Apparatus and method for transmitting call holding message in mobile communication terminal

• US 20040214553A1
• Filed: 05/25/2004
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Information & Communications Ltd. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Information & Communications Ltd. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kang, Sung Chul, Choe, Tae Eun
• Granted Patent: US 7,551,900 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/642 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72513 On hold, intercom or transfer communication modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4285 Notifying, informing or entertaining a held party while on hold, e.g. Music On Hold

Abstract

A call holding voice message transmitting apparatus and method in a mobile communication terminal are disclosed that transmit voice data, preferably stored in the terminal, to a caller in a situation in which the user of the terminal cannot receive an incoming call from the caller. The apparatus can include a key input unit to input a command to the terminal, a controller that generates a control signal adapted to execute the command, a microphone that converts a voice into an analog voice signal and a voice encoder that converts the analog voice signal into a digital voice signal. A memory can retrievably store the digital voice signal outputted from the voice encoder and a voice decoder converts the digital voice signal into an outgoing analog voice signal. A selection device outputs a selected one of the analog voice signal from the microphone and the outgoing analog voice signal from the voice decoder in response to the control signal from the control unit. Finally, a backward speech channel unit can convert the analog voice signal outputted from the selection device into a signal meeting a transmission system used in association with the terminal.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A method for transmitting a call holding message in a mobile communication terminal, comprising:

receiving voice data corresponding to a call holding voice message to be transmitted to a caller in response to an incoming call from the caller;

receiving an input memory address;

allocating the memory address to store the received voice data;

storing the received voice data in a retrievable format;

outputting a menu on a display of the terminal, said menu listing information indicative of a predetermined number of voice messages;

receiving a selection signal selecting one of the voice messages in said menu corresponding to the received voice data in response to the incoming call from the caller in a conversation mode of the terminal;

retrieving the voice data in response to the selection signal; and

converting the retrieved voice data into data meeting a transmission system used in association with the terminal.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising transmitting the converted data to the caller.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the storing the received voice data comprises storing the received voice data in a memory in the terminal while allocating a corresponding memory address for the stored voice data, wherein the receiving a selection signal comprises receiving an input memory address equal to the corresponding memory address of the stored voice data, and wherein the retrieving the voice data comprises reading out the stored voice data in response to the input memory address.

21. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

generating the selection signal based on depression of at least one of a plurality of number keys of a key input unit of the terminal used to enter a phone number.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein generating the selection signal further comprises depressing said at least one number key for a time longer than a predetermined period of time.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein generating the selection signal further comprises:

depressing a first key for a first period of time; and

depressing at least a second key for time longer than a second predetermined period of time.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the first period of time is different from the second predetermined period of time.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the second predetermined period of time is longer than the first period of time.

26. A method for transmitting a call holding message in a mobile communication terminal, comprising:

storing voice data corresponding to a call holding message in the terminal;

setting an incoming call holding mode for the terminal;

transmitting the call holding voice message stored in the terminal to a caller in the incoming call holding mode in response to an incoming call, by depression of at least one of a plurality of keys for a time longer than a prescribed length of time; and

receiving the incoming call in response to a depression of a conversation button in the terminal by a user of the terminal after the transmission of the call holding message and before a prescribed period of time elapses.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the data is voice data, and wherein the voice data is adapted to be transmitted to the caller in response to the incoming call from the caller.

28. The method according to claim 26, wherein the incoming call holding mode is selected by a user of the terminal.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the call holding mode is selected by a depression of a call holding button in a key input unit of the terminal by the user.

30. The method according to claim 26, further comprising:

transmitting an acknowledgment message from the terminal to the caller when a prescribed period of time elapses to request the caller for a transmission of a caller voice message.

31. The method according to claim 30, further comprising:

receiving the voice data corresponding to the call holding message to be transmitted to the caller; and

converting the voice data into one of a corresponding digital voice signal and a corresponding analog voice signal.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein the depression of at least one of a plurality of keys includes depressing a first key for a first period of time, and depressing at least a second key for a time longer than a second predetermined period of time.

33. An apparatus for transmitting a call holding voice message in a mobile communication terminal, comprising:

an input unit that inputs a command to the terminal;

a control unit that generates a control signal adapted to execute the command from the input unit;

a first converter that converts a voice inputted to the terminal into a first analog voice signal;

a second converter that converts the first analog voice signal outputted from the first converter into a first digital voice signal;

a memory allocated with a plurality of memory addresses, wherein the memory allocates a selected one of the memory addresses for the first digital voice signal;

a key input unit generating a mode designation signal and key codes;

a multiplexer that outputs one of the first digital voice signal and a second digital voice signal output from the memory in response to the control signal received from the control unit in accordance with a key input generated by a key manipulation of the user from the key input unit; and

transmitting the selected digital voice signal from the terminal.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the first digital voice signal and the second digital voice signal are the same signal.

35. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising a backward speech channel unit including a voice encoder, the backward speech channel unit receiving compressed digital signals from the multiplexer.