KR101496465B1 - Multi-mode Wireless Mobile Terminal and Connecting Method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a multimode wireless terminal and a connection method thereof. The present invention provides a method of connecting a multimode wireless terminal capable of connecting to at least one heterogeneous network of a connection mode different from a currently connected wireless communication network, step; Searching at least one heterogeneous network matching the acquired location information by referring to a database stored in the multimode wireless terminal and matching location data connectable to each of the at least one heterogeneous network; And accessing at least one heterogeneous network matching at least one heterogeneous network matched with the obtained location information if the at least one heterogeneous network matches the acquired location information. And provides a multimode wireless terminal.

Multi-mode wireless terminal, heterogeneous network, scan, power consumption

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a multi-mode wireless terminal,

The present invention relates to a multimode wireless terminal and its connection method capable of minimizing power consumption and connecting to a heterogeneous network.

As the functions of terminals such as a personal computer, a notebook computer and a mobile phone have diversified, a multimedia player (multimedia player) having a complex function such as photographing or video shooting, playing music or video file, ).

A terminal can be divided into a mobile terminal and a stationary terminal depending on whether the terminal is movable. The mobile terminal can be divided into a handheld terminal and a vehicle mount terminal according to whether the user can directly carry the mobile terminal. On the other hand, when the mobile terminal communicates with an external device under a wireless environment, the terminal may be referred to as a wireless terminal.

In order to support and enhance the function of the terminal, it may be considered to improve the structural and / or software parts of the terminal.

The wireless terminal may be connected to a single network to enable voice communication and the Internet, or may be selectively connectable to different heterogeneous networks. A terminal selectively connectable to a heterogeneous network is called a multimode wireless terminal.

A multimode wireless terminal capable of connecting to a heterogeneous network must scan the heterogeneous network at a predetermined interval to find a heterogeneous network to which the heterogeneous network can be connected, and additional power is consumed during the scanning process. However, when the multimode wireless terminal is located in a region where the heterogeneous network does not exist, there is a problem that unnecessary power consumption occurs due to the scanning operation even though the heterogeneous network can not be connected.

The present invention is to provide a multimode wireless terminal and a method of connecting the same to prevent unnecessary power consumption by allowing an operation of scanning a heterogeneous network only in a region where a heterogeneous network exists.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multimode wireless terminal and a method for connecting the same to at least one heterogeneous network having a connection mode different from a currently connected wireless communication network, A method for connecting a multimode wireless terminal, the method comprising: acquiring current position information of the multimode wireless terminal; Searching at least one heterogeneous network matching the acquired location information by referring to a database stored in the multimode wireless terminal and matching location data connectable to each of the at least one heterogeneous network; And connecting at least one heterogeneous network matching at least one heterogeneous network matching the obtained location information to the at least one heterogeneous network, wherein when heterogeneous network information does not exist The scan operation may not be performed and power consumption may be reduced.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multimode wireless terminal and a method of connecting the same, the multimode wireless terminal including: a memory storing a database matching position data of a heterogeneous network having a connection mode different from a currently connected wireless communication network; A control unit for acquiring current location information, searching the database, and determining whether there is at least one heterogeneous network corresponding to the obtained location information; And a wireless communication unit for accessing any one of the searched heterogeneous networks when at least one of the heterogeneous networks corresponding to the location information exists.

The multimode wireless terminal and the connection method thereof according to the present invention can perform an operation of scanning a heterogeneous network only in a region where a heterogeneous network exists, thereby preventing unnecessary power consumption.

The foregoing objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the specification. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention in unnecessary detail.

Hereinafter, a mobile terminal related to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The suffix "module" and " part "for the components used in the following description are given or mixed in consideration of ease of specification, and do not have their own meaning or role.

The mobile terminal described in this specification may include a mobile phone, a smart phone, a laptop computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants), a PMP (Portable Multimedia Player), and navigation.

1 is a block diagram of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The mobile terminal 100 includes a wireless communication unit 110, an audio / video input unit 120, a user input unit 130, a sensing unit 140, an output unit 150, a memory unit 160, An interface unit 170, a control unit 180, a power supply unit 190, and the like. The components shown in Fig. 1 are not essential, and a mobile terminal having more or fewer components may be implemented.

Hereinafter, the components will be described in order.

The wireless communication unit 110 may include one or more modules for enabling wireless communication between the mobile terminal 100 and the wireless communication system or between the mobile terminal 100 and the network in which the mobile terminal 100 is located. For example, the wireless communication unit 110 may include a broadcast receiving module 111, a mobile communication module 112, a wireless Internet module 113, a short range communication module 114, and a location information module 115 .

The broadcast receiving module 111 receives broadcast signals and / or broadcast-related information from an external broadcast management server through a broadcast channel.

The broadcast channel may include a satellite channel and a terrestrial channel. The broadcast management server may refer to a server for generating and transmitting broadcast signals and / or broadcast related information, or a server for receiving broadcast signals and / or broadcast related information generated by the broadcast management server and transmitting the generated broadcast signals and / or broadcast related information. The broadcast signal may include a TV broadcast signal, a radio broadcast signal, a data broadcast signal, and a broadcast signal in which a data broadcast signal is combined with a TV broadcast signal or a radio broadcast signal.

The broadcast-related information may refer to a broadcast channel, a broadcast program, or information related to a broadcast service provider. The broadcast-related information may also be provided through a mobile communication network. In this case, it may be received by the mobile communication module 112.

The broadcast-related information may exist in various forms. For example, an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) of DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) or an ESG (Electronic Service Guide) of Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H).

The broadcast receiving module 111 receives broadcasting signals using various broadcasting systems. In particular, the broadcasting receiving module 111 may be a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Terrestrial (DMB-T), a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Satellite (DMB-S) Only Digital Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H), Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial (ISDB-T), and the like. Of course, the broadcast receiving module 111 may be adapted to other broadcasting systems that provide broadcast signals as well as the digital broadcasting system described above.

The broadcast signal and / or broadcast related information received through the broadcast receiving module 111 may be stored in the memory unit 160.

The mobile communication module 112 transmits and receives radio signals to at least one of a base station, an external terminal, and a server on a mobile communication network. The wireless signal may include various types of data depending on a voice call signal, a video call signal or a text / multimedia message transmission / reception.

The wireless Internet module 113 refers to a module for wireless Internet access, and the wireless Internet module 113 can be embedded in the mobile terminal 100 or externally. WLAN (Wi-Fi), Wibro (Wireless broadband), Wimax (World Interoperability for Microwave Access), HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) and the like can be used as wireless Internet technologies.

The short-range communication module 114 refers to a module for short-range communication. Bluetooth, radio frequency identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), ultra wideband (UWB), ZigBee, and the like can be used as the short distance communication technology.

The location information module 115 is a module for confirming or obtaining the location of the mobile terminal. A typical example of the location information module is a GPS (Global Position System) module. According to the current technology, the GPS module 115 calculates information on a distance (distance) from three or more satellites to one point (entity), information on the time when the distance information is measured, , Three-dimensional position information according to latitude, longitude, and altitude of one point (individual) in one hour can be calculated. Further, a method of calculating position and time information using three satellites and correcting the error of the calculated position and time information using another satellite is also used. The GPS module 115 continues to calculate the current position in real time and uses it to calculate speed information.

Referring to FIG. 1, an A / V (Audio / Video) input unit 120 is for inputting an audio signal or a video signal, and may include a camera 121 and a microphone 122. The camera 121 processes image frames such as still images or moving images obtained by the image sensor in the video communication mode or the photographing mode. The processed image frame can be displayed on the display unit 151. [

The image frame processed by the camera 121 may be stored in the memory unit 160 or may be transmitted to the outside through the wireless communication unit 110. [ The camera 121 may be equipped with two or more cameras according to the configuration of the terminal.

The microphone 122 receives an external sound signal through a microphone in a communication mode, a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, or the like, and processes it as electrical voice data. The processed voice data can be converted into a form that can be transmitted to the mobile communication base station through the mobile communication module 112 when the voice data is in the call mode, and output. Various noise reduction algorithms may be implemented in the microphone 122 to remove noise generated in receiving an external sound signal.

The user input unit 130 generates input data for a user to control the operation of the terminal. The user input unit 130 may include a key pad dome switch, a touch pad (static / static), a jog wheel, a jog switch, and the like.

The sensing unit 140 senses the current state of the mobile terminal 100 such as the open / close state of the mobile terminal 100, the position of the mobile terminal 100, the presence or absence of user contact, the orientation of the mobile terminal, And generates a sensing signal for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 100. For example, when the mobile terminal 100 is in the form of a slide phone, it is possible to sense whether the slide phone is opened or closed. In addition, it may be responsible for a sensing function related to whether the power supply unit 190 is powered on, whether the interface unit 170 is connected to an external device, and the like. Meanwhile, the sensing unit 140 may include a proximity sensor 141.

The output unit 150 is for generating output related to the visual, auditory or tactile sense and includes a display unit 151, an audio output module 152, an alarm unit 153, and a haptic module 154 .

The display unit 151 displays and outputs information processed by the mobile terminal 100. For example, when the mobile terminal is in the call mode, a UI (User Interface) or a GUI (Graphic User Interface) associated with a call is displayed. When the mobile terminal 100 is in the video communication mode or the photographing mode, the photographed and / or received video or UI and GUI are displayed.

The display unit 151 may be a liquid crystal display, a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display, an organic light-emitting diode, a flexible display, a three-dimensional display 3D display).

Some of these displays may be transparent or light transmissive so that they can be seen through. This may be referred to as a transparent display. A typical example of the transparent display is a transparent LCD or the like. The rear structure of the display unit 151 may also be of a light transmission type. With this structure, the user can see an object located behind the terminal body through the area occupied by the display unit 151 of the terminal body.

There may be two or more display units 151 according to the embodiment of the mobile terminal 100. For example, in the mobile terminal 100, a plurality of display portions may be spaced apart from one another or may be disposed integrally with each other, or may be disposed on different surfaces.

The display unit 151 is connected to a display unit 151 and a sensor for sensing a touch operation (hereinafter, referred to as 'touch sensor') having a mutual layer structure It can also be used as an input device. The touch sensor may take the form of, for example, a touch film, a touch sheet, a touch pad, or the like.

The touch sensor may be configured to convert a change in a pressure applied to a specific portion of the display unit 151 or a capacitance generated in a specific portion of the display unit 151 into an electrical input signal. The touch sensor can be configured to detect not only the position and area to be touched but also the pressure at the time of touch.

If there is a touch input to the touch sensor, the corresponding signal (s) is sent to the touch controller. The touch controller processes the signal (s) and transmits the corresponding data to the controller 180. Thus, the control unit 180 can know which area of the display unit 151 is touched or the like.

Referring to FIG. 1, a proximity sensor 141 may be disposed in an inner region of the mobile terminal or in the vicinity of the touch screen, which is surrounded by the touch screen. The proximity sensor refers to a sensor that detects the presence or absence of an object approaching a predetermined detection surface or a nearby object without mechanical contact using the force of an electromagnetic field or infrared rays. The proximity sensor has a longer life span than the contact sensor and its utilization is also high.

Examples of the proximity sensor include a transmission type photoelectric sensor, a direct reflection type photoelectric sensor, a mirror reflection type photoelectric sensor, a high frequency oscillation type proximity sensor, a capacitive proximity sensor, a magnetic proximity sensor, and an infrared proximity sensor.

And to detect the proximity of the pointer by the change of the electric field along the proximity of the pointer when the touch screen is electrostatic. In this case, the touch screen (touch sensor) may be classified as a proximity sensor.

Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the act of recognizing that the pointer is positioned on the touch screen while the pointer is not in contact with the touch screen is referred to as "proximity touch & The act of actually touching the pointer on the screen is called "contact touch. &Quot; The position where the pointer is proximately touched on the touch screen means a position where the pointer is vertically corresponding to the touch screen when the pointer is touched.

The proximity sensor detects a proximity touch and a proximity touch pattern (e.g., a proximity touch distance, a proximity touch direction, a proximity touch speed, a proximity touch time, a proximity touch position, a proximity touch movement state, and the like). Information corresponding to the detected proximity touch operation and the proximity touch pattern may be output on the touch screen.

The audio output module 152 may output audio data received from the wireless communication unit 110 or stored in the memory unit 160 in a call signal reception mode, a call mode or a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, a broadcast reception mode, The sound output module 152 outputs an acoustic signal related to a function (e.g., a call signal reception sound, a message reception sound, etc.) performed in the mobile terminal 100. The audio output module 152 may include a receiver, a speaker, a buzzer, and the like.

The alarm unit 153 outputs a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event of the mobile terminal 100. Examples of events that occur in the mobile terminal include call signal reception, message reception, key signal input, touch input, and the like. The alarm unit 153 may output a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event in a form other than the video signal or the audio signal, for example, vibration. The video signal or the audio signal can also be output through the display unit 151 or the audio output module 152.

The haptic module 154 generates various tactile effects that the user can feel. A typical example of the haptic effect generated by the haptic module 154 is vibration. The intensity and pattern of the vibration generated by the hit module 154 can be controlled. For example, different vibrations may be synthesized and output or sequentially output.

In addition to the vibration, the haptic module 154 may be configured to perform various functions such as an effect of stimulation by a pin arrangement vertically moving with respect to a contact skin surface, an effect of stimulation by air spraying force or suction force through a jet opening or a suction opening, A variety of tactile effects such as an effect of stimulation through contact of an electrode, an effect of stimulation by an electrostatic force, and an effect of reproducing a cold sensation using a heat absorbing or exothermic element can be generated.

The haptic module 154 can be implemented not only to transmit the tactile effect through the direct contact but also to feel the tactile effect through the muscles of the user's finger or arm. The haptic module 154 may include two or more haptic modules 154 according to the configuration of the portable terminal 100.

The memory unit 160 may store a program for the operation of the controller 180 and temporarily store input / output data (e.g., a phone book, a message, a still image, a moving picture, etc.). The memory unit 160 may store data related to vibration and sound of various patterns outputted when a touch is input on the touch screen.

The memory unit 160 may be a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (for example, SD or XD memory) (Random Access Memory), SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), PROM A disk, and / or an optical disk. The mobile terminal 100 may operate in association with a web storage that performs a storage function of the memory unit 160 on the Internet.

The interface unit 170 serves as a path for communication with all external devices connected to the mobile terminal 100. The interface unit 170 receives data from an external device or receives power from the external device to transfer the data to each component in the mobile terminal 100 or to transmit data in the mobile terminal 100 to an external device. For example, a wired / wireless headset port, an external charger port, a wired / wireless data port, a memory card port, a port for connecting a device having an identification module, an audio I / O port, A video input / output (I / O) port, an earphone port, and the like may be included in the interface unit 170.

The identification module is a chip for storing various information for authenticating the use right of the mobile terminal 100 and includes a user identification module (UIM), a subscriber identity module (SIM), a general user authentication module A Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM), and the like. A device equipped with an identification module (hereinafter referred to as "identification device") may be manufactured in a smart card format. Accordingly, the identification device can be connected to the terminal 100 through the port.

When the mobile terminal 100 is connected to an external cradle, the interface unit may be a path through which power from the cradle is supplied to the mobile terminal 100, or various command signals input by the user to the cradle may be transmitted It can be a passage to be transmitted to the terminal. The various command signals or the power source input from the cradle may be operated as a signal for recognizing that the mobile terminal is correctly mounted on the cradle.

The control unit 180 typically controls the overall operation of the mobile terminal. For example, voice communication, data communication, video communication, and the like. The control unit 180 may include a multimedia module 181 for multimedia playback. The multimedia module 181 may be implemented in the control unit 180 or may be implemented separately from the control unit 180. [

The controller 180 may perform a pattern recognition process for recognizing handwriting input or drawing input performed on the touch screen as characters and images, respectively.

The power supply unit 190 receives external power and internal power under the control of the controller 180 and supplies power necessary for operation of the respective components.

The various embodiments described herein may be embodied in a recording medium readable by a computer or similar device using, for example, software, hardware, or a combination thereof.

According to a hardware implementation, the embodiments described herein may be implemented as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays May be implemented using at least one of processors, controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, and electrical units for performing functions. In some cases, And may be implemented by the control unit 180.

According to a software implementation, embodiments such as procedures or functions may be implemented with separate software modules that perform at least one function or operation. The software code may be implemented by a software application written in a suitable programming language. Also, the software codes may be stored in the memory unit 160 and executed by the control unit 180. [

2A is a perspective view of an example of a mobile terminal or a mobile terminal according to the present invention.

The disclosed mobile terminal 100 has a bar-shaped terminal body. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and can be applied to various structures such as a slide type, a folder type, a swing type, and a swivel type in which two or more bodies are relatively movably coupled.

The body includes a case (a casing, a housing, a cover, and the like) which forms an appearance. In this embodiment, the case may be divided into a front case 101 and a rear case 102. A variety of electronic components are embedded in the space formed between the front case 101 and the rear case 102. At least one intermediate case may be additionally disposed between the front case 101 and the rear case 102. [

The cases may be formed by injection molding a synthetic resin, or may be formed to have a metal material such as stainless steel (STS) or titanium (Ti) or the like.

The display unit 151, the sound output unit 152, the camera 121, the user input units 130/131 and 132, the microphone 122, the interface 170, and the like may be disposed in the front body 101 have.

The display unit 151 occupies most of the main surface of the front case 101. A sound output unit 151 and a camera 121 are disposed in an area adjacent to one end of both ends of the display unit 151 and a user input unit 131 and a microphone 122 are disposed in an area adjacent to the other end. The user input unit 132, the interface 170, and the like are disposed on the side surfaces of the front case 101 and the rear case 102.

The user input unit 130 is operated to receive a command for controlling the operation of the portable terminal 100 and may include a plurality of operation units 131 and 132.

The operation units 131 and 132 may be collectively referred to as a manipulating portion and may be employed in any manner as long as the user operates in a tactile manner.

Contents input by the first or second operation units 116 and 117 can be variously set. For example, the first operation unit 116 receives commands such as start, end, scroll, and the like, and the second operation unit 117 controls the size of the sound output from the sound output unit 152 or the size of the sound output from the display unit 151 To the touch recognition mode of the touch screen.

FIG. 2B is a rear perspective view of the portable terminal shown in FIG. 2A.

Referring to FIG. 2B, a camera 121 'may be further mounted on the rear surface of the terminal body, that is, the rear case 102. The camera 121 'may have a photographing direction substantially opposite to the camera 121 (see FIG. 2A), and may be a camera having different pixels from the camera 121.

For example, the camera 121 may have a low pixel so that the face of the user can be photographed and transmitted to the other party in case of a video call or the like, and the camera 121 ' It is preferable to have a large number of pixels. The cameras 121 and 121 'may be installed in the terminal body so as to be rotatable or pop-upable.

A flash 123 and a mirror 124 are additionally disposed adjacent to the camera 121 '. The flash 123 illuminates the subject when the subject is photographed by the camera 121 '. The mirror 124 allows the user to illuminate the user's own face or the like when the user intends to shoot himself / herself (self-photographing) using the camera 121 '.

An acoustic output 152 'may be additionally disposed on the rear surface of the terminal body. The sound output unit 152 'may implement the stereo function together with the sound output unit 152 (see FIG. 2A), and may be used for the implementation of the speakerphone mode during a call.

In addition to the antenna for a call or the like, a broadcast signal reception antenna 124 may be additionally disposed on the side of the terminal body. The antenna 124 constituting a part of the broadcast receiving module 111 (see FIG. 1) may be installed to be able to be drawn out from the terminal body.

A power supply unit 190 for supplying power to the portable terminal 100 is mounted on the terminal body. The power supply unit 190 may be built in the terminal body or may be detachable from the outside of the terminal body.

The rear case 102 may further include a touch pad 135 for sensing a touch. The touch pad 135 may also be of a light transmission type like the display unit 151. [ In this case, if the display unit 151 is configured to output time information on both sides, the time information can be recognized through the touch pad 135 as well. The information output on both sides may be all controlled by the touch pad 135. [ Alternatively, a display may be additionally mounted on the touch pad 135, and a touch screen may be disposed on the rear case 102.

The touch pad 135 operates in correlation with the display portion 151 of the front case 101. The touch pad 135 may be disposed parallel to the rear of the display unit 151. The touch pad 135 may have a size equal to or smaller than that of the display unit 151.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the multimode wireless terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 4 to 9 are diagrams for explaining the operation of searching for location data of a heterogeneous network according to the location of each of the multimode wireless terminals FIG.

Hereinafter, the multimode wireless terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 9. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the multimode wireless terminal may be connected to a mobile wireless communication network C according to communication protocols such as CDMA, WCDMA, and GSM. The mobile radio communication network C is an area covered by the base stations C11 to C35 arranged at a constant distance from each other. In order to maintain a seamless communication state, the mobile radio communication network C overlaps areas covered by the respective base stations C11 to C35 within a certain range. The regions covered by each of the base stations C11 to C35 can be represented by a hexagonal shape in general, except for overlapping portions of the coverage regions. However, it goes without saying that the shape of the area covered by each of the base stations C11 to C35 is not limited thereto. Hereinafter, the operation of the multimode wireless terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with respect to the case where the multimode wireless terminal is located in the first to fourth positions P1 to P4.

At the first location P1, the multimode wireless terminal maintains communication with the 34th base station C34. The multimode wireless terminal maintains communication with the 34th base station C34 in the first position P1 while the 23rd, 24th, 32th, and 35th base stations C23, C24, C32, and C35 are selected as the base stations with good communication status. The position information on the first position P1 of the multimode wireless terminal can be known using the triangulation technique based on the transmission speed of the radio wave and the time required for transmission in relation to the three base stations. When the position information of the first position P1 at which the multimode wireless terminal is currently located is acquired, the position data of the heterogeneous network stored in the memory 160 (FIG. 1) is retrieved from the database of the memory 160 (FIG.

The location data refers to data for a communication network (hereinafter referred to as " heterogeneous network ") other than the mobile wireless communication network C to which the multimode wireless terminal is currently connected. The multimode wireless terminal may be connected to at least one wireless Internet network among WiFi, WiBro, WiMAX, HSDPA, and femtocell. However, the heterogeneous network may have a limited service area compared to the mobile wireless communication network (C). That is, as represented by the first to seventh wireless Internet networks W1 to W7, the wireless Internet network may exist singly or in plural in a specific area where the user's demand is high. The location data may include information on the area where the wireless Internet network exists, the type of the wireless Internet network, and the like.

The heterogeneous network at the first location P1 may be the first wireless Internet network W1 according to WiFi. As described above, the position information regarding the first position P1 of the multimode wireless terminal is obtainable by the triangulation technique. When the positional information of the first position P1 is obtained, the presence of the wireless Internet network covering the first position P1 is retrieved from the positional data. If information on the first wireless Internet network W1 already exists in the location data, it can be detected that the first wireless Internet network W1 exists as a wireless Internet network covering the first location P1 .

Hereinafter, the search result of the position data will be described with reference to FIG. 4 which is a result of searching for the position data when the multimode wireless terminal is located at the first position P1.

As shown in FIG. 4, the first wireless Internet W1 exists as a heterogeneous network adjacent to the first location P1 of the location data stored in the multimode wireless terminal, and the type of the first wireless Internet W1 Is WiFi. Once the location data is retrieved, it is possible to access the discovered heterogeneous network. More specifically, when the location data is retrieved, a series of data (e.g., data) is transmitted between the multimode wireless terminal and the first wireless Internet network W1 to determine whether the first wireless Internet network W1 can be physically accessed Exchange process. If it is determined through the series of data exchange process that the first wireless Internet network W1 can be accessed, the wireless Internet can be connected to the first wireless Internet network W1. The multimode wireless terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention takes a connection operation including a series of data exchange processes only when there is a heterogeneous network matching the location information of the multimode wireless terminal. Therefore, the operation involving power consumption can be minimized, and the power consumed can be reduced compared to the conventional case in which a series of data exchange operations are periodically performed irrespective of the position information.

At the second position P2, the multimode wireless terminal maintains communication with the 23rd base station C23. Meanwhile, it can be seen that the multimode wireless terminal is located at the second location P2 using the triangulation technique according to communication with neighboring base stations. When the position information of the second position P2 is obtained, the presence or absence of the wireless Internet network covering the second position P2 is retrieved from the position data.

As shown in FIG. 5, which shows the search result of the position data when the multimode wireless terminal is located at the second position P2, the heterogeneous wireless terminal corresponding to the multimode wireless terminal located at the specific position of the 23rd base station C23, It can be seen that the network information does not exist. If heterogeneous network information does not exist, it is possible not to attempt connection to the heterogeneous network. Therefore, since there is no location information for the heterogeneous network, the power consumption can be reduced compared with the case where the heterogeneous network is periodically scanned. Meanwhile, if heterogeneous network information does not exist, the user can scan the heterogeneous network, and the scanning operation of the heterogeneous network according to the user's selection will be described below.

In the third position P3, the multimode wireless terminal maintains communication with the 35th base station C35. Hereinafter, it is assumed that the information about the second wireless Internet network W2 is not stored in the memory (160 in FIG. 1) of the multimode wireless terminal due to the extension of the wireless Internet network.

No information on the second wireless Internet network W2 is stored. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 6, heterogeneous network information does not exist in the third location P3.

If heterogeneous network information does not exist, a window may appear asking if you want to scan a new heterogeneous network that can be accessed.

When the user replies that he desires to scan the heterogeneous network, the heterogeneous network connectable in the multimode wireless terminal is scanned as shown in FIG.

When the heterogeneous network is in a stand-by state, as shown in Fig. 8, a list of stanzed heterogeneous networks is displayed, and it is confirmed whether to register and connect.

When the user selects registration and connection, the stationary heterogeneous network is added to the location data of the memory (160 in FIG. When the second wireless Internet network W2, which is a scanned heterogeneous network, is registered, information on the second wireless Internet network W2 is recorded in the heterogeneous network data. Therefore, when the second wireless Internet W2 is located near the third position P3 without scanning again, the connection becomes possible.

At the fourth position P4, the multimode wireless terminal maintains communication with the twelfth base station C12. Also, it can be seen that the multimode wireless terminal is located at the fourth location P4 by using the triangulation method according to communication with neighboring base stations.

As shown in FIG. 9, when the multimode wireless terminal is located at the fourth position P4, the heterogeneous wireless terminal corresponding to the multimode wireless terminal located at a specific position of the twelfth base station C12, And the network information is the third, fourth, and fifth wireless Internet networks (W3, W4, W5).

When the third, fourth, and fifth wireless Internet networks (W3, W4, W5) are detected, the mobile terminal can automatically request to connect to any one of the wireless Internet networks or to select a heterogeneous network to which the user wants to connect. When the user is requested to select a heterogeneous network to which a connection is desired, the user can select either one using the operation units 131 and 132 or the touch pad (135 in FIG. 2B). When the user selects the fourth wireless Internet W4 among the third, fourth and fifth wireless Internet networks W3, W4 and W5, the user connects to the wireless Internet network.

10 to 12 are flow charts showing the operation of the multimode wireless terminal according to FIG.

As described above, the multimode wireless terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention collects current location information (S210). As described above, the location information is used for communication with neighboring base stations of the mobile wireless communication network Can be found through triangulation techniques.

When the location information of the multimode wireless terminal is collected, it is determined whether heterogeneous network information corresponding to the location information exists (S220). That is, the location data stored in the memory of the multimode wireless terminal is searched for, Mode wireless terminal determines whether there is information about a heterogeneous network covering an area where the wireless terminal is located.

When there is a heterogeneous network covering an area where the multimode wireless terminal is located, the heterogeneous network is connected to the heterogeneous network (S240). In addition to the case where the heterogeneous network information already exists in the multimode wireless terminal, Even if the information of the new heterogeneous network is registered in the position data, it is already a registered heterogeneous network from the moment of registration. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11, the searched heterogeneous network is displayed (S231), and any one of the displayed heterogeneous networks is selected (S233) and connected to the heterogeneous network selected by the user (S233) Do. On the other hand, the step of selecting a heterogeneous network (S233) may be automatically selected according to a procedure preset by the user, or a method of connecting to a heterogeneous network having the best connection state may be applied.

If it is determined that heterogeneous network information does not exist, the heterogeneous network is searched for and registered. (S240) The operation of searching for and registering heterogeneous networks will be described in detail below.

FIG. 12 specifically shows an operation (S240) of searching for and registering a heterogeneous network.

If heterogeneous network information does not exist, it is determined whether or not to scan a heterogeneous network connectable at the current location (S241). It is possible to allow the user to select whether to scan a heterogeneous network connectable at the current location Of course, the multimode wireless terminal itself can be determined in consideration of the charged amount of the battery or the like.

If it is determined that the heterogeneous network to be connected is scanned, the heterogeneous network is scanned (S243). It is determined whether to scan the heterogeneous network and the heterogeneous network is searched to minimize power consumption.

It is determined whether there is a heterogeneous network connectable through the scan for the heterogeneous network (S245)

If there is a heterogeneous network that can be connected, information on the scanned heterogeneous network is registered and it is determined whether to connect to the heterogeneous network (S247)

When the user's selection or automatic registration and connection are determined, newly registered heterogeneous network information is registered in the memory (S249). Once the heterogeneous network information is registered, it is not necessary to scan the heterogeneous network again at that location.

FIGS. 13 and 14 are diagrams showing the operation of the multimode wireless terminal according to the second embodiment of the present invention and the search state of the position data according to the operation thereof, and only the parts different from the first embodiment of the present invention will be described do.

As shown in FIG. 13, the multimode wireless terminal according to the second embodiment of the present invention can collect location information from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) 310.

The global navigation satellite system 310 is a series of systems that originate from satellites located on a certain orbit and allow the receiving side to know its position information. The multimode wireless terminal according to the second embodiment of the present invention acquires position information through a signal received through a position information module (115 in FIG. 1). In order to collect position information, a global navigation satellite system 310 such as GPS, GLONASS, GALLILEO, and COMPASS can be used. Among them, the method of acquiring position information using GPS is as described above.

14, it is possible to obtain position information that the multimode wireless terminal is located at the fifth position P5 through the global navigation satellite system 310. As shown in FIG. Based on the obtained location information, it is possible to search for the existence of the sixth and seventh wireless Internet networks W6 and W7 as heterogeneous networks covering the fifth location P5.

In the above-described embodiments, the scanning method has been described as a method of updating the information on the new heterogeneous network. However, the information on the heterogeneous network may be transmitted by communication between the multimode wireless terminal and a server providing heterogeneous network information It is needless to say that such a case can be renewed.

In the above-described first embodiment, the case of acquiring the position information through the mobile wireless communication network has been described, but the wireless communication network for acquiring the position information is not limited thereto.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, such modifications or variations are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

1 is a block diagram of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

diagram.

2A is a front perspective view of a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2B is a rear perspective view of a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the multimode wireless terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 to FIG. 9 are diagrams showing the location data of the heterogeneous network according to the location of each of the multimode wireless terminals according to FIG.

10 to 12 are flow charts showing the operation of the multimode wireless terminal according to FIG.

13 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a multimode wireless terminal according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a search state of position data according to the operation of the multimode wireless terminal according to FIG.

Claims (14)

A method of connecting a multimode wireless terminal capable of connecting to at least one heterogeneous network having a connection mode different from a currently connected wireless communication network, Obtaining current location information of the multimode wireless terminal; Searching at least one heterogeneous network matching the acquired location information by referring to a database stored in the multimode wireless terminal and matching location data connectable to each of the at least one heterogeneous network; And Connecting at least one heterogeneous network among the at least one heterogeneous networks to be matched if there is at least one heterogeneous network matching the obtained location information; The location information may include: Wherein the step of acquiring is a step obtained by using a triangulation technique based on a relationship with three base stations in a mobile wireless communication network to which the multi-mode wireless terminal is currently connected; And a connection mode of the multimode wireless terminal. The method according to claim 1, If the database corresponding to the location information does not exist, And scanning the new heterogeneous network connectable at the current location of the multimode wireless terminal. 3. The method of claim 2, If the new heterogeneous network is scanned, And registering the location data related to the new heterogeneous network in the database. The method according to claim 1, The heterogeneous network includes: A method for accessing a multimode wireless terminal, the method comprising: receiving at least one of a WiFi, a WiBro, a Wimax, a HSDPA, and a femtocell; delete The method according to claim 1, The location information may include: (GPS), a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) including GLONASS, GALLILEO, COMPASS, and the like. The method according to claim 1, Wherein connecting to the at least one heterogeneous network comprises: And displaying the searched at least one heterogeneous network. 8. The method of claim 7, Wherein the step of connecting to any one of the heterogeneous networks comprises: Selecting at least one heterogeneous network among the displayed heterogeneous networks; And And connecting the selected heterogeneous network to the selected heterogeneous network. A memory storing a database matching location data of a heterogeneous network having a connection scheme different from a currently connected wireless network; A control unit for acquiring current location information, searching the database, and determining whether there is at least one heterogeneous network corresponding to the obtained location information; And And a wireless communication unit for accessing any one of the searched heterogeneous networks when at least one of the heterogeneous networks corresponding to the location information exists, Wherein the control unit obtains the location information using a triangulation technique based on a relationship with three base stations in a currently connected mobile wireless communication network; Wherein the mobile terminal is a mobile terminal. 10. The method of claim 9, Wherein, If the database corresponding to the location information does not exist, And the wireless communication unit scans the new heterogeneous network connectable at the current location. 11. The method of claim 10, Wherein, And registers position data on the new heterogeneous network in the database. 10. The method of claim 9, The location information may include: A multi-mode wireless terminal obtained by a currently connected wireless communication network or a global navigation satellite system. 10. The method of claim 9, And a display unit for displaying the searched heterogeneous network. 14. The method of claim 13, And a user input unit for selecting any one of the heterogeneous networks displayed.

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