Patent Application: US-86788104-A

Abstract:
according to the present invention , a system and a method of controlling mobile communication terminals using global positioning system are provided . according to the present invention , the method includes : generating a gps signal at a gps signal generator ; receiving the gps signal from the gps signal generator ; extracting control information from the gps signal ; and converting use modes of the mobile communication terminal by using the control information . accordingly , use modes of the mobile communication terminal located in a place required to restrict some functions of the mobile communication terminal can be collectively and automatically converted without additional costs .

Description:
hereinafter , preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings . in the following description of the present invention , a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the present invention rather unclear . fig1 illustrates structure of a system of controlling mobile communication terminals using gps according to the present invention . as illustrated in fig1 , the system of the present invention includes a gps signal generator 50 and a mobile communication terminal 20 of which use modes may be converted according to control information included in a signal generated from the gps signal generator 50 (“ gps signal ”). the gps signal generator 50 , separately from the gps satellite , self - generates gps signals in a place ( e . g . a room ), which a signal generated from a gps satellite (“ gps satellite signal ”) does not successfully reach . further , the gps signal is set up previously according to characteristics of a room equipped with the gps signal generator 50 . thus , there is no mutual influence between the gps satellite signal and the gps signal generated from the gps signal generator 50 in the room . the gps signal may include peculiar control information ( e . g . latitude information , longitude information , altitude information , time information , etc .) to take advantage of gps module provided in mobile communication terminals , as with the gps satellite signal . however , it is not necessary for the gps signal to include all control information , for taking advantage of the gps module . that is , even though the gps signal includes only altitude information , use modes of mobile communication terminals can be converted , by taking advantage of the gps module . the mobile communication terminal 20 receives the gps signal from the gps signal generator 50 , and converts use modes to control some functions , such as reducing loudness of ring tone , converting a ring tone mode into a vibration mode , or turning on / off camera functions , depending on the altitude information included in the received gps signal . as illustrated in fig2 , the mobile communication terminal 20 of the system according to the present invention includes a rf / if communicating part 9 , a modem 7 , a voice processing part 5 having a microphone 1 and a speaker 3 , and a micro computer unit ( mcu ) 10 controlling general functions of the mobile communication terminal 20 . in addition , the mobile communication terminal 20 includes a gps receiver 12 receiving a gps signal from the gps signal generator 50 , a gps decoder 14 converting the received gps signal into data , and a gps controlling part 16 which determines a corresponding use mode according to the control information included in the converted data sent from the gps decoder 14 and converts use mode of the mobile communication terminal 20 by sending the control information to the mcu 10 . a gps module of the mobile communication terminal includes the gps receiver 12 , the gps decoder 14 and the gps controlling part 16 . the use modes can be diversely defined . for example , in order to restrict use of some functions according to purposes or degrees of importance of security of places in which the gps signal generators 50 are provided , diverse use modes that restricts loudness of ring tone , converts a ring tone mode into a vibration mode , or restricts functions of storing / reproducing moving images and stationary images including camera functions can be defined , according to the control information . in addition , according to types of the control information , use modes restricting call transmission / reception , restricting message transmission / reception , restricting internet connection and file downloading can be also defined . the gps signal transmitted from the gps signal generator 50 is received in the gps receiver 12 of the mobile communication terminal 20 , and the received gps signal is sent to the gps decoder 14 . the gps decoder 14 extracts control information by demodulating the gps signal and converting the demodulated signal into data that can be processed in the gps controlling part 16 , and sends the extracted control information to the gps controlling part 16 . based on the control information , the gps controlling part 16 converts use mode of the mobile communication terminal into certain use mode that is defined by considering purposes or degrees of importance of security of corresponding place . as a result of that , some functions of the mobile communication terminal are restricted . fig3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling the mobile communication terminal 20 using gps as described above . fig3 illustrates a method using altitude information of various control information included in the gps satellite signal . the gps signal generator 50 which is provided in a certain place ( e . g . a room ), self - generates and sends a gps signal . the gps signal includes control information , in particular altitude information , to convert use modes of the mobile communication terminal . the gps signal generator can send a gps signal including altitude information previously defined by user according to characteristics of the place in which the gps signal generator is provided . first , the gps signal generator generates a gps signal including the altitude information ( s 10 ), and sends the gps signal to the mobile communication terminal . accordingly , the gps receiver of the mobile communication terminal receives the gps signal ( s 11 ). in the mobile communication terminal , the altitude information is extracted from the received gps signal ( s 12 ), and use mode of the terminal is , based on use modes previously defined according to the altitude information , converted into a use mode adapted to the extracted altitude information ( s 13 ). the use modes of the mobile communication terminal can be previously set up in designing a system , and for example , can be classified into a first use mode , a second use mode , a third use mode and a fourth use mode . the first use mode corresponds to a case of which altitude indicated by the altitude information is 10 , 000 meter ˜ 20 , 000 meter . in the first use mode , a ring tone mode is converted into a vibration mode , and camera functions can not be used by restricting functions of storing / reproducing images . the second use mode corresponds to a case of which altitude indicated by the altitude information is 20 , 000 meter ˜ 30 , 000 meter . in the second use mode , although a ring tone mode is not converted into a vibration mode , loudness of the ring tone is reduced by two levels , and camera functions cannot be used by restricting functions of storing / reproducing images . the third use mode corresponds to a case of which altitude indicated by the altitude information is 30 , 000 meter ˜ 40 , 000 meter . in the third use mode , loudness of the ring tone is reduced by one level , and functions of storing / reproducing images can be used . accordingly , camera functions can be used . the fourth use mode corresponds to a case of which altitude indicated by the altitude information is 40 , 000 meter or more . in the fourth use mode , general functions of the mobile communication terminal can be freely used , and there is no special restriction on functions . the conversion of use modes of the mobile communication terminal depending on the altitude information can be easily embodied merely by modifying software of the mobile communication terminal equipped with the gps module . the range of altitude indicated by the altitude information , contents of use modes according to the altitude , the number of use modes , types of control information influencing on conversion of use modes , and the number of control information influencing on conversion of use modes can be changed according to system set up , and thus are only illustrative . the present invention is not restricted by the above - mentioned numeral values , contents of use modes according to the altitude , the number of use modes and the conversion of the use modes . as described above , according to the present invention , the gps signal generator , which generates and sends the gps signal , is provided in a predetermined place and the mobile communication terminal converts use modes according to the control information , in particular altitude information , included in the gps signal . accordingly , use modes of the mobile communication terminal located in the place required to restrict some functions of the mobile communication terminal can be collectively and automatically converted . the foregoing embodiments are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention . many alternatives , modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art 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