Portable telephone use limiting system and portable telephone

• US 6,052,577 A
• Filed: 05/05/1997
• Issued: 04/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Infrontia Corporation (NEC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Taguchi, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Welling
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOBUTKA, PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US08/851,455
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/457, 455/410, 455/411, 455/412, 455/421, 455/117, 455/422, 455/566, 455/26.1, 455/528, 455/517
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 15/00 Suppression or limitation of noise or interference by means associated with receiver H04B1/10

Abstract

A mobile station use limiting system includes a base station provided in a cell and connected to a public telephone network, a use limiting station provided in the cell, for transmitting a use limitation signal. A mobile station can perform communication with the base station via an electromagnetic wave. The communication with the base station is limited in the mobile station in response to the use limitation signal.

Claims

1. A mobile station use limiting system comprising:

a base station provided in a respective cell and connected to a public telephone network;

a use limiting station provided in the respective cell, for transmitting a use limitation signal; and

a mobile station capable of communication with said base station with electromagnetic wave, wherein the communication via an said base station is limited in said mobile station in response to the use limitation signal.

2. A mobile station use limiting system comprising:

a base station provided in a respective cell and connected to a public telephone network;

a use limiting station provided in the respective cell for transmitting a use limitation signal; and

a mobile station capable of communication with said base station via an electromagnetic wave, wherein the communication with said base station is limited in said mobile station in response to the use limitation signal, wherein said mobile station comprises;

a communication section for communicating with said base station;

a receiving section for receiving the use limitation signal from said use limiting station; and

a control section for controlling said communication section in response to the reception of the use limitation signal to prohibit the communication with said base station.

3. A mobile station use limiting system according to claim 2, wherein said mobile station further comprises a display section, and

wherein said control section includes:

a message storing section for storing a message indicating that said mobile station is in a communication prohibited area where the use limitation signal can be received; and

a section for displaying the message on said display section in response to the reception of the use limitation signal.

4. A mobile station use limiting system according to claim 2, wherein said control section includes a first section responsive to the reception of the use limitation signal, for controlling said communication section to issue to said base station a reception limitation notice indicating that said mobile station is in a communication prohibited area where the use limitation signal can be received.

5. A mobile station use limiting system according to claim 4, wherein said base station stops relay of a call to said mobile station in response to the reception limitation notice.

6. A mobile station use limiting system according to claim 4, wherein said control section includes a second section responsive to no reception of the use limitation signal, for controlling said communication section to issue to said base station a reception enable notice indicating that said mobile station is out of the communication prohibited area, when the use limitation signal is not received after the use limitation signal is once received.

7. A portable telephone comprising:

a communication section for communicating with a first external apparatus via an electromagnetic wave;

a receiving section for externally receiving a use limitation signal from a second external apparatus;

a control section for controlling said communication section in response to the reception of the use limitation signal to prohibit the communication with the first external apparatus.

8. A portable telephone according to claim 7, wherein said portable telephone further comprises a display section, and

wherein said control section includes:

a message storing section for storing a message indicating that said mobile station is in a communication prohibited area where the use limitation signal can be received; and

a section for displaying the message on said display section in response to the reception of the use limitation signal.

9. A portable telephone according to claim 8, wherein said control section includes a section responsive to the reception of the use limitation signal, for controlling said communication section to issue a reception limitation notice to the first external apparatus indicating that said mobile station is in a communication prohibited area where the use limitation signal can be received.

10. A portable telephone according to claim 9, wherein said control section includes a section responsive to no reception of the use limitation signal, for controlling said communication section to issue a reception enable notice to the first external apparatus indicating that said mobile station is out of the communication prohibited area, when the use limitation signal is not received after the use limitation signal is once received.

11. A communication control method in a mobile station use limiting system comprising the steps of:

transmitting a use limitation signal from a use limiting station which is provided in a respective cell;

allowing communicating between a base station and a mobile station while the mobile station is not in a use limitation area in the respective cell corresponding to the base station where the use limitation signal can be received by the mobile station, the base station covering the cell;

prohibiting the communication between the mobile station and the base station while the mobile station is in the use limitation area.

14. A communication control method according to claim 11, wherein said prohibiting step includes:

prohibiting transmission of a call from the base station to the mobile station; and

prohibiting transmission of a call from the portable telephone to the base station.

12. A communication control method in a mobile station use limiting system comprising the steps of:

transmitting a use limitation signal from a use limiting station which is provided in a respective cell;

allowing communicating between a base station and a mobile station while the mobile station is not in a use limitation area in the respective cell corresponding to the base station where the use limitation signal can be received by the mobile station, the base station covering the cell; and

prohibiting the communication between the mobile station and the base station while the mobile station is in the use limitation area,

wherein said prohibiting step includes issuing a use prohibited notice from the mobile station to the base station when the mobile station enters the use limitation area.

13. A communication control method according to claim 12, wherein said prohibiting step includes issuing a use enabling notice from the mobile station to the base station when the mobile station goes out of the use limitation area.

15. A communication control method in a mobile station use limiting system comprising the steps of:

transmitting a use limitation signal from a use limiting station which is provided in a respective cell;

allowing communicating between a base station and a mobile station while the mobile station is not in a use limitation area in the respective cell corresponding to the base station where the use limitation signal can be received by the mobile station, the base station covering the cell; and

prohibiting the communication between the mobile station and the base station while the mobile station is in the use limitation area,

wherein said prohibiting step includes;

prohibiting transmission of a call from the base station to the mobile station; and

prohibiting transmission of a call from the portable telephone to the base station,

wherein said prohibiting step includes displaying a message indicating that the mobile station is in the use limitation area.

16. A mobile station use limiting system comprising:

a base station provided in a respective limited geographical cell and connected to a telephone network;

a use limiting station provided in the respective limited geographical cell, said use limiting station transmitting a use limitation signal in a further limited geographical area within the limited geographical cell;

a mobile station capable of communication with said base station via an electromagnetic wave, wherein communication with the base station is prohibited between said mobile station and said base station when said mobile station receives said use limitation signal.

17. The mobile station use limiting system according to claim 16, wherein said mobile station comprises:

a communication section for communicating with said base station;

a receiving station for receiving the use limitation signal from said use limiting station; and

a control section responsive to receipt of said use limitation signal, for controlling said communication section to issue to said base station a reception limitation notice indicating that said mobile station is in said further limited geographical area where the use limitation signal can be received.

18. The mobile station use limiting system according to claim 16, wherein the use limiting station outputs said use limitation signal at a fraction of the power necessary for communication between said base station and said mobile station.

19. The mobile station use limiting system according to claim 18, wherein the use limiting station outputs said use limitation signal, said use limitation signal having a power on an order of milliwatts.

20. The mobile station use limiting system according to claim 16, wherein the use limiting station outputs said use limitation signal, said use limitation signal being an infrared signal.