JP2002077440A - Mobile telephone auxiliary device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mobile telephone auxiliary device which can realize the functions equivalent to those of a fixed telephone with only a mobile telephone, and can realize various functions like a facsimile transmission and reception. SOLUTION: A mobile telephone auxiliary device 11 has an operation part 11a and can conduct various operations. Further, the mobile telephone auxiliary device 11 is provided with an antenna 11b, and it is possible to carry out radio communication with mobile telephones 12a, 12b. Further, the mobile telephone auxiliary device 11 is provided with a mobile telephone I/F 11c and an electrical product I/F 11d as a connection part and is provided with a structure, where each element can be connected to the mobile telephones 12a, 12b or a personal computer 13 as an external device, respectively.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable telephone auxiliary device for operating various functions by wearing a portable telephone.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, mobile phones (PHS in this specification)
Many users use fixed telephone lines even in homes, use fixed lines in homes, and use mobile phones when they are out. This is because the fixed-line communication charge is lower than the mobile-phone charge. In recent years, mobile phone call charges have been drastically reduced, and in the near future the difference between fixed line call charges and mobile phone call charges will be reduced to the extent that there is no need to have a special fixed line. Seem.

[0003]

Even in this case, in order to ensure the portability of the portable telephone, certain restrictions must be imposed on the operation unit, the display unit, the storage unit, and the like. There are problems such as difficulty. For this reason, the user is forced to have a fixed line in addition to the mobile phone,
It is thought that the situation has not changed from the present.

On the mobile phone side, the operation unit, the display unit, the storage unit, and the like are limited, so that it is necessary to perform a complicated operation, for example, when storing a telephone number. In addition, since a certain amount of information cannot be stored, there is a problem that an answering machine service using a server of a mobile phone carrier must be used. The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a mobile phone auxiliary device that can realize functions similar to a fixed phone only with a mobile phone and can realize various functions such as facsimile transmission and reception. I do.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided a portable telephone auxiliary apparatus comprising: an apparatus main body having a facsimile unit capable of facsimile transmission and reception; a first connection unit provided in the apparatus main body and connectable to a mobile telephone; A second connection unit provided on the device main body and connectable to an external device, a storage unit for storing various information, and information from the mobile phone in a state where the mobile phone is mounted on the first connection unit. A control unit that controls storage in the storage unit.

The control unit transfers information from the mobile phone to the external device while the external device is mounted on the second connection unit, and transmits information from the external device to the mobile phone. By transferring, the information of the mobile phone can be transferred to the external device, and the information of the external device can be transferred to the mobile phone.

[0007] Further, facsimile data received via the mobile phone mounted on the first connection unit is converted into still image data, and conversely, still image data is converted into facsimile data transmitted from the mobile phone. By providing the format conversion unit, facsimile transmission / reception can be performed using a mobile phone. In addition, by providing a communication control unit that performs communication based on the unique information of the mobile phone, it is possible to independently communicate with the mobile phone provider using the unique information of the mobile phone.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a system using a mobile phone auxiliary device according to one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a mobile phone auxiliary device 11 includes an operation unit 11a capable of performing various operations, and an antenna 11 for performing wireless communication with mobile phones 12a and 12b.
b. In addition, the mobile phone auxiliary device 11 can connect a mobile phone interface (I / F) 11c to which mobile phones 12a and 12b can be connected, and external devices (electric appliances) such as a personal computer 13, a digital camera, and a digital video. And an interface (I / F) 11d for electric appliances. Thereby, the mobile phone auxiliary device 11
The mobile telephone 12a,
Data can be bidirectionally transmitted to and from the electronic device such as the personal computer 13 via the electronic device I / F 11d between the device and the device 12b.

Here, as the I / F 11c for mobile phones and the I / F 11d for electric appliances, Bluetooth (see Nikkei Electronics, January 17, 2000, pp. 37-44), label tags (including electronic circuits such as ICs) are used. Label with a wireless communication function), a connector, or the like.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the portable telephone auxiliary device 11 according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
The mobile phone auxiliary device 11 includes a CPU and the like, and includes a control unit 21 for controlling the entire device 11, and the control unit 21 includes the above-described operation unit 11a and a mobile phone I / O.
F11c, I / F11d for electric appliances, charging section 2
2, a storage unit 23, a printer 24, a communication control unit 25 connected to the antenna 11b, a format conversion unit 2.
6, an ID assigning unit 27 and a scanner 28 are connected to each other.

Here, each unit connected to the control unit 21 will be described. First, the charging unit 22
The rechargeable battery built in the mobile phone auxiliary device 11 itself and the rechargeable batteries built in the mobile phones 12a and 12b connected via the mobile phone interface (I / F) 11c are respectively charged. ing. Storage unit 2
Numeral 3 is capable of storing facsimile data transmitted to the mobile phones 12a and 12b and various information data taken in from or transferred to an external device.

FIG. 3 shows a configuration of a table of reference data stored in the storage unit 23 in the present embodiment.
In the case of the present embodiment, the storage unit 23 stores
As shown in FIG. 3, the information is stored in a table associated with information such as unique information (for example, an ID number), a terminal type, a user name, and the presence or absence of a data file.

The printer 24 communicates with the mobile phone 1
The facsimile data transmitted to 2a and 12b is output. The communication control unit 25 controls performing wireless communication independently of the mobile phone auxiliary device 11 via the antenna 11b. The format converter 26 is mounted on a normal facsimile machine, and converts received audio data into still image data, and conversely, converts the still image data into audio data to be transmitted via a telephone line. The ID assigning unit 27 assigns an ID number as described later to the data. Scanner 28
Reads a manuscript for facsimile transmission.

Next, the operation of the portable telephone auxiliary device 11 having the above configuration will be described. First, the mobile phone 12a,
When the information of 12b, for example, the telephone number registered in the telephone number book stored in the memory of the mobile phone 12a is transferred (taken) to the mobile phone auxiliary device 11, the mobile phone 12
A connection unit (not shown) provided in advance in a is inserted into the mobile phone I / F 11c of the mobile phone auxiliary device 11. In addition, as long as the mobile phone 12a can be connected to the mobile phone I / F 11c so that the mobile phone 12a can mutually transmit data, the mobile phone 12a and the mobile phone 12b may not be directly connected to the mobile phone I / F 11c. The connection may be made using an adapter cable, a wireless adapter, or the like.

In this state, by performing a predetermined operation on the operation section 11a, the control section 21 of the mobile phone auxiliary device 11 transfers the data to the mobile phone 12a via the mobile phone I / F 11c and to the memory in the mobile phone 12a. An instruction to output a telephone number or the like registered in the stored telephone number book from the connection unit is supplied. Upon receiving this instruction, the mobile phone 12a
The information such as the telephone number registered in the telephone number book stored in the memory is output to the mobile telephone I / F 11c to which the connection unit is connected.

Then, the portable telephone auxiliary device 11 stores the output information in its own storage unit 23. At this time,
The information from the mobile phone 12a is provided with information unique to the mobile phone 12a, such as an ID number and a user name, as needed, by the operation of the ID assigning unit 27.
The information sent from the storage unit 23 is stored in the storage unit 23 in a data configuration as shown in FIG.

As a result, the portable telephone auxiliary device 11
Since the information stored in the memory in the mobile phone 12a is stored, it is possible to organize the memory in the mobile phone 12a to store new information. It is possible to return to information, and it is possible to make use of the memory in the mobile phone 12a beyond its capacity. In addition, the information in the memory of the mobile phone 12a can be shared by the mobile phone 12b, and the information of the specific mobile phone 12a can be exchanged between the plurality of mobile phones 12a and 12b by the other mobile phones. 12
b, ... can be used effectively.

Further, the telephone number record edited by an external device such as the personal computer 13 or the incoming melody edited by a synthesizer (electric appliance) or the like is transferred to, for example, the mobile phone 12a, and the telephone number list stored in the memory is stored. In the case of storing the data in the ringing melody storage unit, the connection unit of the mobile phone 12a is inserted into the mobile phone I / F 11c of the mobile phone auxiliary device 11, and the connection unit of the external device such as the personal computer 13 is connected to the electrification of the mobile phone auxiliary device 11. Insert it into the product I / F 11d.

In this state, by performing a predetermined operation different from that described above on the operation unit 11a, the portable telephone auxiliary device 11 can copy the telephone number record or the incoming melody edited by an external device such as the personal computer 13 to the personal computer 13 or the like. And the like via the I / F 11d for electric appliances into the storage unit 23 and the personal computer 1 loaded into the storage unit 23.
The telephone number record, the incoming melody, and the like edited by an external device such as 3 are transferred to the mobile phone 12a via the mobile phone I / F 11c. In this case, if necessary, the ID assigning unit 27 assigns unique information, for example, an ID number or a user name, and the unique information and the information edited by the external device, and if necessary, the unique information of the transfer destination. Information may be added, and these may be associated with each other and stored in the storage unit 23 as shown in FIG.

As a result, information edited by an external device such as the personal computer 13 can be stored in the storage unit 23 together with its unique information. The timing of the transfer to the telephone 12a may not be the same as described above, and the I / F 11c for the mobile phone of the mobile phone 12a of the transfer destination may be used.
Can be connected even after an external device such as the personal computer 13 has been disconnected from the appliance I / F 11d.

Next, when performing facsimile reception from a communication partner, for example, the connection section of the portable telephone 12a is inserted into the portable telephone I / F 11c of the portable telephone auxiliary device 11. Then, the mobile phone 12a receives the data transmitted from the communication partner, and transfers the data to the mobile phone auxiliary device 11. In the mobile phone auxiliary device 11, the format conversion unit 2
In step 6, the format is converted to facsimile data and output from the printer 24. In this case, since the mobile phone 12a only needs to function as a receiving device for simply loading the facsimile data into the mobile phone auxiliary device 11,
The memory does not have to be large enough to receive facsimile data, which is usually necessary for a mobile phone.

On the other hand, when performing facsimile transmission to a communication partner, for example, the connection section of the mobile phone 12a is inserted into the mobile phone I / F 11c of the mobile phone auxiliary device 11. And
The original is read by the scanner 28, the read facsimile data is format-converted by the format converter 26, and is transferred to the mobile phone 12a. Mobile phone 12a
Transmits the transferred data to the communication partner. Also in this case, since the mobile phone 12a only needs to function as a transmitting device for simply taking out and outputting the facsimile data to the mobile phone auxiliary device 11, the memory of the mobile phone 12a usually stores more facsimile data than is necessary for a mobile phone. It is not necessary to have a large capacity for transmission.

Since the mobile phone auxiliary device 11 has its own communication control unit 25, it can communicate with a mobile phone operator using information unique to the mobile phone. Also,
The communication control unit 25 can control a plurality of mobile phones, and when these mobile phones exist within a predetermined distance, can control them as extension phones. As described above, the portable telephone assisting apparatus according to the present embodiment can realize functions similar to a fixed telephone using only a mobile phone, and can also realize various functions such as facsimile transmission and reception.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be implemented with various modifications. For example,
In the above embodiment, a case where one mobile phone or an external device is mounted on the mobile phone auxiliary device is described. However, in the present invention, a plurality of mobile phones or a plurality of external devices are mounted on the mobile phone auxiliary device. May be. In this case, the specific information of the mobile phone or the external device is associated in advance with the priority, and the above processing is performed according to the priority. In addition, this priority may be appropriately set according to the processing. This allows control even when a plurality of mobile phones or external devices are attached.

[0025]

As described above, the portable telephone auxiliary apparatus according to the present invention is provided with an apparatus main body containing a facsimile unit capable of facsimile transmission and reception, and provided in this apparatus main body.
A connection unit that can be connected to a mobile phone or an external device, and a storage unit that stores various types of information are provided.Since the information from the mobile phone is stored in the storage unit with the mobile phone attached to the connection unit, A function similar to that of a fixed telephone can be realized only by a mobile phone, and various functions such as facsimile transmission and reception can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a system using a mobile phone auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a mobile phone auxiliary device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a reference table stored in a storage unit of the mobile phone auxiliary device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Mobile Phone Auxiliary Device 11a Operation Unit 11b Antenna 11c I / F for Mobile Phone 11d I / F for Electronics 12a, 12b Mobile Phone 13 Personal Computer 21 Control Unit 22 Charging Unit 23 Storage Unit 24 Printer 25 Communication Control Unit 26 Format Conversion Unit 27 ID assigning unit 28 Scanner

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Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus main body having a built-in facsimile unit capable of facsimile transmission and reception, a first connection unit provided in the apparatus main body and connectable to a mobile phone, and provided in the apparatus main body and connectable to an external device. A second connection unit, a storage unit for storing various information, and a control unit for storing and controlling information from the mobile phone in the storage unit with the mobile phone attached to the first connection unit. A mobile phone auxiliary device, characterized in that: 2. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to control the external device to the second device.
2. The mobile phone auxiliary device according to claim 1, wherein information from the mobile phone is transferred to the external device while being attached to the connection unit, and information from the external device is transferred to the mobile phone. 3. Converting facsimile data received via the mobile phone attached to the first connection unit into still image data, and conversely converting still image data into facsimile data transmitted from the mobile phone. 3. The mobile phone auxiliary device according to claim 1, further comprising a format conversion unit. 4. The mobile phone auxiliary device according to claim 1, further comprising a communication control unit that performs communication based on the unique information of the mobile phone.