Mobile terminal having an event notification function and method thereof

• US 7,853,291 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2006
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Choi, Ju Young
• Primary Examiner(s): Rego; Dominic E
• Application Number:
  US11/457,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20070015503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• Field of Search: 455/425, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/441, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/420, 455/421, 455/344, 455/67.11, 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/557, 342/357.04, 342/357.17, 342/357.01, 342/357.1, 348/154, 348/155, 382312-315, 235/439, 235/440
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

A mobile terminal having an event notification function which includes a user presence sensor that detects the presence of a user of the mobile terminal, a controller that detects the occurrence of an event, switches the user presence sensor on when it detects the occurrence of the event, and generates a control signal to notify a user of the occurrence of the event when the user presence sensor detects the presence of the user, and an output unit that receives the control signal and notifies the user of the occurrence of the event.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a user presence sensor configured to detect the presence of a user of the mobile terminal;

a radio frequency unit configured to wirelessly receive a call or a message;

a controller configured to determine the occurrence of a missed call or missed message when the user does not respond to the received call or received message within a predetermined period of time, the controller configured to operate the user presence sensor after the occurrence of the missed call or missed message has been determined and not while the radio frequency unit is receiving the call or the message, the controller configured to generate a control signal to notify the user of the occurrence of the missed call or missed message when the user presence sensor detects the presence of the user; and

an output unit configured to receive the control signal and notifies the user of the occurrence of the missed call or missed message.

2. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the user presence sensor is a motion detector.

3. The mobile terminal according to claim 2, wherein the motion detector is a three-axis acceleration sensor.

4. The mobile terminal according to claim 2, wherein the controller generates the control signal when a detected motion variation value is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference value.

5. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the controller stops notification by the output unit to the user upon receiving a predetermined interrupt signal.

6. The mobile terminal according to claim 5, wherein the interrupt signal is generated when at least one of the user manipulates an input unit and the user opens a cover of the mobile terminal.

7. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the output unit outputs at least one of a predetermined sound and a vibration to notify of the occurrence of the missed call or missed message.

8. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the output unit switches on a light emitting diode (LED) contained in the mobile terminal, or causes the LED to blink, to notify of the occurrence of the missed call or missed message.

9. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the user presence sensor comprises a temperature sensor that detects a body temperature of a user.

10. The mobile terminal according to claim 9, wherein the temperature sensor is one of a contact type temperature sensor and a non contact-type temperature sensor.

11. The mobile terminal according to claim 9, wherein the temperature sensor senses a body temperature of the user when it comes into contact with the user.

12. The mobile terminal according to claim 9, wherein the temperature sensor senses a body temperature of the user when it comes within a certain distance of the user.

13. A method for notifying a user of a mobile terminal of the occurrence of an event, comprising:

receiving a call or a message;

determining an occurrence of a missed call or a missed message when the user does not respond to the received call or received message within a predetermined period of time;

detecting the presence of the user after the occurrence of the missed call or missed message has been determined and not while receiving the call or the message; and

notifying the user of the occurrence of the missed call or missed message when the presence of the user has been detected.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein detecting the presence of the user comprises detecting a motion of the mobile terminal.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the motion of the mobile terminal is detected by a three-axis acceleration sensor contained in the mobile terminal.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein detecting the presence of the user comprises determining whether a motion variation value of the mobile terminal is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference value.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein notifying of the occurrence of the missed call or missed message comprises outputting at least one of a predetermined sound and a vibration.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein notifying of the occurrence of the missed call or missed message comprises one of switching on a light emitting diode (LED) contained in the mobile terminal and causing the LED to blink.

19. The method according to claim 13, further comprising stopping the notification of the occurrence of the missed call or missed message upon receiving a predetermined interrupt signal.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the interrupt signal is generated when at least one of the user manipulates an input unit and the user opens a cover of the mobile terminal.

21. The method according to claim 13, wherein detecting the presence of the user comprises detecting a body temperature of the user.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the body temperature of the user is detected when a contact type sensor of the mobile terminal is brought into contact with the user.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the body temperature of the user is detected when a non-contact type sensor of the mobile terminal is brought within a certain distance of the user.

24. A computer readable medium which stores a program for notifying a user of a mobile terminal of the occurrence of an event, the program comprising:

radio frequency reception code configured to receive a call or a message;

absence determination code configured to determine the occurrence of a missed call or a missed message when the user does not respond to the received call or received message within a predetermined period of time;

presence detecting code configured to detect the presence of the user after the occurrence of the missed call or missed message has been detected and not during the reception of the call or the message; and

user notification code that notifies the user of the occurrence of the missed call or missed message when the presence of the user has been detected.

25. The computer readable medium according to claim 24, wherein the program further comprising notification stopping code that stops the notification to of the occurrence of the missed call or missed message when a predetermined interrupt signal is received.