JPH10327463A - Portable information terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate an operation, to improve convenience and to reduce a communication charge by automatically switching a telephone function selected by an application software to be utilized and/or a charge. SOLUTION: The output of a data processing means 1 is inputted and a detection means 2 detects the output data of which application software executed in the data processing means 1 it is. To a control means 6, priority information which is the output of the detection means 2 and signals S for indicating whether or not cellular telephone 4 and a PHS telephone part 5 are communicable from a radio communication part A are supplied. The control means 6 selects the communicable telephone part of high priority among the cellular telephone parts based on the priority information and the signals S and outputs switching signals. A switching means 3 is changeover-controlled corresponding to the switching signals from the control means 6. As a result, the data processed by the executed application software are selectively supplied to the cellular telephone part 4 or the PHS telephone part 5.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a portable information terminal device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various mobile telephones such as a cellular telephone and a PHS (Personal Handy Phone System) have become widespread. Therefore, a multi-mode communication terminal device having a plurality of communication functions including a pager and the like has been considered. However, these communication terminal devices require a button operation to switch to a desired communication function, so that the user is troubled. There was a problem that wanted to give. In order to solve this, a terminal device that has both functions of a cordless phone and a cellular phone, operates the function of the cordless phone in the initial state,
A technology to improve the convenience so that the cordless telephone functions as it is when the communication with the base unit is possible, but is automatically switched to the function of the cellular telephone when the communication is not possible, is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 351127.

[0003]

[0005] Cellular telephones have the advantages of being able to communicate even during high-speed movement and having a wide service area, but also have the disadvantage of high usage fees. On the other hand, PHS has the advantages of low usage fee, high-speed data transmission and suitable for multimedia communication in the future, but cannot be used during high-speed traveling in a car or the like, and the service area is currently narrow. There are also disadvantages such as. As described above, various mobile telephones are currently widely used, but their functions and performances have their own characteristics.

[0004] However, in the above-mentioned prior art, switching using the unique features of various telephone services cannot be easily performed, and such switching requires a user's own judgment. there were. The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and a user can automatically select an optimal telephone system for application software used. The purpose of the present invention is to reduce communication costs without requiring a special operation even for a user with little knowledge of the telephone system and application software.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the portable information terminal device of the present invention has a plurality of wireless communication means, and transmits and receives data using a charge and / or the wireless communication means. The priority is determined based on the contents to be performed, and one of the plurality of wireless communication means can be used according to the priority.

Also, a plurality of wireless communication means, a data processing means for executing a plurality of application software for respectively executing different processes, and a plurality of application software programs executed by detecting the executed application software based on information received from the data processing means. Detecting means for generating priority information of the wireless communication means, means for generating communication enable / disable information of the plurality of wireless communication means, and control for outputting a switching signal according to the output of the detection means and the communication enable / disable information Means, and switching means for enabling one of the plurality of wireless communication means to operate one of the wireless communication means in accordance with the output of the control means.

[0007] Also, a plurality of wireless communication means, a selection designation means for enabling a user to select and specify application software to be executed, and generating priority information of the plurality of wireless communication means, and a plurality of wireless communication means. Means for generating communication availability information, control means for outputting a switching signal according to the output of the selection designation means and the communication availability information, and one of the plurality of wireless communication means according to the output of the control means. Switching means for activating the wireless communication means.

Also, a plurality of wireless communication means, an interface means for inputting data, and a detecting means for detecting data input through the interface means and generating priority information of the plurality of wireless communication means. Means, means for generating communication permission / inhibition information of the plurality of wireless communication means, control means for providing a switching signal in accordance with an output of the detection means and the communication permission / inhibition information, and the plurality of control means in response to an output of the control means. Switching means for enabling one of the wireless communication means to operate one of the wireless communication means.

The invention further comprises a detecting means for generating information indicating the current position, and a storing means for storing information relating to a charge for each wireless communication means associated with the calling area and the receiving area. A charge priority is obtained from the storage unit based on the output of the detection unit and the transmission number, and a switching signal is output according to the obtained charge priority, the output of the detection unit or the selection designation unit, and the communication availability information. It is characterized by the following.

Further, the detecting means detects the type information different from the data inputted through the interface means and generates priority information of a plurality of wireless communication means.

[0011]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a portable information terminal device according to the present invention. The wireless communication unit A includes a cellular telephone unit 4 and a PHS telephone unit 5. The cellular telephone section 4 has a cellular telephone communication function, and has a PHS telephone section 5.
Has a PHS telephone communication function. Data processing means 1
Stores application software for executing processes such as voice communication, personal computer communication, file transfer, videophone, and access to the Internet, and can execute those applications to output data.

The detection means 2 receives the output of the data processing means and detects which application software executed by the data processing means is the output data. For example, if the input data is analyzed to determine that it is voice information, it can be detected that the executed application software is a voice call. Further, the detecting means 2 has a table with a priority for each of the cellular telephone function and the PHS telephone function corresponding to the application software. The priority information corresponding to the application software executed by the data processing means 1 is stored in this table. It has been made to gain more. For example, when performing file transfer, the transmission speed of the file transfer can be either high or low. However, if high-speed transmission is used, the communication time is shortened and the communication cost can be reduced.
The priority of the S telephone function is set highest, and the priority of the cellular telephone function is set in the following order. In the case where the multimedia communication can be connected only to the ISDN, the priority of the PHS telephone function is associated with the highest priority, and the priority of the cellular telephone function is set to zero.

The control means 6 sends the priority information output from the detection means 2 and the cellular phone 4 and PH
A signal S indicating whether or not the S telephone unit 5 can communicate is supplied. The control means 6 selects a communicable telephone unit having a higher priority among the cellular telephone unit and the PHS telephone unit based on the priority information and the signal S, and outputs a switching signal. The switching means 3 is controlled in accordance with a switching signal from the control means 6. As a result, the data processed by the executed application software is selectively transmitted to the cellular telephone unit 4 or the PHS.
It is supplied to the telephone unit 5.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment in which a user selects and specifies application software to be executed. The user can make a selection designation by directly inputting the application software to be executed to the selection designation means 7, for example, by selecting the application software to be executed by a pointing device such as a pen. The selection designating means 7 includes a cellular phone function corresponding to the application software and a PH.
A table is provided with a priority for each S telephone function, and priority information corresponding to the selected and specified application software is obtained from this table. The selection designation means 7 supplies the priority information obtained in this way to the control means 6. The output of the data processing means 1 is directly supplied to the switching means 3.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show an embodiment in the case where the portable information terminal device according to the present invention is connected to a personal computer or the like. An interface 8 is provided to enable connection. FIG. 3 shows a case where the output data of the personal computer is supplied to the interface means 8 and the executed application software is determined from the input data. For example, if the input data is analyzed to determine that it is voice information, it can be detected that the executed application software is a voice call. The detecting means 2 outputs the priority of each telephone function corresponding to the application software of the voice call based on the type information. The control means 6 selects, based on the priority information and the signal S, a telephone unit which can communicate with a higher priority among the cellular telephone unit and the PHS telephone, and outputs a switching signal.

In FIG. 4, data and type information are output from the personal computer or the like by the interface means 8.
Is supplied to the This type information indicates what application software was executed, and includes not only a case where data is supplied separately from the data supplied to the interface unit 8 but also a case where data is supplied together with the supplied data. . The case where both are supplied is, for example, a case where type information is included in the header when the supplied data has a header. The detecting means 2 grasps what the application software executed is based on this type information, and outputs priority information for each telephone function corresponding to the application software. The control unit 6 selects a telephone unit that can communicate with a high priority among the cellular telephone unit and the PHS telephone based on the priority information and the signal S, and outputs a switching signal to the switching unit 3.

Here, depending on the application software to be executed, there may be a case where either the PHS telephone unit or the cellular telephone unit may be used. In this case, the priority of both wireless communication means is the same. For example, if the application to be executed is a voice call, the PHS telephone unit or the cellular telephone unit may be used, so the same priority is set. In this case, the current position information of the portable information terminal device is detected, the position information of the called party is detected from the calling number, and the current position information of the portable information terminal device and the position information of the called party are determined. Then, a table of information on charges registered in advance is searched to compare the communication charges. Then, the order of priority can be determined from the one with the lowest call fee.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an embodiment in which the switching between the cellular telephone unit 4 and the PHS telephone unit 5 can be performed according to the magnitude of the call fee. The detecting means 9 is a means for detecting the current position of the portable terminal device. The detection of the current position is performed, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 6-120876, by transmitting base station identification information and directivity information transmitted by a wireless base station while changing the directivity in a portable information terminal device. And detects the position of the portable information terminal device based on the received electric field strength information. A GSP (Global Positioning Sys- tem) that receives radio waves transmitted from four or more satellites and measures the position of the portable information terminal device.
tem: Global Positioning System). The calling number is obtained when the user presses a dial button of the wireless communication unit, and is supplied to the control means 6. Alternatively, when the calling number is included in the data processing means 1, this may be detected by the detecting means 2 and supplied to the control means 6. in this case,
If the data processing means outputs a header part capable of identifying the telephone number separately from the transmission data, the detecting means can recognize the calling number by recognizing the header part.

The storage means 10 stores a table of communication charges for each calling area from the calling area of the PHS telephone or the cellular phone. This communication charge table is stored in the ROM at the time of shipment, so that if the charge is revised in the future, it can be dealt with simply by replacing the ROM. In the case where information relating to charges is distributed from a communication carrier via a base station, a rewritable memory may be provided in the portable information terminal device, and this information may be stored. Further, a storage medium such as an IC card can be used. The control means 6 selects the optimal telephone unit of the wireless communication means A from the priority information obtained from the detection means 2, the priority of the call charge, and the signal S obtained from the wireless communication part A, To output a switching signal. The selection of the optimal telephone unit will be described later with reference to FIG.

Here, the priority of the call charge is determined by determining the transmission area from the current position of the portable information terminal device detected by the detection means 9, determining the reception area from the transmission number, and stored in the storage means 10. It is determined by comparing the communication fee for each telephone function from the communication fee table.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the outline of the switching process according to the present invention. The executed application software is detected by the detection unit 2 (S200).
The priority corresponding to the detected application software is obtained from the table of application software and telephone function shown in FIG. 7 (S201). For example, when a voice call is detected as the application, the priority “1” in the column of the column 710 of the cellular phone function is acquired in the row 702 of the voice call in FIG. This indicates that the priority when the cellular telephone function is selected in the voice call application is “1”. Similarly, when the PHS telephone function is selected, the priority "1" (70
(2 rows, 712 columns).

Next, the priorities of the cellular telephone function and the PHS telephone function are compared (S202). For example, when the file transfer is detected as the executed application software, the priority of the cellular telephone function is “2” from FIG. 7, similarly, the priority of the PHS telephone function is “1”, and the PHS telephone function has priority. The degree is high. When a voice call is detected as the executed application software, the priority of the cellular telephone function is “1” and the priority of the PHS telephone function is “1”,
The priorities will be the same.

If the priority of the cellular telephone function is the same as the priority of the PHS telephone function, the charges for each communication means are compared (S203). The charge comparison detects the current location information of the portable information terminal device from information indicating which cell is the base station received from the base station, detects the location information of the called party from the calling telephone number, and Based on the current location information of the terminal device and the location information of the called party, the communication fee is compared from the table shown in FIG. 8 registered in advance. For example,
If the telephone number of the called party is “cellular phone”, the incoming “cellular phone” is shown in FIG. 8 regardless of the calling area.
Is selected, and the price "X
1 (row 800 and column 810) and PHS phone function charge "Y1" (row 800 and column 811). If the current position of the transmitting portable information terminal device is in the "06" area and the telephone number of the called party is in the "06" area, the line 801 of the calling "06" and the calling "06" in FIG. Selected "X2" for cellular telephone function
(Row 801 and column 810) and the charge “Y2” for the PHS telephone function (row 801 and column 811). Then, “X2” and “Y2” are compared, and “X2> Y
If "2", the PHS telephone function is selected and "X2 <Y
If "2", the cellular telephone function is selected.

If the priority of the PHS telephone function is higher than the priority of the cellular telephone function, or if the priority is the same and the PHS telephone function is selected as a result of the above charge comparison,
It is determined whether the PHS telephone unit 5 can communicate (S
204). The determination as to whether or not communication is possible with the PHS telephone unit 5 is made based on the signal S acquired from the wireless communication unit A. As a result, if communication is possible, switching to the PHS telephone unit 5 is performed (S
206) If it is determined that communication is not possible, it is determined whether or not the cellular telephone unit 4 can communicate. Whether the cellular phone unit 4 can communicate is determined by determining whether the executed application software is suitable for communication using the cellular phone function and whether communication using the cellular phone unit is possible (S207). ). For example, when an application using ISDN is detected as the executed application, the priority of the cellular telephone function is "0" (705 rows, 710 columns) from FIG. 7, indicating that communication is not possible. In this case, the switching process is terminated without switching to the cellular telephone unit (S209). On the other hand, when it is determined that the telephone call of the cellular telephone unit 5 is possible, that is, the priority is “1”.
Alternatively, if "2" and the signal S indicating whether communication with the base station notified from the cellular telephone unit 4 is possible is possible, switching to the cellular telephone unit 5 is performed (S20).
8).

If the priority of the cellular telephone function is higher than the priority of the PHS telephone function, or if the priority is the same and the cellular telephone function is selected as a result of the above charge comparison, the cellular telephone unit 4 can communicate. Is determined (S
205). The determination as to whether or not communication is possible with the cellular telephone unit 4 is made based on the signal S acquired from the wireless communication unit A. As a result, if communication is possible, switching to the cellular telephone unit 4 is performed (S210), and if communication is determined to be impossible, it is determined whether or not the PHS telephone unit 5 can communicate. Whether the PHS telephone unit 5 can communicate is determined by determining whether the executed application software is suitable for communication by the PHS telephone function and by determining whether communication by the PHS telephone unit 5 is possible ( S211). If the executed application software is suitable for communication by the PHS telephone function and communication is possible, PH
The switching to the S telephone unit 5 is performed (S212). If not, the process ends without switching to the PHS telephone unit 5 (S209). In the embodiments, the cellular phone function and the PHS phone function have been described, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0026]

According to the present invention, since the telephone function to be selected is automatically switched according to the application software and / or the charge to be used, the operation becomes easy, the convenience is improved, and the communication charge is reduced. Can be. In addition, since the telephone function to be selected by the application software to be used is automatically switched, even those who have little knowledge of the communication conditions of the telephone function can communicate with communication means suitable for the application software to be used. Have. further,
Since the telephone unit is automatically switched to the telephone unit with lower communication cost based on the information on the fee, it is effective in reducing the communication cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is another functional block diagram according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is another functional block diagram according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is another functional block diagram according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is another functional block diagram according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a process according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing correspondence between application software and priorities in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a charge for each telephone function in the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Application means 2 Detecting means 3 Switching means 4 Cellular telephone part 5 PHS telephone part 6 Control means 7 Selection designation means 8 Interface 9 Detecting means 10 Storage means

Claims (8)

[Claims] Claims: 1. A system comprising: a plurality of wireless communication means;
Alternatively, a portable information terminal device for selectively using one of the plurality of wireless communication means according to a priority determined based on contents transmitted and received using the wireless communication means. 2. A plurality of wireless communication means, a plurality of data processing means for executing a plurality of application software for executing different processes, and a plurality of application software executed based on information received from the data processing means to detect the executed application software. Detecting means for generating priority information of the wireless communication means, means for generating communication enable / disable information of the plurality of wireless communication means, and control for outputting a switching signal according to the output of the detection means and the communication enable / disable information Portable information terminal device comprising: means for switching one of the plurality of wireless communication means to operate one of the wireless communication means in response to an output of the control means. 3. A plurality of wireless communication means and a user can select and specify application software to be executed,
Selection / designation means for generating priority information of the plurality of wireless communication means, means for generating communication availability information of the plurality of wireless communication means, a switching signal in accordance with an output of the selection / designation means and the communication availability information A portable information terminal device comprising: a control unit that outputs a signal; and a switching unit that enables one of the plurality of wireless communication units to operate one of the wireless communication units in accordance with an output of the control unit. 4. A plurality of wireless communication means, an interface means for inputting data, and a detection means for detecting data input via the interface means and generating priority information of the plurality of wireless communication means. Means, means for generating communication permission / inhibition information of the plurality of wireless communication means, control means for providing a switching signal in accordance with an output of the detection means and the communication permission / inhibition information, and the plurality of control means in response to an output of the control means. A portable information terminal device comprising: a switching unit that enables one wireless communication unit to operate from one of the wireless communication units. 5. A plurality of wireless communication means, a plurality of data processing means for executing a plurality of application software programs each performing a different process, and the plurality of wireless communication means detecting application software executed based on information received from the data processing means. Detecting means for generating priority information of the wireless communication means, means for generating communication availability information of the plurality of wireless communication means, detecting means for generating information indicating the current position, and corresponding to the calling area and the receiving area A storage unit in which information relating to a charge for each attached wireless communication unit is stored; and a charge priority is obtained from the storage unit based on an output of the detection unit and a calling number, and the obtained charge priority and the detection unit are obtained. Control means for outputting a switching signal in accordance with the output of the communication and the communication availability information, and one of the plurality of wireless communication means in response to the output of the control means Portable information terminal device provided with a switching means for enabling operating the line communication means. 6. A plurality of wireless communication means and a user can select and specify application software to be executed,
Selection / designation means for generating priority information of the plurality of wireless communication means; means for generating communication availability information of the plurality of wireless communication means; detection means for generating information indicating a current position; A storage unit in which information relating to a charge for each wireless communication unit associated with an area is stored, and a charge priority is obtained from the storage unit based on an output and a calling number of the detection unit, and the obtained charge priority is obtained. Control means for providing a switching signal in accordance with the output of the detection means and the communication availability information; and switching means for enabling one of the plurality of wireless communication means to operate one of the wireless communication means in accordance with the output of the control means Portable information terminal device provided. 7. A plurality of wireless communication means, an interface means for inputting / outputting data, and detecting data inputted via the interface means to generate priority information of the plurality of wireless communication means. Detecting means, means for generating communication availability information of the plurality of wireless communication means, detecting means for generating information indicating a current position, and information on charges for each wireless communication means associated with a calling area and a receiving area. The charge priority is obtained from the storage means based on the stored storage means and the output of the detection means and the transmission number, and is switched according to the obtained charge priority, the output of the detection means, and the communication availability information. A portable information terminal device comprising: a control unit that outputs a signal; and a switching unit that enables one of the plurality of wireless communication units to operate one of the wireless communication units in accordance with an output of the control unit. 8. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said detecting means detects the type information different from the data inputted through the interface means and generates priority information of a plurality of wireless communication means. 8. The portable information terminal device according to 7.