Notifying devices, notifying methods, and programs

• US 9,641,671 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2012
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Manzen, Yoshihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Mahendra
• Application Number:
  US14/128,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20140135074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• Field of Search: 455567, 4555751, 4554564, 4554122, 455458, 455347, 455172, 455428, 455433, 455411, 455417, 455427, 455528, 4554261, 455430, 455439
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q

Abstract

A notifying device according to the present invention includes a plurality of vibration means (4, 5) that generate vibrations in at least one different direction; attitude detection means (2) that detects an attitude of its own device; and selection means (3) that selects which vibration means from among the plurality of vibration means (4, 5) is to be operated based on the attitude.

Claims

1. A notifying device in a communication device, comprising:

a first vibrator for generating vibrations in a first direction, wherein said first vibrator generates vibrations on a surface perpendicular to a longer side direction of an enclosure of said notifying device;

a second vibrator for generating vibrations in a second direction, wherein said second vibrator generates vibrations on a surface parallel to said longer side direction of said enclosure of said notifying device;

an attitude detector for detecting an attitude of the communication device; and

a selector for;

selecting, based on said detected attitude, at least one of said first vibrator and said second vibrator to be operated, and

selecting the other vibrator to be operated in a case a command for stopping the selected vibrator is not input for a predetermined time period,

wherein said selector;

selects said second vibrator to be operated when said attitude denotes that said longer side direction of said enclosure of said notifying device is perpendicular to a direction of gravity, and

selects said first vibrator to be operated when a command that stops said second vibrator is not input after an elapse of said predetermined time period.

4. The notifying device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a motor generating vibrations; and

a drive direction changer transferring drive force of said motor to one vibrator selected by said selector from said first vibrator or said second vibrator,

wherein said first vibrator has a first eccentric member generating vibrations on the surface perpendicular to the longer side direction of the enclosure of the notifying device, and

wherein said second vibrator has a second eccentric member generating vibrations on the surface parallel to the longer side direction of the enclosure of the notifying device.

5. The notifying device according to claim 4, wherein said drive director changer includes at least one of said attitude detector and said selector.

6. The notifying device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display section or a light emitting section,

wherein said selector causes said display section to display a message containing information about which said notifying device notifies a user or causes said light emitting section to light if said attitude denotes that the longer side direction of the enclosure of said notifying device is perpendicular to the direction of gravity.

7. The notifying device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a display section or a light emitting section,

wherein said selector causes said display section to display a message containing information about which said notifying device notifies a user or causes said light emitting section to light if said attitude denotes that the longer side direction of the enclosure of said notifying device is perpendicular to the direction of gravity.

8. The notifying device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a display section or a light emitting section,

wherein said selector causes said display section to display a message containing information about which said notifying device notifies a user or causes said light emitting section to light if said attitude denotes that the longer side direction of the enclosure of said notifying device is perpendicular to the direction of gravity.

9. The notifying device according to claim 1, wherein said enclosure has a rectangular surface whose shape is formed from a first side that is parallel to said longer side direction and a second side that is perpendicular to said longer side direction.

2. A notifying method for a communication device, comprising:

detecting an attitude of the communication device;

selecting, at a selector, based on said detected attitude, at least one of first and second vibrators to be operated, from among said first and second vibrators that generate vibrations in first and second directions respectively; and

selecting, at said selector, the other vibrator to be operated in a case a command for stopping said selected vibrator is not input for a predetermined time period,

wherein the communication device comprises a notifying device,

wherein said first vibrator generates vibrations on a surface perpendicular to a longer side direction of an enclosure of said notifying device,

wherein said second vibrator generates vibrations on a surface parallel to said longer side direction of said enclosure of said notifying device, and

wherein said selector;

selects said second vibrator to be operated when said attitude denotes that said longer side direction of said enclosure of said notifying device is perpendicular to a direction of gravity, and

selects said first vibrator to be operated when a command that stops said second vibrator is not input after an elapse of said predetermined time period.

3. A non-transitory computer readable record medium on which a program is recorded, the program causing a computer to control first and second vibrators that generate vibrations in first and second directions respectively, the program comprising:

detecting an attitude of a communication device;

selecting, at a selector, based on said detected attitude, at least one of said first vibrator and said second vibrator to be operated; and

selecting, at said selector, the other vibrator to be operated in a case a command for stopping said selected vibrator is not input for a predetermined time period,

wherein the communication device comprises a notifying device,

wherein said first vibrator generates vibrations on a surface perpendicular to a longer side direction of an enclosure of said notifying device,

wherein said second vibrator generates vibrations on a surface parallel to said longer side direction of said enclosure of said notifying device, and

wherein said selector;

selects said second vibrator to be operated when said attitude denotes that said longer side direction of said enclosure of said notifying device is perpendicular to a direction of gravity, and

selects said first vibrator to be operated when a command that stops said second vibrator is not input after an elapse of said predetermined time period.