Method and System for Prompting Signal Covered Area

• US 20160112842A1
• Filed: 07/24/2013
• Published: 04/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Inventors: SUN, Gengmao
• Granted Patent: US 9,756,472 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/022 with dynamic range variability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination

Abstract

A method and a system for prompting a signal coverage area are disclosed, which relate to the field of mobile communications. The method for prompting the signal coverage area disclosed in the embodiment of the present document includes: when detecting a signal coverage area searching instruction from a user, a mobile terminal performs positioning operation, acquiring current location information of the mobile terminal, and according to signal strength around a current location of the mobile terminal, determining a list of blind areas around the current location; and the mobile terminal prompting the user to open a map, and displaying the current location of the mobile terminal on the map, and displaying signal coverage areas near the current location according to the list of blind areas. The embodiment of the present document also discloses a system for prompting a signal coverage area.

Claims

1. A method for prompting a signal coverage area, comprising:

when detecting a signal coverage area searching instruction from a user, a mobile terminal performing a positioning operation, acquiring current location information of the mobile terminal, and according to signal strength around the current location of the mobile terminal, determining a list of blind areas around the current location; and

the mobile terminal prompting the user to open a map, and displaying the current location of the mobile terminal on the map, and displaying signal coverage areas near the current location according to the list of blind areas.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

the mobile terminal displaying a signal coverage area closest to the current location on the map, and labeling a movement direction and a straight-line distance from the current location to the area.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

the mobile terminal detecting received wireless signal strength, when the received wireless signal strength hops from a value less than or equal to a preset blind area signal strength threshold value to a value greater than the preset blind area signal strength threshold value, the mobile terminal performing the positioning operation again to acquire current location information of the mobile terminal;

if no record for location information identical or approximately identical with the current location information of the mobile terminal exists in the list of blind areas, the mobile terminal taking the current location information of the mobile terminal as location information of a new blind area boundary point to be stored into the list of blind areas;

wherein, the approximately identical location information refers to;

a distance between locations corresponding to two pieces of location information being less than or equal to a blind area distance differential threshold value.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

when the mobile terminal detects that the received wireless signal strength is greater than the preset blind area signal strength threshold value, and a distance between the current location corresponding to the current location information of the mobile terminal and location(s) of one or more blind area boundary points recorded in the list of blind areas is less than or equal to a preset blind area distance differential threshold value, the mobile terminal deleting a record for a blind area boundary point with a distance to the current location of the mobile terminal that is less than or equal to a preset blind area distance threshold value from the list of blind areas.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein, the current location information of the mobile terminal comprises:

longitude and latitude coordinates where the mobile terminal is located.

11. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

the mobile terminal detecting received wireless signal strength, when the received wireless signal strength hops from a value less than or equal to a preset blind area signal strength threshold value to a value greater than the preset blind area signal strength threshold value, the mobile terminal performing the positioning operation again to acquire current location information of the mobile terminal;

if no record for location information identical or approximately identical with the current location information of the mobile terminal exists in the list of blind areas, the mobile terminal taking the current location information of the mobile terminal as location information of a new blind area boundary point to be stored into the list of blind areas;

wherein, the approximately identical location information refers to;

a distance between locations corresponding to two pieces of location information being less than or equal to a blind area distance differential threshold value.

6. A system for prompting a signal coverage area, comprising:

a positioning module, configured to;

when detecting a signal coverage area searching instruction from a user, perform a positioning operation on a current mobile terminal, to acquire current location information of the mobile terminal;

a blind area list information determination module, configured to;

according to signal strength around the current location of the mobile terminal, determine a list of blind areas around the current location; and

a signal coverage area indication module, configured to;

after the user opens a map, display the current location of the mobile terminal and signal coverage areas near the current location of the mobile terminal on the map.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein,

the signal coverage area indication module is further configured to:

display a signal coverage area closest to the current location on the map, and label a movement direction and a straight-line distance from the current location to the closest area.

8. The system according to claim 6, further comprising:

a signal detection module and a blind area list information maintenance module, wherein;

the signal detection module is configured to;

detect received wireless signal strength, when the received wireless signal strength hops from a value less than or equal to a preset blind area signal strength threshold value to a value greater than the preset blind area signal strength threshold value, notify the positioning module to perform the positioning operation again to acquire current location information of the mobile terminal; and

the blind area list information maintenance module is configured to;

when no record for location information identical or approximately identical with the current location information of the mobile terminal exists in the list of blind areas, take the current location information of the mobile terminal as location information of a new blind area boundary point to be stored into the list of blind areas, wherein, the approximately identical location information refers to;

a distance between locations corresponding to two pieces of location information being less than or equal to a blind area distance differential threshold value.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein,

when the signal detection module detects that the received wireless signal strength is greater than the preset blind area signal strength threshold value, and a distance between the current location corresponding to the current location information of the mobile terminal and location(s) of one or more blind area boundary points recorded in the list of blind areas is less than or equal to a preset blind area distance differential threshold value, the blind area list information maintenance module deletes a record for a blind area boundary point with a distance to the current location of the mobile terminal that is less than or equal to a preset blind area distance threshold value from the list of blind areas.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein, the current location information of the mobile terminal comprises:

longitude and latitude coordinates wherein the mobile terminal is located.

12. The system according to claim 7, further comprising:

a signal detection module and a blind area list information maintenance module, wherein;

the signal detection module is configured to;

detect received wireless signal strength, when the received wireless signal strength hops from a value less than or equal to a preset blind area signal strength threshold value to a value greater than the preset blind area signal strength threshold value, notify the positioning module to perform the positioning operation again to acquire current location information of the mobile terminal; and

the blind area list information maintenance module is configured to;

when no record for location information identical or approximately identical with the current location information of the mobile terminal exists in the list of blind areas, take the current location information of the mobile terminal as location information of a new blind area boundary point to be stored into the list of blind areas, wherein, the approximately identical location information refers to;

a distance between locations corresponding to two pieces of location information being less than or equal to a blind area distance differential threshold value.