JPH11259398A - Portable information terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To connect to the nearest access point without newly checking an access point even when you are out by retrieving an access point of a host station based on a means specifying the present place and automatically performing dial-up connection to the nearest access point. SOLUTION: A body controller 3 transfers data to be shown among data such as a character code and a program which are inputted by an input device 1 to a display device 2 to display it. When a user selects a data communication function, first, a global positioning system 4 measures the current position. Next, which area of a telephone number partition the present place belongs to is decided based on measured data and the telephone number of an access point that can be used in the region is retrieved from an access point list of a host station. If an access point does not exist in the region, the telephone number is retrieved in an adjacent region and dial-up connection is performed to the nearest access point.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention has a data communication function capable of performing data communication using a public line by making a dial-up connection to an access point set by a host station such as the Internet. It relates to a portable information terminal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, such as the Internet,
When performing data communication using the public line via the access point of the host station, dial-up connection to the access point set by the host station is made to connect the host station to the public line. At this time, usually, a dial-up connection is made to the nearest access point in order to reduce the usage charge of the public line, but the user has selected the access point to be used every time data communication is performed.

[0003]

In recent years, portable information terminals and the like have been miniaturized and have become more convenient to carry, so that they are used for data communication and the like when carried on a business trip or the like. When performing data communication using a public line via the access point of the host station, the access point generally selects the access point that can be used at the lowest cost according to the area of the line usage fee in order to reduce the line usage fee. . At this time,
For example, when performing data communication from a certain fixed point such as a home, the access point is usually determined to be one. However, when data communication is attempted from a destination such as a business trip destination by a portable information terminal or the like, the nearest access point is checked again for dial-up connection, which is inconvenient and burdensome in performing data communication. There was a problem.

[0004]

In order to solve this problem, the present invention uses a means for specifying a current location such as a global positioning system, and searches for an access point of a host station based on the information to automatically perform the search. A means for dial-up connection to the nearest access point is provided.

[0005]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a portable information terminal. An input device 1 is an input device such as a keyboard or a tablet for inputting a desired character or an operation mode. Give input such as command code. The display device 2 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display that displays the operation status of the portable information terminal, program data, and the like, and displays the data transferred from the main body control device 3.

[0007] The global positioning system 4 is a system for receiving signals from navigation satellites and measuring the current position, and provides the current position information to the main controller 3. The data communication device 5 is a data communication device for transmitting and receiving data using a public line, and performs data transmission and reception between the main controller 3 and the host station.

The main controller 3 transfers data to be displayed among data such as a character code and a program used from the input device 1 to the display device 2 to display the data, and performs the input operation. The operation mode is changed according to the command code, and the program and its data are stored. Also, based on the current position information provided by the global positioning system, the nearest access point is searched, dial-up connected, and data is transmitted and received.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for establishing a dial-up connection. When a data communication function is selected by the user, the current position is first measured by the global positioning system. Next, based on the measured data, it is determined to which area of the telephone number category the current location belongs, and a telephone number of an access point that can be used in the area is searched from the access point list of the host station.

If there is no access point in the area, an adjacent area is searched and a dial-up connection is made to the nearest access point. Here, the means used for measuring the position is a global positioning system, but other means, such as information on communication performed between the mobile communication terminal and the base station, are used to specify the position. Has the same effect.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an external view of the portable information terminal.

[0012]

According to the present invention, a means for specifying a current location such as a global positioning system is used to search for an access point of a host station based on the information, and a dial-up connection is automatically made to the nearest access point, so that the user can go anew. You can connect to the nearest access point without checking the access point.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a flowchart of dial-up connection according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a portable information terminal.

FIG. 3 is an external view of a portable information terminal.

[Description of Signs] 1 ... input device, 2 ... display device, 3 ... body control device, 4 ...
Global positioning system, 5 ... data communication device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A data communication device for transmitting and receiving data using at least a public line, a main body control device for storing a system program and controlling the data communication device and the like by using the data communication device, and a display device for displaying data and the like. A portable information terminal having an input device for providing an input to the control device,
A portable information terminal comprising: means for automatically dialing up to an access point set by a nearest host station from information on a current position specified by a means for specifying a current position such as a global positioning system.