U.S. patent application number 15/489413 was filed with the patent office on 2017-08-03 for portable phone and method for providing incoming message notifications during video operations thereof.
The applicant listed for this patent is Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Won-Seok KANG, Yang-Muk KANG, Dae-Heon KWON.
Application Number | 20170223402 15/489413 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26634458 |
Filed Date | 2017-08-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170223402 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KWON; Dae-Heon ; et
al. |
August 3, 2017 |
PORTABLE PHONE AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING INCOMING MESSAGE
NOTIFICATIONS DURING VIDEO OPERATIONS THEREOF
Abstract
A TV phone is provided, which includes a TV module; an MRFU for
demodulating an incoming call received through a forward channel,
and modulating and transmitting a signal on a reverse channel; a TV
control section for supplying a tuning signal to the TV module; an
MSP for establishing a phone or TV mode; and a display unit for
displaying synchronized signals on an image viewing screen. In a TV
mode, the TV phone receives an incoming call, stops the TV module;
switches off and on output of an audio signal of the selected TV
broadcasting channel; displays a character message on the TV
viewing screen; or superimposes a graphic image over the image on
the TV viewing screen.
Inventors: |
KWON; Dae-Heon;
(Kyongsangbuk-do, KR) ; KANG; Yang-Muk;
(Kyongsangbuk-do, KR) ; KANG; Won-Seok;
(Kyongsangbuk-do, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. |
Gyeonggi-do |
|
KR |
|
|
Family ID: |
26634458 |
Appl. No.: |
15/489413 |
Filed: |
April 17, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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14853343 |
Sep 14, 2015 |
9628862 |
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15489413 |
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13647914 |
Oct 9, 2012 |
9137354 |
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14853343 |
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09467210 |
Dec 20, 1999 |
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13647914 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M 3/42042 20130101;
H04M 1/57 20130101; H04N 2007/145 20130101; H04M 1/72597 20130101;
H04N 5/44 20130101; H04M 1/575 20130101; H04M 1/72522 20130101;
H04W 4/12 20130101; H04N 21/4126 20130101; H04N 21/426 20130101;
H04M 1/576 20130101; H04N 21/6131 20130101; H04M 1/72533 20130101;
H04N 21/478 20130101; H04N 21/41407 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04N 21/414 20060101
H04N021/414; H04N 21/41 20060101 H04N021/41; H04M 1/57 20060101
H04M001/57; H04M 3/42 20060101 H04M003/42; H04M 1/725 20060101
H04M001/725; H04N 5/44 20060101 H04N005/44; H04N 21/61 20060101
H04N021/61 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 19, 1998 |
KR |
10-1998-0056487 |
Nov 30, 1999 |
KR |
10-1999-0054007 |
Claims
1. An apparatus comprising: a display; communication circuitry to
establish a communication connection with an external electronic
device; and a processor adapted to: present multimedia content via
the display; receive, while the multimedia content is presented via
the display, a specified event incoming from the external
electronic device via the communication connection established
using the communication circuitry; and pause presenting the
multimedia content at least temporarily based at least in part on
receiving the specified event.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further
adapted to: receive at least one portion of the multimedia content
from another external electronic device as at least part of a
streaming service.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a memory, wherein
the processor is further adapted to: present, via the display, at
least one portion of the multimedia content stored in the memory as
at least part of presenting the multimedia content.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a speaker, wherein
the processor is further adapted to: output, via the speaker, an
audio signal corresponding to the specified event based at least in
part on receiving the specified event.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a speaker, wherein
the processor is further adapted to: present a notification
corresponding to the specified event via the display or the
speaker.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the processor is further
adapted to: present an icon, an image, a text, a flashing, or a
vibration of the apparatus, as at least part of the
notification.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further
adapted to: receive a user input with respect to the specified
event within a specified period of time after the specified event
is received; and perform a specified function corresponding to the
specified event based at least in part on receiving the user input
with respect to the specified event.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor is further
adapted to: refrain from performing the specified function based at
least in part on a determination that no user input with respect to
the specified event is received within the specified period of
time.
9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor is further
adapted to: maintain pausing presenting the multimedia content
while the specified function is performed.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is adapted to:
identify a call event, a short message event, a multimedia message
event, or an alarm event, as at least part of the specified
event.
11. An apparatus comprising: a display; communication circuitry to
establish a communication connection with an external electronic
device; and a processor adapted to: present multimedia content via
the display; receive, while the multimedia content is presented via
the display, a specified event incoming from the external
electronic device via the communication connection established
using the communication circuitry; and pause outputting an audio
signal corresponding to the multimedia content at least temporarily
based at least in part on receiving the specified event.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising: a speaker,
wherein the processor is further adapted to: output, via the
speaker, another audio signal corresponding to the specified event
based at least in part on receiving the specified event.
13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the multimedia content
includes a video signal and the audio signal, and wherein the
processor is further adapted to: maintain, via the display,
displaying at least one portion of the video signal based at least
in part on receiving the specified event.
14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising: a speaker,
wherein the processor is further adapted to: present a notification
corresponding to the specified event via the display or the
speaker.
15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further
adapted to: determine whether a user of the apparatus responds to
the specified event within a specified period of time after the
specified event is received; and resume outputting the audio signal
based at least in part on a determination that the user did not
respond to the specified event within the specified period of
time.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is further
adapted to: maintain pausing outputting the audio signal based at
least in part on a determination that the user responded to the
specified event within the specified period of time.
17. An apparatus comprising: a display; communication circuitry to
establish a communication connection with an external electronic
device; and a processor adapted to: present multimedia content
using a first user interface displayed via the display; receive,
while the multimedia content is presented using the first user
interface, a specified event incoming from the external electronic
device via the communication connection established using the
communication circuitry; and present a second user interface via
the display with respect to the specified event based at least in
part on receiving the specified event, where presenting of the
second user interface hides at least one portion of the first user
interface from display.
18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising: a speaker,
wherein the processor is further adapted to: automatically pause
the presenting of the multimedia content at least temporarily or
automatically pause outputting an audio signal corresponding to the
multimedia content at least temporarily, based at least in part on
receiving the specified event; and output another audio signal
corresponding to the specified event via the speaker.
19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processor is further
adapted to: receive a user input with respect to the specified
event within a specified period of time after the specified event
is received; and present a third user interface different from the
first user interface and the second user interface based at least
in part on receiving the user input with respect to the specified
event within a specified period of time after the specified event
is received.
20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processor is further
adapted to: determine whether a user of the apparatus responds to
the specified event within a specified period of time after the
specified event is received; and present the first user interface,
including the previously-hidden at least one portion, based at
least in part on a determination that the user has not responded to
the specified event within the specified period of time.
Description
PRIORITY
[0001] This application is a continuation of, and claims priority
under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.120 to, U.S. patent application Ser. No.
14/853,343 which was filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
on Sep. 14, 2015, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,628,862 on Apr. 18,
2017, and was a continuation of, and claimed priority under 35
U.S.C. .sctn.120 to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/647,914
which was filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Oct. 9,
2012, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,137,354 on Sep.15, 2015, and was a
continuation of, and claimed priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.120 to,
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/467,210, which was filed in the
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Dec. 20, 1999 and claimed
priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119(a) to Korean Pat. App. Ser. Nos.
1998-56487 and 1999-54007, which were filed in the Korean
Intellectual Property Office on Dec. 19, 1998 and Nov. 30, 1999,
respectively, the entire disclosures of all of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a hand-held portable
cellular telephone, and more particularly to an integrally combined
television (TV) and portable cellular phone (hereinafter, referred
to as "TV phone").
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] In recent years, rapid and widespread use of portable
cellular telephones as an ordinary personal communication appliance
in society has driven the desire of users toward development of the
portable phone with a variety of additional functions besides
making simple conversation. For example, portable phones are being
developed with a calculating function, a biorhythm checking
function, and other functions, including the capability of
transmitting/receiving television images as well as a video camera
image. The term "TV phone" herein refers to a wireless portable
cellular phone, which allows for watching a television (TV)
broadcast program through a displaying unit in the portable phone
in addition to the capability of cordless telephone
conversation.
[0006] In order to receive TV broadcasts, a portable phone should
be equipped with two radio frequency units. The reason for this is
that a frequency bandwidth necessary for transmitting/receiving
telephony messages (i.e., audio and data) for the portable phone is
different from that for a TV broadcast. The operational status of
the portable TV phone is classified into a phone mode, a waiting
mode, and a TV mode. The TV mode is also used both as a waiting
mode and as an image-receiving mode.
[0007] Because the TV phone should allow a user to watch and hear
images and audio of a television broadcast program received in the
TV mode through the display unit, i.e. a Thin Film Transistor (TFT)
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), and the speaker or earphone of the TV
phone, it cannot use the method employed by a general portable
phone to inform a user of an incoming call or an incoming character
message, while in the TV mode state.
[0008] That is, there is no method of immediately informing the
user of the occurrence of an incoming call or an incoming character
data message when the TV phone is being used to watch and listen to
a television broadcast program.
[0009] There is therefore a need for a portable TV phone that
rapidly and accurately informs a user that there is an incoming
call or character data message when the user is viewing a TV
broadcast program.
[0010] A TV phone is disclosed in Korean Patent Application No.
95-46026, filed on Dec. 1, 1995 (published on Jul. 31, 1997),
entitled "A COMBINED TV RECEIVER AND CELLULAR PHONE" of LG
Electronics Inc. However, the TV phone in the prior art discloses
technology for controlling separately the operations of the
transmitter/receiver of the cellular phone and the TV receiver by
using only a microprocessor, but no technology for processing a
character message such as short message service (SMS). Also, it is
impossible to switch the operational mode when an incoming call
occurs during the viewing of a TV broadcast program in the TV mode.
Accordingly, when an incoming call occurs during the watching of a
TV, the transmitter/receiver of a cellular phone is operated
separately, thereby increasing consumption of a battery, and
causing inconvenience in switching of the operational mode from the
TV mode to the phone mode. That is, a user suffers inconvenience
having to perform a switching off of a TV and a switchover of the
operational mode from the TV mode to the phone mode.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide
a portable TV phone designed to selectively allow for transmission
or reception of an audio signal, as well as reception of a TV
program.
[0012] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
portable TV phone which effectively informs a user i.e., a called
party, of the reception of any incoming call related message when
the user receives the incoming call related message from a calling
party.
[0013] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
portable TV phone, which automatically activates preset incoming
call alarm modes when the operational mode of the TV phone is
switched from the phone mode to the TV mode.
[0014] In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention,
these and other objects are accomplished by providing a TV phone in
which a television and a portable cellular phone are integrally
combined. The TV phone includes a TV module for receiving and
demodulating a desired TV channel signal among radio-frequency
electromagnetic signals received, in response to an input of a
tuning signal, when the TV module operates by supply of a power
supply voltage, to generate a composite video signal, a composite
synchronizing signal and a composite audio signal; a Mobile Station
Radio Frequency Unit (hereinafter, referred to as "MRFU") for
demodulating a signal indicative of an incoming call received
through a forward channel, for forming an audio conversion channel
among the received radio-frequency electromagnetic signals to
output the demodulated signal, and for modulating and transmitting
a signal on a reverse channel; a TV control section for supplying
the tuning signal corresponding to a channel selection command
signal to the TV module, the TV control section synchronizing On
Screen Display (OSD) data such as a font, a graphic etc.,
corresponding to display control data and display data such as an
icon, with the composite synchronizing signal to output the
synchronized signal as a video signal; a Mobile Station Processor,
(hereinafter, referred to as "MSP") for establishing a phone
mode/TV mode in response to an input command, generating a channel
selection command signal stored in a predetermined memory area by
setting the TV mode, supplying the display control data to the TV
control section according to a preset incoming call alarm mode when
receiving an incoming signal from the MRFU or interrupting a power
supply voltage supplied to the TV module, and processing audio data
outputted from the MRFU to output the processed audio data signal
while supplying audio data to the MRFU; and a display unit for
synchronizing the composite video signal and graphic video signal
outputted from the TV module and the TV control section with the
composite synchronizing signal and displaying the synchronized
composite video signal and graphic video signal on a image viewing
screen.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of
the present invention will become more apparent from the following
detailed description when taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the construction of a
TV phone according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the process of displaying
an incoming call message of the TV phone according to an embodiment
of the present invention; and
[0018] FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic views illustrating a state in
which the incoming call message is displayed on a screen of a
display unit of the TV phone according to an embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0019] Reference will now be made in greater detail to various
embodiments of the present invention. In the following description
of the present invention, only portions necessary for understanding
the operation of the present invention are set forth, and a
detailed description of known functions and configurations
incorporated herein will be omitted when it may obscure the subject
matter of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the inner
construction of a TV phone according to an embodiment of the
present invention.
[0021] In FIG. 1, reference numeral 18 designates the MRFU,
reference numeral 20 designates the MSP, and reference numeral 30
designates a keypad of the portable phone module. These components
are incorporated in circuits applied to conventional portable
digital cellular phones, such as CDMA type portable cellular phone,
to implement the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The
constructions and operations of the above components will be
apparently understood by reference to the following detailed
description.
[0022] Also, reference numeral 14 designates a radio frequency
switch (RFSW), reference numeral 16 designates the TV module,
reference numeral 22 designates the TV control section, reference
numeral 24 designates an LCD driver (LCDD), and reference numeral
26 designates the TFT-LCD. Since generally the TFT-LCD cannot
receive a composite video signal and display an image by itself,
the LCDD separates the brightness signal, color signal, and
synchronizing signal from the composite video signal, makes an
R/G/B signal, and then outputs them in synchronization with the
synchronizing signal.
[0023] The RFSW 14 has a circuit for switching an antenna 12
connected to a common terminal COM to both a first port P1 and a
second port P2 or only to the second port P2.
[0024] That is, the RFSW 14 includes a first port P1 connected to
the TV module 16 and a second port P2 connected to the MRFU 18. The
RFSW 14 connects the second port P2 to the antenna 12 in response
to an input of a control signal IDLE in a logic "low" state, or
connects the first port P1 and the second port P2 to the antenna 12
in response to an input of a control signal IDLE in a logic "high"
state. The RFSW 14 is provided with a circuit for not allowing a
radio frequency signal inputted to the second port P2 to be applied
to the first port P1.
[0025] The TV module 16 operates by an input of a power supply
voltage Vcc supplied upon the "turning on" of a switch 31. The TV
module 16 includes a tuner 32 for selecting only the TV channel
signal corresponding to the input of a tuning signal CH-S among
signals outputted from the first port P1 to down-convert the TV
channel signal to an intermediate frequency signal IF, and a
demodulator 36 for demodulating the intermediate frequency signal
IF outputted from the tuner 32 to output a composite video signal
CV, a composite synchronizing signal CSYNC and an audio signal AO2.
The tuner 32 includes a Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) 34 for generating
an associated tuning frequency in response to an input of the
tuning signal CH-S, determining whether or not a phase is locked to
the generated tuning signal, and outputting a receiving state
signal RSS corresponding to a receiving field strength of the TV
channel signal received.
[0026] The TV control section 22 includes a flash memory (FRAM) 38
for storing program data for controlling the TV module 16, font
data and graphic data, such as an icon; a video memory (VRAM) 40
for storing text data and graphic data under control of the OSD in
order to output the data as display images; a display control
section 42 for inputting and analyzing data in response to an input
of an interrupt signal INT, accessing the flash memory 38 and
outputting the tuning signal TS, the text data and the graphic data
corresponding to the analysis of the data from the flash memory 38,
and controlling the tuning operation according to the receiving
state signal RSS outputted from the TV module 16; an OSD processor
44 disposed between the MSP 20 and the display control section 42,
for interfacing data therebetween and synchronizing the display
related data outputted from the display control section 42 with a
vertical synchronizing (VS) signal and horizontal synchronizing
(HS) signal outputted from the LCDD 24 to output the synchronized
display related data as display images through the video memory 40.
The display control section 42 has an 8 bit-microprocessor unit MPU
of one chip and a universal synchronous/asynchronous
receiver/transmitter (UART) for communication of data included
therein. Further, the OSD processor 44 includes a timing generator
for generating a composite synchronizing signal, and a latch
register for temporarily storing data, etc. The composite
synchronizing signal is used when displaying the OSD data
associated with the phone mode on the TFT-LCD 26 in a state in
which the TV module is disabled.
[0027] First of all, suppose that the operational mode of the TV
phone, as shown in FIG. 1, is set to the TV mode and one among the
first, second and third incoming alarm modes is set as the alarm
mode for an incoming call on the TV phone. For example, suppose
that at least one among three incoming call alarm modes is set as
the incoming call alarm mode. As stated above, the first incoming
call alarm mode interrupts the power supply of the TV and switches
the operational mode from the TV mode to the phone mode; the second
incoming call alarm mode switches the TV audio outputted from the
TV module; and the third incoming call alarm mode displays an
incoming call character message or a preset graphic at a specific
region on the TV image displaying screen. The incoming call alarm
mode is set by using the keypad 30 as shown in FIG. 1. For example,
the first incoming call alarm mode is a phone mode, the second
incoming call alarm mode is a bell mode, and the third incoming
call alarm mode is a mute or lamp mode, and these incoming call
alarm modes are set by using the keypad.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, a radio-frequency, electromagnetic
signal is received by an antenna 12, which converts the
radio-frequency, electromagnetic signal into an electrical signal,
which is supplied to a common terminal COM of an RFSW 14. The RFSW
14 allows the common terminal COM to be connected to both the first
port P1 and the second port P2 or to be connected only to the
second port P2 based on the logic level of a control signal
outputted from the MSP 20. For example, when the operational mode
of the TV phone is set to the TV mode, the MSP 20 enables the power
supply control signal TVCTL to "turn on" switch 31 and makes the
control signal IDLE become a logic "high" state. By this operation,
when switch 31 is turned on, the TV module 16 is supplied with a
power supply voltage Vcc so that it is in an operable state.
[0029] In such a state, the MSP 20 supplies the OSD processor 44 in
the TV control section 22 with a channel selection command signal
CHS. The user may select a channel by inputting from the keypad 30.
The OSD processor 44 stores the channel selection command signal
CHS inputted from the MSP 20 in a latch register 46 and generates
an interrupt signal INT. In response to activation of the interrupt
signal INT, the display control section 42 reads out data stored in
the latch register 46 and analyzes if the interrupt signal INT is a
command or general data. Determining whether a specific address bit
or data bit transmitted from the MSP 20 is set performs this
analysis. Meanwhile, the display control section 42 outputs a
response signal ACK in response to the interrupt signal INT in
order to release the interrupt of the OSD processor 44. By release
of this interrupt, the OSD processor 44 sets the state of its latch
register 46 to a free state.
[0030] By this operation, if the display control section 42
determines that data inputted from the OSD processor 44 is the
channel selection command signal CHS, it accesses the flash memory
38 and outputs a tuning signal TS, which corresponds to the channel
selection command signal CHS, from the flash memory 38 for
application to the PLL 34 of the tuner 32 disposed in the TV module
16.
[0031] The PLL 32 in the TV module 16 oscillates a tuning frequency
corresponding to the tuning signal for application to the TV tuner
32, which down-converts the corresponding TV channel signal among
the radio-frequency electromagnetic signals outputted from the
first port P1 of the RFSW 14 to an intermediate frequency signal IF
for application to the demodulator 36.
[0032] The demodulator 36 connected to the tuner 32 is adapted to
demodulate the intermediate frequency signal IF to output a
composite video signal CV, a composite synchronizing signal CSYNC,
and audio signal AO2 of the corresponding channel. The audio signal
AO2 outputted from the demodulator 36 is reproduced either through
an earphone (not shown) or a speaker (not shown), which is turned
on by switch 33. At this time, the PLL 34 of the tuner 32 monitors
that an oscillating frequency of a voltage controlled oscillator
VCO is locked, and measures the receiving field strength of the
selected channel to supply the receiving state signal RSS
corresponding to the measured field strength to the display control
section 42. The display control section 42 allows for an automatic
channel search by using the voltage level of the receiving state
signal RSS.
[0033] Meanwhile, the LCDD 24 allows an NTSC decoder included
therein to separate the analog composite video signal CV into a
color signal of R, G, and B, and synchronizes the separated color
signal of R, G, and B with the composite synchronizing signal CSYNC
for application to the TFT-LCD 26, which displays the synchronized
color signal on a screen thereof. Also, the LCDD 24 synchronizes
and separates the input composite synchronizing signal CSYNC to
output a vertical synchronizing signal VS and a horizontal
synchronizing signal HS. Therefore, when the operational mode of
the TV phone is set to the TV mode, TV images are displayed on the
screen of the TFT-LCD 26 while an audio signal AO2 is outputted
under the control of the MSP 20.
[0034] Meanwhile, the MRFU 18 coupled to the antenna 12 through
port P2 or RFSW 14 receives a radio-frequency, electromagnetic
signal of a transmitting/receiving frequency bandwidth for a
portable phone, converts an analog signal into a digital signal or
converts a digital signal into an analog signal, and
power-amplifies the converted signal to transmit it through the
antenna 12. The MRFU 18 can be easily constructed by combining an
RF unit and a baseband analog (BBA) circuit of a conventional
portable phone. For example, the MRFU 18 can be embodied by
combining a CDMA type radio transceiver unit, a chip of
"BBA2.X(Q5312CDMA)" manufactured by QUALCOMM Co. as a BBA circuit
for converting an analog signal into a CDMA type digital data and
vice versa, and an RF unit. The RFSW 14 allows the common terminal
COM to be connected to the second port P2 under the control of the
MSP 20 as described above when the operational mode of the MRFU 18
is set either in wait mode or transmitting/receiving mode.
[0035] The MSP 20 coupled to the MRFU 18 analyzes commands supplied
from the keypad 30 and generates control signals corresponding to
the commands. Further, the MSP 20 performs or controls data signal
processing operations such as demodulating, de-interleaving,
decoding, and vocoding of the digital signal inputted thereto from
the MRFU 18 so that it outputs the received forward channel data
while outputting coded audio data as reverse channel data. A codec
28 coupled to the MSP 20 converts the forward channel coded audio
data to an analog audio signal to output the converted audio signal
(AO1) through a speaker or earphone, or codes an analog audio
signal inputted thereto from a microphone (AIN) to supply the coded
audio signal as an audio signal of a reverse channel to the MSP
20.
[0036] In addition, the MSP 30 informs a user watching a TV program
of an incoming call by controlling the incoming call modes as shown
in FIG. 3A and 3B through analysis of the incoming call alarm modes
set in an inner memory if the received forward channel data message
is a message associated with an incoming call. The MSP 30 may
selectively use "MSM2300" of a one-chip type supplied from QUALCOMM
Co. in U.S.A. and one of chips for executing the same function as
that of the "MSM2300" chip.
[0037] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the process of indicating
an incoming call message on a TV phone according to an embodiment
of the present invention, in which a user is informed of an
incoming call state upon the reception of an incoming call message
while in the TV mode. A program for the flowchart is stored in a
memory block of the MSP 30 as shown in FIG. 1.
[0038] A call alarm operation in TV mode upon the occurrence of an
incoming call will be described in detail hereinafter with
reference to FIGS. 2, 3A, and 3B.
[0039] Referring now to FIG. 2, in TV mode where a user watches the
TV program of a desired channel on the TV phone, the MSP 20
monitors an output of the MRFU 18 at predetermined time intervals
to determine at step 102 whether or not any incoming call message
has been received. If it is determined at step 102 that no incoming
call or message has been received, the MSP 20 continues to operate
in TV mode.
[0040] On the other hand, if it is determined at step 102 that the
MRFU 18 has received incoming call or message, the program proceeds
to step 104 at which the MSP 30 detects the incoming call alarm
modes set in the memory therein. The incoming call alarm modes
herein means the above-mentioned first, second and third incoming
call alarm modes. The MSP 20 determines at steps 106, 110 and 114
of FIG. 2 whether or not the present incoming call mode is any one
of the first to third incoming call modes. If it is determined at
step 106 that the present incoming call mode is the first incoming
call mode (i.e., a bell mode), the program proceeds to step 108,
where the MSP 20 disables the power supply control signal TVCTL
supplied to the switch 31 so that it interrupts the power supply
voltage supplied to the TV module 16, and turns the control signal
IDLE supplied to the RFSW 14 to the logic "low" state, which allows
the antenna 12 to be disconnected from the first port P1 of the
RFSW 14. In this call alarm mode, a telephone bell is driven by the
incoming call. And then, if it is determined at step 120 that the
user wishes to respond to the incoming call, the program proceeds
to step 122 in which the MSP 20 transmits a response message
through a reverse channel.
[0041] If it is determined at step 110 that the present incoming
call alarm mode is the second incoming call alarm mode (i.e., a
vibration mode), the program proceeds to step 112 at which the MSP
20 switches the switch 33 connected to an audio output node of the
demodulator 36 at predetermined intervals to switch an output of a
TV audio signal. For example, the audio output could be turned on
and then off every half second. Therefore, when an incoming call
mode is set to the second incoming call mode, an audio signal is
intermittently cut off while the TV image continues to be
outputted, thereby audibly informing the user viewing the TV
program of an incoming call state.
[0042] If it is determined at steps 106 and 110 that the present
incoming call mode is not set to the first or second incoming call
mode, the program proceeds and the MSP 20 decides that it is in the
third incoming call alarm mode. Within the third incoming call
alarm mode, there are two different modes of display: text and
graphic image.
[0043] FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate schematically examples of
displaying an incoming call message on a viewing screen of a
display unit of the TV phone according to an embodiment of the
present invention. FIG. 3A illustrates a character message,
signifying an incoming call, displayed on a specific region of a
viewing screen of the display unit, for example, at the lower end
portion. FIG. 3B illustrates a preset graphic image including an
image character message of "you're wanted on the phone" displayed
on the entire portion of the viewing screen thereof.
[0044] At step 114, the MSP 20 determines whether or not the
present incoming call mode is set to the text mode. The text mode
displays an incoming call message at the lower end portion of the
viewing screen like the oblique line shown in FIG. 3A. If it is
determined at step 114 that the third incoming call alarm mode is
set to text mode, the program proceeds to step 116 where the MSP 20
supplies the OSD processor 44 with a control signal signifying a
text. In response, the OSD processor 44 generates the interrupt
signal INT for application to the display control section 42. The
display control section 42 analyzes the control signal signifying a
text stored in the latch register 46 of the OSD processor 44 and
accesses the flash memory 38 to allow the flash memory 38 to output
text data corresponding to the text signifying control signal for
application to the OSD processor 44. The processor 44 stores the
text data inputted thereto from the display control section 42 in
the video memory 40. Also, the OSD processor 44 synchronizes the
text data stored in the video memory 40 with the composite
synchronizing signal CSYNC to output the synchronized text signal
as a video signal of RGB at the lower end portion of a horizontal
line. The LCDD 24, which is coupled to the OSD processor 44,
supplies the video signal of RGB outputted from the OSD processor
44 to the TFT-LCD 26, which displays the video signal at the lower
end portion of a image viewing screen as shown in FIG. 3A.
[0045] It should be noted that the display control section 42 and
the OSD processor 44 controls the text data so that they can be
displayed at the lower end portion of a field or a frame as
described above. In addition, it is preferable that the text data
is an image character message of "you're wanted on the phone". The
oblique line portion as shown in FIG. 3A is a region on which any
message notifying the viewer of an incoming call is displayed, and
the remaining portion, except the oblique line portion, is a region
on which the TV image is displayed.
[0046] If, on the other hand, it is determined at step 114 that the
third incoming call alarm mode is not set to the text mode, the
program proceeds to step 118 where the MSP 20 transmits a graphic
data displaying command to the display control section 42 through
the OSD processor 44. The display control section 42 accesses the
flash memory 38 and directs the flash memory 38 to output the
graphic data for displaying an incoming call graphic to the OSD
processor 44, which stores the inputted graphic data in the video
memory 40. The OSD processor 44 synchronizes the graphic data
stored in the video memory 40 with the composite synchronizing
signal CSYNC to output the synchronized signal as a video signal of
RGB at the lower end portion of a horizontal line. The LCDD 24,
which is coupled to the OSD processor 44, supplies the video signal
of RGB outputted from the OSD processor 44 to the TFT-LCD 26, which
displays the TV image with the graphic data superimposed on top.
The image viewing screen with the superimposed graphic data is as
shown in FIG. 3B.
[0047] Accordingly, it can be seen that if the incoming call alarm
mode is set to the third incoming call mode, either a character
message signifying the incoming call or images signifying there is
an incoming call, such as the combination of the telephone graphic
and the character message of "you're wanted on the phone", is
displayed either at the lower end portion of the image viewing
screen or the entire portion of the image viewing screen, thereby
informing a user of an incoming call state, even while the TV audio
sound is continually reproduced and outputted.
[0048] At subsequent step 120, the MSP 20 determines whether or not
the user responds to the incoming call. This can be implemented by
detecting if a signal corresponding to the input of the SEND key on
the keypad 30 is generated. For a flip type portable phone, the
user's response to the incoming call can be detected through the
opening of the flip of the portable phone. If it is determined at
step 120 that the user responds to the incoming call, the program
proceeds to step 122 where the MSP 20 transmits an incoming call
response message through the MRFU 16 to a base station in order to
enter the phone mode. On the other hand, if is determined at step
120 that the user does not respond to the incoming call, the
operation mode of the TV phone remains in TV mode.
[0049] As apparent from the above description, the TV phone of the
present invention provides many advantages. When in TV mode, a user
can be informed of an incoming call by stopping the operation of a
TV module; switching off and on output of an audio signal of the
selected TV broadcasting channel; displaying a character message at
the lower end portion of the TV viewing screen; or superimposing a
graphic image over the image on the TV viewing screen, thereby
accurately informing the user that a call has been received and
allowing the user to rapidly answer the telephone.
[0050] While the present invention has been particularly shown and
described with reference to certain embodiments thereof, it will be
understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various
changes in form and details may be made therein without departing
from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by
the following claims and their equivalents.
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