Function for facilitating use of a double-acting communication device and a double-acting communication device

• US 6,014,573 A
• Filed: 05/29/1996
• Issued: 01/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Lehtonen, Arto, Makela, Jarmo
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thuan T.
• Application Number:
  US08/654,874
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 370/493, 370/494, 370/495, 370/496, 455/90, 455/100, 455/414, 455/566, 455/567, 455/568, 455/569, 455/550, 455/556, 455/571, 455/575
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/605 involving control of the receiver volume to provide a dual operational mode at close or far distance from the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/042 with variable loudness of the ringing tone, e.g. variable envelope or amplitude of ring signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

The invention relates to use of a double-acting communication device comprising a separate first user interface (1) which is substantially a telephone user interface including sound reproducing means, and a separate second user interface (2) which is substantially a keypad and display user interface. The first and the second user interface can be used at different times and simultaneously, whereby in the simultaneous use the communication device is substantially located on a table or in the lap and not at the ear like when using the telephone user interface only. Thus, when a simultaneous use is started, the sound reproducing volume is increased so that the user can hear the voice from the speaker (3, 5) even though the device is far from the user'"'"'s ear. The second user interface (2) is located inside the device, so that it is preferable to locate the switch (15) affecting the sound reproduction volume so that it is attached to the opening mechanism of the device.

Claims

1. A method for maintaining a call in a double-acting communication device comprising a separate first user interface being substantially a telephone user interface, and a separate second user interface being substantially a keypad and display user interface, and the first and the second user interfaces can be used in different times and simultaneously and the communication device includes adjustable voice reproduction means, wherein said voice reproduction means includes a first speaker and a second speaker, the method comprising steps of:

providing a sensor of concurrent usage of the first and the second user interfaces;

sensing by the sensor a simultaneous use of the first and the second user interfaces;

in response to the sensing of the simultaneous use by the sensor, increasing, by means of a control unit of the communication device, the volume of the voice reproduced by the communication device significantly compared with the volume during a telephone connection through the first user interface only;

wherein said step of increasing the voice volume includes a switching from use of only said first speaker during use of only said first interface to a use of said second speaker during said concurrent usage of said first and said second user interfaces.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said increasing of volume is realized by the sensor in response to moving the parts that belong to the communication device into a position in which the second user interface becomes available to the user.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said increasing of volume is realized by the sensor in response to a command given by the user by depressing a key.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein in addition to increasing of the volume, also the recording level of the recording circuit included in the first telephone user interface is substantially simultaneously increased.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein, in addition to increasing the volume, also sound signals produced by the communication device in connection with depressing the keys is substantially simultaneously prevented.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein, in addition to increasing the volume, also illumination associated with the first user interface is substantially simultaneously switched off.

7. A double-acting communication device comprising:

a separate first user interface being substantially a telephone user interface for creating a telephone connection and for keeping up a telephone connection;

a separate second user interface being substantially a keypad and display user interface for transmitting information through the keypad from the user to the device and through the display from the device to the user; and

means for sensing concurrent usage of the first and the second user interfaces, said sensing means comprising a first switch means and a second switch means;

whereby the first and the second user interfaces can be used at different times or simultaneously, and the communication device includes adjustable sound reproduction means including sound volume control means operative in response to the sensing means, said sound reproduction means further comprising a first speaker and a second speaker;

wherein the first switch means produces information about starting the use of the first user interface and the second switch means produces information about starting the use of the second user interface;

in response to the information given by said first and said second switch means about starting a simultaneous use of the first and the second user interfaces, said sound volume control is operative to adjust the sound volume of the sound reproducing means to a first level; and

in response to the information given by said first and/or said second switch means about the use of the first user interface only, said sound volume control means is operative to adjust the sound volume of the sound reproducing means to a second level, said second level being lower than said first level, said sound volume control means being operative further to switch from a use of only said first speaker during use of only said first interface to a use of said second speaker during said concurrent usage of said first and said second user interfaces.

8. A communication device in accordance with claim 7, further comprising an openable outer covering, and wherein the second user interface includes parts located inside said openable outer covering, whereby said outer covering must be opened in order to use the second user interface, and said first switch means is operative to act in response to an opening of said outer covering.

9. A communication device in accordance with claim 7, wherein said second switch means includes a switch being at a user'"'"'s disposal.

10. A communication device in accordance with claim 7 further comprising adjustable sound recording means, a control block and, attached to said control block, control means of the recording level operative so that in response to starting a simultaneous use of the first and the second user interfaces, said control block is operative to adjust the recording level of said sound recording means into a first level and in response to the use of the first user interface only, said control block is operative to adjust the recording level of said sound recording means into a second level, said second level corresponding to a lower recording level than said first level.

11. A communication device in accordance with claim 7 further comprising sound signal means for giving sound signals in response to a depressing of keys of the user interfaces;

and

in response to a starting of the simultaneous use of the first and the second user interfaces, said control block switches off said sound signal means.

12. A double-acting communication device comprising:

a separate first user interface being substantially a telephone user interface for creating a telephone connection and for keeping up a telephone connection;

a separate second user interface being substantially a keypad and display user interface for transmitting information through the keypad from the user to the device and through the display from the device to the user, wherein the first and the second user interfaces can be used at different times or simultaneously;

means for sensing concurrent usage of the first and the second user interfaces;

adjustable sound reproduction means including sound volume control means operative in response to said sensing means to produce a desired level of sound outputted by said sound reproduction means, said sound reproduction means further comprising a first speaker and a second speaker; and

wherein, in response to a sensing by said sensing means of said concurrent usage of said first and said second user interfaces, said sound volume control means is operative to raise the sound level by switching from a use of only said first speaker during use of only said first interface to a use of said second speaker during said concurrent usage of said first and said second user interfaces.