Telephone which enables timely input and presentation of information

• US 20020119768A1
• Filed: 02/21/2002
• Published: 08/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Fumiaki, Nagase, Kosuke
• Granted Patent: US 7,130,617 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/412.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2749 Automatic dialling or redialling systems, e.g. on off-hook or redial on busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions

Abstract

A telephone includes: a reminding unit for, when judging that a user makes a call but fails to convey information to a party, reminding the user to input the information into information acceptance unit; the information acceptance unit for accepting input of the information from the user; a storage unit for associating the inputted information with a telephone number of the party and storing the associated information; and a notification unit for, when the user makes a call to the party or receives a call from the party, checking whether the information associated with the telephone number of the party is stored in the storage unit, and, if the associated information is stored therein, notifying the user of the stored information.

Claims

1. A telephone comprising:

reminding means for, when judging that a user makes a call but fails to convey information to a party, reminding the user to input the information into information acceptance means;

the information acceptance means for accepting input of the information from the user;

storage means for associating the inputted information with a telephone number of the party and storing the associated information; and

notification means for, when the user makes a call to the party or receives a call from the party, checking whether the information associated with the telephone number of the party is stored in the storage means, and, if the associated information is stored therein, notifying the user of the stored information.

2. The telephone according to claim 1, further comprising:

reception means for, when receiving the call from the party, receiving a signal including the telephone number of the party as well, wherein

the notification means recognizes the telephone number of the party based on the received signal and performs the notification when the reception means receives the signal.

3. The telephone according to claim 2, wherein the reminding means makes the judgement by detecting that a telephone line connecting operation has been completed before the call between the user and the party is established.

4. The telephone according to claim 3, wherein the information acceptance means inquires of the user whether or not to input the information, and accepts the input of the information only when the user wishes to input the information.

5. The telephone according to claim 4, wherein the information acceptance means accepts input of text data, and

the notification means performs the notification by displaying the accepted text data on a display of the telephone.

6. The telephone according to claim 5, wherein the reminding means reminds the user to input the information by displaying an input screen for the user to input the information.

7. The telephone according to claim 6, wherein the information acceptance means accepts the input of the information by displaying a plurality of options for the information, which allows the user to select one of the options.

8. The telephone according to claim 7 further comprising, vibration means for making the body vibrate in accordance with the reminder by the reminding means.

9. The telephone according to claim 8, wherein the vibration means further makes the body vibrate in accordance with the notification by the notification means.

10. The telephone according to claim 7 further comprising, lighting means for lighting up or flashing predetermined portions in accordance with the reminder by the reminding means.

11. The telephone according to claim 10, wherein the lighting means further lights up or flashes the predetermined portions in accordance with the notification by the notification means.

12. The telephone according to claim 4, wherein the inquiry is made by sounds.

13. The telephone according to claim 12, wherein the information acceptance means accepts the input of the information by sounds, and

the notification means gives the notification by reproducing the accepted sounds.

14. The telephone according to claim 13, wherein the information acceptance means further accepts, from the user, an instruction for reproducing the inputted sounds, and

the notification means, if the instruction is given while the call being established, reproduces the sounds associated with the telephone number of the party, so that the party can hear the reproduced sounds.

15. The telephone according to claim 2, wherein the reminding means makes the judgement by detecting that a duration of the call between the user and the party is shorter than a predetermined duration.

16. The telephone according to claim 15, wherein the information acceptance means inquires of the user whether or not to input the information, and accepts the input of the information only when the user wishes to input the information.

17. The telephone according to claim 16, wherein the information acceptance means accepts input of text data, and

the notification means performs the notification by displaying the accepted text data on a display of the telephone.

18. The telephone according to claim 17, wherein the inquiry is made by sounds.

19. The telephone according to claim 18, wherein the information acceptance means accepts the input of the information by sounds, and

the notification means gives the notification by reproducing the accepted sounds.

20. A method for notifying an user of information to be conveyed to the party, the method comprising the steps of:

a reminding step for, when judging that the user makes a call but fails to convey information to a party, reminding the user to input the information;

the information acceptance step for accepting input of the information from the user;

a storage step for associating the inputted information with a telephone number of the party and storing the associated information; and

a notification step for, when the user makes a call to the party or receives a call from the party, checking whether the information associated with the telephone number of the party is stored in the storage step, and,

if the associated information is stored therein, notifying the user of the stored information.