Portable information apparatus and information notification method for the same

• US 20020132639A1
• Filed: 01/28/2002
• Published: 09/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Sato, Yoneo
• Granted Patent: US 6,882,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations

Abstract

A portable information apparatus is disclosed which includes detecting section detecting an attached/detached state of the portable information apparatus to a housing portion, deciding section deciding a method of notifying a user of due items, based on an attached/detached state detected by the detecting section, and notifying section notifying the user of the due items according to a notification method decided by the deciding section.

Claims

1. A portable information apparatus, comprising:

a connected state detecting section detecting a connected state of the portable information apparatus to a cradle;

a notification method deciding section deciding a method for notifying a user of due items, based on the connected state detected by the connected state detecting section; and

a notifying section notifying the notification method decided by the notification method deciding section.

2. A portable information apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a first and second terminals for connecting a terminal of the cradle, wherein the connected state detecting section detects which the first and second terminals is connected to the terminal of the cradle, and

the notification method deciding section decides that the notification is performed by a first notification method when the connected state detecting section detects that the first terminal is connected to the terminal of the cradle and decides that the notification is not performed when the connected state detecting section detects that the second terminal is connected to the terminal of cradle.

3. The portable information apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the notification method deciding section decides that the notification is performed by a second notification method when the connected state detecting section detects that both of the first and second terminals are not connected to the terminal of the cradle.

4. The portable information apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a speaker and a vibration control section for vibrating the portable information apparatus, wherein

the first notification method is a voice output from the speaker and the second notification method is a vibration by the vibration control section.

5. The portable information apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a display and a vibration control section for vibrating the portable information apparatus, wherein

the first notification method is a display of a message by the display and the second notification method is a vibration by the vibration control section.

6. An information notifying method for a portable information apparatus, comprising:

detecting a connected state of the portable information apparatus to a cradle;

deciding a method for notifying a user of due items, based on the connected state detected; and

notifying the notification method decided.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising a first and second terminals for connecting a terminal of the cradle, wherein the step of detecting detects which the first and second terminals is connected to the terminal of the cradle, and

the step of deciding decides that the notification is performed by a first notification method when the step of detecting detects that the first terminal is connected to the terminal of the cradle and decides that the notification is not performed when the step of detecting detects that the second terminal is connected to the terminal of cradle.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of deciding decides that the notification is performed by a second notification method when the connected state detecting section detects that both of the first and second terminals are not connected to the terminal of the cradle.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising a speaker and a vibration control section for vibrating the portable information apparatus, wherein

the first notification method is a voice output from the speaker and the second notification method is a vibration by the vibration control section.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising a display and a vibration control section for vibrating the portable information apparatus, wherein

the first notification method is a display of a message by the display and the second notification method is a vibration by the vibration control section.