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Mobile Phone Patent Abstract
When a mobile phone is out of an area covered by a communication
currently in use, the fact is noticed to a user and, simultaneously
therewith, a message urging the user to select another communication
system is displayed. During a period in which this display is performed,
it becomes possible to switch the communication system through a
simple procedure.
Mobile Phone Patent Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A mobile phone comprising: a plurality of circuits each corresponding
to a different communication system; means for selecting one of
the plurality of said circuits according to a manual input operation;
means for determining whether or not said mobile phone is out of
an area covered by a communication system currently in use; display
means for displaying, when said mobile phone is out of said area,
the latter fact together with a message urging a user of said mobile
phone to select another communication system; and means for permitting
a user to select between (a) displaying of said message every time
that said mobile phone moves out from said area and (b) displaying
of said message every time that a power source of said mobile phone
is turned on.
2. A mobile phone as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means
for making said user permitting display selection means in a switching
ready state simultaneously with the display of said message.
3. A mobile phone as claimed in claim 2, wherein said means for
making includes means for switching a communication system through
a single manual operation step.
Mobile Phone Patent Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is utilized in a mobile phone service in
an area covered by a plurality of different communication systems
in mixed state. The present invention is commonly utilized in a
plurality of different areas covered by different communication
systems.
2. Description of Related Art
In an area covered by different communication systems providing
respective mobile phone services, it is possible to improve a convenience
of a user of a mobile phone by making the mobile terminal possible
to correspond to a plurality of communication systems.
Alternatively, in a case where a user of a mobile phone reciprocates
between a plurality of areas covered by different communication
systems, a convenience of the user can be improved by corresponding
the mobile phone to the respective communication systems.
In Japan, for example, a composite type mobile phone capable of
operating in PDC (Personal Digital Cellular) mobile phone system
or PHS (Personal Handy-phone System) selectively has been used.
The composite type mobile phone includes a plurality of circuits
corresponding to different communication systems, respectively,
and operates by selecting one of the circuits.
The selection of circuit is manually performed by a user or automatically
performed by the mobile phone itself. In the case of the automatic
selection, the mobile phone determines one of the communication
systems, which is employed in an area in which the mobile phone
exists, and automatically selects one of the circuits.
Further, there is a composite type mobile phone capable of corresponding
to the communication systems used in both Japan and other countries.
When a communication system is automatically selected by such conventional
composite type mobile phone, there is no problem if a user of the
mobile phone is in an area covered by any of the communication systems
and the communication system covering the area is selected. However,
when the user is out of areas covered by these communication systems,
there is a problem in view of battery saving. That is, in such case,
it is necessary for the mobile phone to repeatedly search base stations
of all communication systems, so that a battery life of the mobile
phone is shortened.
On the other hand, in a case where there is difference in charging
system between communication systems, there may be a case where
a communication system, which is not requested by a user, is automatically
selected and the user is charged by an amount exceeding his expectation.
In the case where a communication system is manually selected by
a user, there may be a case where the user can not accept a mobile
phone service if he forgets a communication system he wants to use
or he erroneously selects a wrong communication system.
Further, the manual operation for selecting the communication system
is generally not easy. This is because, in order to avoid an interruption
of communication when a communication system in use is switched
to another by erroneous operations of buttons and/or switches of
a mobile phone by a user during the communication, the selecting
operation of communication system must be performed through a plurality
of steps. When a user forgets the communication selecting operation
requiring a plurality of steps, the user must re-confirm a manual,
which is troublesome. That is, it is very troublesome for the user
to check a communication system corresponding to his location and
manually switch a communication system in use to another.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention was made in view of such background and has
an object to provide a mobile phone, which is capable of avoiding
the necessity of search for ineffective base stations and reducing
battery power consumption.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile
phone with which a communication system can be selected according
to an intention of a user.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile
phone capable of selecting a communication system free from erroneous
operation of a user.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a mobile
phone with which a user can select a communication system through
a simple operation.
The mobile phone according to the present invention is featured
by that, when a user is out of an area covered by a communication
system currently in use, the mobile phone notifies the user of the
fact and displays a message for urging the user to select another
communication system. The display of message is performed by characters
and/or voice. It is preferable that a determination of whether or
not the mobile phone is within an area covered by the communication
system currently in use is continuously performed from a time at
which a power source of the mobile phone is turned on and it is
preferable that, when a search for a base station of the communication
system currently selected becomes impossible, the message is displayed.
Therefore, it is possible to avoid a search of a base station,
which becomes ineffective, when the mobile phone is in an area not
covered by any communication system. Consequently, it is possible
to avoid unnecessary power consumption of a battery of the mobile
phone. Further, it is possible to avoid a selection of a communication
system against an intention of a user. In addition, by displaying
a message urging the user to select another communication system,
it is possible to avoid an erroneous operation of a user caused
by user's forgetfulness of selection or erroneous selection.
It is preferable that, when the message is displayed, the mobile
phone becomes in a state ready for communication system selection
in which a switching of the communication system can be done by
the user through a simple operation. In such case, the user can
switch the communication to another through, for example, a single
step of operation. Therefore, the switching operation is not troublesome
and there is no procedure for re-confirming a manual when the user
forgets the operation manner.
In the case where the present invention is applied to the composite
type mobile phone usable for communication systems used in Japan
and in other countries, the message is displayed on the mobile phone
and the mobile phone becomes in the communication system selection
state, by turning the power switch of the mobile phone on at a time
when the user reaches a foreign country employing a communication
system different from the domestic communication system. Therefore,
the user can select the communication system employed in the foreign
country by the simple operation.
That is, the present invention resides in the mobile phone comprising
a plurality of circuits corresponding to different communication
systems, respectively, and means for selecting one of the circuits
according to an operation input.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the mobile
phone is featured by comprising means for determining whether or
not the mobile phone is out of the area covered by the currently
selected communication system and display means, which, when it
is determined as out of the area, displaying a message notifying
the user of the fact and urging the user to select another communication
system.
It is preferable that the mobile phone comprises switching means
for determining, whether the message is displayed every time when
the mobile phone moves out from the area covered by a communication
system or every time when the power source of the mobile phone is
turned on.
The mobile phone preferably comprises means for putting the switching
means in the switch ready state upon the display of the message.
The means for putting the switching means in the switch ready state
preferably comprises means for switching the communication system
through a single step of operation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described,
by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying of drawings
in which:
FIG. 1 is a front view of a mobile phone according to an embodiment
of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a block circuit diagram of the mobile phone according
to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of the mobile phone
shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 shows an example of a content of display of the mobile phone;
and
FIG. 5 shows another example of a content of display of the mobile
phone.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference
to FIG. 1 to FIG. 5, in which FIG. 1 is a front view of a mobile
phone according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG.
2 is a block circuit diagram of the mobile phone according to the
embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing
an operation of the mobile phone shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 shows an
example of a content of display of the mobile phone and FIG. 5 shows
another example of a content of display of the mobile phone.
A mobile phone 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention
includes a display portion 2 on which telephone numbers and various
information are displayed as shown in FIG. 1. An operation portion
3 of the mobile phone 1 is used to perform a calling operation and
various setting operations. An antenna 4 transmits and receives
electromagnetic wave for a communication with respect to a base
station. A receiver portion 5 outputs a sound signal and a sound
signal is inputted to a microphone portion 6.
As shown in FIG. 2, the mobile phone 1 comprises a pair of circuit
portions 11 and 12 corresponding to a communication system A and
a communication system B, respectively, and a main control portion
9, which is means for selecting one of the circuit potions 11 and
12 according to an operation input from the operation portion 3.
The circuit portion 11 corresponding to the communication system
A includes a radio portion 13, a modulation/demodulation portion
14 and a control portion 15 and the circuit portion 12 corresponding
to the communication system B includes a radio portion 16, a modulation/demodulation
portion 17 and a control portion 18.
Each of the control portions 15 and 18 is featured by including
the display portion 2 and a notice portion 7 as display means for
determining whether or not the mobile phone is out of an area in
which the currently selected communication system is employed and,
when the mobile phone is out of the area, displaying the fact and
a message urging a user to select another communication system.
The display portion 2 displays a character information to the user,
as shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5.
An information display pattern of the information is stored in
a memory 8. Further, the communication system currently in use is
stored in the memory portion 8.
Now, an operation of the mobile phone according to the embodiment
of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
3 to FIG. 5. Assuming that a network in the area in which the user
currently exists is covered by the communication system A, an information
"communication system to be used is A" is stored in the
memory portion 8 by operating the operation portion 3. In this case,
the main control portion 9 sets an antenna switch circuit 10 through
the control portion 15 such that the antenna 4 is connected to the
radio portion 13 to make the mobile phone 1 possible to perform
a communication using the communication system A.
In this state, the mobile phone 1 is in a state waiting for a call
of only the communication system A. Even if the user moves out of
the area covered by the communication system A, a network search
of the communication system B is not performed.
On the other hand, in a case where the communication system of
a network in an area in which the user currently exists is B, an
information "communication system to be used is B" is
stored in the memory portion 8 by operating the operation portion
3. In this case, the main control portion 9 sets the antenna switch
circuit 10 through the control portion 15 such that the antenna
4 is connected to the radio portion 16 to make the mobile phone
1 possible to perform a communication using the communication system
B. In this state, the mobile phone 1 is in a state waiting for a
call of only the communication system B. Even if the user moves
out of the area covered by the communication system B, a network
search of the communication system A is not performed.
When the user moves from the area covered by the communication
system A to the area covered by the communication system B, it is
necessary to change the information of the communication system
B stored in the memory portion 8 to the communication system A by
operating the operation portion 3.
In this embodiment of the present invention, the search operation
for the base station of the communication system set in the memory
portion 8 is performed when the power source of the mobile phone
1 is turned on and, when the base station can not be caught, that
is, the mobile phone 1 is out of an area covered by the same communication
system, a message as to whether or not the other communication system
is to be searched is displayed in the display portion 2. In a case
where the user operates the operation portion 3 to perform the network
search of the other communication system, the main control portion
9 changes the information of one communication system stored in
the memory portion 8 to the other communication system and, simultaneously
therewith, the main control portion 9 sets the antenna switch circuit
10 through the control portion 18 such that the antenna 4 is connected
to the radio portion 16 to make the mobile phone 1 possible to perform
a communication using the other communication system and immediately
starts the network search operation of the other communication system.
In this state, the user is required to push one of keys of the
operation portion 3 only once according to the message displayed
on the display portion 2, so that the user can switch the communication
system from one to the other through the very simple operation.
In a state where the message as to whether or not the search of
the other communication system is performed is not displayed on
the display portion 2, the switching of the communication system
is not required. Although, when the user wishes to switch the communication
system for some reason in such case, the user must do it through
a plurality of operation steps, which may cause erroneous switching
of the communication system to occur. The above system can avoid
such erroneous switching of the communication system.
FIG. 4 shows an example of the message to be displayed on the display
portion 2 in a case where the search operation for the base station
of the communication system (in this case, communication system
A) set in the memory portion 8 is performed when the power source
of the mobile phone 1 is turned on and the base station can not
be caught, that is, the mobile phone 1 is out of an area covered
by the same communication system. When the user pushes a button
1 of the operation portion 3 in the state in which this message
is displayed, the mobile phone 1 performs the switching operation
to the communication system B. On the other hand, when the user
pushes a button 2 of the operation portion 3, the search operation
for the base station of the communication system A is continued
while the mobile phone is out of the area covered by the communication
system A. It should be noted that this button operation is a mere
example and the button operating manner depends upon a specification
of the mobile phone 1.
FIG. 5 shows an example of the message to be displayed on the display
portion 2 in a case where the search operation for the base station
of the communication system (in this case, communication system
B) set in the memory portion 8 is performed when the power source
of the mobile phone 1 is turned on and the base station can not
be caught, that is, the mobile phone 1 is out of an area covered
by the same communication system. When the user pushes the button
1 of the operation portion 3 in the state in which this message
is displayed, the mobile phone 1 performs the switching operation
to the communication system A. On the other hand, when the user
pushes the button 2 of the operation portion 3, the search operation
for the base station of the communication system B is continued
while the mobile phone is out of the area covered by the communication
system B. It should be noted that this button operation is a mere
example and the button operating manner depends upon a specification
of the mobile phone 1.
The operation of the mobile phone 1 when the power source thereof
is turned on will be described with reference to the flowchart shown
in FIG. 3. When the power source of the mobile phone 1 (step S101),
the mobile phone 1 detects the information of communication system
set in the memory portion 8 thereof (step S102).
When the information thus detected is the communication system
A (YES in step S103), the mobile phone 1 performs a search operation
for the base station of the communication system A (step S104).
When the base station of the communication system A could be caught
by the mobile phone 1 (YES in step S105), the mobile phone 1 performs
a waiting operation of a communication of the communication system
A with respect to the base station (step S116).
In a case where the base station of the communication system A
could not be caught by the mobile phone 1 (NO in step S105), the
message "system B network search?" such as shown in FIG.
4 is displayed on the display portion 2 (step S106) and, when the
user operates the operation portion 3 to select "YES"
(step YES in step S107), the mobile phone 1 changes the information
in the memory portion 8 to the communication system B (step S110)
and then starts a search for a base station of the communication
system B (step S111).
When "NO" is selected in the step S107 (NO in step S107),
the mobile phone 1 continues the base station search for the base
station of the communication system A while it is out of the area
covered by the communication system A (step S108).
On the contrary, when, as a result of the communication system
detection in the step S102, the detected information is the communication
system B (NO in step S103), the mobile phone 1 performs a search
for the base station of the communication system B (step S111).
When, as a result of the search, the base station of the communication
system B could be caught by the mobile phone 1 (YES in step S112),
the mobile phone 1 performs a waiting operation for a communication
of the communication system B with respect to the thus caught base
station (step S116).
On the contrary, when, as a result of the search for the communication
system B, the base station could not be caught by the mobile phone
1 (NO in step S112), the message "system A network search?"
such as shown in FIG. 5 is displayed on the display portion 2 (step
S113) and, when the user operates the operation portion 3 to select
"YES" (step YES in step S114), the mobile phone 1 changes
the information in the memory portion 8 to the communication system
A (step S109) and then starts a search for a base station of the
communication system A (step S104).
When the NO is selected in the step 114, the search for the base
station of the communication system B is continued while the mobile
phone 1 is out of the area covered by the communication system B
(step S115).
The flowchart shown in FIG. 3 is set such that it is executed every
time when the power source of the mobile phone 1 is turned on. However,
it is possible to set the flowchart such that the flow subsequent
to the step S101 in FIG. 3 is executed every time when the mobile
phone 1 moves out from an area covered by a certain communication
system. It is possible to program such that the user can select
either one of the flowchart settings arbitrary by using the operation
portion 3.
The circuitry shown in FIG. 2 can be modified variously. For example,
the main control portion 9 may be included in one of the circuit
portions 11 and 12 to control the other as a slave circuit. This
invention should not be limited by such a circuitry.
In this embodiment, the present invention has been described with
reference to the complex type mobile phone corresponding to the
communication systems A and B. However, the present invention can
be applied to a composite type mobile phone corresponding to three
or more communication systems.
As described hereinbefore, according to the present invention,
it is possible to avoid a search for a base station, which becomes
ineffective to thereby restrict power consumption of a battery power
source. Further, it is possible to select one of communication systems
according to an intention of a user of the mobile phone. Further,
it is possible to select one of communication systems without erroneous
operation of a user. In addition, a user of the mobile phone can
select one of communication systems through a simple manual operation.
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