Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
  • H04M1/60—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers including speech amplifiers
  • H04M1/6033—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers including speech amplifiers for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets
  • H04M1/6041—Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
  • H04M1/6058—Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
  • H04M1/6066—Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone including a wireless connection
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
  • H04M1/72—Mobile telephones; Cordless telephones, i.e. devices for establishing wireless links to base stations without route selection
  • H04M1/724—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Definitions

• Arrangement including a mobile communication device
• the invention relates to an arrangement including a mobile communication device, to a mobile communication device and to an accessory device for a mobile communication device .
• the invention relates equally to a method and to a software program product for a mobile communication device .
• An arrangement including a mobile communication device may consist simply of this mobile communication device .
• the arrangement can comprise further components , in particular accessory devices for the mobile communication device .
• the mobile communication device is a mobile phone, for example , the arrangement could include in addition a headset as an accessory device .
• a user might keep a mobile communication device in a pocket or at another place where it is not visible to the user . In such cases , the user might wish to be able to obtain information about the mobile communication device without having to retrieve it from its place .
• a user might employ a BluetoothTM headset for a convenient use of a mobile phone .
• it may be considered to be annoying by the user, if the phone has to be retrieved from a pocket , just in order to check whether any calls or messages have been missed.
• a mobile communication device used with an accessory device may even be located in a different room than the user, which makes a direct access to the device particularly troublesome .
• a user may have misplaced a mobile communication device .
• the user might wish to obtain support in finding the mobile communication device .
• An arrangement including a mobile communication device comprises a key for enabling a user to request exclusively a notification .
• the arrangement further comprises notification means .
• the arrangement further comprises processing means which are adapted to detect whether the key is pressed, adapted to check a status of the mobile communication device and adapted to cause a notification of a user via tl ⁇ .e notification means in case the key is detected ⁇ o be pressed depending on the checked status .
• Requesting exclusively a notification means that the notification does not simply accompany or confirm another function that is activated by pressing a key. Rather, the notification is requested for its own sake .
• a mobile communication device which comprises processing means .
• the processing means are adapted to detect whether a key for enabling a user to request exclusively a notification is pressed.
• the processing means are further adapted to check a status of the mobile communication device .
• the processing means are further adapted to cause a notification of a user in case this key is detected to be pressed depending on the checked status . It has to be noted that the key may but does not have to be a part of the mobile communication device itself .
• an accessory device for a mobile communication device which comprises a key for enabling a user to request exclusively a notification from the mobile communication device, which depends on a current status of the mobile communication device .
• the proposed accessory device further comprises transmission means arranged for signaling to the mobile communication device an indication of an activation of the key.
• a software program product is proposed, in which a software code for causing a notification of a user of a mobile communication device is stored. When running in a processing unit of a mobile communication device, the software code detects whether a key for enabling a user to request exclusively a notification is pressed. Further, the software code checks a status of the mobile communication device . Further, the software code causes a notification of a user in case the key is detected to be pressed depending on the checked status .
• the invention is equally realized with a method for causing a notification of a user of a mobile communication device, comprising the steps of detecting whether a key for enabling a user to request exclusively a notification is pressed, checking a status of the mobile communication device and causing a notification of a user in case the key is detected to be pressed depending on the checked status .
• the invention is equally realized with a pure software code which is adapted to perform these steps .
• the invention proceeds from the consideration that a notification function could be associated to a particular key of an arrangement comprising a mobile communication device .
• a user may then request some kind of notification about a status of the mobile communication device simply by pressing this key . Whether a notification is actually caused and/or the kind of the caused notification depends on the current status of the mobile communication device .
• the notification means may comprise , for example , vibration means of the mobile communication device for providing a vibration alert and/or a loudspeaker for providing a sound signal .
• a loudspeaker includes , for instance , • an earpiece of a headset .
• a notification can be realized in a particularly discrete manner by a vibration alert and by a sound signal output via an earpiece of a headset .
• a sound signal output for a notification may be a speech signal or another kind of sound signal .
• the checked status of the mobile communication device can be for instance , though not exclusively, the existence or non-existence of at least one type of missed event .
• missed event refers in particular to events that have been missed but not been checked so far by the user .
• a missed event can be, for example , one or more missed calls , one or more missed messages , like short message service (SMS) messages or multimedia message service (MMS) messages , one or more missed time alerts , one or more missed calendar notes , and/or " an information about a low battery status , etc .
• SMS short message service
• MMS multimedia message service
• the status of the mobile communication device may also be the current time of the mobile communication device, and the notification could be used for signaling this time in some way.
• a user interface can be provided for enabling a user to select at least one type of status that has to ij>e checked by the processing means before causing a notification .
• the processing means can be adapted to cause different types of notifications for different statuses . This enables particularly detailed information of a user upon pressing a single key. For instance, different vibration signals may be used for differentiating between different missed events and/or between different numbers of missed events . A speech output could even inform explicitly about the exact missed event or events or about another type of status of the mobile communication device .
• the key can be a dedicated key provided only for the purpose of the proposed notification, or a key which is usually employed for another function .
• the notification function may be selected by a user or be assigned to the key automatically upon entry of a specific condition .
• a user may be enabled to enable and disable an automatic change of function which is associated to the key via a user interface .
• a user may also be enabled to assign the notification function to one of several available keys and/or to select one of several available keys , which is to be used for an automatic assignment of a notification function .
• the mobile communication device may comprises for example a light sensor .
• the processing means may then be adapted to cause a notification of a user in case the key is detected to be pressed only in case the light sensor detects a light intensity falling below a predetermined threshold value . This is the case , when the user has put the phone into his or her pocket .
• the normal function associated to the key is disabled . Once the phone is no longer in ' darkness , the normal function is assigned again to the key.
• it is not required to add a dedicated key for causing a notification . This is of advantage from a perspective of product costs , product size and product simplicity.
• such a multi-function key is a key which implies no risk of extra billing for the end user when being pressed once or more while the regular function is associated to this key.
• a key could be for example the power-on button of the mobile communication device .
• the proposed arrangement may comprise only the mobile communication device , or in addition an accessory device for the mobile communication device .
• the accessory device can be any device which is able to exchange signals with the mobile communication device , for instance a BluetoothTM enabled device .
• the accessory device can be in particular a mobile device itself . It can be for example a headset for the mobile communication device .
• the accessory device may comprise the key
• the mobile communication device comprises the processing means .
• the notification means can be part of the accessory device and/or part of the mobile communication device .
• Such an arrangement enables a remote request for a notification . It provides users with means for being informed about the status of the mobile communication device without having to fetch the mobile communication device from some storing place . It may even be used for locating the mobile communication device using the accessory device . For instance, in case it is provided that pressing the key results in a notification which includes a vibration of the mobile communication device, a locating of the mobile communication device is facilitated.
• the arrangement comprises only the mobile communication device and the key is thus a part of the mobile communication device
• users may have a mobile communication device in the pocket of their trousers , and they may receive a notification without having to take the mobile communication device out of their pocket simply by pressing the key.
• the invention can be implemented in hardware and/or in software . If a speech feedback is desired for the notification, a corresponding speech engine software may be employed .
• Fig . 1 is a schematic block diagram of a first embodiment of an assembly according to the invention
• Fig . 2 is a flow chart illustrating an operation in. the assembly of Figure 1
• Fig . 3 is a schematic block diagram of a second embodiment of an assembly according to the invention
• j is a schematic block diagram of a first embodiment of an assembly according to the invention
• Fig . 4 is a flow chart illustrating an operation in the assembly of Figure 3.
• Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of a first embodiment of an assembly according to the invention, which enables a user to detect missed events .
• the assembly comprises a mobile phone 10 and a headset 20 as an accessory device for the mobile phone 10.
• the mobile phone 10 comprises a processing unit 11 , which is able to run various software components , including an installed missed-event software 12.
• the processing unit 11 is connected within the mobile phone 10 to a user interface (UI ) 13 , to a BluetoothTM transceiver 14 , to at least one storage component 15 storing information about missed events , and optionally to vibration means 16.
• the mobile phone 10 further comprises other components of a conventional BluetoothTM enabled mobile phone not shown in Figure 1.
• the headset 20 comprises a BluetoothTM transceiver 24 and, connected to the BluetoothTM transceiver 24 , loudspeakers 26 and a dedicated event indicator key 23.
• the headset 20 further comprises other components of a conventional BluetoothTM enabled headset not shown in Figure 1.
• the mobile phone 10 and the headset 20 operate and interact in a conventional manner via the BluetoothTM interface .
• Figure 2 is a flow chart which presents on the left hand side operations in the headset 20 and on the right hand side operations in the mobile phone 10.
• a variety of events may occur, like incoming calls , incoming messages and generated alerts . These events may be missed by a user of the mobile phone 10 , for example because of a noisy environment . Information about a missed event is stored in some storage component 15 by the respective processing component that is responsible for handling the event . For example , a missed calendar alert is caused to be stored by a calendar software, while a missed call is caused to be stored by a call software .
• the user While using the headset 20 , the user might want to be informed about such missed events without fetching the mobile phone itself for looking at a visual user interface indicating the missed event , for example a display or blinking light emitting diodes .
• the user may press to this end the event indicator key 23 of the headset 20.
• the headset 20 automatically transmits a key signal indicating this action via the BluetoothTM transceiver 24 to the mobile phone 10 (step 222 ) .
• the mobile phone 10 receives the key signal via its own BluetoothTM transceiver 14 , and the missed-event software 12 detects the key signal (step 211) .
• the missed-event software 12 checks thereupon whether any missed events are stored in the at least one storage component 15 ( step 212 ) .
• the missed-event software 12 continues waiting for further key signals (step 211) .
• the missed- event software 12 In case at least one missed event is stored, the missed- event software 12 generates a speech signal that is suited to announce the type of the missed event or events (step 213 ) . It may indicate, for example , "two messages missed” or "one call missed” . Further information may be included in the speech signal as well , for example the- time at which the missed event occurred .
• the missed-event software 12 then causes a transmission of the speech signal via the BluetoothTM transceiver 14 to the headset 20 (step 214) .
• the headset receives the speech signal via the BluetoothTM transceiver and provides it for a presentation to the user to the loudspeakers 26 (step 203 ) .
• the - user is informed in a very comfortable manner about missed events upon his own request .
• the missed-event software 12 could also cause a vibration alert via the vibration means 16 (step 215 ) , in case any missed events are detected at step 213. It might also be up to the user to specify beforehand via the user interface 13 whether a speech notification and/or a notification by a vibration alert are to be used.
• a user might be enabled to assign via the user interface 13 another function to the event indicator key 23.
• another function For example, instead of a function notifying about missed events , a "locating" function might be assigned to the event indicator key 23. In this case, a vibration alert is caused by the software 12 whenever the user presses the key event indicator 23.
• a locating function is suited to facilitate the search for a misplaced mobile phone 10.
• Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram of a second embodiment of an assembly according to the invention, which enables a user to detect missed events .
• the assembly includes only a mobile phone 30.
• the mobile phone 30 comprises a processing unit 31 , which is able to run various software components , including an installed missed-event software 32.
• the processing unit 31 is connected within the mobile phone 30 to a user interface (UI ) 33 , to a light sensor 37 , to at least one storage component 35 storing information about missed events , and to vibration means 36.
• the user interface 33 comprises for example a display, a loudspeaker, a microphone and a regular keypad, including a power-on button 34. Only the power-on button 34 is shown explicitly in Figure 3.
• the mobile phone 30 further comprises other components of a conventional mobile phone not shown in Figure 3.
• the mobile phone 30 operates in a conventional manner .
• a variety of events may occur, which may be missed by a user of the mobile phone 30.
• Information about a missed event is stored again in some storage component 35 by the respective component handling the missed event .
• a user of the mobile phone 30 might keep the mobile phone 30 in a pocket . He or she might want to be informed about missed events , without fetching the mobile phone 30 from the pocket .
• the user activates in a preparatory step a "missed-event " functionality of the mobile phone 30 via the user interface 33 (step 430 ) .
• the missed-event functionality is then realized by the missed-event software 32 in co-operation with the power- on button 34.
• the user is able to select the key that is to support the missed-event functionality. In this case, it can be the power-on button 34 or some other available key of the user interface 33.
• the light sensor 37 of the mobile phone 30 determines the intensity of the light surrounding the mobile phone 30 (step 431) .
• the regular power-on and power-off function remains assigned to the power-on button 34 (step 433 ) .
• a new function is assigned to the power-on button 34.
• an event-indicator function is associated to the button 34 , making it an event indicator key 34 (step 432 ) .
• the threshold value may be selectable by the user via the user interface 33.
• the missed-event software 32 continues monitoring the light intensity detected by the light sensor 37 (step 431) .
• the missed-event software 32 checks whether any missed events are stored in the at least one storage component 35 (step 435) .
• the missed-event software 32 continues monitoring the light intensity detected by the light sensor 37 (step ' » 431) .
• the missed- event software 32 causes the vibration means 36 to output a vibration alert .
• the type of the vibration alert is selected depending on the type of the missed event , (step 436) Thus , the user may know even which kind of event has been missed from the kind of the provided vibration alert .
• the determined light intensity is detected at some stage to rise again above the predetermined threshold value (step 431) , for instance because the mobile phone 30 is retrieved from a pocket , the power-on and power-off function is assigned again to the power-on button 34 (step 433 ) .
• the user is enabled to check missed events in a very discrete manner .

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Telephone Function (AREA)
• Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (4)

Citations (6)

Family Cites Families (7)

• 2005
  • 2005-02-11 DE DE202005002303U patent/DE202005002303U1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 2006
  • 2006-01-19 WO PCT/IB2006/000075 patent/WO2006085171A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (6)

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