Mobile communication apparatus

A communication apparatus such as a cellular phone is described in which a control unit judges, when an incoming call is received, whether a sounding unit or a vibrating unit is to be activated for announcing the reception of the incoming call. The control unit determines that the announcing of the reception is prohibited if the mobile communication apparatus is in a roaming area. When the announcing of the reception is prohibited, the control unit sends a message, showing that the reception of the incoming call is unavailable, to a calling party.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-228939, filed Sep. 5, 2008, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a mobile communication apparatus having a roaming function that enables the mobile communication apparatus to use a communication service provided by plurality of telephone carriers.

2. Description of the Related Art

In recent years, a mobile communication apparatus, such as a cellular phone, includes functions to make a phone call and a video-phone call, and to send and receive an email such as a SMS (Short Message Service) and a MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service), when the mobile communication apparatus resides in an area where the mobile communication apparatus can connect to a base station via a radio channel. However, there is an inconvenience that the mobile communication apparatus receives the phone call and/or email even when reception of the message is not desired by a user.

Also, a mobile communication apparatus having the roaming function has been in practice use. For example, it is assumed that a user travels abroad bringing his/her cellular phone with a roaming function. In this case, if the cellular phone receives a phone call from another cellular phone in a home country and makes a phone communication with a user of the another cellular phone, both the calling user and called user bear the cost of the communication. However, if the user sets the cellular phone to refuse any reception without condition while the user is in a foreign country, a calling party has no idea when an outgoing call should be executed. Therefore, the calling party has to try to make outgoing calls many times.

As for a technique that restricts reception of an incoming call and email reception, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 10-173772 (Hirose et al) describes a communication terminal which allows for reception of the incoming communication from a specific person and within a specific time frame. Also, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2007-221593 (Watanabe) describes a reception control apparatus that refuses an incoming communication except when the incoming communication is received within a specific time frame, and further automatically adjusts a clock to a foreign time and controls the incoming based on the adjusted clock.

However, to avoid an unintentional incoming communication and to deter an occurrence of a calling rate while roaming, it is important to inform the caller that the apparatus resides in the roaming area and no reception is acceptable except for the specific time frame.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a mobile communication apparatus that includes a control unit that detects whether the mobile communication apparatus is in a roaming area when an incoming call is received, prohibits the mobile communication terminal from outputting an announcement indicating the reception of the incoming call when it is detected that the mobile communication apparatus is in the roaming area, and sends a message showing that the reception of the incoming call is unavailable to a calling party.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As an example of a communication apparatus, a cellular phone1is described in this embodiment.FIG. 1shows an exemplary arrangement of the cellular phone1.

As shown inFIG. 1, the cellular phone1is composed of a first housing2and a second housing3, and both housings are rotatably connected via a hinge unit6. Also, inside of the cellular phone1, an antenna (an antenna21inFIG. 3) is installed for communicating with a base station.

The front surface of the first housing2, for example, is equipped with a key pad4which may includes digit keys from 0 to 9 for inputting numbers and characters, a send key for making an outgoing call, a redial key, a power key for turning on and off the cellular phone1, a clear key, and a menu key. Also, side keys5are installed on the side surface of the first housing2, such that a user can manipulate the side keys5even when the cellular phone1is in the closed state. A user may input plural instructions by manipulating the key pad4and the side keys5. This listing of keys is exemplary, and those skilled in the art would appreciate that additional keys may be present.

Also, a microphone7for capturing a voice is installed at a lower portion of the key pad4.

Furthermore, there is a battery space on a back surface of the cellular phone1to accommodate a battery9. Electric power is supplied to each circuit from the battery9when the cellular phone1is turned on in response to depression of the power key.

A front surface of the second housing3is equipped with a display unit10for displaying mail messages, web information, and a menu screen in addition to a reception condition (RSSI) of a radio signal from the base station and a remaining battery level. The display unit10may be an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or OEL (Organic Electro Luminescence) display.

Also, a speaker8for outputting a voice is installed at an upper portion of the display unit10. Furthermore, a sub-display for displaying the reception condition and the remaining battery level may be installed on the back surface of the second housing3.

FIG. 2is a block diagram showing an inner composition of the cellular phone1.

The radio signal from a base station is received by the antenna21, and thereafter the radio signal is inputted to a reception circuit (RX)23via a duplexer (DUP)22. The DUP22mixes the radio signal with a local oscillation signal outputted from a frequency synthesizer (SYN)24, and generates an intermediate frequency signal. The intermediate frequency signal is orthogonally demodulated into a baseband signal by the RX23.

The SYN24is controlled by a control signal SYC outputted from a control unit31.

The baseband signal outputted from RX23is inputted to a CDMA signal processor26. The CDMA signal processor26despreads the baseband signal by using a spreading code and generates a plurality of packets. Each packet may contain one of moving picture data, still picture data, music data, speech data, message data, and control data. If the packet contains moving picture data, still picture data, music data, or speech data, the packet is inputted to a compressing/decompressing unit27.

The compressing/decompressing unit27may be a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) and may include multiplexing/demultiplexing module, a speech/audio coding module, and a video coding module. When the compressing/decompressing unit27receives the packet from the CDMA signal processor26, the moving picture data, the still picture data, the music data, and the speech data is divided by the multiplexing/demultiplexing module. Subsequently, the moving picture data and the still picture data are decoded by the video coding module to generate digital video picture data or digital still picture data, and the music data and the speech data are decoded by the speech/audio coding module to generate digital music data or digital speech data.

The digital video picture data and the digital still picture data are inputted to the control unit31and, under the control of the control unit31, are displayed on the display unit10. The digital music data and the digital speech data are inputted to a PCM codec28. Thereafter, the digital music data and the digital speech data are amplified by an amplifier29and output to the speaker8.

On the other hand, the user's voice captured by the microphone7is amplified by an amplifier30, and thereafter converted into digital speech data by the PCM codec28. The digital speech data is inputted to the compressing/decompressing unit27. Text data such as an email data generated by the control unit31also inputted to the compressing/decompressing unit27.

The speech/audio coding module of the compressing/decompressing unit27codes the digital speech data from the PCM codec28and generates speech data to be transmitted. Also, digital moving data outputted from the control unit31is coded by the video coding module of the compressing/decompressing unit27and moving data is generated. The generated speech data and moving data are multiplexed by the multiplexer, and thereafter packetized by the compressing/decompressing unit27. The packets generated by the compressing/decompressing unit27are inputted to the CDMA signal processor26.

The CDMA signal processor26spreads the packets outputted from the compressing/decompressing unit27by using a spreading code assigned to a transmission channel, and generates a transmission signal. The transmission signal is inputted to a transmission circuit (TX)25. The TX25modulates the transmission signal according to a digital modulation method such as a QPSK (Quadrature Phase Shift Keying) method, and thereafter frequency converts the modulated transmission signal into radio signal based on the local oscillation signal outputted from the SYN24. Thereafter, under the control of the control unit31, the radio signal is amplified to a given transmission power level by the TX25. The amplified radio signal is inputted to the antenna21via the DUP22, and transmitted to the base station.

The control unit31is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and other electronic circuits. The CPU executes plural processing according to programs stored in the ROM and application programs loaded to the ROM from a memory unit32, generates control signals, and transmits the control signal to each circuit. Thus, the control unit31controls the entire cellular phone1. The ROM stores data the CPU uses to execute processing. Also, the control unit31is equipped with a video-RAM to store image data to be displayed on the display unit10.

The memory unit32may be a Flash memory such as a nonvolatile memory with electrically rewritable and erasable or a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and stores plural application programs and data to be executed by the CPU of the control unit31.

A clock generator (Timer)39periodically supplies signal to the control unit31. The control unit31may use the signal from the clock generator39to manage a clock.

The power circuit34generates the electric power based on the voltage output of the battery9and supplies the electric power to each circuit.

Next, with reference toFIGS. 3A and 3B, functions executed by the control unit31are explained.FIG. 3Ashows the functions executed when the cellular phone1receives an incoming call and an email message.FIG. 3Bshows the functions when the cellular phone1makes an outgoing call and sends an email.

As shown inFIG. 3A, the control unit31includes a notification control function80, a mail sending function81, a call reception function82, an incoming notification function83, an area detection function84, a time detection function85, a calling unit detection function86, a notification function87, an announcing function88, a changing function89, a displaying function91, a sounding function93, and a vibrating function94. On the other hand, as shown inFIG. 3B, the control unit31includes the notification control function80, the incoming notification function83, a prohibition notification function90, the displaying function91, a roaming information displaying function92, the sounding function93, the vibrating function94, and an email reception function95. These functions may be realized by either a software product or a hardware product or a combination of both software and hardware.

The email sending function81is configured to send an email to another apparatus such as a cellular phone, personal computer, etc.

The call reception function82is configured to inform the notification control function80that an incoming call or email is received.

The incoming notification function83is configured to instruct the sounding function93, the vibrating function94, or the displaying function91to inform a user of the reception of an incoming call or email in response to an instruction from the notification control function80. The incoming notification function83may instruct two or more functions in the sounding function93, the vibrating function94, and the displaying function91for notification according to a user's setting.

The area detection function84is configured to inform the notification control function80of a country to which the cellular phone1is located and/or a carrier code. The country code and the carrier code are contained in a radio signal transmitted from a base station.

The time detection function85is configured to inform the notification control function80of a present local time based on time information of the clock or a standard time contained in a radio signal transmitted from a base station.

The calling unit detection function86is configured to detect calling party information such as a telephone number or an email address contained in a paging signal from a base station when an incoming call or email addressing the cellular phone1occurs, and inform the notification control function80of the telephone number or the email address.

The notification function87is configured to transmit information that the cellular phone1is in a roaming state, a notification that an incoming call or email is invalidated, and the reason for this invalidation to a calling party in response to an instruction from the notification control function80.

The announcing function88is configured to announce that the cellular phone1is in a roaming state and provide a notification that an incoming call or email is invalidated, and the reason for this invalidation, to the calling party by the notification function87in response to an instruction from the notification control function80.

The changing function89is configured to set one of allowance and prohibition of the notification of an incoming call and/or email by outputting a sound or vibration in response to an instruction from the notification control function80.

The prohibition notification function90is configured to instruct the incoming notification function83to inform, via an output of sound or vibration, that the cellular phone1is in a roaming state and the notification is invalidated.

The roaming information displaying function92is configured to instruct the displaying function91to display information contained in a transmitted email, for example, when a called cellular phone is in a roaming state.

The sounding function93is configured to control the speaker8to output an alarm sound, a melody, or an audio guidance to inform the user in response to a notification from the incoming notification function83.

The vibrating function94is configured to activate the vibrator35to inform the user in response to a notification from the incoming notification function83.

The email reception function95is configured to inform the incoming notification function83that an email is received.

Needless to say, the cellular phone1may include all, or a portion of, the functions described inFIGS. 3A and 3B.

FIG. 4shows an exemplary network composition to realize a roaming communication over networks, each belongs different telecommunication carriers. As shown inFIG. 4, a cellular phone50and a cellular phone51communicate over the networks. Each network52or53includes a base station54or55, control equipment56or57, switching equipment58or59, and message storing equipment60or61.

The exchanging equipment manages line connections in the network or over the networks, and controls the circuit switching service. The control equipment manages location information where a cellular phone resides, and controls the exchanging equipment to establish a line to the called cellular phone in response to reception of an outgoing call. The message storing equipment temporarily stores email and voicemail. The base station converts information signals received from the network into radio signals and transmits the radio signals to the cellular phone and vise versa.

Next, with reference toFIG. 5, a reception control processing executed by the cellular phone51, which receives an incoming call from the cellular phone50, will be described.

If an outgoing call to the cellular phone51in a roaming network is made by the cellular phone50in a home network, the outgoing call is received by the control equipment56via the base station54, and a procedure to establish a communication link is executed by the control equipment56and the control equipment57.

Initially, at step S101, the cellular phone51is in a stand-by state after synchronizing with a base station. After a communication link is established, the outgoing call is received by the cellular phone51as an incoming call (Step S102). If the incoming call is received by the cellular phone51, the area detection function84of the cellular phone51extracts the country code and the carrier code from the incoming call and compares the extracted country code and the carrier code with a home country code and a home carrier code stored in a memory unit32in step S103. If one of the extracted country code and carrier code do not coincide with the home country code and the home carrier code, the process goes to Step S104. In step S104, the time detection function83obtains a present time based on the signal outputted from the clock generator39. Thereafter, in step S105, the notification control function80checks whether the present time is within a preset time period which is a rejection condition of the incoming call and the reception of email set by a user. If the present time is within the preset time period, the notification control function80further checks whether a calling party contained in the incoming call coincides with any one of preset parties in the memory unit32in step S106. The preset parties in the memory unit32are set by the user, and an incoming call and an email containing a party in coincidence with any one of the preset parties is always receivable. If the calling party does not coincide with any one of the preset parties, the process goes to step S107, then the changing function89sets the prohibition of the notification and the notification control function80sends no instruction to the sounding function93and the vibrating function94. On the other hand, if the extracted country code and carrier code coincide with the stored country code and carrier code, the present time is not within the preset time period, or the calling party coincides with any one of the preset parties, the process goes to step S108.

Incidentally, in step S103, the notification control function80may compare the extracted country code and carrier code with a country code and a carrier code to detect whether the cellular phone51is located in the area to reject the reception of the incoming call and the email. If at least one of the extracted country code and the carrier code coincide with the country code and the carrier code in the memory, the notification control function80recognizes that the cellular phone51is located in the area to reject the reception, then the process goes to step S104.

Also, in the above example, both the time and the calling party are checked in steps S105and S106. However, either step S105or step106can be omitted.

In step S108, the incoming notification function83of the cellular phone51instructs at least one of the sounding function93, the vibrating function94, and the displaying function91to inform a user of the reception of the incoming call. When the user answers the incoming call by depressing the send key in the key pad4, in step S110, a speech communication is made between the cellular phone50and the cellular phone51after a speech communication link is established between the cellular phone50and base station which transmits the incoming call, in step S113, then the control unit31waits for the termination of the speech communication, in step S114. If a user of the cellular phone50or the user of the cellular phone51hangs up, the speech communication link is released, in step S112, and the cellular phone51goes to a stand-by state, in step S115. Also, in step S111, if the user of the cellular phone50terminates the outgoing call while the user does not answer the incoming call the process goes to step S115.

On the other hand, after step S107, the notification function87of the cellular phone51, in response to an instruction from the notification control function80, sends to the cellular phone50an email showing the caller that the cellular phone51is in a roaming state, or it's bad time to receive a call. For example, the email may contain a message that “I cannot receive a call since I'm not staying at home.”, “The local time here is 12:00 a.m.”, or “Please call me between 23:00-8:30.” Then, the announcing function88, in response to an instruction from the notification control function80, displays a message that the email has been sent to the calling party on the display unit10, in step S109. The message may include information, such as a calling party's name, a telephone number, and a reception data and time. Thereafter, the same steps S110through S115described above follow.

Above example shows the case that the cellular phone50makes the phone call to the cellular phone51. However, if the cellular phone50sends an email, such as a SMS (Short Message Service) using a circuit switching protocol, to the cellular phone51, the email, showing the caller that the cellular phone51is in a roaming state, or it's bad time to receive a call, can be transmitted via a circuit line established according to the circuit switching protocol. In this case, the cellular phone51does not need to establish the circuit line for sending the email. Therefore, a network load can be reduced.

The above description shows an example in which the cellular phone51sends the email for rejecting the incoming call. However, an audio guidance may be reproduced for informing a calling party that a called party is in a roaming state, or it's bad time for the called party to receive a call. In this case, the audio guidance is recorded in the message storing equipment60by the user of the cellular phone51, and the audio guidance may be reproduced when the cellular phone51does not answer an incoming call for a predetermined time period.

Next, with reference toFIG. 6, another embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the email showing that the cellular phone51is in a roaming state, or it's bad time to receive a call is transmitted according to a paging time period.

In step S209, the notification control function80judges whether paging duration exceeds a predetermined time period and whether the email showing that the called party is in a roaming state, or it's bad time for the called party to receive a call has been sent to the calling party. If the paging duration exceeds the predetermined time period and the email has been sent to the calling party, the process goes to step S210, then the email is sent to the cellular phone50and the message that an email has sent to the calling party is displayed on the display unit10. On the other hand, if the paging duration does not exceed the predetermined time period or the email has never sent to the calling party, the process goes to step S211, then the control unit31waits for the depression of the send key or hanging up the cellular phone50.

Incidentally, after the email has been sent to the cellular phone50in step S210, the control unit31of the cellular phone51may hang up automatically.

Also, if the outgoing call from the cellular phone50can convey a signal about whether emergency or not, the notification control function80of the cellular phone51may determine whether the email, showing that the called party is in a roaming state, or it's bad time for the called party to receive a call, should be sent based on the signal.

Thus, since the cellular phone51does not send the email in response to all incoming call from the cellular hone50, the user of the cellular phone51saves communication fees, and a network load can be reduced.

Next, with reference toFIG. 7, a process performed by the cellular phone50, which receives the email, showing that the called party is in a roaming state, or it's bad time for the called party to receive a call, will be described.

In step S301, when the call reception function82of the control unit31detects that an email, showing that the called party is in a roaming state, or it's bad time for the called party to receive a call, is received, the control unit31checks whether the outgoing call remains, in step S302. If the outgoing call remains, in step S303, the notification control function80checks whether the cellular phone51is in the roaming state. When the notification control function80detects that the cellular phone51is in the roaming state, the incoming notification function83instructs the sounding function93or the vibrating function94inform a user of the cellular phone50a reception of the email with a specific or predetermined sound or vibrating pattern, in step S304. In this case, the notification control function80may instruct the displaying function91to display a message contained in the received mail on the display unit10.

If the email sent from the cellular phone51contains a flag indicating a roaming state, the notification control function80of the cellular phone50can detect that the cellular phone51is in the roaming state by checking the flag. The notification control function80of the cellular phone50may detect that the cellular phone51is in the roaming state by comparing address information contained in the outgoing call with address information contained in the received mail, or by comparing address information stored in the memory unit32as a phone book with the address information in the received mail. Furthermore, the notification control function80may detect that the cellular phone51is in the roaming state merely when the email is received from the cellular phone51. Thereafter, the process goes to step S306, and notification by the sounding function93or the vibrating function94finished when a predetermined notification period has elapsed.

If the outgoing call remains (No in step S302) or the cellular phone51is not in the roaming state (No in step S303), then, in step S305the notification control function80of the cellular phone50instructs the displaying function91, the sounding function93, or the vibrating function94in accordance with a predetermined setting for each address information. After appropriately announcing the reception of the email, the announcing process ends at S306.

Thus, the user of the cellular phone50can acknowledge the reason why the calling party does not answer the outgoing call.

In the above description, the cellular phone1is used to explain the embodiment. However, this invention can be applied to a PDA (personal Digital Assistance), a wired apparatus such as a land phone. Also, the cellular phone may be a slidable cellular phone or a bar-type cellular phone.

Furthermore, this invention can apply to a cellular phone which roams between telecommunication carriers in a domestic area.