Abstract:
The present invention provides a shared phone, a medium having recorded therein a program for controlling the shared phone, and a method for controlling the shared phone, which can make the shared use by a plurality of users easy. The shared phone switches phone numbers depending on users, and includes a user information storage unit that stores user information including phone numbers for each user, a public line communication unit that performs public line communication, and registers phone numbers stored in the user information storage unit to a public line, and detects an incoming call to a registered phone number, a display unit that, in case an incoming call is detected by the public line communication unit, displays user information corresponding to the incoming call from among user information stored by the user information storage unit, and an operation unit that accepts instruction for public line communication from a user, and sends the instruction to the public line communication unit.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a shared phone that is shared by plural users, in which plural phone numbers are registered. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Recently, as cellular phones are widely diffused, there are many phone users who use both a company-owned cellular phone and a personal cellular phone. On the other hand, it is troublesome for an individual phone user to carry about plural cellular phones and make full use of both the company-owned cellular phone and personal cellular phone. Furthermore, it costs a great deal for a company to allocate company-owned cellular phones to all the individuals. 
         [0005]    As a related art relevant to the present invention, there is known a patent document 1 disclosed in JP. Pat. Application. Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-111810. In the patent document 1, there is disclosed a compound cellular phone that has a plurality of reception/transmission units, and phone numbers are assigned to the respective reception/transmission units, which makes it possible to use a single cellular phone for both personal use and business use. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    However, when it is attempted to reduce the number of company-owned cellular phones and allocate a cellular phone to plural employees, it becomes unclear who uses the cellular phone and whom an incoming call to the cellular phone is directed to, which makes the cellular phone inconvenient. 
         [0007]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks by providing a shared phone, a medium having recorded therein a program for controlling the shared phone, and a method for controlling the shared phone, which can make the shared use by a plurality of users easy. 
         [0008]    According to the present invention, there is provided a shared phone that switches phone numbers depending on users, including: a user information storage unit that stores user information including phone numbers for each user; a public line communication unit that performs public line communication, and registers phone numbers stored in the user information storage unit to a public line, and detects an incoming call to a registered phone number; a display unit that, in case an incoming call is detected by the public line communication unit, displays user information corresponding to the incoming call from among user information stored by the user information storage unit; and an operation unit that accepts instruction for public line communication from a user, and sends the instruction to the public line communication unit. 
         [0009]    According to the shared phone of the present invention, in case of originating a call to the public line, the display unit displays user information stored by the user information storage unit, the operation unit accepts, from a user, selection of user information of the origination source and input of information of the origination destination from among the user information, and the public line communication unit originates a call using the public line in accordance with information of the origination source and of the destination acquired from the operation unit. 
         [0010]    The shared phone further includes, an intra-area radio communication unit that performs radio communication with a radio communication device that has stored therein the user information in advance, wherein the intra-area radio communication unit detects the radio communication device located in a predetermined area, and takes in the user information from thus detected radio communication device by way of radio communication, and makes the user information storage unit store the user information. 
         [0011]    According to the shared phone of the present invention, in case radio communication with the detected radio communication device is cut off, the intra-area radio communication unit deletes user information stored in the user information storage unit. 
         [0012]    According to the shared phone of the present invention, the shared phone is a cellular phone. 
         [0013]    According to the present invention, there is provided a medium that has recorded therein, readably by a computer, a shared phone control program that makes a shared phone computer perform control for a shared phone that switches phone numbers depending on users, the shared phone control program making a computer perform the steps including: a user information storage step that stores user information including phone numbers for each user; a phone number registration step that registers phone numbers stored in the user information storage step to a public line; an incoming call detection step that detects an incoming call from the public line; a display step that, in case an incoming call to the phone number is detected in the incoming call detection step, displays user information corresponding to the incoming call from among user information stored in the user information storage step; an operation step that accepts instruction for public line communication from a user; and a public line communication step that performs public line communication in accordance with the instruction acquired in the operation step. 
         [0014]    According to the medium that has recorded therein a shared phone control program, in case of originating a call to the public line, the display step displays user information stored in the user information storage step, and the operation step accepts, from a user, selection of user information of the origination source and input of information of the destination from among the user information, and the public line communication step originates a call using the public line in accordance with information of the origination source and of the destination acquired in the operation step. 
         [0015]    The medium that has recorded therein a shared phone control program, prior to the user information storage step, makes a computer perform a user information take-in step that detects a radio communication device which has stored therein the user information in advance in a predetermined area, and takes in the user information from thus detected radio communication device by way of radio communication, and makes the user information storage step store the user information. 
         [0016]    The medium that has recorded therein a shared phone control program, in case radio communication with the detected radio communication device is cut off, further performs a user information deletion step that deletes user information stored in the user information storage step. 
         [0017]    According to the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling a shared phone that performs control for a shared phone that switches phone numbers depending on users, the method performing the steps including: a user information storage step that stores user information including phone numbers for each user; a phone number registration step that registers phone numbers stored in the user information storage step to a public line; an incoming call detection step that detects an incoming call from the public line; a display step that, in case an incoming call to the phone number is detected in the incoming call detection step, displays user information corresponding to the incoming call from among user information stored in the user information storage step; an operation step that accepts instruction for public line communication from a user; and a public line communication step that performs public line communication in accordance with the instruction acquired in the operation step. 
         [0018]    According to the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling a shared phone that performs control for a shared phone that switches phone numbers depending on users who carry about a radio communication device, the method performing the steps including: a user information transmission step that, in the radio communication device, stores user information including phone numbers in advance, and transmits the user information to the shared phone; a user information take-in step that, in the shared phone, detects the radio communication device located in a predetermined area, and takes in the user information from thus detected radio communication device by way of radio communication; a user information storage step that, in the shared phone, stores user information taken in by a radio communication step in the area; a phone number registration step that, in the shared phone, registers phone numbers stored in the user information storage step to a public line; an incoming call detection step that, in the shared phone, detects an incoming call from the public line; a display step that, in the shared phone, in case an incoming call to the phone number is detected in the incoming call detection step, displays user information corresponding to the incoming call from among user information stored in the user information storage step; an operation step that, in the shared phone, accepts instruction for public line communication from a user; and a public line communication step that, in the shared phone, performs public line communication in accordance with the instruction acquired in the operation step. 
         [0019]    According to the method for controlling a shared phone, in case of originating a call to the public line, the display step displays user information stored in the user information storage step, and the operation step accepts, from a user, selection of user information of the origination source and input of information of the destination from among the user information, and the public line communication step originates a call using the public line in accordance with information of the origination source and of the destination acquired in the operation step. 
         [0020]    The method for controlling a shared phone, in case radio communication with the detected radio communication device is cut off, further performs a user information deletion step that deletes user information stored in the user information storage step. 
         [0021]    According to the present invention, a plurality of users can use the shared phone using their respective phone numbers. The shared phone displays information of the origination source and of the destination, which can facilitate the shared use by a plurality of users. Since a radio communication device such as a personal cellular phone having stored therein user information and a shared phone carry out short-range radio communication, when a user carrying about the radio communication device comes close to the shared phone, the user comes to be able to use the shared phone easily. In case the shared phone is a shared cellular phone, when a first user who used the shared cellular phone up to then hands over the shared cellular phone to a second user who will use the shared cellular phone next, and the first user gets away from the shared cellular phone, the second user comes to be able to use the shared cellular phone with the second user&#39;s phone number. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  shows a block diagram indicative of one example of the configuration of a communication system using a shared cellular phone according to the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  shows a block diagram indicative of one example of the configuration of the shared cellular phone according to the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  shows a block diagram indicative of one example of the configuration of a personal cellular phone according to the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  shows a sequence diagram indicative of one example of the operation of registering the personal cellular phone by the shared cellular phone according to the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  shows a sequence diagram indicative of one example of the operation of deleting registration of the personal cellular phone by the shared cellular phone according to the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 6  shows a sequence diagram indicative of one example of the operation of receiving an incoming call by the shared cellular phone according to the present invention; and 
           [0028]      FIG. 7  shows a sequence diagram indicative of one example of the operation of origination from the shared cellular phone according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0029]    An embodiment according to the present invention will further be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0030]    In the embodiment, as an example of a shared phone, a shared cellular phone will be explained. 
         [0031]    Firstly, the configuration of a communication system using a shared cellular phone according to the present invention will be explained. 
         [0032]      FIG. 1  shows a block diagram indicative of one example of the configuration of a communication system using a shared cellular phone according to the present invention. In this communication system, there is arranged a public line  1 , to which an intended-party&#39;s phone  2  and a base station  3  are connected. Furthermore, a shared cellular phone  4  is connected to the base station  3  through a radio line. The shared cellular phone  4  can perform communication with the public line  1  by way of radio communication, and in addition, can perform short-range radio communication by way of radio communication of another system. As shown in  FIG. 1 , when a personal cellular phone  6  is located in a short-range radio communication area  5  of the shared cellular phone  4 , the personal cellular phone  6  and the shared cellular phone  4  can perform short-range radio communication. 
         [0033]      FIG. 2  shows a block diagram indicative of one example of the configuration of the shared cellular phone  4  according to the present invention. The shared cellular phone  4  includes a control unit  11  that controls a public radio communication unit  13 , a short-range radio communication unit  14 , a user information storage unit  16 , and an intended-party&#39;s information storage unit  17 . The user information storage unit  16  takes in and stores user information from the personal cellular phone  6 , which information is that of each user of the personal cellular phone  6 . The user information is a phone number that a corresponding user uses with the shared cellular phone  4 , a user name for display, etc. The intended-party&#39;s information storage unit  17  has a function of an address book that stores intended-party&#39;s information which is information of an intended-party registered in advance. The intended-party&#39;s information is a phone number and a name of the intended-party. The public radio communication unit  13  performs radio communication with the base station  3  to make a connection to the public line  1  using a phone number. The short-range radio communication unit  14  makes a connection to the personal cellular phone  6  located in the short-range radio communication area  5  by way of radio communication. The shared cellular phone  4  further includes a display unit  18  that displays information sent from the control unit  11 , and an operation unit  19  that sends operation of a user to the control unit  11 . The short-range radio communication area  5  is an area in which the short-range radio communication unit  14  can perform radio communication. 
         [0034]      FIG. 3  shows a block diagram indicative of one example of the configuration of the personal cellular phone  6  according to the present invention. In  FIG. 3 , parts or components similar to those shown in  FIG. 2  are indicated with the same reference numerals, and detailed explanation of which will be omitted. Different from the shared cellular phone  4 , the personal cellular phone  6  includes a control unit  21  instead of the control unit  11 , and a user information storage unit  26  instead of the user information storage unit  16 . The control unit  21  controls the public radio communication unit  13 , short-range radio communication unit  14 , user information storage unit  26 , and intended-party&#39;s information storage unit  17 . The user information storage unit  26  stores a phone number that the user of the personal cellular phone  6  uses with the shared cellular phone  4  in advance. 
         [0035]    Next, the operation of the shared cellular phone  4  according to the present invention will be explained. 
         [0036]      FIG. 4  shows a sequence diagram indicative of one example of the operation of registering the personal cellular phone  6  by the shared cellular phone  4  according to the present invention. In the shared cellular phone  4 , the short-range radio communication unit  14  periodically detects the personal cellular phone  6  located in the short-range radio communication area  5 , and when the session of short-range radio communication with the personal cellular phone  6  is established, this sequence is started. 
         [0037]    In the shared cellular phone  4 , the control unit  11  transmits user information requirement from the short-range radio communication unit  14  to the personal cellular phone  6  (T 11 ). The user information includes a phone number that the user of the personal cellular phone  6  uses with the shared cellular phone  4 . Next, in the personal cellular phone  6 , when the short-range radio communication unit  14  receives the user information requirement, the control unit  21  takes in user information from the user information storage unit  26 , and transmits the user information from the short-range radio communication unit  14  to the shared cellular phone  4  as a response (T 12 ). Next, in the shared cellular phone  4 , when receiving the user information, the control unit  11  registers the user information to the user information storage unit  16  (T 13 ). 
         [0038]    Next, in the shared cellular phone  4 , the control unit  11  transmits standby registration requirement with a phone number registered in the user information storage unit  16  from the public radio communication unit  13  to the base station  3  (T 21 ). Then, the base station  3  performs standby registration so that origination to the required phone number comes into the shared cellular phone  4 , and transmits a response to the shared cellular phone  4  (T 22 ). Next, in the shared cellular phone  4 , when the public radio communication unit  13  receives the response of the standby registration, the control unit  11  transmits a notice of registration completion from the short-range radio communication unit  14  to the personal cellular phone  6  (T 23 ), and the sequence is ended. 
         [0039]    When the above-described registration is carried out every time the personal cellular phone  6  enters into the short-range radio communication area  5 , a plurality of personal cellular phones  6  can be registered. 
         [0040]      FIG. 5  shows a sequence diagram indicative of one example of the operation of deleting registration of the personal cellular phone  6  by the shared cellular phone  4  according to the present invention. In the shared cellular phone  4 , when the session of short-range radio communication with the personal cellular phone  6  is cut off, this sequence is started. When the personal cellular phone  6  goes out of the short-range radio communication area  5 , the session is cut off. 
         [0041]    In the shared cellular phone  4 , the control unit  11  transmits standby cessation requirement with a phone number corresponding to the personal cellular phone  6  whose session is cut off from the public radio communication unit  13  to the base station  3  (T 31 ). Then, the base station  3  performs standby cessation, and transmits a response of the standby cessation to the shared cellular phone  4  (T 32 ). Next, in the shared cellular phone  4 , when the public radio communication unit  13  receives the response of the standby cessation, the control unit  11  deletes user information that underwent the standby cessation from the user information storage unit  16  (T 33 ), and the sequence is ended. 
         [0042]      FIG. 6  shows a sequence diagram indicative of one example of the operation of receiving an incoming call by the shared cellular phone  4  according to the present invention. When the intended-party&#39;s phone  2  originates a call to one of phone numbers registered in the shared cellular phone  4 , this sequence is started. 
         [0043]    Firstly, the intended-party&#39;s phone  2  notifies the base station  3  of origination to one of phone numbers registered in the shared cellular phone  4  (T 51 ). Next, the base station  3  notifies the shared cellular phone  4  of incoming of a call (T 52 ). Next, in the shared cellular phone  4 , when the public radio communication unit  13  receives an incoming call, the control unit  11  takes in user information of a user corresponding to the destination from the user information storage unit  16  (T 61 ). Next, in the shared cellular phone  4 , the control unit  11  takes in intended-party&#39;s information corresponding to the source of origination, if any, from the intended-party&#39;s information storage unit  17  (T 62 ). 
         [0044]    Next, in the shared cellular phone  4 , the control unit  11  makes the display unit  18  display intended-party&#39;s information of the origination source and user information of the destination (T 63 ). At this time, for example, the display unit  18  displays “A phone call from Mr. OO to Mr. XX”. The part “Mr. OO” is intended-party&#39;s information of the origination source, which is a name or a phone number stored in the intended-party&#39;s information storage unit  17 . On the other hand, the part “Mr. XX” is user information of the destination, which is a name or a phone number stored in the user information storage unit  16 . Next, in the shared cellular phone  4 , when the user performs the off-hook operation by means of the operation unit  19 , the control unit  11  notifies the base station  3  of the off-hook operation from the public radio communication unit  13 , and talking on the phone is started (T 64 ), and the sequence is ended. 
         [0045]      FIG. 7  shows a sequence diagram indicative of one example of the operation of origination from the shared cellular phone  4  according to the present invention. When one of the users using the shared cellular phone  4  performs the operation of origination by means of the operation unit  19 , this sequence is started. 
         [0046]    In the shared cellular phone  4 , the control unit  11  takes in a list of user information from the user information storage unit  16  and makes the display unit  18  display the list of user information, and the user selects user information by means of the operation unit  19  in case a plurality of users are registered to determine a phone number of thus selected user information as a phone number of the origination source (T 71 ). In case one item of user information is registered in the user information storage unit  16 , the control unit  11  determines a phone number of registered user information as a phone number of the origination source. Next, in the shared cellular phone  4 , when the user directly inputs a phone number or the user selects intended-party&#39;s information in the intended-party&#39;s information storage unit  17 , the operation unit  19  determines a phone number of the destination being a phone number of the intended-party&#39;s phone  2  (T 72 ). Next, in the shared cellular phone  4 , the control unit  11  notifies the base station  3  of origination using a phone number of the origination source and a phone number of the destination (T 73 ). Next, the base station  3  notifies the intended-party&#39;s phone  2  of incoming of a call in accordance with a phone number of the destination (T 81 ). Next, when the user of the intended-party&#39;s phone  2  performs the off-hook operation, the intended-party&#39;s phone  2  notifies the base station  3  of the off-hook operation, and talking on the phone is started (T 82 ), and the sequence is ended. 
         [0047]    Under above-described operation, a plurality of users can use the shared cellular phone  4  using their respective phone numbers. Furthermore, when a user comes close to the shared cellular phone  4  with the personal cellular phone  6  carried about thereby, the user comes to be able to use the shared cellular phone  4 . Moreover, when a first user who used the shared cellular phone  4  hands over the shared cellular phone  4  to a second user, the second user comes to be able to use the shared cellular phone  4  with the second user&#39;s phone number. 
         [0048]    For example, when the radius of the short-range radio communication area  5  is set to be several meters, a user of the personal cellular phone  6  who is located in a specific room comes to be able to use the shared cellular phone  4 . On the other hand, when the radius of the short-range radio communication area  5  is set to be dozens of centimeters, only a user of the personal cellular phone  6  who is located in close proximity to or has the shared cellular phone  4  comes to be able to use the shared cellular phone  4 . The size of the short-range radio communication area  5  can be made adjustable. 
         [0049]    In the embodiment, as a shared phone, a cellular phone is employed. On the other hand, as a shared phone, a fixed phone may be employed. In the embodiment, a personal cellular phone is employed. On the other hand, a device that can perform short-range radio communication and can transmit user information stored in advance to a shared phone, such as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), IC tag, etc. may be employed. Furthermore, in the embodiment, the shared cellular phone  4  takes in user information from outside using the short-range radio communication unit  14  and resisters thus taken in user information to the user information storage unit  16 . On the other hand, the user information may be registered to the user information storage unit  16  from the operation unit  19 , in which case the short-range radio communication unit  14  may be omitted. 
         [0050]    Furthermore, a program that makes the above-described steps be executed in a computer configuring a shared phone can be provided as a shared phone control program. When being stored in a recording medium which is readable by a computer, the above-described program can be executed by a computer configuring a shared phone. The recording medium which is readable by a computer may be an internal storage or a ROM, a RAM, etc. that is internally arranged in a computer, a mobile storage medium or a CD-ROM, a flexible disc, a DVD disc, a magneto optical disc, an IC card, etc., a database that has retained therein a computer program, or other computers and their database, and may further include a transmission medium on a line. 
         [0051]    An intra-area radio communication unit corresponds to the short-range radio communication unit  14  in this embodiment. A user information storage step corresponds to the processing T 13  in this embodiment. A phone number registration step corresponds to the processing T 21  in this embodiment. An incoming call detection step corresponds to the processing T 52  in this embodiment. A display step corresponds to the processing T 63 , T 71 , T 72  in this embodiment. An operation step corresponds to the processing T 63 , T 71 , T 72  in this embodiment. A user information take-in step corresponds to the processing T 11 , T 12  in this embodiment. A user information deletion step corresponds to the processing T 33  in this embodiment. A user information transmission step corresponds to the processing T 12  in this embodiment.