JP2815431B2 - Map information providing system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Summary] The present invention relates to a map information providing apparatus that provides a mobile device with map information around an area where the mobile device is located, using the mobile phone network. For the purpose of providing new equipment that can receive map information around the area without knowing where the user is actually located, in the mobile telephone network, Map information requesting means for transmitting a map information request signal requesting provision of map information to a fixed station side device via a wireless line; and display means for visually displaying received map information on a screen are provided. The side device is provided with map information transmitting means for transmitting map information around a zone where the mobile station is located to the mobile station in response to reception of the map information request signal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a map information providing device that provides a mobile device with map information around an area where the mobile device is located using an automobile telephone network.

[Problems to be Solved by Related Art and Invention] When driving a car, it is often experienced that in an unfamiliar area, it is difficult to find out where the user is running. In this case, you will have to look at the road map to see where you are, but often you do not have a road map, or even if it is, it is often difficult to determine which page of the map to look at. Is about to do.

Many on-vehicle navigation systems have been developed as a way to know where one is, but these are generally expensive.

On the other hand, the recent spread of the automobile telephone network has been remarkable, and it would be very convenient if map information could be provided using this system. However, such a system is not known at present.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to newly provide an apparatus which enables a mobile unit of a car telephone network to receive map information around an area where the mobile station is located without knowing where the mobile station is actually located. To provide.

[Means for Solving the Problems] FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of the principle according to the present invention.

A map information providing system according to the present invention provides map information using a mobile phone 51 and a mobile telephone network including a plurality of base stations and a fixed station side device 52 having map information corresponding to the base stations. It is.

In one form of the map information providing system according to the present invention, the mobile device 51 transmits a map information request signal requesting the provision of the map information to the fixed station side device using a control channel of a wireless line. Map information requesting means 53 to be transmitted,
Display means for displaying the map information received from the fixed station side device 52 on the screen, the fixed station side device 52 responds to the reception of the map information request signal via the control channel, Map information transmitting means 55 for transmitting to the mobile device 51 map information corresponding to the base station of the zone where the mobile device 51 in which the mobile device 51 has transmitted, and call holding means for holding the line during a call, When the mobile device 51 receives a map information request signal transmitted during a call via the control channel, the call holding means holds the line of the other party, and the map information transmission means 55 transfers the map information via the call channel. To the mobile station 51.

In another embodiment of the map information providing system according to the present invention, the mobile device 51 sends a map information request signal requesting the provision of map information to the fixed station side device 52 using a control channel of a wireless line. A map information requesting unit 53 for transmitting, and a display unit 54 for displaying map information received from the fixed station side device 52 via the control channel on a screen.
52, in response to the reception of the map information request signal via the control channel from the mobile device during the call, the map information corresponding to the base station of the zone where the mobile device 51 transmitting the map information request signal is located. It is configured to have map information transmitting means 55 for transmitting to the mobile device 51 via the control channel.

[Action]

In the map information providing system of the former form, when it is desired to provide map information on the mobile device 51 side, a map information requesting means
A map information request signal is transmitted to the fixed station side device 52 via the control channel by the 53. Upon receiving the map information request signal via the control channel, the fixed station side device 52 side receives
The mobile device 51 recognizes the area where the mobile device 51 is located from the number of the wireless base station to which the mobile device is connected, etc. Send to mobile. Upon receiving the map information, the mobile device 51 displays the map information on the screen of the display means 54. As described above, since the mobile device requests map information via the control channel, the procedure for requesting map information can be simplified. Further, when map information is required during a call, a request for map information is made on the control channel, and when this request is received, the line of the other party is temporarily held by the call holding means, and the map information is output. To the mobile station via the call channel. As described above, when the map information is transmitted from the fixed station apparatus to the mobile device during a call, the call with the other party during the call is held by the call holding means,
The line is not disconnected, so that the map information can be obtained without having to call the other party again.

In the latter type of map information providing system, since the map information sent from the fixed station side device to the mobile device is sent via the control channel, the map information is transmitted during a call with the other party. Even if there is, the communication with the mobile device via the communication channel can be continued as it is.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows an automobile telephone network to which a map information providing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a control station for coupling a mobile communication network and a general public telephone network,
A radio line control station or a mobile telephone exchange office corresponds to this. Reference numerals 2 and 2 denote wireless base stations, which are connected to the control station 1 respectively. The control station 1 and the radio base station 2
2 are the fixed station side.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a mobile device mounted on an automobile or the like, and the base station 2
And is connected to a base station in that zone via a wireless line.

A more detailed configuration example of the control station 1 and the radio base station 2 is shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, the supervising station 1 includes a map information data device 11, a communication path device 12, a call holding device 13,
It includes a call control device 14, an arrival / departure control device 15, and the like. The call path device 12 is a device for connecting a call line of a general public telephone and a call line to a base station, and a call holding device 13
Is a device for holding a telephone line on the general public telephone line side in the control station 1.

The map information data device 11 is a device that inserts and sends map information data to a communication line to the base station. The map information includes base stations 2 to 2 connected to the supervising station 1.
Map information of the surrounding area is prepared.

The call control device 14 is a device that controls the map information data device 11, the call path device 12, the call holding device 13, and the like. The call control device 14 is also connected to the call control device 15, so that control information can be obtained therefrom. I have. The transmission / reception control device 15 exchanges various types of control information regarding transmission / reception with the general telephone network side and the base station side via a control line.

The wireless base station 2 has a known configuration including a base station control device 21, a communication transceiver 22, a control transceiver 23, an antenna sharing device 24, and the like.

As is generally known, a radio channel between the radio base station 2 and the mobile device 3 includes a communication channel for transmitting communication information and a control channel for transmitting control information.

The mobile device 3 has a function of transmitting a map information connection request signal to the base station side via a control channel of a wireless line.
Also, a display device is provided for visually displaying a map on a screen based on the map information data received in response to the map information connection request.

Hereinafter, a method of providing map information to the mobile device 3 using the apparatus of this embodiment will be described.

First, a general connection operation of this car telephone network will be described. When the power is turned on, the mobile station 3 scans the control channel of the radio channel and captures the control channel having the highest reception level. Then, the base station 2 corresponding to the control channel notifies the location information of the zone where the base station 2 is located. If the position information is different from the position information that the user has already stored, position registration is performed, and the position registration information is held in the control station 1 side.

When the mobile telephone subscriber goes off-hook and dials the telephone number of the other party, a connection request signal is issued from the mobile device 3 to the base station 2. Then, the supervising station 1 receives the connection request signal via the base station 2 and checks the subscriber management file. As a result, if it is OK, it allocates a communication channel and connects the exchange to the fixed telephone network.

Next, an operation when the mobile device 3 requests the base station 2 to provide map information will be described.

When the user of the mobile station 3 wants to receive map information around the area where the mobile station 3 is located, the mobile station 3 transmits a map information connection request signal to the base station 2 via a control channel of a wireless channel.
This map information connection request signal is sent to the control station 1 via the base station 2 in the zone where the mobile device 3 is located.

When the control station 1 receives the map information connection request signal,
The subscriber management file is checked, and if there is no problem in the connection, the communication channel is allocated.

In this case, since the supervising station 1 knows to which base station the mobile station 3 is connected, it can recognize the area where the mobile station 3 is located, and transmits the location information to the call control device 14.
The information can be provided to the map information data device 11 via a communication terminal.

Under the control of the call control device 14, the map information data device 11 selects map information around the base station in the zone where the mobile device 3 is located, inserts the map information into the above-mentioned allocated call channel, and The data is transmitted from the base station 2 to the mobile station 3 via the mobile station 3.

When the mobile device 3 receives the map information via the communication channel, it displays this as a road map on the screen of the display device.

Next, an operation when the mobile device 3 needs map information during a call and sends a map information connection request signal to the base station will be described.

The mobile device 3 sends a map information connection request signal to the control station 1 via the base station 2 through the control channel during a call. Then, the supervising station 1 temporarily holds the call of the other party during the call with the mobile device 3 by the call holding device 13, and outputs the map information of the area where the mobile device is located from the map information data device 11 via the used communication channel. Send it to mobile device 3.

Upon receiving the map information, the mobile device 3 displays the map information on a display device.

After sending the map information data, the control station 1 sends the communication control device 14
Then, the hold by the call holding device 13 is released under the control of, and the mobile station 3 and the other party are returned to the original call state.

In this embodiment, if the mobile device 3 provided with the map information during the call moves to another base station zone as it is, the already provided map information is replaced with the destination zone. It is more appropriate to change to something. As this method, the map information connection request signal may be transmitted again from the mobile device 3 side, or the control station 1 detects the switching of the base station zone and automatically moves the map information of the destination zone. It may be sent to the machine 3.

Various modifications are possible in implementing the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the map information data device is installed in the headquarters such as a radio network controller or a mobile telephone exchange, but the present invention is not limited to this. It is also possible to install a map information data device for holding the map information of the above and transmit the map information directly from the wireless base station to the mobile station.

FIG. 4 shows a system configuration when the map information data device is installed in the wireless base station in this way. This is configured to insert map information from the map information data device 25 into the communication channel of the communication transmitter 22 of the base station and send it to the mobile device 3 as shown in FIG. The control of 25 is performed by the call control device 14 of the central office 1.

In the above-described embodiment, the map information is transmitted to the mobile device via the communication channel. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the map information may be transmitted using a control channel. is there. However, in this case, since the transmission capacity of the control channel is smaller than the transmission capacity of the communication channel, the time required for the map information transmission becomes longer.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the identification of the mobile device serving zone for determining which area of map information is to be sent is performed by detecting to which wireless base station the mobile device is connected. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it is possible to estimate the area where the mobile device is located from the position registration information by using the information of the position registration.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, it becomes possible to automatically provide map information around a region where a mobile device is located to the mobile device side by using a car telephone network when necessary. In particular, in this method, even if the mobile device does not know where it is currently located, simply requesting map information,
This is very convenient because a map of the surrounding area closest to the current location of the mobile device (ie, the area around the base station where the mobile device is currently located) is automatically sent. . Also, even if the mobile device requests map information during a call with the other party, the map information can be sent to the mobile device without disconnecting the line during the call. After obtaining the information, the map information can be obtained without performing troublesome operations such as calling the other party again.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of the principle according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the entire configuration of an automobile telephone network to which a map information providing apparatus as one embodiment of the present invention is applied, and FIG. And FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a map information providing device as a modification of the present invention. In the figure, 1... Supervising station 2, 2 to 2... Radio base station 3... Mobile station 11, 25... Map information data device 12... 15: Departure / arrival control device 21: Base station controller 22: Transceiver transceiver 23: Control transceiver 24: Antenna sharing device

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A map information providing system using a mobile phone and a mobile telephone network including a plurality of base stations and a fixed-station-side device having map information corresponding to the base stations, wherein the mobile station includes: Map information requesting means for transmitting a map information request signal requesting provision of map information to the fixed station side device using a control channel of a wireless line, and displaying map information received from the fixed station side device on a screen. The fixed station side device, in response to receiving the map information request signal via a control channel, the zone of the zone where the mobile device that has transmitted the map information request signal is located A map information transmitting unit for transmitting map information corresponding to the base station to the mobile device; and a call holding unit for holding a line during a call on hold, and a map information request signal transmitted by the mobile device during a call. Over the control channel When receiving, as well as hold the other party of the line by the call holding means, the map information providing system and transmits to the mobile equipment through a communication channel map information by the map information transmitting unit. 2. A fixed station side apparatus used in a map information providing system using a mobile telephone and a mobile telephone network including a plurality of base stations and a fixed station side apparatus having map information corresponding to the base station. Receiving, via a control channel, a map information request signal transmitted from the mobile device, and responding to the reception, corresponding to a base station of a zone in which the mobile device transmitting the map information request signal is located. Map information sending means for sending the obtained map information to the mobile device, and call holding means for holding the line during the call, and a map information request signal transmitted by the mobile device during the call via the control channel. A fixed-station-side device wherein, when received, the call holding means holds the line of the other party and the map information sending means transmits map information to the mobile device via the call channel. 3. A map information providing system using a mobile telephone and a mobile telephone network including a plurality of base stations and a fixed-station-side device having map information corresponding to the base stations, wherein: A map information request signal for requesting the provision of map information is transmitted from the fixed station side device via a control channel to the map information requesting means for transmitting the map information request signal to the fixed station side device using a control channel of a wireless line. Display means for displaying map information on a screen, wherein the fixed-station-side device responds to the reception of the map information request signal via a control channel from a mobile station during a call, and A map information providing system, comprising: map information transmitting means for transmitting map information corresponding to a base station in a zone in which a mobile station transmitting a signal is located to the mobile station via a control channel. 4. A mobile station and a mobile station used in a map information providing system using a mobile telephone network including a fixed station side device having a plurality of base stations and map information corresponding to the base stations, Map information requesting means for transmitting a map information request signal requesting provision of the map information to the fixed station side device using a control channel of a wireless line during a call with a third party via a call channel And a display means for receiving map information from the fixed station side device via a control channel and displaying the map information on a screen. 5. A fixed station side device used in a map information providing system using a mobile telephone and a mobile telephone network including a plurality of base stations and a fixed station side device having map information corresponding to the base station. Receiving, via a control channel, a map information request signal transmitted from a mobile station during a call, and in response to the reception, a base station in a zone where the mobile station transmitting the map information request signal is located. A fixed-station-side device comprising: map information transmitting means for transmitting map information corresponding to the above to the mobile device via a control channel.