Apparatus for preventing loss of portable telephone using a bluetooth communication protocol and control method thereof

• US 6,885,848 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2000
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, John-Gy
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US09/726,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20010002211A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/426.1, 455/85, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/575.1, 455/569.1, 455/551, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/557, 455/566, 455/569, 379/114
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0247 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72516 with means for out-of-range alerting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus for preventing the loss of a portable telephone using a bluetooth communication and the control method thereof capable of preventing the loss of the portable telephone. According to the control method, the portable telephone periodically measures a power level of a radio frequency received from an earphone when a loss prevention mode is determined, and detects a calling state between the portable telephone and the earphone. The portable telephone transmits a warning signal data to the earphone if the power level of the radio frequency received from the earphone is below a predetermined level in a state that the calling state between the portable telephone and the earphone is detected. The earphone generates a warning sound if the warning sound signal is received from the portable telephone during a bluetooth radio communication with the portable telephone.

Claims

1. An apparatus for preventing the loss of a portable telephone, comprising:

a master communication system provided by said portable telephone and having a first short-range radio communication module and a first control section; and

a slave communication system provided by a wearable earphone which includes a speaker and a microphone to facilitate hands-free communication, and having a second short-range radio communication module, wherein said first control section transmits a warning sound signal to the slave communication system to generate a specified warning sound when said first control section determines that a distance between the master communication system and the slave communication system is greater than a predetermined range.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said master communication system generates said specified warning sound when said first control section determines that the distance between the master communication system and the slave communication system is greater than said predetermined range and there exists a state that no radio communication is established between the master communication system and the slave communication system.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the master communication system and the slave communication system perform radio communications according to a BLUETOOTH communications protocol.

4. A control method for preventing the loss of a portable telephone while a user of the portable telephone wears an earphone which includes a speaker and a microphone that facilitate wireless operation of the portable telephone in a hands-free mode the method comprising the steps of:

periodically measuring a power level of a radio frequency received from a short range communication module included in the earphone when a loss prevention mode is determined in the portable telephone;

determining whether a calling state exists between the portable telephone and the earphone;

transmitting a warning sound signal to the short range communication module of the earphone if the power level of the radio frequency received from the earphone is below a predetermined level and the calling state between the portable telephone and the earphone is detected; and

generating a warning sound in the earphone if the warning sound signal is received from the portable telephone.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising the step of the portable telephone generating the warning sound if the power level of the radio frequency received from the earphone is below the predetermined level in a state that the calling state between the portable telephone and the earphone is not detected.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising the step of the portable telephone periodically measuring the power level of the radio frequency received from the earphone when the hands-free mode is determined in the portable telephone.

7. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the portable telephone and the earphone perform radio communications according to a BLUETOOTH communications protocol.

8. The method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising the step of generating said warning signal, via said portable telephone, when the distance between the portable telephone and the earphone is greater than a predetermined range and no radio communication exists there between.

9. An apparatus for preventing the loss of a portable telephone, comprising:

a master communication system provided by said portable telephone and having a short-range radio communication module; and

a slave communication system provided by a wearable earphone which includes a speaker and a microphone to facilitate hands-free communication, and having another short-range radio communication module which is different from the short-range radio communication module of the master so that the slave performs a Bluetooth communication with the master;

wherein if it is detected that a distance between the master and the slave is greater than a predetermined range, the master transmits a warning sound signal to the slave to generate a specified warning sound.