Communication terminal

• US 20050099491A1
• Filed: 03/24/2004
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Miyata, Katsuya
• Granted Patent: US 7,698,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/29 Arrangements for monitoring broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/64 Automatic arrangements for answering calls; Automatic arrangements for recording messages for absent subscribers; Arrangements for recording conversations centralised dictation systems H04M11/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording

Abstract

In the conventional communication terminal, an operation to report an incoming, which is received while a program is being watched, to the user of the terminal is not taken into consideration. That is to say, while it is desirable to report the arrival of a phone call made by an important partner or an incoming, which is received while a trivial program is being watched, the arrival of such a phone call and such an incoming are not reported to the user. On the top of that, while it is also desirable to provide a function to inform the partner, the phone call of which is not reported, of an end time of a program being watched by the user, this function is not considered either. In order to solve these problems, this present invention provides a communication terminal comprising a video reproduction means for carrying out a video reproduction, a communication means for carrying out a communication, a storage means for storing an incoming-reporting condition indicating whether a video reproduction takes precedence of an operation to report an incoming to the user or vice versa and a setting means for setting the incoming-reporting condition, wherein an incoming received in the course of a video reproduction carried out by the video reproduction means is reported to the user in accordance with the incoming-reporting condition.

Claims

1. A communication terminal comprising:

a video reproduction means for carrying out a video reproduction;

a communication means for carrying out a communication;

a storage means for storing an incoming-reporting condition indicating whether a video reproduction takes precedence of an operation to report an incoming or said operation to report an incoming takes precedence of said video reproduction; and

a setting means for setting said incoming-reporting condition;

wherein, in the event of an incoming in the course of a video reproduction carried out by said video reproduction means, said incoming is reported in accordance with said incoming-reporting condition.

16. A communication terminal according to claim 1, said communication terminal further having a position-information acquisition means for acquiring position information, wherein an incoming is reported in accordance with position information acquired by said position-information acquisition means.

2. A communication terminal comprising:

a video reproduction means for carrying out a video reproduction;

a communication means for carrying out a communication;

a storage means for storing an incoming-reporting condition indicating whether a video reproduction takes precedence of an operation to report an incoming or said operation to report an incoming takes precedence of said video reproduction; and

a setting means for setting said incoming-reporting condition;

wherein, in the event of an incoming in the course of a video reproduction carried out by said video reproduction means;

said incoming is not reported if said incoming-reporting condition is set to indicate that said video reproduction takes precedence of an operation to report said incoming;

or

said incoming is reported if said incoming-reporting condition is set to indicate that an operation to report said incoming takes precedence of said video reproduction.

3. A communication terminal comprising:

a video reproduction means for carrying out a video reproduction;

a communication means for carrying out a communication; and

a reproduction-end-time acquisition means for acquiring an end time of a video reproduction carried out by said video reproduction means;

wherein, in the event of an incoming from a communication partner in the course of a video reproduction carried out by said video reproduction means, said communication partner is informed of an end time of said video reproduction.

9. A communication terminal according to claim 3 wherein said communication partner is informed of an end time of a video reproduction by transmitting a message including information on said end time of a video reproduction to said communication partner.

10. A communication terminal according to claim 3 wherein said communication partner is informed of an end time of a video reproduction by transmitting an email including information on said end time of a video reproduction to said communication partner.

4. A communication terminal comprising:

a video reproduction means for carrying out a video reproduction;

a communication means for carrying out a communication;

a reproduction-end-time acquisition means for acquiring an end time of a video reproduction carried out by said video reproduction means;

a storage means for storing an incoming-reporting condition indicating whether a video reproduction takes precedence of an operation to report an incoming or said operation to report an incoming takes precedence of said video reproduction; and

a setting means for setting said incoming-reporting condition;

wherein, in the event of an incoming from a communication partner in the course of a video reproduction carried out by said video reproduction means;

said communication partner is informed of an end time of said video reproduction if said incoming-reporting condition is set to indicate that said video reproduction takes precedence of an operation to report said incoming;

or

said incoming is reported if said incoming-reporting condition is set to indicate that an operation to report said incoming takes precedence of said video reproduction.

5. A communication terminal comprising:

a TV-broadcast receiving means for receiving a TV broadcast;

a display means for carrying out an operation to display an image of a TV broadcast received by said TV-broadcast receiving means;

a communication means for carrying out a communication;

a storage means for storing an incoming-reporting condition indicating whether an operation to display an image of a TV broadcast takes precedence of an operation to report an incoming or said operation to report an incoming takes precedence of said operation to display an image of a TV broadcast; and

a setting means for setting said incoming-reporting condition;

wherein, if an incoming arrives while said display means is carrying out an operation to display an image of a TV broadcast, said incoming is reported in accordance with said incoming-reporting condition.

15. A communication terminal according to claim 5 wherein said display means displays information on an incoming when an image of said TV broadcast is replaced by an image of a CM.

6. A communication terminal comprising:

a TV-broadcast receiving means for receiving a TV broadcast;

a display means for carrying out an operation to display an image of a TV broadcast received by said TV-broadcast receiving means;

a communication means for carrying out a communication;

a storage means for storing an incoming-reporting condition indicating whether an operation to display an image of a TV broadcast takes precedence of an operation to report an incoming or said operation to report an incoming takes precedence of said operation to display an image of a TV broadcast; and

a setting means for setting said incoming-reporting condition;

wherein, if an incoming arrives while said display means is carrying out an operation to display an image of a TV broadcast;

said incoming is not reported if said incoming-reporting condition is set to indicate that said operation to display an image of a TV broadcast takes precedence of an operation to report said incoming;

or

said incoming is reported if said incoming-reporting condition is set to indicate that an operation to report said incoming takes precedence of said operation to display an image of a TV broadcast.

7. A communication terminal comprising:

a TV-broadcast receiving means for receiving a TV broadcast;

a display means for carrying out an operation to display an image of a TV broadcast received by said TV-broadcast receiving means;

a communication means for carrying out a communication; and

a program-end-time acquisition means for acquiring an end time of a program of a TV broadcast received by said TV-broadcast receiving means;

wherein, if an incoming arrives from a communication partner while said display means is carrying out an operation to display an image of a program of a TV broadcast, said communication partner is informed of an end time of said program.

11. A communication terminal according to claim 7 wherein said communication partner is informed of an end time of a video reproduction by transmitting a message including information on said end time of a video reproduction to said communication partner.

12. A communication terminal according to claim 7 wherein said communication partner is informed of an end time of a video reproduction by transmitting an email including information on said end time of a video reproduction to said communication partner.

13. A communication terminal according to claim 7 wherein:

said TV-broadcast receiving means receives a digital broadcast; and

said program-end-time acquisition means acquires an end time of a program of a TV broadcast from information included in broadcasted data of a digital broadcast received by said TV-broadcast receiving means.

14. A communication terminal according to claim 7 wherein said program-end-time acquisition means acquires an end time of a program of a TV broadcast from information included in a program table distributed by an EPG.

8. A communication terminal comprising:

a TV-broadcast receiving means for receiving a TV broadcast;

a display means for carrying out an operation to display an image of a TV broadcast received by said TV-broadcast receiving means;

a communication means for carrying out a communication;

a program-end-time acquisition means for acquiring an end time of a program of a TV broadcast received by said TV-broadcast receiving means;

a storage means for storing an incoming-reporting condition indicating whether an operation to display an image of a TV broadcast takes precedence of an operation to report an incoming or said operation to report an incoming takes precedence of said operation to display an image of a TV broadcast; and

a setting means for setting said incoming-reporting condition;

wherein, if an incoming arrives from a communication partner while said display means is carrying out an operation to display an image of a program of a TV broadcast;

said communication partner is informed of an end time of said program if said incoming-reporting condition is set to indicate that said operation to display an image of a program of a TV broadcast takes precedence of an operation to report said incoming;

or

said incoming is reported if an incoming-reporting condition is set to indicate that an operation to report said incoming takes precedence of said operation to display an image of a program of a TV broadcast.

17. A video reproduction method for carrying out a video reproduction, said video reproduction method comprising the steps of:

setting an incoming-reporting condition indicating whether a video reproduction takes precedence of an operation to report an incoming or said operation to report an incoming takes precedence of said video reproduction; and

not reporting an incoming in the event of said incoming in the course of a video reproduction if said incoming-reporting condition is set to indicate that said video reproduction takes precedence of an operation to report said incoming;

or

reporting an incoming in the event of said incoming in the course of a video reproduction if said incoming-reporting condition is set to indicate that an operation to report said incoming takes precedence of said video reproduction.

18. A video reproduction method for carrying out a video reproduction wherein, in the event of an incoming from a communication partner in the course of a video reproduction:

an end time of said video reproduction is acquired; and

said communication partner is informed of said end time of said video reproduction.

19. A video reproduction method for carrying out an operation to display an image of a received TV broadcast, said video reproduction method comprising the steps of:

setting an incoming-reporting condition indicating whether an operation to display an image of a TV broadcast takes precedence of an operation to report an incoming or said operation to report an incoming takes precedence of said operation to display an image of a TV broadcast; and

not reporting an incoming in the event of said incoming in the course of an operation to display an image of a TV broadcast if said incoming-reporting condition is set to indicate that said operation to display an image of a TV broadcast takes precedence of an operation to report said incoming;

or

reporting an incoming in the event of said incoming in the course of an operation to display an image of a TV broadcast if said incoming-reporting condition is set to indicate that an operation to report said incoming takes precedence of said operation to display an image of a TV broadcast.

20. A video reproduction method for carrying out an operation to display an image of a received TV broadcast wherein, in the event of an incoming from a communication partner in the course of an operation to display an image of a program of a TV broadcast:

an end time of said program is acquired; and

said communication partner is informed of said end time of said program.