KR20080011533A - Apparatus and method for checking radio access technology in portable terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for checking an RAT(Radio Access Technology) in a mobile terminal are provided to allow a mobile terminal to check an RAT existing in an area where the mobile terminal is located and perform accessing by preventing storing RAT information corresponding to area information. A satellite signal receiving module(104) receives a satellite signal. A memory unit(102) stores area information and RAT information with respect to the area information. A controller(100) checks an area where a mobile terminal is located by using the satellite signal through the satellite signal receiving module(104) and obtains RAT information corresponding to the checked area. A UMTS(Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) module(118) searches a third-generation communication service upon receiving an instruction of the controller(100). A GSM(Global System for Mobile communication) module(116) searches a second-generation communication service upon receiving an instruction of the controller(100).

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CHECKING RADIO ACCESS TECHNOLOGY IN PORTABLE TERMINAL}

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a portable terminal for checking usable Radio Access Technology (RAT) information according to the present invention;

2 is a flowchart illustrating a process for checking Radio Access Technology (RAT) information available in a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a diagram illustrating Radio Access Technology (RAT) information corresponding to a region according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for searching for an accessible network in an asynchronous portable terminal, and in particular, the location of the portable terminal by storing radio access technology (RAT) information existing in each region in the portable terminal in advance. The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for confirming information according to the present invention.

Based on the rapidly developed mobile communication technology by commercializing cellular phones in the early 1980s, the mobile terminal and computer users have recently been able to transmit digitized voice, video and multimedia data at high speeds of 2 Mbps or more. A mobile telecommunication system (UMTS: Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (hereinafter referred to as 'UMTS') has been developed to provide a service.

Currently, the UMTS has started commercial services in many countries around the world, and subscribers are also on the rise, leading to standardization in the 3GPP (3 Generation Partnership Project).

In addition, the UMTS can provide a high-speed data / multimedia service more efficiently than the existing second generation communication service, and can provide an international roaming function that can be used anywhere since it is expected to be widely used worldwide.

The portable terminal supporting the UMTS as described above supports the second generation communication service (GSM: Global System for Mobile communication) and the third generation communication service (UMTS) to change the communication mode according to the signal received from each system to perform communication. I can keep it.

The communication mode means a network environment that can be set and used in a portable terminal. For example, it refers to an environment in which a portable terminal uses a third generation communication mode and a second generation communication mode by using a call connection, or sets only one communication mode of a second generation communication mode or a third generation communication mode.

However, the portable terminal performs a process of searching for a third generation communication service even when located in an area supporting only the second generation communication service.

That is, when the portable terminal is booted (powered on) or the portable terminal is located in an area where the portable terminal cannot be connected to the base station and is located in an area where the portable terminal can be connected to the base station, the portable terminal can be connected to the communication system. After searching for a communication service (2nd generation communication service, 3rd generation communication service), one communication service is selected and connected.

By performing the above process, there is a problem in that it consumes time and unnecessary resources (eg, battery consumption) for accessing the communication system.

Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus and method for identifying and accessing a communication system existing in an area where the portable terminal is located.

In order to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for checking the radio access technology information of the region where the asynchronous portable terminal is located in the asynchronous portable terminal.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for performing a search for an accessible communication service using radio access technology information in an asynchronous portable terminal.

According to a first aspect of the present invention for achieving the above objects, an apparatus for identifying radio access technology information includes a satellite signal receiving module for receiving satellite signals, area information and radio access technology information for the area information. And a controller configured to store the memory unit, and to receive the satellite signal through the satellite signal receiving module to identify an area where the device is located, and to control wireless access technology information corresponding to the identified area. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention for achieving the above objects, a method for confirming wireless access technology information in a portable terminal includes the steps of identifying the location of the portable terminal when a radio access technology information confirmation event occurs; Acquiring the radio access technology information of the identified location; and if the obtained radio access technology information is information indicating the existence of the second generation communication service, searching for the second generation communication service and performing a call connection. It is characterized by.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In describing the present invention, when it is determined that a detailed description of a related known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In the following description, Radio Access Technology (RAT) information existing in each region is stored in a portable terminal in advance to check information according to the location of the portable terminal to perform a call connection to the communication service included in the checked information. An apparatus and a method for carrying out the same are provided.

In addition, the following portable terminals include all asynchronous portable terminals capable of positioning, and in the following description, a portable terminal having a satellite signal receiving module will be described as an example.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a portable terminal for identifying an accessible radio access technology among radio access technology (RAT) information according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a control unit (MPU: Micro-Processor Unit) 100 controls the overall operation of the portable terminal. For example, when an event for performing processing and control for voice call and data communication and confirming radio access technology information according to the present invention in addition to the normal function occurs, the operation of the satellite signal receiving module 104 is stopped. By controlling to receive a GPS satellite signal to control the location of the portable terminal. Thereafter, the wireless access information corresponding to the checked position is identified to process a search of the communication service according to the checked information.

That is, when confirming wireless access information indicating that only the second generation communication system exists, the GSM module 116 instructs the second generation communication service to perform a call connection.

The memory unit 102 includes a read only memory (ROM) and a random access memory (RAM), and the ROM includes a microcode and various reference data of a program for processing and controlling the control unit 100. And store wireless local area information and wireless access technology information corresponding to the local information according to the present invention.

The RAM is a working memory of the controller 100 and stores temporary data generated during execution of various programs.

In addition, the memory unit 102 may have a microprocessor and a memory chip itself, and include a SIM card (Subscriber Identification Module card) (not shown) for storing various types of information of the user.

The satellite signal receiving module (GPS module) 104 receives satellite signals including time information, latitude, longitude and altitude, system status, speed, route and date, and local time from the GPS satellites.

The input unit 106 includes 0 to 9 numeric key buttons, a menu button (menu), a cancel button (clear), an OK button, a call button (TALK), an end button (END), an internet access button, a navigation key and a text. A plurality of function keys such as an input key are provided, and key input data corresponding to a key pressed by the user is provided to the controller 100.

The display unit 108 displays status information generated during the operation of the portable terminal, a limited number of characters, a large amount of moving images and still images, and the like. The display unit 108 may use a color liquid crystal display (LCD).

A codec 110 connected to the control unit 100, a speaker 112 and a microphone 114 connected to the codec 110 are voice input / output blocks used for phone calls and voice recording. The codec 110 converts PCM (pulse code modulation) data provided from the controller 100 into an analog voice signal, transmits the same through the speaker 112, and receives the voice signal received through the microphone 114. PCM (pulse code modulation) data is converted to provide to the control unit 100.

The UMTS module 118 performs a call connection to the third generation communication service under the control of the controller 100, and when receiving, channel decoding the received signal by decreasing the radio frequency signal received through the antenna. In the case of transmission, data is channel coded and the frequency is increased and transmitted through the antenna.

The GSM module 116 performs a call connection to the second generation communication service under the control of the control unit 100, and when receiving, channel decoding the received signal by decreasing the radio frequency signal received through the antenna. In the case of transmission, data is channel coded and the frequency is increased and transmitted through the antenna.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a process for confirming information of a radio access technology (RAT) available in a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the controller 100 first checks whether a radio access technology information confirmation event occurs in step 201. Here, the radio access technology information confirmation event includes a situation such as when the portable terminal is booted (powered on), a state in which the connection with the base station is moved from a region where the connection with the base station is impossible.

If the event does not occur, the controller 100 proceeds to step 215 to perform a corresponding function (eg, standby mode).

On the other hand, when the event occurs, the control unit 100 proceeds to step 203 to control the operation of the satellite signal receiving module (GPS module) 104 included in the portable terminal, the satellite signal receiving module ( GPS module 104 is used to receive satellite signals.

In operation 205, the controller 100 calculates the received satellite signal to obtain a current position of the portable terminal.

After obtaining the current location of the portable terminal, the control unit 100 proceeds to step 207 to search the memory unit 102 to obtain regional information according to the location of the portable terminal. Here, the region information refers to information of the region where the portable terminal is located among regions 001 to 020 divided into blocks of a predetermined size as shown in FIG.

After obtaining the area information, the control unit 100 proceeds to step 209 to obtain radio access technology information corresponding to the obtained area information. Here, the radio access technology information corresponding to the area information refers to the radio access technology information that exists in each region (001 to 020) of FIG. 3 (a).

In addition, in FIG. 3 (b), 00: indicates that 3rd generation communication service is impossible, 2nd generation communication service is impossible, 01: indicates that 3rd generation communication service is impossible, and 2nd generation communication service is possible, and 10: 3rd generation Indicates that the communication service is possible, that the second generation communication service is impossible, and 11: indicates that the third generation communication service is possible and the second generation communication service is possible.

In step 211, the controller 100 determines whether the information acquired in step 209 is information indicating the existence of the second generation communication service. If it is determined that the information indicates the existence of the second generation communication service and the third generation communication service, the control unit 100 proceeds to step 215 to perform a corresponding function. For example, when the portable terminal is located in the area "017", the portable terminal searches for the second generation communication service and the third generation communication service 305 existing in the area "017" and performs an access.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step 211 that the information indicating the existence of the second generation communication service, the control unit 100 proceeds to step 213 to allow the GSM module 116 to search for the second generation communication service. Instruct. For example, when the portable terminal is located in the "018" area 303, only the second generation communication service 307 existing in the "018" area is searched for and connected.

Thereafter, the controller 100 ends the present algorithm.

2 and 3 have described a process for confirming information of a radio access technology (RAT) available in the portable terminal. On the other hand, the process of the portable terminal storing the radio access technology information is as follows.

First, the first hand-held terminal includes the latest version of the local information and radio access technology information according to the region.

Subsequently, when there is a change in radio access technology information according to a region, the changed information (for example, "0111010111 ..... information" of FIG. 3 (b)) is broadcasted to the portable terminals through a server of a service provider. This allows you to update with the latest information.

Here, the packet may be transmitted using a packet service or a circuit service according to the size of the changed information.

Meanwhile, in the detailed description of the present invention, specific embodiments have been described, but various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be determined not only by the scope of the following claims, but also by the equivalents of the claims.

As described above, by storing the radio access technology information corresponding to the area information in advance according to the present invention, when the event to check the radio access technology information occurs, the radio access technology information present in the location of the portable terminal By checking and performing access, it is possible to prevent resource waste caused by searching for accessible communication service even in a region where only a specific network exists.

Claims (8)

In a portable terminal for checking radio access technology (RAT) information, A satellite signal receiving module for receiving satellite signals, A memory unit for storing area information and wireless access technology information about the area information; And a controller for identifying a region where the device is located by using the satellite signal received through the satellite signal receiving module, and then obtaining wireless access technology information corresponding to the identified region. The method of claim 1, The apparatus for checking the radio access technology information, A third generation communication module searching for a third generation communication service according to an instruction of the controller; And a second generation communication module for searching for a second generation communication service according to an instruction of the controller. The method of claim 2, The control unit, And obtaining the radio access technology information indicating the existence of the second generation communication service, instructing the second generation communication module to perform a call connection to the second generation communication service. The method of claim 1, The area information is, Portable terminal, characterized in that the area where the portable terminal is located among the area divided into blocks of a predetermined size. In the method for confirming Radio Access Technology (RAT) information in a portable terminal, Checking the location of the portable terminal when an event for confirming wireless access technology information occurs; Obtaining the radio access technology information of the identified location; And if the obtained wireless access technology information is information indicating the presence of a second generation communication service, performing a call connection by searching for the second generation communication service. The method of claim 5, The location of the portable terminal, characterized in that for receiving and confirming the satellite signal. The method of claim 5, Obtaining the radio access technology information, Obtaining local information corresponding to the location of the portable terminal; And acquiring wireless access technology information corresponding to the acquired area information. The method of claim 7, wherein The area information is, And a region in which the portable terminal is located among regions divided into blocks having a predetermined size.

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