This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-72276, filed on Mar. 24, 2009, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Embodiments described herein relate to a communication terminal which notifies location information and a location information notification method.
A recent radio communication terminal (e.g., a mobile phone) uses a high-precision positioning function of a Global Positioning System (GPS) to obtain location information regarding another terminal. Thus, it is possible to confirm the location of a user of the radio communication terminal.
For example, when confirmation of the location of a user of a radio communication terminal, the radio communication terminal is designated and location information is requested via a network to obtain the location information of the radio communication terminal.
However, the case is assumed where a user of a radio communication terminal (referred to as a terminal A1) performs transfer setting on the terminal A1 causing communications to the terminal A1 to be transferred to a another communication terminal (referred to as a terminal A2) at a location different from the location of the terminal A1. In this case, when the terminal A1 returns location information, the location information is related to terminal A1 instead of the terminal A2. As such, the location of the user cannot be properly confirmed.
For example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 06-188986 discloses a technology in which an exchange causes area information regarding a location, to which a mobile terminal has been moved, to be displayed on a display or the like.
However, when an apparatus on a network side manages and notifies location information regarding a radio communication terminal, for example, the apparatus may be provided for every communication common carrier, resulting in an increase in cost.
According to an aspect of the invention, a location information notification method for transmitting location information is provided. The location information notification method includes receiving a signal indicating a request for the communication terminal to provide location information, determining whether a transfer setting for the communication terminal has been performed, and causing a condition restraining transmission of the location information from the communication terminal in response to the received signal when the determining determines the transfer setting has been performed. The transfer setting indicates that communications to the communication terminal are being transferred to another communication terminal.
According to an aspect of the invention, a location information notification method includes storing certain information for responding to a received signal requesting location information of the communication terminal when a transfer setting has been performed on the communication terminal, and transmitting the certain information to a source of the received signal without transmitting the location information regarding the communication terminal when the transfer setting has been performed on the communication terminal.
The object and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
The following will describe in detail an embodiment of the invention.
In
For example, the radio communication terminal 1 performs communication via the radio base station 2-1, the base station control apparatus 3-1, and the core network 4 with another radio communication terminal that is connected to a communication network to which the radio communication terminal 1 is connected. In addition, the communication terminal 1 is capable of performing communication via the gateway apparatus 5 with a radio communication terminal or a fixed communication terminal that is connected to another radio communication network or the fixed communication network.
In
For example, an embodiment will be described using an example where a user of the terminal 1-1 desires confirmation of the location of a user of the terminal 1-2.
The terminal 1-1 transmits a signal requesting that terminal 1-2 provide location information regarding the terminal 1-2 via the NW 7. Hereinafter, the signal requesting the location information is referred to as a location information request.
Upon receipt of the location information request transmitted from the terminal 1-1, the terminal 1-2 determines whether or not a transfer setting of an incoming call to the terminal 1-2 has been performed.
When the terminal 1-2 determines that the transfer setting of an incoming call to the terminal 1-2 has not been performed, the terminal 1-2 transmits location information regarding the terminal 1-2, which is measured by using a Global Positioning System (GPS), to the terminal 1-1 via the NW 7.
Thus, the terminal 1-1 may obtain the location information regarding the terminal 1-2.
On the other hand, when the terminal 1-2 determines that the transfer setting of an incoming call to the terminal 1-2 has been performed, the terminal 1-2 does not transmit the location information regarding the terminal 1-2. Rather, the terminal 1-2 transmits information (hereinafter, referred to as transfer destination information) regarding a terminal that is a transfer destination, to the terminal 1-1 via the NW 7. For example, in
Upon receipt of the transfer destination information transmitted from the terminal 1-2, the terminal 1-1 transmits a location information request for requesting the terminal 1-3 to provide location information regarding the terminal 1-3, to the terminal 1-1 via the NW 7 based on the transfer destination information.
Upon receipt of the location information request transmitted from the terminal 1-1, the terminal 1-3 transmits location information regarding the terminal 1-3 that is measured by using the GPS, to the terminal 1-1 via the NW 7.
The terminal 1-1 obtains the location information regarding the terminal 1-3 that is transmitted from the terminal 1-3.
As described above, when the transfer setting of an incoming call to the terminal 1-2 has been performed, the terminal 1-1 may obtain the location information regarding the terminal 1-3 that is the transfer destination, not the location information regarding the terminal 1-2. In other words, when the transfer setting of an incoming call to the terminal 1-2 has been performed, the terminal 1-2 is restrained from transmitting the location information regarding the terminal 1-2 to the terminal 1-1.
Thus, for example, when the user of the terminal 1-2 carries the terminal 1-3 that is the transfer destination for an incoming call to the terminal 1-2, the user of the terminal 1-1 may confirm the location of the user of the terminal 1-2, which is the location of the terminal 1-3.
It is noted that terminal 1-3 may be set such that an incoming call to the terminal 1-3 is transferred to yet another communication terminal. In this case, the terminal 1-3 does not transmit the location information regarding the terminal 1-3 and may transmit transfer destination information to the terminal 1-1.
Moreover, the present embodiment may be implemented without addition to and/or modification of an apparatus on the network side. Thus, the present embodiment may be applicable to communication terminals of domestic and foreign carriers.
In
The radio unit 11 transmits and receives radio signals to and from a radio base station.
The GPS unit 12 receives a GPS signal transmitted from a GPS satellite, which is not illustrated, and obtains location information, such as latitude and longitude, regarding the radio communication terminal based on positioning data obtained by demodulation. In addition, the GPS unit 12 may obtain the location information regarding the radio communication terminal from the network.
The control unit 13 writes and reads information into and from the storage unit 14. Later-described functions of the control unit 13 are implemented by a processor or CPU, for example.
The storage unit 14 includes a memory (hereinafter, referred to as location information DB) for storing location information regarding the radio communication terminal that is obtained by the GPS unit 12 and certain location information that is set by the user. In addition, the storage unit 14 includes a memory (hereinafter, referred to as an address book) for storing information, such as the name, the phone number, and the E-mail address of a user of another communication terminal, such that they are associated with each other. Further, the storage unit 14 includes a memory (hereinafter, referred to as a transfer setting storage unit) for, when transfer setting of an incoming call to the radio communication terminal is performed, storing: information, such as a transfer setting flag, indicating that the transfer setting has been performed; and transfer destination information such as the phone number of a transfer destination.
The display unit 15 is, for example, a display, and displays information in accordance with control of the control unit 13.
A location information request creation unit 13a creates a signal for requesting another radio communication terminal to provide location information regarding the other radio communication terminal. The signal may be referred to as a location information request. The location information request has, for example, a data structure illustrated in
A location information request transmission unit 13b performs control of transmitting the location information request created by the location information request creation unit 13a, to the radio communication terminal that is the request destination for location information.
A location information request reception unit 13c receives a location information request, for requesting the radio communication terminal to provide location information regarding the radio communication terminal, which is transmitted from another radio communication terminal.
When the location information request to the radio communication terminal is received from the other radio communication terminal, a determination unit 13d determines whether or not transfer setting of an incoming call to the radio communication terminal has been performed.
In addition, the determination unit 13d determines whether or not a later-described fixed response setting has been performed.
A location information request response creation unit 13e creates a response to the location information request in accordance with a result of the determination performed by the determination unit 13d. When the determination unit 13d determines that the transfer setting of an incoming call to the radio communication terminal has not been performed, the location information request response creation unit 13e causes location information regarding the radio communication terminal, which is read from the storage unit 14, to be included in the response. On the other hand, when the determination unit 13d determines that the transfer setting of an incoming call to the radio communication terminal has been performed, the location information request response creation unit 13e does not cause the location information regarding the radio communication terminal to be included in the response. Rather, the location information request response creation unit 13e causes the phone number of the transfer destination (transfer destination information) to be included in the response when the determination unit 13d determines the transfer setting have been performed. In other words, when the transfer setting of an incoming call to the radio communication terminal has been performed, the location information request response creation unit 13e performs control of restraining conclusion of the location information regarding the radio communication terminal in the response.
In addition, when the determination unit 13d determines that the fixed response setting has been performed, the location information request response creation unit 13e causes the later-described fixed location information, which is read from the storage unit 14, to be included in the response to the location information request.
A location information request response transmission unit 13f performs control of transmitting the response created by the location information request response creation unit 13e, to the radio communication terminal that is the request source for location information.
A location information request response reception unit 13g receives a response that is transmitted from another radio communication terminal in accordance with the location information request from the radio communication terminal.
A storage management unit 13h manages reading of information stored in the storage unit 14 and writing of information into the storage unit 14.
In S1, the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-1 obtains a phone number corresponding to the user name of the terminal 1-2. For example the phone number may be obtained by referring to the address book of the storage unit 14 of the terminal 1-1.
In S2, the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-1 creates the location information request by using the phone number obtained at S1.
In S3, the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-1 performs control of transmitting the location information request created at S2, to the terminal 1-2 via the NW 7.
In S4, the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-2 receives the location information request.
In S5 and S6, the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-2 refers to the transfer setting storage unit of the storage unit 14 and determines whether or not transfer setting of an incoming call to the terminal 1-2 has been performed. This determination is performed, for example, based on presence/absence of a transfer setting flag in the transfer setting storage unit.
In S7, when the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-2 determines that the transfer setting of an incoming call to the terminal 1-2 has not been performed (NO at S6), the GPS unit 12 obtains the location information regarding the terminal 1-2 by positioning or from the network.
In S8, when the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-2 determines that the transfer setting of an incoming call to the terminal 1-2 has been performed (YES at S6), the control unit 13 obtains, from the transfer setting storage unit of the storage unit 14, the phone number of the terminal 1-3 to which the transfer setting has been performed (e.g., a transfer setting flag is attached) and that is the transfer destination.
In S9, the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-2 creates the response to the location information request by using the location information obtained at S7 or the transfer destination information obtained at S8.
In S10, the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-2 performs control of transmitting the response to the location information request, which is created at S9, via the NW 7 to the terminal 1-1 that is the request source of the location information request.
In S11, the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-1 receives the response to the location information request.
In S12, the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-1 determines, based on information included in the response received at S11, whether or not transfer setting of an incoming call to the terminal 1-2 has been performed.
In S13, when the location information regarding the terminal 1-2 is included in the response received at S11 (when the transfer destination information is not included), the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-1 determines that the transfer setting of an incoming call to the terminal 1-2 has not been performed, and obtains the location information regarding the terminal 1-2.
In S14, the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-1 performs control of screen-displaying the location information obtained at S13, on the display unit 15. For example, the display unit 15 displays, on a display thereof, a map in which a location indicated by the obtained location information is marked.
In S15, when the location information regarding the terminal 1-2 is not included in the response received at S11 (when the transfer destination information is included), the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-1 determines that the transfer setting of an incoming call to the terminal 1-2 has been performed, and obtains the transfer destination information that is set in the terminal 1-2.
In addition, in accordance with obtaining of the transfer destination information, the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-1 may perform control of storing, in the address book of the storage unit 14, the user name of the terminal 1-2 and the phone number of the terminal 1-3 that is the transfer destination, which phone number is indicated by the transfer destination information, such that the user name and the phone number are associated with each other.
In S16, the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-1 creates a location information request for requesting the terminal 1-3 to provide location information regarding the terminal 1-3, by using the phone number of the terminal 1-3 that is the transfer destination, which phone number is indicated by the transfer destination information obtained at S15.
In S17, the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-1 performs control of transmitting the location information request created at S16, via the NW 7 to the terminal 1-3 that is the transfer destination for an incoming call to the terminal 1-2.
According to the same flow as in
According to the above, when the transfer setting of an incoming call to the terminal 1-2 has been performed, the terminal 1-1 may obtain the location information regarding the transfer destination, not the location information regarding the terminal 1-2. In other words, for example, when the user of the terminal 1-2 carries the terminal 1-3 that is the transfer destination for an incoming call to the terminal 1-2, the user of the terminal 1-1 may confirm the location of the user of the terminal 1-2 which is the location of the terminal 1-3.
In a modified example, certain location information that has been previously set in a radio communication terminal, instead of the obtained location information regarding the radio communication terminal in the above embodiment, is caused to be included in the response to the location information request.
First, in the modified example, the location information DB of the storage unit 14 has previously stored one or more pieces of location information that are inputted from an input unit, not illustrated, by the user of the radio communication terminal. Examples of the location information stored in the location information DB include the location of a company to which the user of the radio communication terminal belongs, and location information indicative of the location of the user's home.
In S18, the control unit 13 of each radio communication terminal performs control of screen-displaying, on the display unit 15, one or more pieces of location information that have been previously stored in the location information DB of the storage unit 14.
In S19, an input unit, not illustrated, of each radio communication terminal accepts an input, performed by the user, for selecting one piece of location information from among the one or more pieces of location information that are screen-displayed at S18.
In S20, in accordance with the input at S19, the control unit 13 of each radio communication terminal sets the selected location information as location information regarding the radio communication terminal that is used for a response to a location information request from another radio communication terminal. This setting is performed, for example, by attaching a flag to the location information selected from among the location information stored in the location information DB. Hereinafter, the location information set at S20 is referred to as fixed location information, and the setting in which a location information request from another radio communication terminal is responded to by using the fixed location information is referred to as fixed response setting.
A flow in which the terminal 1-1 creates and transmits a location information request for requesting the terminal 1-2 to provide location information is the same as in
In S21, the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-2 receives the location information request transmitted from the terminal 1-1.
In S22, the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-2 determines whether or not fixed response setting has been performed. This determination is performed, for example, based on whether or not a flag has been attached to any piece of location information stored in the location information DB.
In 23 S23, when determining that the fixed response setting has been performed (YES at S22), the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-2 obtains, from among the location information stored in the location information DB, fixed location information to which a flag for the fixed response setting has been attached.
In S24 and S25, determining that the fixed response setting has not been performed (NO at S22), the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-2 refers to the transfer setting storage unit of the storage unit 14 and determines whether or not transfer setting of an incoming call to the terminal 1-2 has been performed. This determination is performed, for example, based on presence/absence of a transfer setting flag in the transfer setting storage unit.
In S26, when the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-2 determines that the transfer setting of an incoming call to the terminal 1-2 has not been performed (NO at S25), the GPS unit 12 obtains location information regarding the terminal 1-2 by positioning or from the network.
In S27, when the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-2 determines that the transfer setting of an incoming call to the terminal 1-2 has been performed (YES at S25), the control unit 13 obtains, from the transfer setting storage unit of the storage unit 14, the phone number of the terminal 1-3 to which the transfer setting has been performed (e.g., a transfer setting flag is attached) and that is the transfer destination.
In S28, the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-2 creates the response to the location information request by using the fixed location information obtained at S23, the location information obtained at S26, or the transfer destination information obtained at S27.
In S29, the control unit 13 of the terminal 1-2 performs control of transmitting the response to the location information request, which is created at S28, via the NW 7 to the terminal 1-1 that is the request source of the location information request.
Hereinafter, a flow in which the terminal 1-1 receives, from the terminal 1-2, the response to the location information request and obtains the location information or the transfer destination information is the same as in
According to the above, the terminal 1-1 may obtain the certain location information that has been previously set in the terminal 1-2, instead of the transfer destination information or the location information regarding the terminal 1-2.
Moreover, when the certain location information has not been previously set in the terminal 1-2 and the transfer setting of an incoming call to the terminal 1-2 has been performed, the terminal 1-1 may obtain the location information regarding the terminal 1-3 that is the transfer destination, rather the location information regarding the terminal 1-2.
Therefore, for example, regardless of whether or not the transfer setting of an incoming call to the terminal 1-2 has been performed, the user of the terminal 1-1 may know a certain location (e.g., the location of the company to which the user of the terminal 1-2 belongs or the location of the home of the user of the terminal 1-2) that is selected by the user of the terminal 1-2.
Moreover, when the transfer setting of an incoming call to the terminal 1-2 has been performed, the terminal 1-1 may obtain the location information regarding the terminal 1-3 that is the transfer destination, not the location information regarding the terminal 1-2. In other words, for example, when the user of the terminal 1-2 carries the terminal 1-3 that is the transfer destination for an incoming call to the terminal 1-2, the user of the terminal 1-1 may confirm the location of the user of the terminal 1-2 which is the location of the terminal 1-3.
In the above discussion, the case where the terminals 1-1 to 1-3 are radio communication terminals has been described as an example. However, the communication terminal (e.g., the terminal 1-3) that is set as the transfer destination may be a communication terminal (e.g., a fixed-line telephone) that is connected to the fixed communication network.
All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions, nor does the organization of such examples in the specification relate to a showing of the superiority and inferiority of the invention. Although the embodiment(s) of the present invention(s) has(have) been described in detail, it should be understood that the various changes, substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2009-072276 | Mar 2009 | JP | national |