Communication terminal

• US 7,698,729 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2004
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Miyata, Katsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirl; Joseph P
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAYLOR, JOSHUA D
• Application Number:
  US10/807,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20050099491A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,211 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.01, 348/14.04, 348/729, 348/570, 340/905, 340/441, 340/936, 725/40, 725/42, 725/90, 725/135, 725/89, 725/134, 725/102, 725/142, 725 91- 97, 379/211.02, 379/110.01, 379/102.03, 379/93.17
• US Class Current: 725/151
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/29 Arrangements for monitoring broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/64 Automatic arrangements for answering calls; Automatic arrangements for recording messages for absent subscribers; Arrangements for recording conversations centralised dictation systems H04M11/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording

Abstract

A communication terminal comprising a video reproduction device configured to carry out a video reproduction, a communication device configured to carry out a communication; and a reproduction-end-time acquisition device configured to acquire an end time of the video reproduction carried out by said video reproduction device. When an incoming communication arrives from a communication partner terminal in the course of the video reproduction carried out by said video reproduction device, the communication partner terminal is informed of the end time of said video reproduction. The communication partner terminal is external to the communication terminal.

Claims

1. A communication terminal comprising:

a video reproduction device configured to carry out a video reproduction;

a communication device configured to carry out a communication; and

a reproduction-end-time acquisition device configured to acquire an end time of the video reproduction carried out by said video reproduction device;

wherein, in the event of an incoming communication from a communication partner terminal, external to the communication terminal, in the course of the video reproduction carried out by said video reproduction device, said communication partner terminal is informed of the end time of said video reproduction, wherein the incoming communication from the communication partner terminal is a request for voice communications between the communication terminal and the communication partner terminal.

2. A communication terminal according to claim 1 wherein said communication partner terminal is informed of an end time of a video reproduction by transmitting a message including information on said end time of a video reproduction to said communication partner terminal.

3. A communication terminal according to claim 1 wherein said communication partner terminal is informed of an end time of a video reproduction by transmitting an email including information on said end time of a video reproduction to said communication partner terminal.

4. The terminal of claim 1, wherein during the video reproduction carried out by the video reproduction device, the terminal does not inform the user of the incoming communication from the communication partner terminal.

5. A communication terminal comprising:

a video reproduction device configured to carry out a video reproduction;

a communication device configured to carry out a communication;

a reproduction-end-time acquisition device configured to acquire an end time of the video reproduction carried out by said video reproduction device;

a storage device configured to store an incoming-reporting condition indicating whether a video reproduction takes precedence of an operation to report an incoming communication or said operation to report an incoming communication takes precedence of said video reproduction; and

a setting device configured to set said incoming-reporting condition;

wherein, in the event of an incoming communication from a communication partner terminal external to the communication terminal in the course of the video reproduction carried out by said video reproduction device;

said communication partner terminal is informed of the end time of said video reproduction if said incoming-reporting condition is set to indicate that said video reproduction takes precedence of an operation to report said incoming communication; and

said incoming communication is reported if said incoming-reporting condition is set to indicate that an operation to report said incoming communication takes precedence of said video reproduction, wherein the incoming communication from the communication partner terminal is a request for voice communications between the communication terminal and the communication partner terminal.

6. The terminal of claim 5, wherein when the incoming-reporting condition is set to indicate that said video reproduction takes precedence of an operation to report said incoming communication, the terminal does not inform the user of the incoming communication from the communication partner terminal.

7. A communication terminal comprising:

a TV-broadcast receiving device configured to receive a TV broadcast;

a display configured to display an image of a TV broadcast received by said TV-broadcast receiving device;

a communication device configured to carry out a communication; and

a program-end-time acquisition device configured to acquire an end time of a program of a TV broadcast received by said TV-broadcast receiving device;

wherein, if an incoming communication arrives from a communication partner terminal external to the communication terminal while said display means is carrying out an operation to display an image of a program of a TV broadcast, said communication partner terminal is informed of an end time of said program, wherein the incoming communication from the communication partner terminal is a request for voice communications between the communication terminal and the communication partner terminal.

8. A communication terminal according to claim 7 wherein said communication partner terminal is informed of an end time of a video reproduction by transmitting a message including information on said end time of a video reproduction to said communication partner terminal.

9. A communication terminal according to claim 7 wherein said communication partner terminal is informed of an end time of a video reproduction by transmitting an email including information on said end time of a video reproduction to said communication partner terminal.

10. A communication terminal according to claim 7 wherein:

said TV-broadcast receiving is configured to receive a digital broadcast; and

said program-end-time acquisition device is configured to acquire an end time of a program of a TV broadcast from information included in broadcasted data of a digital broadcast received by said TV-broadcast receiving device.

11. A communication terminal according to claim 7 wherein said program-end-time acquisition device is configured to acquire an end time of a program of a TV broadcast from information included in a program table distributed by an EPG.

12. A communication terminal comprising:

a TV-broadcast receiving device configured to receive a TV broadcast;

a display configured to display an image of a TV broadcast received by said TV-broadcast receiving device;

a communication device configured to carrying out a communication;

a program-end-time acquisition device configured to acquire an end time of a program of a TV broadcast received by said TV-broadcast receiving device;

a storage device configured to store an incoming-reporting condition indicating whether an operation to display an image of a TV broadcast takes precedence of an operation to report an incoming communication or said operation to report an incoming communication takes precedence of said operation to display an image of a TV broadcast; and

a setting device configured to set said incoming-reporting condition;

wherein, if an incoming communication arrives from a communication partner terminal external to the communication terminal while said display device is carrying out an operation to display an image of a program of a TV broadcast;

said communication partner terminal is informed of an end time of said program if said incoming-reporting condition is set to indicate that said operation to display an image of a program of a TV broadcast takes precedence of an operation to report said incoming communication; and

said incoming communication is reported if an incoming-reporting condition is set to indicate that an operation to report said incoming communication takes precedence of said operation to display an image of a program of a TV broadcast, wherein the incoming communication from the communication partner terminal is a request for voice communications between the communication terminal and the communication partner terminal.

13. The terminal of claim 12, when the incoming-reporting condition is set to indicate that said TV broadcast takes precedence of the operation to report said incoming communication, the terminal does not inform the user of the incoming communication from the communication partner terminal.

14. A video reproduction method for operating a communication terminal including a video reproduction device configured to carry out a video reproduction and a communication terminal configured to communicate with a communication partner terminal external to the communication terminal, wherein, when an incoming communication arrives to the communication terminal from the communication partner terminal in the course of a video reproduction:

an end time of said video reproduction is acquired; and

said communication partner terminal is informed of said end time of said video reproduction, wherein the incoming communication from the communication partner terminal is a request for voice communications between the communication terminal and the communication partner terminal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein during the video reproduction, the user is not informed of the incoming communication from the communication partner terminal.

16. A video reproduction method for operating a communication terminal including a TV-broadcast receiving device configured to receive a TV broadcast, a display configured to play a TV broadcast program, and a communication device configured to carry out a communication with a communication partner terminal external to the communication terminal, wherein, when an incoming communication arrives to the communication terminal from the communication partner terminal in the course of playing the TV broadcast program on the terminal device:

an end time of said program is acquired; and

said communication partner terminal is informed of said end time of said program, wherein the incoming communication from the communication partner terminal is a request for voice communications between the communication terminal and the communication partner terminal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein during playing the program, the user is not informed of the incoming communication from the communication partner terminal.