Method and apparatus for controlling a mobile phone device

• US 8,116,752 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2008
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Nakazawa, Masashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROD, YOUSEF R
• Application Number:
  US12/337,563
• Publication Number:
  US 20090170493A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/418, 455/565, 455/564, 455/556.2, 455/407, 455/425, 455/521, 455/552.1
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72424 with manual activation of emergency-service functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling operation of a communication device is provided. In one embodiment, a mobile phone device includes: a communication section configured to perform radio communication; an operation section including number keys and a call-initiating key; and a control section configured to activate, on the basis of an operation that is performed using the operation section, a call-initiating program or a non-call-initiating program, and depending on what operations are performed by a user using the operation section of the mobile phone device, determining whether to interrupt a currently activated program to initiate a predetermined call with increased ease of use and convenience to the user.

Claims

1. A mobile phone device, comprising:

a communication section configured to perform radio communication;

an operation section including number keys and a call-initiating key; and

a control section configured to activate, on the basis of an operation that is performed using the operation section, a call-initiating program or a non-call-initiating program,

wherein, if the non-call-initiating program is activated, the control section determines if a call-initiating-key operation or a number-key operation was performed by a user,

wherein, if it is determined that the number-key operation and the call-initiating key operation were performed while the non-call-initiating program is activated,

the control section determines whether one or more number keys that were operated correspond to a predetermined call number, and, if it is determined that the one or more number keys correspond to the predetermined call number, the control section activates the call-initiating program, and controls the communication section to call the predetermined call number.

2. The mobile phone device according to claim 1, further comprising a storage section configured to store number-key information identifying one or more number keys selected by a user using the operation section,

wherein, if it is determined that the number-key operation was performed, the control section stores, in the storage section, number-key information concerning the one or more selected number keys and performs a process using the non-call-initiating program in accordance with the number-key information, and

wherein, if it is determined that the call-initiating-key operation was performed, the control section determines whether number-key information that is stored in the storage section corresponds to the predetermined call number.

3. The mobile phone device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined call number is an emergency call number.

4. The mobile phone device according to claim 2, wherein, if it is determined that the number-key information which is stored in the storage section corresponds to the predetermined call number, the control section interrupts execution of the non-call-initiating program, activates the call-initiating program, and controls the communication section to call the predetermined call number.

5. The mobile phone device according to claim 2, wherein, if it is determined that the number-key information which is stored in the storage section does not correspond to the predetermined call number, the control section erases the number-key information which is stored in the storage section.

6. The mobile phone device according to claim 2, wherein, if it is determined that an operation other than the call-initiating-key operation and the number-key operation was performed, the control section erases the number-key information that is stored in the storage section.

7. The mobile phone device according to claim 2,

wherein the control section activates the call-initiating program, and confirms whether or not initiation of a call is to be performed before the predetermined call number is called,

wherein, if it is determined that the initiation of a call is to be performed, the control section initiates a call with the communication section, and

wherein, if it is determined that the initiation of a call is not to be performed, or no operation is performed for a predetermined period of time, the control section erases the number-key information that is stored in the storage section without performing the initiation of a call, terminates execution of the call-initiating program, and reactivates the non-call-initiating program that was interrupted.

8. The mobile phone device according to claim 2, wherein, when the non-call-initiating program is activated, if no operation using the operation section is performed for a predetermined period of time, the control section erases the number-key information that is stored in the storage section.

9. A method of controlling a communication device comprising the steps of:

performing a first determination process of determining whether a call-initiating-key operation or a number-key operation was performed based on a key operation performed by a user when a non-call-initiating program is activated;

performing, if it is determined in the first determination process that the number-key operation and the call-initiating-key operation were performed while the non-call-initiating program is activated,

a second determination process of determining whether one or more number keys selected correspond to a predetermined call number, and

activating, if it is determined in the second determination process that the one or more number keys selected immediately before the call-initiating-key operation is performed corresponds to the predetermined call number, a call-initiating program that calls the predetermined call number.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising, if it is determined that the number-key information does not correspond to the predetermined call number, erasing the number-key information from a memory of the communication device.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising, if it is determined that an operation other than the call-initiating-key operation and the number-key operation was performed, erasing the number-key information from a memory of the communication device.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

activating the call-initiating program;

confirming whether initiation of a call is to be performed before the predetermined call number is called;

initiating a call if it is determined that the initiation of a call is to be performed;

erasing the number key information if it is determined that the initiation of a call is not to be performed, or no operation is performed for a predetermined period of time;

terminating execution of the call-initiating program; and

reactivating the non-call-initiating program that was interrupted.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising, if the non-call-initiating program is activated, and if no operation using the operation section is performed for a predetermined period of time, erasing the number-key information from a memory of the communication device.