Communication apparatus

• US 20080240387A1
• Filed: 03/24/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Murai, Suzuyo
• Application Number:
  US12/076,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20080240387A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/110.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• 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 communication apparatus is provided. The communication apparatus comprises: a detection sensor for detecting a human body; a mode setting unit which sets a notification mode to a normal mode or a quiet mode; a sound notification unit which has a plurality of volume levels, and which conveys notification information by a sound; and a sound controller which controls the sound notification unit to convey the notification information at a volume according to the notification mode set by the mode setting unit and a result of the detection sensor.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a detection sensor for detecting a human body;

a mode setting unit which sets a notification mode to a normal mode or a quiet mode;

a sound notification unit which has a plurality of volume levels, and which conveys notification information by a sound; and

a sound controller which controls the sound notification unit to convey the notification information at a volume according to the notification mode set by the mode setting unit and a result of the detection sensor.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the sound controller controls the sound notification unit to convey the notification information at a lowest volume level of the plurality of volume levels of the sound notification unit, if the notification mode is set to the quiet mode and the detection sensor detects a human body.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the lowest volume level is capable of being heard at a position close to the communication apparatus.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the sound controller controls the sound notification unit to convey the notification information at a first volume level of the plurality of volume levels of the sound notification unit, if the notification mode is set to the normal mode,

wherein the sound controller controls the sound notification unit to convey the notification information at a second volume level of the plurality of volume levels of the sound notification unit if the notification mode is set to the quiet mode and the detection sensor detects a human body, and

wherein the first volume level is higher than the second volume level.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a light notification unit which is configured to emit light; and

a light emission controller which controls the light notification unit to emit the light if the notification mode is set to the quiet mode and the detection sensor detects a human body.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display unit; and

a display controller which controls the display unit to display a message if the notification mode is set to the quiet mode and the detection unit detects a human body.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein if the notification information comprises a message, the sound controller controls the sound notification unit to convey the message after outputting an alert tone.

8. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an additional device; and

an incoming call detection unit which detects an incoming call from the additional device,

wherein, if the notification mode is set to the quiet mode and the incoming call detection unit detects an incoming call from the additional device, the sound controller controls the sound notification unit to output a call tone at a lowest volume level of the plurality of volume levels of the sound notification unit.

9. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an additional device; and

an incoming call detection unit which detects an incoming call from the additional device,

wherein, if the notification mode is set to the normal mode and the incoming call detection unit detects an incoming call from the additional device, the sound controller controls the sound notification unit to output a call tone at a first volume level of the plurality of volume levels of the sound notification unit, and

wherein, if the notification mode is set to the quiet mode and the incoming call detection unit detects an incoming call from the additional device, the sound controller controls the sound notification unit to output a call tone at a second volume level of the plurality of volume levels of the sound notification unit, and

wherein the first volume level is higher than the second volume level.

10. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a volume setting unit which sets a volume level of the notification unit among a plurality of volume levels,

wherein the sound controller controls the sound notification unit to convey the notification information at a lowest volume level that can be set by the volume setting unit, if the notification mode is set to the quiet mode and the detection sensor detects a human body.

11. The communication apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the detection sensor comprises a pyroelectric infrared sensor.

12. A communication apparatus comprising:

a detection sensor which detects a target;

a mode setting unit which sets a notification mode to a normal mode or a quiet mode;

a notification unit which conveys notification information; and

a controller which controls the notification unit

(i) to convey the notification information in a first state if the notification mode is set to the quiet mode and the detection sensor detects a target;

or

(ii) to convey the notification information in a second state if the notification mode is set to the normal mode, or if the notification mode is set to the quiet mode and the detection sensor does not detect a target.

13. The communication apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a communication unit which receives the notification information through a telephone line network.

14. The communication apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein the target comprises a human body.

15. The communication apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein the notification mode is set to the quiet mode from a first time to a second time in a day.

16. The communication apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein the notification unit comprises a printing unit which prints the notification information, and

wherein the controller controls the printing unit to prevent printing of the notification information if the notification mode is set to the quiet mode.