Portable radio terminal, and sound delivery method and sound intake method

• US 20030099367A1
• Filed: 10/07/2002
• Published: 05/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Okamura, Haruhiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,254,415 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/77
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface

Abstract

This invention improves the usability of a portable wireless terminal. According to this invention, a portable wireless terminal provides signal output means 49 for outputting an audio signal to a speaker 6 or to earphones 25 from an earphone jack 16 via a plug 21, and control means 40 for controlling the signal output means 49 to output an arbitrary audio signal or another audio signal to specified speaker 6 and/or earphones 25 at an arbitrary timing when the arbitrary audio signal is being outputted to the speaker 6 and/or earphones 25. Thereby, an audio signal can be outputted to desired speaker 6 and/or earphones 25 that have been arbitrary selected by switching the output means to them without pulling the plug 21 out of the earphone jack 16 when the audio signal is being outputted to the speaker 6 and/or the earphones 25. Thus, the usability of a portable wireless terminal 1 can be improved.

Claims

1. A portable wireless terminal, comprising:

a speaker for emitting a sound based on a predetermined audio signal;

an earphone jack to insert so as to be able to pull out, a plug connected to earphones that emits said sound based on said audio signal;

signal output means for outputting said audio signal to said speaker or outputting said audio signal from said earphone jack to said earphones via said plug; and

control means for controlling said signal output means to output said arbitrary audio signal or another audio signal to said specified speaker and/or said earphones at arbitrary timing when said arbitrary audio signal is being outputted to said speaker and/or said earphones.

2. The portable wireless terminal according to claim 1, comprising:

sending/receiving means for sending the send voice signal of user'"'"'s voice and receiving the receive voice signal of the voice of the other party for call as said audio signal; and

reproducing means for reproducing a music signal from a predetermined recording medium in that the above music signal has been recorded as said audio signal; and

wherein,

if a call comes when said music signal reproduced from said recording medium by said reproducing means is being outputted to said earphones via said signal output means, said control means controls the above signal output means to output said receive voice signal received by said sending/receiving means to said speaker and said earphones or only to the above speaker via said signal output means.

3. The portable wireless terminal according to claim 2, comprising;

output specification means to enter an output specification command to specify said speaker or said earphones to output said receive voice signal, and wherein,

if said output specification command is entered via said output specification means when said receive voice signal or said music signal is being outputted to said speaker and/or said earphones said control means controls said signal output means to output said receive voice signal or said music signal to said earphones and/or said speaker corresponding to the above output specification command.

4. The portable wireless terminal according to claim 3, comprising:

a main body microphone for picking up user'"'"'s voice; and

signal fetch means for fetching said send voice signal obtained by picking up said user'"'"'s voice by said main body microphone, or fetching said send voice signal obtained by picking up said user'"'"'s voice by an external microphone connected to said plug inserted into said earphone jack along with said earphones; and

wherein,

if a call comes when said music signal reproduced from said recording medium by said reproducing means is being outputted to said earphones via said signal output means, said control means controls said signal fetch means to fetch said send voice signal obtained by picking up said user'"'"'s voice by said arbitrary main body microphone and/or external microphone.

5. The portable wireless terminal according to claim 4, comprising;

fetch specification means to enter a fetch specification command to specify said main body microphone or said external microphone to pick up said user'"'"'s voice, and wherein,

if said fetch specification command is entered via said fetch specification means when said send voice signal is being fetched from said main body microphone and/or said external microphone by said signal fetch means, said control means controls said signal fetch means to fetch said send voice signal from said main body microphone and/or external microphone corresponding to the above fetch specification command.

6. A portable wireless terminal for sending the send voice signal of user'"'"'s voice and receiving the receive voice signal of the voice of the other party for call, comprising:

a main body microphone for picking up said user'"'"'s voice;

an earphone jack to insert so as to be able to pull out, a plug connected to an external microphone for picking up said user'"'"'s voice;

signal fetch means for fetching said send voice signal obtained by picking up said user'"'"'s voice by said main body microphone, or fetching said send voice signal obtained by picking up said user'"'"'s voice by said earphones; and

control means for controlling said signal fetch means to fetch said send voice signal obtained by picking up said user'"'"'s voice by said arbitrary main body microphone and/or external microphone when said plug is inserted into said earphone jack.

7. The portable wireless terminal according to claim 6, comprising:

a speaker for emitting a sound based on a predetermined audio signal; and

signal output means for outputting said audio signal or said receive voice signal to said speaker, or said audio signal or said receive voice signal to a head phone that is connected to said plug inserted into said headphone jack along with said external microphone; and

wherein,

if a call comes when said audio signal is being outputted to said earphones by said signal output means, said control means controls said signal fetch means to fetch said send audio signal from said arbitrary main body microphone and/or external microphone.

8. The portable wireless terminal according to claim 7, comprising;

fetch specification means to enter a fetch specification command to specify said main body microphone or said external microphone to pick up said user'"'"'s voice, and

if said fetch specification command is entered via said fetch specification means when said send voice signal is being fetched from said main body microphone and/or said external microphone by said signal fetch means, said control means controls said signal fetch means to fetch said send voice signal from said main body microphone and/or external microphone corresponding to the above fetch specification command.

9. A method of outputting sound, comprising:

the output step of outputting an arbitrary audio signal to at least one of a speaker provided on a portable wireless terminal and earphones that is connected to a plug inserted so as to be able to be pulled out, into an earphone jack provided on the above portable wireless terminal; and

the output switching step of outputting said arbitrary audio signal or another audio signal to said specified speaker and/or earphones at arbitrary timing from the state where said audio signal is being outputted to said speaker and/or earphones.

10. The method of outputting sound according to claim 9, comprising:

the reproducing and outputting step of reproducing a music signal from a predetermined recording medium in that the above music signal has been recorded as said audio signal, and outputting it to said earphones; and

the sending/receiving step of sending the send voice signal of user'"'"'s voice and receiving the receive voice signal of the voice of the other party for call as said audio signal; and

wherein,

if a call comes when said music signal reproduced from said recording medium is being outputted to said earphones said output switching step outputs said receive voice signal received by said sending/receiving means to said arbitrary speaker and/or earphones.

11. The method of outputting sound according to claim 10, wherein;

if an output specification command to specify said speaker or said earphones to output said receive voice signal is entered when said receive voice signal or said music signal is being outputted to said speaker and/or said earphones said output switching step outputs said receive voice signal or said music signal to said earphones and/or speaker corresponding to the above output specification command.

12. The method of outputting sound according to claim 11, comprising;

the signal fetching step of fetching, if a call comes when said music signal reproduced from said recording medium is being outputted to said earphones, said send voice signal obtained by picking up said user'"'"'s voice by at least arbitrary one of a main body microphone provided on said portable wireless terminal and an external microphone that is connected to said plug inserted into said earphone jack along with said earphones.

13. The method of outputting sound according to claim 12, wherein;

if a fetch specification command to specify said main body microphone or said external microphone to pick up said user'"'"'s voice is entered when said send voice signal is being fetched from said main body microphone and/or said external microphone, said signal fetching step fetches said send voice signal from said main body microphone and/or said external microphone corresponding to the above fetch specification command.

14. A method of picking up sound, comprising:

the sending/receiving step of sending the send voice signal of user'"'"'s voice and receiving the receive voice signal of the voice of the other party for call by a portable wireless terminal; and

the signal picking-up step of picking up said send voice signal obtained by picking up said user'"'"'s voice by at least arbitrary one of a main body microphone provided on said portable wireless terminal and an external microphone that is connected to a plug inserted so as to be able to be pulled out, into an earphone jack provided on the above portable wireless terminal when in talking on the telephone.

15. The method of picking up sound according to claim 14, comprising;

the signal sending step of sending a predetermined audio signal to at least arbitrary one of a speaker provided on said portable wireless terminal and a headphone that is connected to said plug inserted into said earphone jack along with said external microphone, and wherein,

if a call comes when said audio signal is being outputted to said earphones by said signal sending means, said signal fetching step fetches said send voice signal obtained by picking up said user'"'"'s voice by said arbitrary main body microphone and/or external microphone.

16. The method of picking up sound according to claim 15, wherein;

if a fetch specification command to specify said main body microphone or said external microphone to pick up said user'"'"'s voice when said send voice signal is being fetched from said main body microphone and/or said external microphone, said signal fetching step fetches said send voice signal from said main body microphone and/or external microphone corresponding to the above fetch specification command.