GB2422988A - Communication terminal map display including location and environmental information - Google Patents

Communication terminal map display including location and environmental information Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2422988A
GB2422988A GB0601935A GB0601935A GB2422988A GB 2422988 A GB2422988 A GB 2422988A GB 0601935 A GB0601935 A GB 0601935A GB 0601935 A GB0601935 A GB 0601935A GB 2422988 A GB2422988 A GB 2422988A
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United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
information
communication terminal
communication
positional
environmental
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Granted
Application number
GB0601935A
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GB2422988B (en
GB0601935D0 (en
Inventor
Atsushi Nakata
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NEC Corp
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NEC Corp
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Publication of GB2422988A publication Critical patent/GB2422988A/en
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Publication of GB2422988B publication Critical patent/GB2422988B/en
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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01C—MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY
    • G01C21/00—Navigation; Navigational instruments not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C19/00
    • G01C21/38—Electronic maps specially adapted for navigation; Updating thereof
    • G01C21/3804—Creation or updating of map data
    • G01C21/3833—Creation or updating of map data characterised by the source of data
    • G01C21/3848—Data obtained from both position sensors and additional sensors
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01C—MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY
    • G01C21/00—Navigation; Navigational instruments not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C19/00
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04B—TRANSMISSION
    • H04B7/00—Radio transmission systems, i.e. using radiation field
    • H04B7/24—Radio transmission systems, i.e. using radiation field for communication between two or more posts
    • H04B7/26—Radio transmission systems, i.e. using radiation field for communication between two or more posts at least one of which is mobile
    • H04B7/2603—Arrangements for wireless physical layer control
    • H04B7/2606—Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01C—MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY
    • G01C21/00—Navigation; Navigational instruments not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C19/00
    • G01C21/38—Electronic maps specially adapted for navigation; Updating thereof
    • G01C21/3804—Creation or updating of map data
    • G01C21/3833—Creation or updating of map data characterised by the source of data
    • G01C21/3841—Data obtained from two or more sources, e.g. probe vehicles
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09B—EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS
    • G09B29/00—Maps; Plans; Charts; Diagrams, e.g. route diagram
    • G09B29/003—Maps
    • G09B29/006—Representation of non-cartographic information on maps, e.g. population distribution, wind direction, radiation levels, air and sea routes
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
    • H04M1/72—Mobile telephones; Cordless telephones, i.e. devices for establishing wireless links to base stations without route selection
    • H04M1/724—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
    • H04M1/72403—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
    • H04M1/72522—
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M11/00—Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
    • H04Q7/32—
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W4/00—Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
    • H04W4/02—Services making use of location information
    • H04W4/029—Location-based management or tracking services
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
    • H04M1/72—Mobile telephones; Cordless telephones, i.e. devices for establishing wireless links to base stations without route selection
    • H04M1/724—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
    • H04M1/72403—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
    • H04M1/72409—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality by interfacing with external accessories
    • H04M1/72527—

Abstract

A portable communication terminal includes a transmission and reception section 34; a position detecting section 30 which detects a position of a communication terminal; an environmental information detecting section 32 which detects environmental information in the position; and a control section 44 which creates map information including the received positional information and environmental information. The environmental information may comprise temperature, weather humidity, atmospheric pressure, sound, images etc derived from in-built or external sensors, or from a base station. The data may be transmitted to a server for access by other terminals or transmitted directly to other terminals. The map display may also show the position of other terminals.

Description

COMMUNICATION TER1'fINAL, COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, AND
COMMUNICATION METHOD
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication terminal, a communication system, and a communication method. In particular, the present invention relates to a communication terminal, a communication system, and a communication method fo of each coJnmunjation terminal and its environment accurately and easily.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, portable communication terminals such as cellular phones and Personal Handyphone Systems (PHSs) have beenwidelyused. Thepositionsofsuchcommunicationterfflirials and their surrounding environments generally change everymoment.
For various reasons, in some cases, the user of a communication terminal needs to obtain correct information on a staLe of a communication counterpart when communicating with the communication counterpart who uses another communication terminal.
The user of the communication terminal can explain his or her situation to the communication counterpart during ta king.
However, the information is not always objective and correct because sometimes the transmitter misunderstands or cannot sufficiently explain his or her situation.
JP 200134 6246 A discloses a technology of informing a communication counterpart of objective information such as a current position of a local communication terminal. A communication terminal disclosed in JP 2001-346246 A transmits its positional information that is obtained from a GPS satellite or the like to a communication terminal of the communication counterpart. Therefore, the user of the communication terminal can obtain the current position of the communication terminal of the communication counterpart without any extra effort.
However, information transmitted from the communication terminal to another communication terminal includes only the positional information, and does not include environmental information obtained at the position of the communication terminal. In this case, the transmitter needs to tell the communication counterpart by words about information on the environmentas inaconventionalcase Thus, thereceivercannot obtain accurate environmental information, and further the transmitter needs to make a call to tell environmental information, which is a troublesome task.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem. An exemplary feature of the present inventionistoprovideacommunjcationtermiflal acornmunicatjon system, arldacormrlunicdtionmethodfortraflsmlttjngandreceiving information one current position of each communication terminal and its environment accurately and easily.
In a first aspect of the present invention, a communication terminal includes a transmission and reception section; a position detecting section which detects a position of the communication terminal; an environmental information detecting section which detects environmental inf ormat ion in the pos t and a control section which creates map information including the received pos.tiona1 information and environmental information.
In a second aspect of the present invention, a communication system includes a plurality of communication terminals and a map information storage device. Each communication terminal of the plurality of communication terminals includes a transmission and reception section; a position detecting section which detects a position of the communication terminal; an environmental information detecting section which detects environmental information in the position; and a control section which receives, based on received positional information, map information including the position from the map information storage device, and creates map information including the positional information and the environmental information.
Inathirdaspectofthepresentinvention, acommunication method for communications performed between communication terminals includes the steps of: detecting, in a position where a first communication terminal exists, the position and environmental information; transmitting the positional information and the environmental information to a second communication terminal; and creating, in the second communication terminal, map information including the positional information and the environmental information, received from the first communication terminal.
ma fourth aspect of the resent invention, a communication method for communication performed between a plurality of communication terminals and a server includes the steps of: detecting, in a position where a first communication terminal exists, the position and environmental information; transmitting the positional information and the environmental information to the server; creating and storing, in the server, communication terminal information including the positional informatjonandtheenvironmofltal informatjonrecejvedfromthe first communication terminal; transmitting the communication terminal information to a second communication terminal; and creating, in the second communication terminal, map information including the positional information and the environmental information which are contained in the communication terminal information received from the server.
According to the present invention, a communication terminal transmits to another communication terminal, not only its positional information but also information about environment in which the communication terminal is placed.
These pieces of information to be transmitted are objective information respectively detected by the positional information detecting section and the environmental information detecting section. These pieces of information are exchanged as data between the communication terminals via transmission and reception sections. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to transmit and receive information on the current position of the communication terminal and its environment accurately and easily.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a communication system according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining a first operation example of the communication system according to the first embodiment; FIG. 4 illustrates a display example of map information including both positional information and environmental information; FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining a second operation example of the communication system according to the first embodiment; FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a communication system according to a second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a communication terminal information management server shown in FIG. 6; FIG. 8 shows an example format of communication terminal informat ion; FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining an operation example of the communication system according to the second embodiment; and FIG. 10 illustrates a display example of an application of the displayexample shown in FIG. 4, and shows adisplayexample of map information includingat least bothpositional information of an own communication terminal arid that of a counterpart communication terminal.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a communication system 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The communication system 10 includes plural communication terminals 14a and 14b (hereinafter, as a representative thereof, only the terminal 14a may be described) in a mobile network 12. The communication system 10 further includes a map server 20 (map information storage device) connected to the mobile network 12 via the Internet 22. The communication terminal 14a communicates with a Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite 50, a radio base station 52, and an environmental information providing device 70. The communication terminal 14a is a general-purpose mobile terminal such as a cellular phone, a Personal Handyphone System (PHS), or a personal digital assistance (PDA) . The map server 20 has a database for storing map information (map images) of various areas on the globe. The map servr 20 provides predetermined map information in response toarequestofacijent (forexample, the communication terminal 14a) FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the communication terminal 14a. The communication terminal l4a includes a positional information detecting section 30, an environmental information detecting section 32, a transmission and reception section 34, an antenna 36, an operation section 38, a display section 40, a memory 42, and a control section 44.
The positional information detecting section 30 detects POSitionalinformationofthecounjcationtermina1l4abyusjflg radio waves sent from the GPS satellite 50 or the radio base station 52. The positional information detecting section 30 outputs the detected positional information to the control section 44. positional information detecting section 30 can also receive positional information from a car navigation system (not shown) or a positional information providing sensor (not shown) . The positional information detected by the positional information detecting section 30 can include three-dimensional positional information, such as "region ZZ on the YY-th floor of building XX".
The environmental information detecting section 32 obtains environmental information of the communication terminal 14a and outputs the obtained environmental information to the control section 44. The environmental information detecting section 32 includes an environmental information sensor section and an environmental information reception section 62.
The environmental information sensor section 60 detects cnvironrnental informaLion surrounding the communication terminal 14a and outputs the detected environmental information tothecontrolsectjon44 Theenvironmentalinformationsensor section 60 includes a temperature sensor 60a for measuring a temperature, a humidity sensor 60b for measuring a humidity, an ultraviolet sensor 60c for measuring the level of an ultraviolet light, an atmospheric pressure sensor 60d for measuring an atmospheric pressure, a microphone 60e for collecting surrounding sounds, and a camera 60f for collecting surrounding images. The environmental information sensor section 60 does not need to include all the sensors, but can include at least one of the sensors 60a to 6Qf. The sensor to be mounted in the environmental information sensor section 60 is not limited to the sensors 60a to 60f. A sensor for measuring other environmental information can be appropriately mounted therein.
The environmental information reception section 62 receives environmental information transmitted from the environmental information providing device 70 for providing environmental information, and outputs the received environmental information to the control section 44. The environmental information providing device 70 can be a sensor device connected to the communication terminal 14a via a cable.
Alternatively, the environmental information providing device 70 can be a radio base station connected to the communication terminal 14a via a radio network, for example, an access point of a wireless local area network (LAN) . The sensor device and the radio base station use a predetermined detection device to ±--1 --- _LLLL LIIV LLLJ1L1LL11LCL LL1LJL1LLQLLL)11 U1I CJ..) . LeiLJLcLuLe, humidity, an ultraviolet light, an atmospheric pressure, surrounding sounds, surrounding images, a pollen level, an air-claritylevel, aradio- wavequality, andweather information, arid transmit the detected environmental information to the environmental information reception section 62.
The environmental information detecting section 32 can include at least one of the environmental information sensor section 60 and the environmental information reception section 62.
The transmission and reception section 34 transmits to arid receives fromanothorcomrnunicat.ionterminal, predetermined information, for example, positional and environmental information The antenna 36 transmits and receives a radio signal. The operation section 38 is composed of an input device such as keys and a pointing device, and outputs operation data that Thedisplay section 40 displays visible information such as images and characters. The memory 42 is a recording medium which is accessible by the control section 44, and stores a program specifying an operation of the communication terminal 14a and data such as positional information. Further, the memory 42 may store map information.
The control section 44 is mainly formed of a controller such as a central processing unit (CPU), and controls the entire communication terminal 14a. For example, the control section 44 performs the followingprocesses. First, the control section 44 inputs positional inforrnaton fromthepositional information detecting section 30 and inputs emivironmental information from the environmental information detecting section 32. Second, the control section 44 transmits the inputted positional information and environmental information to another communication terminal or another device at a predetermined timing. Third, the control section 44 receives positional information and environmental information from another communication terminal or another device. Fourth, the control section 44 obtains, from the map server 20, map information including a position specified by Lhe received positional information.
A flowchart of FIG. 3 shows a first operation example of the communication system 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The control section 44 of the communication terminal l4a detects its positional information and environmental information (step Si) . The control section 44 judges whether a predetermined transmission condition has been satisfiedornot (step S2) . ThepredeterminedtranSmissiofl condition indicates a condition that allows the transmission of each piece of information to the communication terminal 14b to be started. The transmission condition is satisfied when the position of the communication terminal 14a is changed, for example. Alternatively, the transmission condition is satisfied when the control section 44 receives a timing signal from a device which outputs the timing signal at predetermined intervals. In other words, the communication terminal 14a always transmits the latest positional information and environmental information to the communication terminal 14b.
When it is judged that the predetermined transmission condition has been satisfied, the control section 44 transmits the positional information and the environmental information to the communication terminal 14b (step S3) The control section 44 of the communication terminal l4b receives the positional information and the environmental information fromthe communication terminal 14a (stepS4) . Then, the control section 44 transmits an original-map-information requesttothemapserver2o (stepS5) . Inthiscase, thecontrol section 44 also transmits the positional information of the communication terminal 14a to the map server 20. Note that the original map information means map information that has not yet included the positional information and the environmental information of the communication terminal 14a.
The map server 20 receives the original-map-information request and the positional information of the communication terminal 14a (step S6) . The map server 20 extracts, from the database, original map information including the received positional information (step S7) . The map server 20 transmits the extracted original map information to the communication terminal 14b (step S8) The control section 44 of the communication terminal 14b receives the original map information from the map server 20 (step S9) . The control section 44 adds both the positional informationandthe environmental information received from the communication terminal l4a to the original map information to create amap image (step Sb), and displays the created map image on the display section 40 (step Sli) PIG. 4 illustrates an example of map information to he created by the control section 44. In FIG. 4, the position of the communication terminal 14a is indicated with an asterisk, and temperature information on a temperature in the position is shown close to the asterisk. This display example is merely an example, and can be modified in various ways. For example, information on the position of the communication terminal 14a canheexpressedby character information (forexample, "terminal A") insteadofamarkorthelike Inaddition, the environmental information can be superimposed on the positional information to be displayed, insLead of being displayed close to the positional information. Further, it is possible to employ a configuration in which the positional information or the environmental information is indicated by an icon, and detailed information is displayed in a separaLe window when the icon is clicked.
Note that in the ahovedescribed process, the cornmunicaLjon terminal 14b can omit original-map-information request processing (steps S5 to S9) performed with respect to the map server 20 when positional information newly received from the communication terminal 14a falls in Lhe same range of map information as that received at the previous time.
As described above, according to the communication system of the first embodiment of the present invention, the communication terminal 14a transmits not only its positional information but also information on an environment surrounding iL to the communication terminal 14b. Those pieces of information to be transmitted are objective information which are respectively detected by the positional information detectingsection3o andtheenvironmental informationdetecting section 32. Those pieces of information are transmitted and received as data by the transmission and reception section 34.
Therefore, in the communication system 10, information on the current position of the communication terminal l4a and on its environment can be accurately and easily transmitted and received.
Further, in the communication system 10, the map information including both the positional information and the environmental information of the communication terminal 14a is displayed. Therefore, the user of the communication terminal 14b can intuitively know the position of the communication terminal 14a and the environment in which the communication terminal 14a is placed.
Further, the communication terminal 14a transmits the positional information and the environmental information to the communication terminal 14b periodically or every time when the position of the communication terminal 14a is changed.
Therefore, the user of the communication terminal 14b can obtain realtime information of the communication terminal 14a.
Note that, in the above embodiment, an example case where the communication terminal 14a transmits the positional information and the environmental information to the communicationterminal l4bhas been described, but it is needless to say that the positional information and the environmental information can also be transmitted from the communication terminal l4b to the communication terminal l4a.
Further, the number of communication terminals is not limited to two, but it can be three or more. In this case, for example, one communication terminal can broadcast positional information and environmental information to the other two or more communication terminals.
When the environmental information sensor section 60 includes the camera and the microphone, the control section 44 can remotely control them.
When the environmental information detecting section 32 detects surrounding image information, the communication terminal l4b can set a small window at a predetermined position in the map information shown in FIG. 4 to display the surrounding image information in the window. In addition, when the environmental information detecting section 32 detects surrounding sound information, the communication terminal l4b can output the surrounding sound information from a speaker or the like while displaying the map information shown in FIG. 4 on the display section 40.
A flowchart of FIG. 5 shows a second operation example ofthecommunicationsystemlQshowninplG 1. Thecommunjcatjon terminal 14b transmits an information request to the communication terminal 14a (step S20) . Meanwhile, the control section 44 of the communication terminal 14a judges whether an information request has been received from the communication terminal 14b (step S21) . When it is judged that an information request has been received (Yes in step S2l) , the control section 44 detects positional information and environmental information of the communication terminal l4a (step S22) . The control section 44 transmits the detected positional infoLlnation and environmental information to the communication terminal l4b (step S23) The control section 44 of the communication terminal l4b receives the positional information and the environmental information from the communication terminal 14a (step S24) Then, the control section 44 transmits an original-map- informationrequesttothemapserver2o (stepS25) In this case, thecontrolsection44alsotransmitsthepositioned information of the communication terminal 14a to the map server 20.
The map server 20 receives the original-map-information request (sLepS26) Themapserver20extracts, fromthedatabase, original map information including the received positional information (step S27) . Then, the map server 20 transmits the extracted original map information to the communication terminal 14b (step 528) The control section 44 of the communication terminal l4b receives the original map information from the map server 20 (step S29) The control section 44 adds both the positional information and the environmental information received from the communication terminal 14a to the original map information to create a map image (step S30) , and displays the created map image on the display section 40 (step S31) As described above, the transmission of positional information and environmental information is carried out based on a request of the communication terminal 14h, which can save the communication terminal 14a side from having to perform a processof judgi. ngwhetheratransmissionconditionis satisfied.
Note that it is also possible that when an information request is transmitted to the communication terminal 14a in FIG. 5, the communication terminal l4b also transmits identification information that identifies itself together with the information request, and the communication terminal 14a authenticates the identification information. With such an operation, only a communication terminal that is allowed to obtain information can obtain information of the communication terminal l4a. That is, itispossibletopreventtheinformationofthecommunication terminal 14a from being unreasonably leaked to a third party to thereby improve the security of the communication system 10.
The identification information described above maybe a telephone number or a password, for example. The identification information does not need to be transmitted together with the information request, and can be transmitted separately.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a communication system 100 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the communication system 100 according to the second embodiment, a communication terminal information management server 102 is provided in the mobile network J.2. The other components are the same as those of FIG. 1. Thus, the other components in FIG. 6 are given the same reference symbols as those of FIG. 1, and
descriptions thereof are omitted.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the communication terminal information management server 102. The communication terminal information management server 102 includes a communication section 104, a memory 106, and a control section 108. The communication section 104 communicates with the communication terminals 14a and 14b via the mobile network 12. The memory 106 stores a program specifying an operation of the communication terminal information management server 102 and information about the commun cation terminals 14a and 14b. The control section 108 is mainly formed of a controller such as a CPU, and accesses the communication section 104 and the memory 106 to control the entire communication terminal information managemenL server 102.
FIG. 8 shows an example format of communication terminal information 110 which is stored in the memory 106. In the communicationterminal Information 110, nrecords each including positional informa Lion and environmental information which are received from the communication terminal 14a and the reception time thereof are arranged time sequentially. When the communication terminal information management server 102 manages information on plural communication terminals, the communication terminal information 110 is created for each communication terminal. The reception time information is not always required.
A flowchart of FIG. 9 shows an operation example of the communication system 100 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The control section 44 of the communication terminal l4a detects its positional information and environmental information (step S40) . The control section 44 judges whether a condition for transmitting the positional information and the erIvironmental information to the communication terminal information management server 102 has been satisfied (step S41). When it is fludged that the transmission condition has been satisfied, the control section 44 transmits the positional information and the environmental information to the communication terminal information management server 102 (step S42) The control section 108 of the communication terminal information management server 102 receives the positional information and the environmental information from the communication terminal 14a (step S43) . The control section 108 creates the communication terminal information 110 about the communication terminal 14a (step S44) . The control section 108 stores the created communication terminal information 110 in the memory 106. The control section 108 judges whether a condition for transmitting the communication terminal information 110 to the communication terminal 14h has been satisfied (step S45) . Here, the transmission condition indicates a condition that allows the communication terminal information 110 to be transmitted from communication terminal information management server 102 Lo the communication terminal 14b. ThetransmissiOflcoflditionissa sfiedwhen, forexample, the communication terminal information management server 102 receives an information request from the communication terminal 14b. AlternaLively, the transmission condition is satisfied when the communication terminal information management server 102 authenticates the identification information of the communication terminal 14b. When it is judged that the transmission condition has been satisfied, the control section 108 reads the communication terminal information 110 from the memory 106 and transmits it to the communication terminal 14b (step S46) The control section 44 of the communication terminal 14b receives the communication terminal information 110 about the communication terminal 14a from the communication terminal information management server 102 (step S47) . The control section 44 transmits an original-map-information request to the map server 20. In this case, the control section 44 also transmits the positional information of the communication terminal 14a to the map server 20.
The map server 20 receives the original-map-information request (step S49) , and further extracts, from the database, original map informationincluding the received positional information (step S50) . The map server 20 transmits the 14b (step S51) The control section 44 of the communication terminal 14h receives the original map information from the map server 20 (step S52) . The control section 44 adds both the positional information and the environmental information received from the communication terminal 14a to the original map information to create amap image (step S53), and displays the created map image on the display section 40 (step S54) As described above, in the communication system 100 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, pieces of information on the communication terminal 14a which areobtainedinafjxedperiodoftjmeareheldinthecommunicatjon terminal informationmanagement server 102, as the communication terminal information 110. Then, the communication terI[LiIlal 14b obtains the information as needed. Therefore, the user of the communication terminal 14b can collect past information of the communication terminal 14a as well as the current information thereof. Inaddition, the communicattontermjnal l4bcanobtajri the communication terminal information 110 irrespectiVe of the connection state between the communication terminal 14a and the communication terminal information management server 102.
Therefore, even when the communication terminal 14a is out of a service area, the communication terminal 14b can obtain the latest information on the communication terminal 14a that has been obtained when the communication terminal 14a was within the service area.
In addition, it is also possible that the communication terminal information management server 102 handles the information of the plurality of communication terminals.
Hereby, for example, the user of the communication terminal l4b can obtain a typical environmental information (for example, anaveragetemperature information) of apredetermifledarea (for example, each city, town and village) where communication terminal 14a exists from the communication terminal information management server 102.
In the above operation, the communication terminal l4a transmits its positional information and environmental information to the communication terminal information management server 102. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited to such a configuration. For example, the communication terminal 14a transmits respective pieces of infoLmatiofl to the communication terminal 14b as in the first embodiment. Meanwhile, the communication terminal information management server 102 can monitor the information transmitted via the mobile network 12 from the communication terminal 14a to the communication terminal 14b to create the communication terminal information 110 automatically.
In the first and second embodiments described above, a device for storing the map information is not limited to the map server 20, but can be modified appropriately. For example, themap information storage device can be a car navigation system or the memories 42 of the communication terminals 14a and 14b.
Alternatively, the map information sLorage device can be an external storage device such as a CD-ROM and a DVD.
FIG. 10 illustrates a display example of an application of map information created by the control section 44 of the communication terminal 14b, which serves as an information reception side. Before displaying the map information, the communication terminal 14b first detects its positional information and environmental information. Then, the communication Lerminal 14b receives positional information and environmental information of the communication terminal l4a therefrom. The control section 44 of Lhe communication terminal 14b creates map information in which the position of the communication terminal l4b (the position of the own terminal) ismarkedwithadoublecircle, thepositionofthecorninunjcatjon terminal 14a (thepositionofthecounterparttermjnal) ismarked with a black circle, pieces of temperature information detected at the positions of the communication terminals are shown respectively in vicinities of the circles, and the dibLance betweenthecommunicationterminals is shownbetweenthe circles.
Further, the posiLiorial information and environmental information and the map information can be synthesized by the map server 20 instead of the communication terminals l4a and 14b. In this case, the map server 20 is accommodated in the mobile network 12. The map server 20 receives positional information and environmental information from the communication terminal 14a. The map server 20 extracts, from its database, map information including the received positional information, and creates a map image in which the positional information and the environmental nformati.on of the communication terminal 14a are simultaneously shown within a map range specified by the extracted map information. The map server 20 transmits the created map image to the communication terminal 14b.
While this invention has been described in connection with certain exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the subject maLter encompassed by way of this invention is not to be limited to those specific embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended for the subject matter of the invention to include all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as can be included within the spirit and scope of the following claims.
Further, it is the inventor's intent to retain all equivalents of the claimed invention even if the claims are amended during prosecution.

Claims (1)

  1. WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1 1. A communication terminal, comprising: 2 a
    transmission and reception section; 3 a position detecting section which detects a position of 4 the communication terminal; an environmental information detecting section which 6 detects environmental information in the position; and 7 a control section which creates map information including 8 the received postiona1 information and environmental 9 information.
    1 2. A communication Lerminal according to claim 1, wherein 2 thetransmissionandreceptionsectiontransmitstheposjtional 3 information and the environmental information to at least one 4 of another communication terminal and a server.
    1 3. A communication terminal according to claim 2, wherein 2 thetransrnissionandreception section transmits the positional 3 information and the environmental information to at least one 4 of the server and another communication terminal, in at least oneofcaseswhere (A) apredeterminedtimingsignal isdetected, 6 (B) apositional change of the communication terminal is detected, 7 (C) an information transmission request is received from an 8 information requestor, and (D) identification information of 9 an information requestor is authenticated.
    1 4. A communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein 2 the position detecting section detects the position of the 3 communication terminal by using a predetermined radio wave 4 transmitted from an external device.
    1 5. A communication terminal according to claim 4, wherein 2 The external device comprises a GPS satellite.
    1 6. A radio base station according to claim 4, wherein the 2 external device comprises a radio base station.
    1 7. Acominunication terminal according to claim 1, wherein 2 theenvironmentalinformationdetectingsectiondetectsatleast 3 one piece oil information among a temperature, a humidity, an 4 ultraviolet light, an atmospheric pressure, a sound, and an image.
    1 8. Acomnmunication terminal according to claim 7, wherein 2 the environmental information detecting section includes at 3 least one of an environmental information sensor and an 4 environmental information reception section which receives environmental information from a device for providing 6 environmental information.
    1 9. A communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein 2 the control suLion creates map information inciudrng the 3 positional information and the environmental information on the 4 position of the own communication terminal, and positional information and environmental information on a position of 6 another communication terminal.
    1 10. Acomrnunicationterminalaccordingtoclaim9, wherein 2 themapjnformatjonjnclidesadjstancehetweenthecommunicatjon 3 terminals.
    1 11. AcornrnunicaLionterrninalaccordingtoclaiml, wherein 2 the control section obtains, based on the received positional 3 information, map information in a given area including the 4 positional information from a map information storage device.
    1 l2.Acommunicationterminalaccordingtoclaimll, wherein 2 The map information storage device comprises a server which can 3 be connected via a communication network.
    1 l3.Acommunicationterminalaccordingtoclaimll, wherein 2 the map information storage device comprises a memory provided 3 in the communication terminal.
    1 14. Acornmunicationterminalaccordingtoclajml, wherein 2 thecommunicationterminalisoneofacellularphone, a Personal 3 Handyphone System, and a personal digital assistance.
    1 15. A communication system, comprising: 2 a plurality of communication terminals; and 3 a map information storage device, 4 wherein each communication terminal of the pl.urality of communication terminals comprises: 6 a transmission and reception section; 7 a position detecting section which detects a 8 position of the communication terminal; 9 an environmental information detecting section which detects environmental information in the position; and 11 a control section which receives, based on received 12 positional information, map information including the position 13 from the map information storage device, and creates map 14 information including the positional information arid the environmental information.
    1 16. A communication system according to claim 15, wherein 2 the transmission and reception section transmits the positional 3 information and the environmental information to at least one 4 of another communication terminal and a server.
    1 17. A communication system according to claim 16, wherein 2 the transmission and reception section transmits the positional 3 information and the environmental information to at least one 4 of the server and another communication terminal, in at least one of cases where (A) a predetermined timing signal is detected, 6 (B) apositional changeof thecorumunicationterminal isdetected, 7 (C) an information transmission request is received from an 8 information requestor, and (0) identification information of 9 an information requestor is authenticated.
    1 18. A communication system according to claim 15, further 2 comprising a communication terminal information management 3 server connected to a communication network, 4 wherein the communication terminal information management server creates arid stores communication terminal 6 information including the positional information and 7 environmental information which are received from the 8 communication terminal.
    1 19. A communication system according to claim 18, wherein 2 the communication terminal information management server 3 transmits the communication terminal information to a 4 communication terminal which has issued an information transmission request.
    1 20. A communication systemaccordingto claim 19, wherein 2 the information transmission request includes identification 3 information of the communication terminal.
    1 21. A communication method for communications performed 2 between communication terminals, comprising the steps of: 3 detecting, in a position where a first communication 4 terminal exists, the position and environmental information; transmitting the positional information and the 6 environmental information to a second communication terminal; 7 and 8 creating, in the second communication terminal, map 9 information including the positional information and the environmental information, received from the first 11 communication terminal.
    1 22. A communication method according to claim 21, wherein 2 the first communication terminal transmits the positional 3 information and the environmental information to the second 4 communication terminal, in at least one of cases where (A) a predetermined timing signal is detected, (B) a positional change 6 of the first communication terminal is detected, (C) an 7 information transmission request is received from the second 8 communication terminal, and (D) identification information of 9 the second communication terminal is authenticated.
    1 23. A communication method according to claim 21, wherein 2 the second communication terminal creates map information 3 including positional information and environmental information 4 on a position of the second communication terminal, and the positional information and the environmental information on the 6 position of the first communication terminal.
    1 24. A communication method for communication performed 2 between a plurality of communication terminals and a server, 3 comprising the steps of: 4 detecting, in a position where a first communication terminal exists, the position and environmental information; 6 transmitting the positional information and the 7 environmental information to the server; 8 creating and storing, in the server, communication 9 terminal information including the positional information and the environmental information received from the first Ti communication terminal; 12 transmitting the communication terminal information to 13 a second communication terminal; and 14 creating, i.n the second communication terminal, map information including the positional information and the 16 environmental information which are contained in the 17 communication terminal information received from the server.
    1 25. A communication method according to claim 24, wherein 2 the positional information and the environmental information 3 are transmitted from Lhe first communication terminal to the 4 server, in at least one of cases where (A) a predetermined timing signal is detecLed and (B) a positional change of the first 6 communication terminal is detected.
    1 26. A communication method according to claim 24, wherein 2 the communication terminal information is transmitted from the 3 server to the second communication terminal, in at least one 4 of cases where (A) an information transmission request is received from the second communication terminal, and (B) 6 identification information received from the second 7 communication terminal is authenticated.
    27. A communication terminal substantially as herein described with reference to figure 2 of the drawings.
    28. A communication system substantially as herein described.
    29. A communication method substantially as herein described.
GB0601935A 2005-02-07 2006-01-31 Communication terminal, communication system, and commumication method Expired - Fee Related GB2422988B (en)

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JP2006217498A (en) 2006-08-17
KR20060090179A (en) 2006-08-10
CN1818708A (en) 2006-08-16
KR100768977B1 (en) 2007-10-22
GB0601935D0 (en) 2006-03-15

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