Calling system from accessory to portable device

• US 7,519,377 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2001
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Tsukamoto, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhattacharya; Sam
• Application Number:
  US09/974,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20020042281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,743 Days
• Field of Search: 455/567, 455/569.1, 455/462, 455/556.1, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 379/373.01, 340/7.1, 340/7.58, 340/539, 340/531, 340/825.49, 340/825.36, 340/825.54, 340/407.1, 340/691.6, 340/692, 340/693.5, 340/686.6
• US Class Current: 455/462
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A radio communication method allowing a portable device to be easily found using its accessory is disclosed. In response to an operation of a predetermined key of the accessory, the accessory transmits a ringing signal to the portable device. When receiving the ringing signal from the accessory, the portable device starts alerting and, when a predetermined key of the portable device is operated, the portable device stops alerting.

Claims

1. A communication method between a portable device and its accessory using a radio channel, comprising the steps of:

depressing a predetermined key of the accessory to transmit a ringing signal to the portable device;

when receiving the ringing signal from the accessory, the portable device starts alerting;

transmitting a response signal to the accessory to notify the accessory that the portable device is alerting; and

depressing a predetermined key of the portable device so that the portable device stops alerting.

2. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein the portable device is previously set to one of audible ringing mode and silent ringing mode, wherein the portable device starts alerting according to a preset ringing mode.

3. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein the ringing signal designates one of audible ringing mode and silent ringing mode, wherein the portable device starts alerting according to a designated ringing mode.

4. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein the portable device is previously set to at least one ringing mode of audible ringing mode, vibration ringing mode, a light-emitting ringing mode, and a display ringing mode, wherein the portable device starts alerting according to said at least one ringing mode.

5. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein the ringing signal designates one of audible ringing mode, vibration ringing mode, a light-emitting ringing mode, wherein the portable device starts alerting according to a designated ringing mode.

6. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein the radio channel is established in response to the operation of the predetermined key of the accessory before the accessory transmits the ringing signal to the portable device.

7. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein the radio channel includes a control channel and a data channel, wherein the ringing signal is transmitted at the control channel.

8. The communication method according to claim 7, wherein the portable device is a portable telephone operable in a mobile communications network and the accessory is a hands-free device for the portable telephone, wherein, when the portable telephone actively connected to the hands-free device is operating on communication with the mobile communications network, a reception voice signal which the portable telephone receives from the mobile communications network is transmitted to the hands-free device and a transmission voice signal which the hands-free device inputs is transmitted to the portable telephone.

9. The communication method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

generating a ring notification tone to notify a user that the portable device started alerting upon receipt of said response signal at the accessory.

10. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein when receiving the ringing signal from the accessory, the portable device cuts off a signal path of a main communication controller to prohibit incoming calls.

11. The communication method according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of

transmitting an acknowledgement signal to the accessory device that said portable device has been located;

and

restoring the signal path to allow incoming calls.

12. The communication method according to claim 11, wherein upon receipt of said acknowledgement signal, the accessory stops said ring notification tone.

13. A radio communication system comprising a portable device and its accessory, wherein

the portable device comprises:

a first communication controller for controlling communication with the accessory at a radio channel according to a predetermined protocol;

at least one alerting device for ringing in a certain mode;

a keypad for inputting a desired instruction; and

a first controller controlling the communication controller and the at least one alerting device such that the at least one alerting device starts alerting according to the certain mode when receiving a ringing signal from the accessory, and stops alerting when a predetermined key of the keypad is depressed, where the first controller transmits a response signal to the accessory to notify the accessory that the portable device is alerting, and

the accessory comprises;

a second communication controller for controlling communication with the accessory at a radio channel according to the predetermined protocol;

an input device for inputting a ringing instruction; and

a second controller controlling the second communication controller such that a ringing signal is transmitted to the portable device when a predetermined key of the accessory is depressed.

14. The radio communication system according to claim 13, wherein the at least one alerting-device is at least one of audible ringer using a speaker, vibration ringer using a vibrator, a light-emitting ringer using a light-emitting diode, and a display ringer using a display device.

15. The radio communication system according to claim 14, wherein the certain mode is predetermined in the portable device, wherein the certain mode includes at least one ringing mode of audible ringing mode, vibration ringing mode, a light-emitting ringing mode, and a display ringing mode.

16. The radio communication system according to claim 14, wherein the certain mode is designated by the ringing signal received from the accessory, wherein the certain mode is one of audible ringing mode, vibration ringing mode, a light-emitting ringing mode.

17. The radio communication system according to claim 16, wherein the input device has a plurality of ringing keys each corresponding to different ringing modes that are the audible ringing mode, the vibration ringing mode, and the light-emitting ringing mode.

18. A portable device allowing radio communication with its accessory, comprising:

a communication controller for controlling communication with the accessory at a radio channel according to a predetermined protocol;

at least one alerting device for ringing in a certain mode;

a keypad for inputting a desired instruction; and

a controller controlling the communication controller and the at least one alerting device such that the at least one alerting device starts alerting according to the certain mode when receiving a predetermined ringing signal from the accessory, and stops alerting when a predetermined key of the keypad is depressed, where the controller transmits a response signal to the accessory to notify the accessory that the portable device is alerting.

19. An accessory for a portable device allowing radio communication with its accessory, wherein the portable device starts alerting when receiving a predetermined ringing signal from the accessory, comprising:

a communication controller for controlling communication with the accessory at a radio channel according to the predetermined protocol;

an input device for inputting a ringing instruction;

a controller controlling the second communication such that the predetermined ringing signal is transmitted to the portable device when a predetermined key of the accessory is depressed; and

a processor for receiving a response signal to notify the accessory that the portable device is alerting.