Communication terminal device and method for controlling a connecting state of a call into a desired connection state upon a predetermined operation by a user

• US 6,070,068 A
• Filed: 03/14/1997
• Issued: 05/30/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ironworks Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sudo, Fukuharu
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMMING, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US08/818,564
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/415, 379/201, 379/204, 379/205, 379/215, 379/213, 379/428, 379/433, 379/915
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Abstract

In a communication terminal device, the connecting state of a call can certainly and easily be controlled without learning troublesome operating methods which are different depending on the connecting state of a call by providing controller for displaying processing items available to a call a display and controlling the call into the connecting state corresponding to the processing item which is selected and determined by the user'"'"'s operation of an input unit, the user can control the connecting state of the call by merely selecting the desired processing item.

Claims

1. A communication terminal device for controlling a connecting state of a call into a desired connecting state upon a predetermined operation by a user, comprising:

display means for displaying processing items available to the user relative to a call;

input means for selecting and determining a desired processing item out of said processing items displayed on said display means; and

control means for controlling displaying of the processing items available to the user relative to a present call and to an incoming call on said display means and controlling the present call and the incoming call into a respective connecting state corresponding to the processing item selected and determined by the operation of said input means by a user, wherein said control means controls said display means to display said processing items on said display means when a predetermined operation key of said input means is pushed by the user.

2. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein said control means controls said display means to display said processing items on said display means when an incoming call is received.

3. The communication terminal device according to claim 2, wherein said control means controls said display means to display a list of said processing items available to the user on said display means for each call.

4. The communication terminal device according to claim 3, wherein

when a processing for one call is determined by the user and a processing for another call is naturally determined, said control means controls said display means to display a list of only processing items available to the user relative to said one call on said display means.

5. The communication terminal device according to claim 3, wherein determining the processing for said one call, said control means controls said display means to display a list of only processings practically available as said processing items of said another call by excluding the unavailable processing from the list.

6. The communication terminal device according to claim 2, wherein

said control means controls said display means to display a combination of processings for each call on said display means as said processing items.

7. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein

said control means controls said display means to display a list of said processing items available to the user on said display means for each call.

8. The communication terminal device according to claim 7, wherein

when a processing for one call is determined by the user and a processing for another call is naturally determined, said control means controls said display means to display a list of only processing items available to the user relative to said one call on said display means.

9. The communication terminal device according to claim 7, wherein

if a processing available to said other calls generated by said input means determining the processing for said one call, said control means controls said display means to display a list of only processings practically available as said processing items of said another call by excluding the unavailable processing.

10. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein said control means controls said display means to display a combination of processings for each call on said display means as said processing items.

11. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein

said control means always controls said display means to display said processing items on said display means during a time when a predetermined call is connected.

12. The communication terminal device according to claim 11, wherein

said control means controls said display means to display a list of said processing items available to the user on said display means for each call.

13. The communication terminal device according to claim 12, wherein

when a processing for one call is determined by the user and a processing for the other call is naturally determined, said control means controls said display means to display a list of only processing items available to the user relative to said one call on said display means.

14. The communication terminal device according to claim 12, wherein

if a processing unavailable to said other call is generated by said input means determining the processing for said one call, said control means controls said display means to display a list of only processings practically available as said processing items of said another call by excluding the unavailable processing.

15. The communication terminal device according to claim 11, wherein

said control means controls said display means to display a combination of processings for each call on said display means as said processing items.

16. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein:

said display means displays a cursor showing the processing item selected by the user; and

said input means includes means for controlling a direction and amount of movement of said cursor in a predetermined direction and includes determining information for determining that the processing item where said cursor is displayed can be entered by the user.

17. A communicating method for controlling a connecting state of a call into a desired connecting state upon a predetermined operation by a user, comprising the steps of:

displaying processing items available to the user relative to the call on a display;

selecting and determining a desired processing item out of said processing items displayed on said display by the user operating an input unit; and

controlling the processing items being displayed on said display and controlling the call into a connecting state corresponding to the processing item selected and determined by the operation of said input unit by the user, wherein said step of controlling the processing items includes displaying said processing items on said display when a predetermined selection operation is made by the user.

18. The communication method according to claim 17, wherein

said step of controlling said processing items on said display includes displaying said processing items on said display when a predetermined call is received.

19. The communicating method according to claim 18, wherein

said step of controlling the processing items includes listing said processing items available to the call on said display for each call.

20. The communicating method according to claim 19, wherein

in the case where a processing for one call is determined by the user and a processing for another call is naturally determined, said step of controlling the processing items includes listing only processing items available to said one call on said display.

21. The communicating method according to claim 19, wherein

if a processing unavailable to the another call is generated by determining the processing for said one call, said step of controlling the processing items includes listing only processings practically available as said processing items of said other call by excluding the unavailable processing from the listing.

22. The communicating method according to claim 18, wherein

said steps of controlling the processing items includes displaying a combination of processings for each call on said display as said processing items.

23. The communicating method according to claim 17, wherein

said step of controlling the processing items includes listing said processing items available to the call on said display for each call.

24. The communicating method according to claim 23, wherein

when a processing for one call is determined by said step of selecting and a processing for another call is naturally determined, said step of controlling said processing items includes listing only processing items available to said one call on said display.

25. The communicating method according to claim 23, wherein

if a processing unavailable to said other call is selected by determining the processing for said one call, said step of controlling said processing items includes listing only processings available as said processing items of said another call by excluding the unavailable processing items.

26. The communicating method according to claim 17, wherein

said step of controlling said processing items includes displaying a combination of processings for each call on said display means as said processing items.

27. The communicating method according to claim 17, wherein

said step of controlling the display of said processing items includes always displaying said processing items on said display during a time when a predetermined call is connected.

28. The communicating method according to claim 27, wherein

said step of controlling the display of said processing items includes listing said processing items available to the user on said display for each call.

29. The communicating method according to claim 28, wherein

in the case where a processing for one call is determined by said step of selecting and a processing for another call is naturally determined, said step of controlling the display of said processing items includes listing only processing items available to said one call on said display.

30. The communicating method according to claim 28, wherein

if a processing unavailable to said another call is generated by said step of selecting and determining the processing for said one call, said step of controlling the display of said processing items includes listing only processings available as said processing items of said another call by excluding the unavailable processing items.

31. The communicating method according to claim 27, wherein

said step of controlling the display of said processing items includes displaying a combination of processings for each call on said display as said processing items.

32. The communicating method according to claim 17, wherein:

said step of displaying includes displaying a cursor showing the processing item selected in said step of selecting;

determining a direction and amount of movement for moving said cursor in a predetermined direction; and

determining information for determining the processing item on which said cursor is displayed can be selected by the user.