Mobile communication device capable of notifying user when deviating from a predetermined area

• US 7,376,423 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2002
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Sakanaba, Takayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah; Charles N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ly; Nghi H.
• Application Number:
  US10/299,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20040203769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,008 Days
• Field of Search: 455/421, 455/432.1, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/426.1, 455/462, 455/436, 455/437, 455/440, 455/441, 455/517, 455/426.2, 455/550.1, 455/458, 340/430, 340/426.18, 340/426.19, 340/426.22, 340/426.2, 340/539.1, 340/539, 340/539.12, 340/539.13, 340/539.15, 340/236.2, 340/428.18
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

When an operational mode of a mobile terminal is set to a memory mode, the location information of an area of a base station as a contacted party is registered. When the operational mode of a mobile terminal is set to a notification mode, a determination is made whether the base station as a contacted party is a base station in an unregistered area which is not registered into the storage means. Then, when the contacted party is the base station in the unregistered area, any deviation from an activity range is sent to a registered contact. This can automatically transmit any deviation from the normal activity range.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device, comprising:

registering means for registering area information about a base station based on an operation by a user of said mobile communication device;

storing means for storing information about a contact;

judging means for judging whether or not said mobile communication device is in a registered area in said registering means;

notifying means for notifying said contact about a deviation from said registered area when it is judged that said mobile communication device is not in said registered area and for sending current location information of said mobile communication device to said contact at the same time as notifying said contact about the deviation; and

a calculating means for calculating a time interval during which a handover occurs between base stations,

wherein said notifying means notifies said contact about a deviation from said registered area when said time interval is over a predetermined time, and said notifying means does not notify said contact about a deviation from said registered area when said time interval is below a predetermined time.

2. A mobile communication device, comprising:

registering means for registering area information about a base station based on an operation by a user of said mobile communication device;

storing means for storing information about a contact;

judging means for judging whether or not said mobile communication device is in a registered area in said registering means;

notifying means for notifying said contact about a deviation from said registered area when it is judged that said mobile communication device is not in said registered area and for sending current location information of said mobile communication device to said contact at the same time as notifying said contact about the deviation; and

a calculating means for calculating a moving speed based on a size of the area and location information from the base station,

wherein said notifying means notifies said contact about a deviation from said registered area when said moving speed is over a predetermined speed, and said notifying means does not notify said contact about a deviation from said registered area when said moving speed is below a predetermined speed.

3. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a registering circuit that registers area information about a base station based on an operation by a user of said mobile communication device;

a storing circuit that stores information about a contact;

a judging circuit that judges whether or not said mobile communication device is in a registered area in said registering circuit;

a notifying circuit that notifies said contact about a deviation from said registered area when it is judged that said mobile communication device is not in said registered area and for sending current location information of said mobile communication device to said contact at the same time as notifying said contact about the deviation; and

a calculator that calculates a time interval during which a handover occurs between base stations,

wherein said notifying circuit notifies said contact about the deviation from said registered area when said time interval is over a predetermined time, and said notifying circuit does not notify said contact about a deviation from said registered area when said time interval is below a predetermined time.

4. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a registering circuit that registers area information about a base station based on an operation by a user of said mobile communication device;

a storing circuit that stores information about a contact;

a judging circuit that judges whether or not said mobile communication device is in a registered area in said registering circuit;

a notifying circuit that notifies said contact about a deviation from said registered area when it is judged that said mobile communication device is not in said registered area and for sending current location information of said mobile communication device to said contact at the same time as notifying said contact about the deviation; and

a calculator that calculates a moving speed based on a size of said registered area and location information from the base station,

wherein said notifying circuit notifies said contact about the deviation from said registered area when said moving speed is over a predetermined speed, and said notifying circuit does not notify said contact about a deviation from said registered area when said moving speed is below a predetermined speed.