Mobile terminal with TV and radio and power conservation

• US 7,937,119 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2006
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Godo Kaisha IP Bridge 1 (IP Bridge, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Toshiba Mobile Communications Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Inventors: Arai, Masae
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alam; Fayyaz
• Application Number:
  US11/497,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20070243850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,735 Days
• Field of Search: 455 301- 306, 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455572-574, 4553431-3436
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/002 in which a reserve is maintained in an energy source by disconnecting non-critical loads, e.g. maintaining a reserve of charge in a vehicle battery for starting an engine

Abstract

In a mobile terminal having an automatic startup mode of a television signal receiving function using a timer, startup is properly controlled in consideration of remaining battery capacity to thereby prevent an occurrence of unexpected lack of battery capacity. In a state where an alarm mode using a television broadcast or an FM broadcast has been set, a control unit makes low voltage determination of a battery at a time point when a time has been up. When an output voltage value of the battery is lower than a threshold, the control unit outputs an alarm sound from a speaker instead of starting up a TV receiver and causes a display to display a low voltage message.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a battery configured to supply a power voltage to the mobile terminal;

a receiver unit configured to receive a television signal including video and voice signals;

an output unit configured to output the video and voice signals;

a setting unit configured to set an operating mode for automatically starting up the receiver unit and the output unit at a desired time;

a determining unit configured to detect an output voltage of the battery prior to the starting up of the receiver unit and the output unit, and determine whether the detected output voltage is higher than a predetermined threshold, or is lower than the threshold; and

a control unit configured to restrict operations of the receiver unit and the output unit, if it is determined that the output voltage of the battery is lower than the threshold;

wherein the control unit causes the receiver unit and the output unit to operate if it is determined that the output voltage of the battery is higher than the threshold; and

wherein in a case where the determining unit determines that the output voltage of the battery is lower than the threshold, the control unit is configured to restrict operations by executing a function of outputting at least one of a video signal and a voice signal stored in advance or a function of displaying a message indicating that the receiver unit cannot be started instead of starting up the receiver unit and the output unit.

3. A mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit is configured to set a vibrator setting mode, in which the control unit drives a vibrator at the desired time, and the determining unit performs the determination of the battery voltage after driving the vibrator.

4. A mobile terminal according to claim 1, further comprising an acquiring unit configured to acquire EPG information, wherein the control unit disables the receiver unit from starting up, and controls the output unit to output the EPG information of a desired television program, if it is determined that the output voltage of the battery is lower than the threshold.

5. A mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit sets either the operating mode or an alarm mode in which the receiver unit and the output unit are not automatically started up at the desired time, and the determining unit skips the determination of the battery voltage if the setting unit has set the alarm mode.

2. A mobile terminal comprising:

a battery configured to supply a power voltage to the mobile terminal;

a receiver unit configured to receive a radio signal including voice signal;

an output unit configured to output the voice signal;

a setting unit configured to set an operating mode for automatically starting up the receiver unit and the output unit at a desired time;

a determining unit configured to detect an output voltage of the battery prior to the starting up of the receiver unit and the output unit, and determine whether the detected output voltage is higher than a predetermined threshold, or is lower than the threshold; and

a control unit configured to restrict operations of the receiver unit and the output unit, if it is determined that the output voltage of the battery is lower than the threshold;

wherein the control unit causes the receiver unit and the output unit to operate if it is determined that the output voltage of the battery is higher than the threshold; and

wherein in a case where the determining unit determines that the output voltage of the battery is lower than the threshold, the control unit is configured to restrict operations by executing a function of outputting at least one of a video signal and a voice signal stored in advance or a function of displaying a message indicating that the receiver unit cannot be started instead of starting up the receiver unit and the output unit.

6. A mobile terminal according to claim 2, wherein the setting unit is configured to set a vibrator setting mode, in which the control unit drives a vibrator at the desired time, and the determining unit performs the determination of the battery voltage after driving the vibrator.

7. A mobile terminal according to claim 2, further comprising an acquiring unit configured to acquire EPG information, wherein the control unit disables the receiver unit from starting up, and controls the output unit to output the EPG information of a desired radio program, if it is determined that the output voltage of the battery is lower than the threshold.

8. A mobile terminal according to claim 2, wherein the setting unit sets either the operating mode or an alarm mode in which the receiver unit and the output unit are not automatically started up at the desired time, and the determining unit skips the determination of the battery voltage if the setting unit has set the alarm mode.

9. A mobile terminal comprising:

a battery configured to supply a power voltage to the mobile terminal;

a receiver unit configured to receive a signal including video and voice signals;

an output unit configured to output the video and voice signals;

a setting unit configured to set an operating mode for automatically starting up the receiver unit and the output unit at a desired time;

a determining unit configured to detect an output voltage of the battery prior to the starting up of the receiver unit and the output unit, and determine whether the detected output voltage is higher than a predetermined threshold, or is lower than the threshold; and

a control unit configured to restrict operations of the receiver unit and the output unit, if it is determined that the output voltage of the battery is lower than the threshold;

wherein the control unit causes the receiver unit and the output unit to operate if it is determined that the output voltage of the battery is higher than the threshold; and

wherein in a case where the determining unit determines that the output voltage of the battery is lower than the threshold, the control unit is configured to restrict operations by executing a function of outputting at least one of a video signal and a voice signal stored in advance or a function of displaying a message indicating that the receiver unit cannot be started instead of starting up the receiver unit and the output unit.

10. A mobile terminal comprising:

a battery configured to supply a power voltage to the mobile terminal;

a receiver unit configured to receive a voice signal;

an output unit configured to output the voice signal;

a setting unit configured to set an operating mode for automatically starting up the receiver unit and the output unit at a desired time;

a determining unit configured to detect an output voltage of the battery prior to the starting up of the receiver unit and the output unit, and determine whether the detected output voltage is higher than a predetermined threshold, or is lower than the threshold; and

a control unit configured to restrict operations of the receiver unit and the output unit, if it is determined that the output voltage of the battery is lower than the threshold;

wherein the control unit causes the receiver unit and the output unit to operate if it is determined that the output voltage of the battery is higher than the threshold; and

wherein in a case where the determining unit determines that the output voltage of the battery is lower than the threshold, the control unit is configured to restrict operations by executing a function of outputting at least one of a video signal and a voice signal stored in advance or a function of displaying a message indicating that the receiver unit cannot be started instead of starting up the receiver unit and the output unit.