JPH10108261A - Portable telephone set - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a portable telephone set that is sufficiently utilized by the user by providing much more opportunities of use of the portable telephone set to the user, though there are the problems that the user can not sufficiently utilize a conventional portable telephone set. SOLUTION: A comparator 1 discriminates to be outside of zone/inside of zone based on a reception electric field strength detected by a reception section 6 and on number of errors in digital data detected by a decoding section 8, and when a CPU 11 discriminates that the portable telephone set moves from a service zone to an outside of zone, the CPU 11 starts to operate a timer 15 which starts counting a prescribed time and the CPU 11 allows a display section 14 to make a proximity indication that displays that the portable telephone set existed in an inside of zone just before till the timer 15 was in time out.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable telephone which periodically communicates with a base station and determines whether or not it is within an available service area (hereinafter simply referred to as "service area"). The present invention relates to a mobile phone that can be used sufficiently by displaying the fact that the user is in the area, thereby increasing the chances of use.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A portable telephone communicates with a radio communication facility called a base station installed in various places, and calls another telephone or the like connected to a public telephone network via the base station. For this reason, depending on circumstances such as the electric field strength and the positional relationship between the base station and the mobile phone, there are areas where the mobile phone cannot be used (out of service area, hereinafter simply referred to as “out of service area”).

[0003] In addition, a control station or the like that controls each base station constantly monitors the position of the mobile phone in order to reduce the load on the entire system due to invalid calling of the mobile phone. Is communicating with a mobile phone. Therefore, the mobile phone measures the electric field strength using radio waves of communication from the base station for monitoring this position, and determines whether the mobile phone is in or out of range.
It is displayed.

A conventional portable telephone will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a configuration block diagram of a conventional mobile phone. As shown in FIG. 3, a conventional mobile phone includes a microphone 1, an A / D converter 2, an encoder 3, a modulator 4,
A transmitting unit 5, a receiving unit 6, a demodulating unit 7, a decoding unit 8,
It comprises a D / A conversion unit 9, a speaker 10, a CPU 11, a comparator 12, a display control unit 13, and a display unit 14.

Next, the function of each part will be described in detail. The microphone 1 converts the voice around the mobile phone, in particular, the voice of the user into an analog voice signal, amplifies the analog voice signal, and A / D
The data is output to the converter 2. The A / D converter 2 converts an analog audio signal input from the microphone 1 into digital audio data and outputs the digital audio data to the encoder 3.

The encoding section 3 performs processing necessary for transmission, such as adding an error correction code to the digital audio data input from the A / D conversion section 2 and converting the digital audio data into a predetermined code sequence. Then, the data is output to the modulation unit 4 as digital data. The modulator 4 modulates the digital data input from the encoder 3 by a specific modulation method, and outputs the modulated data to the transmitter 5 as a modulated signal. The transmitting section 5 transmits a modulated signal input from the modulating section 4 to a base station via an antenna.

Receiving section 6 receives a radio wave transmitted from a base station, detects the received electric field strength, and detects a signal indicating the magnitude of the detected received electric field strength (hereinafter, referred to as a received electric field strength signal). ) Is output to the CPU 11, and the received radio wave is converted into a baseband signal (modulated signal) and output to the demodulation unit 7. The demodulation unit 7 demodulates the modulated signal input from the reception unit 6 and outputs the demodulated signal to the decoding unit 8 as digital data.

[0008] The decoding unit 8 performs error correction and the like on the digital data input from the demodulation unit 7 and outputs the digital data to the D / A conversion unit 9 as digital audio data. The number is output to the CPU 11. The D / A converter 9 converts digital audio data input from the decoder 8 into an analog audio signal and outputs the analog audio signal to the speaker 10. The speaker 10 is D
It converts an analog audio signal input from the / A converter 9 into audio and outputs the audio.

[0009] The CPU 11 receives the input of the received field strength signal from the receiving section 6, further receives the number of errors from the decoding section 8, and outputs them to the comparator 12. Further, the CPU 11 receives an input of the result of the out-of-service / in-service determination from the comparator 12 and causes the display control unit 13 to display the result of the determination.

The comparator 12 performs an operation based on the received electric field strength signal input from the CPU 11 and the number of errors to determine whether the area is out of service or within service. In particular,
If the received electric field strength signal is smaller than a certain value or if the number of errors is larger than a certain number, it is determined that the mobile terminal is out of the service area. is there. Here, the comparator 12 may perform other operations. That is, if the comparator 12 performs the out-of-service / in-service determination based on a certain standard, the description here does not lose generality.

The display control unit 13 outputs the result of the out-of-service / in-service determination instructed by the CPU 11 to be displayed on the display unit 14. The display unit 14 is an LCD (Liquid
Cristal Display) for displaying outside / in the service area under the control of the display control unit 13. In addition, CPU
The display control unit 11, the display control unit 13, and the display unit 14 perform out-of-service / in-service determination and display, and also perform control / display such as a telephone directory function as an additional function of the mobile phone. However, they are omitted here for the sake of simplicity.

Next, the operation of the conventional portable telephone will be described. However, since the functions related to general telephone calls do not relate to the characteristic parts of the present invention, the description is omitted.
Here, only the operation for realizing the function of judging outside / in-service area and displaying the same will be described. First, the receiving unit 6 receives a radio wave from a base station via an antenna,
The received electric field intensity is detected, and the detected electric field intensity is output to the CPU 11 as a received electric field intensity signal, and the received radio wave is converted into a modulation signal and output to the demodulation unit 7.

The modulated signal is demodulated by a demodulation unit 7 to become digital data, and the digital data is decoded by a decoding unit 8.
Is converted into a digital audio signal by processing such as error correction. The number of errors detected during the error correction is output to the CPU 11.

Then, the CPU 11 receives the input of the received electric field strength signal from the receiving unit 6, further receives the input of the number of errors from the decoding unit 8, outputs them to the comparator 12, and outputs them to the comparator 12. Based on the determination, the outside / inside area is determined, and the result is output to the CPU 11. Then, the CPU 11 instructs the display control unit 13 to display the result of the determination, and the display control unit 13 displays the result of the determination on the display unit 14.

[0015]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional portable telephone, for example, when the portable telephone is located outside the service area even in the vicinity of the boundary between the service area and the outside service area, the comparator 1 is not used.
2 is determined to be out of the service area, and even if the user can enter the service area by moving even one step, the user cannot know it and often finds and uses a nearby public telephone. However, the use of the mobile phone is missed, and the significance of carrying the mobile phone is reduced, and there is a problem that the mobile phone cannot be fully utilized.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and displays a message indicating that the user has recently been in a service area even if the user is out of service area, and retreats to the user and moves to the service area. An object of the present invention is to provide a mobile phone that can be fully utilized by providing more opportunities to use it.

[0017]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable telephone, which includes a portable telephone which is out of an available service area and is finally in an available service area. It is characterized in that the neighborhood display is performed for a specific time from the time, and it is possible to provide a user with an opportunity to use the mobile phone.

According to a second aspect of the present invention for solving the problems of the conventional example, at least a radio wave received from a base station is converted into a modulated signal and output, and the electric field strength of the received radio wave is converted into the received electric field strength. A receiving unit that outputs as a signal,
A demodulation unit that demodulates the modulated signal and outputs the digital data, and a decoding unit that receives the input of the digital data and outputs the number of errors detected from an error correction code added to the digital data. A comparator that determines whether the received electric field strength signal and the number of errors are within an available range or out of range, a display unit that displays an available range or out of range, and a determination of the comparator. A mobile phone having a CPU for receiving the result of the determination and outputting the result of the determination to the display unit, wherein a timer is provided for measuring a specific time after being activated, and outputting a timeout signal when the measurement is completed. When the CPU receives the determination of the comparator and determines that the mobile terminal has moved from the service area to the outside of the service area, the CPU activates the timer, and the specific time until receiving the input of the timeout signal is: Is characterized by a CPU for performing processing for the neighbor display, it can provide the opportunity to use the mobile phone to the user.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable telephone as set forth in the second aspect, wherein the CPU has a first flag, and the first flag is provided when the CPU is within a service area. The flag is set to a certain logic state, and when the mobile phone moves from the service area to the outside of the service area, if the first flag is the certain logic state, a timer is started and a specific time until a time-out signal is received, It is characterized by being a CPU that performs a process of performing proximity display, and can provide a user with an opportunity to use a mobile phone.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable telephone according to the second or third aspect, wherein the CPU receives a time-out signal and terminates the specific time. After that, the CPU is characterized by performing processing for displaying the out-of-service area, and can provide a user with an opportunity to use the mobile phone.

The invention according to claim 5 for solving the problem of the above-mentioned conventional example is according to claim 2 or 3 or 4.
In the mobile phone described in the above, the CPU has a second flag, sets the second flag to a certain logical state when the display is in the vicinity, and sets the second flag when the mobile phone moves from outside the service area to the service area. If the predetermined logical state, the CPU reverses the logical state, performs a process of stopping the vicinity display and displaying the area, and stops the timer. Can provide the opportunity to be used.

[0022]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Mobile phone according to the present invention (this device)
Indicates that the user has moved out of the service area, but does not immediately display the outside of the service area, but informs the user that he / she is in the vicinity of the service area for a specific period of time. It provides an opportunity for the utilization of the information.

This apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram of a mobile phone according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, this apparatus comprises a microphone 1
A / D conversion unit 2, encoding unit 3, modulation unit 4, transmission unit 5, reception unit 6, demodulation unit 7, decoding unit 8, D / A
The conversion unit 9, the speaker 10, the CPU 11, and the comparator 1
2, a display control unit 13, a display unit 14, and a timer 15.

The present apparatus has basically the same configuration as that of a conventional portable telephone, but differs from the conventional one in the processing in the CPU 11 and the addition of the timer 15.

The processing in the CPU 11 will now be described. As in the conventional case, the CPU 11 always receives the input of the received field strength signal from the receiving unit 6 and further receives the input of the number of errors from the decoding unit 8, Are sequentially output to the comparator 12, and the result of the out-of-service / in-service determination is input from the comparator 12 and displayed on the display control unit 13. Processing is also performed. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the processing of the characteristic part of the present invention in the CPU 11.

Here, the CPU 11 sets the first and second logic states to be constant (for example, "0") at the time of initialization.
A second flag (not shown) is provided. As will be described later, the first flag is used for temporarily storing the input from the comparator 12, and is used for the second flag. The flag is used for the purpose of indicating that the timer 15 is counting time, that is, that the unit has been in range recently. Here, the constant logic state at the time of initialization is set to “0”, but even if this is the inverted state “1”, the logical value is simply inverted, and there is no difference in configuration. . However, in the following description, a certain logical state at the time of initialization is described as “0”.

After initialization, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the result of the determination from the comparator 12 is within the service area (S1).
If it is within the range, the first flag is set to "1" (S2).
In addition, if it is out of the service area in the processing S1, the CPU 11
Instructs the display control unit 13 to display the out-of-service area (S
3) Return to the processing S1.

After executing the process S2, the CPU 11 receives the result of the determination from the comparator 12 again and determines whether or not it is out of the service area (S4). The flag of 1 is reset to "0", the second flag is set to "1" (it was within range recently), and the timer 15 is started (S5). In this process S4, the first flag is “1” (the result of the previous determination is within the range).
It is assumed that

If it is determined in step S4 that the result of the determination from the comparator 12 is within the service area, step S4 is repeated. Then, after the process S5, the CPU 11 instructs the display control unit 13 to display a display indicating that the vehicle was in the past area in the past (hereinafter, referred to as proximity display) (S6). Here, the proximity display may be performed by, for example, blinking a display (indicator) of the service area or outside the service area.

Further, when the result of the determination of the area is input from the comparator 12 (S7), the CPU 11 sets the first flag to "1" and resets the second flag to "0". Timer 1 to prevent invalid timing
5 is stopped (S8), and the process returns to step S1.

If the result of step S7 is that the terminal is out of the service area, C
The PU 11 determines whether or not a signal indicating that the time measurement has ended (hereinafter, referred to as a timeout signal) has been received from the timer 15 (S9).
If it is s), the second flag is reset to "0", and the display control unit 13 is instructed to stop the vicinity display and to perform the display outside the service area (S10), and returns to the processing S1. In step S9, if the input of the timeout signal has not been received (No), the process S7
Return to

The timer 15 is started by the CPU 11,
This is for measuring a preset fixed time. Here, the certain time is a time for performing the neighborhood display, and is appropriately set to, for example, about 1 to 2 minutes. If it is too long, it is faster to find a nearby public telephone. The timer 15 outputs a time-out signal to the CPU 11 when the time measurement is completed.
In addition, the timer 15 is stopped by the CPU 11 to keep time.
This is to stop timing.

The microphone 1, the A / D converter 2, the encoder 3, the modulator 4, the transmitter 5, the receiver 6, the demodulator 7, the decoder 8, / A converter 9 and speaker 1
0, the comparator 12, the display control unit 13, and the display unit 14 are the same as those of the related art, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

Next, the operation of the present apparatus will be described.
Only the display operation outside the service area will be described. First, considering that the user is moving within the service area, in this apparatus, the CPU 11 receives the input of the result of the service area determination from the comparator 12 by the same operation as in the related art.
The CPU 11 sets the first flag to “1” (the result of the previous determination is within range).

When the user steps out of the area and moves, the CPU 11 receives the result of the out-of-area determination from the comparator 12 and the first flag is "1".
Is reset to "0", and the second flag is set to "1".
(It was within the service area in the past) and the timer 15 is started.

Then, the timer 15 starts counting time, and the CP
U11 instructs the display control unit 13 to perform the neighborhood display. Then, the display unit 14 is controlled by the display control unit 13 to perform the neighborhood display.

If the user tries to use the apparatus and the vicinity is displayed, the user can retreat and return to the service area if possible, and can use the apparatus there. .

According to the portable telephone according to the embodiment of the present invention,
Even if you are located outside the service area,
This is displayed, and the user can get an opportunity to use the apparatus by moving backward and into the service area, so that the mobile phone can be fully utilized.

[0040]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, even if the mobile phone is out of the service area, the mobile phone displays the vicinity for a specific time from the last time it was in the service area. There is an effect that an opportunity that a telephone can be used is provided, and the mobile phone can be fully utilized.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the receiving section converts the received radio wave into a modulated signal and outputs the modulated signal, outputs the received electric field strength signal of the received radio wave, and the demodulation section demodulates the modulated signal. Output as digital data, the decoding unit detects errors in the digital data and outputs the number of errors,
The comparator determines and outputs the in-range / out-of-range from the received field strength signal and the number of errors, and the CPU performs a process of displaying and outputting the determination of the comparator, and the display unit displays the in-range / out-of-range determination. A telephone that has a timer that outputs a time-out signal after measuring a specific time after being activated, and when the CPU determines that the mobile terminal has moved from the service area to the outside of the service area based on the determination of the comparator, the timer is activated to output the time-out signal. Input is waited for and the display is performed in the vicinity, thereby providing the user with an opportunity to use the mobile phone if he returns to his / her home before a specific time, thereby enabling the user to make full use of the mobile phone. There is.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the CPU has the first flag indicating that the vehicle is within the service area, and moves out of the service area when the first flag indicates that the service area is within the service area. 3. The mobile phone according to claim 2, wherein the CPU activates the timer and displays the proximity until a time-out signal is received, so that the activation of the timer is ensured. Can be performed more accurately, and the user is provided with an opportunity to use the mobile phone if he / she returns to his / her place before a specific time, and the mobile phone can be fully utilized.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the cellular phone according to the first, second, or third aspect of the present invention performs the proximity display by blinking the indicator within the service area and / or the indicator outside the service area. The effect of being able to perform proximity display using the display device of the present invention, providing the user with an appropriate opportunity to use the mobile phone while easily realizing the invention, and fully utilizing the mobile phone. There is.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the specific time is set to about 1 to 2 minutes.
As it is the mobile phone described,
By not displaying the neighborhood after about a minute, the user can recognize that it is faster to search for a nearby public phone than to return, thereby increasing the reliability of the proximity display and allowing the user to do so. Thus, there is an effect that the opportunity to use the mobile phone is provided accurately, and the mobile phone can be fully utilized.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the cellular phone according to the second or third aspect of the present invention performs the out-of-area display upon receiving a time-out signal from the timer. By clearly displaying the outside of the service area, the user is provided with an opportunity to use the mobile phone if he returns to his / her home before a specific time, and the mobile phone can be fully utilized.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, when the CPU has the second flag indicating that the near display is being performed, and the second flag indicates that the near display is being performed, If it is determined that the comparator has moved from outside the service area to the service area, C
7. The mobile phone according to claim 2, wherein the PU inverts the logical state of the second flag, performs a process of stopping the vicinity display and displaying the service area, and stopping the timer. Therefore, when the vehicle arrives within the service area, the display can be immediately performed, and the user can be provided with an opportunity to use the mobile phone accurately, and the mobile phone can be fully utilized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram of a mobile phone according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating processing of a characteristic part of the present invention in a CPU 11;

FIG. 3 is a configuration block diagram of a conventional mobile phone.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... microphone, 2 ... A / D conversion unit, 3 ... encoding unit,
4 ... Modulation unit, 5 ... Transmission unit, 6 ... Reception unit, 7 ... Demodulation unit, 8 ... Decoding unit, 9 ... D / A conversion unit, 10 ... Speaker, 11 ... CPU, 12 ... Comparator, 13 ... Display Control unit, 14 ... Display unit, 15 ... Timer

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Kenji Kusano 3-14-20 Higashinakano Nakano-ku Tokyo

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A mobile phone characterized in that, even when the mobile phone is out of the service area, the neighborhood display is performed for a specific time from when the mobile phone was last in the service area. 2. A receiving unit for converting at least a radio wave received from a base station into a modulated signal and outputting the modulated signal, and outputting the electric field intensity of the received radio wave as a received electric field intensity signal; A demodulator that receives the digital data, outputs a number of errors detected from an error correction code added to the digital data, and outputs the received field strength signal and the error. A comparator that determines whether the mobile phone is within the available service area or outside the service area, a display unit that displays the available service area or the outside service area, and receives the determination of the comparator, and displays the result of the determination. A mobile phone having a CPU for performing a process of outputting to a display unit, wherein a timer for measuring a specific time after being started and outputting a time-out signal when the measurement is completed is provided; When the CPU receives the determination of the comparator and determines that the user has moved from the service area to the outside of the service area, the CPU activates the timer and performs a process of performing the neighborhood display for a specific time until receiving the input of the timeout signal. A mobile phone characterized by the above-mentioned. 3. A CPU having a first flag, sets the first flag to a predetermined logical state if the mobile phone is in the service area, and sets the first flag to the predetermined state when the mobile phone moves from the service area to the outside of the service area. 3. The mobile phone according to claim 2, wherein the mobile phone is a CPU that activates a timer if the logic state is constant, and performs a process of displaying a neighborhood for a specific time until receiving a time-out signal. 4. The mobile phone according to claim 1, wherein the near display is performed by blinking a display within a service area and / or a display outside a service area. 5. The mobile phone according to claim 1, wherein the specific time is about 1 minute to 2 minutes. 6. The mobile phone according to claim 2, wherein the CPU is a CPU that performs a process of displaying an out-of-service area after a specific time has elapsed after receiving a time-out signal. . 7. A CPU having a second flag, sets the second flag to a predetermined logical state when the display is in the vicinity, and sets the second flag when the mobile phone moves from outside the service area to the service area. 4. The CPU according to claim 2, wherein if the logic state is a certain logic state, the logic state is inverted, the vicinity display is stopped, a process of displaying the inside of the area is performed, and a timer is stopped. The mobile phone according to claim 6.