JP2012060661A - Portable telephone terminal and telephone control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique for enhancing the convenience of a portable telephone terminal having communication functions by a portable telephone network and a wireless LAN.SOLUTION: A portable telephone terminal has: means of determining whether or not a wireless LAN interface 230 is started up, at an originating process by a portable telephone interface 240; means of determining a start-up condition of the wireless LAN interface 230 of a destination portable telephone terminal; and means of switching over to origination by the wireless LAN interface 230 when the own wireless LAN interface 230 is started up and the wireless LAN interface 230 of the destination portable telephone terminal is started up.

Description

  The present invention relates to a mobile phone terminal, and more particularly to a mobile phone terminal that can be connected to both a wireless LAN and a mobile phone network.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, mobile phone terminals that have a so-called IP phone function using a wireless LAN in addition to a call function using a general mobile phone network have been proposed. In general, IP telephones can reduce the call charge at a lower cost than when using a mobile phone network, and thus there is an increasing need for using a wireless LAN for calls on mobile phone terminals.

  By the way, even if a mobile phone terminal having a wireless LAN call function is possessed, in order to use the wireless LAN, it is necessary to go to a communication area where a wireless LAN service is provided. For this reason, many users, for example, examine the location of the communication area in advance or search for the vicinity of the current location in search of the communication area.

  As a conventional technique in view of the inconvenience of the user as described above, for example, there is one described in Patent Document 1 described later. In this document, a mobile phone network system (WWAN) receiving device is provided in a wireless LAN system (WLAN), and the WWAN receiving device receives radio waves transmitted from the mobile terminal that can communicate with the WWAN and WLAN. The technology to do is described. As a result, the mobile terminal is notified via the WWAN base station that the mobile terminal exists within the WLAN service area.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-23768

  According to the technique described in Patent Document 1, it is possible to notify the user that the mobile terminal exists in a local communication service area of the WLAN such as a hot spot. However, for that purpose, a large-scale facility is required in which a WWAN receiving device is connected to the WLAN system. Therefore, there is a need for a technique that can be realized more simply.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for improving the convenience of a mobile phone terminal having a communication function of a mobile phone network and a wireless LAN.

  A mobile phone terminal according to the present invention is a mobile phone terminal that includes a mobile phone interface that executes a call process for a mobile phone network and a wireless LAN interface that executes a call process for a wireless LAN. An activation presence / absence determination unit that determines whether or not the wireless LAN interface is activated; an activation state determination unit that determines an activation state of the wireless LAN interface of the mobile phone terminal of the transmission destination; Switching means for switching to transmission by the wireless LAN interface when the wireless LAN interface of the destination mobile phone terminal is activated.

  The telephone control method according to the present invention is a method for controlling a mobile phone terminal comprising a mobile phone interface for executing a call process for a mobile phone network and a wireless LAN interface for executing a call process for a wireless LAN, and determining whether or not to start Means for determining whether or not the wireless LAN interface is activated at the time of outgoing call processing by the mobile phone interface; and an activation state determining means for determining the activation state of the wireless LAN interface of the destination mobile phone terminal; The switching means includes a step of switching to the transmission by the wireless LAN interface when the wireless LAN interface of the own device is activated and the wireless LAN interface of the mobile phone terminal of the transmission destination is activated. And

  According to the present invention, it is possible to know the activation status of the wireless LAN at the transmission source even for an incoming call from the mobile phone network. As a result, it is possible to easily switch to a cheaper wireless LAN call.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement at the time of the transmission in 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement at the time of the incoming call in 1st Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement at the time of the outgoing / incoming call in 2nd Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement at the time of the transmission / receipt in 3rd Embodiment.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a first embodiment of a mobile phone terminal according to the present invention. The mobile phone terminal 101 of this embodiment includes a user interface unit 200 including operation keys, a display, and control software thereof, a wireless LAN interface unit 230 responsible for wireless LAN communication processing, and a mobile phone responsible for communication processing of a mobile phone network. A telephone network interface unit 240 and a control unit 210 that controls these interfaces are provided.

  In addition, the mobile phone terminal 101 includes a communication interface state determination unit 201 that determines the activation states of the wireless LAN interface unit 230 and the mobile phone network interface unit 240.

  The cellular phone network interface unit 240 includes a communication interface state transmission / reception unit 241 that exchanges information regarding the activation state of the wireless LAN interface unit 230 with a terminal serving as a communication partner.

  Note that the control unit 210 controls the wireless LAN interface unit 230 to operate at low power when the current location is out of the communication range of the wireless LAN in order to save power of the terminal. That is, the wireless LAN interface unit 230 is controlled so as to enter a sleep state except for the timing of receiving a beacon from the wireless LAN base station. When it is detected that the terminal itself has entered the wireless LAN communication range due to the successful reception of the beacon, the wireless LAN interface unit 230 is shifted from the intermittent operation to the continuous operation.

  With reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 2, the transmission operation of the mobile phone terminal 101 will be described. In the cellular phone terminal 101, when a call instruction to the cellular phone network based on a user operation is input by the user interface unit 200 (step S1), the communication interface state transmission / reception unit 241 of the cellular phone network interface unit 240 is activated.

  The communication interface state transmission / reception unit 241 inquires of the communication interface state determination unit 201 about the activation state of the wireless LAN interface unit 230. As a result, when the wireless LAN interface unit 230 is in a non-activated state (step S2: No), the mobile phone network interface unit 240 executes a calling process for the call partner terminal as usual (step S3).

  On the other hand, when the wireless LAN interface unit 230 is currently activated (step S2: Yes), the cellular phone network interface unit 240 performs the call processing for the terminal of the other party of the call, while the communication interface state transmission / reception unit 241 performs the call processing. A process of notifying that the wireless LAN interface unit 230 of the terminal is in the activated state is performed (step S4). The processing has the following forms.

  One form of notification regarding the activation state of the wireless LAN interface unit 230 is a form in which a telephone number of the wireless LAN is described in a signal transmitted to a communication partner at the time of outgoing call, in addition to the telephone number of the terminal relating to the cellular phone network. is there. In this case, for example, the telephone number of the wireless LAN may be described following the self address of the mobile phone network.

  In addition, a telephone number of the wireless LAN may be described as an additional dial (additional dial) in the signal at the time of transmission. Furthermore, it may be notified that the wireless LAN interface unit 230 of its own terminal is in an activated state by transmitting a predetermined voice guidance, tone signal, ringing melody, or the like.

  In the above procedure, the communication partner is notified only when the wireless LAN interface unit 230 is in an activated state, but a more detailed activated state or a non-activated state may also be notified. In that case, for example, a predetermined value is added immediately after the telephone number of the terminal set in the signal at the time of transmission. Specifically, when the value added immediately after the telephone number is “1”, it represents “wireless LAN: activated state”, and when it is “2”, it represents “wireless LAN: activated state and VoIP server authenticated”. In the case of “0”, there is provided a rule indicating “wireless LAN: non-activated state”.

  Next, with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 3, the operation when the mobile phone terminal 101 receives an incoming call will be described. When the mobile phone network interface unit 240 of the mobile phone terminal 101 detects an incoming call (step S11), the communication interface state transmission / reception unit 241 obtains information on the state of the wireless LAN interface unit 230 at the transmission source from the received signal. It detects (step S12). This information is the telephone number of the wireless LAN described above.

  As a result, when the source terminal recognizes that the wireless LAN interface unit 230 is in an activated state (step S13: Yes), the mobile phone terminal 101 displays a screen to that effect on the user interface unit 200 (step S13). S14). Specifically, for example, a content to be notified of whether or not the transmission source can use the wireless LAN, such as “Currently, the wireless LAN function of the transmission source is valid”, is displayed as appropriate.

  With the screen display as described above, the user of the mobile phone terminal 101 can immediately recognize that the caller is in a state where the wireless LAN can be used. When the user wishes to make a wireless LAN call, the user temporarily disconnects the incoming call and issues a call instruction to the wireless LAN interface unit 230 of the terminal. That is, the telephone is re-called by the wireless LAN to the previous caller.

  According to the above-described embodiment, even if the incoming call is from the mobile phone network, it is possible to know the activation status of the wireless LAN at the transmission source. As a result, it is possible to easily switch to a cheaper wireless LAN call.

  FIG. 4 shows a configuration of a second embodiment of the mobile phone terminal according to the present invention. In addition to the user interface unit 200, the communication interface state determination unit 201, the control unit 210, the wireless LAN interface unit 230, and the mobile phone network interface unit 240, the mobile phone terminal 102 according to the present embodiment includes a WEB interface unit that handles Internet connection processing. 250.

  The communication interface state transmission / reception unit 241 according to the present embodiment transmits a communication message having a preset content related to whether or not the wireless LAN can be used via the WEB interface unit 250 at the time of outgoing call processing. This communication message uses a conventionally known data communication function such as a so-called short message or chat using WEB.

  The operation procedure of the mobile phone terminal 102 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the following description, it is assumed that both the calling side and the receiving side of a call have the function of the mobile phone terminal 102, and an operation procedure based on communication between the two will be described.

  When the call instruction to the mobile phone network based on the user operation is input by the user interface unit 200 (step S21), the mobile phone network interface unit 240 holds the actual outgoing call. The communication interface state transmitting / receiving unit 241 is activated.

  The activated communication interface state transmission / reception unit 241 sends a communication message such as the above-mentioned short message to the terminal serving as the receiving side in the current call via the WEB interface unit 250 to inquire about the activation status of the wireless LAN interface unit 230. Transmit (step S22).

  When receiving the communication message from the caller side, the communication interface state transmission / reception unit 241 determines whether or not the caller terminal 102 receives the communication message from the caller side. As a result of the determination, if it is not a prescribed message (step S24: No), it is processed as a general communication message.

  As a result of the determination, if the message is a specified message (step S24: Yes), the communication interface state determination unit 201 determines the status of the wireless LAN interface unit 230 of the own terminal (step S25). Then, the communication interface state transmission / reception unit 241 transmits a communication message describing the determination result to the terminal on the transmission side (step S26).

  When the mobile phone terminal 102 on the calling side receives the communication message from the receiving side (step S27), it confirms the content of the response to the inquiry. As a result, if the wireless LAN is not available at the incoming side at this time (step S28: No), the outgoing call processing by the mobile phone network interface unit 240 that has been put on hold is resumed and the outgoing call is made via the mobile phone network. (Step S29).

  On the other hand, when the wireless LAN is available on the receiving side (step S28: Yes), the communication interface state transmission / reception unit 241 asks whether or not to switch the communication network used for the current call from the cellular phone network to the wireless LAN. A screen is displayed (step S30). As the screen, for example, a content such as “Currently, the wireless LAN function of the destination is valid. Do you want to switch the transmission to the wireless LAN?” Is displayed.

  As a result, when the user interface unit 200 inputs that the wireless LAN is not used (step S31: No), the call processing by the mobile phone network interface unit 240 is continued (step S29).

  If it is input that the wireless LAN is used (step S31: Yes), the processing of the cellular phone network interface unit 240 is stopped, and the outgoing call processing is executed by the wireless LAN interface unit 230 (step S32). As a result, the current transmission is performed via the wireless LAN.

  According to the second embodiment, the activation status of the wireless LAN on the receiving side can be confirmed prior to actual transmission. As a result, it is not necessary to make a call over the wireless LAN from the incoming side, so that convenience is further enhanced.

  In the above embodiment, the transmission of the communication message is automatically executed during the outgoing call process. However, the message may be transmitted after confirming the necessity of the message with the user. That is, when there is a call instruction, for example, “Do you want to confirm the wireless LAN function of the callee?” Is displayed on the screen, and when there is an input of “Confirm”, a communication message is transmitted. It is.

  Also, as a result of the inquiry by the message, when the wireless LAN is usable on the receiving side, in the above embodiment, the user is confirmed as to whether or not the communication network needs to be switched. You may make it switch to the transmission by.

  FIG. 6 shows a configuration of a third embodiment of the mobile phone terminal according to the present invention. The mobile phone terminal 103 of the present embodiment is similar to the mobile phone terminal 101 shown in FIG. 1 in that the user interface unit 200, the communication interface state determination unit 201, the control unit 210, the wireless LAN interface unit 230, and the mobile phone network interface The unit 240 is provided.

  The wireless LAN interface unit 230 of the present embodiment includes a history recording unit 231 that records a connection history by wireless LAN, and a timer unit 232 that performs a timer process described later when transmitting by the wireless LAN. The history recording unit 231 records information indicating whether or not the connection with the transmission destination is successful for each transmission by the wireless LAN.

  The operation of the mobile phone terminal 103 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. When the mobile phone terminal 103 receives a call instruction to the mobile phone network from the user interface unit 200 (step S41), the control unit 210 suspends the call to the mobile phone network and records the history in the wireless LAN interface unit 230. Reference is made to part 231. Then, it is determined whether or not the current call destination is a call destination for which a wireless LAN connection has been successful in the past (step S42). In this determination, it is possible to speed up the processing by setting a period to be determined in advance, such as the past week or one month.

  If the result of the determination is that the wireless LAN connection in the past has failed, or if there is no history of the target call destination, call processing for the suspended mobile phone network is executed (step S43). Subsequent operations may be the same as those in the above-described embodiment (FIG. 2: Step S1 or FIG. 5: Step S21).

  On the other hand, if the current call destination has been successfully connected to the wireless LAN in the past, the call to the mobile phone network that has been put on hold is canceled, and the wireless LAN interface unit 230 executes the call processing (step S44). At this time, the wireless LAN interface unit 230 starts timer processing for a predetermined period by the timer unit 232 (step S45).

  Thereafter, when a response of the wireless LAN is detected before the timer expires (step S46: Yes), the timer process is canceled and the process proceeds to a call process using the wireless LAN (step S47). If the timer process expires without a response to the call (step S48: Yes), the call process on the wireless LAN is stopped and switched to the call process on the mobile phone network (step S49).

  According to the mobile phone terminal 103 described above, it is possible to perform control so that a cheaper wireless LAN is preferentially used, and more promptly because confirmation with a call partner regarding the availability of the wireless LAN is omitted. You can start a call.

  In the above embodiment, the wireless LAN activation status is inquired to the terminal on the incoming side. The inquiry destination is, for example, a device other than the terminal, such as a PBX or a proxy server in which the terminal on the incoming side is accommodated. Also good.

101, 102 Cellular phone terminal 200 User interface unit 201 Communication interface state determination unit 210 Control unit 230 Wireless LAN interface unit 231 History recording unit 232 Timer unit 240 Cellular telephone network interface unit 241, 241 Communication interface state transmission / reception unit 250 WEB interface unit

Claims (10)

A mobile phone terminal including a mobile phone interface for executing a call process for a mobile phone network and a wireless LAN interface for executing a call process for a wireless LAN,
Activation presence / absence determining means for determining whether or not the wireless LAN interface is activated at the time of outgoing call processing by the mobile phone interface;
Activation state determination means for determining the activation state of the wireless LAN interface of the mobile phone terminal of the transmission destination;
When the wireless LAN interface of the own device is activated and the wireless LAN interface of the destination mobile phone terminal is activated, switching means for switching to transmission by the wireless LAN interface;
A mobile phone terminal characterized by comprising:   2. The mobile phone according to claim 1, wherein the activation state determination unit determines the activation state of the destination wireless LAN interface by inquiring the activation state of the wireless LAN interface to the destination mobile phone terminal. Phone terminal.   The switching means displays a message asking whether or not to switch to the transmission by the wireless LAN interface when the wireless LAN interface of the own device is activated and the wireless LAN interface of the transmission destination is activated, 3. The mobile phone terminal according to claim 1, wherein when the switching to the outgoing call by the wireless LAN interface is instructed by a user operation with respect to the displayed message, the mobile phone terminal is switched to the outgoing call by the wireless LAN interface.   A history recording unit that records whether or not the transmission to the mobile phone terminal of the transmission destination has been successful in the past, and the activation state determination unit refers to the history recording unit to refer to the mobile phone terminal of the transmission destination The mobile phone terminal according to claim 1, wherein the activation state of the wireless LAN interface is determined.   It is determined whether or not there is a response of the wireless LAN interface when switching to transmission by the wireless LAN interface, and when there is no response of the wireless LAN interface within a predetermined time, the transmission processing is performed by the mobile phone interface. The mobile phone terminal according to claim 4, wherein the mobile phone terminal is switched to. A method for controlling a mobile phone terminal including a mobile phone interface for executing a call process for a mobile phone network and a wireless LAN interface for executing a call process for a wireless LAN,
A step of determining whether or not the wireless LAN interface is activated at the time of outgoing call processing by the mobile phone interface;
An activation state determining means for determining an activation state of a wireless LAN interface of a destination mobile phone terminal;
Switching means, when the wireless LAN interface of its own device is activated and the wireless LAN interface of the mobile phone terminal of the transmission destination is activated, switching to transmission by the wireless LAN interface;
The telephone control method characterized by including.   7. The telephone according to claim 6, wherein the activation state determination means determines the activation state of the destination wireless LAN interface by inquiring the activation state of the wireless LAN interface to the destination mobile phone terminal. Control method.   The switching means displays a message asking whether or not to switch to the transmission by the wireless LAN interface when the wireless LAN interface of the own device is activated and the wireless LAN interface of the transmission destination is activated, 8. The telephone control method according to claim 6, wherein, when a switching operation to the outgoing call by the wireless LAN interface is instructed by a user operation with respect to the displayed message, the telephone control method is changed to the outgoing call by the wireless LAN interface. 9.   A history recording unit that records successful examples of successful transmission to the mobile phone terminal of the destination in the past, and the activation state determination unit refers to the history recording unit of the destination mobile phone terminal The telephone control method according to claim 6, wherein the activation state of the wireless LAN interface is determined.   It is determined whether or not there is a response of the wireless LAN interface when switching to transmission by the wireless LAN interface, and when there is no response of the wireless LAN interface within a predetermined time, the transmission processing is performed by the mobile phone interface. The telephone control method according to claim 9, wherein the telephone control method is switched to.