Abstract:
This invention is a mobile communication terminal apparatus capable of radio communication with a base station, in a videophone mode for communication on video and speech or in a speech communication mode for communication on speech, comprising means for detecting input of a predetermined number, and means, when the means for detecting detects the predetermined number while the speech communication mode is set, for changing the speech communication mode to the videophone mode.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-049867, filed Feb. 26, 2001, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    This invention relates to a mobile communication terminal apparatus comprising a videophone function and, more particularly, a mobile communication terminal apparatus suitable for communication in case of an emergency.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    There is a mobile communication terminal apparatus in a speech communication mode to make communication on speech alone and a videophone mode to make communication on both video and speech. Generally, the terminal apparatus makes a call in the speech communication mode when the terminal apparatus is set in the speech communication mode, and makes a call in the videophone mode when the terminal apparatus is set in the videophone mode.  
           [0006]    When an operator of the terminal apparatus calls an emergency center of police stations, fire stations, hospitals, emergency service institutions or the like, the operator wants to quickly explain situations of an incident and requests the videophone mode rather than the speech communication mode.  
           [0007]    In case where the operator is attacked by a thug, for example, the operator can call the emergency center to need help, but may not be able to speak. In this case, it is difficult to explain the incident by communication in the speech communication mode on speech.  
           [0008]    As described above, however, the calling operation is made in the mode which has been set in calling. When the operator of the terminal apparatus calls the emergency center, the operator needs to confirm the mode of the terminal apparatus. If the speech communication mode is set, the operator needs to change the mode to the videophone mode. Therefore, there is a problem that the calling operation in the desired mode causes much trouble in any case of an emergency.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The object of this invention is to provide a mobile communication terminal apparatus capable of making communication in the videophone mode without executing any especial operations in detecting a request for communication in case of an emergency.  
           [0010]    This invention is a mobile communication terminal apparatus capable of radio communication with a base station, in a videophone mode for communication on video and speech or in a speech communication mode for communication on speech, comprising means for detecting input of a predetermined number, and means, when the means for detecting detects the predetermined number while the speech communication mode is set, for changing the speech communication mode to the videophone mode.  
           [0011]    Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
       [0012]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a mobile communication terminal apparatus according to an embodiment of this invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of a control operation of the mobile communication terminal apparatus in FIG. 1;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of a function added to the control operation of the mobile communication terminal apparatus in FIG. 1;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 shows a state in which a camera provided on the mobile communication terminal apparatus in FIG. 1 faces a front side;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 shows a state in which the camera provided on the mobile communication terminal apparatus in FIG. 1 faces a housing side; and  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 shows a flow chart explaining a modified example of a control operation of the mobile communication terminal apparatus in FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]    An embodiment of this invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a mobile communication terminal apparatus according to this embodiment. A transmitted speech signal outputted from a microphone  10  is digitized and compressed in an encoding section  14 .  
         [0021]    The compressed signal is subjected to digital modulation in a digital modulation section  16 . The modulated signal is converted into a high frequency with a local signal outputted from a synthesizer  27  and amplified to a predetermined power level in a radio transmission section  20 , and is outputted to a duplexer  22 .  
         [0022]    The duplexer  22  supplies the high-frequency signal inputted from the radio transmission section  20  to an antenna  24 . The supplied high-frequency signal is transmitted via the antenna  24  as a radio high-frequency signal.  
         [0023]    On the other hand, the antenna  24  receives a high-frequency radio signal from a base station. The received radio signal is supplied to a radio reception section  26  through the duplexer  22 .  
         [0024]    The radio reception section  26  amplifies the radio signal, and then converts it into a baseband signal by using a local signal from a synthesizer  27 . The converted signal is inputted to a digital demodulation section  30  and thereby digitally demodulated.  
         [0025]    The digitally demodulated signal is decoded and decompressed in a decoder  32 , and converted into an analog speech signal. The analog speech signal is outputted from a loudspeaker  36 .  
         [0026]    An LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)  42  serving as a display section, a RAM  44  serving as a memory section and keys  46  serving as an operation section are connected to a control section  40 .  
         [0027]    The LCD  42  is employed to display characters and images. The keys  46  are composed of number keys and special-purpose keys and employed to input characters, various instructions and the like. The RAM  44  preliminarily stores an ID number provided by a common carrier.  
         [0028]    A camera  54  is further connected to the control section  40 . The camera  54  may be connected to a housing in a rotation type or a fixation type. If the fixation-type connection is employed, a switch may be provided on an apparatus to detect the state of the camera  54  facing toward the housing of the mobile communication terminal apparatus.  
         [0029]    A battery pack  50  is further connected to the control section  40 . When the battery pack  50  is attached to a battery chamber of the mobile communication terminal apparatus, power is supplied to each section under the control of the control section  40 .  
         [0030]    Next, the operation of the above constituted mobile communication terminal apparatus will be explained.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of the operations, which are executed by the control section  40 .  
         [0032]    When the mobile communication terminal apparatus is in a standby state (step  100 ), the control section  40  monitors whether a telephone number of an emergency center is input by the keys  46  or not (step  102 ). The emergency center implies an emergency call center of, for example, police stations, fire stations, hospitals, lifesaving services and the like.  
         [0033]    When the control section  40  detects the input of the telephone number of the emergency center, the control section  40  allows the LCD  42  to display “ADJUST DIRECTION OF CAMERA” (step  104 ) if the camera  54  mounted on the terminal apparatus is in the rotary type. If the camera  54  is in the fixation type, this display is not made.  
         [0034]    Next, the control section  40  detects whether the terminal apparatus is in the videophone mode or not (step  106 ). If the terminal apparatus is not in the videophone mode, the control section  40  sets the terminal apparatus to be in the videophone mode (step  108 ).  
         [0035]    When the terminal apparatus has been set in the videophone mode at step  106  or is set to be therein at step  108 , the control section  40  calls the emergency center (step  110 ) and starts communication with the emergency center (step  112 ).  
         [0036]    When the communication is started, the terminal apparatus transmits an image taken by the camera  54 . The emergency center receives the transmitted image from the terminal apparatus, and stores the transmitted image as occasion requires.  
         [0037]    Thus, the control section  40  controls the terminal apparatus to be definitely set in the videophone mode when the telephone number of the emergency center is input, and at least the following advantages can be thereby obtained:  
         [0038]    1. It is possible to inform the situation of the emergency occurring on the terminal apparatus side to the emergency center, not only by speech, but also by images, without making any especial operations other than inputting of the telephone number of the emergency center.  
         [0039]    2. If the user of the terminal apparatus is attacked by a thug, the user may be unable to speak. Even in this case the terminal apparatus can be definitely set in the videophone mode.  
         [0040]    3. As the terminal apparatus in the speech communication mode is controlled to be definitely set in the videophone mode, the user in the emergency does not need to confirm whether the mode of the terminal apparatus which is set before calling is the speech communication mode or not.  
         [0041]    The operations are explained again here on the basis of FIG. 2.  
         [0042]    After starting communication with the emergency center, the terminal apparatus detects whether termination of the communication is operated or not (step  114 ) and whether a power supply key is operated or not (step  116 ).  
         [0043]    If the control section  40  detects that either of the operations has been made, the control section  40  makes the LCD  42  display an instruction that the user should input the ID number and waits for inputting of the ID number by the keys  46  (step  118 ).  
         [0044]    The control section  40  detects whether the ID number which the user inputs by the keys  46  matches the ID number stored in the RAM  44  or not (step  120 ). The control section  40  terminates the communication only when the ID numbers match one another (step  122 ).  
         [0045]    The thug, attacking the user of the terminal apparatus, would reflectively terminate the communication with the emergency center by pushing down the termination key or the power supply key of the terminal apparatus.  
         [0046]    In this case, according to the present embodiment, once communication with the emergency center is made, the communication cannot be terminated without confirming the matching of the ID numbers. The communication with the emergency center can be thereby maintained unless the ID number match one another.  
         [0047]    To prevent the videophone mode from being cleared after starting communication with the emergency center, the terminal apparatus comprises a function of inhibiting the change of the videophone mode to the speech communication mode (step  130 ). Thus, the communication with the emergency center in the videophone mode can be certainly maintained.  
         [0048]    Further, it is possible to prevent the communication with the emergency center from being easily disconnected by providing a locking mechanism section for inhibiting detachment of the battery pack after the connection to the emergency center is made besides the above function.  
         [0049]    As for this locking mechanism section, a protruding portion for protruding into a battery chamber when the user calls the emergency center is provided on the housing of the terminal apparatus and a recess portion for fitting with the protruding portion is provided on the battery pack  50 .  
         [0050]    Thus, the protruding portion fits into the recess portion to prevent detachment of the battery pack  50 , and the communication can be thereby maintained. When the communication with the emergency center is terminated, the protruding portion returns to the initial position inside the terminal apparatus from the battery chamber.  
         [0051]    Moreover, the adjustment of the direction of the rotatable camera at step  104  of FIG. 2 can be implemented in structures shown in, for example, FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 shows a state in which the camera  54  faces a front side. FIG. 5 shows a state in which the camera  54  faces a housing side of the terminal apparatus.  
         [0052]    The camera  54  is attached to the terminal apparatus so as to be rotatable by support portions  55  protruding from a housing  60  of the terminal apparatus. A switch  58  is provided on the housing  60  so as to freely protrude from or hide in the housing  60  by a spring or the like.  
         [0053]    The switch  58  protrudes when the camera  54  is capable of shooting, i.e. when the camera  54  faces the front side. On the other hand, when the camera  54  is rotated to face the housing  60  side, the switch  58  is pushed down to the housing  60  by the camera  54  as shown in FIG. 5. As a result, the control section  40  connected to the switch  58  determines that the camera  54  faces the housing side by the operation of the switch  58 .  
         [0054]    The control operation of the terminal apparatus thus constituted will be explained with reference to a flow chart of FIG. 6.  
         [0055]    When the terminal apparatus is in the standby state (step  100 ), the control section  40  detects that the telephone number of the emergency center is inputted (step  102 ). After that, if the camera  54  faces downward to the housing  60  side, the control section  40  detects this condition from the operation of the switch  58  (step  132 ), and allows the LCD  42  to display “ADJUST CAMERA DIRECTION” (step  104 ). Thus the operation shifts to step  106 . On the other hand, if the control section  40  detects from the operation of the switch  58  that the camera  54  faces any other sides than the terminal apparatus side, the control section  40  does not execute the above display, and the operation shifts to step  106  of FIG. 2.  
         [0056]    The above display is not limited to the direction of the camera  54 , but may make the user take notice at any time.  
         [0057]    If a camera is a fixation type, the control section detects whether the fixation type camera is set to be capable of shooting. If the control section detects that the camera is set to be incapable of shooting, the control section may display a request the operator to operate the key for setting the camera to be capable of shooting.  
         [0058]    Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.