JP2006303733A - Base station search system for dual mode portable terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a base station search system for a dual mode portable terminal capable of attaining an efficient base station search and minimizing a current consumption amount of the terminal by carrying out searching of a base station adopting a preferential mode on the basis of received information of a non-preferential system in a standby state in a non-preferential system mode. <P>SOLUTION: The base station search system for the dual mode portable terminal including both a preferential system function and a non-preferential system function and searching respective service areas of the preferential system and the non-preferential system applies variable control to a search timing of the preferential system on the basis of the received information of the non-preferential system in the standby state in the non-preferential system mode. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a base station search method for a dual mode mobile terminal equipped with a priority system such as a 3G system and a non-priority system such as a 2G system.

  In recent years, dual-mode portable terminals having functions such as a WCDMA or UMTS communication system (3G system) and a GSM communication system (2G system) have been developed and are generally used. The functions of the two communication systems are installed because the service area of the 3G system is smaller at this stage than the 2G system, which has a widespread service area worldwide, and does not impair user convenience. The main reason is that it is necessary to support 2G systems.

However, the range of services that can be provided by those who can use the 3G system in which the data communication speed has been increased is widened, which is also beneficial for the user. For this reason, considering the convenience of the user, it is desirable that the 3G system can be used as much as possible.
Therefore, in general, as a standby mode of a dual-mode portable terminal, the 3G system is often the priority system. In other words, when waiting in the 2G system, the base station search for the 3G system, which is the priority mode, is performed at the appropriate timing. Is automatically performed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
FIG. 5 is an image diagram showing service areas of a general 2G system and a 3G system.
In the figure, 501 is an area where neither 2G system nor 3G system services are provided, 502 is an area covered only by 2G system services, and 503 is provided by both 2G system and 3G system services. 504, an area where only 3G service is provided, 505 indicates a 2G service cover area, and 506 indicates a 3G service cover area. Looking at the size of the service area, the service area 506 of the 3G system, which was started several years ago, is currently narrower than the service area 505 of the existing 2G system.

The standby control of the dual mode portable terminal is usually designed to preferentially wait for the 3G system. The 3G system priority means that when a user is in an area 503 where both services of the 2G system and the 3G system are provided, the 3G system waits preferentially. Thus, by giving priority to the 3G system in the area 503, the area that can be used in the 3G system is widened, and the convenience for the user can be improved.
FIG. 6 shows an operation timing of the conventional base station search method, and FIG. 7 shows an operation flowchart. As shown in FIG. 6, the search operation of the priority base station is periodically repeated using the gap in the reception operation of the intermittent reception of the 2G system. In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, the flow of repeating the search for the 3G system while waiting for the 2G system is 2G search processing (S701) → 3G search timer (S702) → 3G search processing (S703) → 3G standby base? This is a repetition of (S704). In step 701, 2G out-of-range transition processing (S705) is performed when the 2G out-of-range determination is made, and if there is a 3G-waitable base in step 704, 3G standby transition processing (S706) is performed.
When the user of the dual mode mobile terminal moves from the area 502 to the area 503, the user can switch to the standby state of the 3G system which is the priority mode. However, as described above, when the user stays in the area 502, the user cannot switch to the 3G system indefinitely, and the search operation of the 3G system only wastes the current of the apparatus.
JP 2004-356684 A

  At present, the 3G mode service area is not sufficiently large compared to the 2G mode service area, and there are many areas where 2G service is provided but 3G service is not provided. In order to perform a 3G-mode base station search, the apparatus current is consumed that much, so that a 3G-mode search has a disadvantage that the apparatus usage time is shortened. That is, a dual-mode portable terminal needs to optimally perform a base station search for a priority system to reduce the current consumption of the apparatus as much as possible, but such a technology does not yet exist.

According to the present invention,
A dual-mode mobile terminal base station search method for searching service areas of the priority system and the non-priority system by a dual-mode mobile terminal having the functions of the priority system and the non-priority system,
A base station search method for a dual mode mobile terminal is provided, wherein the search timing of the priority system is variably controlled based on reception information of the non-priority system during standby in the non-priority system.
In the base station search method of the dual mode portable terminal of the present invention, when waiting in the non-priority system, the base station search of the priority system is performed, and if a base station capable of waiting is found as a result, priority is given from the non-priority system. Control is performed so as to switch the standby to the system, and if no standby base station is found, the standby state in the non-priority system is maintained.

  According to the present invention, by performing a base station search of a priority system based on reception information of a non-priority system that is waiting, an efficient base station search can be performed, and current consumption of a terminal device can be minimized. Can be reduced.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described. This embodiment relates to a base station search method for a dual-mode portable terminal that variably controls the search timing of the priority system based on the reception information of the non-priority system during standby in the non-priority system.
The dual-mode portable terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention includes an antenna, a radio unit, a baseband unit, and control of the entire apparatus corresponding to a 2G system such as a GSM communication system and a 3G system such as a WCDMA or UMTS communication system. CPU is provided. In addition, a key matrix input unit for a user to perform operations, a memory for storing a program, a memory for storing data, an LCD display unit, a display data control unit, a voice CODEC / control unit, a receiver, and a microphone are also provided.
The data storage memory stores 3G system base station search setting information, 3G search counter setting information, and threshold information for determining the reception level from the base station of the 2G system. In addition, a timer for counting an interval for searching for a base station of the 3G system and a 3G search counter are provided.
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a dual mode portable terminal of the present invention.
The dual-mode mobile terminal body 101 includes a 2G antenna 1, 2G radio unit 2, 2G baseband unit 3, 3G antenna 7, 3G radio unit 8, 3G baseband necessary for realizing a mobile phone function. Unit 9, voice CODEC / control unit 4, microphone 5, receiver 6, display data control unit 11, LCD display unit 10, CPU 13, key matrix input unit 12, 3G search timer 16, program storage memory 14, data storage memory 15, A 3G search counter 18 and other timers 17 are provided.
The internal control of the apparatus is performed from the CPU 13 via the bus C. That is, the CPU 13 reads data from the program storage memory 14 and the data storage memory 15, writes data to the data storage memory 15, and 2G baseband unit 3, 3G baseband unit 9, display data control unit 11, audio The CODEC / control unit 4 is controlled via the bus C. Further, a 3G search timer 16 and a 3G search counter 18 are connected to the CPU 13 to manage the base station search timing of the 3G system. An operation by the user is performed through key input from the key matrix input unit 12 to the CPU 13, and information display to the user is performed by displaying data on the LCD display unit 10.

  The analog transmission voice signal input from the microphone 5 is converted into digital data by the voice CODEC / control unit 4. When used in a 2G system, a digital transmission voice signal is converted into a signal format of a mobile phone radio section by a 2G baseband unit 3, modulated by a 2G radio unit 2, and passed through a 2G antenna 1. Transmitted as radio waves. When used in the 3G system, the digital transmission voice signal is converted into the signal format of the wireless section of the mobile phone by the 3G baseband unit 9, modulated by the 3G radio unit 8, and the 3G antenna 7 It is transmitted as a radio wave via.

  System switching of the radio units 2 and 8, the baseband units 3 and 9, and the audio CODEC / control unit 4 is performed by control from the CPU 13 via the bus C. The CPU 13 independently controls the block on the 2G system side and the block on the 3G system side, and performs radio wave reception and transmission operations. The received base station information, received electric field value, etc. are received by the CPU 13 via the bus C, analyzed and determined, and subjected to standby processing and communication processing. Information such as base station information (3G search setting information, 3G search counter setting information, 2G level threshold information, etc.) and received electric field value necessary for the determination are stored in the data storage memory 15.

  Next, a standby operation in the dual mode portable terminal will be described.

  Generally, a dual mode mobile terminal defines a priority system and a non-priority system within the terminal. The priority system is which system is used preferentially. Usually, in order to set a system with high added value of a service as a priority system, the 3G system is often set as a priority system and the 2G system is set as a non-priority system (in the following explanation, the 3G system is set as a priority system and the 2G system is set as a non-priority system). Priority system).

When the apparatus is turned on, the search is performed first from the base station of the 3G system which is the priority system. If a searchable base station is found as a result of the search, the 3G system stands by. If no base station is found, a search is next made for a non-priority system 2G system base station. If a searchable base station is found as a result of the search, the 2G system waits. If no base station is found, both systems are out of service. When both systems are out of service, the base station search of the 3G system and the 2G system is repeatedly performed based on the timings from the other timers 17 in which the search cycle is set.
When waiting in the 2G system, the signal reception operation from the base station is repeated by controlling the radio unit 8 and baseband unit 9 of the 2G system at each standby timing of the 2G system. In addition, based on the timing from the 3G search timer 16, a base station search of the 3G system which is the priority system is performed. As a result of searching the 3G system, if a standby base station is found, control is performed so that the standby is switched from the 2G system to the 3G system. If no standby base station is found, the standby state in the 2G system is maintained. To do.
Conventionally, as described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7, when the user of the dual mode mobile terminal moves from the area 502 to the area 503, the user can switch to the standby state of the 3G system which is the priority mode. However, if the user stays at the end, it is impossible to switch to the 3G system indefinitely, and the search operation of the 3G system only wastes the current of the device.
In the present invention, the base station ID information, the reception level of the standby 2G system, the 3G search setting information, the 3G search counter setting information set in the data storage memory 15 in the portable terminal, and the 2G reception level threshold are set. Based on the value information, the base station search of the 3G system is controlled. As a result, the current consumption of the apparatus waiting for the 2G system is reduced, and the search for the 3G system is optimized. That is, during standby in the non-priority system, the search timing of the priority system is variably controlled based on the reception information of the non-priority system.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the present invention.

  The possibility of finding the 3G system is determined based on the base station ID information of the 2G system and the received electric field level. First, the 2G system is searched (step S201, hereinafter step letters are omitted), and the CPU 13 checks whether the ID of the 2G base station has changed (S202). When the ID of the base station changes, it can be estimated that the amount of movement of the user is large, and it is determined that the possibility of finding the base station is high by performing a 3G system search. Therefore, the CPU 13 sets the 3G search setting to ON, sets the 3G search counter 18 to 2, and sets the 3G search timer 16 to t1 (S204). If it is determined in S201 that the 2G is out of the 2G range, a 2G out-of-range transition process is performed (S211).

  If the base station ID does not change in S202, the reception level change amount is checked next. The amount of change from the previously received reception level is calculated and compared with the 2G reception level threshold information set in the data storage memory 15 (S203). Here, when the amount of change is larger than the threshold information Th1 stored in the data storage memory 15, it is determined that the amount of change in the reception level is large, and 3G is the same as in the case where the base station ID has changed. Determine that the base station of the system is likely to be found. That is, also in this case, the process of S204 is performed.

  When the amount of change in the reception level is larger than the threshold information Th0 and smaller than Th1, it is determined that the amount of change in the reception level is medium. In this case, it is estimated that the amount of movement of the user is medium, and it is determined that the possibility of finding the base station is medium by performing a search of the 3G system. Therefore, in S205, the 3G search setting is turned on, the 3G search counter 18 is set to 2, and the 3G search timer 16 is set to ts. The relationship between ts and t1 is set to ts> t1.

  In S203, when the amount of change in the reception level is smaller than the 2G threshold level Th0, it is considered that the amount of movement of the user is small, and it is unlikely that a base station will be found even if a 3G system is searched at that position. to decide. Therefore, the process proceeds to S206 without turning on the 3G search setting.

  In S206, the 3G search setting and the 3G search timer 16 are confirmed. If the 3G search setting is not on, the process returns to S201 without performing the 3G system search. If the 3G search setting is on, the timeout of the 3G search timer 16 is confirmed. If the timeout has occurred, the 3G search process is performed next. At this time, 1 is subtracted from the 3G search counter 18 (S207).

  As a result of the 3G search, it is determined whether or not there is a base station capable of waiting (S208). When a base capable of standby is found, a standby process of the 3G system is performed (S212), and the standby system is switched from 2G to 3G. . If no base station capable of waiting for 3G is found in S208, the 3G search counter 18 is determined (S209). When the counter value is 0, the 3G search setting is turned OFF so that the 3G system is not searched (S210). This is to prevent wasteful consumption of current due to repeated search when a 3G system is not found.

  3 and 4 are operation timing charts when the processing in the above operation flow is performed. That is, FIG. 3 shows a case where the amount of change in the received electric field level of the 2G system is moderate, and FIG. 4 shows a case where the base station ID of the 2G system changes or a case where the amount of change in the received electric field level is large. It is an operation | movement timing diagram. The operation timing diagrams of both figures show 2G intermittent reception (signal A in FIG. 1), 2G information change detection, and 3G search control (signal B in FIG. 1) from the top. As shown in FIG. 3, when the amount of change in the received electric field level of the 2G system is small, the search interval in the 3G search operation is longer ts, and the number of searches is the number of 3G search operations compared to the conventional operation example of FIG. It can be seen that is decreasing. In other words, it is possible to reduce the current consumption of the device by controlling the 3G system search operation to be reduced when it is unnecessary while performing the 3G system search when there is a high possibility that a 3G system base station will be found. Become.

It is a block diagram of the dual mode portable terminal of this embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the dual mode portable terminal of this embodiment. It is an operation | movement timing diagram when the variation | change_quantity of the reception electric field level of 2G system is weak. It is an operation | movement timing diagram when the variation | change_quantity of the received electric field level of 2G system is strong. It is an image figure of a base station service area. It is an operation | movement timing diagram of the conventional base station search. It is the flowchart of the conventional base station search.

Explanation of symbols

1 2G antenna 2 2G radio unit 3 2G baseband unit 4 Voice CODEC / control unit 5 Microphone 6 Receiver 7 3G antenna 8 3G radio unit 9 3G baseband unit 10 LCD display unit 11 Display data control unit 12 Key matrix input unit 13 CPU
14 Program storage memory 15 Data storage memory 16 3G search timer 17 Other timer 18 3G search counter 101 Dual mode mobile terminal body

Claims (6)

A dual-mode mobile terminal base station search method for searching service areas of the priority system and the non-priority system by a dual-mode mobile terminal having the functions of the priority system and the non-priority system,
A base station search method for a dual-mode mobile terminal, wherein the search timing of the priority system is variably controlled based on reception information of the non-priority system during standby in the non-priority system. In the base station search method of the dual mode portable terminal according to claim 1,
A base station search method for a dual-mode portable terminal, wherein the received electric field level on the non-priority system side is detected and the search timing of the priority system is variably controlled based on the detection information. In the base station search method of the dual mode portable terminal according to claim 1 or 2,
A base station search method for a dual-mode mobile terminal, wherein standby base station ID information on the non-priority system side is detected, and search timing of the priority system is variably controlled based on the detected information. In the base station search method of the dual mode portable terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The priority system search timing is set based on the priority system search setting information, the priority system search counter setting information, and the non-priority system reception level threshold information set in the data storage memory provided in the portable terminal. A base station search method for a dual-mode portable terminal characterized by variable control. In the base station search method of the dual mode portable terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The dual-mode mobile terminal base station search method, wherein the non-priority system is a 2G system, and the priority system is a 3G system. In the base station search method of the dual mode portable terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A base station search method for a dual mode mobile terminal, wherein a service area of the priority system is narrower than a service area of the non-priority system.

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