Radio apparatus capable of detecting its position and position search method

• US 7,120,452 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2002
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Hosono, Shizu
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cho, Un C.
• Application Number:
  US10/086,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20020123355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,681 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4564, 455/456.6, 455/414.2, 455/574, 340/995.25, 340/991, 340/988, 701/214
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking

Abstract

When receiving an incoming call, a portable telephone that receives a search request judges whether or not this incoming call is the search request sent from a second portable telephone, which is a source of the search request. When the portable telephone judges that the incoming call is the search request sent from the second portable telephone, it is judged whether or not the receiving portable telephone is capable of determining its position information. When the portable telephone is incapable of determining its position information, the portable telephone automatically switches to a response hold state and transmits a search response message to the second portable telephone based on information stored in advance. Further, when the portable telephone is capable of determining its position information, the portable telephone determines its position information and transmits the position information to the portable telephone.

Claims

1. A radio apparatus comprising:

positioning means for determining a position of said radio apparatus;

receiving means for receiving a radio signal;

checking means for checking whether said radio signal includes a search request requesting the position of said radio apparatus;

judging means for judging whether said apparatus can determine its position;

sending means for sending a message to a sender of said radio signal in response to said search request if said judging means judges that said apparatus cannot determine its position;

wherein said message comprises the position of a base station located nearest to said radio apparatus;

said radio apparatus further comprising storing means for storing said message;

setting means for setting a response hold state if said judging means determines that said radio apparatus cannot determine its position;

identification means for checking the identification of the sender of said radio signal after said response hold state is set; and

reading means for reading the message stored in said storing means after said response hold state is set;

wherein after said message is read from said storing means, said response hold state ends and said sending means sends said message.

2. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said setting means sets said response hold state even if said judging means determines that said radio apparatus can determine its position.

3. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sending means sends said message even if said radio apparatus can determine its position.

4. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said message further comprises an indication that said radio apparatus cannot determine its position.

5. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said message further comprises an indication that said radio apparatus rejects said request for its position.

6. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said radio apparatus is a portable telephone.

7. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said radio apparatus receives radio signals from a plurality of senders, and said storing means stores a message for each one of the plurality of senders.

8. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least one message stored in said storing means is different from another message stored in said storing means.

9. A radio apparatus comprising:

a receiver that receives a radio signal;

a receiver controller that checks whether said radio signal includes a search request requesting the position of said radio apparatus;

a positioning mechanism that judges whether said apparatus can determine its position and, if possible, determines the position of said radio apparatus;

a transmitter that sends a message to a sender of said radio signal in response to said search request if said position mechanism determines that said apparatus cannot determine is position information;

wherein said message comprises the position of a base station located nearest to said radio apparatus;

further comprising a memory that stores said message;

a controller that sets a response hold state if said positioning mechanism judges that said radio apparatus cannot determine its position;

identification means that checks the identification information of the sender of said radio signal after said response hold state is set; and

reading means that reads the message stored in said memory after said response hold state is set;

wherein after said message is read from said storing means, said response hold state ends and said transmitter sends said message.

10. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said controller sets said response hold state even if said positioning mechanism judges that said radio apparatus can determine its position.

11. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said transmitter sends said message even if said radio apparatus can determine its position.

12. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

if said positioning mechanism judges that said apparatus can determine its position, said positioning mechanism also determines the position of said radio apparatus; and

said transmitter sends said position to said sender of said radio signal.

13. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said message further comprises an indication that said apparatus cannot determine its position.

14. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said message further comprises an indication that said apparatus rejects said request to for its position.

15. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said radio apparatus is a portable telephone.

16. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said radio apparatus receives radio signals from a plurality of senders, and said memory stores a message for each one of the plurality of senders.

17. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein at least one message stored in said storing means is different from another message stored in said storing means.

18. A position search system including a first radio apparatus and a second radio apparatus, wherein said first radio apparatus comprises:

positioning means for said first radio apparatus to determine its position;

receiving means for receiving a radio signal from said second radio apparatus;

judging means for judging whether said first radio apparatus can determine its position;

checking means for checking whether said radio signal includes a search request requesting the position of said first radio apparatus;

sending means for sending a message to said second radio apparatus in response to said search request if said judging means judges that said first radio apparatus cannot determine its position;

wherein said message comprises the position of a base station located nearest to said radio apparatus;

wherein said first radio apparatus further comprises storing means for storing said message;

setting means for setting a response hold state if said judging means determines that said first radio apparatus cannot determine its position;

identification means for checking the identification information of the sender of said radio signal after said response hold state is set; and

reading means for reading the message stored in said storing means after said response hold state is set;

wherein after said message is read from said storing means, said response hold state ends and said sending means sends said message.

19. The position search system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said setting means sets said response hold state even if said judging means determines that said first radio apparatus can determine its position.

20. The position search system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said first radio apparatus sends said message to said second radio apparatus even if said first radio apparatus can determine its position.

21. The position search system as claimed in claim 18, wherein if said judging means judges that said first radio apparatus can determine its position, said sending means sends said position determined by said positioning means to said second radio apparatus.

22. The position search system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said message further comprises an indication that said first radio apparatus cannot determine its position.

23. The position search system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said message further comprises an indication that said first radio apparatus rejects said request for its position.

24. The position search system as claimed in claim 18, at least one of said first radio apparatus and said second radio apparatus are portable telephones.

25. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein said radio apparatus receives radio signals from a plurality of senders, and said storing means stores a message for each one of the plurality of senders.

26. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein at least one message stored in said storing means is different from another message stored in said storing means.

27. A position search method for searching a position of a radio apparatus, said method comprises:

receiving a radio signal;

judging whether said radio apparatus can determine its position;

checking whether said radio signal includes a search request requesting the position of said radio apparatus;

sending a message to a sender of said radio signal in response to said search request if said radio apparatus cannot determine its position;

wherein said message comprises the position of a base station located nearest to said radio apparatus;

wherein said position search method further comprises storing said message;

setting a response hold state if it is judged that said radio apparatus cannot determine its position;

checking the identification information of the sender of said radio signal after said response hold state is set; and

reading the stored message after said response hold state is set;

ending said response hold state after said stored message is read and sending said message.

28. The position search method as claimed in claim 27, wherein said response hold state is set even if it is judged that said radio apparatus can determine its position.

29. The position search method as claimed in claim 27, wherein said method further comprises:

sending said message even when said radio apparatus can determine its position.

30. The position search method as claimed in claim 27, wherein said radio apparatus is a portable telephone.

31. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein said radio apparatus receives radio signals from a plurality of senders, and said storing means stores a message for each one of the plurality of senders.

32. The radio apparatus as claimed in claim 31, wherein at least one message stored in said storing means is different from another message stored in said storing means.