Communication device for automatically switching its communication modes and operating method thereof

• US 8,838,181 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2012
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Inventec Appliances Corporation (Inventec Corporation)
• Inventors: Ma, Yue-Bo, Liu, Yang
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH C
• Application Number:
  US13/557,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20130029721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/566, 455/569.1, 455/570, 455/575.1, 455/90.1, 455/347, 455/351, 345/169, 345/172, 345/175
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/605 involving control of the receiver volume to provide a dual operational mode at close or far distance from the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions

Abstract

The invention provides a communication device for automatically switching its communication modes and an operating method thereof. The communication device includes a photodetector module, a processing module, and a coder-decoder (CODEC) module. The photodetector module is configured to sense variation of light from an object to obtain an optical signal, and is configured to convert the optical signal to an electric current signal, wherein the light varies with a position of the object from the communication device. The processing module is connected to the photodetector module and is configured to direct the CODEC module to switch between audio channels of the communication device according to the electric current signal so as to change a communication mode of the communication device in a phone call.

Claims

1. A communication device for automatically switching its communication modes, comprising:

a photodetector module configured to sense variation of light from an object to obtain an optical signal, and configured to convert the optical signal to an electric current signal, wherein the light varies with a position of the object from the communication device;

a coder-decoder (CODEC) module; and

a processing module connected to the photodetector module and configured to direct the CODEC module to switch between audio channels of the communication device according to the electric current signal so as to change a communication mode of the communication device in a phone call.

2. The communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication mode comprises a handsfree mode or a non-handsfree mode.

3. The communication device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the processing module is configured to determine whether the electric current signal has a value greater than a predetermined electric current value;

if it'"'"'s determined that the value is greater than the predetermined value, the processing module is configured to change the communication mode to the handsfree mode; and

if it'"'"'s determined that the value is not greater than the predetermined value, the processing module is configured to change the communication mode to the non-handsfree mode.

4. The communication device as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a setting module connected to the processing module and providing a user with a function of setting the predetermined value.

5. The communication device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a switching module connected to the processing module and enabling a user to turn on or off the communication device'"'"'s function of automatically switching its communication modes.

6. The communication device as claimed in claim 1, comprising a mobile phone.

7. A method of operating a communication device for automatically switching its communication modes, comprising:

sensing variation of light from an object to obtain an optical signal, and then converting the optical signal to an electric current signal, wherein the light varies with a position of the object from the communication device; and

directing a coder-decoder (CODEC) module of the communication device to switch between audio channels of the communication device according to the electric current signal so as to change a communication mode of the communication device in a phone call.

8. The operating method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the communication mode comprises a handsfree mode and a non-handsfree mode.

9. The operating method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

determining whether the electric current signal has a value greater than a predetermined electric current value;

if it'"'"'s determined that the value is greater than the predetermined value, changing the communication mode to the handsfree mode; and

if it'"'"'s determined that the value is not greater than the predetermined value, changing the communication mode to the non-handsfree mode.

10. The operating method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the predetermined value is set by a user using a setting module.

11. The operating method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the communication device'"'"'s function of automatically switching its communication modes is to be turned on or off by a user using a switching module.

12. The operating method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the communication device comprises a mobile phone.