JP2002261885A - Apparatus and method for informing numeric value information in foldable portable telephone - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that, since a housing of a portable telephone cannot be visually observed as it is when the portable telephone is housed in a pocket, a bag or the like, a user cannot confirm a present time and in order to confirm the present time, the telephone must be taken out from the pocket, the bag or the like. SOLUTION: An output decision unit 31 is informed of that the housing is in a folding state from an opening/closing detector 1, and informs starting of outputting to an output destination controller 33 when key depressing is informed from a side key 2. A time controller 32 controls a present time, and informs present time data to the controller 33 as needed. The controller 33 acquires the present time data from the controller 32 when the starting of the outputting is informed from the decision unit 31. A vibrator controller 35 converts the preset time data into vibration pattern of a vibrator 7, and then processes to vibrate the vibrator 7. The user can confirm the present time by the vibrating pattern of the vibrator 7.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for notifying numerical information in a foldable portable telephone, and more particularly to an apparatus for notifying the numerical information in a foldable portable telephone having a function of displaying numerical information such as the current time. And methods.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, portable telephones have been increasingly miniaturized and multifunctional, and folding portable telephones that can be folded in two when not in use due to miniaturization are known. In this foldable mobile phone, on the inner surface of the upper housing (upper housing) of the two housings to be folded,
For example, a receiving speaker and a display unit are arranged, and, for example, a transmitting microphone and various operation keys are arranged on the inner surface of the lower housing unit (lower housing).

By the way, such a foldable portable telephone has a function of displaying the current time similarly to a general portable telephone. However, in the case of a foldable mobile phone, the display unit is on the inner surface of the housing in the folded state, so it is necessary to open the housing and look at the display unit to check the current time, which is cumbersome to operate. .

In order to solve the above-mentioned troublesome operation, another display unit is provided outside the housing of the conventional foldable telephone, and the display unit outside the housing is provided. Some have a function of displaying the current time or the like.

[0005]

However, in a conventional foldable portable telephone capable of displaying the current time or the like on a display unit outside the casing, when the portable telephone is stored in a pocket or a bag, the casing is not intact. Since the body cannot be seen, the user cannot confirm the current time, and in order to confirm the current time, it is necessary to take out the mobile phone from a pocket or a bag.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above points,
Provided is a numerical information notification device and method for a foldable mobile phone that can notify numerical information such as the current time in a folded state using a voice synthesis function and a vibrator function of a current general mobile phone. The purpose is to:

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a numerical information notifying device in a foldable portable telephone according to the present invention has at least a display portion provided on one inner surface of an upper housing and a lower housing. A numerical information notification device for a foldable mobile phone, capable of closely closing or opening each inner surface of an upper housing and a lower housing, wherein the inner surfaces of the upper housing and the lower housing are closely connected. An open / close detection unit that detects whether or not the computer is in a closed and folded state, a key that is provided on one of the upper housing and the lower housing, that can be pressed from the outside in the folded state, and that vibrates according to an input signal. When a detection signal indicating that it is in a folded state is input from the open / close detection unit, and a signal indicating that a key has been pressed is input, Numerical information from numerical information generation means And a vibrator control means for vibrating the vibrator with vibration pattern corresponding to each value of, in which a configuration for notifying the numerical information in the vibration pattern of the vibrator. According to the present invention, by pressing the above key in the folded state, the vibrator can be vibrated in a vibration pattern corresponding to each numerical value of the numerical information.

Here, the vibrator control means in the present invention generates a vibration pattern corresponding to each numerical value by a combination of a time interval between vibration and stoppage of the vibrator and a length of the vibration time. And

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a voice data generating means for generating voice data corresponding to each numerical value of numerical information, and a mode determining means for determining whether the mode is a vibrator use mode or a voice mode. And a detection signal indicating that the key is pressed from the open / close detection unit and a signal indicating that a key is pressed, and when the mode determination unit determines that the audio mode is set, the A voice synthesizer for synthesizing and outputting a voice signal corresponding to each numerical value of the numerical information from the numerical information generator based on voice data from the data generator; and a voice output for generating a voice signal output from the voice synthesizer And a vibrator control means. The vibrator control means includes a detection signal from the opening / closing detection section indicating a folded state, and a signal indicating that a key is pressed. Is input, and when it is determined by the mode determining means that the mode is the vibrator use mode, the vibrator is vibrated in a vibration pattern corresponding to each numerical value of the numerical information from the numerical information generating means. I do.

According to the present invention, in the audio mode, by pressing the above-mentioned key in the folded state, it is possible to synthesize and output an audio signal corresponding to each numerical value of numerical information.

Further, in order to achieve the above object, a method of notifying numerical information in a foldable portable telephone according to the present invention comprises:
A first step of detecting whether or not a key has been pressed in a folded state, and predetermined numerical information when the first step detects that the key has been pressed in a folded state. A second step of obtaining
And vibrating the vibrator in a vibration pattern corresponding to each numerical value of the predetermined numerical information obtained in the step (b). In the present invention,
By pressing the above key in the folded state, the vibrator can be vibrated in a vibration pattern corresponding to each numerical value of numerical information.

In order to achieve the above object, the method of the present invention comprises a first step of detecting whether or not a key has been pressed in a folded state, a folded state by the first step, and A second step of acquiring predetermined numerical information when it is detected that a key is pressed, and determining whether the mode is a first mode using a vibrator or a second mode using a voice synthesizer. When the third step and the third step determine that the mode is the first mode, the vibrator is vibrated in a vibration pattern corresponding to each numerical value of the predetermined numerical information acquired in the second step. When it is determined in the fourth step and the third step that the mode is the second mode, the audio signal corresponding to each numerical value of the predetermined numerical information acquired in the second step is combined. And a fifth step of outputting,
Numerical information is notified by a vibration pattern of a vibrator or an audio signal.

According to the present invention, in the audio mode, by pressing the above-mentioned key in the folded state, it is possible to synthesize and output an audio signal corresponding to each numerical value of numerical information.

[0014]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a numerical information notification device in a foldable mobile phone according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example of a foldable mobile phone to which the present invention can be applied. In both figures, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals. As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 2, the foldable mobile phone applied to this embodiment has an upper housing 10a and a lower housing 10b that are folded in two.
The inner surfaces are opposed to each other and adhere to each other. In use, the upper housing 10a and the lower housing 10b are opened for use. At a predetermined position on the side surface of the lower housing 10b, a side key 2 that can be pressed in a folded state is provided.

Referring to FIG. 1, a numerical information notification device according to the present embodiment includes an open / close detector 1 for detecting whether or not a foldable portable telephone is in a folded state, a side key 2 shown in FIG. A control unit 3 operated by control;
It has a storage unit 4 for storing information, a sounder 5 for outputting sound from a speaker 6, and a vibrator 7 for vibrating an upper housing 10a and a lower housing 10b.

The open / close detector 1 is provided with the upper housing 10 shown in FIG.
a to detect whether or not the lower housing 10b is in contact, and thereby to detect whether or not the folded state. The control unit 3 includes an output determination unit 31, a time control unit 32, and an output destination control unit 3.
3, a voice synthesis processing unit 34 and a vibrator control unit 35 are provided.

When the open / close detection unit 1 notifies that the housing is in the folded state and the side key 2 notifies that the key is pressed, the output determination unit 31 starts output processing to the output destination control unit 33. Notice. The time control unit 32 controls the current time, and notifies the output destination control unit 33 of the current time data as needed.

When notified of the start of the output process from the output determination unit 31, the output destination control unit 33 obtains the current time data from the time control unit 32, and performs the speech synthesis process according to the output mode 41 of the storage unit 4. The current time data is notified to the section 34 or the vibrator control section 35.

The voice synthesis processing section 34 has a process of converting the current time data into voice data. For the conversion, the sound data 42 in the storage unit 4 is used, and the sound data is notified to the sounder 5. Note that the voice synthesis processing unit 34 uses a function originally provided in the foldable mobile phone for the purpose of reading out the phone number by voice when calling a phone number registered in the telephone directory. it can. After converting the current time data into the vibration pattern of the vibrator 7, the vibrator control unit 35 performs a process of vibrating the vibrator 7.

The storage unit 4 stores an output mode 41 and audio data 42. The output mode 41 stores a set value of a sounder notification (voice mode) or a vibrator notification (vibrator use mode). It is assumed that the setting of the output mode 41 can be changed by a user operation. The voice data 42 is voice data necessary for converting the numbers “0” to “9” and times such as “hour” and “minute” into voice.

The sounder 6 performs sound signal processing for outputting sound from the speaker 6. The vibrator 7 vibrates according to a vibration pattern based on a signal input from the vibrator control unit 35. The vibrator 7 can be shared with a conventionally used one for notifying an incoming call or the like by vibration.

Next, the operation of the embodiment shown in FIG.
This will be described in detail with reference to the perspective view of FIG. 2, the flowchart showing one embodiment of the method of the present invention of FIG. 3, and the explanatory diagram of the vibration pattern of FIG. 4.

First, the output determination unit 31 determines from the open / close detection unit 1 whether or not the housing is in a folded state (step A1 in FIG. 3). In the folded state, that is, when the upper casing 10a and the lower casing 10b are closed, it is determined whether or not the side key 2 is pressed based on a signal from the side key 2 (step A2 in FIG. 3). ).

If the side key 2 has been pressed, the output determination section 31 determines to output the current time, and notifies the output destination control section 33 of that. Based on this notification, the output destination control unit 33 acquires the current time data from the time control unit 32 (Step A3 in FIG. 3).

Next, the output destination control unit 33 reads the output mode 41 of the storage unit 4, determines whether the current output mode is a sounder notification or a vibrator notification (step A4 in FIG. 3), and is the sounder notification. In this case, the current time data acquired from the time control unit 32 is notified to the voice synthesis processing unit 34, and in the case of a vibrator notification, the current time data is notified to the vibrator control unit 35.

In the case of the sounder notification, the speech synthesis processing unit 34
Converts the current time data into audio data using the audio data 42 in the storage unit 4 (step A5 in FIG. 3). The voice data 42 is a number used for reading out the time,
It consists of data such as "hour" and "minute". Voice synthesis processing unit 3
Reference numeral 4 creates audio data to be output by synthesizing audio data corresponding to the numeral of the current time data. The synthesized audio data is converted into an audio signal by the sounder 5 and then emitted from the speaker 6 (step A6 in FIG. 3).

If it is determined in step A4 that the current output mode is the vibrator notification, the vibrator control unit 35 converts the current time data input from the time control unit 32 through the output destination control unit 33 into a vibration pattern. (Step A7 in FIG. 3), the vibrator 7 is vibrated in this vibration pattern (Step A8 in FIG. 3).

This vibration pattern is determined by a combination of a time interval between vibration and stop and a length of vibration time.
For example, if the current time is 2:15, B1 in FIG.
As shown in (2), "two o'clock" is represented by first performing a short vibration (short vibration) twice and then performing a longer vibration (long vibration). Next, as shown at B2 in FIG. 4, one short vibration and one long vibration are performed to represent the 10-minute period.
As shown by, repeated short vibrations 5 times at a predetermined period to represent 5 minutes. By the long vibration described above, the division between the hour digit and the tenth digit can be understood. In this manner, the user can be notified of the current time by the vibration pattern in which the vibrator 7 repeats the short vibration and the long vibration.

As described above, in the present embodiment, even if the foldable portable telephone is in the folded state, the lower housing 1
By pressing the side key 2 provided on the outer side surface of the mobile phone 0b, the user can be notified of the current time by voice or vibration of the vibrator 7, so that the foldable mobile phone can be stored in a pocket, bag, or the like. The user can check the current time even in the state where it is set.

The user can arbitrarily switch between the sounder notification and the vibrator notification, and the set value is stored in the output mode 41.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the above-described embodiment, the current time is described as being notified by voice or the vibration pattern of the vibrator 7. However, other information regarding numbers can be notified to the user. In this case, the vibration pattern shown in FIG. Can be used.

For example, by pressing the side key 2 in advance by setting, the number of unread mails in the foldable portable telephone is set so as to be confirmed, and the number of unread mails can be notified by voice or vibration pattern. It is. For example, when the number of unread mails is "5", when the vibrator output is set, B3 shown in FIG.
The user can be notified by vibrating the vibrator 7 in a vibration pattern in which short vibrations are repeated five times in a predetermined cycle.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, other numerical information such as a date can be notified in the same manner. In advance, the day of the week can be notified by notifying the information of the numerical value.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By pressing a predetermined key from the outside in the folded state, the vibrator can be vibrated in a vibration pattern corresponding to each numerical value of the numerical information, so that the key is pressed even in the folded state where the display unit cannot be confirmed. The numerical information such as the current time can be confirmed only by the vibration pattern of the vibrator.

Further, according to the present invention, when in the audio mode, simply pressing a predetermined key from the outside while in the folded state, an audio signal corresponding to each numerical value of numerical information such as the current time is output. Since the composite output is used, numerical information such as the current time can be confirmed by voice even in a folded state where the display unit cannot be confirmed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a numerical value information notification device in a foldable mobile phone according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of an example of a foldable mobile phone applied to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of one embodiment of the numerical information notifying method in the foldable mobile phone according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing each example of a vibration pattern when numerical information is notified by vibration in the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 open / close detection unit 2 side key 3 control unit 4 storage unit 5 sounder 6 speaker 7 vibrator 31 output determination unit 32 time control unit 33 output destination control unit 34 voice synthesis processing unit 35 vibrator control unit 41 output mode 42 audio data

Continued on front page F term (reference) 2F002 AB00 AB02 AB03 AC01 AC03 BA02 BA04 BA24 BB04 EC05 EC07 ED02 EH06 GA06 5K027 AA11 BB01 EE11 FF21 FF25 HH27 5K067 AA34 BB04 EE02 FF05 FF27 FF28 FF31 KK17

Claims (8)

[Claims] At least one display portion is provided on one inner surface of an upper housing and a lower housing, and the inner surfaces of the upper housing and the lower housing can be closed or opened closely. An opening and closing detection unit for detecting whether or not each of inner surfaces of the upper housing and the lower housing is in a closed and closed state, wherein the upper housing and the lower housing are provided. A key provided on one side of the housing and capable of being pressed from the outside in the folded state, a vibrator vibrating in response to an input signal, numerical information generating means for generating numerical information, and a folded state from the open / close detector Is detected, and when a signal indicating that the key is pressed is input, a vibration pattern corresponding to each numerical value of the numerical information from the numerical information generating means is provided. A bar that vibrates the vibrator And a Bureta control unit, numerical information notification apparatus in the folding type portable telephone, characterized by informing the numerical information in the vibration pattern of the vibrator. 2. The vibrator control means generates the vibration pattern corresponding to each of the numerical values by a combination of a time interval between vibration and stoppage of the vibrator and a length of vibration time. A numerical information notification device in the foldable mobile phone according to claim 1. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said vibrator is a vibrator for alerting an incoming call. 4. A voice data generating means for generating voice data corresponding to each numerical value of the numerical information, a mode determining means for determining whether the mode is the vibrator use mode or the voice mode, and a folded state from the open / close detector. When a detection signal indicating that the key is pressed and a signal indicating that the key is pressed are input, and when the mode determination unit determines that the voice mode is set, the voice data generation unit outputs Voice synthesis means for synthesizing and outputting a voice signal corresponding to each numerical value of the numerical information from the numerical information generating means based on voice data, and voice output means for generating a voice signal output from the voice synthesis means. Further, the vibrator control means has a detection signal from the opening / closing detection section indicating a folded state, and indicating that the key has been pressed. Signal is input, and when it is determined by the mode determination means that the mode is the vibrator use mode, the vibrator is activated by a vibration pattern corresponding to each numerical value of the numerical information from the numerical information generating means. 2. The numerical information notifying device according to claim 1, wherein the numerical information is vibrated. 5. The numerical information notifying device in a foldable mobile phone according to claim 1, wherein the numerical information is a current time. 6. At least a display portion is provided on one of the inner surfaces of the upper housing and the lower housing, and when the inner surfaces of the upper housing and the lower housing are in a closed state in which they are closely closed, the outer housing is closed. A key that can be depressed is provided on one of the upper housing and the lower housing, and the method is a method for reporting numerical information of a foldable mobile phone equipped with a vibrator, wherein in the folded state, the key is pressed. A first step of detecting whether or not it has been folded; and in the folded state by the first step, and
A second step of obtaining predetermined numerical information when it is detected that the key is pressed; and a vibration pattern corresponding to each numerical value of the predetermined numerical information obtained in the second step. And a third step of vibrating the vibrator, wherein the numerical information is reported by a vibration pattern of the vibrator. 7. At least a display unit is provided on one of the inner surfaces of the upper housing and the lower housing, and when the inner surfaces of the upper housing and the lower housing are closely closed and closed, the external unit is closed. A key which can be depressed from one of the upper housing and the lower housing, and a method for informing a numerical information of a foldable mobile phone comprising a vibrator and a voice synthesizing means for numerical information, wherein the folded state is And a first step of detecting whether the key has been pressed, and in the folded state by the first step, and
A second step of acquiring predetermined numerical information when it is detected that the key is pressed; and a first mode using the vibrator or a second mode using the voice synthesizing means. A third step of judging, and when it is judged by the third step that the mode is the first mode, the vibration corresponding to each numerical value of the predetermined numerical information acquired in the second step A fourth step of vibrating the vibrator in a pattern; and if it is determined in the third step that the mode is the second mode, for each numerical value of the predetermined numerical information acquired in the second step A fifth step of synthesizing and outputting the corresponding audio signal, and notifying the numerical information by a vibration pattern of the vibrator or the audio signal. Numerical information notification method in the mold mobile phone. 8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the numerical information is a current time.