System and method for providing position information

• US 7,349,708 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2004
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Eun-young, Lee, Sang-man, Lee, Su-hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Duc M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phuong; Dai
• Application Number:
  US10/866,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20050009540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/457, 455/466, 455/422.1, 455/412.1, 455/456.6, 455/404.2, 455/412.2, 455/413, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/456.2
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal

Abstract

A system and method capable of providing position information through a data burst message so that a user can use position information without accessing the wireless Internet using a mobile communication terminal. The method including if a position information service for a user of a mobile communication terminal subscribed to the position information service is requested, searching for position information on the relevant terminal in a position information server with position information on a predetermined mobile communication terminal; transmitting the searched position information to a short message service center; and generating a data burst message using the position information received from the short message service center, and transmitting the generated data burst message to the mobile communication terminal.

Claims

1. A mobile communication terminal, comprising:

a position information processing module which extracts position information in a data burst message and provides the extracted position information; and

an application processing module which provides current position information to a user based on the extracted position information,

wherein if transmission of position information on a current position of the user to a specific receiving terminal is requested by the user, the position information processing module determines whether the position Information on the current position exists,

wherein the position information on the current position is transmitted to the specific receiving terminal if it is determined that the position information on the current position exists, and

wherein a position information requesting message is transmitted to the position information server to cause the position information on the current position to be transmitted to the specific receiving terminal if it is determined that the position information on the current position does not exist.

2. The terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said position information processing module analyzes the data burst message received from a position information server in order to extract the position information.

3. The terminal as claimed in claim 2, wherein, when the position information on the current position is transmitted to the specific receiving terminal, the position information on the current position is transmitted to the call number of the specific receiving terminal though a short message service center.

4. The terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data burst message comprises a body comprising position information comprising latitude, longitude and measurement time transmitted from the position information server.

5. The terminal as claimed in claim 4, wherein if the data burst message is a short message of which BURST_TYPE=3, the data burst message further comprises a predetermined discriminating tag for discrimination from a general short message.

6. The terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the application processing module comprises a driving information application module which uses the extracted position information to provide information on a current position of the user and distance to a destination of the user.

7. The terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the application processing module comprises a weather forecast application module which uses the extracted position information to provide information on weather condition at a current position of the user.

8. A method of providing position information, comprising:

if a position information service for a user of a mobile communication terminal subscribed to the position information service is requested, searching for position information on the mobile communication terminal in a position information server with the position information on the mobile communication terminal;

transmitting the position information to the short message service center; and

generating a data burst message using the position information received from the short message service center, and transmitting the generated data burst message to the mobile communication terminal,

wherein if transmission of the position information of the mobile communication terminal to a specific mobile communication terminal is requested by the user, determining, by the mobile communication terminal, whether the position information on the current position exists in the mobile communication terminal, and providing position information on its own current position to the specific mobile communication terminal through the position information processing module, wherein;

if it is determined that the position information on the current position exists, transmitting the position information on the current position to the specific mobile communication terminal, and

if it is determined that the position information on the current position does not exist, transmitting a position information requesting message to the position information server and causing the position information of the mobile communication terminal to be transmitted to the specific mobile communication terminal through the position information server.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising transmitting, by the position information server, the position information on the terminal to the call number of a designated receiving terminal according to a request from the user of the mobile communication terminal.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the data burst message comprises a body comprising position information comprising latitude, longitude and measurement time transmitted from the position information server.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein if the data burst message is a short message of which BURST_TYPE=3, the data burst message further comprises a predetermined discriminating tag for discrimination from a general short message.

12. A method of providing position information, comprising:

receiving by a mobile communication terminal, a data burst message provided from a position information server;

if the data burst message is received, extracting position information from the data burst message by executing a position information processing module;

providing current position information to a user through an application processing module by inputting the extracted position information to the application processing module; and

if transmission of position information of the mobile communication terminal to a specific mobile communication terminal is requested by the user, determining, by the mobile communication terminal, whether the position information on the current position exists in the mobile communication terminal, and providing position information on its own current position to the specific mobile communication terminal through the position information processing module, wherein;

if it is determined that the position information on the current position exists, transmitting the position information on the current position to the specific mobile communication terminal, and

if it is determined that the position information on the current position does not exist, transmitting a position information requesting message to the position information server and causing the position information of the mobile communication terminal to be transmitted to the specific mobile communication terminal through the position information server.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein providing the position information on its own current position to the user of the specific mobile communication terminal comprises transmitting the position information on the current position to the call number of the specific mobile communication terminal through a short message service center.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein when position information is transmitted through the short message service center, data burst message comprises a predetermined tag for discrimination from a general short message and a body comprising position information comprising latitude, longitude and measurement time.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising inputting the call number of the specific mobile communication terminal to which the position information on the current position will be sent.

16. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the data burst message comprises a body comprising position information comprising latitude, Longitude and measurement time transmitted from the position information server.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein if the data burst message is a short message of which BURST_TYPE=3, the data burst message further comprises a predetermined discriminating tag for discrimination from a general short message.