Method and system for providing information for a mobile terminal and a mobile terminal

• US 20020156578A1
• Filed: 06/10/2002
• Published: 10/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keishi Takebe, Susumu Matsui, Takeshi Kondou, Yasuhiro Takahashi
• Original Assignee: Keishi Takebe, Susumu Matsui, Takeshi Kondou, Yasuhiro Takahashi
• Inventors: Takahashi, Yasuhiro, Kondou, Takeshi, Takebe, Keishi, Matsui, Susumu
• Granted Patent: US 6,882,933 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A mobile terminal, and an information providing method and system which immediately provides information, which the user of the mobile terminal desires, for the mobile terminal. Area and related service information are stored in corresponding relationship in a database. An information server which includes means for calculating the area of the destination of the mobile terminal loads information on the destination area from the database to the mobile terminal which moves toward the destination area, using radio communication means before the mobile terminal arrives at the destination area.

Claims

1. A method of providing information from an information server to a mobile terminal in a system which includes the mobile terminal, the information server which is connected to a database, a network connected to the information server, and a terminal connected to the network for providing various information for the information server, said method comprising the steps of:

connecting the mobile terminal to the network and when information on the current location and destination of the mobile terminal is input to the mobile terminal, reporting the input information on the current location and destination to the information server through the network;

causing the information server to determine the area surrounding an expected route containing the current location and destination of the mobile terminal when the information server receives from the mobile terminal a report including information on the current location and destination of the mobile terminal, and to send service information including positional information corresponding to the area surrounding the expected route through the network to the mobile terminal; and

causing the mobile terminal to store the received service information including positional information corresponding to the area surrounding the expected route, to cut the connection to the network and to output the previously stored service information in accordance with the user'"'"'s request.

2. A method of providing information from an information server to a mobile terminal in a system which includes the mobile terminal, the information server which is connected to a database, a network connected to the information server, and a terminal connected to the network for providing various information for the information server, wherein the mobile terminal is connected to a portable telephone set so as to be connected to the network, and connected to a GPS which stores information on its position periodically in a memory, said method comprising the steps of:

the mobile terminal receiving information regarding the present location of the GPS from the GPS and input information on a destination of the mobile terminal;

the mobile terminal informing, through the network, the information server of the received information regarding the current location and the destination of the mobile terminal;

the information server, having received from the mobile terminal, information regarding the current location and destination of the mobile terminal, the information server determining the area surrounding an expected route including the current location and destination, and sending service information including positional information corresponding to the area surrounding the expected route through the network to the mobile terminal; and

the mobile terminal storing the received service information including the positional information corresponding to the area surrounding the expected route, cutting the connection to the network, and outputs the previously stored service information in accordance with the user'"'"'s request.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

the mobile terminal sending information regarding its current location periodically through the network to the information server; and

the information server sending the service information periodically through the network to the mobile terminal.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

when the information server receives the information regarding the current location of the mobile terminal from the mobile terminal, the information server comparing the service information regarding the area to the mobile terminal and service information regarding an area to be sent; and

when the service information regarding the area to be sent is different from that previously sent, the information server sending the service information regarding the area to be sent through the network to the mobile terminal.

5. A method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps, by the mobile terminal of:

history information by storing information regarding the position of the mobile terminal periodically;

determining the next area from the produced history information;

reporting information regarding the next area to the information server through the network; and

inquiring of the information server service information regarding the next area.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

storing the service information regarding the area surrounding the expected route including the current place and destination of the mobile terminal sent from the information server, as compressed data, in an external storage of the mobile terminal;

reading the service information on the next area stored in the external storage when the determined service information on the next area us not stored in a RAM of the mobile terminal;

decompressing the read service information; and

storing the decompressed information in the RAM of the mobile terminal.

7. An information providing system, comprising:

a mobile terminal;

an information server connected to a database;

a network connected to the information server; and

a terminal connected to the network for providing various information for the information server, wherein;

the mobile terminal is connected to the network, and when the current location and destination of the mobile terminal is input to the mobile terminal, the mobile terminal reports the input information regarding the current location and destination to the information server through the network;

the information server determines the area surrounding an expected route including the current location and destination of the mobile terminal whose information was received from the mobile terminal, and sends service information including positional information corresponding to the area surrounding the expected route through the network to the mobile terminal; and

the mobile terminal stores the received service information including the positional information corresponding to the area surrounding the expected route, and outputs the stored service information on a real time basis in accordance with the user'"'"'s request.

8. An information providing system, comprising:

a mobile terminal;

an information server connected to a database;

a network connected to the information server; and

a terminal connected to the network for providing various information for the information server; and

a GPS connected to the mobile terminal for storing a position thereof periodically in memory; and

wherein

when the mobile terminal receives information regarding the present location of the GPS from the GPS and information regarding a destination, the mobile terminal informs the information server of the received information regarding the current location and destination of the mobile terminal through the network;

when the information server receives from the mobile terminal information regarding the current location and destination, the inforamtion server determines the area surrounding the expected route including the current location and destination of the mobile terminal, and sends service information including positional information corresponding to the area surrounding the expected route through the network to the mobile terminal; and

the mobile terminal stores the received service information including the positional information corresponding to the area surrounding the expected route, cuts the connection to the network, and outputs the stored service information in accordance with the user'"'"'s request.

9. An information providing system according to claim 8, wherein the mobile terminal send information regarding the current location thereof periodically through the network to the information server, and the information server sends the service information periodically through the network to the mobile terminal.

10. An information providing system according to claim 9, wherein when the information server receives the information regarding the current location of the mobile terminal from the mobile terminal, the information server compares the service information regarding the area sent previously to the mobile terminal and service information on an area to be sent presently, and when the service information regarding the area to be sent presently is different from that sent previously, the information server sends the service information regarding the area to be sent this time through the network to the mobile terminal.

11. An information providing system according to claim 9, wherein the mobile terminal produces history information by storing information regarding the position of the mobile terminal periodically, determines the next area from the produced history information, reports information regarding the next area to the information server through the network and inquires of the information server service information regarding the next area.

12. An information providing system according to claim 11, wherein:

the service information regarding the area surrounding the expected route including the current location and destination of the mobile terminal sent from the information server is stored, as compressed data, in an external storage of the mobile terminal, the service information regarding the next area stored in the external storage is read when the determined service information regarding the next area is not stored in a RAM of the mobile terminal, the read service information is decompressed, and

the decompressed information is stored in the RAM of the mobile terminal.

14. A mobile terminal according to claim 13, further comprising a timer for periodically inquiring of the information server information regarding the current location of the mobile terminal.

15. A mobile terminal according to claim 14, further comprising control means for producing history information by periodically storing information on the position thereof, and for determining the next area from the produced history information, and wherein the sender informs the information server of the determined next area.

16. A mobile terminal according to claim 15, further comprising:

an external storage for storing, as compressed data, the service information regarding the area surrounding the expected route including the current location and destination of the mobile terminal sent from the information server; and

a control unit for reading service information regarding the next area stored in the external storage when the determined service information regarding the next area is not stored in a RAM of the mobile terminal and for decompressing the read service information,

wherein the decompressed information is stored in the RAM.

13. A mobile terminal, comprising:

an input unit connected to a portable telephone set so as to be connected to a network, said input unit being connected to a GPS which stores information regarding the position thereof periodically in a memory, said input unit receiving the information regarding the current location of the GPS from the GPS and a destination of the mobile terminal;

a sender for sending the received information regarding the current location and destination of the mobile terminal through the portable telephone set to an information server connected to the network;

a receiver for receiving from the information server service information including positional information regarding the area surrounding an expected route including the current place and destination of the mobile terminal;

storage for storing the service information including the positional information regarding the area surrounding the expected route received from the receiver; and

an output for outputting the service information stored previously in the storage in accordance with the user'"'"'s request.