Radio telephone set with broadcast receiving functions

• US 5,890,071 A
• Filed: 10/26/1995
• Issued: 03/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Mobile Communications Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Corporation
• Inventors: Shimanuki, Masanobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Hudspeth, David R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABEBE, DANIEL DEMELASH
• Application Number:
  US08/548,765
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 379/58, 379/110, 379/58 F, 455/345, 455/346, 455/344, 455/38.3, 455/343, 455/550, 455/90, 455/403
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers

Abstract

In response to a reception of a incoming signal by a receiver during operation of a turner circuit, a controller shifts a changeover switch and at the same time cause a ringing tone generator to output a ringing tone via a loudspeaker in a tuner section, thereby permitting the user listening to a broadcast to surely hear the ringing tone. In response to an operation to a control panel in a reception state of a telephone receiver, the controller causes the tuner circuit to operate and at the same time controlling a power supply switch to stop on-off switching, keeping the switch on to continuously supply electric power to the telephone section. Thus, power supply noise caused by the intermittent supply of power is prevented from affecting the tuner section, thereby checking a deterioration in the quality of broadcast voice.

Claims

1. A radio communication apparatus, comprising:

a radio communication section having a speaker, a microphone, receiving means for receiving signals from a communication network via an antenna, transmitting means for transmitting signals inputted from the microphone to the communication network via the antenna;

broadcast receiving means having a tuner for selecting one broadcast wave from radio waves and demodulating into broadcast voice or image signals, and outputting means for outputting broadcast voices or images based on the broadcast signals;

incoming signal detecting means for detecting an incoming signal from the receiving means of the radio communication section;

power supply means for supplying electric power to the radio communication section, the broadcast receiving means. and other parts of the radio communication apparatus;

broadcast setting means for setting the broadcast receiving means active or inactive;

communication setting means for setting the radio communication section active or inactive;

broadcast power supply controlling means for controlling supplying of electric power to the broadcast receiving means, in response to an operation of the broadcast setting means;

supplying means for supplying intermittently electric power to the incoming signal detecting means when the communication setting means sets the radio communication section inactive; and

controlling means for detecting whether the broadcast setting means sets the broadcast receiving means active or inactive, for permitting action of the supplying means when the broadcast setting means sets the broadcast receiving means active, for inhibiting action of the supplying means and supplying continuously electric power to the incoming signal detecting means when the broadcast setting means sets the broadcast receiving means active.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said broadcast receiving means comprises:

tuning means for tuning in to a broadcast voice signal; and

audio output means for receiving an input signal and for controlling the level of amplifying and outputting said input signal as an audio output.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

means responsive to a second determination that said telephone means have received said incoming signal during operation of said broadcast receiving means for outputting at least one control signal; and

first transfer means responsive to said at least one control signal for transferring ringing data as said input signal to said audio output means.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said transfer means comprises:

means responsive to said at least one control signal for selectively connecting one of said broadcast voice signal and said ringing data to said audio output means.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said transfer means comprising:

means responsive to said at least one control signal for transferring a mixture of said ringing data and an attenuated version of said broadcast voice signal as said input signal to said audio output means.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said transfer means comprises:

means for permitting the user to set the attenuation amount of said attenuated version of said broadcast voice from the outside.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

tone generating means for generating a ringing tone;

second transfer means for receiving an audio signal and the ringing tone from the tone generating means, and outputting a mixture of said audio signal and the ringing tone; and

a connection jack for effecting a first electrical connection between said set and a head gear having at least a headphone or earphone function in such a way that said mixture output from said second transfer means is coupled with the tone generating means, as long as said head gear is not inserted into said connection jack, while inserting said head gear into said connection jack causes said mixture output from said second transfer means to be output as an audio output by means of said headphone or earphone function.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein:

said tuning means comprises a TV broadcast receiving circuit; and

the audio output of said circuit is output via said audio output means, said apparatus further comprising;

display means for displaying the video output of said circuit.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

interface means through which an external device is detachably connected to said set so as to enable an external device to communicate data to said transmitting system and from said receiving system.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein:

said external device is any of data terminal devices, computers, and facsimile device.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said broadcast receiving means comprises a radio broadcast receiver.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said broadcast receiving means comprises a TV broadcast receiver.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

tone generating means for generating a ringing tone in response to the incoming signal detecting means;

tone outputting means for outputting the ringing tone from the tone generating means.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

message display means for displaying a message composed of a mark indicating reception of said incoming signal, concurrently with said output of said ringing tone.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said message display means comprises:

color message display means operative during operation of said broadcast receiving means for displaying in color a message composed of a mark indicating reception of said incoming signal, concurrently with said output of said ringing tone.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said message display means comprises:

blinking message display means operative during operation of said broadcast receiving means for displaying a blinking message composed of a mark indicating reception of said incoming signal, concurrently with said output of said ringing tone.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said message display means comprises a cathode ray tube for displaying video output of said set and the message.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said message display means displaying the message of receiving the incoming signal on part of the CRT screen.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

message display means for displaying a message composed of a character indicating reception of said incoming signal, concurrently with said output of said ringing tone.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said message display means comprises:

color message display means for displaying in color a message composed of a character indicating reception of said incoming signal, concurrently with said output of said ringing tone.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said message display means comprises:

blinking message display means operative during operation of said broadcast receiving means for displaying a blinking message composed of a character indicating reception of said incoming signal, concurrently with said output of said ringing tone.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the power supply means includes a battery, and said message display means comprises:

means for detecting remaining capacity of said battery; and

means for displaying said remaining capacity of said battery.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said means for displaying comprises:

means responsive to a determination that said remaining capacity of said battery is larger than a predetermined value for displaying a first message to the that effect; and

means responsive to a determination that said remaining capacity of said battery is not larger than a predetermined value for displaying a second message to the that effect.

24. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said message display means comprise:

means for deriving teletext information from said broadcast receiving means; and

means for visually display said teletext information.

25. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

means responsive to said output of said ringing tone for emitting light for alerting the user.

26. A radio communication apparatus, comprising:

a radio communication section having a speaker, a microphone receiving means for receiving signals from a communication network via an antenna, transmitting means for transmitting signals inputted from the microphone to the communication network via the antenna;

broadcast receiving means having a tuner for selecting one broadcast wave from radio waves and demodulating into broadcast voice or image signals, and outputting means for outputting broadcast voices or images based on the broadcast signals;

incoming signal detecting means for detecting an incoming signal from the receiving means;

power supply means for supplying electric power to the radio communication section, the broadcast receiving means, and other parts of the radio communication apparatus;

broadcast setting means for setting the broadcast receiving means active or inactive;

communication setting means for setting the radio communication section active or inactive;

power supply controlling means for controlling the power supply means to supply electric power to the incoming signal detecting means intermittently when the broadcast setting means set the broadcast receiving means inactive and the communication setting means sets the radio communication means inactive, and for controlling the power supply means to supply electric power to the incoming signal detecting means continuously when the broadcast setting means sets the broadcast receiving means active.