Communication terminal apparatus and communication system

• US 7,228,142 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2005
• Issued: 06/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Japan Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Japan Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yoshimura, Osamu, Itoh, Katsutoshi, Itagaki, Takeshi, Yasuda, Mitsuyoshi, Yokoshi, Minoru, Natori, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild; Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; David Q.
• Application Number:
  US11/170,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20060003776A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.3, 455/41.2, 455/410, 455/411, 455/41.3
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0213 System disabling if a separation threshold is exceeded disabling electrical appliances in case of unplugging G08B13/1409
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0277 Communication between units on a local network, e.g. Bluetooth, piconet, zigbee, Wireless Personal Area Networks [WPAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/24 using SIR [Signal to Interference Ratio] or other wireless path parameters

Abstract

According to the present invention makes, even if two of mobile communication terminal apparatuses such as a wireless key apparatus and a mobile telephone terminal apparatus or the like are utilized in various possessing states, it is made possible to maintain a stable distance detection accuracy. In a communication apparatus in which A distance to a connection partner terminal is detected according to a certain parameter and in a case when the distance exceeds a predetermined value, a function limitation or notification to a user is carried out, it is identified that the two of the mobile communication terminals lie in a predetermined appropriate distance according to a manual or automatic method and the proper distance identification information and further receiving state and transmission power at that time if they are necessary are communicated mutually and a parameter used for a distance detection is adjusted.

Claims

1. A communication terminal apparatus which detects a distance with respect to a connection partner apparatus and limits a predetermined function or notifies that fact thereof to a user in a case when the distance exceeds a predetermined value comprising:

communication means for carrying out a wireless communication with a connection partner apparatus by a predetermined wireless communication system;

distance detection means for carrying out a distance detection according to a parameter relating to the detection of the distance with respect to said connection partner apparatus;

proper distance recognition means for obtaining an information signal to the effect that the distance with respect to said connection partner apparatus is in a predetermined proper distance and for recognizing that it is in a proper distance with respect to said connection partner apparatus; and

adjustment means for adjusting said parameter value according to said parameter value when said proper distance recognition means recognized that it is in a proper distance with respect to said connection partner apparatus and said parameter reference value in said proper distance,

wherein when a distance with respect to said connection partner apparatus is a predetermined proper distance, the propagation loss is calculated by receiving wireless state information including information of receiving strength and transmission power from said connection partner appartus;

the process for recalculating said propagation loss according to the wireless state information sent back from said connection partner apparatus is repeated for a predetermined time period until said propagation loss error falls into a predetermined range; and

when said propagation loss error is within a predetermined range, said parameter adjustment is carried out.

2. A communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment of said parameter is carried out when said proper distance recognition means recognizes said proper distance after a user carries out a predetermined operation with respect to said operation unit.

3. A communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said parameter is a receiving strength or a transmission power.

4. A communication terminal system which detects a distance between a first and a second communication terminal apparatuses and limits a predetermined function of a predetermined one of said first and second communication terminal apparatuses and/or notifies that fact thereof to a user in a case when the distance exceeds a predetermined value, wherein each of said first and second communication terminal apparatuses comprises:

an operation unit, communication means for carrying out a wireless communication with said connection partner apparatus by a predetermined wireless communication system;

distance detection means for carrying out a distance detection according to a parameter relating to the detection of the distance with respect to said connection partner apparatus, proper distance recognition means for obtaining an information signal to the effect that the distance with respect to said connection partner apparatus is in a predetermined proper distance and for recognizing that it is in a proper distance with respect to said connection partner apparatus, and adjustment means for adjusting said parameter value according to said parameter value when said proper distance recognition means recognized that it is in a proper distance with respect to said connection partner apparatus and said parameter reference value in said proper distance; and

after a user carries out a predetermined operation to said operation unit with respect to said first or second communication terminal apparatus, said proper distance recognition means recognizes said proper distance and proper distance recognition information is transmitted to the connection partner apparatus, so that an adjustment of said parameter is to be carried out in said first and second communication terminal apparatuses,

wherein when a distance with respect to said connection partner apparatus is a predetermined proper distance, the propagation loss is calculated by receiving wireless state information including information of receiving strength and transmission power from said connection partner apparatus;

the process for recalculating said propagation loss according to the wireless state information sent back from said connection partner apparatus is repeated for a predetermined time period until said propagation loss error falls into a predetermined range; and

when said propagation loss error is within a predetermined range, said parameter adjustment is carried out.

5. A method in which a distance with respect to a connection partner apparatus is detected and a predetermined function is limited or that fact thereof is notified to a user in a case when the distance exceeds a predetermined value comprising the steps of:

carrying out a wireless communication with a connection partner apparatus by a predetermined wireless communication system;

carrying out a distance detection according to a parameter relating to the detection of the distance with respect to said connection partner apparatus;

obtaining an information signal to the effect that the distance with respect to said connection partner apparatus is in a predetermined proper distance and recognizing that it is in a proper distance with respect to said connection partner apparatus; and

adjusting said parameter value according to said parameter value when it is recognized that it is in a proper distance with respect to said connection partner apparatus said parameter reference value in said proper distance,

wherein when a distance with respect to said connection partner apparatus is a predetermined proper distance, the propagation loss is calculated by receiving wireless state information including information of receiving strength and transmission power from said connection partner apparatus;

the process for recalculating said propagation loss according to the wireless state information sent back from said connection partner apparatus is repeated for a predetermined time period until said propagation loss error falls into a predetermined range; and

when said propagation loss error is within a predetermined range, said parameter adjustment is carried out.