Handsfree communication control method, portable radio communication apparatus and handsfree system

• US 7,430,441 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2004
• Issued: 09/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FCNT LLC
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Tamura, Toshiya, Nagahama, Kentaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hannon; Christian A
• Application Number:
  US10/946,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20050070338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,471 Days
• Field of Search: 455/569.1, 455/575.2, 455/575.6, 455/556.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release

Abstract

A channel disconnection detecting unit detects whether a voice channel is disconnected by an AG or by an HF. When the voice channel is disconnected by the AG, an AG control unit controls a modulation/demodulation unit to maintain a connection of the AG with a BS and a switching unit switches a voice signal to an AG speaker and an AG microphone. When the voice channel is disconnected by the HF, the AG control unit controls the modulation/demodulation unit to interrupt the connection of the AG with the BS.

Claims

1. A portable radio communication apparatus comprising:

a first communication unit to perform radio communication with a base station of a mobile communication network;

a second communication unit to perform radio communication with a handsfree apparatus via a voice channel and a data channel;

a mode switching unit to switch an operation mode between a first mode and a second mode, wherein the first mode enables a phone conversation using a microphone and a speaker of the portable radio communication apparatus, and wherein the second mode enables the phone conversation using the handsfree apparatus by transmitting voice data received from the base station through the first communication unit to the handsfree apparatus through the second communication unit and by transmitting voice data received from the handsfree apparatus through the second communication unit to the base station through the first communication unit;

a detecting unit to detect a disconnection of the voice channel during the phone conversation in the second mode set by the mode switching unit;

a time counting unit to count an elapsed time from when the disconnection of the voice channel is detected by the detecting unit; and

a control unit to perform control to end the phone conversation when the control unit receives a control signal indicating a disconnection of the data channel from the handsfree apparatus before the elapsed time counted by the time counting unit exceeds a fixed value, and to perform control to continue the phone conversation by controlling the mode switching unit to switch the operation mode to the first mode when the control unit does not receive the control signal indicating the disconnection of the data channel from the handsfree apparatus before the elapsed time counted by the time counting unit exceeds the fixed value.

2. The portable radio communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second communication unit comprises a shortrange communication device to perform short range communication with the handsfree apparatus.

3. The portable radio communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the handsfree apparatus is adapted to be provided in an automobile.

4. A portable radio communication apparatus having an openable and closable body, the portable radio communication apparatus comprising:

a first communication unit to perform radio communication with a base station of a mobile communication network;

a second communication unit to perform radio communication with a handsfree apparatus via a voice channel and a data channel;

a mode switching unit to switch an operation mode between a first mode and a second mode, wherein the first mode enables a phone conversation using a microphone and a speaker of the portable radio communication apparatus, and wherein the second mode enables the phone conversation using the handsfree apparatus by transmitting voice data received from the base station through the first communication unit to the handsfree apparatus through the second communication unit and by transmitting voice data received from the handsfree apparatus through the second communication unit to the base station through the first communication unit;

a first detecting unit to detect a disconnection of the voice channel during the phone conversation in the second mode set by the mode switching unit;

a second detecting unit to detect one of an opened state and a closed state of the portable radio communication apparatus; and

a control unit to perform control to continue the phone conversation by controlling the mode switching unit to switch the operation mode to the first mode when the first detecting unit detects the disconnection of the radio communication and the second detecting unit detects the opened state, and to perform control to end the phone conversation when the first detecting unit detects the disconnection of the radio communication and the second detecting unit detects the closed state.

5. The portable radio communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second communication unit comprises a shortrange communication device to perform short-range communication with the handsfree apparatus.

6. The portable radio communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the handsfree apparatus is adapted to be provided in an automobile.

7. A handsfree communication control method for a portable radio communication apparatus including a first communication unit to perform radio communication with a base station of a mobile communication network, and a second communication unit to perform radio communication with a handsfree apparatus via a voice channel and a data channel, the method comprising:

switching an operation mode between a first mode and a second mode, wherein the first mode enables a phone conversation using a microphone and a speaker of the portable radio communication apparatus, and wherein the second mode enables the phone conversation using the handsfree apparatus by transmitting voice data received from the base station through the first communication unit to the handsfree apparatus through the second communication unit and by transmitting voice data received from the handsfree apparatus through the second communication unit to the base station through the first communication unit;

detecting a disconnection of the voice channel during the phone conversation in the second mode;

counting an elapsed time from when the disconnection of the voice channel is detected; and

performing control to end the phone conversation when the portable radio communication apparatus receives a control signal indicating a disconnection of the data channel from the handsfree apparatus before the counted elapsed time exceeds a fixed value, and performing control to continue the phone conversation by switching the operation mode to the first mode when the portable radio communication apparatus does not receive the control signal indicating the disconnection of the data channel from the handsfree apparatus before the counted elapsed time exceeds the fixed value.

8. The handsfree communication control method according to claim 7, wherein the second communication unit performs short-range communication with the handsfree apparatus.

9. The handsfree communication control method according to claim 7, wherein the handsfree apparatus is provided in an automobile.