GB2451831A

GB2451831A - Mobile phone arranged so that the visual display is visible during a conversation

Info

Publication number: GB2451831A
Application number: GB0715776A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rajeev Hegde
Original assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Current assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Priority date: 2007-08-13
Filing date: 2007-08-13
Publication date: 2009-02-18
Anticipated expiration: 2027-08-13
Also published as: GB2451831B; GB0715776D0

Abstract

The communication device comprises a housing having a microphone, a loudspeaker and a display mounted thereto so that it can be held by the side of the head of the user with the loudspeaker adjacent to the ear and with the microphone positioned for detecting speech by the user. The device has further means enabling the user to converse with a caller while holding the device so that the display is visible. Data storage means is provided for storing a plurality of data files and processing means are operable to display information contained in a data file and to enable navigation through and/or editing of such information while a telephone call is in progress.

Description

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Telephone Call Enhancement This invention relates to a method of enhancing the user experience of a telephone call, and apparatus therefor. The invention has particular, but not exclusive, relevance to telephone calls carried out using a mobile telephone which communicates with a public land mobile network (PLMN).

A mobile telephone allows a user to converse with a user of a remote mobile phone in a telephone call. Typically, on receiving an incoming call notification a mobile phone alerts the user by emitting an audible ringtone, displaying a visual message on a display, andlor activating a vibrating alert.

Most mobile phones are able to extract the telephone number of the caller from the call notification (unless the telephone number is withheld), and while alerting the user displays one or more of the name, the telephone number, and the picture of the incoming caller on a display in dependence on whether the telephone number of the caller is recognised or not.

Once the call is accepted (sometimes referred to as answering' the telephone call), traditionally the mobile phone is held against the side of the head between ear and mouth rendering the display of the mobile phone of little further use. However, where a headset or some other form of "handsfree" device is connected to the mobile phone, the user does not need to place the mobile phone adjacent to the side of their head.

The inventor of the present invention has recognised that when a "handsfree" device is used with a mobile phone, the display of the mobile J5004IGB phone could be used to enhance the user experience during a telephone call.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to enhance the user experience of a telephone call using a mobile phone by allowing the user to make use of the display during a telephone call.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a mobile communication device is provided which allows a user, while a call is in progress, to interact with a data file using an application program which is not required to establish or maintain a telephone call.

Preferably, the data file includes information stored prior to the telephone call by the user of the mobile communication device which is likely to be useful during a telephone call with the prospective caller. For example, such information may be personal information about the prospective caller (such as the names of the partner and any children of the prospective caller). Alternatively, such information could be a reference document related to a subject which the owner of the mobile communications device expects to discuss with the prospective caller. By storing such information, the owner of the mobile communications device can refer to the stored information during a telephone call.

Preferably, the mobile communications device stores association data linking a data file with a telephone number of a prospective caller. When the user of the mobile communications device accepts a telephone call from the prospective caller, the mobile communications device either automatically opens the data file or automatically presents the user with an option to open 150041GB the data file. In this way, the user does not need to navigate through all the data files stored by the mobile communications device to find the desired data file while the telephone call is in progress.

Preferably, the mobile communication device comprises a dual processor arrangement having a first processor which, once a telephone call is established, performs processing operations associated with the communication of voice data traffic between the mobile phone and the PLMN, and a second processor which, while a telephone call is in progress, performs processing operations associated with the application program.

Conveniently, the mobile communication device is provided with a device which enables the user of the mobile communication device to engage in a telephone call while watching a display provided on the mobile communication device.

Various exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the attached figures in which: Figure 1 schematically shows a cellular communications system in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a representative external view of a cellular phone forming part of the cellular communication system of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of main components of the cellular phone illustrated in Figure 2; Figure 4 schematically shows data stored in a storage module forming part of the cellular phone illustrated in Figures 2 and 3; J5004 108 Figure 5 schematically shows the contents of an entry in a contact list stored in the storage module illustrated in Figure 4; Figures 6A, and 6B respectively show different representative views of the cellular phone illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 as a user navigates through the contact list; Figure 7 is a flow diagram of a first stage of a method of operation of a cellular phone according to the first embodiment of the invention; Figure 8 is a flow diagram of a second stage of a method of operation of the cellular phone according to the second embodiment of the invention; Figure 9 show a representative view of a cellular phone according to a second embodiment of the invention as the user is being alerted of an incoming call; and Figure 10 is a flow diagram of a part of the method of operation of the cellular phone according to an alternative embodiment of the invention.

First Embodiment Figure 1 shows a cellular communications network I having a plurality of base stations 3a.. . 3e in communication with a plurality of cellular phones 5a.. . Sd. In particular, each base station 3 is capable of communicating with cellular phones 5 within a corresponding geographical cell 7a. . . 7e. In this embodiment the base stations 3 are conventional base stations for the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) system which is well known and accordingly will not be described in further detail.

J50041G8 As the cellular phone 5 changes its geographical location from one cell 7 to another, i.e. as the user moves their location, the cellular phone 5 switches communication between different base stations 3 (a process known as roaming). Techniques for handing off communication between cellular phone 5 to different base stations 3 as the cellular phone 5 moves through different cells 7 corresponding to the different base stations 3 within cellular communications network I are well known in the art and will not be described in further detail.

Figure 2 shows an external view of a cellular phone 5 according to the present invention. The cellular phone 5 has a display 9 which is mounted on the surface of a housing 11 and displays text and images to the user of the cellular phone 5 during use. The cellular phone 5 also has a keypad 13 having various keys allowing the user of the cellular phone 5 to enter data, for example telephone numbers, and also interact with applications in accordance with information displayed on the display 9. In particular, the keypad 9 includes an alphanumerical keypad 15 that conforms to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) E 1.161 International Standard Keypad, a four-way navigation key 17, and a select' key 19. The four-way direction key 17 allows the user to navigate around the display 9 by moving a cursor on the display 9 either up, down, to the left, or to the right as indicated by the arrows on the direction key 17, and the select key 19 allows the user to select an option highlighted by the cursor.

J50041GB in addition, the keypad 9 has, two hard-programmed keys 21,23 which are respectively programmed to start and end a call, and two soft-programmed keys 25a,25b (hereafter called soft keys) whose functions are variable, with the functions at any one time being indicated in respectively adjacent regions 27a,27b of the display 9. For example, as shown in Figure 2, the functions of the soft keys 25 may be accessing a menu and accessing a Contact List.

The cellular phone 5 also includes an antenna 29 for detecting radio signals transmitted by nearby base stations 3 and for transmitting radio signals to the nearby base stations 3. In this embodiment, the cellular phone also includes a Bluetooth antenna (not shown in Figure 2) for communicating with a handsfree headset (not shown in Figure 2) in a conventional manner.

The cellular phone 5 also includes a speaker 31 for outputting audible signals (such as speech), and a microphone 33 for detecting audible signals (such as speech) mounted in the housing 11. The speaker 31 and microphone 33 are positioned so that the cellular phone 5 can be held against the head of the user with the speaker 31 by an ear of the user and the microphone 33 being nearby the mouth of the user to detect speech by the user. As shown in Figure 2, the display 9 is positioned between the speaker 31 and the microphone 33 and therefore when the cellular phone 5 is held against the side of the head of the user the display 9 is not visible to the user.

As is commonplace, the cellular phone 5 is able to store information such as telephone numbers for a plurality of contacts associated with the user.

According to the invention, the user of the cellular phone 5 is able to include a J5004IGB

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link to a data file in the stored information for a contact, and subsequently when an incoming call is received from that contact that data file is presented to the user of the cellular phone on the display 9. In this way, the user is able to refer to information stored in the data file during the telephone call. This is particularly advantageous when the user is using the handsfree headset because the user can look at the display 9 while engaged in conversation with the caller.

As schematically shown in Figure 3, the antenna 29 of the cellular phone 5 is connected, via an RF transceiver 35, to a communication processor 37. The communication processor 37 processes outgoing data into a suitable format for transmission, via the RF transceiver 35 and the antenna 29, to the base station(s) 3 for which a radio link is established. The communication processor 37 also processes communication signals received via the antenna 29 and the RF transceiver 35 to recover incoming data.

The communication processor 37 is also connected to a speech coder/decoder unit 39 and directs incoming speech data for an established call to the speech coder/decoder unit 39, which decodes the speech data and passes the decoded speech data, via drive circuit 41, to the speaker 31 for output as an audible signal to the user. The microphone 33 passes detected voice signals input by the user, via analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 43, to the speech coder/decoder unit 39 which codes the voice signals into speech data and passes the coded speech data to the communication processor 37.

The RF transceiver 35, the communication processor 37, the speech coder/decoder unit 39, the speaker 31 and the microphone 33 (and the J5004 1GB associated drive circuit 41 and ADC 43 respectively), are used during a two way standard telephone call over the GSM communication network I of Figure I in a conventional manner.

The communication processor 37 is also connected to an application processor 45, which generally controls the operation of the cellular phone 5.

The communication processor 37 sends non-speech data, for example downloaded data files, configuration data, or a non-speech data signal conforming to the Short Messaging Service (SMS) format, received from a base station 3 to the application processor 45 for further processing.

Conversely, the application processor 45 sends non-speech data to the communication processor 37 for inclusion in a radio signal to be transmitted to the base stations 3.

The application processor 45 is connected to a storage module 47 which stores program routines and data which are used by the cellular phone 5 during operation. The application processor 45 is also connected to the display 9, the keypad 13, a Bluetooth module 49, and a power module 51.

The Bluetooth module 49 is individually connected to, and capable of receiving control and communication signals from, the communication processor 37 and the application processor 45. The Bluetooth module 49 includes the Bluetooth antenna (not shown) which allows the communication processor 37 and/or the application processor 45 to send, and/or receive, data to/from an external device, such as a handsfree headset 53, using a short range RF signal modulated in accordance with the Bluetooth standard.

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The power module 51 supplies power from a battery (not shown) to the RF transceiver 35, the communication processor 37, the speech coder/decoder unit 39, the drive circuit 41, the ADC 43, the input keypad 13, the display 9, the storage module 47, the Bluetooth module 49, and the application processor 45. The Power module 51 is also connected to the application processor 45 which sends control signals to the power module 51 for controlling power output to each of the components supplied by the power module 51.

The handsfree headset 53 has a processor 55 which is connected to a speech coder/decoder unit 57 and a Bluetooth module 59. The speech coder/decoder unit 57 is connected to a speaker 61 via a drive circuit 63, and to a microphone 65 via an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 67. A battery 69 supplies power to the processor 55, the speech coder/decoder unit 57, the Bluetooth module 59, the dnve circuit 63, and the ADC 67.

In handsfree operation of the cellular phone 5, the application processor 45 and/or the communication processor 37 sends control signals to the Bluetooth module 49 of the cellular phone 5 to establish a short range radio link with the Bluetooth module 59 of the handsfree headset 53 so that data can be transmitted in both directions over the short range radio link. Once the link is established between the Bluetooth module 49 of the cellular phone 5 and the Bluetooth module 59 of the handsfree headset 53, the application processor 45 andlor the communication processor 37 transmits data to, and receives data from, the handsfree headset 53. in this way, the user of the cellular phone 5 is J5004 lOB able to carry on a telephone conversation without using the speaker 31 and microphone 33 of the cellular phone 5.

For example, the communication processor 37 passes speech data directly to the Bluetooth module 49 for transmission to the Bluetooth module 59 of the handsfree device 53 rather than the speech coder/decoder unit 39 of the cellular phone 5. The speech data is then processed by the speech coder/decoder unit 57 of the handsfree device 53 for output to the user via the drive circuit 63 and speaker 61 of the handsfree device 53 rather than the drive circuit 41 and speaker 31 of the cellular phone 5.

Speech data input into the handsfree device 53 via the microphone 65 and ADC 67 of the handsfree device 53 is coded by the speech coder/decoder unit 57 therein. The coded speech data is passed to the Bluetooth module 59 of the handsfree device 53 for transmission to the Bluetooth module 49 of the cellular phone 5 over the short range radio link. Bluetooth module 49 passes the received coded speech data to the communication processor 37 for transmission to the base stations 3. The application processor 51 can transmit non-speech data to, and receive non-speech data from, the handsfree device 53 in a method analogous to that described above.

As schematically shown in Figure 4, the storage module 45 has routines memory 71 in which program routines and applications are stored, and from which they can be retrieved and executed by the application processor 45. In this embodiment, the routines stored in the routines memory include: J50041 GB -a Master_Control routine 73 which controls the operation of the cellular phone 5; -an Establish_Link sub-routine 75 which is initiated to link a data file to a contact in accordance with the invention; -a Process_Call sub-routine 77 which is initiated when an incoming call is notified to the cellular phone 5; -a Text_Editor 79 which in this embodiment is a conventional program for creating and editing text files on a cellular phone; and -an Image_Viewer 81 which in this embodiment is a conventional program for viewing images on a cellular phone.

The storage module 45 also has data memory 85 in which data which is stored which is used by the routines in the routines memory 71. In this embodiment, the data stored in the data memory 81 includes: -a Contact List 87 storing data about various people known to the user of the cellular phone 5 in respective entries; -Text Files 89 storing files which can be displayed and edited by the Text_Editor 81; and -Image Files 91 storing image data for a plurality of images which may be displayed by the Image_Viewer 83.

An entry 101 in the Contact List 87 for a contact is divided into a number of sub-fields, as shown in Figure 5. These sub-fields include a "Name" sub-field 103 in which is stored the name of the contact, a "Mobile Phone Number" sub-field 105 in which is stored a mobile telephone number 150041GB associated with the contact, a "Home Phone Number" sub-field 107 into which is stored the home telephone number associated with the contact, and a "Work Phone Number sub-field" in which is stored a work telephone number for the contact.

An entry 101 in the Contact List 87 for a contact also contains a "Link to Image File" sub-field 111 that can be used to store a file name of a digital picture associated with the contact, the digital picture file itself being stored in the "Image Files" memory region 91. The stored picture may usefully be a picture of the contact. In this embodiment of the invention, the entry 101 in the Contact List 87 for a contact also includes a "Link to Text File" sub-field 103 into which can be stored a link to a text file stored in the

"Text Files" field 89.

It will be appreciated that the memory regions are represented schematically in Figures 4 and 5, and need not correspond to contiguous memory regions of the physical memory of the storage module.

The way in which the Contact List 87 is displayed to the user of the cellular phone 5, and how the user navigates through the contact list 87 will now be described in more detail with reference to Figures 2, 6A and 6B. The user operations involved are processed by the Master_Control routine 73.

Figure 2 shows the display 9 of the cellular phone 5 in its initial format before the "Contact List" 87 is accessed. As indicated in the display 9 by the word "contacts" (see reference 27b) one of the soft keys 25b is programmed to provide a link directly to the "Contact List" (the contact list could alternatively 150041GB be accessed through the menu). When the user presses the contacts' soft key 25b, the cellular phone 5 displays the name data for each entry 101 in the Contact List 87, as shown in Figure 6A.

For illustration purposes, there are four entries 101 in the contact list 87 indicated by the four names presented on the display in Figure 6A, that is: Mark', John', Rebecca', and Hannah'. The name Mark' is shown as highlighted (by having the font colour and the background colour transposed).

The user can highlight a different name in the list by using the up' and down' portions of the four-way navigation key 17. As shown in Figure 6A, when the entries 101 in the contact list 87 are displayed, the soft keys 25 are programmed to initiate a new entry in the contact list and to select the currently highlighted entry in the contact list 87 respectively. In this embodiment, the currently highlighted entry can also be selected by pressing the select key 19.

Following selection of an entry, the cellular phone 5 retrieves the data relating to that entry 101 in the Contact List 87 and presents the data to the user on display 9 as shown in Figure 6B. As shown, rather than showing the file name in the "Link to Image File" sub-field 111, the cellular phone 5 uses the Image_Viewer 83 to display the picture file referenced in the "Link to Image File" sub-field 111. Any sub-fields for which there is no data are shown on the display 9 as blank entries (for example the work phone number sub-field in Figure 6B).

Again the user can navigate through the display using the four-way direction key 17 as described above. As shown in Figure 6B the soft keys 25 JSOO4IGB are programmed to edit highlighted data and select highlighted data respectively. In this way, the user can enter data into a blank field, or edit the data in a completed data field, by highlighting the field and pressing the "soft" key 21 beneath the "Edit" link,, and then entering data into the field using the keys of the aiphanumencal keypad 15. When finished editing, the user presses the select key 19 which causes the new data to be stored in the data field of the entry in the contact list 87 corresponding to the data presently being edited, overwriting the previous entry if necessary.

In this embodiment, a link to a text file can be entered by selecting the "Link to Text File " field for editing and then either manually typing in the name of the text file or, using one of the soft keys 25, retrieving a list of all the stored text files and navigating through that list to the desired text file and then selecting the desired text file.

If the user highlights one of the sub-fields corresponding to a phone number, then pressing "Call" key 27 will initiate a telephone call over the GSM communication network I to that telephone number.

The present invention involves two stages. In the first stage a link is generated associating a contact with a text file. In the second stage, the text file is displayed automatically on accepting a telephone call from the contact.

Figure 7 presents an overview of the first stage. The user of the cellular phone 5 anticipates, at SI, that a telephone call discussion with a person whose contact details are stored in the Contact List 87 of the cellular phone 5 will, or is likely to, occur. The user determines, at S3, whether a J5004IGB particular text file relating to the person with whom the telephone call has been anticipated might be useful during the call. If the user determines that no text file is required then the process ends, S5. If the user determines, at S3, that there is a text file that may be required during the anticipated call, then the user enters appropriate instructions through input keypad 17 that result in that text file being stored, at S7, in the "Text Files" field 79 of the storage module 45. In this embodiment, the text file could be generated on the cellular phone 5 using the Text_Editor 81, or remotely generated and transmitted to the cellular phone 5 over the communications network I or via the Bluetooth module 49 of the cellular phone 5.

The user then associates the text file with the contact details of the person with whom the telephone call discussion is anticipated. Association occurs by the user entering, at S9, the file name of the text file into the "Link to Text File" sub-field 113 of the entry in the contact list 97 for that person in one of the ways discussed above. The first stage of the method then ends, at Sil.

Figure 8 presents an overview of the second stage in which a caller calls the cellular phone 5. When the cellular phone 5 receives, at S21, a call notification of an incoming telephone call the communication processor 37 passes the received call notification to the application processor 45 which initiates the Process_Call sub-routine 75. The application processor 45 extracts, at S23, the caller telephone number, if present, from the call J5004IGB notification and compares, at S25, the caller telephone number with the sub-fields storing telephone numbers in all the entries 101 in the contact list 87.

If the incoming caller telephone number does not match any of the pre-saved contact telephone numbers in the Contact List 87, the cellular phone 5 waits, at S27, for the user to accept or reject the telephone call.

When the user presses a button in a keypad 13, the cellular phone 5 determines, at S29, if the call has been accepted or rejected. If the cellular phone determines that the call has been accepted by the user (e.g. by pressing the "Call" key 21), then the call continues, at S3l, in a conventional manner well known in the art, and eventually terminates, at S33. If, at S29, the cellular phone 5 determines that the call has been rejected (e.g. by the user pressing the "End" key 23) then the call terminates, at S33.

If the incoming caller number matches one of the pre-saved contact telephone numbers in the Contact List 87, the cellular phone displays, at S35, the name of the contact as stored in the "Name" sub-field 103 of the entry in the contact list 87 storing the matching pre-saved contact telephone number.

In addition, if a link to a picture file has been stored in the "Link to Picture" sub-field Ill of that entry, the cellular phone 5 uses the Image_Viewer 81 to open and display the picture indicated picture file. The cellular phone 5 then waits, at S37, for the user to accept or reject the telephone call.

If the cellular phone determines, at S39, that the user has rejected the telephone call (e.g. by the user pressing the "End" key 23), then the call terminates, at S33. If the cellular phone determines, at S39, that the user has -J50041GB accepted the telephone call, then the cellular phone 5 checks, at S4 I, if a link to a text file has been saved in the entry in the contact list for the caller. If a link to a text file has been saved, then the cellular phone 5 initiates the Open_Text_File sub-routine 79 which, displays, at S43, the linked text file using the text editor 79 which also allows the user to navigate through and edit the text file while the user continues the telephone call until the telephone call terminates, at S43. If a link to a text file has not been saved in the entry in the contact list for the caller, then the cellular phone 5 continues, at S3 1, the telephone call in a conventional manner until the telephone call terminates, at S33.

By allowing the user access to a text file while a telephone call is in progress, the user is able to refer to the text file during the telephone call.

This removes the need for the user of the cellular phone 5 to carry a hardcopy of the text file or a separate portable compute device with the text file stored thereon around with them.

Second Embodiment In the first embodiment, a text file linked to a caller is automatically opened and displayed when a call from that user is accepted. In a second embodiment, instead of automatically opening the linked data file, The working of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment except that when a call is received from a caller in the contact list for which a link to a data file is stored, the cellular phone automatically J5004IGB assigns the function of opening the linked data file to a soft key, and indicates the function "open data file" on the display adjacent the assigned soft key.

Accordingly, the display of the cellular phone is as indicated in Figure 9, in which the soft key 25a has been assigned the function of opening the linked text file, as indicted by the text "open file" displayed in the display adjacent that soft key 25a.

The user of the cellular phone is then able to press the open file' soft key 25a to open the linked text file. This could be done before or after answering the call. However, in this embodiment if the open file' soft key 25a is pressed before accepting the telephone call then the linked text file is opened and displayed only once the telephone call has been accepted.

Further Embodiments and Modifications In the first and second embodiments, the cellular phone stores a link to a text file in an entry in the contact list, and this text file is automatically displayed using a Text_Editor program when a call is accepted from the person corresponding to that entry in the contact list. It will be appreciated that the mobile communications device could store links to files other than text files, for example spreadsheet files or image files.

In an alternative embodiment, a cellular phone stores a text editor, a spreadsheet program and an image viewer, along with text files, spreadsheet files and image files. The user of the cellular phone is able to store a link to any type of file in an entry in a contact list, such that when a call from the JSOO4IGB

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person corresponding to that entry is accepted the file is opened. Figure 10 illustrates the method by which the linked data file is opened.

First, the cellular phone 5 reads, at S51, the filename of the linked datafile and determines the type of file (e.g. .txt, .bmp etc.). The cellular phone then initiates, at S53, a suitable application program for opening the linked file based on the determined file type. The cellular phone then opens, at S55, the linked data file using the initiated application program. The cellular phone 5 then allows, at S57, the user to use the initiated application program to navigate through andlor edit the opened file while the telephone call is ongoing.

In the first and second embodiments, the linked data file is opened regardless of whether or not the headset 53 is being used. In an alternative embodiment, the cellular phone could first determine if the cellular phone was set up for hands free operation prior to determining if a data file was linked to the caller. If the cellular phone is not set up for handsfree operation, then the cellular phone does not check for a linked data file and proceeds with the call in a conventional manner. If the cellular phone is set up for handsfree operation, then the telephone call proceeds as described in the main embodiment.

Although in the main embodiment handsfree operation is achieved using a Bluetooth headset, other types of headset, both wireless and wired, could be used. Data links to wireless headset may employ, for example, a WiFi interface (according to any WiFi standard such as 802.llb and J5004IGB 802.llg). Data links to a wired headset could employ, for example, a USB connection or a mini-USB connection.

Alternatively, handsfree operation could be achieved by operating the cellular phone in a speaker phone' mode.

The use of an alphanumerical keypad 15, conforming to the ITU E 1.161 standard is described in the main embodiment. It will be understood by the skilled person, however, that any design of aiphanumerical keypad 13 could be used in the present invention. The skilled person will also understand that there are many types of navigation key or key arrangements which could be used to navigate through data displayed on the display..

The use of a communication processor 37 and a separate application processor 51 has been described in the aforementioned embodiment, each performing their own individual tasks. The skilled person will understand that a single processor of sufficient power, capable of parallel processing, could be used in place of the separate communication and application processors.

Although in the main embodiment the user of cellular phone 5 enters the name of the data file associated with a prospective caller into the "Link to Data File" sub-field 93 of the entry in the "Contact List" 87 corresponding to the prospective caller, alternatively whenever a new data file is saved in the storage module 47 by the cellular phone 5 an option could be presented to link the data file to an entry in the contact list 87.

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In the main embodiment, a telephone number is extracted from a call notification to identify the caller. It will be appreciated that in principle a telephone call addressing scheme need not use only numbers, and so other forms of caller identity information (for example using letters) could be used.

A particular advantage of the embodiment of the present invention presented above is that it allows the user of the cellular phone 5 to simultaneously conduct a telephone call with a caller and to see and manipulate data associated with that call whilst the call is ongoing.

It will be understood by the skilled person that although the GSM cellular communications network standard is referred to in the aforementioned embodiments, the cellular communications network standard could alternatively be the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) "3G" network standard or any other type of cellular communications network standard.

It will be understood by the skilled person that, if the UMTS or other network standard allows transmission of data other than voice packets across the network, the data file that is automatically opened on the user's cellular phone 5 (asS a result of the user pressing the "Open Data File" function soft key), once opened, could be transmitted between the recipient of the incoming call and the caller's cellular phone.

The present invention is also applicable to other types of mobile communication devices, such as mobile phones in accordance with the personal communication service (PCS).

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Claims

1. A communication device for communicating with a remote communication device via a communication network, the communication device comprising: a housing having a microphone, a loudspeaker and a display mounted thereto, wherein the microphone and the loudspeaker are positioned such that the mobile communication device can be positioned by the side of the head of the user with the loudspeaker adjacent to the ear of a user and with the microphone positioned for detecting speech by the user; means for enabling the user of the mobile communication device to converse with a caller without holding the mobile communication device adjacent the head of the user; data storage means for storing a plurality of data files; and processing means operable to display information contained in a data file on the display, and to enable a user of the communication device to navigate through and/or edit the information stored in the data file, wherein the processing means is arranged to enable navigation though and/or editing of the data file while a telephone call is in progress.

2. A communication device according to claim 1, further comprising: J5004IGB means for generating association data linking a caller identity with one of the plurality of data files and storing said generated association data in the data storage means; call notification processing means for processing a call notification from a caller requesting the establishment of a telephone call, wherein the call notification means is operable to retneve a caller identity for the caller from the call notification; determining means for determining if the data storage means stores association data linking the caller identity for the caller retrieved by the call processing means with a data file stored in the data storage means; and means operable, in the event that the determining means determines that the data storage means does store association data linking the caller identity for the caller with a data file stored in the data storage means, to display automatically on the display information from the data file linked to the caller identity of the caller in response to acceptance of the telephone call by the user of the mobile communication device.

3. A communication device according to claim 1, further comprising: data storage means operable to store a plurality of data files; means for generating association data linking a caller identity with one of the plurality of data files and storing said generated association data in the data storage means; J5004 1GB call notification processing means for processing a call notification from a caller requesting the establishment of a telephone call, wherein the call notification means is operable to retrieve a caller identity for the caller from the call notification; determining means for determining if the data storage means stores association data linking the caller identity for the caller retrieved by the call processing means with a data file stored in the data storage means; and means operable, in the event that the determining means determines that the data storage means does store association data linking the caller identity for the caller with a data file stored in the data storage means, to provide automatically means enabling a user of the mobile communication device to open the data file associated with said determined caller identity with a single user operation.

4. A communication device for communicating with a remote communication device via a communication network, the communication device comprising: a display; data storage means operable to store a plurality of data files; means for generating association data linking a caller identity with one of the plurality of data files and storing said generated association data in the data storage means; J5004IGB call notification processing means for processing a call notification from a caller requesting the establishment of a telephone call, wherein the call notification means is operable to retrieve a caller identity for the caller from the call notification; determining means for determining if the data storage means stores association data linking the caller identity for the caller retrieved by the call processing means with a data file stored in the data storage means; and means operable, in the event that the determining means determines that the data storage means does store association data linking the caller identity for the caller with a data file stored in the data storage means, to display automatically on the display information from the data file linked to the caller identity of the caller in response to acceptance of the telephone call by the user of the mobile communication device.

5. A communication device for communicating with a remote communication device via a communication network, the communication device comprising: data storage means operable to store a plurality of data files; means for generating association data linking a caller identity with one of the plurality of data files and storing said generated association data in the data storage means; call notification processing means for processing a call notification from a caller requesting the establishment of a telephone call, wherein the call J5004 lOB notification means is operable to retrieve a caller identity for the caller from the call notification; determining means for determining if the data storage means stores association data linking the caller identity for the caller retrieved by the call processing means with a data file stored in the data storage means; and means operable, in the event that the determining means determines that the data storage means does store association data linking the caller identity for the caller with a data file stored in the data storage means, to provide automatically means enabling a user of the mobile communication device to open the data file associated with said determined caller identity with a single user operation.

6. A communication device according to claim 4 or 5, further comprising means for enabling the user of the mobile communication device to converse with a caller without holding the mobile communication device adjacent the user's head.

7. A communication device according to any of claims I to 3 and 6, wherein said means for enabling the user of the mobile communication device to converse with a caller without holding the mobile communication device adjacent the user's head comprises a speakerphone configuration.

150041GB

8. A communication device according to any preceding claim, comprising interface means for establishing a communications link with a remote device, wherein said interface means is operable to relay speech data from the caller to the remote device and relay speech data from the remote device to the caller.

9. A communication device according to claim 8, wherein the interface means is operable to establish a wireless link with the remote device.

10. A communications device according to claim 9, wherein the wireless link is in accordance with the Bluetooth standard.

11. A communication device according to any of claims 2 to 10, wherein said linked data file is a text file.

12. A communication device according to any preceding claim, comprising first and second processors, wherein during a call the first processor is operable to perform processing operations associated with the communication of voice data traffic and the second process is operable to perform operations associated with a linked data file.

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