Non-service area determining system and method thereof

• US 20050164685A1
• Filed: 01/21/2005
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Yoshioka, Nobuhiro
• Application Number:
  US11/040,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20050164685A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

A non-service area determining system capable of obtaining information on the non-service areas of radio base stations easily and continuously, thereby reducing time, man power and cost. A vehicle is equipped with one or more mobile communication terminals. The mobile communication terminal obtains information on locations where the mobile communication terminal cannot receive radio waves from radio base stations by a non-service area information obtaining section, and transmits the location information to a server by a location information transmitter. The server recognizes a non-service area based on the location information by a recognition section, and displays information on the non-service area.

Claims

1. A non-service area determining system comprising one or more mobile communication terminals, radio base stations for transmitting radio waves to the mobile communication terminal, a server and a vehicle, wherein

the mobile communication terminal includes:

a receiver for receiving radio waves from the radio base stations;

a non-service area information obtaining section for obtaining information on locations where the mobile communication terminal cannot receive radio waves from the radio base stations; and

a location information transmitter for transmitting the location information obtained by the non-service area information obtaining section to the server;

the server includes;

a location information receiver for receiving the location information from the mobile communication terminal;

a recognition section for recognizing a non-service area based on the location information received by the location information receiver; and

a display for displaying information on the non-service area recognized by the recognition section; and

the vehicle is equipped with the mobile communication terminal.

2. The non-service area determining system claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a vehicle involved in at least one selected from mail delivery service, parcel delivery service, newspaper delivery service, bus service and taxi service.

3. The non-service area determining system claimed in claim 1, wherein the recognition section of the server recognizes a location as a non-service area when the number of times the location information receiver receives information on the location from the mobile communication terminal exceeds a prescribed threshold value.

4. The non-service area determining system claimed in claim 2, wherein the recognition section of the server recognizes a location as a non-service area when the number of times the location information receiver receives information on the location from the mobile communication terminal exceeds a prescribed threshold value.

5. A non-service area determining method using one or more mobile communication terminals, radio base stations for transmitting radio waves to the mobile communication terminal, a server and a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

in the mobile communication terminal mounted on the vehicle,

receiving radio waves from the radio base stations;

obtaining information on locations where the mobile communication terminal cannot receive radio waves from the radio base stations; and

transmitting the location information obtained to the server;

in the server,

receiving the location information from the mobile communication terminal;

recognizing a non-service area based on the location information received; and

displaying information on the non-service area recognized.

6. The non-service area determining method claimed in claim 5, wherein the vehicle is a vehicle involved in at least one selected from mail delivery service, parcel delivery service, newspaper delivery service, bus service and taxi service.

7. The non-service area determining method claimed in claim 5, wherein, in the step of recognizing a non-service area, a location is recognized as a non-service area when the number of times information on the location is received from the mobile communication terminal exceeds a prescribed threshold value.

8. The non-service area determining method claimed in claim 6, wherein, in the step of recognizing a non-service area, a location is recognized as a non-service area when the number of times information on the location is received from the mobile communication terminal exceeds a prescribed threshold value.