JP5481869B2 - Communication terminal device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication terminal device, and more particularly to a communication terminal device having two or more wireless communication functions.

  For example, communication terminal devices having two or more wireless communication functions such as mobile phones and wireless local area networks (WLANs) have been put into practical use. When the access point (AP) search is frequently performed by always using the WLAN function of these communication terminal apparatuses, the power consumption increases while the connectivity to the communication network through the WLAN is improved. There is a disadvantage of doing. An increase in power consumption is not preferable because it leads to a decrease in standby time of a mobile phone function that is generally used at all times.

  In order to solve such a problem, there is known a technique for achieving both connectivity and power consumption saving (see, for example, Patent Document 1 to Patent Document 3). When the mobile terminal disclosed in Patent Document 1 is engaged with a mobile base station, the mobile terminal determines whether it is within or outside the WLAN AP and registers it in the database. Then, it is determined by searching the database whether the mobile base station to which the mobile base station belongs belongs to the inside or outside of the service area. If it is within the service area, the AP is searched in a short scanning cycle, and if it is outside the service area, a long scan is performed. It is described that it can be properly used to search for AP (or not to search) at periodic intervals.

  The mobile communication terminal disclosed in the above Patent Document 2 is a dual terminal capable of performing communication via a public base station and communication via a private base station, and the identification information of each of the public base station and the private base station. They are stored in the storage unit in association with each other. As a result, it is stated that when it is determined that the mobile communication terminal is far away from the private base station based on the identification information of the pending public base station, the search for the private base station can be stopped to save power. ing.

  The wireless communication terminal device disclosed in the above Patent Document 3 recognizes the current position of its own device by positioning means such as GPS, and compares it with the location database of the AP downloaded from the server device, for example. Determine whether to do. It is described that when it is determined that it is not located near the AP, the WLAN operation can be stopped to save power.

JP 2007-251304 A (6th and 7th pages, FIG. 3) JP 2007-116595 A (pages 5 to 7, FIG. 9) Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2006-135727 (5th, 10th page, FIG. 5)

  The portable terminal disclosed in Patent Document 1 described above is configured to determine the scanning period of the WLAN by determining whether the associated portable base station is within or outside of the AP. However, since there is generally a difference in size between the cell range of the mobile base station and the cell range of the WLAN AP, the actual situation is that the cell of the mobile base station being engaged is both within and outside the AP. Expected to be. In such a case, there is a problem that it is difficult to appropriately select an AP search cycle.

  The mobile communication terminal disclosed in Patent Document 2 described above is determined to determine whether or not to search for a self-supporting base station by judging the presence or absence of a nearby self-supporting base station from the identification information of the public base station to which it is engaged. . However, since the size of the cell range of the public base station and the cell range of the private base station are not necessarily the same, it may be difficult to appropriately select whether or not to search for the private base station. .

  The wireless communication terminal device disclosed in Patent Document 3 described above is configured to determine the presence / absence of a nearby AP from the positioning data of the own device and a database of AP positions stored in the server device. However, since this method depends on the database of the server device, there is a possibility that it is difficult to respond quickly to changes in the AP installation status.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problem, and an object of the present invention is to achieve both the connectivity to the communication network and the power saving effect even if there is a difference in the size of the cell range of the separate communication method.

In order to achieve the above object, a communication terminal device of the present invention provides:
In a communication terminal device having two or more wireless communication functions,
Positioning means for measuring the current position;
The location data, the identification data of the base station of the first wireless communication system having a relatively large cell size, and the identification data of the base station of the second wireless communication system having a relatively small cell size are stored in association with each other. Storage means for
In a state in which the identification data of the first base station according to the first wireless communication method is recognized, the power source according to the second wireless communication method is turned on and the base station of the second wireless communication method is When a response is obtained from the second base station as a result of the search, the positioning means is caused to execute positioning, position data of the positioning result, identification data of the first base station, and identification data of the second base station Control means for associating and storing in the storage means ,
The storage means further stores, as a failure history, identification data of the base station of the second wireless communication method that has failed in the connection attempt;
When the control means obtains a response from the second base station as a result of searching for the base station of the second wireless communication method, the identification data of the second base station must be included in the failure history. For example, if the connection with the second base station is attempted and the connection is successful, the positioning means performs positioning. If the connection fails, the identification data of the second base station is used as the failure history. Furthermore it searches for a base station of the second wireless communication method other than the second base station as well as add to.

  According to the present invention, the identification information of the base station related to each communication method and the position data of the positioning result can be stored in association with each other so that even if there is a difference in the size of the cell range of the separate communication method. Therefore, it is possible to achieve both the connectivity to the communication network and the power saving effect.

1 is an external view of a communication terminal device (mobile communication terminal) according to a first embodiment of the invention. 1 is a block diagram of a mobile communication terminal according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The flowchart of the process which the portable communication terminal which concerns on Example 1 of this invention searches and memorize | stores WLAN AP. The modification of the flowchart represented to FIG. 4 is another modification of the flowchart shown in FIG. 3. The flowchart explaining operation | movement of the portable communication terminal which concerns on Example 2 of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is an external view of a mobile communication terminal 1 that is a communication terminal apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The mobile communication terminal 1 is configured by connecting a first housing 11 and a second housing 12 so as to be openable and closable. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 are opened from the user side. However, the casing configuration of the mobile communication terminal 1 is not limited to the so-called folding type as shown in FIG.

  A display unit 14 made of, for example, a liquid crystal device is attached to the first housing 11. The display unit 14 can display a text or an image, and the mobile communication terminal 1 uses the display unit 14 to display an application with screen display (for example, e-mail transmission / reception, web page browsing, phone book creation and browsing, etc.). Can be executed. A receiver 15 is attached to the first housing 11. A transmitter 16 is attached to the second housing 12. The mobile communication terminal 1 can be used for voice calls by including the receiver 15 and transmitter 16.

  An operation unit 17 (represented by a dashed frame) is attached to the second housing 12 and includes a plurality of operation keys. The operation unit 17 may include operation keys provided on the side surface or the back surface of the first housing 11 or the second housing 12 (not shown). When an operation key belonging to the operation unit 17 is operated, the mobile communication terminal 1 can be activated, stopped, or a text or an operation command can be input. All of the display unit 14, the reception unit 15, the transmission unit 16, and the operation unit 17 described above function as a human interface unit of the mobile communication terminal 1.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the mobile communication terminal 1. The mobile communication terminal 1 includes an antenna 19 and a transmission / reception unit 20 and can transmit and receive radio waves with a mobile communication base station (not shown). The mobile communication terminal 1 includes a voice interface unit 21, a control unit 22, a random access memory (RAM) 23, a read only memory (ROM) 24, and a storage unit 25.

  The transmission / reception unit 20, the audio interface unit 21, the RAM 23 and the ROM 24, and the display unit 14 and the operation unit 17 described with reference to FIG. 1 are connected to the control unit 22 through a common bus, for example, and are monitored and controlled by the control unit 22. The The control unit 22 is configured by a single processing device such as a microprocessor or a combination of a plurality of chips.

  The RAM 23 is a memory that is used by the control unit 22 to read and write a required program or data as needed to realize the functions of the mobile communication terminal 1. The ROM 24 is a memory in which a program or data is written in advance. The storage unit 25 is a non-volatile memory in which data written by the control unit 22 is retained even when the power is turned off, and is configured by, for example, a hard disk, a non-volatile semiconductor memory, or the like.

  In the case of a voice call, an encoded voice signal transmitted from the other party through the base station is received by the transmitting / receiving unit 20 via the antenna 19 and subjected to processing such as demodulation and error correction, and further, a voice interface unit. Decoded at 21 and reproduced from the receiver 15. The voice picked up by the transmitter 16 is encoded by the voice interface unit 21, error-correction encoded, modulated and amplified by the transmitter / receiver 20, and then transmitted from the antenna 19 to the base station.

  In the case of data communication, a data signal transmitted from the other party through the base station is received by the transmission / reception unit 20 via the antenna 19 and subjected to processing such as demodulation and error correction, and is transmitted to the control unit 22 and sent to the RAM 23. Alternatively, it is written in the storage unit 25 or displayed on the display unit 14. Data input from the operation unit 17 or read from the RAM 23 or the storage unit 25 is transmitted from the antenna 19 to the base station after being subjected to error correction coding, modulation and amplification in the transmission / reception unit 20.

  The mobile communication terminal 1 includes a wireless local area network (WLAN) antenna (hereinafter abbreviated as a WLAN antenna) 30 and a WLAN transceiver (hereinafter abbreviated as a WLAN transceiver) 31, and a WLAN access point (not shown) (not shown). Hereinafter, radio waves can be transmitted to and received from AP. The mobile communication terminal 1 can perform voice or data communication via the AP in the same manner as voice or data communication via the mobile communication base station described above. It is assumed that the power source of the WLAN transceiver unit 30 can be controlled to be opened and closed separately from the power sources of other parts.

  The mobile communication terminal 1 includes a global positioning system (GPS) antenna (hereinafter abbreviated as GPS antenna) 34 and a GPS receiver 35, and can perform positioning by receiving radio waves coming from GPS satellites.

  The operation of the mobile communication terminal 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of processing for searching for a WLAN AP and storing the AP in the RAM 23 or the storage unit 25. It is assumed that the WLAN transmitter / receiver 30 is not turned on at the start of processing (START). The mobile communication terminal 1 is associated with a mobile communication base station (hereinafter abbreviated as BS) (not shown), and the control unit 22 recognizes identification data of the BS (for example, stored in the RAM 23). ).

  After starting the process, the control unit 22 receives, for example, an AP search start operation in the operation unit 17 (step S1), and proceeds to subsequent operations. The controller 22 first turns on the power to the WLAN transceiver 31 (step S3). The control unit 22 transmits a signal for AP search through the WLAN transmission / reception unit 31 and the WLAN antenna 30. On the other hand, when a response is received from any AP (“YES” in step S5), the control unit 22 can recognize the identification data of the AP and store it in the RAM 23, for example. Next, the control unit 22 instructs the GPS receiving unit 34 to perform positioning.

  When the positioning is successful and the position data is obtained (“YES” in step S7), the control unit 22 stores the position data in association with the above-described BS identification data and AP identification data, for example, in the RAM 23 ( This can be referred to as a position-identification correspondence table) (step S9). If the position-identification correspondence table is stored in the storage unit 25 instead of the RAM 23, the stored contents of the table are maintained even when the power is turned off.

  Next, the control unit 22 receives, for example, an AP search end operation in the operation unit 17 (“YES” in step S11), shuts off the power of the WLAN transmission / reception unit 31 (step S13), and ends the process (END). . Instead of the AP search end operation, the search may be ended if conditions such as the elapse of a predetermined scanning time and the end of search for a predetermined number of APs are satisfied.

  If a response from the AP is not obtained in step S5 (“NO” in step S5), the control unit 22 searches for the next AP. If positioning is not successful in step S7 (“NO” in step S7), the control unit 22 returns to step S5 and searches for the next AP. In step S11, for example, when the operation for ending AP search in the operation unit 17 is not performed (“NO” in step S11), the control unit 22 returns to step S5 and searches for the next AP.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a modification of the flowchart shown in FIG. 4 is different from FIG. 3 in that the control unit 22 determines whether the identification data of the AP that has received the response is already stored in the RAM 23 (AP is already known) following step S5. This is what I did. If the AP is not known (“NO” in step S6), the control unit 22 proceeds to the processing after step S7 described with reference to FIG. If it is known (“YES” in step S6), the control unit 22 returns to step S5 and searches for the next AP. Thereby, it is possible to avoid the duplicate description of the same AP in the position-identification correspondence table, and to prevent the processing efficiency from decreasing.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another modification of the flowchart shown in FIG. One of the differences between FIG. 3 and FIG. 3 is that the control unit 22 determines whether the AP that received the response is included in the failure history following step S5. Here, the failure history indicates that the identification data of the AP is stored in, for example, the RAM 23 when the mobile communication terminal 1 fails in the connection attempt with the AP described later. Specifically, there is a high possibility that an access history with a limited access condition such as a kind of private AP is included in the failure history.

  If the AP that received the response is not included in the failure history (“NO” in step S60), the control unit 22 tries to connect to the AP. If the connection is successful (“YES” in step S61), the control unit 22 proceeds to the processing after step S7 described with reference to FIG. If the connection fails ("NO" in step S61), the control unit 22 adds the AP to the failure history (step S62) and returns to step S5 to search for the next AP.

  If the AP is included in the failure history in step S60 (“YES” in step S60), the control unit 22 returns to step S5 and searches for the next AP. That is, since it is not necessary to make a wasteful connection attempt to the AP included in the failure history, it is possible to contribute to both improvement in processing efficiency and power saving.

  If the connection attempt fails in step S61, the connection attempt may be repeated within a predetermined number of times. Further, the reason for the connection failure may be determined, and whether or not the failure can be added to the failure history may be determined according to the reason. This is for distinguishing between failure due to inherently difficult connection, such as the above private AP, or simply failure due to weak electric field strength from distance conditions.

  According to the first embodiment of the present invention described above, the power of the WLAN transceiver is opened and closed in accordance with the AP search start and end so that the power is supplied only when necessary. By avoiding duplicate descriptions of APs and excluding APs included in the failure history, it is possible to improve the search efficiency of APs and save power while contributing to improved connectivity.

  Hereinafter, Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The communication terminal device according to the second embodiment is assumed to be the same mobile communication terminal 1 as that of the first embodiment, and the lower configuration is also the same. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the mobile communication terminal 1 according to the second embodiment.

  The mobile communication terminal 1 is assumed to adopt an indirect reception method based on the control from the BS described in the first embodiment. That is, the mobile communication terminal 1 receives a signal including incoming call information from the BS only at the timing instructed by the BS to be engaged while waiting for the incoming call, and saves power by setting it in a low power state at other times. (It is called a sleep state). The operation of the mobile communication terminal 1 shown in FIG. 6 is started from the time point (step S21) in the sleep state.

  The control unit 22 refers to a built-in clock or the like and waits for the arrival timing of the incoming call information (“NO” in step S23). If the timing comes ("YES" in step S23), the incoming call information is received and BS identification data is acquired (step S25).

  Subsequently, the control unit 22 searches the position-identification correspondence table described in the first embodiment based on the acquired BS identification data. As a result, if an AP stored in association with the identification data of the BS is searched (“YES” in step S29), the control unit 22 instructs the GPS receiving unit 34 to perform positioning.

  When the positioning is successful and the position data is obtained (“YES” in step S31), the control unit 22 obtains the position data stored in association with the BS and AP in the position-identification correspondence table, and obtained in step S31. The difference (distance) of the obtained position data is evaluated. If the difference between the position data is equal to or less than the predetermined value (“YES” in step S33), the control unit 22 is close to the position when the AP is registered in the position-identification correspondence table and the position in step S31. , It can be determined that the AP is in the vicinity of the current position.

  Then, the control unit 22 powers on the WLAN transmission / reception unit 31 (step S35), and transmits a signal for AP search through the WLAN transmission / reception unit 31 and the WLAN antenna 30. On the other hand, if a response is received from the AP (“YES” in step S37), the control unit 22 connects to the AP (step S39).

  If no AP is searched in step S29 ("NO" in step S29), if positioning is not successful in step S31 ("NO" in step S31), or if the position data difference of the AP exceeds a predetermined value in step S33 ("NO" in step S33) or if the response from the AP is not obtained in step S37, the control unit 22 receives the instruction from the BS and sets the timing of the next incoming call information reception (step S41). The process returns to the sleep state (step S21).

  As described above, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, at the timing of returning from the sleep state to the state in which the incoming call information is received, the presence / absence of a nearby AP is confirmed including not only the BS identification data but also the position data. In addition, since the power of the WLAN is turned on, it is possible to reliably connect to the WLAN while maintaining the power saving effect.

  The type, shape, configuration, connection, processing flow, and the like of the mobile communication terminal in the above description are examples, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. The wireless communication system of the communication terminal device according to the present invention is not limited to mobile communication such as a mobile phone and WLAN. The positioning means of the communication terminal device according to the present invention is not limited to the GPS receiver.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Mobile communication terminal 11 1st housing | casing 12 2nd housing | casing 14 Display part 15 Reception part 16 Transmission part 17 Operation part 19 Antenna 20 Transmission / reception part 21 Voice interface part 22 Control part 23 RAM
24 ROM
25 Storage unit 30 WLAN antenna 31 WLAN transmission / reception unit 34 GPS antenna 35 GPS reception unit

Claims (3)

In a communication terminal device having two or more wireless communication functions,
Positioning means for measuring the current position;
The location data, the identification data of the base station of the first wireless communication system having a relatively large cell size, and the identification data of the base station of the second wireless communication system having a relatively small cell size are stored in association with each other. Storage means for
In a state in which the identification data of the first base station according to the first wireless communication method is recognized, the power source according to the second wireless communication method is turned on and the base station of the second wireless communication method is When a response is obtained from the second base station as a result of the search, the positioning means is caused to execute positioning, position data of the positioning result, identification data of the first base station, and identification data of the second base station Control means for associating and storing in the storage means ,
The storage means further stores, as a failure history, identification data of the base station of the second wireless communication method that has failed in the connection attempt;
When the control means obtains a response from the second base station as a result of searching for the base station of the second wireless communication method, the identification data of the second base station must be included in the failure history. For example, if the connection with the second base station is attempted and the connection is successful, the positioning means performs positioning. If the connection fails, the identification data of the second base station is used as the failure history. communication terminal device according to further search to said Rukoto the base station of the second wireless communication method other than the second base station as well as add to. Wherein, the communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that repeated connection attempts within a predetermined number of times in the event of a failed connection to the second base station. The control means determines the reason for the failure when the connection with the second base station fails, and determines whether or not the identification data of the second base station can be added to the failure history according to the reason. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination is made.

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