Telephone apparatus

• US 6,125,264 A
• Filed: 10/10/1995
• Issued: 09/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ironworks Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Hidekazu, Hamada, Osamu, Matsuzaki, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Faile, Andrew I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boccio, Vincent F.
• Application Number:
  US08/541,729
• Time in Patent Office: 1,813 Days
• Field of Search: 455/32.1, 455/38.1-38.2, 455/38.4-38.5, 455/89, 455/31.2, 455/31.3, 340/825.44, 340/825.46, 379/58-62, 379/142, 379/355-357, 379/372-375
• US Class Current: 340/7.39
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/1066 with other provisions not elsewhere provided for, e.g. turn-off protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations

Abstract

A signal receiver such as a portable telephone set or pager becomes more convenient when receiving an incoming call. A radio signal receiver for receiving a signal transmitted via a radio communication network line includes calling sound generator operable when an incoming call is received. An informing processing done by the calling sound generator can be varied by the user by selecting keys on a keyboard.

Claims

1. A signal receiver for receiving a signal transmitted by a caller when calling a user of said signal receiver, said signal receiver comprising:

receiving means for receiving said signal, wherein said signal includes control data indicating an identity of said caller;

recognizing means for recognizing said identity of said caller based on said control data included in said signal;

a read-only-memory (ROM) for storing a plurality of sound elements;

a random-access-memory (RAM) for storing a plurality of calling indications pre-programmed by said user at said signal receiver to correspond to a respective plurality of pre-selected callers including said caller, wherein said plurality of calling indications are pre-programmed by said user at said signal receiver based on said plurality of sound elements;

informing means for informing said user of said identity of said caller by generating a calling indication selected from said plurality of calling indications stored in said RAM and pre-programmed by said user to correspond to said caller;

a microphone and an external audio input terminal, wherein said calling indications stored in said RAM are input by said user using one of said microphone and said external audio input terminal; and

pre-programming means for changing at said signal receiver said plurality of calling indications in accordance with a calling indication setting procedure stored in said RAM, wherein said pre-programming means includes a keyboard integrally formed in said signal receiver for manipulating said pre-programming means by said user.

2. The signal receiver as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a speaker and wherein said informing means generates said calling indication in the form of a sound output from said speaker.

3. The signal receiver as claimed in claim 2, wherein said calling indication is formed of a tone of a predetermined period.

4. The signal receiver as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a light emitting diode and wherein said informing means transforms said calling indication to a light output from said light emitting diode.

5. The signal receiver as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a motor and wherein said informing means transforms said calling indication to a vibration output from said motor.

6. The signal receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein said recognizing means further recognizes a predetermined kind of data forming said received signal, and wherein said calling indication is changed by said informing means when said recognizing means recognizes said predetermined kind of data.

7. A signal receiving method for use in a signal receiver having a keyboard integrally formed thereon comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of sound elements in a read-only-memory (ROM);

receiving a signal transmitted by a caller when calling a user of said signal receiver, wherein said signal includes control data indicating an identity of said caller;

recognizing said identity of said caller based on said control data;

storing in RAM a plurality of calling sounds pre-programmed by said user at said signal receiver to correspond to a respective plurality of pre-selected callers including said caller, wherein said plurality of calling sounds are pre-programmed by said user at said signal receiver based on said plurality of sound elements;

informing said user of said identity of said caller by generating a calling sound selected from said plurality of calling sounds stored in said RAM and pre-programmed by said user to correspond to said caller, wherein said calling sounds stored in said RAM are input by said user using one of a microphone and a external audio input terminal; and

changing said plurality of calling sounds at said signal receiver by said user manipulating said keyboard in accordance with a calling sound setting procedure.

8. The signal receiving method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

recognizing a predetermined kind of data forming said signal; and

changing said calling sound according to a result of said step of recognizing a predetermined kind of data.