Position measuring method and mobile communication terminal

• US 20040029583A1
• Filed: 01/23/2003
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Hiroyuki, Murata, Katsutoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,590,424 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/427
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/06 employing an initial estimate of the location of the receiver as aiding data or in generating aiding data

Abstract

Each time mobile communication terminal 10 moves a distance of 150 kilometers, it computes its approximate position by performing a stand-alone position measurement, and stores the approximate position. When mobile communication terminal 10 needs to precisely measure its location it notifies position measurement assist server 30 of the stored approximate position, to thereby perform a GPS position measurement operation by using satellite capturing data transmitted, accordingly, from position measurement assist server 30.

Claims

1. A method for measuring a position of a mobile communication terminal that is accommodated in a mobile communication terminal, comprising:

a first step for determining whether the mobile communication terminal has moved a predetermined distance;

a second step for measuring a position of the mobile communication terminal and for storing the position as an approximate position of the mobile communication terminal, each time it is determined in said first step that the mobile communication terminal has moved the predetermined distance;

a third step of selecting a plurality of satellites selected on the basis of the stored approximate position, and receiving radio signals from the selected satellites; and

a fourth step of measuring a position of the mobile communication terminal by using data included in the received radio signals.

3. A method for measuring a position of a mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the mobile communication network is configured to be provided in a plurality of areas, characterized in that said first step comprises:

a seventh step for detecting a residency area where the mobile communication terminal resides; and

an eighth step for determining, on the basis of the detected residency area, whether the mobile communication terminal has moved the predetermined distance.

4. A method for measuring a position of a mobile communication terminal according to claim 3, characterized by

the number of changes in the residency areas counted in the eighth step, and

determining on the basis of said number of changes whether the mobile communication terminal has moved the predetermined distance.

5. A method for measuring a position of a mobile communication terminal according to claim 3, characterized by

the number of changes not including duplication in the residency areas counted in the eighth step, and

determining on the basis of said number of changes whether the mobile communication terminal has moved the predetermined distance.

6. A method for measuring a position of a mobile communication terminal according to claim 3, wherein the area consists of one or a plurality of cells, and a base station corresponding to each cell executes radio communication with the mobile communication terminal, characterized in that

the residency area is detected on the basis of area identification data transmitted from the base station, in the seventh step.

7. A method for measuring a position of a mobile communication terminal according to claim 6, wherein the area identification data includes data for determining a movement distance of the mobile communication terminal, characterized by

determining whether the mobile communication terminal has moved the predetermined distance by referring to the data for determining movement distance included in the area identification data transmitted from the base station, in the eighth step.

8. A method for measuring a position of a mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that

a position of the mobile communication terminal is measured by said mobile communication terminal alone on the basis of the radio signals received from the satellites, in the second step.

9. A method for measuring a position of a mobile communication terminal according to claim 3, characterized in that

a position of the mobile communication terminal measured by said mobile communication terminal alone on the basis of the radio signals received from the satellites, in the second step.

10. A method for measuring a position of a mobile communication terminal according to claim 4, characterized in that

a position of the mobile communication terminal measured by said mobile communication terminal alone on the basis of the radio signals received from the satellites, in the second step.

11. A method for measuring a position of a mobile communication terminal according to claim 5, characterized in that

a position of the mobile communication terminal is measured by said mobile communication terminal alone on the basis of the radio signals received from the satellites, in the second step.

12. A method for measuring a position of a mobile communication terminal according to claim 6, characterized in that

a position of the mobile communication terminal is measured by said mobile communication terminal alone on the basis of the radio signals received from the satellites, in the second step.

13. A method for measuring a position of a mobile communication terminal according to claim 7, characterized in that

a position of the mobile communication terminal is measured by said mobile communication terminal alone on the basis of the radio signals received from the satellites, in the second step.

14. A method for measuring a position of a mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that the third step further comprises the steps of:

transmitting the stored approximate position through the mobile communication network to a server;

receiving a position measurement assist-data transmitted from the server according to the approximate position; and

selecting the plurality of satellites assigned by the position measurement assist-data.

15. A method for measuring a position of a mobile communication terminal according to claim 3, characterized in that the third step further comprises the steps of:

transmitting the stored approximate position through the mobile communication network to a server;

receiving a position measurement assist-data transmitted from the server according to the approximate position; and

selecting the plurality of satellites assigned by the position measurement assist-data.

16. A method for measuring a position of a mobile communication terminal according to claim 4, characterized in that the third step further comprises the steps of:

transmitting the stored approximate position through the mobile communication network to a server;

receiving a position measurement assist-data transmitted from the server in accordance with the approximate position; and

selecting the plurality of satellites assigned by the position measurement assist-data.

17. A method for measuring a position of a mobile communication terminal according to claim 5, characterized in that the third step further comprises the steps of:

transmitting the stored approximate position through the mobile communication network to a server;

receiving a position measurement assist-data transmitted from the server in accordance with the approximate position; and

selecting the plurality of satellites assigned by the position measurement assist-data.

18. A method for measuring a position of a mobile communication terminal according to claim 6, characterized in that the third step further comprises the steps of:

transmitting the stored approximate position through the mobile communication network to a server;

receiving position measurement assist-data transmitted from the server in accordance with the approximate position; and

selecting the plurality of satellites assigned by the position measurement assist-data.

19. A method for measuring a position of a mobile communication terminal according to claim 7, characterized in that the third step further comprises the steps of:

transmitting the stored approximate position through the mobile communication network to a server;

receiving a position measurement assist-data transmitted from the server in accordance with the approximate position; and

selecting the plurality of satellites assigned by the position measurement assist-data.

20. A method for measuring a position of a mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that

the second step further comprises a step in which a rough position of the mobile communication terminal is assigned, and

said rough position is stored as an approximate position of the mobile communication terminal, in the second step.

21. A method for measuring a position of a mobile communication terminal according to claim 20, characterized in that said rough position is assigned by an input of first information.

22. A method for measuring a position of a mobile communication terminal according to claim 21, characterized in that said first information is data denoting a geographically divided area.

2. A method for measuring a position of a mobile communication terminal that is accommodated in a mobile communication terminal, comprising:

a first step for determining whether the mobile communication terminal has moved a predetermined distance;

a second step for measuring a position of the mobile communication terminal and for storing the position as an approximate position of the mobile communication terminal, each time it is determined in said first step that the mobile communication terminal has moved the predetermined distance;

a third step for selecting a plurality of satellites selected on the basis of the stored approximate position and receiving radio signals from the selected satellites;

a fifth step for transmitting the data included in the radio signals through the mobile communication network to a server; and

a sixth step for receiving a position of the mobile communication terminal which is calculated in accordance with the data, and transmitted by the server.

23. A mobile communication terminal that is accommodated in a mobile communication terminal, comprising:

first means for determining whether the mobile communication terminal has moved a predetermined distance;

second means for measuring a position of the mobile communication terminal and for storing the position as an approximate position of the mobile communication terminal, each time it is determined by said first means that the mobile communication terminal has moved the predetermined distance;

third means for selecting a plurality of satellites selected on the basis of the stored approximate position and receiving radio signals from the selected satellites; and

fourth means for measuring position of the mobile communication terminal by using data included in the received radio signals.

25. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 23, wherein the mobile communication network is configured to be provided in a plurality of areas, characterized in that said first means further comprises:

seventh means for detecting an area where the mobile communication terminal resides; and

eighth means for determining, on the basis of the detected residency area, whether the mobile communication terminal has moved the predetermined distance.

26. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 25, characterized in that eighth means counts the number of changes in the residency areas, and determines, on the basis of said number of changes, whether the mobile communication terminal has moved the predetermined distance.

27. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 25, characterized in that the eighth means counts the number of changes without duplication in the residency areas, and determines, on the basis of said number of changes, whether the mobile communication terminal has moved the predetermined distance.

28. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 25, wherein the area consists of one or a plurality of cells, and a base station corresponding each cell executes a radio communication with the mobile communication terminal, characterized in that

the seventh means detects the residency area on the basis of area identification data transmitted from the base station.

29. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 28, wherein the area identification data includes data for determining a movement distance of the mobile communication terminal, characterized in that

the eighth means determines whether the mobile communication terminal has moved the predetermined distance, by referring to data for determining movement distance included in the area identification data transmitted from the base station.

30. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 23, characterized in that the first means alone measures a position of the mobile communication terminal on the basis of the radio signals received from the satellites.

31. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 25, characterized in that the second means alone measures a position of the mobile communication terminal on the basis of the radio signals received from satellites.

32. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 26, characterized in that the second means alone measures a position of the mobile communication terminal on the basis of the radio signals received from satellites.

33. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 27, characterized in that the second means alone measures a position of the mobile communication terminal on the basis of the radio signals received from satellites.

34. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 28, characterized in that the second means alone measures a position of the mobile communication terminal on the basis of the radio signals received from satellites.

35. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 29, characterized in that the second means alone measures a position of the mobile communication terminal on the basis of the radio signals received from satellites.

36. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 23, characterized in that the third means further comprises:

means for transmitting the stored approximate position through the mobile communication network to a server;

means for receiving a position measurement assist-data transmitted from the server in accordance with the approximate position; and

means for selecting the plurality of satellites assigned by the position measurement assist-data.

37. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 25, characterized in that the third means further comprises:

means for transmitting the stored approximate position through the mobile communication network to a server;

means for receiving a position measurement assist-data transmitted from the server in accordance with the approximate position; and

means for selecting the plurality of satellites assigned by the position measurement assist-data.

38. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 26, characterized in that the third means further comprises:

means for transmitting the stored approximate position through the mobile communication network to a server;

means for receiving a position measurement assist-data transmitted from the server in accordance with the approximate position; and

means for selecting the plurality of satellites assigned by the position measurement assist-data.

39. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 27, characterized in that the third means further comprises:

means for transmitting the stored approximate position through the mobile communication network to a server;

means for receiving a position measurement assist-data transmitted from the server in accordance with the approximate position; and

means for selecting the plurality of satellites assigned by the position measurement assist-data.

40. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 28, characterized in that the third means further comprises:

means for transmitting the stored approximate position through the mobile communication network to a server;

means for receiving a position measurement assist-data transmitted from the server in accordance with the approximate position; and

means for selecting the plurality of satellites assigned by the position measurement assist-data.

41. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 29, characterized in that the third means further comprises:

means for transmitting the stored approximate position to through the mobile communication network to a server;

means for receiving a position measurement assist-data transmitted from the server in accordance with the approximate position; and

means for selecting the plurality of satellites assigned by the position measurement assist-data.

42. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 30, characterized in that the third means further comprises:

means for transmitting the stored approximate position to through the mobile communication network to a server;

means for receiving a position measurement assist-data transmitted from the server in accordance with the approximate position; and

means for selecting the plurality of satellites assigned by the position measurement assist-data.

24. A mobile communication terminal, comprising:

first means for determining whether the mobile communication terminal has moved a predetermined distance;

second means for measuring a position of the mobile communication terminal and for storing the position as an approximate position of the mobile communication terminal, each time it is determined by said first means that the mobile communication terminal has moved the predetermined distance;

third means for selecting a plurality of satellites selected on the basis of the stored approximate position and receiving radio signals from the selected satellites;

fifth means for transmitting the data included in the radio signals through a mobile communication network to a server; and

sixth means for receiving a position of the mobile communication terminal calculated and transmitted by the server in accordance with the data.

43. A program for causing a computer, which is equipped in a mobile communication terminal accommodated in a mobile communication network, to execute:

a first function for determining whether the mobile communication terminal has moved a predetermined distance;

a second function for measuring a position of the mobile communication terminal and for storing the position as an approximate position of the mobile communication terminal, each time it is determined by said first function that the mobile communication terminal has moved the predetermined distance;

a third function for selecting a plurality of satellites selected on the basis of the stored approximate position and controlling a receiver circuit to receive radio signals from the selected satellites; and

a fourth function for measuring a position of said mobile communication terminal by using data included in the received radio signals.

44. A program according to claim 43, wherein the mobile communication network is configured to be provided in a plurality of areas, characterized in that said first function comprises:

a fifth function for detecting a residency area where the mobile communication terminal resides; and

a sixth function for determining, on the basis of the detected residency area, whether the mobile communication terminal has moved the predetermined distance.

45. A computer readable storage media for storing a program according to claim 43.

46. A computer readable storage media for storing a program according to claim 44.