Patent ID: RE42928

Claim:
A method of controlling switching of an operation mode of a TV phone, where the TV phone includes a TV unit that reproduces and outputs a video signal and an audio signal from a selected channel, a display unit that interfaces with the TV unit and receives and displays the video signals from the TV unit while in a TV mode, a TV audio signal processor that receives the audio signal from the TV unit and outputs audible sound, a mobile radio frequency processor (MRFU) that receives data of a forward channel transmitted from a base station, and a mobile signal processor (MSP) that provides a channel selecting signal to the TV unit in the TV mode, and transmits and receives an audio signal input from the MRFU in a phone mode, the method comprising the steps of: alerting a user of an incoming call in response to an incoming call signal transmitted from the base station when the TV phone is in the TV mode; superimposing information on the display unit about the incoming call; and automatically disabling the TV unit and switching directly from the TV mode to the phone mode.