JPH10312334A - Portable information terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a user to easily confirm a check on the capacity of a storage medium to be used for a mobile data communication. SOLUTION: When a memory card 3 is inserted into a memory card mount part 18, the remaining capacity of the memory card 3 is detected and indicated by turning on a dial key 16 having the number corresponding to its percent value; and the remaining time of data transmission is calculated every minute during the data transmission period and displayed by turning on a dial key corresponding to the calculated value.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wireless telephone device such as a portable telephone or a PHS (Personal Handyphone System), and more particularly to a portable information terminal device having a mobile data communication function in addition to a telephone call function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, wireless telephone devices such as portable telephones and PHS terminals have rapidly become widespread with the increasing needs for mobile communication and advances in wireless communication technology. This type of device generally has a dial keypad and a liquid crystal display arranged in a small housing, and the user operates the dial keys while viewing the dial information and wireless quality information displayed on the liquid crystal display. It is configured to allow incoming calls and the like.

[0003] Recently, the number of users requesting not only telephone calls but also mobile data communication has been increasing, and in order to cope with this, various devices have been developed in which a data communication function is integrated into a portable telephone or a PHS terminal. . If this type of device is used, for example, a personal computer is separately prepared and connected to a mobile phone or PHS, and data communication is performed by operating both the personal computer and the radio telephone device. It is possible to easily transmit and receive e-mails, download freeware from the Internet, and the like without performing such troublesome operations, which is very convenient for the user.

[0004]

However, when performing mobile data communication using this type of device,
There were the following issues to be solved. That is, unlike a telephone call in mobile data communication, for example, data transmitted from a communication partner terminal device needs to be stored in a storage medium. In this case, for example, a small memory card is used as a storage medium, and a user inserts the memory card into a terminal device to store data. For this reason, when a memory card is inserted, it is necessary to check the remaining capacity of the memory card, and this check has conventionally been performed using a personal computer separately, which is very inconvenient.

[0005] Further, once the data communication is started, the user is in a waiting state until the data communication is completed, even if the user needs to talk with another party. In such a case, if the remaining time of the data communication is known, it is very convenient for the user. However, conventional mobile phones and PHSs having a data communication function do not have a function of displaying a data communication time.

A first object of the present invention is to provide a portable information terminal device which enables a user to easily check the capacity of a storage medium used for mobile data communication. To provide. A second object is to provide a portable information terminal device that allows a user to easily confirm the required communication time during mobile data communication.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the first object, the present invention comprises a keypad with a backlight and transmits information to and from a communication partner device via a communication line. An information transmission unit, and a portable information terminal device including an information storage unit that stores information received from the communication partner device by the information transmission unit in a storage medium,
Memory information display control means is newly provided. The memory information display control means checks the capacity of the information storage means, and displays the check result by selectively lighting a plurality of keys of the keypad with backlight. is there.

Therefore, according to the present invention, even in an apparatus having no liquid crystal display or the like, the user can easily and clearly know the remaining capacity of the storage medium used for data transmission by turning on the backlight of the key.

[0009]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of a portable information terminal device according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing its appearance, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration.

First, in FIG. 1, the portable information terminal device is of a folding type in which an upper housing 1a and a lower housing 1b are connected by using a hinge 2. On the front surface of the upper housing 1a, a liquid crystal display (LCD) 11, a function key group 12,
A speaker 14 as a receiver is provided, and an antenna 61 and a light emitting diode (LED) 13 are provided at the upper end of the upper housing 1a. The LCD 11 is used to display the telephone number and name of the caller and the reception status of the wireless signal. The function key group 12 is used to perform various mode settings such as starting and ending a call and setting a data communication mode. The LED 13 is used to visually display an incoming call display, the end of data communication, and the like.

On the other hand, a dial keypad 16 and a microphone 17 as a transmitter are arranged on the front surface of the lower housing 1b, and an external memory is provided at the lower end of the lower housing 1b. A certain memory card mounting portion 18 is provided. The dial keypad 16 has a backlight. The backlight is for enabling a dial operation in a dark place. For example, each key is illuminated from the back side when the dial is operated. Memory card mounting section 18
Is composed of a groove-shaped hole for inserting the memory card 3 into the apparatus body, and a connector provided in the hole. As the memory card, for example, a stamp-sized small memory card with a built-in flash memory is used.

Next, in FIG. 2, a radio carrier signal arriving from a base station or another portable information terminal (not shown) is received by an antenna 61 and then received by a receiving circuit via a high-frequency switch (SW) 62 of the radio unit 6. 63 is input. In the receiving circuit 63, the received radio carrier signal is mixed with a receiving local oscillation signal generated from the frequency synthesizer 64 and down-converted into a receiving intermediate frequency signal or a receiving baseband signal. The local oscillation frequency generated by the frequency synthesizer 64 is specified by the control unit 5. The wireless unit 6 is provided with a reception electric field strength (RSSI) detector 66. In the RSSI detector 66, the received electric field strength of the radio carrier signal arriving from the base station or another portable information terminal device is detected, and the detected value is notified to the controller 5 in order to determine the vacancy of the radio channel. .

The reception intermediate frequency signal or reception baseband signal output from the reception circuit 63 is input to a digital demodulation unit 71 of the modem unit 7. The digital demodulation section 71 performs digital demodulation of the reception intermediate frequency signal or the reception baseband signal.

The TDMA decoder 8 of the TDMA unit 8
1 extracts a digital signal of a time slot allocated to the own device from the digital signal output from the digital demodulation unit 71 in accordance with an instruction of the control unit 5. When the digital signal is a digital communication signal, the signal is input to the communication unit 9.

The communication unit 9 includes a channel codec 9
1 and a PCM codec 92. The channel codec 91 performs decoding processing for error correction or erasure correction of the digital communication signal. The PCM codec 92 converts the decoded digital call signal into an analog call signal. Then, the analog communication signal is amplified by a receiving amplifier (not shown) and then output from the speaker 14.

On the other hand, when the extracted digital signal addressed to the own apparatus is digital reception data, the reception data is supplied to the control unit 5. The control unit 5 stores the received data in a memory card interface (memory card I).
/ F) Write to the memory card 3 via (4). As a memory card, for example, a stamp-sized small memory card having a built-in flash memory is used.

On the other hand, the transmission voice input to the microphone 17 is amplified by a transmission amplifier (not shown) in the communication unit 9 and then converted into a digital transmission signal by the PCM codec 92. The digital transmission signal is subjected to an encoding process for error correction or erasure correction by a channel codec 91, and then the TDMA
Input to the unit 8. Note that, even when the transmission data is output from the control unit 5, the transmission data is also input to the TDMA unit 8 via the channel codec 91.

In the TDMA encoder 82, the digital speech signal or transmission data output from the channel codec 91 is inserted into a time slot specified by the control unit 5 and input to the digital modulation unit 72. The digital modulator 72 digitally modulates the high-frequency signal by the digital communication signal or the transmission data to output a modulated wave signal. The modulated wave signal is input to the transmission circuit 65 of the wireless unit 6.

In the transmitting circuit 65, the modulated modulated wave signal is mixed with the transmitting local oscillation signal generated from the frequency synthesizer 64 to be up-converted to the radio channel frequency specified by the control unit 5. Then, the signal is further amplified to a predetermined transmission power level instructed by the control unit 5. The wireless carrier signal output from the transmission circuit 65 is transmitted from the antenna 61 via the high frequency switch 62.

The apparatus according to the present embodiment includes an LCD 11, an LED 13, a key input unit 10 including a function key group 12 and a dial keypad 16, as described with reference to FIG. And the like, a backlight unit 10a for illuminating each key of the key input unit 10 from the back surface thereof, and a memory card interface (memory card I / F) 4. Are also connected to the control unit 5.

The control section 5 has, for example, a microcomputer as a main control section, and includes, as main control functions according to the present invention, a memory remaining amount display control means 51 and a transmission time display control means 52. I have.

When the memory card 3 is inserted into the memory card mounting section 18 in the standby state, the remaining memory display control means 51 detects the remaining memory capacity of the inserted memory card, and The detected remaining memory capacity is converted into a percentage value with respect to the total memory capacity, and this percentage value is displayed on the LCD 11 or displayed by selectively turning on the backlight of the key input unit 10.

The transmission time display control means 52 calculates the required data transmission time (remaining transmission time) from the amount of data to be transmitted during the data transmission period and the transmission speed, and displays the required time on the LCD 11 in, for example, minutes. Or by selectively turning on the backlight of the numeric keys of the key input unit 10. When the required time is one minute or less, the blinking speed of the backlight is changed according to the decrease in the required time. Further, when the data transmission is completed, a sound is generated from the speaker 14 to that effect,
The LED 13 or the vibrator 19 is driven to notify the user without sound.

Next, the operation of the apparatus configured as described above will be described according to the control procedure of the control unit 5. In the standby state, the control unit 5 monitors insertion and reception of the memory card 3 in step 4b while monitoring outgoing and incoming calls in step 4a as shown in FIG.

In this state, it is assumed that the user inserts the memory card 3 into the memory card mounting section 17 in order to confirm the remaining storage capacity of the memory card for storing the received data before receiving the data. Then, the control unit 5 proceeds to step 4c.
The control information is read from the inserted memory card 3 to detect the remaining storage capacity, and the detected value of the remaining storage capacity is converted into a percentage value in step 4d. And
In step 4e, it is determined whether or not display on the LCD 11 is possible.

If there is no information to be preferentially displayed on the LCD 11, such as battery voltage drop information or out-of-service information, and the remaining storage capacity can be displayed on the LCD 11, the control unit 5 proceeds to step 4f. Then, the percentage value of the remaining storage capacity is displayed on the LCD 11.

On the other hand, if there is information to be displayed preferentially on the LCD 11, such as battery voltage drop information or out-of-service information, it is determined that display on the LCD 11 is impossible, and the process proceeds to step 4g. Here, the percentage value of the remaining storage capacity is displayed using the backlight of the key input unit 10. For example, if the remaining storage capacity is 60%, the number keys "1" to "5" are turned off and all the other keys are turned on as shown in FIG. This allows the user to indirectly grasp that the remaining storage capacity is about 60%.

The display of the remaining storage capacity is performed when the user presses the "OFF" key and this is detected in step 4h, or when the display time elapses a predetermined time and this is detected in step 4i. Is turned off.

On the other hand, it is assumed that the user sets the apparatus to the data communication mode and performs a calling operation to perform data communication. Then, the control unit 5 detects this in step 4a of FIG. 4 and thereafter shifts to transmission control. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the control procedure and control contents.

That is, the control unit 5 first determines in step 5a whether the communication mode is the communication mode or the data communication mode. Since it is the data communication mode, the control unit 5 shifts to step 5b, where the communication with the base station is performed. Executes negotiation for forming a wireless link. Then, when a radio link is formed with the base station and data transmission with the communication terminal device of the other party becomes possible, step 5
The process proceeds to step c, and data transmission / reception is started here.

When the data transmission / reception is started, the control unit 5 calculates the required data transmission time in minutes from the amount of data to be transmitted and the data transmission speed in step 5d. Then, the time required for data transmission is calculated in step 5e.
It is determined whether or not display on the LCD 11 is possible.

If there is no information to be preferentially displayed on the LCD 11, such as information on a battery voltage drop or out-of-service information, and the data transmission required time can be displayed on the LCD 11, the control unit 5 proceeds to step 5f. The processing shifts and the required data transmission time is displayed on the LCD 11 here.

On the other hand, if there is information to be preferentially displayed on the LCD 11, such as battery voltage drop information or out-of-service information, it is determined that display on the LCD 11 is impossible, and the process proceeds to step 5g. Here, the required data transmission time is displayed using the backlight of the key input unit 10. For example, if the required data transmission time is 6 minutes left, the numeric key "6" is turned on as shown in FIG. This allows the user to know that the required data transmission time is 6 minutes remaining. When the required data transmission time is 5 minutes, the numeric key "5" is turned on.
The number keys to be lit are sequentially changed to "4", "3", "2", "1". And the time required for data transmission is 1
When the minute is reached, the number key "1" blinks, and thereafter the blinking cycle is accelerated at intervals of 10 seconds. Therefore, the user can know the approximate remaining time from the blinking cycle after the required data transmission time is less than one minute remaining.

When the data transmission is completed, the control unit 5 proceeds from step 5h to step 5i, and notifies the user of the end of the data transmission by generating a sound from the speaker 14. When the silent mode is set in the device in advance, the user is notified by causing the LED 13 to emit light or the vibrator 19 to vibrate. Therefore, the user can reliably know the end of data transmission even if the terminal device is left on a desk or stored in a pocket of a bag or clothes after the start of data transmission, thereby immediately following data transmission or You can switch to a call.

It should be noted that the end of the data transmission is indicated when the user presses the "OFF" key and this is detected in step 5j, or when the display time elapses a predetermined time and this is detected in step 5k. Is turned off.

As described above, in this embodiment, when the memory card 3 is inserted into the memory card mounting section 18, the remaining storage capacity of the memory card 3 is detected, and the memory capacity corresponding to the percentage value is detected. The number of dial keys 16 is displayed by lighting, and the remaining time of data transmission is calculated in minutes during the data transmission period, and the dial key corresponding to the calculated value is displayed by lighting. I have.

Therefore, the user can immediately and easily check the remaining storage capacity of the memory card 3 simply by mounting the memory card 3 on the memory card mounting section 18.
During the data transmission period, the remaining time of the data transmission can be confirmed in real time.

Further, when the remaining data transmission time is one minute or less, the number key "1" is made to blink, and the blinking cycle is made faster according to the decrease of the remaining time.
Therefore, the user can know the approximate remaining time from the blinking cycle after the required data transmission time is less than one minute remaining.

After the data transmission, a sound is generated,
Alternatively, the user is notified of the end of data transmission by turning on the LED 13 or vibrating the vibrator 19. Therefore, the user can reliably know the end of the data transmission even if the terminal device is left on a desk or stored in a pocket of a bag or clothes after the start of the data transmission, thereby immediately transmitting the next data. Alternatively, the call can be transferred.

Moreover, when displaying the remaining storage capacity of the memory card 3 and the remaining data transmission time, the LCD 11
It is determined whether or not display is possible. If display is possible, display is performed on the LCD 11. If display is not possible, display is performed using the backlight of the dial key 16. For this reason, even when there is information to be preferentially displayed on the LCD 11, such as battery voltage drop information or out-of-service information, the remaining storage capacity and remaining data transmission time can be displayed. In this case, the display of the priority information is not sacrificed, so that the original handling of the apparatus is not hindered.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to a mobile phone or a PHS terminal has been described as an example. However, the present invention may be applied to a remote controller used in a television receiver or an audio device.

That is, in the near future, television receivers and the like having a function of receiving interactive services such as video-on-demand will be the mainstream, and the remote controller used in this type of device will also have a data transmission function. It is expected to be equipped with. Therefore, if the present invention is applied to such a remote controller so that the remaining memory capacity and the remaining time of data transmission can be displayed, it becomes very convenient for the user. Some remote controllers do not have an LCD. However, even in such remote controllers, applying the present invention ensures that the remaining memory capacity and the remaining data transmission time can be ensured using the numeric key backlight. Can be displayed on the display.

In the above embodiment, the case where the remaining storage capacity of an external memory such as a memory card is displayed has been described as an example. However, the remaining storage capacity of a built-in memory such as a RAM or a hard disk memory provided inside the apparatus is described. May be detected and displayed, or the total remaining storage capacity of the external memory and the internal memory may be displayed. In this case, the information to be displayed is not limited to the remaining storage capacity, and the stored capacity may be displayed.

In addition, the lighting mode of the backlight, its lighting color, the type of the storage medium, the type of the device and its configuration can be variously modified without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0045]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
The memory information display control means performs a capacity check of the information storage means, and displays the check result by selectively lighting a plurality of keys of the keypad with backlight, so that mobile data can be displayed. A portable information terminal device that allows a user to easily check the capacity of a storage medium used for communication can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing an embodiment of a portable information terminal device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram showing one embodiment of a portable information terminal device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a display example of a remaining storage capacity of a memory card and a display example of a remaining data transmission time.

4 is a flowchart showing a display control procedure of a remaining storage capacity by a control unit of the portable information terminal device shown in FIG. 2 and control contents thereof.

5 is a flowchart showing a display control procedure of a data transmission remaining time by a control unit of the portable information terminal device shown in FIG. 2 and control contents thereof.

[Explanation of symbols]

1a, 1b: housing, 2 ... hinge, 3 ... memory card, 4
… Memory card interface (memory card I /
F), 5: control unit, 10: key input unit, 10a: backlight unit, 11: liquid crystal display (LCD), 13: light emitting diode (LED), 16: dial key, 18: memory card mounting unit, 19 ... vibrator, 51 ... memory remaining amount display control means, 52 ... transmission time display control means.

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A portable information terminal device provided with a keypad with a backlight, an information transmitting means for transmitting information via a communication line with a communication partner device, and the communication partner Information storage means for storing information received from the device in a storage medium; memory information display for performing a capacity check of the information storage means and displaying the check result by selectively lighting a plurality of keys of the keypad A portable information terminal device comprising a control unit. 2. The memory information display control means converts a result of the capacity check of the storage medium into a percentage value with respect to the total capacity, and turns on or off a number of keys of the keypad corresponding to the percentage value. 2. The portable information terminal device according to claim 1, wherein 3. The memory information display control means checks the capacity of an external memory detachably attached to the portable information terminal device, and selectively turns on a plurality of keys of the keypad based on the check result. 3. The portable information terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the portable information terminal device displays the information. 4. A portable information terminal device provided with a keypad with a backlight, an information transmission means for transmitting information via a communication line with a communication partner device, and an information transmission period by the information transmission means. Transmission time display control means for calculating the required transmission time from the amount of transmission information and the transmission speed and displaying the calculated required transmission time by selectively lighting the numeric keys of the keypad. A portable information terminal device characterized by the above-mentioned. 5. The transmission time display control means displays the calculated information remaining transmission time in units of minutes and turns on a corresponding numeric key, and decreases the value for the remaining transmission time of 1 minute or less. The display is performed by changing the blinking cycle of the numeric key according to the following.
The portable information terminal device described in the above. 6. When the portable information terminal device has a sound generation means or a vibration generation means, the transmission time display control means uses the sound generation means or the vibration generation means to notify that the information transmission has been completed. 6. The portable information terminal device according to claim 4, wherein the portable information terminal device is displayed.