Multi-mode mobile terminal and method of triggering communication service using position information thereof

• US 7,809,379 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2005
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Tai Woo
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard; Patrick N
• Assistant Examiner(s): HEIBER, SHANTELL LAKETA
• Application Number:
  US11/154,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20050282579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,936 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/432.1, 455/432.3, 455436-443, 455/446, 455/452.2, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/457, 455/181.1, 370/395.4, 370/395.42, 370/395.43
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

The present invention provides a multi-mode mobile terminal and method of triggering a communication service using position information thereof, by which the multi-mode mobile terminal triggers its optimal communication service in a communication environment where various kinds of communications systems co-exist. The present invention includes acquiring a position of a multi-mode mobile terminal configured to operate in a plurality of separate communication modes and operating the multi-mode mobile terminal in the communication mode based on its position.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a multi-mode mobile terminal, the method comprising:

storing a database including a plurality of position indexes indicating a geographical area and a preferable cellular communication mode corresponding to each of the position indexes, the preferable cellular communication mode being a cellular communication mode having a most superior quality in a corresponding geographical area;

communicating with a first base station corresponding to a first cellular communication mode;

acquiring a current position of the multi-mode mobile terminal from at least one global positioning system (GPS) satellite;

determining a second cellular communication mode corresponding to a preferable cellular communication mode by comparing the current position of the multi-mode mobile terminal to the geographical areas identified in the database;

determining if the second cellular communication mode is different than the first cellular communication mode;

triggering a communication mode to switch from the first cellular communication mode to the determined second cellular communication mode when the second cellular communication mode is different than the first cellular communication mode and simultaneously starting a timer for counting an amount of time that has elapsed since the triggering of the communication mode;

communicating with a second base station corresponding to the determined second cellular communication mode;

acquiring the current position of the multi-mode mobile terminal from said at least one GPS satellite;

determining a third cellular communication mode corresponding to a next preferable cellular communication mode by comparing the current position of the multi-mode mobile terminal to the geographical areas identified in the database;

determining if the third cellular communication mode is different than the second cellular communication mode; and

triggering a communication mode to switch from the second cellular communication mode to the determined third cellular communication mode only when the third cellular communication mode is different than the second cellular communication mode and when the amount of time counted by the timer is greater than a predetermined amount of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographical areas include square-shaped geographical areas and the position indexes correspond to corners of the square-shaped geographical areas.

3. A multi-mode mobile terminal, comprising:

a database configured to store a plurality of position indexes identifying a geographical area and a preferable cellular communication mode corresponding to each of the position indexes, the preferable cellular communication mode being a cellular communication mode having a most superior quality in a corresponding geographical area;

a display configured to display information;

a position information receiving circuit configured to determine a current position of the multi-mode mobile terminal from at least one global positioning system (GPS) satellite; and

a host processor configured to control a first communication mode circuit to communicate with a first base station corresponding to a first cellular communication mode, to control the position information receiving circuit to acquire the current position of the multi-mode mobile terminal from said at least one GPS satellite, to determine a second cellular communication mode corresponding to a preferable cellular communication mode by comparing the current position of the multi-mode mobile terminal to the geographical areas identified in the database, to determine if the second cellular communication mode is different than the first cellular communication mode, to trigger a communication mode to switch from the first cellular communication mode to the determined second cellular communication mode when the second cellular communication mode is different than the first cellular communication mode and simultaneously start a timer for counting an amount of time that has elapsed since the triggering of the communication mode, to control a second communication mode circuit to communicate with a second base station corresponding to the determined second cellular communication mode, to control the position information receiving circuit to acquire the current position of the multi-mode mobile terminal from said at least one GPS satellite, to determine a third cellular communication mode corresponding to a next preferable cellular communication mode by comparing the current position of the multi-mode mobile terminal to the geographical areas identified in the database, to determine if the third cellular communication mode is different than the second cellular communication mode, and to trigger a communication mode to switch from the second cellular communication mode to the determined third cellular communication mode only when the third cellular communication mode is different than the second cellular communication mode and when the amount of time counted by the timer is greater than a predetermined amount of time.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein the geographical areas include square-shaped geographical areas and the position indexes correspond to corners of the square-shaped geographical areas.