Multifunction wireless telephone

• US 6,625,478 B1
• Filed: 03/01/2000
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nonogaki, Masaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gesesse, Tilahun
• Application Number:
  US09/516,521
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575, 455/90, 455/550, 455/571, 455/572, 455/573, 455/574, 455/343, 455/556, 455/557, 370/311, 327/544
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/401 for selecting or indicating operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A portable telephone may include an AV processing block (200), a telephone processing block (300) and a common processing block (400). A power management controller (101) may control a power supply of each block, i.e. operation and non-operation. The power management controller (101) may have connected thereto a power supply key (K1) and a power supply decision key (K2). When depressing the key (K1) sequentially, the user can repeatedly select an AV mode, a PHONE mode and an AV/PHONE mode. A user can determine the selected mode by depressing the key (K2). In the area in which a use of an electronic device which may generate electromagnetic waves is prohibited, a user can use this portable telephone in the AV mode. Also, outside the telephone service area, a user can use this portable telephone in the AV mode, thereby making it possible to avoid electric power from being uselessly consumed when the power supply of the telephone processing block (300) is held at ON state. Thus, the portable telephone of the present invention is easier to handle.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a first function section for generating electromagnetic waves of a level higher than a predetermined level;

a second function section which does not generate said electromagnetic waves;

selection operation means including first and second switches controlled by a user for selecting, using said first switch, among a first operation mode wherein only said first function section operates, a second operation mode wherein only said second function section operates, and a third operation mode wherein said first and second function sections operate, and for enabling the selected operation mode using said second switch; and

control means for controlling a power supply for selectively controlling the powering on and off of said first and second function sections in response to a selection made by said selection operation means; and

for reporting a caution message for a predetermined period of time after said user selects one of said first and said third operation modes using said first switch and before said user enables the selected operation mode using said second switch.

2. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first function section is a wireless telephone and said second function section is an audio/visual apparatus.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

state recovery means for returning said first and second function sections to a standby state when said confirmation operation means does not confirm the selected operation mode selected using said first switch is not enabled using said second switch before the expiration of said predetermined period of time.

4. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control means reports said caution message in the form of one of a character and an image on a display device.

5. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control means reports said caution message using an audio output device.

6. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control means reports said caution message using a vibrator.