Mobile information device capable of obtaining user information relating to local area

• US 6,400,941 B1
• Filed: 04/15/1998
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Nara, Kazuya
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMMING, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US09/060,576
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422, 455/432, 455/456, 455/566, 455/575, 455/186.1, 455/33.1, 455/51, 455/457, 455/3.2, 455/89, 455/418, 455/560, 455/926, 455/9, 455/525, 455/552, 455/562, 455/406, 340/905, 364/518
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27485 Appending a prefix to or inserting a pause into a dialling sequence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Each time a mobile terminal enters a service area of an information providing device and its location is registered by the information providing device, the area code and local code of telephone numbers and addresses associated with the service area are sent from the information providing device to the mobile terminal. Based on the area and local codes of telephone numbers and the addresses, the terminal retrieves the telephone numbers, names and addresses of acquaintances residing within the service area from an address book stored in its RAM and visually displays them with a notification sound. Thus, the user at the terminal can know access information for acquaintances residing within each service area each time the user enters the service area.

Claims

1. A mobile information device connectable to an external device via a radio channel, the device comprising:

a user memory configured to store user information which includes area information;

a standby circuit configured to determine that the mobile information device is located in a communicatable area of the external device;

a request circuit configured to request the external device to transmit area information indicating a location of the external device if it is determined that the mobile information device is located in the communicatable area of the external device;

a receiver configured to receive area information from the external device after said request circuit requests transmission of the area information; and

a circuit configured to search said user information table to extract user information which includes the area information received by said receiver.

2. The device according to claim 1, in which the user information comprises at least one of a name, address, and telephone number of acquaintances residing within the area.

3. The device according to claim 1, in which the user information comprises a transportation schedule.

4. The device according to claim 1, in which the user information comprises addresses of government offices and public facilities.

5. The device according to claim 1, in which the user information comprises information concerning events at facilities.

6. The device according to claim 1, in which the user information comprises weather information.

7. The device according to claim 1, in which the user information comprises traffic information.

8. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for indicating an access to a destination; and

means for accessing a predetermined destination when the user information includes the predetermined destination and said indicating means indicates the access to the predetermined destination.

16. The device according to claim 1, in which the user information comprises memorandum information which is dependent on the area.

17. The device according to claim 1, in which the area information comprises an area code and a local code of telephone numbers associated with the area.

18. The device according to claim 1, in which the area information comprises a town address.

19. The device according to claim 1, in which the area information comprises a base station ID.

20. The device according to claim 1, in which the area information comprises an area information.

21. The device according to claim 1, in which the area information received by the receiver from the external device comprises a latitude and a longitude of the area.

9. A computer program product for use with a mobile information device which is connectable to an external device via a radio channel, the computer program product being stored in a computer usable medium including computer readable program means, the computer program product comprising:

first computer readable program means for writing user information which includes area information into a memory;

second computer readable program means for determining whether the mobile information device is located in a communicatable area of the external device;

third computer readable program means for requesting that the external device transmit area information indicating a location of the external device if it is determined that the mobile information device is located in the communicatable area of the external device;

fourth computer readable program means for receiving the area information from the external device after requesting transmission of the area information; and

fifth computer readable program means for searching said user information table to extract user information which includes the received area information.

10. The computer program product according to claim 9, in which the user information comprises at least one of a name, address, and telephone number of acquaintances residing within the area.

11. The computer program product according to claim 9, in which the user information comprises a transportation schedule.

12. The computer program product according to claim 9, in which the user information comprises addresses of government offices and public facilities.

13. The computer program product according to claim 9, in which the user information comprises information concerning events at facilities.

14. The computer program product according to claim 9, in which the user information comprises weather information.

15. The computer program product according to claim 9, in which the user information comprises traffic information.

22. The computer program product according to claim 9, in which the user information comprises a memorandum information which is dependent on the area.

23. The computer program product according to claim 9, in which the area information comprises an area code and a local code of telephone numbers associated with the area.

24. The computer program product according to claim 9, in which the area information comprises a town address.

25. The computer program product according to claim 9, in which the area information comprises a base station ID.

26. The computer program product according to claim 9, in which the area information comprises an area information.

27. The computer program product according to claim 9, in which the area information received by the receiver from the external device comprises a latitude and a longitude of the area.

28. A method of providing information in a mobile communication system comprising a host device and a terminal device connected to the host device through a radio channel, the terminal device comprising a user information table which stores user information which includes area information, the method comprising the steps of:

determining, via the terminal device, whether the terminal device is located in a communicatable area of the host device;

requesting, via the terminal device, that the host device transmit area information indicating a location of the host device if it is determined that the terminal device is located in the communicatable area of the host device;

transmitting, from the host device to the terminal device, the area information of the host device in response to the request; and

searching, via the terminal device, said user information table to extract user information which includes the received area information.

31. The method according to claim 28, in which the user information comprises at least one of a name, address, and telephone number of acquaintances residing within the area.

32. The method according to claim 28, in which the user information comprises a transportation schedule.

33. The method according to claim 28, in which the user information comprises addresses of government offices and public facilities.

34. The method according to claim 28, in which the user information comprises information concerning events at facilities.

35. The method according to claim 28, in which the user information comprises weather information.

36. The method according to claim 28, in which the user information comprises traffic information.

37. The method according to claim 28, further comprising the steps of:

indicating an access to a destination; and

accessing a predetermined destination when the user information includes the predetermined destination and the access to the predetermined destination is indicated.

29. A mobile communication system comprising a host device and a mobile device connected to the host device via a radio channel,

the host device comprising a transmitter configured to transmit to the mobile device area information indicating a location of the host device in response to a request from the mobile device, and

the mobile device comprising:

a user information table configured to store user information which includes area information;

a standby circuit configured to determine that the mobile device is located in a communicatable area of the host device;

a request circuit configured to request that the host device transmit the area information of the host device if it is determined that the mobile device is located in the communicatable area of the host device;

a receiver configured to receive the area information from the host device; and

a circuit configured to search said user information table to extract user information which includes the area information received by said receiver.

30. The mobile communication system according to claim 29, wherein

said host device comprises a transmitter configured to transmit a device ID signal via a control channel; and

said standby circuit configured to determine that the mobile device is located in a communicatable area of the host device if the device ID signal is received.

38. The mobile communication system according to claim 29, in which the user information comprises at least one of a name, address, and telephone number of acquaintances residing within the area.

39. The mobile communication system according to claim 29, in which the user information comprises a transportation schedule.

40. The mobile communication system according to claim 29, in which the user information comprises addresses of government offices and public facilities.

41. The mobile communication system according to claim 29, in which the user information comprises information concerning events at facilities.

42. The mobile communication system according to claim 29, in which the user information comprises weather information.

43. The mobile communication system according to claim 29, in which the user information comprises traffic information.

44. The mobile communication system according to claim 29, further comprising:

means for indicating an access to a destination; and

means for accessing a predetermined destination when the user information includes the predetermined destination and said indicating means indicates the access to the predetermined destination.