the geomagnetic sensor continues to be smaller than a first set value for at least a first set time period that has been set in advance, and the mobile terminal device is determined to be moving when the output value of the geomagnetic sensor fluctuates by at least the first set value. The determination results are transmitted to the base station, and the base station decreases the number of times for executing a process of registering the position of the mobile terminal device to the base station when the mobile terminal device is stationary, and increases the number of times of executing the process for registering position when the mobile terminal device is moving.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal device, comprising:

a positional information acquisition unit for acquiring positional information, which is information of the current location;

a user interface unit for displaying said positional information;

a power supply unit for supplying power to said positional information acquisition unit and said user interface unit; and

a wireless unit for transmitting information to and receiving information from the outside;

said mobile terminal device further comprising;

a geomagnetic sensor for detecting geomagnetism; and

a control unit for comparing the output value of said geomagnetic sensor with a first set value that has been set in advance;

determining that said mobile terminal device is stationary when the output value of said geomagnetic sensor continues to be less than said first set value for at least a first set time period that has been set in advance; and

determining that said mobile terminal device is moving when the output value of said geomagnetic sensor fluctuates by at least said first set value.

2. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein said control unit:

determines that said mobile terminal device is moving at high speed when the output value of said geomagnetic sensor fluctuates by a value that is equal to or greater than a second set value that is greater than said first set value and that has been set in advance; and

determines that said mobile terminal device is moving at a low speed when the output value of said geomagnetic sensor fluctuates by a value that is equal to or greater than said first set value and moreover, that is smaller than said second set value.

3. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein said control unit:

makes the period of executing a positional information acquisition process for acquiring positional information longer than a reference period that has been set in advance when said mobile terminal device is stationary, and

makes said period of executing said positional information acquisition process shorter than said reference period when said mobile terminal device is moving.

4. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein said control unit causes a halt of the supply of power from said power supply unit to said positional information acquisition unit and said user interface unit when the output value of said geomagnetic sensor continues to be a value that is smaller than said first set value for a time period that is equal to or greater than a second set time period that has been set in advance in addition to said first set time period.

5. A positional information system comprising:

a mobile terminal device according to claim 1;

and

a base station that holds map information of its own vicinity and transmits the map information to said mobile terminal device.

6. A positional information system comprising:

a mobile terminal device according to claim 1;

and

a base station that holds a first set value that is set in advance in accordance with the geomagnetic strength in its own vicinity and that transmits said first set value to said mobile terminal device.

7. A positional information system, comprising:

a mobile terminal device according to claim 2;

and

a base station;

that holds a first set value that is set in advance in accordance with the geomagnetic strength in its own vicinity and a second set value that is greater than said first set value; and

that sends each of said first set value and said second set value to said mobile terminal device.

8. The positional information system according to claim 5, wherein:

said mobile terminal device communicates to said base station determination results regarding whether said mobile terminal device is stationary or moving; and

said base station;

when said mobile terminal device is stationary, makes the period of executing a position registration process of said mobile terminal device to said base station longer than a reference period that has been set in advance; and

when said mobile terminal device is moving, makes the period of executing said position registration process shorter than said reference period.

9. The positional information system according to claim 6, wherein:

said mobile terminal device communicates to said base station determination results regarding whether said mobile terminal device is stationary or moving; and

said base station;

when said mobile terminal device is stationary, makes the period of executing a position registration process of said mobile terminal device to said base station longer than a reference period that has been set in advance; and

when said mobile terminal device is moving, makes the period of executing said position registration process shorter than said reference period.

10. The positional information system according to claim 7, wherein:

said mobile terminal device communicates to said base station determination results regarding whether said mobile terminal device is stationary or moving; and

said base station;

when said mobile terminal device is stationary, makes the period of executing a position registration process of said mobile terminal device to said base station longer than a reference period that has been set in advance; and

when said mobile terminal device is moving, makes the period of executing said position registration process shorter than said reference period.

11. The positional information system according to claim 5, wherein:

said mobile terminal device reports to said base station determination results regarding whether said mobile terminal device is stationary or moving; and

said base station, in response to an inquiry from a partner terminal device that wishes to transmit and receive speech or information with said mobile terminal device, sends back said determination results to said partner terminal device.

12. The positional information system according to claim 6, wherein:

said mobile terminal device reports to said base station determination results regarding whether said mobile terminal device is stationary or moving; and

said base station, in response to an inquiry from a partner terminal device that wishes to transmit and receive speech or information with said mobile terminal device, sends back said determination results to said partner terminal device.

13. The positional information system according to claim 7, wherein:

said mobile terminal device reports to said base station determination results regarding whether said mobile terminal device is stationary or moving; and

said base station, in response to an inquiry from a partner terminal device that wishes to transmit and receive speech or information with said mobile terminal device, sends back said determination results to said partner terminal device.

14. A method of controlling a positional information system;

said positional information system being provided with;

a mobile terminal device that is provided with a positional information acquisition unit for acquiring positional information, which is information of the current location, and a user interface unit for displaying said positional information; and

a base station that transmits information to and receives information from said mobile terminal device;

said method comprising the steps of;

comparing an output value of a geomagnetic sensor that detects geomagnetism in the vicinity of said mobile terminal device with a first set value that has been set in advance;

determining that said mobile terminal device is stationary when the output value of said geomagnetic sensor continues to be smaller than said first set value for at least a first set time period that has been set in advance;

determining that said mobile terminal device is moving when the output value of said geomagnetic sensor fluctuates by at least said first set value;

transmitting said determination results to said base station;

when said mobile terminal device is stationary, making the period of executing a process of registering the position of said mobile terminal device to said base station longer than a reference period that has been set in advance; and

when said mobile terminal device is moving, making said period of executing a process of registering the position shorter than said reference period.

15. The method of controlling a positional information system according to claim 14, wherein said first set value that has been set in advance according to the strength of geomagnetism in the vicinity of said base station is sent from said base station to said mobile terminal device.

16. The method of controlling a positional information system according to claim 14, wherein said mobile terminal device is determined to be moving at high speed when the output value of said geomagnetic sensor fluctuates by at least a second set value that is greater than said first set value and that has been set in advance;

and

said mobile terminal device is determined to be moving at low speed when the output value of said geomagnetic sensor fluctuates by a value that is at least as great as said first set value, and moreover, that is smaller than said second set value.

17. The method of controlling a positional information system according to claim 16, wherein said first set value and second set value that have been set in advance according to geomagnetic strength in the vicinity of said base station are each transmitted from said base station to said mobile terminal device.

18. The method of controlling a positional information system according to claim 14, wherein:

when said mobile terminal device is stationary, the period of executing a positional information acquisition process for acquiring positional information is made longer than a reference period that has been set in advance; and

when said mobile terminal device is moving, the period of executing the positional information acquisition process is made shorter than said reference period.

19. The method of controlling a positional information system according to claim 14, wherein the supply of power to said positional information acquisition unit and said user interface unit is halted when the output value of said geomagnetic sensor continues to be a value that is smaller than said first set value for at least a second set time period that has been set in advance in addition to said first set time period.

20. The method of controlling a positional information system according to claim 14, wherein, in response to an inquiry from a partner terminal device that wishes to transmit and receive speech or information with said mobile terminal device, said base station transmits said determination results to said partner terminal device.