WO2001003457A1 - Procede et appareil de reponse automatique a un appel entrant sur un telephone sans cordon ou sans fil - Google Patents

Procede et appareil de reponse automatique a un appel entrant sur un telephone sans cordon ou sans fil Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2001003457A1
WO2001003457A1 PCT/US2000/008680 US0008680W WO0103457A1 WO 2001003457 A1 WO2001003457 A1 WO 2001003457A1 US 0008680 W US0008680 W US 0008680W WO 0103457 A1 WO0103457 A1 WO 0103457A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
phone
sensor
user
incoming call
output
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2000/008680
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Danlin Xiang
Original Assignee
Sony Electronics, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sony Electronics, Inc. filed Critical Sony Electronics, Inc.
Priority to AU40611/00A priority Critical patent/AU4061100A/en
Publication of WO2001003457A1 publication Critical patent/WO2001003457A1/fr

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
    • H04M1/72—Mobile telephones; Cordless telephones, i.e. devices for establishing wireless links to base stations without route selection
    • H04M1/724—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M2250/00—Details of telephonic subscriber devices
    • H04M2250/12—Details of telephonic subscriber devices including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the field of telephony. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatically answering an incoming call on a cordless or wireless phone by simply bringing the phone to the user's ear.
  • cordless and wireless communication systems have become increasingly popular.
  • Such devices including cordless telephones, digital wireless telephones, cellular telephones, low-tier radio telephones and pagers, make telephonic and message communication substantially more convenient.
  • Wireless telephone systems for example, digital wireless telephones, cellular telephones and low-tier radio telephones, are particularly convenient because they allow their users to place telephone calls from virtually anywhere. Wireless telephones also help users save time and enhance safety. The user of a wireless telephone unit need never waste time looking for an available telephone, particularly in an emergency. Moreover, a wireless telephone unit allows its user to take advantage of time spent traveling. For example, with a wireless telephone, the user can be transacting business or making appointments while riding in a vehicle, walking down the street, or driving a car.
  • Cordless phones provide the same freedom as wireless phones within a much more limited area around the phone's base station.
  • a cordless phone allows a user to move freely throughout a home, yard, apartment or office suite while still being able to place and receive telephone calls.
  • the phone unit When an incoming call is received, the phone unit will ring or emit some audible alert sound to inform the user than an incoming call is ready to be taken.
  • the user examines the keypad of the phone to locate an "answer" or “phone” button which, when pressed, connects the incoming call.
  • the user may need to flip open an earpiece or mouthpiece of the phone to accept the incoming call. The user then raises the cordless or wireless phone into position, placing the speaker of the phone near his or her ear and the microphone near his or her mouth to conduct the call.
  • this particular aspect of using a cordless or wireless phone can be bothersome.
  • the user of a wireless phone is driving when an incoming call is received, it may be risky or dangerous for that user to take his or her eyes and hands off the road in order to visually locate the button for connecting the incoming call or to open a flip portion of the phone.
  • the user of a cordless or wireless telephone may be sleeping when an incoming call is received. Being not fully awake, it may be difficult to locate the button for connecting the incoming call. Low light may also be a problem. If the user of a cordless or wireless phone is watching television, a movie or a presentation in a darkened room, or sleeping, the lack of light may make it difficult to quickly locate and actuate the button or other mechanism for accepting the incoming call.
  • the present invention may be embodied and described as a wireless or cordless phone with a phone handset that includes an earpiece with a speaker and a sensor disposed on the earpiece.
  • the sensor detects when a user places the earpiece of the phone handset to his or her ear. An incoming call can then be automatically accepted and answered based on an output of the sensor.
  • the phone of the present invention preferably includes a user input device with which a user can selectively enable and disable the acceptance and answering of an incoming call based on the output of the sensor.
  • the sensor may be any of a number different types of sensors including an infrared sensor, a static electricity sensor and a capacitive sensor.
  • the phone of the present invention may also initiate a phone call in response to the output of the sensor. This would allow user to start a phone call be raising the phone handset to his or her ear.
  • the present invention also encompasses the method of operating the telephone described above. More specifically, the present invention includes a method of using a wireless or cordless phone by detecting when a user places an earpiece of a phone handset to his or her ear with a sensor disposed on the earpiece.
  • FIG. 1 is an illustration of a wireless or cordless telephone according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • Fig. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the method of the present invention.
  • Fig. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a circuit for automatically connecting to an incoming call on a wireless or cordless phone according to the present invention.
  • Fig. 1 illustrates a telephone handset (100) which could be either a wireless or cordless phone.
  • the phone (100) comprises the basic elements of a telephone handset unit.
  • a microphone (101) and a speaker (104) are disposed at roughly opposite ends of the handset (100) so as to be convenient, respectively, to the mouth and ear of a user when the phone (100) is being used to conduct a telephone call.
  • a user input device (102) comprises, for example, a ten-digit keypad for entering phone numbers to which a phone call is being placed or for entering other numeric data to the phone (100) .
  • the keypad of the user input device (102) may also include other dedicated keys for operating various features of the telephone (100) .
  • the user input device (102) may also comprise other elements with which a user can input data or control the phone unit (100) .
  • the user input device (102) could incorporate any of a joystick, a trackball, a shuttle, a touch-sensitive display, etc.
  • Wireless phones also typically include a display device (103), for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) .
  • a display device (103) On the display device (103), the user may be shown the phone number being called, names and phone numbers or other data stored in the memory of the phone (100) , data regarding features of the phone (100) and any other alphanumeric or graphical information.
  • LCD liquid crystal display
  • An antenna (105) is provided for communicating with the base station, in the case of a cordless phone, or with the wireless telephone system, in the case of a wireless phone.
  • the antenna (105) may or may not be telescoping.
  • the phone (100) includes a sensor (110) .
  • the sensor (110) will sense the presence of a user's ear when the phone (100) is raised by the user into position with the speaker (104) near or against the user's ear.
  • the sensor (110) upon detecting the presence of the user's ear will automatically connect to an incoming call. In this way, the user can answer the phone and conduct the phone call by merely raising the phone to his or her ear.
  • the sensor (110) can be any of a number of sensing devices. Under the principles of the present invention, the sensor (110) must be able to determine when the user has placed the speaker (104) and sensor (110) against or near his or her ear.
  • the sensor (110) may be an active or passive infrared sensor.
  • An active infrared sensor emits infrared radiation and detects that radiation as reflected back to the sensor.
  • a passive infrared sensor detects infrared radiation emitted from an external infrared source, such as the human body.
  • the senor (110) may be a capacitive or static electricity sensor which sense the change in electrical field that occur when the sensor (110) is brought within close proximity of a human ear.
  • the sensor (110) might also be a pressure sensor which is actuated by pressing the speaker (104) of the phone (100) against a human ear.
  • Other types of sensors consistent with the requirements and principles of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are within the scope of the present invention.
  • the ability of the phone to automatically accept an incoming call when the sensor (110) senses the presence of the user's ear can preferably be activated and deactivated by the user, for example, using the user input device
  • Fig. 2 illustrates the process of the present invention.
  • the processes begins with the phone (100) in an active mode waiting for an incoming phone call.
  • the processor (303, Fig. 3) of the phone first determines whether the user, through the user input device (102) , has enabled the sensor (110) as a means for initiating acceptance of the incoming call (202) . If the sensor (110) has not been enabled by the user, the phone (100) waits for the user to manually answer the incoming call (205) by pressing a button or opening the phone casing to signal acceptance of the incoming call.
  • the phone (100) waits for the sensor (110) to detect the presence of the user's ear (203) against or in near proximity to the sensor (110) . If the ear is not detected, the user can still manually accept the incoming call (205) before placing the speaker (104) in position at the user's ear. When the user's ear is detected (203), the sensor (110) signals the process (303) of the phone and the incoming call is accepted. The user can then speak, hear and conduct the incoming phone call by merely positioning the phone (100), specifically the speaker (104) and sensor (110) , at his or her ear.
  • Fig. 3 is a block diagram for a circuit according to the present invention. As shown in Fig. 3, the phone (100) is controlled by a processor (303) .
  • the processor (303) is connected to a user input device (102) with which the user can signal whether or not the output of the sensor (110) should be enabled to control acceptance of an incoming call.
  • the sensor (110) outputs a detection signal to a signal conditioning circuit (301) which processes the signal depending on the type and characteristics of the sensor (110) so as to make the sensor's output intelligible to the processor (303).
  • the processor (303) will then, when so instructed by the user through the user input device (102) , control a call connection circuit (302) in response to the output of the sensor (110), i.e., in response to whether the user has placed the phone (100) at his or her ear.
  • the senor (110) of the present invention can be used to activate the phone (100) so as to place, rather than receive, a phone call.
  • the phone (100) will attempt to initiate a phone call.
  • the user can quickly check to determine if he or she is within a service area where wireless phone service is being provided, or within the range of the cordless phone's base station, without doing anything more than raising the phone unit to his or her ear.
  • the phone of the present invention can be used to make a phone call without requiring the user to do manipulate the phone other than to raise the phone to his or her ear.
  • the phone is automatically activated due to the output of the sensor. A call is initiated, and the user speaks the name of the party to be called. The appropriate party is dialed by the voice recognition system in the phone and the two parties are connected.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Telephone Function (AREA)

Abstract

Un détecteur (110) placé sur le pavillon d'un téléphone (100) sans fil ou sans cordon détecte quand le téléphone (100) est placé près ou contre l'oreille de l'utilisateur. La sortie du détecteur (110) est utilisée pour accepter automatiquement un appel entrant et répondre au téléphone sans que l'utilisateur n'ait rien d'autre à faire que de porter le téléphone (100) à son oreille.
PCT/US2000/008680 1999-06-30 2000-04-03 Procede et appareil de reponse automatique a un appel entrant sur un telephone sans cordon ou sans fil WO2001003457A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU40611/00A AU4061100A (en) 1999-06-30 2000-04-03 Method and apparatus for automatically answering an incoming call on a cordless or wireless phone

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US34538799A 1999-06-30 1999-06-30
US09/345,387 1999-06-30

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2001003457A1 true WO2001003457A1 (fr) 2001-01-11

Family

ID=23354847

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2000/008680 WO2001003457A1 (fr) 1999-06-30 2000-04-03 Procede et appareil de reponse automatique a un appel entrant sur un telephone sans cordon ou sans fil

Country Status (3)

Country Link
AU (1) AU4061100A (fr)
TW (1) TW472493B (fr)
WO (1) WO2001003457A1 (fr)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1513049A2 (fr) * 2003-07-08 2005-03-09 NTT DoCoMo, Inc. Touche de clavier et appareil d'entrée
EP1686445A2 (fr) 2005-01-28 2006-08-02 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Terminal portable pliable
EP2369821A1 (fr) * 2010-03-26 2011-09-28 NTT DoCoMo, Inc. Circuit automatique de support commutateur pour un téléphone portable
CN102375534A (zh) * 2010-08-19 2012-03-14 宏达国际电子股份有限公司 电子装置及其相关控制方法
US20120212447A1 (en) * 2010-08-19 2012-08-23 David Huang Electronic device and control method thereof
DE102013001310A1 (de) * 2013-01-26 2014-07-31 Audi Ag Verfahren zum Betreiben eines mobilen Kommunikationsendgeräts sowie mobiles Kommunikationsendgerät
CN113055528A (zh) * 2021-03-11 2021-06-29 深圳市九码云科技有限公司 一种自动接听电话的智能终端

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5175759A (en) * 1989-11-20 1992-12-29 Metroka Michael P Communications device with movable element control interface
US5224151A (en) * 1992-04-01 1993-06-29 At&T Bell Laboratories Automatic handset-speakephone switching arrangement for portable communication device
US5337353A (en) * 1992-04-01 1994-08-09 At&T Bell Laboratories Capacitive proximity sensors

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5175759A (en) * 1989-11-20 1992-12-29 Metroka Michael P Communications device with movable element control interface
US5224151A (en) * 1992-04-01 1993-06-29 At&T Bell Laboratories Automatic handset-speakephone switching arrangement for portable communication device
US5337353A (en) * 1992-04-01 1994-08-09 At&T Bell Laboratories Capacitive proximity sensors

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1513049A2 (fr) * 2003-07-08 2005-03-09 NTT DoCoMo, Inc. Touche de clavier et appareil d'entrée
EP1513049A3 (fr) * 2003-07-08 2009-04-22 NTT DoCoMo, Inc. Touche de clavier et appareil d'entrée
EP1686445A2 (fr) 2005-01-28 2006-08-02 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Terminal portable pliable
EP2369821A1 (fr) * 2010-03-26 2011-09-28 NTT DoCoMo, Inc. Circuit automatique de support commutateur pour un téléphone portable
CN102375534A (zh) * 2010-08-19 2012-03-14 宏达国际电子股份有限公司 电子装置及其相关控制方法
US20120212447A1 (en) * 2010-08-19 2012-08-23 David Huang Electronic device and control method thereof
US9035902B2 (en) * 2010-08-19 2015-05-19 Htc Corporation Electronic device and control method thereof
DE102013001310A1 (de) * 2013-01-26 2014-07-31 Audi Ag Verfahren zum Betreiben eines mobilen Kommunikationsendgeräts sowie mobiles Kommunikationsendgerät
CN113055528A (zh) * 2021-03-11 2021-06-29 深圳市九码云科技有限公司 一种自动接听电话的智能终端
CN113055528B (zh) * 2021-03-11 2022-06-03 深圳市九码云科技有限公司 一种自动接听电话的智能终端

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU4061100A (en) 2001-01-22
TW472493B (en) 2002-01-11

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