WO2002019679A1

WO2002019679A1 - Portable telephone assisting apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2002019679A1
Application number: PCT/JP2001/007319
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sunao Takatori; Hisanori Kiyomatsu
Original assignee: Yozan Inc.
Priority date: 2000-08-30
Filing date: 2001-08-27
Publication date: 2002-03-07
Also published as: AU2001280185A1; JP2002077440A

Abstract

A portable telephone assisting apparatus which enables only a portable telephone to have the same functions as those of a fixed telephone as well as various kinds of functions such as facsimile transmission and reception. The portable telephone assisting apparatus (11) has an operating part (11a) to enable various operations. The portable telephone assisting apparatus (11) is provided with an antenna (11b) to enable radio communication with portable telephones (12a, 12b). The portable telephone assisting apparatus (11) is provided with portable telephone I/F (11c) and an electric appliance I/F (11d) serving as connection sections, which are connected to the portable telephones (12a, 12b) and a personal computer (13) which is an external apparatus, respectively.

Description

Technical field

The present invention relates to a mobile phone auxiliary device that operates a variety of functions by wearing a mobile phone. Background technology

At present, many mobile phone users (used in this specification to include PHS)

Have fixed telephone lines in their homes, use fixed lines in their homes, and use mobile phones when they are out. This is because fixed-line calling charges are lower than mobile-phone calling charges.

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 I think that the.

Even in this case, in order to ensure the portability of the mobile phone, certain restrictions must be imposed on the operation unit, display unit, storage unit, and the like, and there are problems such as difficulty in facsimile transmission and reception. For this reason, users are obliged to have fixed lines in addition to mobile phones, and the situation is not likely to change.

On the mobile phone side, the operation unit, the display unit, the storage unit, and the like are limited, and therefore, for example, it is necessary to perform a complicated operation when storing a telephone number. Another problem is that since a certain amount of information cannot be stored, it is necessary to use an answering machine service using a mobile phone operator's server.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a mobile phone auxiliary device that can realize functions similar to a fixed telephone only with a mobile phone and can realize various functions such as facsimile transmission and reception. I do. Disclosure of the invention A mobile phone auxiliary device of the present invention includes a device main body having a built-in facsimile unit capable of facsimile transmission / reception, a first connection unit provided in the device main body, and connectable to a mobile phone, provided in the device main body, A second connection unit connectable to an external device; a storage unit for storing various information; and control for storing information from the mobile phone in the storage unit with the mobile phone attached to the first connection unit. And a control unit that performs the following.

Further, the control unit transfers information from the mobile phone to the external device while the external device is attached to the second connection unit, and transfers information from the external device to the mobile phone. Thus, 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.

Further, format conversion for converting facsimile data received via the mobile phone attached to the first connection unit into still image data, and conversely converting the still image data into facsimile data transmitted from the mobile phone. By providing the 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.

This description includes part or all of the contents as disclosed in the description and / or Z of Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-261670, which is a priority document of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

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

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

FIG. 3 is a view showing a lookup table stored in the storage unit of the mobile phone auxiliary device according to one embodiment of the present invention. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described 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, the mobile phone auxiliary device 11 includes an operation unit 11a capable of performing various operations, and an antenna 11b for performing wireless communication with the mobile phones 12a and 12b. The mobile phone auxiliary device 11 is a mobile phone interface (IZF) 11 c to which mobile phones 12 a and 12 b can be connected, and external devices such as a personal computer 13, digital camera, and digital video (electronics). It has an interface (I / F) lid for appliances that can be connected. As a result, the mobile phone auxiliary device 11 communicates with the mobile phones 12a and 12b via the mobile phone I / F 11c and the personal computer 13 etc. via the electrical appliance I / F 11d. Data can be transmitted bidirectionally to and from appliances.

Here, IZF11c for mobile phones and I11d for electrical appliances include pull-rice (see Nikkei Electronics, January 17, 2000, p.37-44), label evening (IC, etc.). , A label with a built-in electronic circuit and a wireless communication function), a connector, and the like.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the mobile phone auxiliary device 11 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 2, the mobile phone auxiliary device 11 includes a CPU and the like, and includes a control unit 21 for controlling the entire device 11. The control unit 21 includes the above-described operation unit 11 a and mobile phone I 11 c Charging unit 22, storage unit 23, printer 24, communication control unit 25 connected to the antenna 11b, format conversion unit 26, ID assignment unit 27, and scanner, including iZF lld for appliances 28 are connected to each other.

Here, each unit connected to the control unit 21 will be described.

First, the charging unit 22 is connected to a rechargeable battery incorporated in the mobile phone auxiliary device 11 itself and the mobile phones 12a and 12b connected via the mobile phone interface (IZF) 11c from an external power supply. Each built-in rechargeable battery is charged.

The storage unit 23 stores facsimile data transmitted to the mobile phones 12a and 12b, It is designed to be able to store various types of information taken from or transferred to external devices.

FIG. 3 shows a configuration of a table of reference data stored in storage section 23 in the present embodiment.

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

The printer 24 outputs the facsimile data transmitted from the communication partner to the mobile phones 12a and 12b.

The communication control unit 25 controls the mobile phone auxiliary device 11 to perform wireless communication independently via the antenna 11 b.

The format converter 26, which is mounted on a normal facsimile machine, converts the received audio data into still image data and conversely transmits the still image data via a telephone line. Is converted to audio data.

The ID assigning section 27 assigns an ID number as described later to the data. The scanner 28 scans the original at the time of facsimile transmission.

Next, the operation of the mobile phone auxiliary device 11 having the above configuration will be described.

First, the information of the mobile phones 12a and 12b, for example, the telephone numbers registered in the telephone number book stored in the memory of the mobile phone 12a is transferred to the mobile phone auxiliary device 11 In this case, connect the connection part (not shown) provided in advance to the mobile phone 12a to the mobile phone IZF 11c of the mobile phone auxiliary device 11.

Note that if the mobile phone 12a can be connected to the mobile phone I / F 11c so that data can be transmitted between them, the mobile phones 12a and 12b should be connected to the mobile phone IZF 11c. The configuration does not have to be directly inserted into the device. For example, the configuration may be such that connection is made using an adapter cable, a wireless adapter, or the like.

In this state, by performing a predetermined operation on the operation unit 11a, the control unit 21 of the mobile phone auxiliary device 11 sends the mobile phone 12a to the mobile phone 12a via the mobile phone IZF 11c. An instruction to output a telephone number or the like registered in the telephone number book stored in the memory of the telephone 12a from the connection unit is supplied. Upon receiving this instruction, the mobile phone 12a outputs information such as a telephone number registered in the telephone directory stored in the memory to the mobile phone IF 11c to which the connection unit is connected.

Then, the mobile phone 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, if necessary, with the information unique to the mobile phone 12a, such as an ID number and a user name, by the operation of the ID assigning section 27. The information sent from the telephone 12a is associated with the data as shown in FIG. 3 and stored in the storage unit 23.

As a result, the information stored in the memory of the mobile phone 12a is stored in the mobile phone auxiliary device 11, so that the memory in the mobile phone 12a can be used to store new information. It is also possible to organize, and after organizing, it is possible to return the information to the original information, so that the memory in the mobile phone 12a can be used more than its capacity. In addition, it becomes possible to share the information of the memory of the mobile phone 12a with the mobile phone 12b, etc., and a specific mobile phone 12a between a plurality of mobile phones 12a and 12b. The information held by other mobile phones 1 2 b, · · can be effectively used.

In addition, the telephone number record edited by an external device such as a personal computer 13 or the incoming melody edited by a synthesizer (electric appliance) is transferred to, for example, a mobile phone 12a, and the telephone number directory stored in its memory is transferred.記憶 To store in the ringtone melody storage section, insert the connection section of the mobile phone 12a into the IZF 11c for mobile phone of the mobile phone auxiliary device 11 and connect the connection section of an external device such as a personal computer 13. Into the IZF 11d for electrical appliances of the mobile phone auxiliary device 11.

In this state, by performing a predetermined operation different from the case described above on the operation unit 11a, the mobile phone auxiliary device 11 transmits the telephone number record or the incoming melody edited by an external device such as the personal computer 13 to the personal computer. Phone number records and ringtones edited from external devices such as 13 through external devices such as personal computers 13 taken into the storage unit 23 via the IZF for electronics 1 1 d from the external device such as 13 And so on, this time to the mobile phone 12a via the mobile phone IZF 11c.

In this case, if necessary, unique information such as an ID number or A user name, etc., and the unique information, the information edited by the external device, and, if necessary, the unique information of the transfer destination, are added, and these are associated with each other, as shown in FIG. May be stored.

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. And the timing of the transfer to the mobile phone 12a may not be the same as described above, and the connection of the transfer destination mobile phone 12a to the mobile phone IZF 11c is performed by the personal computer 13 This is possible even after external devices such as have been removed from the appliance IZF 11d.

Next, when performing facsimile reception from a communication partner, for example, the connection part of the mobile phone 12a is inserted into the mobile phone l / llc of the mobile phone auxiliary device 11. Then, the data transmitted from the communication partner is received by the mobile phone 12a, and the data is transferred to the mobile phone auxiliary device 11. In the portable telephone auxiliary device 11, the format converter 26 converts the format into facsimile data and outputs it from the printer 24. In this case, since the mobile phone 1 2a only needs to serve as a receiving device for simply taking in the facsimile data into the mobile phone auxiliary device 11, the memory receives the facsimile data which is usually more than necessary for a mobile phone. It is not necessary to have a large capacity.

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 auxiliary device 11 for mobile phone IZF 11c. Then, the manuscript is read by the scanner 28, and the read facsimile data is format-converted by the format converter II! 5 26 and transferred to the mobile phone 12a. The 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, which simply takes out and outputs facsimile data to the mobile phone auxiliary device 11, the memory is usually more than necessary as a mobile phone. It is not necessary to have a large capacity for sending facsimile data.

Since the mobile phone auxiliary device 11 has its own communication control unit 25, it is possible to communicate with a mobile phone operator using information unique to the mobile phone. Also, this 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 mobile phone auxiliary device according to the present embodiment can realize functions similar to a fixed telephone by using only a mobile phone, and can also realize various functions such as facsimile transmission and reception.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be implemented with various modifications. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the case where one mobile phone or an external device is attached to the mobile phone auxiliary device is described. May be attached. In this case, the specific information of the mobile phone or the external device is associated with the priority in advance, and the above processing is performed according to the priority. Note that this priority may be appropriately set according to the processing. This makes it possible to control even if a plurality of mobile phones or external devices are attached.

In this specification, all publications, patents, and patent applications cited are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Industrial applicability

As described above, the mobile phone auxiliary device of the present invention includes a device main body having a built-in facsimile unit capable of facsimile transmission and reception, a connection portion provided in the device main body and connectable to a mobile phone or an external device, and And a storage unit for storing information. Since the information from the mobile phone is stored in the storage unit while the mobile phone is attached to the connection unit, a function similar to a fixed phone can be realized with only the mobile phone. Various functions such as facsimile transmission and reception can be realized.

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. An apparatus body having a built-in facsimile unit capable of facsimile transmission and reception, a first connection unit provided in the apparatus body and connectable to a mobile phone, and a first connection unit provided in the apparatus body and connectable to an external device. (2) a 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 by the above-mentioned.

2. The control unit transfers information from the mobile phone to the external device while the external device is attached to the second connection unit, and transfers information from the external device to the mobile phone. The mobile phone auxiliary device according to claim 1, wherein:

3. Convert facsimile data received via the mobile phone attached to the first connection unit into still image data, and conversely convert 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.