WO2008082245A1

WO2008082245A1 - An assembly of bluetooth headset and mobile phone having a function of dialing with searching of name

Info

Publication number: WO2008082245A1
Application number: PCT/KR2008/000002
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joo Won Heo
Original assignee: Gt Telecom, Co., Ltd
Priority date: 2007-01-05
Filing date: 2008-01-02
Publication date: 2008-07-10
Also published as: KR20080064544A

Abstract

An assembly between a mobile phone equipped with a searching function and a Bluetooth headset is disclosed. The assembly includes: a number searching function further assigned to the assembly between the mobile phone and the headset, which is connected to the mobile phone according to a Bluetooth protocol. The mobile phone enters a searching mode by selecting one of combinations between button-press methods and button-pressed times using a minimum number of buttons mounted to the headset. A logic is contained in the headset and the mobile phone communicating with the headset, so that a user can search for a desired name or number using only the minimum buttons of the headset during the searching mode of the mobile phone.

Description

AN ASSEMBLY OF BLUETOOTH HEADSET AND MOBILE

PHONE HAVING A FUNCTION OF DIALING WITH

SEARCHING OF NAME

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to an assembly of a Bluetooth headset and a mobile phone having a searching function, and more particularly to an apparatus for improving a function between a mobile communication terminal (e.g., a mobile phone, a PDA, or a portable mobile terminal) and a Bluetooth headset, and further providing the mobile communication terminal and the Bluetooth headset with the additional functions. Background Art

[2] In recent times, with the increasing development of mobile communication technology and associated technologies, Bluetooth headsets interacting with mobile communication devices (such as mobile phones) have rapidly come into widespread use. The Bluetooth headsets provide a user with greater convenience, and provides any user who drives his or her vehicle in a driving mode with a handsfree function, so that the user can establish a call-connection state with another party simultaneously while conducting a variety of both-hands operations. As a result, due to the above-mentioned advantages of the Bluetooth headsets, the Bluetooth headsets have been widely used by users, specifically, young people.

[3] However, in the case of a general standard Bluetooth headset which has been widely used in the world, it can only communicate with a mobile phone via radio waves using a closed loop circuit.

[4] The headset may include up/down volume keys and a multi-function key (B) formed of a single button, which is capable of performing a variety of functions according to combinations between button-press methods and button-pressed times. In order to prevent faulty operations, implement a simplified structure, and maximize a power-supply lifetime (e.g., a battery lifetime), the up/down volume keys and the multi-function key B are indispensable for the Bluetooth headset.

[5] Typically, a conventional Bluetooth headset used as a basic user interface provides a user with only limited functions shown in FIGS. l(a)~l(c).

[6] In the function of FIG. l(a), the user connects to another party using his or her mobile phone (H), and presses the multi-function button (B), so that the user can talk to the another party via the headset (S).

[7] In the function of FIG. l(b), the user presses the multi-function button (B) for a long period of time, and listens to voice signals activated by the pressed button (B), so that the user can talk to another party via the Bluetooth headset.

[8] In the function of FIG. l(c), a predetermined function is programmed between the mobile phone (H) and most Bluetooth headsets (B). By the predetermined function, the Bluetooth headset provides the user with only a redialing function of the last call- connection phone number on the condition that the multi-function button (B) has been pressed two times for a short period of time. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[9] By the above-mentioned method, the Bluetooth headset S provides the mobile phone with a minimum of operation buttons, so that it acquires a variety of effects using a variety of combinations between button-press methods and button-pressed times.

[10] Some mobile phones (H) may recognize names or numbers of specific objects in a voice-information mode to search for a desired phone number in several phone numbers. However, the above-mentioned function has many disadvantages in that a voice-recognition rate is extremely low and it may be wrongly recognized by peripheral noise, so that it has almost no practical use.

[11] In recent times, many users prefer to use a phonebook directory of the mobile phone instead of a conventional hand- written phonebook. Therefore, most users register phone numbers of their acquaintances or friends in the phonebook directory of the mobile phone, search for a desired phone number in the phonebook directory, and make a phone call to another party of the searched phone number. Due to the above- mentioned situation, assigning a name-searching function to the conventional Bluetooth headset might be very significant. Technical Solution

[12] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an assembly between a mobile phone and a Bluetooth headset, which conducts a phone-number searching/calling function using buttons of the headset, and allows a user to recognize the searched phone number using a Text-To-Speech (TTS) function, so that the efficiency or utility of the Bluetooth headset can be maximized.

Advantageous Effects

[13] The above-mentioned assembly between the mobile phone equipped with a searching function and the Bluetooth headset may assign additional searching functions to a conventional key-operation (or button-operation) method, and further provide other searching functions, thereby providing the availability or extensibility of the Bluetooth headset.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[14] The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[15] FIGS. l(a)~l(c) show conventional Bluetooth headsets for explaining a variety of problems encountered when they interact with a general mobile communication device;

[16] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a name-searching function activated by the assembly between the mobile phone equipped with a searching function and the Bluetooth headset according to the present invention;

[17] FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a searching function of recent outgoing/ incoming-call phone-numbers using the assembly between the mobile phone equipped with a searching function and the Bluetooth headset according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[18] FIG. 4 shows exemplary headset usages of an assembly between the mobile phone equipped with a searching function and the Bluetooth headset according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

[19] FIG. 5 shows exemplary headset usages of an assembly between the mobile phone equipped with a searching function and the Bluetooth headset according to a further another embodiment of the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[20] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of an assembly between a mobile phone equipped with a searching function and a Bluetooth headset comprising: a number searching function further assigned to the assembly between the mobile phone and the headset, which is connected to the mobile phone according to a Bluetooth protocol; the mobile phone which enters a searching mode by selecting one of combinations between button-press methods and button-pressed times using a minimum number of buttons mounted to the headset; and a logic which is contained in the headset and the mobile phone communicating with the headset, so that a user can search for a desired name or number using only the minimum buttons of the headset during the searching mode of the mobile phone.

[21] Preferably, one of the minimum buttons is a volume button composed of a volume

UP key and a volume Down key, a first name- searching mode is implemented when the volume Up key is pressed for a long period of time, and a second name-searching mode is implemented when the volume Down key is pressed for a long period of time. [22] Preferably, one of the minimum buttons is a search key separated from the headset, a name- searching mode is conducted when the search key is pressed for a long period of time, and another name- searching mode is conducted when the search key is pressed for a short period of time.

[23] Preferably, if the call button (F) is pressed once, the searching function of recent outgoing/incoming-call phone-numbers is activated.

[24] Now, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the annexed drawings. In the drawings, the same or similar elements are denoted by the same reference numerals even though they are depicted in different drawings. In the following description, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the present invention rather unclear.

[25] An assembly between a mobile phone equipped with a searching function and a

Bluetooth headset according to the present invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the annexed drawings.

[26] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a name-searching function activated by the assembly between the mobile phone equipped with a searching function and the Bluetooth headset according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a searching function of recent outgoing/incoming-call phone-numbers using the assembly between the mobile phone equipped with a searching function and the Bluetooth headset according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows exemplary headset usages of an assembly between the mobile phone equipped with a searching function and the Bluetooth headset according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 shows exemplary headset usages of an assembly between the mobile phone equipped with a searching function and the Bluetooth headset according to a further another embodiment of the present invention.

[27] The assembly between the mobile phone equipped with a searching function and the Bluetooth headset further includes an additional logic in a mobile phone (H) controlled by software, and is based on a general Bluetooth transmission protocol capable of recognizing operation signals of keys or buttons by hardware.

[28] The present invention is characterized in that it uses basic searching functions disclosed in Korean Patent Registration No. 378392 filed by the same applicant as the present invention, and optimizes them to the Bluetooth headset.

[29] The above-mentioned Korean Patent Registration No. 378392 provides a method for allowing a user to search for a desired name in a phonebook directory of his or her mobile phone without opening a folder or flip of the mobile phone, and generating a phone call to a phone number of the searched name.

[30] For the convenience of description and better understanding of the present invention, the Korean Patent Registration No. 378392 will hereinafter be described in detail.

[31] [Description of Korean Patent Registration No. 378392]

[32] The Korean Patent Registration No. 378392 has disclosed a sequential searching method based on storage addresses. The above-mentioned sequential searching method shown in the Korean Patent Registration No. 378392 selects a sub-menu activated when a main-menu function associated with phone numbers stored in a memory is selected. If a user desires to look for a specific person, he or she may enter all or some of letters of a name of the specific person by combination of dial-buttons or may enter some parts of the entire name, thereby searching for a phone number of the desired person.

[33] In order to implement the above-mentioned concept, the mobile communication terminal of the Korean Patent Registration No. 378392 includes a main- searching button for a first searching mode and several sub-searching buttons for a second searching mode. The main- searching button allows the user to sequentially select alphabets of the name. The sub-searching buttons sequentially move up and down in the order of alphabets of low-order letters corresponding to alphabets selected by the main- searching button. By the above-mentioned operations of the main-searching button and the sub-searching buttons, desired data is selected. Mode for the Invention

[34] The present invention applies the above-mentioned searching concept of the Korean

Patent Registration No. 378392 to the assembly of a mobile phone H based on a Bluetooth headset, and has a phone-number searching function of an improved mode.

[35] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a name-searching function activated by the assembly between the mobile phone equipped with a searching function and the Bluetooth headset according to the present invention.

[36] Referring to FIG. 2, in a Bluetooth communication mode in which a mobile phone

H is wirelessly connected to a Bluetooth headset S, a specific key capable of being basically mounted to the general headset S is used as a searching-function key.

[37] For example, FIG. 3 shows up/down volume buttons basically applied to high-class headsets, so that reception (Rx) tones can be adjusted by the up/down volume buttons.

[38] Functions between the mobile phone (H) and the Bluetooth headset can be programmed in various ways. However, if a down- key (Vd) or up-key (Vu) of the volume button (V) is pressed by a user for a long period of time, the user enters either a phone-number searching mode based on names or a phone-number searching mode contained in a group of the mobile phone H. In this case, the above-mentioned operation that the up-key (Vu) or down-key (Vd) of the volume button V has been pressed for the long period of time is established and operated by up/down searching buttons of alphabets.

[39] As described above, if the user enters the name- searching mode by pressing the down key (Vd) of the volume button (V) for the long period of time, the alphabets- based searching method of the '378392 Patent filed by the same applicant as the present invention can easily overcome the limitation in operation caused by the limited keys of the Bluetooth headset S.

[40] For example, if a user enters the name-searching mode by pressing the down key

(Vd) of the volume button (V) for a long period of time, and then re-presses the down key (Vd) for the long period of time, a current mode is shifted to a first-group searching function for a shift between alphabet groups. For example, if the user presses the down key (Vd) for a long period of time in "A"-alphabet groups, a current searching mode is shifted from the "A"- alphabet groups to "B"- alphabet name groups.

[41] If the user presses the down key (Vd) or up key (Vu) of the volume button (V) for a short period of time in order to re-search for a specific name in each alphabet group, a current mode is shifted to a second-group searching function. By the second-group searching function, up and down shifting operations are conducted in the order of alphabets of lower- or upper- letters, so that the user can search for a desired name.

[42] In this case, a voice signal of a corresponding name is automatically generated at a default- searching position of each group by the TTS function, so that the user can easily determine whether a desired name is searched or not without directly viewing a display widow D of the mobile phone H. The above-mentioned function is considered to be the most important advantage of the Bluetooth function.

[43] Needless to say, the above-mentioned inter-group shifting or the search-name shifting among several groups can be displayed on the display window D of the mobile phone H in the same manner as in the conventional art. Therefore, although the user does not carry the mobile phone in his or her bag or pocket, the user's convenience can be further increased.

[44] According to a programming of the present invention, if the user presses the up key

(Vu) or down key (Vd) for a long period of time in the above-mentioned mode, a logic of the mobile phone H determines that the searching mode begins. Then, if the volume button (V) is pressed later, then this volume button (V) is recognized as a search- shifting key between groups.

[45] The number of names registered in the mobile phone may increase to several hundreds or thousands of names. So, if the user performs the TTS function by successively pressing the down key (Vd) or up key (Vu), a long period of time is required for the above-mentioned searching function, resulting in greater inconvenience of use. [46] In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention provides another preferred embodiment. According to this preferred embodiment, if the user successively presses the down key (Vd) or the up key (Vu) a predetermined number of times decided by alphabets of a desired name before the TTS function is completed, a current searching position is shifted to name data located at the resultant shift position acquired by the pressed down or up key (Vd or Vu).

[47] For example, provided that the "K"-alphabet group includes about 20 names, and a desired name "KELLY" is located at a 17-th position based on the order of alphabet of the "K"- alphabet group, the down key (Vd) of the volume button (V) is pressed eleven times for a long period of time so that the user enters the "K"-alphabet group because the "K"- alphabet group is an eleventh alphabet group on the basis of the "A"-alphabet group.

[48] Otherwise, if the down key (Vd) of the volume button (V) is continuously pressed, a beep sound occurs whenever a current position moves to each alphabett group, and at the same the shifting among alphabets can be made available. In this case, the down key (Vd) is released after the eleven beep sound has occurred, so that a current position moves to the "K"- alphabet group.

[49] Thereafter, if the down key (Vd) is pressed 17 successive times for a short period of time or is pressed four successive times for a short period of time, a current position directly moves to data associated with the resultant number of pressed times, instead of implementing the TTS function for each default searching name, so that the user can search for the desired name "KELLY".

[50] In order to quickly search for a desired name in many names registered in the mobile phone, several phone numbers frequently used by the user are collected in an additional group, and the resultant group is stored in the mobile phone. If the user desires to search for the above-mentioned group using the headset S, and presses the up key (Vu) of the volume button (V) for a long period of time, the user enters the above-mentioned group. Thereafter, if the volume button (V) is pressed by the user for a long period time, this operation indicates the shifting between alphabets. And, if the volume button (V) is pressed by the user for a short period time, this operation indicates the sub-shifting within a corresponding alphabet.

[51] In other words, the present invention allows the user to search for desired data in all the registered numbers using the two volume keys, or allows the user to search for desired in a specific group prescribed in a mobile phone using the same volume keys, so that the searching function can be more conveniently performed.

[52] Needless to say, the user may search for desired data in several names stored in the mobile phone using the up or down key (Vu or Vd) of the volume button (V) or may search for desired data in a specific group prescribed in the mobile phone using the up or down key (Vu or Vd) of the volume button (V).

[53] FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a searching function of recent outgoing/ incoming-call phone-numbers using the assembly between the mobile phone equipped with a searching function and the Bluetooth headset according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[54] As shown in FIG. 3, if the user presses a communication or call button (F), a current mode enters a searching mode of recent outgoing/incoming-call phone-numbers.

[55] Needless to say, the above-mentioned searching mode can be applied to a variety of mobile phones to which all the languages, each of which includes alphabets, can be applied.

[56] According to the above-mentioned searching mode of the recent outgoing/ incoming-call phone-numbers, if the call button (F) is pressed by the user, a current mode enters the above-mentioned searching mode of the recent outgoing/incoming-call phone-numbers as shown in the display window D of the mobile phone H shown in FIG. 3. Then, the up and down keys (Vu and Vd) of the volume button (V) are used as up/down shifting buttons.

[57] The list LN of the outgoing/incoming-call phone-numbers is displayed on the display window D of the mobile phone H. Under this situation, if the user presses the up key (Vu) or the down key (Vd) for a short period of time, the up/down searching operations are conducted in the outgoing/incoming-call phone-number list (LN). The name of each searched phone number is read by the TTS function, and the read name is generated as a voice signal. As a result, the user can search for desired data without viewing the display window of the mobile phone (H).

[58] Under the above-mentioned mode, the following programming can be made available. If the user presses the up key (u) or the down key (Vd) of the volume button (V) for a long period of time in a standby mode, the logic of the mobile phone H determines that the searching mode begins, so that the later operations of the up key (Vu) of the volume button (V) are considered to be operations of the searching-shift key.

[59] Although the above-mentioned embodiment implements the selective entrance of the searching modes using the volume button (V), the present invention may independently implement the searching function using an additional search key (SK). In this case, the addition of about 1 key may not encounter complicated functions or structures, so that the efficiency of the present invention may be further increased.

[60] FIG. 4 shows exemplary headset usages of an assembly between the mobile phone equipped with a searching function and the Bluetooth headset according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[61] Referring to FIG. 4, the search key (SK) is provided as an additional key button to the headset S. If the search key (SK) is pressed for a long period of time, a current mode is shifted to a first name- searching mode. Otherwise, if the search key (SL) is pressed for a long period of time, a current mode is shifted to a second name-searching mode by which a desired name is found in a prescribed group. Up/Down scroll searching operations in the individual modes may also be conducted by the volume button (V) as necessary.

[62] A further preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned embodiment of FIG. 4 is shown in FIG. 5.

[63] FIG. 5 shows exemplary headset usages of an assembly between the mobile phone equipped with a searching function and the Bluetooth headset according to a further another embodiment of the present invention.

[64] Referring to FIG. 5, the headset S includes a display (e.g., an LDC window or a line displayer (LD) such as an organic EL) as in the display window (D) pf the mobile phone H. If the headset S receives text data from the mobile phone H, and displays the received text data on its display, the user can check the searching process without viewing the mobile phone H put into a bag or pocket, resulting in increased user's convenience.

[65] The above-mentioned assembly between the mobile phone and the Bluetooth headset according to the present invention is configured in the form of a basic logic, detailed signal transmission implemented by hardware or hardware control of the mobile phone have been well known to those skilled in the art, so that their detailed description will herein be omitted for the convenience of description.

[66] Although the above-mentioned name- searching function has been disclosed on the basis of Korean languages "Hangul", the searching function of shifting to alphabets of all the languages including English or the other searching function within a corresponding alphabet group can be made available, so that the present invention can also be applied to all languages.

[67] It should be noted that most terminology disclosed in the present invention is defined in consideration of functions of the present invention, and can be differently determined according to intention of those skilled in the art or usual practices. Therefore, it is preferable that the above-mentioned terminology be understood on the basis of all contents disclosed in the present invention. Industrial Applicability

[68] As apparent from the above description, the present invention adds the name- searching function to the Bluetooth headset because it is preferable that most functions be implemented by only the headset on the condition that the mobile phone H has been put into the bag or pocket. The present invention simplifies the headset structure, prevents faulty operations, and considers a power- supply lifetime, so that it can provide the above-mentioned searching function using a minimum of keys. [69] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

[1] An assembly between a mobile phone equipped with a searching function and a

Bluetooth headset comprising: a number searching function further assigned to the assembly between the mobile phone and the headset, which is connected to the mobile phone according to a Bluetooth protocol; the mobile phone which enters a searching mode by selecting one of combinations between button-press methods and button-pressed times using a minimum number of buttons mounted to the headset; and a logic which is contained in the headset and the mobile phone communicating with the headset, so that a user can search for a desired name or number using only the minimum buttons of the headset during the searching mode of the mobile phone.

[2] The assembly according to claim 1, wherein: one of the minimum buttons is a volume button composed of a volume UP key and a volume Down key, a first name-searching mode is implemented when the volume Up key is pressed for a long period of time, and a second name- searching mode is implemented when the volume Down key is pressed for a long period of time.

[3] The assembly according to claim 1, wherein: one of the minimum buttons is a search key separated from the headset, a name- searching mode is conducted when the search key is pressed for a long period of time, and another name- searching mode is conducted when the search key is pressed for a short period of time.

[4] The assembly according to claim 1, wherein: one of the minimum buttons is a volume button composed of a volume UP key and a volume Down key, a name-searching mode is implemented when the volume Up key is pressed for a long period of time, and another name-searching mode is implemented when the volume Down key is pressed for a long period of time.

[5] The assembly according to claim 1 or 3, wherein: if a current mode enters any one of the name- searching modes activated when the volume Up or Down key of the volume button is pressed for a long period of time or when the search key is pressed for a long period of time or a short period of time, the volume Up and Down keys of the volume button are used as scroll keys for searching for the desired name or number.

[6] The assembly according to claim 1, wherein: one of the minimum buttons is a call button, so that the user enters a searching function of recent outgoing/incoming-call phone-numbers if the call button is pressed, and if the user enters the searching function of recent outgoing/incoming-call phone- numbers, volume Up and Down keys contained in the volume button are used as scroll keys for the searching function.

[7] The assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, or 6, wherein: search data selected in each of the searching modes is read by a Text-To-Speech (TTS) function.

[8] The assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, or 6, wherein: display and scroll operations of the search data in each searching mode are displayed on a display window of the mobile phone.

[9] The assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, or 6, wherein: display and scroll operations of the search data in each searching mode are displayed on a display capable of being additionally contained in the headset, in which the display receives text data from the mobile phone so that the text data is displayed on the display of the headset.