Portable terminal

• US 6,944,287 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2001
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Mori, Ukyo
• Primary Examiner(s): Harold, Jefferey F.
• Application Number:
  US09/859,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20020001381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,581 Days
• Field of Search: 379/387.01, 379/390.01, 455/556.1
• US Class Current: 379/390.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0264 by selectively disabling software applications
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A radio terminal is disclosed which can be switched into a talking mode simply when a telephone call terminates while sound data of music or the like is being played back and besides can assure a good talking quality. A stereo headphone microphone unit connected to a portable telephone set body includes first and second earphones and a microphone disposed in the proximity of the second earphone. Except during telephone conversation, music played back by a music playback section is enjoyed using the earphones. If a termination detection section detects termination of a call, then if music is being played back, then the playback is stopped temporarily, and a first control section supplies a ringing tone only to the first earphone and enables telephone conversation by means of the first earphone and the microphone. When the telephone conversation comes to an end, playback of the music playback section is started from a portion of the music at which the playback was temporarily stopped. Playback of music by the music playback section is stopped if a battery remaining amount detection section detects that the remaining amount of the battery becomes lower than the lowest level with which telephone conversation is possible. During telephone conversation, no sound is outputted from the second earphone. Therefore, an echo can be prevented from being transmitted to the other party of telephone communication.

Claims

1. A portable terminal, comprising:

a stereo headphone microphone unit including first and second electroacoustic conversion means for converting an electric signal into sound and a microphone disposed in the proximity of said second electroacoustic conversion means;

sound data storage means for storing at least part of sound data of music or the like;

sound data playback means for reading out the sound data from said sound data storage means and outputting the sound data;

stereo amplification means for amplifying the sound data outputted from said sound data playback means and supplying the amplified sound data to said first and second electroacoustic conversion means of said stereo headphone microphone unit so that sound may be outputted in stereo from said first and second electroacoustic conversion means;

call termination detection means for detecting termination of a call;

playback temporary stopping means for temporarily stopping, if the sound data is being played back by said sound data playback means at a point of time when said call termination detection means detects termination of a call, the playback of the sound data; and

control means for disabling an output of said stereo amplification means which corresponds to said second electroacoustic conversion means of said stereo headphone microphone unit but enabling telephone conversation by means of said first electroacoustic conversion means and said microphone at a point of time when said call termination detection means detects termination of a call.

2. The portable terminal of claim 1, wherein,

upon playback of the sound data by said sound data playback means, said control means controls said stereo amplification means to an on-state in order to allow the sound data read out from said sound data storage means to be amplified and outputted to said first and second electroacoustic conversion means;

and

when said call termination detection means detects termination of a call, said control means controls a second one of said stereo amplification means, corresponding to said second electrostatic conversion means, to an off-state and controls a first one of said stereo amplification means, corresponding to said first electroacoustic conversion means, to a state for telephone conversation so that telephone conversation by means of said first electroacoustic conversion means and said microphone is enabled.

3. A portable terminal, comprising:

a stereo headphone microphone unit including first and second electroacoustic conversion means for converting an electric signal into sound and a microphone disposed in the proximity of said second electroacoustic conversion means;

sound data storage means for storing at least part of sound data of music or the like;

sound data playback means for reading out the sound data from said sound data storage means and outputting the sound data;

stereo amplification means for amplifying the sound data outputted from said sound data playback means and supplying the amplified sound data to said first and second electroacoustic conversion means of said stereo headphone microphone unit so that sound may be outputted in stereo from said first and second electroacoustic conversion means;

call termination detection means for detecting termination of a call;

playback temporary stopping means for temporarily stopping, if the sound data is being played back by said sound data playback means at a point of time when said call termination detection means detects termination of a call, the playback of the sound data;

control means for disabling an output of said stereo amplification means which corresponds to said second electroacoustic conversion means of said stereo headphone microphone unit but enabling telephone conversation by means of said first electroacoustic conversion means and said microphone at a point of time when said call termination detection means detects termination of a call; and

sound playback re-starting means for re-starting, if the playback of the sound data is proceeding when the call terminates, the playback of the sound data at a point of time at which the telephone conversation comes to an end in a condition wherein the outputs of said stereo amplification means to said first and second electroacoustic conversion means are enabled from the point of the sound data at which the playback is stopped by said playback temporary stopping means.

4. A portable terminal, comprising:

a stereo headphone microphone unit including first and second electroacoustic conversion means for converting an electric signal into sound and a microphone disposed in the proximity of said second electroacoustic conversion means;

sound data storage means for storing at least part of sound data of music or the like;

battery remaining amount detection means for detecting a remaining amount of a battery for supplying power to the entire portable terminal;

sound data playback means for reading out the sound data from said sound data storage means and outputting the sound data;

stereo amplification means for amplifying the sound data outputted from said sound data playback means and supplying the amplified sound data to said first and second electroacoustic conversion means of said stereo headphone microphone unit so that sound may be outputted in stereo from said first and second electroacoustic conversion means;

control means for enabling telephone conversation by means of said first electroacoustic conversion means and said microphone in a condition wherein an output of said stereo amplification means which corresponds to said second electroacoustic conversion means of said stereo headphone microphone unit is disabled; and

sound data playback limitation means for limiting playback of sound by said sound data playback means when the remaining amount of the battery detected by said battery remaining amount detection means is smaller than a lowest limit amount with which a predetermined talking amount is assured.

5. A portable terminal as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a switch for invalidating the detection of said battery amount detection means.

6. A portable terminal, comprising:

a stereo headphone microphone unit including first and second electroacoustic conversion means for converting an electric signal into sound and a microphone disposed in the proximity of said second electroacoustic conversion means;

sound data storage means for storing at least part of sound data of music or the like;

sound data playback means for reading out the sound data from said sound data storage means and outputting the sound data;

stereo amplification means for amplifying the sound data outputted from said sound data playback means and supplying the amplified sound data to said first and second electroacoustic conversion means of said stereo headphone microphone unit so that sound may be outputted in stereo from said first and second electroacoustic conversion means;

a changeover switch disposed at a position of said potable terminal at which said changeover switch can be operated by a user while the user wears said stereo headphone microphone thereon; and

control means for transmitting an output of said microphone to said first electroacoustic conversion means when said changeover switch is on and for stopping an output of said second electroacoustic conversion means and suppressing or stopping an output of said sound data playback means while the on-state of said changeover switch continues, further comprising;

playback temporary stopping means for temporarily stopping, if the sound data is being played back by said sound data playback means at a point of time when said call termination detection means detects termination of a call, the playback of the sound data; and

control means for disabling an output of said stereo amplification means which corresponds to said second electroacoustic conversion means of said stereo headphone microphone unit but enabling telephone conversation by means of said first electroacoustic conversion means and said microphone at a point of time when said call termination detection means detects termination of a call.