Communication apparatus

• US 7,225,000 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2002
• Issued: 05/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Mobile Communications Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Katayanagi, Masanori
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THUAN T
• Application Number:
  US10/085,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20020127998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,915 Days
• Field of Search: 455/405, 455/407, 455/563, 455/564, 455/406, 455/567, 455/550, 455/41, 455/566, 455/575, 455/90, 455/95, 455/550.3, 340/815.45, 340/815.69, 379/428, 379/1, 379/33
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls

Abstract

The mobile communication apparatus informs occurrence of a missed event with a vibrator 54 in response to the detection of a second state that a case separates from the other case in the apparatus. For example, the missed event can be that the apparatus has a missing incoming call, that the apparatus has an unread message, or that a missed alarm time in the apparatus has already past. Further, the apparatus informs the occurrences without recognizing the LCD 42.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus having a first portion, a second portion and a vibrator, the communication apparatus comprising:

a first detector configured to detect an operation to at least partially separate the first portion from the second portion;

a second detector configured to detect a missed event in the apparatus; and

a controller coupled to the first and second detectors and configured to determine whether the operation to at least partially separate the first portion from the second portion occurs after the missed event, and if so, to activate the vibrator responsive to the operation to at least partially separate the first portion from the second portion.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the detected missed event is a missed call.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the detected missed event is an unread message.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the detected missed event is a missed alarm time.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first and second portions are foldably coupled with each other, the operation including at least partially unfolding the first portion from the second portion.

6. The communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operation occurs while the communication apparatus is in a standby state.

7. The communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein at the time that the controller activates the vibrator responsive to the first detector detecting the operation, there is no incoming call to the communication apparatus.

8. The communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to not activate the vibrator responsive to the operation to at least partially separate the first portion from the second portion, based on a determination that the operation to at least partially separate the first portion from the second portion does not occur after the missed event.

9. A communication apparatus having a first portion, a second portion and a sound-emitting unit, the communication apparatus comprising:

a first detector configured to detect an operation to at least partially separate the first portion from the second portion;

a second detector configured to detect a missed event in the apparatus; and

a controller coupled to the first and second detectors and configured to determine whether the operation to at least partially separate the first portion from the second portion occurs after the missed event, and if so, to activate the sound-emitting unit responsive to the first detector detecting the operation to at least partially separate the first portion from the second portion.

10. The communication apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the detected missed event is a missed call.

11. The communication apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the detected missed event is an unread message.

12. The communication apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the detected missed event is a missed alarm time.

13. The communication apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a memory coupled to the controller and configured to store a sound pattern, the controller further configured to control the sound-emitting unit in accordance with the sound pattern.

14. The communication apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the first and second portions are foldably coupled with each other, the operation including at least partially unfolding the first portion from the second portion.

15. A method in a communication apparatus having a first portion, a second portion, and a vibrator, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting an occurrence of an event in an apparatus;

determining that the event has been missed;

detecting an operation to at least partially separate the first portion from the second portion;

determining whether the operation to at least partially separate the first portion from the second portion occurs after the event has been missed; and

responsive to determining that the operation to at least partially separate the first portion from the second portion occurs after the event has been missed, controlling the vibrator to vibrate.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein the event is an incoming call.

17. The method according to claim 15 wherein the event is receipt of a text message.

18. The method according to claim 15 wherein the event is occurrence of a predetermined alarm time.

19. The method according to claim 15 wherein the step of controlling includes controlling the vibrator according to a stored vibrating pattern.

20. A method in a communication apparatus having a first portion, a second portion, and a sound-emitting unit, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting an occurrence of an event in an apparatus;

determining that the event has been missed;

detecting an operation to at least partially separate the first portion from the second portion;

determining whether the operation to at least partially separate the first portion from the second portion occurs after the event has been missed; and

responsive to determining that the operation to at least partially separate the first portion from the second portion occurs after the event has been missed, controlling the sound-emitting unit to emit sound.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein the event is an incoming call.

22. The method according to claim 20 wherein the event is receipt of a text message.

23. The method according to claim 20 wherein the event is occurrence of a predetermined alarm time.

24. The method according to claim 20 wherein the step of controlling includes controlling the sound-emitting unit according to a stored sound pattern.

25. A controller for use in a communication apparatus, the communication apparatus having a first portion, a second portion and a vibrator, the controller being coupled to a first detector configured to detect an operation to at least partially separate the first portion from the second portion and to a second detector configured to detect a missed event in the apparatus,

wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the operation to at least partially separate the first portion from the second portion occurs after the missed event, and if so, to activate the vibrator responsive to the operation to at least partially separate the first portion from the second portion.

26. The controller according to claim 25 wherein the detected missed event is a missed call.

27. The controller according to claim 25 wherein the detected missed event is an unread message.

28. The controller according to claim 25 wherein the detected missed event is a missed alarm time.

29. A controller for use in a communication apparatus, the apparatus having a first portion, a second portion, and a sound-emitting unit, the controller being coupled to a first detector configured to detect an operation to at least partially separate the first portion from the second portion and to a second detector configured to detect an missed event in the apparatus,

wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the operation to at least partially separate the first portion from the second portion occurs after the missed event, and if so, to activate the sound-emitting unit responsive to the operation to at least partially separate the first portion from the second portion.

30. The controller according to claim 29 wherein the detected missed event is a missed call.

31. The controller according to claim 29 wherein the detected missed event is an unread message.

32. The controller according to claim 29 wherein the detected missed event is a missed alarm time.