Mobile phone comprising position computation means

• US 20070207772A1
• Filed: 06/07/2004
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Belosca Participations SA
• Original Assignee: Belosca Participations SA
• Inventors: Huber, Rudolf, Allemann, Stephan, Buehler, Rene
• Application Number:
  US10/562,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20070207772A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.200
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/02 using radio waves G01S19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/396 Determining accuracy or reliability of position or pseudorange measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/49 whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72424 with manual activation of emergency-service functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/001 for loudspeakers H04R29/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/004 for microphones H04R29/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A mobile phone comprises a communication device, a detection device, a position information reception device, a first computation device, and a second computation device.

Claims

1-33. -33. (canceled)

34. A mobile phone comprising:

communications means for communicating via a telephone communication network, the telephone communication network comprising a plurality of stationary base stations, the plurality of stationary base stations having a present base station;

detection means for detecting both a strength value corresponding to the strength of a signal received from the present base station and an identification code of the present base station;

position information reception means for receiving an information signal of a satellite-based positioning system;

first computation means for computing a current position of the mobile phone based on the signal received by the position information reception means;

first storage means for storing the positions computed by the first computation means as first position values;

second computation means for computing the current position of the mobile phone based on the strength value and the identification code detected by the detection means;

second storage means for storing the positions computed by the second computation means as second position values; and

position message compiling means for compiling a position message comprising a plurality of most current position values computed by the first and second computation means,

wherein the communication means can send the position message via said telephone communication network.

35. The mobile phone according to claim 34, wherein the detection means can detect a plurality of strength values of a plurality of signals received from a plurality of adjacent base stations and a plurality of identification codes of the plurality of adjacent base stations, and wherein the second computation means is adapted to use all strength values and all identification codes detected by the detection means for computing the current position of the mobile phone.

36. The mobile phone according to claim 34, wherein the mobile phone further comprises motion calculation means for calculating a direction and a velocity of motion of the mobile phone based on at least two first position values and/or two second position values.

37. The mobile phone according to claim 36, wherein the position message compiling means can compile a motion message comprising the direction and the velocity of motion calculated by the motion calculation means, and wherein the communication means can send the motion message together with a position message via said telephone communication network.

38. The mobile phone according to claim 37, wherein the position message compiling means can compile a position history message comprising former position values computed by the first and second computation means, and wherein the communication means can send the position history message together with the position message via said telephone communication network.

39. The mobile phone according to claim 37, wherein the mobile phone further comprises status detecting means for detecting a plurality of settings and a status of the mobile phone, and status message compiling means for compiling a status message comprising the plurality of settings and the status information detected by the status detecting means, and wherein the communication means is adapted to send the status message via said telephone communication network.

40. The mobile phone according to claim 34, wherein the mobile phone further comprises status setting means for setting a plurality of settings and a status of the mobile phone, wherein the status setting means are adapted to set the plurality of settings and the status of the mobile phone based on a message received via the telephone communication network, and wherein the message comprises an authorisation code.

41. The mobile phone according to claim 40, wherein the position message and/or motion message and/or status message is sent to a service centre based on a request of the service centre received by the communication means of the mobile phone via the telephone communication network.

42. The mobile phone according to claim 41, wherein the position message and/or motion message and/or status message is sent to an authorised person based on a request of the authorised person received by the communication means via the telephone communication network.

43. The mobile phone according to claim 41, wherein the request is filed as a request message which comprises an authorisation code.

44. The mobile phone according to claim 43, wherein the request is filed as a request message which further comprises a message identification code for identifying the requested message.

45. The mobile phone according to claim 43, wherein the request is filed as a special format short message service message, and wherein the position message and/or motion message and/or status message is filed in the special format short message service message.

46. The mobile phone according to claim 43, wherein the mobile phone further comprises an emergency button, wherein the position message and/or motion message and/or status message is automatically sent to the service centre and/or an emergency call number and/or the authorised person based on an operation of the emergency button.

47. The mobile phone according to claim 46, further comprising alarm mode performing means, wherein the alarm mode performing means can terminate any telephone connection besides a telephone connection with the service centre or the emergency call number or the authorised person, send the position message and/or motion message and/or status message to the service centre and/or the emergency call number and/or the authorised person, and automatically answer a phone call of the service centre and/or the emergency call number and/or the authorised person based on an operation of the emergency button.

48. The mobile phone according to claim 47, wherein the mobile phone further comprise a hands free set means, and wherein the alarm mode performing means is further adapted to automatically activate the hands free set means based on the operation of the emergency button.

49. The mobile phone according to claim 47, wherein the alarm mode performing means is further adapted to emit an alarm signal via a load speaker of the mobile phone based on the operation of the emergency button.

50. The mobile phone according to claim 47, wherein the alarm mode performing means can disable any keys or a touchscreen of the mobile phone based on the operation of the emergency button.

51. The mobile phone according to claim 47, wherein the alarm mode performing means can resend the position message and/or motion message and/or status message to the service centre and/or the emergency call number and/or the authorised person if no call is received from the service centre and/or the emergency call number and/or the authorised person in a first predetermined time period after operation of the emergency button.

52. The mobile phone according to claims 47, wherein the alarm mode performing means can automatically establish a phone connection to the service centre and/or the emergency call number and/or the authorised person if no call from the service centre and/or the emergency call number and/or the authorised person is received in a second predetermined time period after operation of the emergency button.

53. The mobile phone according to claim 47, wherein the alarm mode performing means can automatically switch the mobile phone on if it is in an off-state during the operation of the emergency button.

54. The mobile phone according to claim 47, wherein the alarm mode performing means can allow a termination of the alarm mode only on receipt of a reset message by the communication means via the telephone communication network, and wherein the reset message comprises a reset authorisation code.

55. The mobile phone according to claim 34, wherein the mobile phone further comprises a microphone, an earphone speaker for handset telephone communication, and an additional speaker on a backside of the mobile phone for hands free telephone communication, wherein the microphone is used for both the handset telephone communication and the hands free telephone communication.

56. The mobile phone according to claim 34, wherein the mobile phone further comprises display means for showing information and read out means for automatically read out information shown by the display means based on a text to speech algorithm via a speaker of the mobile phone.

57. The mobile phone according to claim 34, wherein the mobile phone further comprises self-test means for outputting a plurality of tones of specified frequency and level to at least one speaker or at least one buzzer of the mobile phone and for measuring an input level of a microphone of the mobile phone.

58. The mobile phone according to claim 51, wherein the mobile phone further comprises contact means for providing electrical contact between the mobile phone and a docking station for the mobile phone and means to detect an individual identification code of said docking station, and wherein the individual identification code is provided by said docking station to said mobile phone via said contact means.

59. The mobile phone according to claim 58, wherein the position message compiling means can include the individual identification code of the docking station to the position message.

60. A docking station for a mobile phone comprising:

holding means for mechanically holding the mobile phone in a stable position;

contact means to provide electrical contact between the docking station and the mobile phone;

power supply means to load a battery of the mobile phone via said contact means; and

ID storing means to store an individual identification code of the docking station,

wherein the individual identification code of the docking station is provided to the mobile phone via said contact means.

61. The docking station according to claim 60, wherein the docking station further comprises data bus connection means to provide electrical contact between data output means of the docking station and the mobile phone.

62. The docking station according to claim 60, wherein the docking station further comprises audio connection means to provide electrical contact between audio input/output means of the docking station and the mobile phone.