Abstract:
An anti-eavesdropping communication system and method are adapted to be applied in a mobile phone. The mobile phone defines a normal call mode and an anti-eavesdropping call mode. When a user of the mobile phone has a phone conversation using an earphone in the anti-eavesdropping call mode, the system plays a preset audio file which is a recording of the voice of the user saying unimportant things. From the position of a bystander, the recording of the voice of the user interferes with the clarity of what the user is actually saying, and prevents people beside the user overhearing or eavesdropping on the actual conversation which is taking place.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The disclosure generally relates to communication systems, particularly to an anti-eavesdropping communication system and an anti-eavesdropping communication method adapted for the system based on a mobile phone. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    When a user of a mobile phone makes a call, people beside the user may easily overhear the content of the conversation. If such overhearing is intentional, it amounts to eavesdropping. 
         [0005]    Therefore, what is needed is a system and a method to overcome the described problems. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a mobile phone including an anti-eavesdropping communication system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of an earphone set used with the mobile phone of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the anti-eavesdropping communication system of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a schematic front plan view of the mobile phone of the exemplary embodiment, showing a mode selecting interface thereof. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is similar to  FIG. 4 , but showing a call interface of the mobile phone. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating an anti-eavesdropping communication method in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a mobile phone including an anti-eavesdropping communication system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. It will be appreciated that the anti-eavesdropping communication system likewise functions as an anti-overhearing communication system. For simplicity, unless the context indicates otherwise, the system described below is referred to as an “anti-eavesdropping communication system.” 
         [0013]    The mobile phone  1  includes a storage unit  10 , an input unit  11 , an earphone interface  12 , a processing unit  13 , a communication unit  14 , a microphone  15 , a speaker  16 , and a display unit  17 . The storage unit  10  stores data, such as a preset audio file. The input unit  11  generates signals in response to user inputs. The earphone interface  12  is for connection to an earphone. In the following description, an earphone set  2  (hereinafter “earphone  2 ”—see  FIG. 2 ) is used as an example. The processing unit  13  controls the working of the mobile phone  1 . The communication unit  14  communicates with a wireless communication system (not shown). The microphone  15  receives sound from a user of the mobile phone  1 . The speaker  16  outputs sound. The display unit  17  displays information. 
         [0014]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the earphone  2  includes two earplugs  21 ,  22 , a microphone  23 , and a plug  24 . When the plug  24  is connected to the earphone interface  12  of the mobile phone  1  and the two earplugs  21 ,  22  are placed in the ears of a user, the user can have a phone conversation using the earphone  2 . When a user is communicating with another party by the mobile phone  1 , the two earplugs  21 ,  22  receive speech from the other party and the microphone  23  receives speech from the user. A distance between the microphone  23  of the earphone  2  and the speaker  16  is long enough to avoid unwanted audio feedback. 
         [0015]    The processing unit  13  includes an anti-eavesdropping communication system  130 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the anti-eavesdropping communication system  130  further includes a setting module  131 , a mode determination module  132 , a prompting module  133 , a detecting module  134 , a call control module  135 , and an output control module  136 . 
         [0016]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the setting module  131  defines a mode selecting interface  20 , and sets an anti-eavesdropping call mode in the mode selecting interface  20  displayed on the display unit  17 . The mode selecting interface  20  includes at least two call modes, such as an anti-eavesdropping call mode and a normal call mode. Either the anti-eavesdropping call mode or the normal call mode can be selected by the user input into the input unit  11 . The normal call mode is set as a default for the mobile phone  1 , thus employing a conventional communication method. For example, when the mobile phone  1  establishes a call link, a receiver (not shown) of the mobile phone  1  receives audio signals from another party, and the microphone  15  receives speech from the user. 
         [0017]    When a user communicates with another party by the mobile phone  1 , the communication unit  14  receives an incoming call or an outgoing call is made via the communication unit  14 . The mode determination module  132  detects a current call mode of the mobile phone  1 , and determines whether or not the current call mode is the anti-eavesdropping call mode. When the current call mode is not the anti-eavesdropping call mode, the prompting module  133  generates a call interface  30  associated with the anti-eavesdropping call mode on the display unit  17 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . In particular, when the communication unit  14  is used for an outgoing call, the call interface  30  includes call information “call one party” and shows an icon  31  associated with the anti-eavesdropping call mode. 
         [0018]    The mode determination module  132  further determines whether or not the anti-eavesdropping call mode associated with the icon  31  is activated by the user. When the anti-eavesdropping call mode is activated in response to user input, it is determined that the anti-eavesdropping call mode is selected. When the anti-eavesdropping call mode is not activated within a preset time period, such as five seconds, the call control module  135  establishes a call link based on the normal call mode, and the user has a phone conversation as normal via the receiver and the microphone  15  of the mobile phone  1 . 
         [0019]    When the current call mode is the anti-eavesdropping call mode or the anti-eavesdropping call mode is activated, the detecting module  134  detects whether or not the mobile phone  1  is connected to the earphone  2 , by determining whether or not the plug  24  of the earphone  2  is inserted into the earphone interface  12  of the mobile phone  1 . If the mobile phone  1  is not connected to the earphone  2 , the call control module  135  establishes a call link based on the normal call mode. If the mobile phone  1  is connected to the earphone  2 , the call control module  135  establishes a call link based on the anti-eavesdropping call mode, and controls the earphone  2  to enable communication with the other party, it is determined that the earphone  2  receives speech from the user of the mobile phone  1  and audio signals from the other party; and the output control module  136  controls the speaker  16  to play the preset audio file in the storage unit  10 . In the embodiment, the preset audio file is a recording of the voice of the user of the mobile phone  1  saying unimportant things. 
         [0020]    Thus, when the speaker  16  plays the preset audio file, people beside the user cannot clearly hear what the user is actually saying as the voice recording played by the speaker  16  effectively provides audible interference. 
         [0021]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating an anti-eavesdropping communication method in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. It will be appreciated that the anti-eavesdropping communication method likewise functions as an anti-overhearing communication method. For simplicity, unless the context indicates otherwise, the method described below is referred to as an “anti-eavesdropping communication method.” 
         [0022]    In a first embodiment, in step S 505 , the setting module  131  defines a mode selecting interface  20 , and sets an anti-eavesdropping call mode in the mode selecting interface  20  on the display unit  17 . 
         [0023]    In step S 510 , when the communication unit  14  receives an incoming call or an outgoing call is made, the mode determination module  132  detects a current call mode of the mobile phone  1 . 
         [0024]    In step S 515 , the mode determination module  132  determines whether or not the current call mode is the anti-eavesdropping call mode. 
         [0025]    In step S 520 , if the current call mode is not the anti-eavesdropping call mode, the prompting module  133  generates the call interface  30  associated with the anti-eavesdropping call mode on the display unit  17 . 
         [0026]    In step S 525 , the mode determination module  132  further determines whether or not the anti-eavesdropping call mode on the call interface  30  is activated in response to user input through the input unit  11 . 
         [0027]    In step S 530 , if the current call mode is the anti-eavesdropping call mode or if the anti-eavesdropping call mode on the call interface  30  is activated, the detecting module  134  detects whether or not the mobile phone  1  is connected to the earphone  2 . 
         [0028]    In step S 535 , if the mobile phone  1  is connected to the earphone  2 , the call control module  135  establishes a call link based on the anti-eavesdropping call mode, controls the earphone  2  to communicate with the other party, and the output control module  136  controls the speaker  16  to play the preset audio file in the storage unit  10 . 
         [0029]    In step S 540 , if the mobile phone  1  is not connected to the earphone  2  or if the anti-eavesdropping call mode on the call interface  30  is not activated, the call control module  135  establishes a call link based on the normal call mode. 
         [0030]    In the first embodiment, the anti-eavesdropping communication system  130  firstly detects the current call mode of the mobile phone  1  and then determines whether or not the mobile phone  1  is connected to the earphone  2 . In a second embodiment, the anti-eavesdropping communication system  130  firstly determines whether or not the mobile phone  1  is connected to the earphone  2  and then detects the current call mode of the mobile phone  1 . In a third embodiment, the anti-eavesdropping communication system  130  only determines whether or not the mobile phone  1  is connected to the earphone  2 . 
         [0031]    In the second embodiment, when the communication unit  14  receives an incoming call or an outgoing call is made, the detecting module  134  firstly detects whether or not the mobile phone  1  is connected to the earphone  2 . If the mobile phone  1  is connected to the earphone  2 , the mode determination module  132  determines whether or not the current call mode is the anti-eavesdropping call mode. If the current call mode is not the anti-eavesdropping call mode, the prompting module  133  generates a call interface  30  associated with the anti-eavesdropping call mode on the display unit  17 . The mode determination module  132  further determines whether or not the anti-eavesdropping call mode on the call interface  30  is activated in response to user input through the input unit  11 . 
         [0032]    If the current call mode is the anti-eavesdropping call mode or if the anti-eavesdropping call mode on the call interface  30  is activated, the call control module  135  establishes a call link based on the anti-eavesdropping call mode, and controls the earphone  2  to enable communication with the other party; and the output control module  136  controls the speaker  16  to play the preset audio file in the storage unit  10 . If the mobile phone  1  is not connected to the earphone  2  or if the anti-eavesdropping call mode on the call interface  30  is not activated, the call control module  135  establishes a call link based on the normal call mode. 
         [0033]    In the third embodiment, when the communication unit  14  receives an incoming call or an outgoing call is made, the detecting module  134  detects whether or not the mobile phone  1  is connected to the earphone  2 . If the mobile phone  1  is connected to the earphone  2 , the call control module  135  establishes a call link based on the anti-eavesdropping call mode, and controls the earphone  2  to enable communication with the other party; and the output control module  136  controls the speaker  16  to play the preset audio file in the storage unit  10 . If the mobile phone  1  is not connected to the earphone  2 , the call control module  135  establishes a call link based on the normal call mode. 
         [0034]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of exemplary embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the exemplary embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.