Method and device for controlling wireless communication terminal service based on positional area

• US 8,660,585 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2010
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Inventors: Zhao, Qian, Zeng, Zhenzhuo, Li, Chenxi
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US13/581,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20130053073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.6, 455/456.1, 455/418
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

A method for controlling wireless communication terminals based on location areas is disclosed, including: a wireless communication terminal obtaining its own current location information (101); using a service and function control table to deactivate services and functions that need to be restricted according to the obtained location information, and storing the location information and the deactivated services and functions (102); the wireless communication terminal re-obtaining the location information, activating restriction-cancelled services and functions or deactivating restricted services and functions according to the re-obtained location information, the stored location information and/or the deactivated services and functions; a device for controlling wireless communication terminals based on location areas is also disclosed, and the method and device can be used to control all the services and functions of the wireless communication terminal at the terminal side, so that controlling the wireless communication terminal is more flexibly and more targeted.

Claims

1. A method for controlling services of a wireless communication terminal based on location areas, said method comprising:

the wireless communication terminal obtaining own current location information;

using a service and function control table to deactivate services and functions that need to be restricted according to the obtained location information, and storing the location information and the deactivated services and functions;

the wireless communication terminal re-obtaining location information, and according to the re-obtained location information, the stored location information and/or the deactivated services and functions, activating restriction-cancelled services and functions or deactivating restricted services and functions;

wherein the step of according to the re-obtained location information, the stored location information and/or the deactivated services and functions, activating the restriction-cancelled services and functions or deactivating the restricted services and functions comprises;

judging whether the re-obtained location information is the same as own stored location information or not, if same, not performing processing, otherwise, activating the deactivated services and functions, and then according to the re-obtained location information, using the service and function control table to determine services and functions that need to be deactivated;

or

using the service and function control table to determine the restricted services that need to be deactivated according to the re-obtained location information, and then comparing the determined and restricted services that need to be deactivated with the deactivated services and functions that is stored, if the deactivated services and functions are still the restricted services, maintaining a deactivation state;

if the deactivated services and functions no longer need to be restricted, activating the services and functions;

if there are new services and functions that need to be deactivated, deactivating the new services and functions that need to be deactivated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein after the step of activating the restriction-cancelled services and functions or deactivating the restricted services and functions, the method further comprises:

returning to wait for location information which is obtained next time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, before the wireless communication terminal obtains the own current location information, the method further comprises:

storing the service and function control table including the location information and the services and functions that need to be restricted corresponding to the location information into the wireless communication terminal;

the service and function control table is updated through a system side or other wireless communication terminal sending messages.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, said obtaining the location information is:

actively obtaining the location information, and/or passively obtaining the location information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, the storing is:

marking in the service and function control table, or individually setting variables in a terminal'"'"'s memory to store a restriction state.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein, before the wireless communication terminal obtains the own current location information, the method further comprises:

storing the service and function control table including the location information and the services and functions that need to be restricted corresponding to the location information into the wireless communication terminal;

the service and function control table is updated through a system side or other wireless communication terminal sending messages.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein, said obtaining the location information is:

actively obtaining the location information, and/or passively obtaining the location information.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein, the storing is:

marking in the service and function control table, or individually setting variables in a terminal'"'"'s memory to store a restriction state.

9. A device for controlling services of a wireless communication terminal based on location areas, located in the wireless communication terminal, the device comprising:

a location acquisition module, a restriction judgment module and a restriction processing module, wherein,

the location acquisition module is configured to obtain current location information of the wireless communication terminal, and send the obtained location information to the restriction judgment module;

the restriction judgment module is configured to use a service and function control table to determine services and functions that need to be deactivated according to the received location information, send a deactivation message to the restriction processing module, and store the location information and deactivated services and functions;

according to re-obtained location information, combined with the stored location information and/or the deactivated services and functions, activate restriction-cancelled services and functions or deactivate restricted services and functions, and send the deactivation message or an activation message to the restriction processing module;

the restriction processing module is configured to perform an activation or deactivation operation on the services and functions that need to be activated or deactivated after receiving the activation or deactivation message;

wherein according to newly obtained location information, combined with the stored location information and/or the deactivated services and functions, the restriction judgment module activating the restriction-cancelled services and functions or deactivating the restricted services and functions comprises;

judging whether the re-obtained location information is the same as own stored location information or not, if same, not performing processing, otherwise, activating the deactivated services and functions, and then according to the re-obtained location information, using the service and function control table to determine the services and functions that need to be deactivated;

or

using the service and function control table to determine the restricted services that need to be deactivated according to the re-obtained location information, and then comparing the determined and restricted services that need to be deactivated with the deactivated services and functions that is stored, if the deactivated services and functions are still the restricted services, maintaining a deactivation state;

if the deactivated services and functions no longer need to be restricted, activating the services and functions;

if there are new services and functions that need to be deactivated, deactivating the new services and functions that need to be deactivated.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the restriction processing module is further configured to send a returning message to notify the restriction judgment module to wait for next obtained location information after performing the activation or deactivation operation.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the restriction judgment module is further configured to pre-store the service and function control table;

the service and function control table comprises;

the location information and services and functions that need to be restricted corresponding to the location information;

the service and function control table is updated through a system side or other wireless communication terminal sending messages.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the device further comprises:

a state storage module, which is configured to store the deactivated services and functions and corresponding location information, and provide the restriction judgment module with the location information;

the restriction judgment module is further configured to store the deactivated services and functions and the corresponding location information in the state storage module.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the restriction judgment module is further configured to pre-store the service and function control table;

the service and function control table comprises;

the location information and services and functions that need to be restricted corresponding to the location information;

the service and function control table is updated through a system side or other wireless communication terminal sending messages.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the device further comprises:

a state storage module, which is configured to store the deactivated services and functions and corresponding location information, and provide the restriction judgment module with the location information;

the restriction judgment module is further configured to store the deactivated services and functions and the corresponding location information in the state storage module.