JP2003174682A - Mobile communication terminal and operating method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mobile communication terminal and its operating method that can reduce the power consumption when the terminal is resident at the outside of the communication service zone. <P>SOLUTION: The operating method of the communication terminal of this invention includes: a step S3 of discriminating whether or not data tC denoting a resident time in an area are greater than data X (threshold value) when the just preceding resident area is an area available for only a first communication system; a step S4 of setting data Y to data (n) when the data tC are greater than the data X; a step S6 of starting a wait timer after that; a step S8 of executing the restoration processing within a communication service zone adopting the first communication system after a lapse of a wait time (YES in a step S7); a step S10 of adding data (m) to the data tC by one; a step S11 of discriminating whether or not the data tC are equal to the data (n) when the restoration is disabled (NO in a step S9); a step of returning to the processing at the step S6 when not equal; and a step S12 of executing the restoration processing to the in-communication service zone when equal. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal and an operating method thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Mobile communication terminals capable of wireless communication using a plurality of communication systems have been developed. One of the purposes of developing such mobile communication terminals is to enable the communication of a relatively narrow communication service area with the existing communication method in the process of gradually expanding the communication service area adopting a new communication method. It can be cited as complemented by a relatively wide communication service area. For example, American Standard IS-95
CDMA (Code Division Multiple Acces)
s) type and analog type mobile phones are available
It was developed to facilitate the transition of users from existing analog mobile phones to new CDMA mobile phones.

[0003]

A conventional mobile communication terminal capable of using a plurality of communication methods is a process for returning to a communication service area where each communication method can communicate when the mobile communication terminal is out of the communication service area. Was intermittently executed, and at the same time, attempts were made to return to the respective communication service areas. In such a case, since the process for returning to the service area corresponding to each of the plurality of communication methods is executed at the same time, there is a problem that the power consumption increases when the user is out of the service area of the communication service.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a mobile communication terminal capable of reducing power consumption when it is located outside the communication service area, and an operating method thereof. To do.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a mobile communication terminal according to a first aspect of the present invention is a first communication means that enables wireless communication using the first communication method. And a second communication means that enables wireless communication using the second communication method, and the first communication method if the first communication method and the second communication method are both located outside the unavailable communication service area. A first area return process for returning to the communication service area where the communication is possible by the first communication method by the communication means, and an inside communication service area where the communication is possible by the second communication method by the second communication means Processing means for executing a second within-area return processing, a clock means for measuring a staying time in a communication service area where only the first communication method can be used, and only the first communication method From within the range of possible communication services A detection means for detecting movement outside the communication service area in which the first and second communication methods are both unusable, and the processing means, when the movement outside the communication service area is detected by the detection means, It is determined whether or not the staying time measured by the time counting means is longer than a predetermined reference time, and if it is determined that the staying time is longer, the frequency of executing the second in-zone returning process is set to the first in-zone returning process. It is characterized in that the processing for returning to the communication service area is intermittently executed at a frequency lower than the frequency.

According to the present invention, when the detecting means detects the movement from the communication service area where only the first communication method can be used to the outside of the communication service area where both the first and second communication methods cannot be used. The processing means determines whether or not the staying time in the communication service area where only the first communication method measured by the time measuring means can be used is longer than a predetermined reference time. At this time, if it is determined that the time is longer than the reference time, the first communication method can be used to determine the frequency with which the second area return processing for returning to the communication service area in which the second communication method can be performed is executed. The processing for returning to the communication service area is intermittently executed with a frequency lower than that of the first area return processing for returning to the communication service area. As a result, it is possible to reduce the power consumption when the user is located outside the communication service area while suppressing the delay until returning to the area.

A mobile communication terminal according to a second aspect of the present invention provides a first communication means that enables wireless communication using the first communication method and a wireless communication using the second communication method. When the second communication means that enables the communication and the first and second communication methods are both located outside the unusable communication service area, the first communication means enables the communication in the first communication method. Processing for executing first area return processing for returning to the communication service area and second area return processing for returning to the communication service area where the second communication means enables communication by the second communication method Means for reducing the frequency of performing the second within-range return processing to less than the frequency of performing the first within-area return processing, and intermittently performing the processing for returning within the communication service area. It is characterized by:

According to the present invention, the processing means performs the processing for returning to the communication service area by reducing the frequency of executing the second area return processing to be lower than the frequency of executing the first area return processing. Power consumption when the user is located outside the communication service area can be reduced.

The processing means is provided with a detecting means for detecting a movement from a communication service area in which only the second communication method can be used to the outside of the communication service area in which both the first and second communication methods cannot be used. It is preferable that, when the detection means detects movement out of the communication service area, the second in-area return processing is executed at the same frequency as the first in-area return processing. As a result, it is possible to reduce the power consumption when the vehicle is located outside the communication service area while suppressing the delay until returning to the communication service area where communication is possible in the second communication method.

Further, it is provided with a time measuring means for measuring a staying time in the communication service area where only the first communication method can be used, and the processing means is measured by the time measuring means when moving out of the communication service area. It is determined whether or not the determined stay time is longer than a predetermined reference time, and when it is determined that the stay time is less than or equal to the reference time, the second within-area return processing is executed at the same frequency as the first within-area return processing. It is preferable.

It is desirable that a communication method having a relatively wide communication service area is the first communication method and a communication method having a relatively narrow communication service area is the second communication method.

A method of operating a mobile communication terminal according to a third aspect of the present invention is a method of operating a mobile communication terminal which enables wireless communication using at least first and second communication methods, A first service area return process for returning to a communication service area in which communication is possible using the first communication method when the first and second communication methods are both located outside the unavailable communication service area A second range return process for returning to a communication service range in which communication is possible using the second communication system, and from the communication service range in which only the first communication system can be used, When it is detected that both the first and second communication methods have moved out of the unusable communication service area, the user stays within the communication service area in which only the first communication method can be used immediately before moving out of the communication service area. Shi Time, to determine long or not than a reference time predetermined, when the residence time is determined to longer than the reference time, the frequency of performing the second restitute process,
It is characterized in that the processing for returning to the communication service area is intermittently executed at a frequency lower than the frequency of executing the first area return processing.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A mobile communication terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. This mobile communication terminal 100 is applied to, for example, a communication system as shown in FIG. 1, and is used for another mobile communication terminal 100, a telephone 106, or a computer 10.
Communication with 7 is enabled. This communication system
Base station 103 connected to the first mobile communication network 101
And the base station 10 connected to the second mobile communication network 102.
4 and.

The first mobile communication network 101 is, for example, a PD.
A network for providing a mobile communication service by using a first communication method such as a C (Personal Digital Cellular) method. The cell formed by the base station 103 connected to the first mobile communication network 101 covers the communication service area provided by the first mobile communication network 101.

The second mobile communication network 102 is, for example, W-
CDMA (Wideband-Code Division Multiple Access)
It is a network for providing a mobile communication service by using a second communication method such as a communication method. The cell formed by the base station 104 connected to the second mobile communication network 102 covers the communication service area provided by the second mobile communication network 102.

First and second mobile communication networks 101, 10
Reference numeral 2 is connected to the public line network 105, and enables communication between the mobile communication terminal 100 and the telephone 106 or the computer 107.

The mobile communication terminal 100, as shown in FIG. 2, has a communication processing unit 11, a processing control unit 12, and a storage unit 13.
And an input / output processing unit 14.

The communication processing unit 11 includes, for example, an antenna and an RF.
(Radio Frequency) A signal processing circuit, a baseband signal processing circuit, and the like, which are used for communication by transmitting and receiving radio signals to and from the base stations 103 and 104. For example, the communication processing unit 11 is a first transmission / reception unit 11a provided for communicating using the first communication method.
And a second transmission / reception unit 11b provided for communicating using the second communication method.

The processing control unit 12 is, for example, a CPU (Centra).
A processing unit (microprocessor) or the like for controlling the operation of the entire mobile communication terminal 100. That is, the processing control unit 12 executes the operation program stored in the storage unit 13, and according to the input information from the input / output processing unit 14, the communication processing unit 11
It is possible to provide a mobile communication service or the like by controlling the operation of (1) or storing various data in the storage unit 13. The processing control unit 12 also includes an area monitoring unit 12a.

The area monitoring unit 12a includes the mobile communication terminal 1
00 is located in the first to fourth areas 21 to 21 described later.
It is for monitoring which one of 24 the mobile communication terminal 100 belongs, and for managing the operating state of the mobile communication terminal 100 such as first to fourth states 31 to 34 described later.

The storage unit 13 is a RAM (Random Access Me
mory), ROM (Read Only Memory), EEPROM
It is composed of (Electronically Erasable and Programmable ROM) and the like, and is for storing operation programs and data used for execution in the processing control unit 12. For example, the storage unit 13 stores the data n, m, t _W , t _C , X, Y.
Memorize

The data n is data that defines the ratio of the number of times the mobile communication terminal 100 immediately after power-on or outside the communication service area executes the first area return processing and the number of times the second area return processing is executed. . Here, the first within-range returning process is a process for returning to a communication service within a range where the first communication method can be used and waiting, and the second within-range returning process is communication for using the second communication method. This is a process for returning to the service area and waiting. In this embodiment, the second within-range returning process is executed once every n-th within-first-range returning process.

The data m is first stored in the mobile communication terminal 100.
This is data for counting the number of times the within-range return processing is executed.

The data t _W has a function as a wait timer because the first out-of-service returning process is intermittently executed when both the first and second communication methods are unavailable outside the service area. This is the data to realize. That is,
The data t _W is set to 1 by an interrupt process executed by the process control unit 12 at regular time intervals after a predetermined initial value is set, for example.
Are subtracted one by one. When the data t _W becomes 0, the first within-range returning process is executed, the initial value is set again in the data t _W , and the count-down is performed, whereby the first within-range returning process can be periodically executed. .

In the data t _C , the location of the mobile communication terminal 100 belongs to an area (second area 22 described later) in which only the first communication method can be used (second state 32 described later). ) Is the data for measuring the duration. That is, the data t _C is, for example, fixed by the processing control unit 12 when the area monitoring unit 12a determines that the first communication method is within the communication service area and the second communication method is outside the communication service area. It is incremented by 1 by an interrupt process executed every time.

The data X is data serving as a threshold value for switching the processing executed by the processing control unit 12 based on the data t _C. The data Y is data set as the data n in order to reduce the execution frequency of the second within-area returning process. That is, the data Y indicates an integer greater than 1.
The data X and Y are determined based on, for example, the result of a field test executed in advance, and are stored in the EEPROM or the like included in the storage unit 13.

The input / output processing unit 14 is composed of, for example, a keypad, a liquid crystal display, a speaker, a microphone, a light emitting diode, etc., and provides a user interface to input or output various information. is there.

Next, in the communication system to which the mobile communication terminal 100 is applied, the configuration of the communication service area where the mobile communication service is provided will be described. Figure 3
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a communication service area covered by cells formed by base stations 103 and 104. In the following, because the first mobile communication network 101 is laid in a wider area than the second mobile communication network 102, a communication service area in which communication is possible in the first communication method and a second It is assumed that the communication service areas that can be communicated by this communication method have different distributions. For example, the second mobile communication network 102 is a network laid after the first mobile communication network 101, and its communication service area is larger than that of the first mobile communication network 101. It is getting narrower.

The area to which the location of the mobile communication terminal 100 belongs is the first to fourth areas 21 to 24 shown in FIG.
Can be classified into. The first area 21 is an area within a communication service area where both the first and second communication methods can be used. The second area 22 is an area within the communication service area where only the first communication method can be used, and cannot be used because the second communication method is outside the communication service area. The third area 23 is an area within the communication service area where only the second communication method can be used,
The first communication method cannot be used because it is out of the communication service area. The fourth area 24 is an area that cannot be used because both the first and second communication methods are outside the communication service area. Further, the second area 22 is distributed more widely than the third area 23.

The mobile communication terminal 100 has first to fourth states 3 as shown in FIG. 4 depending on which of the first to fourth areas 21 to 24 the location of the mobile communication terminal 100 belongs to.
Transition between 1 to 34. The first to fourth states 31 to 34 shown in FIG. 4 correspond to the states where the location of the mobile communication terminal 100 belongs to the first to fourth areas 21 to 24, respectively. Moreover, since the second area 22 is distributed more widely than the third area 23, the number of cases where the mobile communication terminal 100 is in the third state 33 is very small.

The operation of mobile communication terminal 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.
The mobile communication terminal 100 has the first to third states 31 to 31.
When in 3, the information about the waiting cell is
The area monitoring unit 12a obtains the base stations 103 and 104, which are the other parties of the wireless communication, and stores them in the storage unit 13. The storage content of the storage unit 13 is referred to by the processing control unit 12 when the mobile communication terminal 100 transitions to the fourth state 34, and is used for controlling the operation for returning to the communication service area.

The processing control unit 12 controls the area monitoring unit 12a.
Location of mobile communication terminal 100 based on the monitoring result
Detects that the player has moved to the second area 22,
Tat _CTo 0 for initialization. After this, the processing control unit
12 executes interrupt processing at regular time intervals, and data t_C1
The duration of the second state 32 can be calculated by adding
Measure.

The mobile communication terminal 100, whose location has moved to the fourth area 24 and is in the fourth state 34, returns to the communication service area by executing the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. Try.

When the process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 is started, the process control unit 12 causes the mobile communication terminal 100 to perform the fourth operation.
The area where I was staying just before moving to area 24
It is determined whether or not it is the second area 22 (step S
1). That is, the processing control unit 12 is based on the monitoring result of the area monitoring unit 12a stored in the storage unit 13 and the like.
Has transitioned from the second state 32 to the fourth state 34 or the third state
It is determined whether the state 33 has transited to the fourth state 34.

The processing control unit 12 makes a transition from the third state 33 to the fourth state 34, that is, the mobile communication terminal 100.
Has moved from the third area 23 to the fourth area 24,
If it is determined (NO in step S1), the data n is set to 1
After setting (step S2), the process proceeds to step S5. On the other hand, the processing control unit 12 transits from the second state 32 to the fourth state 34, that is, the mobile communication terminal 100.
Has moved from the second area 22 to the fourth area 24,
When it is determined (YES in step S1), the data t _C
And the data X are compared, and it is determined whether the data t _C is larger than the data X (step S3).

When the data t _C is equal to or less than the data X (NO in step S3), the process proceeds to step S2, and the data n is set to 1. On the other hand, if the data t _C is larger than the data X (YE in step S3)
S), the value indicated by the data Y is set as the data n (step S4).

After that, the process control section 12 proceeds to the process of step S5 and initializes the data m by setting it to 0 (step S5). The processing control unit 12 also activates the wait timer by setting a predetermined initial value in the data t _W and starting the countdown (step S).
6).

When the wait timer is activated, the processing control section 12 determines whether or not the data t _W has become 0, thereby determining whether or not a predetermined waiting time has elapsed (step S7), and the waiting time is reached. If has not elapsed (NO in step S7), the process returns to step S7 and stands by. As a result, the first within-range returning process and the second within-range returning process are intermittently executed.

On the other hand, when the waiting time has elapsed such as when the data t _W becomes 0, the processing control unit 12 controls the first transmission / reception unit 11a and executes the first within-area return processing ( Step S8). The first in-area return process executed at this time is, for example, a perch scan executed by the PDC method. The processing control unit 12 uses the first
A cell that can be awaited was found by the return processing within the area, and the first
It is determined whether or not it has been possible to return to the communication new service area in which communication can be performed by the communication method (step S9).

When it is determined that the communication service area has been recovered as a result of executing the first service area return process (YES in step S9), the mobile communication terminal 100 transits from the fourth state 34 to the second state 32. Then, the process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that the cell that can be awaited cannot be found in the first area return process and the cell cannot be returned to the communication service area (NO in step S9), the data m is incremented by 1 (step S10), and the data m becomes It is determined whether or not it becomes equal to the data n (step S1).
1).

When the data m is different from the data n (NO in step S11), after returning to the process of step S6 and resetting (restarting) the wait timer,
The processing from step S7 onward is repeated. On the other hand, when the data m is equal to the data n (Y in step S11)
ES), the processing control unit 12 controls the second transmission / reception unit 11b, etc., to execute the second service area return processing (step S).
12). The second in-area return process executed at this time is, for example, a process such as a cell search executed in the W-CDMA system. The processing control unit 12 determines whether or not a cell capable of standing by is found by the second in-area return processing, and it is possible to return to the communication service area in which communication is possible by the second communication method (step S13).

As a result of executing the second area return processing, when it is determined that the communication service area has been returned (step S13).
, YES), the mobile communication terminal 100 is in the fourth state 34.
To the third state 33, and the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that the cell that can be awaited cannot be found in the second area return processing, and it cannot be returned to the communication service area (NO in step S13),
After returning to the processing of the step S5, the data m is set to 0 to be initialized, the wait timer is reset (restarted) in the step S6, and then the processing of the step S7 and thereafter is repeated.

In step S8, the first state return process is executed to change the state from the fourth state 34 to the second state 32.
The mobile communication terminal 100 that has transitioned to the state executes the second in-area return process intermittently, and changes from the second state 32 to the first state 31.
Try to transition to. In addition, in step S12, the second
The mobile communication terminal 100, which has transitioned from the fourth state 34 to the third state 33 by executing the in-area return process, intermittently executes the first in-area return process, and changes from the third state 33 to the first state. Attempt transition to state 31.

In this way, the mobile communication terminal 100
When the second state 32 transits to the fourth state 34 after the second state 32 continues longer than the predetermined time corresponding to the threshold value shown in the data X, the frequency of executing the second within-zone return processing is set to the first within-zone return. Attempt to return to the communication service area by reducing the processing frequency. For example, it is assumed that the data Y = 2 and the data Y is set as the data n in step S4. In this case, as shown in FIG. 6, every time the first within-range returning process is executed, the second within-range returning process is executed once.

When the duration of the second state 32 is less than or equal to the reference time corresponding to the threshold value shown in the data X, the mobile communication terminal 100 causes the first and second mobile communication networks 10 to operate.
It is considered that both of the communication service areas corresponding to 1 and 102 moved out of the area almost at the same time. Therefore, in step S3, it is determined whether or not the data t _C is larger than the data X, and if it is equal to or smaller than the data X, the above step S3 is performed.
By setting the data n to 1 at 2, it is possible to minimize the delay before returning to the communication service area where communication is possible in the second communication method.

Further, by setting the data Y to a large value, it is possible to reduce the frequency with which the second area return processing is executed and reduce the power consumption of the mobile communication terminal 100 in the fourth state 34. it can. On the other hand, if the data Y is set to a small value, it is possible to increase the frequency with which the second area return processing is executed, and to quickly return to the communication service area where communication is possible by the second communication method.

As described above, according to the present invention,
The second state 32 immediately before the transition to the fourth state 34
If the duration of is longer than the reference time, the frequency of performing the process for returning to the communication service area where the communication is possible by the second communication method is reduced based on the data n, and the area return is intermittently performed. Try. As a result, it is possible to reduce the power consumption when the vehicle is located outside the communication service area while minimizing the delay until returning to the communication service area where the second communication method is available.

In the above embodiment, the first communication method is P
Although the description has been made assuming that the second communication method is the DC method and the W-CDMA method, the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of communication methods including a communication method having a wide communication service area and a communication method having a narrow communication service area. The present invention can be applied to a mobile communication terminal capable of communicating by the method. In this case, the processing described in the above embodiment may be executed by using the communication method having a relatively wide communication service area as the first communication method and the communication method having a relatively narrow communication service area as the second communication method. .
For example, PHS (Personal Handy-phone System) system and GSM (Global System for Mobile communication)
s) method is the first communication method, and HDR (High Data
The Rate) system may be the second communication system.

[0049]

According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the power consumed by a mobile communication terminal when it is located outside the communication service area.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a communication system to which a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a mobile communication terminal.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining classification of areas to which a location of a mobile communication terminal belongs.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an operating state of a mobile communication terminal.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining a process executed by the mobile communication terminal to return to the communication service area.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a specific example of the operation when data Y = 2.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 Communication processing unit 11a, 11b transmitter / receiver 12 Processing control unit 12a Area monitoring unit 13 Storage 14 Input / output processing unit 100 mobile communication terminals 101, 102 mobile communication network 103, 104 Base station 105 public network 106 telephone 107 computer

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A first communication unit that enables wireless communication using a first communication system, a second communication unit that enables wireless communication using a second communication system, and the first communication unit. When the first and second communication methods are both located outside the unusable communication service area, the first communication area return processing for returning to the communication service area in which the first communication method enables communication by the first communication method And a processing unit that executes a second service area return process for returning to a communication service area where the second communication method allows communication by the second communication method, and only the first communication method can be used. From a communication service area where only the first communication method can be used to a communication service area where both the first and second communication methods cannot be used. Detection to detect movement When the detection means detects the movement out of the communication service area, the processing means determines whether the stay time measured by the time measuring means is longer than a predetermined reference time. When it is determined that it is long, the frequency of performing the second within-range returning process is made lower than the frequency of performing the first within-range returning process, and the process for returning to the communication service area is intermittently executed. A mobile communication terminal characterized by the above. 2. A first communication means that enables wireless communication using a first communication method, a second communication means that enables wireless communication using a second communication method, and the first communication means. When the first and second communication methods are both located outside the unusable communication service area, the first communication area return processing for returning to the communication service area in which the first communication method enables communication by the first communication method And a processing means for executing a second area return processing for returning to a communication service area in which the second communication method allows communication by the second communication means, wherein the processing means is in the second area. How often to execute the return process,
A mobile communication terminal, characterized in that the processing for returning to the communication service area is intermittently executed at a frequency lower than the frequency of performing the first area return processing. 3. A detection means for detecting movement from a communication service area in which only the second communication method can be used to a communication service area in which both the first and second communication methods cannot be used, The processing means, when the detection means detects the movement out of the communication service area, executes the second area return processing at the same frequency as the first area return processing. Mobile communication terminal. 4. A time measuring means for measuring a staying time in a communication service area where only the first communication method can be used, wherein the processing means is measured by the time measuring means when moving out of the communication service area. It is determined whether or not the determined stay time is longer than a predetermined reference time, and when it is determined that the stay time is less than or equal to the reference time, the second within-area return processing is executed at the same frequency as the first within-area return processing. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: 5. A communication method having a relatively wide communication service area is the first communication method, and a communication method having a relatively narrow communication service area is the second communication method. Item 5. The mobile communication terminal according to any one of items 1 to 4. 6. A method of operating a mobile communication terminal that enables wireless communication using at least first and second communication methods, wherein both the first and second communication methods are unavailable. A first for returning to a communication service area where communication is possible using the first communication method when the user is located outside the area
The in-area return processing and the second in-area return processing for returning to the communication service area in which communication is possible using the second communication method are executed, and the communication service area in which only the first communication method can be used From the above, when it is detected that both the first and second communication methods have moved out of the unusable communication service area, communication in which only the first communication method can be used immediately before moving out of the communication service area The time spent in the service area
If it is determined whether or not the stay time is longer than the reference time, the second
The mobile communication terminal is characterized in that the frequency of performing the in-area return process is lower than that of the first in-area return process, and the process for returning to the communication service area is intermittently executed. How it works.