EP1190587A1

EP1190587A1 - Method for operating a mobile terminal and a corresponding mobile radio system

Info

Publication number: EP1190587A1
Application number: EP00929285A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jörg Siewerth; Martin Peter
Original assignee: Siemens AG
Current assignee: Siemens AG
Priority date: 1999-06-28
Filing date: 2000-04-14
Publication date: 2002-03-27
Also published as: CN1135048C; CN1359602A; WO2001001714A1

Abstract

Time periods and locations in which the use of a mobile telephone (2) is undesirable are defined for mobile telephones (2). The mobile radio system constantly monitors whether said time periods and locations during which the mobile telephone is not to be used have been reached and, if this is the case, initiates an action so that the mobile telephone (2) cannot be used. According to the simplest scenario, a request for disconnection is issued. In the most extreme case, the mobile telephone (2) is automatically switched off. When the mobile telephone is not to be used in a given location, the mobile radio system constantly monitors the position of said mobile telephone (2) within said mobile radio system.

Description

description

Method for operating a mobile terminal and corresponding mobile radio system

The present invention relates to a method for operating a mobile terminal, in particular a mobile phone, in a mobile radio system and a corresponding mobile radio system.

The mobile phone has become a constant companion for many people, whereby the main advantage of mobile phones is the constant availability of the respective mobile subscriber.

However, permanent accessibility also has its downsides. In many areas of the mobile network, the use of mobile phones is not desired. For example, the use of mobile telephones in concert halls, cinemas, churches, restaurants etc. is undesirable, and the signal tones generated by the mobile telephones in particular are perceived as annoying for incoming calls. In other areas, such as In airplanes or hospitals, the use of mobile phones is even prohibited due to their adverse effects on high-frequency sensitive electronics. For this reason, cellphone subscribers in the corresponding areas are prompted by signs or verbally not to use their cellphones. In some cases, the use of mobile phones is also prohibited by law.

In order for such regulations to be effective, however, one has to be able to rely on the decency and reliability of the cell phone subscribers or cell phone owners. However, since there is often a lack of necessary insight by the mobile phone subscribers, opportunities have already been passed developed to automatically protect certain spatial areas from disruptive use of mobile phones. For example, the installation of jamming transmitters is known, which consistently prevent the telephoning of mobile telephones in a certain area, for which purpose the signals of incoming and outgoing calls are superimposed by the jamming transmitter. Furthermore, devices are also known which change the transmitted transmission power of the base stations of the mobile radio network within a certain range and thus prevent contact or a connection being established between the mobile telephones and the base stations. Finally, it is also known to install small transmitters at the entrances of rooms in which the use of mobile telephones is to be prevented, which transmitters switch off each mobile telephone remotely by means of a corresponding radio signal when passing through the transmitter. When leaving such rooms, the cell phones are then switched on again by the transmitter.

However, mobile network operators are obliged to offer a mobile network that is as flat as possible, but this is limited by the measures described above, so that the legal admissibility of such measures or facilities is currently still in dispute. In addition, possible negative effects of such measures on technical or electronic equipment have not yet been clarified.

The present invention is therefore based on the object of proposing an alternative method for operating mobile terminals and a corresponding mobile radio system, the use or non-use of mobile telephones within the mobile radio system being able to be controlled reliably.

This object is achieved by a method with the features of claim 1 and a mobile radio system solved the features of claim 21. The subclaims each define preferred and advantageous embodiments of the present invention.

According to the invention, temporal and / or local non-use areas are defined, which are monitored within the mobile radio system. The local areas of non-use can be defined both by the mobile radio subscriber himself and by a corresponding location which has the non-use area. By contrast, temporal areas of non-use are generally only specified by the corresponding mobile radio subscriber, and these temporal non-use areas can in particular be coupled to the organizer of the mobile radio subscriber.

Corresponding monitoring means are provided for monitoring local areas of non-use, which detect the position of the corresponding mobile terminal, for example a cell phone, within the cell phone network. These monitoring means can, for example, be coupled to the GPS system (Global Positioning System) and thus enable a position determination by satellite. It is also possible to determine the position of each mobile terminal using a triangulation method in relation to the known geographical location of three base stations or by means of cell identifiers (cell IDs).

If it is recognized within the mobile radio system by monitoring the time or position of the mobile terminal that one of the predefined areas of non-use has been reached, a corresponding non-use action is automatically initiated which is intended to ensure that the respective mobile terminal is not used. This action can be, for example, the automatic sending of a message (for example an SMS message (Short Message Services)) to the mobile device, or the activation of an automatic one Call forwarding or an automatic shutdown of the mobile device. It is advisable to adapt the 'Harte' of the selected action to the current distance to the respective non-use area, so that a mobile phone is only automatically switched off, for example, when the mobile phone is only less than 10m away from the corresponding non-use area.

The present invention thus enables both passive and active, i.e. request by the mobile radio subscriber himself not to use the mobile terminal depending on the current geographic position and / or time. The control of non-use always takes place within the respective

Mobile radio system by taking appropriate measures on the mobile terminal itself or via the network operator, i.e. no external or additional transmitters are provided and are therefore not required. In particular, maintaining a full coverage

Mobile radio system guaranteed, since for example the transmission power of the base stations etc. is not manipulated. In addition, the 'degree of hardness' of the request to refrain from using the mobile terminal can be adapted to the urgency of such a measure.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawing using preferred exemplary embodiments.

1 shows a simplified block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a mobile radio system of the present invention, and

FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a method according to the invention, which can be used in the mobile radio system shown in FIG. 1. A base station 1 and a mobile telephone 2 communicating therewith via a mobile radio channel 5 are shown in FIG. 1 as representative of a mobile radio system. Modern mobile radio networks are generally cellular, with each radio cell being assigned a base station 1, which is responsible for the mobile telephones 2 currently located within this radio cell and also serves as an interface to the fixed telephone network, so that not only calls between different mobile telephones 2, but can also be performed between a mobile phone 2 and a landline terminal (not shown).

The mobile radio system comprises a memory 4, in which temporal and / or local non-use areas are stored for each mobile radio subscriber or mobile telephone. These are time periods or geographic areas in which no use of the corresponding mobile phone 2 is desired.

These areas of non-use can be determined by each mobile subscriber. This can be done, for example, by a corresponding input on the mobile phone 2 with subsequent transmission of the data to the network operator or the base station 1 or by a message to the network operator or the service provider. If the information relating to the non-use areas is transmitted to the service provider, the service provider collects the information about the non-use areas of all mobile telephones 2 for which it is responsible and forwards them to the network operator 1 or the individual base stations 1 of the mobile radio network. It is also possible that certain geographical locations, e.g. Hospitals etc., in which the use of mobile phones is not desired, compared to the service

Define providers or network operators themselves as non-use areas. For this purpose, such bodies must Network operators or service providers also provide their geographical data so that they can then be monitored.

As has already been mentioned, the areas of non-use can be seen not only from a spatial or local point of view, but also from a time perspective. For example, a cell phone subscriber may be interested in not receiving calls between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. This provides the mobile radio subscriber with an automatic comparison of this time

Areas of non-use to his or her scheduler or organizer, so that the mobile subscriber cannot be disturbed by calls, for example, during important meetings.

While the time of non-use areas can be monitored relatively easily by means of a timer, the monitoring of local non-use areas is more complex, since the position of the mobile telephone 2 must always be recorded for this purpose. For this purpose, a corresponding device 3 is provided according to FIG. 1, which detects the current position of the mobile phone 2 with sufficient accuracy. The device 3 can, for example, be coupled to a GPS system (Global Positioning System), from which corresponding information about the positions of the individual mobile telephones 2 are provided in the form of their geographical longitude and latitude. It is also conceivable that the device 3 determines the position of the mobile telephone 2 in relation to known geographical reference points. For example, the position of a

Mobile telephones 2 within the mobile radio network are determined with the aid of a triangulation method in relation to the known position of three base stations 1 if, for example, the transit time differences of a signal sent by the mobile telephone 2 to the three base stations 1 are evaluated. The areas of non-use stored in the memory 4 are monitored by a controller 6 with reference to the position data supplied by the device 3 and the current time data in order to determine a possible collision and, if necessary, to initiate a corresponding measure. If, for example, the owner of a mobile phone comes close to a predefined non-use area, for example close to a hospital, or if he falls below a certain minimum distance from this non-use area, the controller 6 prompts him not to use his mobile phone 2. Various measures are conceivable for such a "request". In the simplest case, only a corresponding message is automatically transmitted to the handset 2, which can take the form of an SMS message or a call with an automatic announcement. Automatic call forwarding can also be activated, which ensures that incoming calls for the mobile phone 2 are automatically forwarded to an assigned other recipient, in particular to a voicebox or an answering machine. In addition, it is conceivable to replace the ringing of the mobile telephone 2 when there is a non-use area with a vibration, in which case corresponding mechanisms are already known. At least suppression of annoying ringing noises is thereby avoided. Furthermore, the user can be given an optical signal, for example by a flashing radio clock, etc., which also prompts him to switch off his mobile phone 2. In the worst case, an automatic one can eventually

Switching off the mobile phone 2 by the mobile phone itself or via the network operator, but it should be ensured that an emergency call is still possible. In any case, the measure taken is preferably canceled after leaving the non-use area, so that outside of the desired or predefined one Unrestricted use of the mobile phone 2 is always possible.

In order not to irritate the user, it is recommended that the owner of the cell phone 2 always has the current one

The status of his device is informed, which can be done in particular via a corresponding display (e.g. 'You are currently in a non-use area - your device has been switched off'), so that the user can switch between automatically switching off

Reaching a non-use area and a dead zone or the presence of a defective mobile phone 2 or an empty battery.

In principle, it is also conceivable to design the control device 6 in the form of a so-called short range communication device, which initiates the action required in each case for not using the mobile phone 2 via an additional control or information signal sent to the mobile phone 2. In order not to influence the actual mobile radio network, this control or information signal is transmitted on a different wavelength than the actual mobile radio communication signal. For example, this control or information signal in a GSM mobile network in the form of a Bluetooth or

Infrared signal transmitted and evaluated in the mobile phone 2 by a suitably designed receiver.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, the devices 3, 4 and 6 are coupled to the base station 1 or the

Network operator assigned. However, it is of course also conceivable to integrate these units into the mobile phone 2, the memory 4 in this case only storing the areas of non-use of the corresponding mobile phone 2. Furthermore, in this case, any

Mobile phone 2 via a device 3 automatically determine its geographic location by using the Device 3 is designed, for example, as a GPS transmitter and receiver unit or evaluates a signal transmitted simultaneously from three base stations 1 with a known geographical location with regard to their transit time differences. When the devices 3, 4 and 6 are integrated into the mobile phone 2, the controller 6 can then initiate the corresponding action for not using the mobile phone directly on the same mobile phone 2.

It is particularly advantageous if the 'hardness' of the measure or action to be taken is adapted to the required urgency of not using the mobile telephone 2. This will be explained in more detail below with the aid of the flow chart shown in FIG. 2.

As has already been explained above, the time and / or local areas of non-use are first defined by the owner of the mobile telephone himself or by a corresponding location and this information is collected (step S100). The reaching of these predefined areas of non-use is then automatically and continuously monitored (S101) and it is checked whether there is a collision between the current time and the time of non-use areas or the current position of the mobile phone and the local non-use areas (S102). This can be done, for example, by monitoring a relatively broad limit for the time period between the current time and the individual time areas of non-use or the distance between the current position of the mobile phone and the individual local ones

Non-use areas happen. If there is no risk of a collision, it is ensured that unrestricted use of the mobile phone is possible.

Have previously taken measures to not use the cell phone are met, they are canceled again in this case (S103).

If, on the other hand, there is a risk of a collision with the predefined areas of non-use, a very narrowly selected limit value for the distance between the current time and the temporal time is initially selected

Check areas of non-use or current position and local areas of non-use (S104). If, for example, there is only a period of 10s between the current time and one of the temporal areas of non-use, or only a distance of 10m between the current position of the mobile phone and a local area of non-use, a measure must be taken that reliably ensures use of the mobile phone in the corresponding non-use area , ie there must be a forced shutdown of the mobile telephone (S108), which is only canceled again in step S103 when it has been detected that it has left the non-use area (S102). In a further step S105, a further limit value is monitored, which corresponds to a lower urgency than the limit value monitored in step S104. In the example shown in FIG. 2, it is checked whether the time span between the current time and the time non-use areas is less than 50s or the distance between the current position of the mobile phone and the local non-use areas is less than 50m. If this is the case, an automatic call diversion, for example to a voicebox of the corresponding

Cellular subscriber, activated (S107). If these limit values are also not met, a relatively 'harmless' measure is taken, which should only prompt the mobile radio subscriber not to use his mobile telephone, this measure providing, for example, the transmission of a corresponding SMS message to the mobile telephone (S106). Also those made in steps S106 and S107 Measures are only canceled in step S103 when it has been determined in step S102 that there is no longer a risk of a collision with the predefined areas of non-use.

Claims

claims

1. A method for operating a mobile terminal in a mobile radio system, wherein at least one non-use area is defined in which use of the mobile terminal (2) is not desired, characterized in that within the mobile radio system the reaching of the non-use area is monitored, and that within the Mobile radio system, an action to not use the mobile terminal (2) is initiated if the non-use area has been reached.

2. The method of claim 1, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that a time period is defined as the non-use area.

3. The method of claim 1, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that a local radio range of the

Mobile radio system is defined.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the non-use area is defined by the subscriber of the mobile radio system itself assigned to the mobile terminal (2) and is communicated to the mobile radio system or a corresponding mobile radio service provider.

5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the non-use area is defined by the corresponding local radio area itself and is communicated to the mobile radio system or a corresponding mobile radio service provider.

6. The method according to claim 3 or 5, characterized in that the current local position of the mobile terminal (2) within the mobile radio system is automatically and continuously monitored, and that the action for not using the mobile terminal (2) is initiated if the distance between the local position of the mobile ed device (2) and the local area of use falls below a certain limit.

7. The method according to claim 6, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the local position of the mobile terminal (2) within the mobile radio system is monitored by determining its latitude and longitude.

8. The method according to claim 7, so that the local position of the mobile terminal (2) is determined via a GPS system (Global Positioning System).

9. The method as claimed in claim 6, so that the local position of the mobile terminal (2) within the mobile radio system is monitored by determining its position in relation to a known geographical reference point.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the local position of the mobile terminal (2) is monitored within the mobile radio system by the location of the mobile terminal (2) in relation to the known geographical location of three base stations (1) of the mobile radio system Evaluation of runtime differences in the transmission of a signal between the three base stations (1) and the mobile terminal (2) is determined using a triangulation method.

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, as an action for not using the mobile terminal (2) in the mobile radio system, a message is automatically sent to the mobile terminal (2), which prompts the subscriber assigned to the mobile terminal (2), turn off that mobile terminal (2).

12. The method according to claim 11, that the message is sent in the form of a short message to the mobile terminal (2), the short message being displayed on a display of the mobile terminal (2).

13. The method according to claim 11, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the message is sent in the form of a call to the mobile terminal (2).

14. The method according to any one of claims 1-10, characterized in that a call forwarding is activated as an action for not using the mobile terminal (2) in the mobile radio system, which calls for the mobile terminal (2) automatically to one of the mobile terminal (2) forwards the assigned recipient.

15. The method according to any one of claims 1-10, so that the type of signaling a call on the mobile terminal (2) is changed as an action for not using the mobile terminal (2).

16. The method according to any one of claims 1-10, characterized in that a corresponding optical signal is sent from the mobile radio system to the subscriber of the mobile radio system who is assigned to the mobile terminal (2) as an action for not using the mobile terminal (2).

17. The method according to any one of claims 1-10, so that the mobile terminal (2) within the mobile radio system is automatically deactivated as an action for not using the mobile terminal (2).

18. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, depending on the current distance to the non-use area, a specific action is automatically selected and initiated from several available actions for not using the mobile terminal (2), the hardness of the selected action increases with decreasing distance to the non-use area.

19. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that after the initiation of an action for not using the mobile terminal (2) on a display of the mobile terminal (2), a corresponding message is automatically displayed, which about the current operating state of the mobile terminal ( 2) informed.

20. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the initiated action for non-use of the mobile terminal (2) is canceled again if the non-use area has been left again by the mobile terminal (2).

21. mobile radio system, with at least one base station (1) and at least one mobile terminal (2), between which

Communication information is transmitted via a mobile radio channel (5), at least one non-use area being defined in which use of the mobile terminal (2) is not desired, characterized in that the mobile radio system control means (3, 4, 6) for monitoring the reaching of the non-use area The control means (3, 4, 6) are designed such that they initiate an action for not using the mobile terminal (2) if the non-use area has been reached.

22. Mobile radio system according to claim 21, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the control means (3,4,6) of the base station (1) of the

Mobile radio system are assigned.

23. The mobile radio system as claimed in claim 21, so that the control means (3, 4, 6) are integrated in the mobile terminal (2).

24. The mobile radio system as claimed in claim 21, so that the control means (3, 4, 6) are assigned to a mobile radio service provider.

25. Mobile radio system according to one of claims 21-24, that the control means (3, 4, 6) are designed to carry out the method according to one of claims 1-20.