Mobile communications terminal with position determination

• US 6,975,871 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2002
• Issued: 12/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Ogino, Hiroyasu, Shintai, Tatsuya, Hayashida, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US10/207,097
• Publication Number:
  US 20030027584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/466, 455/525, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 701/202, 701/207, 701/208, 342/375.09, 340/573.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/06 employing an initial estimate of the location of the receiver as aiding data or in generating aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/09 providing processing capability normally carried out by the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/25 involving aiding data received from a cooperating element, e.g. assisted GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0061 of neighbour cell information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

A control unit executes base station information collection, acquires base station information collection results, and transmits the base station information collection results to a position server via a radio communications network. A memory stores the base station information collection result. A counter counts a predetermined time. The control unit makes the counter count the predetermined time and makes the memory store the base station information collection result during a time counted by the counter when the base station information collection is started. The control unit then acquires the base station information collection results from the memory after the counter finishes the counting, and transmits the base station information collection results to a position server via the radio communications network.

Claims

1. A mobile communications terminal for a communications system including at least one base station, GPS satellites and a radio communications network, the terminal comprising:

a control unit for executing base station information collection, acquiring base station information collection results, and transmitting the base station information collection results to a position server via a radio communications network;

a memory for storing the base station information collection results; and

a counter, operably connected to the control unit, for counting a predetermined time,

wherein the memory stores results of the base station information collection during the predetermined time when the base station information collection is initiated by a user of the mobile terminal, the base station information collection results are retrieved from the memory after the counter finishes the counting of the predetermined time, and the base station information collection results are transmitted to the position server via the radio communications network, so that a position of the mobile terminal is calculated by the position server.

2. A mobile communications terminal according to claim 1, wherein the control unit executes the base station information collection after a Point to Point Protocol connection between the mobile communications terminal and the position server is completed and before a Transmission Control Protocol connection between the mobile communications terminal and the position server is completed, and the base station information collection results are transmitted while the Point to Point Protocol and the Transmission Control Protocol are connected.

3. A mobile communications terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

a transceiver for transmitting to and receiving a signal from the radio communications network;

wherein the transceiver transmits the base station information results to the position server and receives an assist signal in accordance with a calculated mobile terminal position from the position server, and

the mobile communications terminal captures GPS signals from GPS satellites based on the assist signal.

4. A mobile communications terminal according to claim 1, wherein the transceiver transmits signal including received GPS signals data to the position server and receives position information that is calculated by the position server based on the received GPS signals.

5. A computer processor for executing a program for transmitting base station information from a mobile communications terminal to a position server, the computer processor being operative for:

starting base station information collection by the mobile communications terminal;

counting a predetermined time by a counter after the base station information collection is started by a user of the mobile communications terminal;

collecting base station information until the counting is completed;

storing base station information collection results in a memory;

acquiring the base station information collection results from the memory after the counter counts the predetermined time; and

transmitting the base station information results from the mobile communications terminal to the position server via a radio communications network,

wherein a position of the mobile terminal is calculated by the position server.

7. A computer processor according to claim 5, being further operative for executing the base station information collection after a Point to Point Protocol connection between the mobile communications terminal and the position server is completed and before a Transmission Control Protocol connection between the mobile communications terminal and the position server is completed, and for transmitting the base station information collection results while the Point to Point Protocol and the Transmission Control Protocol are connected.

8. A computer processor according to claim 5, being further operative for:

transmitting the base station information results to the position server via the radio communications network and receiving an assist signal in accordance with a calculated mobile terminal position from the position server via the radio communications network; and

capturing GPS signals from GPS satellites based on the assist signal.

9. A computer processor according to claim 5, being further operative for transmitting a signal including received GPS signals data to the position server and receiving position information that is calculated by the position server based on the received GPS signals.

6. A base station information transmission method comprising:

initiating base station information collection by a user of a mobile communications terminal;

counting a predetermined time by a counter after the base station information collection is started;

acquiring the base station information collection results from the memory after the counter counts the predetermined time; and

collecting base station information until the counting is completed;

storing base station information collection results in a memory;

transmitting the base station information results from the mobile communications terminal to the position server via a radio communications network, wherein a position of the mobile terminal is calculated by the position server.

10. A base station information transmission method according to claim 6, further comprising:

executing the base station information collection after a Point to Point Protocol connection between the mobile communications terminal and the position server is completed and before a Transmission Control Protocol connection between the mobile communications terminal and the position server is completed; and

transmitting the base station information collection results while the Point to Point Protocol and the Transmission Control Protocol are connected.

11. A base station information transmission method according to claim 6, further comprising:

transmitting to and receiving a signal from the radio communications network, wherein the base station information results are transmitted to the position server and an assist signal in accordance with a calculated mobile terminal position is received from the position server; and

capturing GPS signals from GPS satellites based on the assist signal.

12. A base station information transmission according to claim 6, further comprising transmitting a signal including received GPS signals data to the position server and receiving position information that is calculated by the position server based on the received GPS signals.