Communication apparatus

• US 8,131,807 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2008
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Mobile Communications Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Toshiba Mobile Communications Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Inventors: Fukumoto, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOODCHILD, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US12/181,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20090055494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails

Abstract

A communication apparatus includes: a display unit; a receiver configured to receive an email; a storage unit configured to store the email; and an unread email notifying unit configured to display on the display unit an image associated with a character string obtained by analyzing at least one of a header and a text of an unread email stored in the storage unit based on an analysis rule.

Claims

1. A mobile communication terminal comprising:

a radio interface which communicates with a base station;

a storage unit which stores an email received via the radio interface and a plurality of pictograms, wherein the pictograms indicate (i) that an unread email is stored in the storage unit and (ii) a type of the unread email; and

a control unit which detects a reception status stored in the storage unit of an email in the storage unit, requests a header of the email when the reception status indicates that the header is missing, updates the reception status of the email once the header of the email is received and stored in the storage unit, requests a text of the email when the reception status indicates that the text is missing, updates the reception status of the email once the text of the email is received and stored in the storage unit, detects whether an email in the storage unit remains unread, determines a type of the detected unread email if it is detected that an email remains unread, selects one pictogram from the plurality of pictograms in accordance with the determined type of the detected unread email, and displays the selected pictogram on a display unit while the detected unread email remains unread;

wherein the selected pictogram is displayed in a pictogram display area of the display unit at a position on the display unit that is independent of an operational state of the mobile communication terminal.

2. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines the type of the detected unread email by referring to at least one of a subject of the email and a sender email address contained in the email.

3. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 2, wherein the storage unit further stores a table which includes a plurality of sets each comprising a first item including a key word or an email address and a second item including one of the plurality of types, and the control unit determines the type of the detected unread email based on the table.

4. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the selected pictogram is displayed together with a pictogram indicating a battery level in the pictogram display area of the display unit.

5. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 4, wherein the pictogram display area is located at an upper portion of the display unit.

6. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein a single reception status indicates that both the header of the email and the text of the email are missing.

7. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 6, wherein the control units simultaneously requests the header of the email and the text of the email when the single reception status indicates that both the header of the email and the text of the email are missing.

8. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the control unit further displays number information indicating a number of unread emails of a same type adjacent to the pictogram corresponding to the type.

9. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the control unit requests the text of the email when the reception status indicates that the text is missing and the header is received and stored in the storage unit.

10. A mobile communication terminal comprising:

a radio interface which communicates with a base station;

a storage unit which stores an email received via the radio interface and a plurality of pictograms, wherein the pictograms indicate (i) that an unread email is stored in the storage unit and (ii) a type of the unread email; and

a control unit which detects a reception status stored in the storage unit of an email in the storage unit, requests a header of the email when the reception status indicates that the header is missing, updates the reception status of the email once the header of the email is received and stored in the storage unit, requests a text of the email when the reception status indicates that the text is missing, updates the reception status of the email once the text of the email is received and stored in the storage unit, classifies the email in the storage unit as a read email or an unread email based on whether or not text of the email has already displayed on a display unit, assigns the unread email to one of a plurality of types if the email is classified as unread email, selects one pictogram from the plurality of pictograms in accordance with the assigned type of the unread email, and displays the selected pictogram on the display unit while the unread email remains unread;

wherein the selected pictogram is displayed in a pictogram display area of the display unit at a position on the display unit that is independent of an operational state of the mobile communication terminal.

11. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 10, wherein the control unit determines the type of the unread email by referring to at least one of a subject of the email and a sender email address contained in the email.

12. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 11, wherein the storage unit further stores a table which includes a plurality of sets each comprising a first item including a key word or an email address and a second item including one of the plurality of types, and the control unit assigns the unread email to one of the plurality of types based on the table.

13. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 10, wherein the selected pictogram is displayed together with a pictogram indicating a battery level in the pictogram display area of the display unit.

14. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 13, wherein the pictogram display area is located at an upper portion of the display unit.

15. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 10, wherein a single reception status indicates that both the header of the email and the text of the email are missing.

16. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 15, wherein the control units simultaneously requests the header of the email and the text of the email when the single reception status indicates that both the header of the email and the text of the email are missing.

17. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 10, wherein the control unit further displays number information indicating a number of unread emails of a same type adjacent to the pictogram corresponding to the type.

18. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 10, wherein the control unit requests the text of the email when the reception status indicates that the text is missing and the header is received and stored in the storage unit.