HK1036378B - Telephone apparatus and alert control method - Google Patents

Description

Telephone device and alarm signal reminding control method

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a telephone apparatus such as a portable or mobile phone, and more particularly to a telephone apparatus having a call history memory and a warning alarm control method.

Background

A telephone apparatus having a call history storage has been proposed so as to be able to be used for allowing a user to view call histories which are a list of call sequences and the number of calls made throughout the day and the telephone number of the other party to the call. Therefore, by calling up the call history using an input device such as a keypad, the user is alerted when a call is made with a certain person.

However, when the user forgets to view the call history, someone calling the user may be left in a state in which the voice of the response is not heard.

In japanese unexamined patent application No. 8-181781, a voice mail system using a PHS (personal handyphone system) terminal has been disclosed which enables a user to view the status of his mailbox without calling the voice mail system. More specifically, when receiving a voice mail addressed to the user, the service management station issues a prompt to the user that a call is about to occur, the time at which the call is about to occur, and the telephone number of the caller who is about to call the user's PHS terminal. Based on the time of the forthcoming call received from the service management station, the PHS terminal determines whether or not there is a voice mail in the mailbox for which a predetermined duration has elapsed. If such voice mail exists, the PHS terminal reminds the user of the existence of such voice mail having passed through for a predetermined duration by a voiced or unvoiced alert.

According to the conventional voice mail system, the user can only be reminded of upcoming mails. Therefore, a call with a certain person cannot be sufficiently ensured.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to provide a telephone device and an alarm signal reminding control method, which can ensure the conversation with a certain person.

According to the present invention, the telephone apparatus alerts the user when a predetermined time interval has elapsed after the end of the last call date with a person.

According to one aspect of the invention, an alarm signal reminding control method in a telephone device with an alarm signal reminding function is characterized by comprising the following steps: a) storing time data associated with a name of a communicating person in a phonebook database; b) determining from the time data whether a predetermined time interval has elapsed without communicating with the person; c) and when the preset time interval is judged to be passed and the person is not communicated, sending out an alarm signal prompt.

Step (b) may comprise the steps of: b.1) reading the current date from a timer; b.2) calculating the elapsed time from the date and time of the last call to the current date and time; b.3) determining whether the elapsed time exceeds the predetermined time interval.

The last call time is initially set to the date and time when the data relating to the person is registered in the phonebook database. The last call date time is updated each time a call with the person is ended. The predetermined time interval may be arbitrarily determined according to a user's instruction.

The alert of step (c) may be accomplished by driving at least one of a speaker, an oscillator and a display.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an alert control method for a telephone apparatus having an alert function, comprises the steps of: a) storing the last call date and time associated with each of the names of the plurality of people in a phonebook database; b) dividing the plurality of people into a plurality of groups; c) judging a time interval before each group of alarm signal reminding, wherein the time interval before the alarm signal reminding refers to a time interval before the alarm signal reminding is communicated with the person in the time interval; d) determining whether a time interval before the alert reminder has elapsed after the last call date time; e) and sending out alarm signal reminding when the time interval before the alarm signal reminding is judged to be out of date after the last call date and time.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an alert control method for a telephone apparatus having an alert function, comprises the steps of: a) storing time data associated with a name of a communicating person in a phonebook database; b) storing a warning signal reminding prohibition time period during which warning signal reminding is prohibited; c) determining from the time data whether a predetermined time interval has elapsed without communicating with the person; d) when the current date and time is outside the alarm signal reminding prohibition time period and the preset time interval is judged to pass and the person is not communicated with, sending out alarm signal reminding; e) and when the current date and time is within the alarm signal reminding prohibition time period, even if the preset time interval is judged to pass and the person is not communicated, the alarm signal reminding is prohibited.

In step (e), the audible alert through the speaker or oscillator may be disabled while a silent alert on the display is enabled.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, an alert signal reminding control method is characterized by comprising the following steps: storing an alarm number reminding list containing target personnel to be reminded of alarm numbers; the alert list is displayed in the form of a menu on the display so that a desired person is selected from the alert list and called.

A telephone apparatus according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: a memory for storing time data associated with a name of a person in a call; and a controller for determining whether a predetermined time interval has elapsed without having a call with the person based on the time data, and starting the alarm alert function when it is determined that the predetermined time interval has elapsed without having a call with the person.

A telephone apparatus according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: a memory for storing a last call date and time associated with each name of a plurality of people on a call, wherein said plurality of people are divided into a plurality of groups; and a controller for determining a time interval before the alert for each group, wherein the time interval before the alert is a time interval during which no call is made to the person before the alert, determining whether the time interval before the alert has passed after the last call date time, and starting the alert function when it is determined that the time interval before the alert has passed after the last call date time.

A telephone apparatus according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: a memory for storing a time data associated with the name of the person communicating and for storing a warning alert prohibition time period during which warning alert is prohibited; and a controller for determining whether a predetermined time interval has elapsed without a call with the person based on the time data, activating the alert function when the current date and time is outside the alert prohibition time period and it is determined that the predetermined time interval has elapsed without a call with the person, and prohibiting alert when the current date and time is within the alert prohibition time period even if it is determined that the predetermined time interval has elapsed without a call with the person.

As described above, according to the present invention, when a predetermined time interval has elapsed after the last call date time with a certain person, the telephone reminds the user. Therefore, in the case where the telephone number of a registered person is not used for a long period of time or for a time interval before the registered alarm number is reminded, the user is reminded and thus the call with the person is facilitated.

Further, a plurality of registered names are divided into a plurality of groups and a time interval before alert warning can be set to each registered group, resulting in improved operability and convenience.

Also, the alarm alert disabled time period can be set to a desired time period. Thus, the siren sound or oscillator is prevented from disturbing the people around the cell phone or the person who is resting.

Finally, the user is alerted and the alert screen thereafter becomes a call-facilitated screen that includes a list of people in order to conveniently call a desired one of the listed people.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a wireless mobile telephone, which is one embodiment of a telephone apparatus according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a flow chart illustrating the alert alarm registering operation according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the alert warning control operation according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of registering data of the other party in the phonebook database in the first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation of updating the last on time of the call partner when the telephone set starts a call in the first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation of updating the last on time of the other party when the telephone set receives an incoming call in the first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of the phonebook database in the first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 8 is a chart showing an example of the division of groups in the phonebook database and the time interval before alert alerting according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an alert alarm notification registration operation according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of the phonebook database in the second embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a warning alert prohibition schedule according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing the alert warning control operation according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 13 is a graph showing an operation of setting a warning alert prohibition time period according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 14 is a diagram showing an example of the alarm alert screen displayed according to the first to third embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 15 is a diagram showing an example of registered talker menus displayed according to the first to third embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a warning number alert list according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 17 is a flow chart illustrating a call operation using the alert number reminder list according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Referring to fig. 1, a mobile phone according to the present invention is shown. The mobile phone is provided with a radio system 20 which transmits signals to and receives signals from a radio base station (not shown) under the control of the control section 10. The control section 10 includes a program control processor such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU). A control program of the mobile phone is stored in a read only memory (not shown) and runs on a program control processor of the control section 10 to control all operations of the mobile phone, including an alert alarm control operation to be described below.

The mobile phone is further provided with a memory 30 comprising a phonebook (telephone directory) database 110 and other schedules, which can be accessed via the control section 10. As described below, the phonebook database 110 recoverably stores a plurality of phone numbers and associated data as shown in fig. 7.

An input device 40 such as a keypad having ten keys is provided on a main surface of the housing of the mobile phone. The input device 40 is used by the user to input various instructions such as registration of a new telephone number, restoration of a telephone number, dialing of a selected telephone number, and other necessary operations.

The speaker 50 is used to generate a receiving tone and an audio alert to alert the user that there is a call or to alert the user that the person has not been contacted within a predetermined time interval. Which is identical to oscillator 90. The microphone 60 is used to input the transmitted sound.

Under the control of the control section 10, necessary information is displayed on the display 70. The display 70 may be a liquid crystal display or a light emitting diode.

The timer 80 outputs the current date and time or other time data to the control section 10. The control section 10 uses the time data obtained from the timer 80 to determine the time when an incoming call is to be made, the time when an originating call is to be made, the call termination time, the call time, and to calculate the last call date and time entered for each of the phonebook databases 110. As described below, when the time elapsed after the last call date time of a registered person exceeds a predetermined time interval, the control section 10 drives the speaker 50, the oscillator or the display 70 or a combination thereof to alert the user that the person has not been called for the predetermined time interval. This allows the user to not forget to contact the person. First embodiment

A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to fig. 1 to 7. Warning sign prompting deposit

Referring to fig. 2, the user of the mobile phone shown in fig. 1 manually operates the input device 40 to input an alert number reminding registration request. The control section 10 monitors the input device 40 to determine whether or not an alert number reminding registration application is made (step 201). If it is decided to issue a call alert registration application (YES in step 201), the control section 10 prompts the user on the display 70 to select a name for which a call alert for a silent message is requested and to input a time interval before the call alert. When the user selects a name and enters the interval before the alert (step 202), the control section 10 searches the phonebook database 110 for the selected name and stores the interval before the alert in the phonebook database 110 as shown in fig. 7 together with information on the selected name (step 203).

If it is decided that the alert registration application is not made (NO at step 201), the control section 10 further determines whether the user applies for deletion of the existing alert registration (step 204). When an application for deletion of the warning number reminder registration is made (YES at step 204), the control section 10 prompts the user on the display 70 to input the name of the warning number reminder registration to be deleted. When the user selects the name of the alert register to be deleted with the input device 40 (step 205), the control section 10 searches the phonebook database 110 for the selected name and resets the alert register associated with the selected name to "unset" to delete the alert register (step 206). When NO request for deletion of alert registration is made (NO at step 204), the alert registration process is terminated without any modification to the phonebook database 110.

For one such example, "Yamada Taro" registered in the phonebook database 110 is to be set to alarm notification registration, and an alarm notification is issued three days without a voice message (see fig. 7). The user selects alert deposit in step 201, then selects "Yamada Taro" as the person to be alert deposited and enters "three days" as the time interval before alert in step 202. The control section 10 searches the phonebook database 110 for the name "Yamada Taro" and stores the time interval "three days" before alert warning together with the information about the selected name "Yamada Taro" in the phonebook database 110 as shown in fig. 7.

In one such example, "Sato Eisaku" registered in phonebook database 110 is to be set to delete the alert number reminder registration. The user selects the name "Sato Eisaku" to be deleted from the alarm number reminding register with the input device 40 in step 205, and the control section 10 searches the phonebook database 110 for the name "Sato Eisaku" and resets the alarm number reminding register associated with the selected name "Sato Eisaku" to "unset" in step 206 to delete the alarm number reminding register. Alarm signal reminding control

Referring to fig. 3, the control section 10 determines whether a warning alert for a silent message has been registered (step 301). If NO alert is registered for the silent message (NO in step 301), the alert control ends.

When the alert for a silent message has been registered (YES at step 301), the control section 10 sequentially checks the input in the phonebook database 110 to determine whether the time interval before the alert has been set (step 302). If the time interval before a certain input alert is reset to "not set" (NO at step 302), the control section 10 transfers the alert control to the next input (step 308).

If the time interval before a certain input warning alert has been set (YES at step 302), the control section 10 reads out the current date and time from the timer 80 (step 303). Then, the control section 10 reads out the last access date and time, which is the time of the last call with an entered person selected from the phonebook database 110. Next, the control section 10 calculates the time period of the silent message that has elapsed after the last visit date and time, and determines whether this elapsed time exceeds the time interval before the alert with the set alert number (step 306).

If this elapsed time exceeds the time interval before the alert (YES in step 306), the control section 10 reminds the user that the time interval before the alert of a silent message has been exceeded by displaying the alert message on the display 70 and driving the speaker or the oscillator (step 307). Then, the control section 10 shifts the alert warning control to the next input (step 308) and repeats the operations of steps 301 to 308 until all the inputs are checked.

As an example, the interval before alert of "Suzuki Ichiro" is set to 15 hours (see fig. 7), and when the input control section 10 of "Suzuki Ichiro" is selected, the current date and time is read out from the timer 80 in step 303. Assume here that the current date and time is 1999/06/01/10: 06, i.e. 10 on 6/1/1999: 06. the control section 10 then reads out the time of the last call with "Suzuki Ichiro" from the phonebook database 110 in step 304. Here, the last date and time of conversation with "Suzuki Ichiro" is 1999/05/31/19: 05. therefore, the time period of the silent message that has elapsed after the last call date and time is 15 hours and zero 1 minute. The control section 10 determines in step 306 that the time period of the silent message exceeds the time interval before the alert of the alarm. Accordingly, the control section 10 reminds the user by displaying the alert warning information on the display 70 and driving the speaker or the oscillator in step 307. Data entry

Referring to fig. 4, when an application is made for data registration for a call with a certain person (YES in step 401), the control section 10 prompts the user to input necessary data for the person of the call. When the necessary data including at least the name and the telephone number of the person is inputted by the user operating the input device 40 (step 402), the control section 10 reads out the current date and time from the timer 80 (step 403). Next, when necessary data has been input by the user, the control section 10 associates the input data of the person with the time read out from the timer and stores the data in the phonebook database 110 (step 404).

When the time interval before the alert is not entered in step 402, the time interval before the alert for the person in phonebook database 110 is set to "unset".

For example, in the following example, the telephone number "070-: 22 are entered into the phonebook database and the data for "Nishida Hikari" is stored in the phonebook database as shown in the third entry of fig. 7. Last access date and time update

The updating operation of the last access time interval in the case where the user makes a call to the counterpart will be described below. It is reminded that when the time interval before the alert is reminded is set to "unset", the update operation is not performed.

Referring to fig. 5, the control section 10 determines whether or not the phonebook database is used to place a call (step 501). In a case where the user selects the phonebook database 110 to make a call (YES in step 501), the control section 10 prompts the user to search for a person to be called in the phonebook database 110. When the user selects a person to be called and inputs a call instruction (step 502), the control section 10 stores data of the selected person to be called in the memory 30 for the purpose of performing a redial function or some other related function (step 503). Then, the control section 10 performs call control (step 504) and call control (step 505). The call operation is maintained (NO in step 506) until the call is ended.

When the call is terminated by one of the called party and the other party (YES at 506), the control section 10 performs a termination operation (step 507). Next, the control section 10 determines whether the time interval before the alert of the other party is set to "unset" (step 508). When the time interval before the alert of the other party is not set to "unset" (NO at step 508), the control section 10 reads out the time at which the call ends from the timer 80 (step 509). Then, the control section 10 associates the data of the other party with the expiration time read out from the timer 80 and stores the data into the input section of the other party in the phonebook database 110 (step 510). In other words, the old access time is replaced with the new access time just read from the timer 80. In this way, the last access date and time of the other party is updated.

In the case where the user does not use the phonebook database 110 (NO in step 501), the control section 10 prompts the user to input the telephone number of the person to be called. When the user inputs a telephone number through the input device 40 (step 511), the control section 10 checks the phonebook database 110 to determine whether the input telephone number has been registered in the phonebook database 110 (step 512). If so (YES in step 512), control passes to step 503 to store the person's data in memory 30. Steps 504 through 510 then operate as described above.

When the input telephone number is not registered in the phonebook database 110 (NO in step 512), the control section performs call control (step 513) and call control (step 514). The call operation is maintained (NO in step 515) until the call is over. When the call is terminated by either the called party or the other party (YES in step 515), the control section 10 performs a termination operation (step 516) without updating the last access date and time. As described above, when the time interval before the alert of the other party is set to "unset" (YES in step 508), the control section 10 ends the entire process without updating the last access date and time.

Next, in the case where the user answers the phone from the other side, the updating operation of the last access time interval will be described later. It is to be reminded that when the time interval before the alert reminder of the other party is set to "unset", the update operation is not performed.

Referring to fig. 6, the control section 10 determines whether a CLIP (calling line identification description) function has been set to the other party (step 601). When the CLIP function has been set to the other party (YES in step 601), the control section detects the calling number of the other party and stores it in the memory 30 (step 602). Next, the control section checks to see whether or not the phonebook database has determined that the calling number of the other party has been registered therein (step 603).

When the calling number of the other party has been registered in the phonebook database 110 (YES at step 603), the control portion further determines whether the user has picked up the call (step 604). When the user answers the call (YES in step 604), the control section 10 performs call control (step 605) and call control (step 606). Call control continues until (NO in step 606) the call is ended.

When the call is terminated by either the called party or the other party (YES at step 606), the control section 10 performs a termination operation (step 607), and then the control section 10 determines that the time interval before the alert of the other party is set to "unset" (step 608). When the time interval before the alert of the other party is not set to "unset" (YES in step 608), the control section 10 reads out the time of the end of call from the timer 80 (step 609). Then, the control section 10 associates the data of the other party with the expiration time read out from the timer 80 and stores the data into the input section of the other party in the phonebook database 110 (step 510). In other words, the old access time is replaced with the new access time just read from the timer 80. In this way, the last access date and time of the other party is updated.

When the CLIP function is not set to the other party (NO in step 601) or when the calling number of the other party is not registered in the phonebook database 110 (NO in step 603), the control section 10 further determines whether the user picks up the call (step 611). When the user answers the call (YES in step 611), call control continues until the call is ended (NO in step 606). When the call is terminated by either the called party or the other party (YES in step 606), the control section 10 performs a termination operation (step 607) without updating the last access date and time. As described above, the time interval before the alert of the other party is set to "unset" (YES at step 608). The control section ends the entire process without updating the last access date and time.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, when the telephone number of a registered person is not used for the time interval or the like before the alert is registered, the user gets the alert and thus prompts to talk to the person. Second embodiment

The alarm signal reminding control method according to the second embodiment of the invention enables the time interval before alarm signal reminding to be set in each register group.

As shown in fig. 8, for example, in the case where one group is "Client", the time interval before the alert is automatically set to 3 days. When one group is "Friend", the time interval before alert is automatically set to 15 hours.

Referring to fig. 9, a user of the mobile phone shown in fig. 1 manually operates the input device 40 to input an alert registration request. The control section 10 monitors the input device 40 to determine whether or not an alert number reminding registration application is made (step 901). If it is decided to issue a call alert registration application (YES at step 901), the control section 10 prompts the user on the display 70 to select a name for which a call alert for a silent message is requested and to input a time interval before the call alert. When the user selects a name and enters the interval before the alert (step 902), the control section 10 searches the phonebook database 110 for the selected name and stores the interval before the alert in the phonebook database 110 as shown in fig. 8 together with information about the selected name (step 903).

If it is decided that the alert registration application is not made (NO at step 901), the control section 10 further determines whether the user applies for deletion of the existing alert registration (step 904). When an application for deletion of the warning number reminder registration is made (YES at step 904), the control section 10 prompts the user on the display 70 to input the name of the warning number reminder registration to be deleted. When the user selects the name of the alert register to be deleted with the input device 40 (step 905), the control section 10 searches the phonebook database 110 for the selected name and resets the alert register associated with the selected name to "unset" to delete the alert register (step 906). When NO request for deletion of alert registration is made (NO at step 904), the alert registration process is terminated without any modification to the phonebook database 110.

As shown in fig. 10, for example, the user inputs such data that the time interval before alert for the "Client" group is "3 days" and the time interval before alert for the "Friend" group is automatically set to "15 hours", and the control section 10 automatically replaces the time interval before alert for the input alert belonging to the "Client" group with "3 days" and replaces the time interval before alert for the input alert belonging to the "Friend" group with "15 hours". Third embodiment

The alert warning control method according to the third embodiment of the present invention enables the alert warning prohibition time period to be set in order that the sound or oscillation of the alert warning device does not disturb the people around which the portable telephone is placed or the people who are taking a rest.

As shown in fig. 11, the alert reminder disable time period refers to the period of time during which the alert reminder is disabled, and can be registered in the alert reminder disable schedule 120 provided in the memory 30. For example, as shown in setting No. 1, the alert reminder inhibit time period is set to the same period 00 of each day: 00 to 08: 00. further, as shown in setting No. 2, the alarm alert prohibition time period may be arbitrarily set to a time period from a certain time designated by the user to another time. Alarm signal reminding control

Referring to fig. 12, the control section 10 determines whether a warning alert for a silent message has been registered (step 1201). If NO alarm is registered for the silent message (NO in step 1201), the alarm reminding control is ended.

When the alert for a silent message has been registered (YES at step 1201), the control section 10 sequentially checks the input in the phonebook database 110 to determine whether the time interval before the alert has been set (step 1202). If the time interval before a certain input alert is reset to "unset" (NO at step 1202), the control section 10 transfers the alert control to the next input (step 1208).

If the time interval before a certain input warning alert has been set (YES at step 1202), the control section 10 reads out the current date and time from the timer 80 (step 1203). Then, the control section 10 reads out the last access date and time, which is the time of the last call with an entered person selected from the phonebook database 110. Next, the control section 10 calculates the time period of the silent message that has elapsed after the last visit date and time, and determines whether this elapsed time exceeds the time interval before the alert with the set alert number (step 1206).

If this elapsed time exceeds the time interval before the alert warning (YES in step 1206), the control section 10 further determines from the alert warning prohibition time table whether the current date and time is within the alert warning permission time period (step 1207). When within the allowable time period (YES in step 1207), the control section 10 reminds the user that the time interval before the alert of the silent message has been exceeded by displaying the alert message on the display 70 and driving the speaker or the oscillator (step 1208). When in the prohibition time period (NO in step 1207), the control section 10 displays only the warning alert message on the display 70 to alert the user (step 1209). Then, the control section 10 shifts the alert warning control to the next input (step 1210) and repeats the operations of steps 1201 to 1209 until all the inputs are checked.

Assume that the alert reminder inhibit time period is set to the same time period 00 of each day as set No. 1 in fig. 11: 00 to 08: 00, and the current date and time is "07: 00 ", it is determined that the current time is within the alert reminder disable time period (step 1207). Thus, the user is alerted by only displaying the alert notification on the display 70 (step 1209).

The following describes the situation in which the alert reminder disable time period is registered in the alert reminder disable time table.

Referring to fig. 13, the control section 10 determines whether an alert notification prohibition time registration application is made (step 1301). If it is determined that the alert reminder prohibition time registration application is made (YES in step 1301), the control section 10 prompts the user to input the alert reminder prohibition time period on the display 70. When the user inputs the alarm alert prohibition time period (step 1302), the control section stores it in the alarm alert prohibition time table 120 shown in fig. 11 (step 1303).

If necessary, a plurality of alert reminder disable time periods may be registered. In this case, the user specifies to activate one of these registered alert reminders for the prohibited time period.

If it is determined that the alert reminder prohibition time registration application is not filed (NO in step 1301), the control section 10 further determines whether the user filed an application for deleting the existing alert reminder prohibition time registration (step 1304). When an application for deletion of the existing alert reminder prohibition time registration is made (YES in step 1304), the control section 10 prompts the user on the display 70 to select the existing alert reminder prohibition time period to be deleted. When the user has selected this alarm alert prohibition time period, the control section 10 deletes the alarm alert prohibition time period from the alarm alert prohibition time table 120 (step 1305). Fourth embodiment

According to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, the user is alerted by the alert warning information displayed on the display 70 and/or the speaker 50 or the oscillator 90 is driven, and thereafter, the alert warning picture becomes an alert warning picture facilitating a call.

As shown in fig. 14, more specifically, an alert screen 160 is displayed on the display 70 of the mobile phone housing 150. Then, as shown in fig. 15, a warning alert screen for facilitating a call is displayed in order to allow the user to conveniently select a desired person from a list of persons each exceeding a preset time interval before warning for a warning to make a call to him.

Referring to fig. 16, after the alert, the control section 10 creates an alert list 130 in the memory 30, the alert list 130 containing at least the telephone number and name of each person exceeding a predetermined time interval before the alert. This easy call alert remains on the screen until the user calls one of the listed people.

Referring to fig. 17, when a call-facilitated alert screen is displayed on the display 70, the user selects a person to talk to from the displayed alert list (step 1701). Then, the control section 10 reads out the telephone number of this selected person from the alert number reminding list 130 and performs a call and call control operation (step 1702).

In this manner, the user sees the call-convenient alert screen on the display 70 and selects one of the displayed alert lists to speak with to make a call. Thus, a call to a person who has exceeded the time interval before the scheduled alert is prompted.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Claims (20)

1. An alarm signal reminding control method in a telephone device with an alarm signal reminding function is characterized by comprising the following steps:

a) storing time data associated with a name of a communicating person in a phonebook database;

b) determining from the time data whether a predetermined time interval has elapsed without communicating with the person;

c) and when the preset time interval is judged to be passed and the person is not communicated, sending out an alarm signal prompt.

2. The alert control method according to claim 1, wherein the time data is a date and time of a last call with the person.

3. The alarm signal reminding control method according to claim 2, wherein the step (b) comprises the steps of:

b.1) reading the current date from a timer;

b.2) calculating the elapsed time from the date and time of the last call to the current date and time;

b.3) determining whether the elapsed time exceeds the predetermined time interval.

4. The alert control method according to claim 2, wherein the last call time is initially set to a date and time when data related to the person is registered in the phonebook database.

5. The alert control method according to claim 2, wherein the last call date and time is updated each time the call with the person is ended.

6. The alert control method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined time interval is arbitrarily determined according to a user's instruction.

7. The alert control method according to claim 1, wherein the alert of step (c) is performed by driving at least one of a speaker, an oscillator, and a display.

8. The alarm signal reminding control method according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising the steps of:

d) storing an alarm number reminding list containing target personnel to be reminded of alarm numbers;

e) the alert list is displayed in the form of a menu on the display so that a desired person is selected from the alert list and called.

9. An alarm signal reminding control method of a telephone device with an alarm signal reminding function is characterized by comprising the following steps:

a) storing the last call date and time associated with each of the names of the plurality of people in a phonebook database;

b) dividing the plurality of people into a plurality of groups;

c) judging a time interval before each group of alarm signal reminding, wherein the time interval before the alarm signal reminding refers to a time interval before the alarm signal reminding is communicated with the person in the time interval;

d) determining whether a time interval before the alert reminder has elapsed after the last call date time;

e) and sending out alarm signal reminding when the time interval before the alarm signal reminding is judged to be out of date after the last call date and time.

10. The alert control method according to claim 9, wherein the last call time is initially set to a date and time when data related to the person is registered in the phonebook database.

11. The alert control method according to claim 9, wherein the last call date and time is updated each time the call with the person is ended.

12. The alarm signal reminding control method according to claim 9, characterized by further comprising the steps of:

f) storing an alarm number reminding list containing target personnel to be reminded of alarm numbers;

g) the alert list is displayed in the form of a menu on the display so that a desired person is selected from the alert list and called.

13. An alarm signal reminding control method of a telephone device with an alarm signal reminding function is characterized by comprising the following steps:

a) storing time data associated with a name of a communicating person in a phonebook database;

b) storing a warning signal reminding prohibition time period during which warning signal reminding is prohibited;

c) determining from the time data whether a predetermined time interval has elapsed without communicating with the person;

d) when the current date and time is outside the alarm signal reminding prohibition time period and the preset time interval is judged to pass and the person is not communicated with, sending out alarm signal reminding;

e) and when the current date and time is within the alarm signal reminding prohibition time period, even if the preset time interval is judged to pass and the person is not communicated, the alarm signal reminding is prohibited.

14. The alert control method according to claim 13, wherein the time data is a last call date and time of a call with the person.

15. The alert control method according to claim 13, wherein the alert of step (d) is performed by driving at least one of a speaker, an oscillator, and a display.

16. The alert control method according to claim 15, wherein in the step (e), the audible alert through the speaker and/or the oscillator is disabled, and the silent alert through the display is allowed.

17. The alert control method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

f) storing an alarm number reminding list containing target personnel to be reminded of alarm numbers;

g) the alert list is displayed in the form of a menu on the display so that a desired person is selected from the alert list and called.

18. A telephone apparatus having an alert function, comprising:

a memory for storing time data associated with a name of a person in a call; and

a controller for determining whether a predetermined time interval has elapsed without talking to the person based on the time data, and starting an alert warning function when it is determined that the predetermined time interval has elapsed without talking to the person.

19. A telephone apparatus having an alert function, comprising:

a memory for storing a last call date and time associated with each name of a plurality of people on a call, wherein said plurality of people are divided into a plurality of groups; and

a controller for determining a time interval before the alert for each group, wherein the time interval before the alert refers to a time interval during which no call is made to the person before the alert, determining whether the time interval before the alert has passed after the last call date time, and starting the alert function when it is determined that the time interval before the alert has passed after the last call date time.

20. A telephone apparatus having an alert function, comprising:

a memory for storing a time data associated with the name of the person communicating and for storing a warning alert prohibition time period during which warning alert is prohibited; and

a controller for determining whether a predetermined time interval has elapsed without a call with the person based on the time data, activating the alert function when the current date and time is outside the alert prohibition time period and it is determined that the predetermined time interval has elapsed without a call with the person, and prohibiting alert when the current date and time is within the alert prohibition time period even if it is determined that the predetermined time interval has elapsed without a call with the person.