Abstract:
A cellular phone of the present invention is capable of displaying an in-absence incoming call message on a display if the user of the phone does not answer an incoming call. At the same time as the in-absence incoming call message is displayed, a timer starts counting a period of time set therein beforehand. A reporting device alerts the user to the incoming call when the timer counts up the preselected period of time. The phone therefore alerts the user to the incoming call not noticed or answered by the user despite that the user carries it.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a cellular phone with an in-absence call incoming function and more particularly to a cellular phone with an in-absence call incoming function and an in-absence incoming call reporting function.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Background Art  
           [0004]    A cellular phone usually has an in-absence call incoming function for displaying, when the user of the phone does not answer an incoming call, an in-absence incoming call message on its display. The user sometimes does not answer the incoming call with intention and sometimes fails to answer it. For example, it may occur that the user fails to notice an incoming call and therefore does not see an in-absence incoming call message despite that the user carries the phone.  
           [0005]    Technologies relating to the present invention are disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 8-88682 and Japanese Patent No. 3,098,488  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a cellular phone having an in-absence incoming call reporting function for preventing the user of the phone from failing to notice an incoming call despite that the user carries the phone.  
           [0007]    A cellular phone of the present invention is capable of displaying an in-absence incoming call message on a display if the user of the phone does not answer an incoming call. At the same time as the in-absence incoming call message is displayed, a timer starts counting a period of time set therein beforehand. A reporting device alerts the user to the incoming call when the timer counts up the preselected period of time. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESDRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a cellular phone embodying the present invention;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a flowchart demonstrating a specific operation of the illustrative embodiment;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing an alternative embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram showing another alternative embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram showing a further alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0014]    Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a cellular phone embodying the present invention is shown. As shown, the cellular phone includes a radio section  11  for receiving a radio signal from a base station not shown. A control panel  13  allows the user of the phone to, e.g., set adesired timer value or to cancel an in-absence incoming call message. A display  14  displays the in-absence incoming call message. A memory  15  stores the timer value input on the control panel  13  by the user. A timer  16  counts the timer value stored in the memory  15 . A speaker driver  17  drives a speaker  18  for outputting an alert tone. A controller  12  controls such various sections of the phone.  
         [0015]    Reference will be made to FIG. 2 for describing a specific operation of the illustrative embodiment. As shown, when the phone receives an incoming call (step S 1 ), the controller  12  determines whether or not the user of the phone has answered the call (step S 2 ). If the user has answered the call (YES, step S 2 ), then the controller  12  sets up communication on the phone (step S 3 ). If the incoming call ends without the user answering it (NO, step S 2 ), then the controller  12  causes the display  14  to display an in-absence incoming call message (step S 4 ). Subsequently, the controller  12  causes the timer  16  to starting counting a timer value stored in the memory  15  (step S 5 ).  
         [0016]    After the step S 5 , the controller  12  determines whether or not the user has canceled the in-absence incoming call message on the control panel  13  before the timer  16  counts up the timer value stored in the memory  15  (step S 6 ). If the answer of the step S 6  is positive (YES), then the controller  12  resets the timer  16  (step S 7 ) and deletes the in-absence incoming call message (step S 8 ). If the answer of the step S 6  is negative (NO) and when the timer  16  counts up the timer value stored in the memory  15  (step S 9 ), the controller  12  causes the speaker driver  17  to output an alert tone via the speaker  18  (step S 10 ). The alert tone again alerts the user to the in-absence incoming call. The controller  12  again determines whether or not the user has canceled the in-absence incoming call message on the control panel  13  (step S 11 ). If the answer of the step S 11  is YES, then the controller  12  causes the speaker driver  17  to stop driving the speaker  18  (step S 13 ), resets the timer  16  (step S 14 ), and again starts the timer  16  for repeating the above procedure (step S 5 ).  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the illustrative embodiment includes a radio section  21  for receiving a radio signal from a base station not shown. A control panel  23  allows the user of the phone to, e.g., set a desired timer value or to cancel an in-absence incoming call message. A display  24  displays the in-absence incoming call message. A memory  25  stores the timer value input on the control panel  23 . A timer  26  counts the timer value stored in the memory  25 . A vibrator driver  27  drives a vibrator  28  for generating alert vibration. A controller  22  controls such various sections of the phone. The operation of the illustrative embodiment is identical with the operation shown in FIG. 2 except for the substitution of alert vibration for alert tone.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 shows another alternative embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the illustrative embodiment includes a radio section  31  for receiving a radio signal from a base station not shown. A control panel  33  allows the user of the phone to, e.g., set a desired timer value or to cancel an in-absence incoming call message. A display  34  displays the in-absence incoming call message. A memory  35  stores the timer value input on the control panel  33 . A timer  36  counts the timer value stored in the memory  35 . An LED (Light Emitting diode) driver  37  drives an LED  38  for emitting alert light. A controller  32  controls such various sections of the phone. The operation of the illustrative embodiment is also identical with the operation shown in FIG. 2 except for the substitution of alert light for alert tone.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 shows a further alternative embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the illustrative embodiment includes a radio section  41  for receiving a radio signal from a base station not shown. A control panel  43  allows the user of the phone to, e.g., set a desired timer value or to cancel an in-absence incoming call message. A display  44  displays the in-absence incoming call message. A memory  45  stores the timer value input on the control panel  43 . A timer  46  counts the timer value stored in the memory  45 . A speaker driver  47  drives a speaker  48  for outputting alert tones. A vibrator driver  49  drives a vibrator  50  for generating alert vibration. An LED driver  51  drives an LED  52  for emitting alert light. A controller  42  controls such various sections of the phone. The operation of the illustrative embodiment is also identical with the operation shown in FIG. 2 except for the substitution of the combination of alert tone, alert vibration and alert light for alert tone.  
         [0020]    In summary, it will be seen that the present invention provides a cellular phone capable of alerting the user of the phone to an incoming call not noticed or answered by the user despite that the user carries the phone. This advantage is derived from a unique arrangement that not only displays an in-absence incoming call message, but also produces an alert tone on the elapse of a period of time set by the user.  
         [0021]    Various modifications will become possible for those skilled in the art after receiving the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the scope thereof.