MOBILE COMMUNICATION TERMINAL

• US 20100303040A1
• Filed: 03/15/2010
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: TAKAMUNE, Akira
• Application Number:
  US12/723,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20100303040A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/028 switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a mobile communication terminal comprises a first section which scans the access points to search for a targeted access point when activated and senses strength of signals received from the access points while scanning, wherein the first section is activated periodically, a second section which performs radio communication after the targeted access point is detected by means of the scanning by the first section, and a controller which specifies the home access point as the targeted access point upon identifying that the mobile communication terminal is out of a service area of the targeted access point from the signal strength sensed by the first section, and supplies the second section with power after the home access point is detected by means of the scanning.

Claims

1. A mobile communication terminal connectable to access points, comprising:

a first section which scans the access points to search for a targeted access point when activated and senses strength of signals received from the access points while scanning, wherein the first section is activated periodically;

a second section which performs radio communication after the targeted access point is detected by means of the scanning by the first section; and

a controller which specifies the home access point as the targeted access point upon identifying that the mobile communication terminal is out of a service area of the targeted access point from the signal strength sensed by the first section, and supplies the second section with power after the home access point is detected by means of the scanning.

2. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1 further comprising an operation section, wherein the scanning and the radio communication can be manually performed in accordance with an operation done on the operation section upon the targeted access point is different from the home access point.

3. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the controller has a list of the access points indicating which ones of the access points are the targeted access point and the home access point.

4. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 2, wherein the controller has a list of the access points indicating an order of the access points, and the scanning operation can be manually performed in accordance with the order.

5. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the controller has a list of the access points indicating which ones of the access points needs a password for performing the radio communication owing to authentication data received from the access points during the scanning operation.

6. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1 further adapted for being suspended, wherein the first section is periodically activated in synchronization with a return from a suspended state.

7. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the controller identifies that the mobile communication terminal is out of the service area of the targeted access point upon the signal strength sensed by the first section being repeatedly less than a threshold.

8. A mobile communication terminal having a WLAN communication section and a controller, the WLAN communication section comprising:

a scan target access point storing section which stores a scan target access point data; and

an access point scanning section which scans the access point based on the scan target access point data in the scan target access point storing section,

and the controller comprising;

a home access point storing section which stores a home access point data for automatic activation;

an automatic activation controller which directs the WLAN communication section to scan;

an access point list storing section which stores an access point;

an access point in connection storing section which, in case of a successful connection to an access point, stores the access point data;

a manual connection controller which writes the access point data in the access point list storing section into the scan target access point storing section so as to direct the WLAN communication section to scan, the manual connection controller being adapted for registering a connected access point data in the access point in connection storing section;

a scan target access point controller which writes the home access point data in the home access point storing section into the scan target access point storing section while no WLAN communication is being performed, the scan target access point controller being adapted for writing the access point in the access point data in connection saving section into the scan target access point storing section while WLAN communication is being performed.

10. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 8, wherein

at least one access point data is registered with a specified priority order in the access point list storing section, and

the manual connection controller writes the plural access point data in the access point list storing section into the scan target access point storing section in accordance with the priority order, and directs the WLAN communication section to scan.

9. A mobile communication terminal having a WLAN communication section and a controller, the WLAN communication section comprising:

a scan target access point storing section which stores a scan target access point data;

an access point scanning section which scans the access point stored in the scan target access point storing section so as to detect the access point; and

a received electric field strength measuring section which measures received electric field strength of a transmitted wave from an access point, and outputs a received electric field strength signal to the scan target access point storing section,

and the controller comprising;

a home access point storing section which stores a home access point data for automatic activation;

an automatic activation controller which directs the WLAN communication section to scan;

an access point list storing section which stores an access point;

an access point in connection storing section which, in case of a successful connection to an access point, stores the access point data;

a timer which produces a timing signal for setting the mobile communication terminal to a suspend state of low power consumption every certain period of time;

a scan target access point controller which is activated by the timer every certain period of time, the scan target access point controller being adapted for writing the home access point data in the home access point storing section into the scan target access point storing section upon the received electric field strength signal being in an in-service-area state for an identification threshold, the scan target access point controller being adapted for writing the access point in the access point data in connection storing section into the scan target access point storing section upon the received electric field strength signal being in an out-of-service-area state for the identification threshold.

11. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 9, wherein the out-of-service-area state is a case where the electric field strength signal remains in the out-of-service-area state for the identification threshold for a certain period of time.

12. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 9, wherein

the scan target access point controller further provides a suspend directing signal for putting the mobile communication terminal in a suspend state of low power consumption, and

the mobile communication terminal further comprises a power supply controller which puts the mobile communication terminal in a resume state which is a state in operation upon the access point scanning section detecting an access point, the power supply controller being adapted for putting the mobile communication terminal in the suspend state upon receiving the suspend directing signal from the scan target access point controller.