JP2003069671A - Mobile phone - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a highly reliable mobile phone equipped with a hard disk memory without deteriorating call quality. SOLUTION: In a mobile phone equipped with a hard disk memory 20 for recording and reproducing data and a speaker 19 for converting a received audio signal into audio and outputting the audio, a signal detector 21 includes an audio decoding circuit 18. The control unit 10 detects that the signal level of the received voice signal output from the mobile phone is operating for a telephone call and the signal level detected by the signal detector 21 is equal to a predetermined threshold value. When the level is lower than the level, the hard disk memory 20 is set in a standby state, and when the mobile phone is not operating for a telephone call, the hard disk memory 20 is set in an operable state. Thereby, the hard disk memory 2
It is possible to prevent the user from feeling uncomfortable or not being able to hear the call voice due to the noise generated from the mechanism operation unit of No. 0, and to record data during the call.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mobile phone equipped with a disk recording / reproducing device for recording and reproducing data, such as a hard disk memory. In the specification of the present application, the mobile phone includes all types of phones (mobile phones, PHS phones, video phones, etc.) used for mobile communication.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in mobile devices, images, music,
There is an increasing demand for handling large amounts of data such as moving images. Even in mobile phones, a recording medium is mounted or is detachably mounted so as to record and / or reproduce various data as well as perform a call and access to various information sources via a wireless line. Required to do so.

At present, a foldable portable telephone as shown in FIG. 5 has been commercialized. The first housing 31 and the second housing 32 are rotatably supported by the rotating unit 33, and the first housing 31 includes an antenna 41, a receiver 42, and a liquid crystal display unit 43. The housing 32 of the transmitter 5
1, a key operation unit 52 and a battery 53. The two housings 31 and 32 can be opened and closed in the direction of the arrow in the figure, and the receiver 42, the liquid crystal display 43, the transmitter 51, and the key operation unit 52 are located inside when the two housings are closed. It is designed to be folded.

Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-165513 discloses an example in which a hard disk memory is mounted on a portable videophone device. This is an example in which a large capacity hard disk memory is used as a recording medium for storing image data, program data and the like.

[0005]

Generally, a hard disk memory has a very low bit unit price as compared with a semiconductor memory. Therefore, even if the hard disk memory is used as a recording / reproducing apparatus, the semiconductor memory is used even at the same cost. A large amount of data can be stored compared to the case. However, when a hard disk memory is used as the recording / playback device,
There is a big problem that cannot be solved by simply replacing the semiconductor memory with the hard disk memory. When a recording or reproducing operation is performed in a hard disk memory, a mechanism operating unit such as a spindle motor for rotating a disk as a recording medium or a voice coil motor for rotating a transducer for recording or reproducing information is driven, It is known to generate noise. Therefore, when a hard disk memory is installed as a recording / reproducing device in a mobile phone or is mounted in a detachable manner, noise generated from a mechanism operating section in the hard disk memory reaches the user's ear during a call, It may make it difficult to listen to the call voice. However, the means for solving such a problem is not described in the conventional example disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-165513.

The object of the present invention is to solve the above problems,
A mobile phone provided with a disk recording / reproducing device is to provide a highly reliable mobile phone that does not deteriorate call quality.

[0007]

A mobile phone according to the present invention comprises a disk recording / reproducing device for recording and reproducing data, and an audio output means for converting a received audio signal into audio and outputting the audio. The mobile phone includes signal detection means for detecting the signal level of the audio signal, and operation control means for controlling the operation of the disc recording / reproducing apparatus based on the signal level detected by the signal detection means. Characterize.

In the mobile phone, the operation control means is preferably such that the mobile phone is operating for a call and the signal level detected by the signal detection means is lower than a predetermined threshold level. Is also small,
The disk recording / reproducing apparatus is set in a standby state, while the disk recording / reproducing apparatus is set in an operable state when the mobile phone is not in operation for a call.

The mobile phone is preferably characterized by further comprising auxiliary recording means for temporarily recording data.

Further, in the portable telephone, the operation control means is preferably such that the portable telephone is operating for a call and the signal level detected by the signal detecting means is a predetermined threshold value. When the level is lower than the level, the disc recording / reproducing apparatus is set in a standby state and the auxiliary recording means is set in an operable state.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned mobile phone, the operation control means is preferably the disk when the mobile phone is not operating for a call and data is recorded in the auxiliary recording means. It is characterized in that the recording / reproducing apparatus is brought into an operable state and the data recorded in the auxiliary recording means is transferred to the disc recording / reproducing apparatus.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the overall schematic configuration of the mobile phone according to the embodiment of FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, this mobile phone includes a hard disk memory 20 capable of recording and reproducing image data, voice data, character data, etc., and a speaker 19 for converting a received voice signal into voice and outputting the voice. And a signal detector 21 for detecting the signal level of the received audio signal, and a controller 10 for controlling the operation of the hard disk memory 20 based on the signal level detected by the signal detector 21. And Here, the control unit 10 waits for the hard disk memory 20 when the mobile phone is operating for a call and the signal level detected by the signal detector 21 is smaller than a predetermined threshold level. On the other hand, when the mobile phone is not in operation for a call, the hard disk memory 20 is made operable.

Referring to FIG. 1, a mobile phone according to the present embodiment has an antenna 1 for transmitting and receiving radio signals including various data.
A wireless communication unit 2 connected to the antenna 1, a signal processing circuit 3 connected to the wireless communication unit 2 for processing a received signal and data to be transmitted in accordance with a format for wireless communication, and an image. A CCD camera 12 for photographing and generating an image signal, an image encoding circuit 13 for encoding the generated image signal into image data, and decoding the received or stored image data into an image signal. An image decoding circuit 14, a liquid crystal display unit 15 for displaying an image of the decoded image signal, a microphone 16 for converting an input voice into a voice signal, and a voice for encoding the voice signal into voice data. An encoding circuit 17, an audio decoding circuit 18 for decoding received or stored audio data into an audio signal, and a decoded audio signal converted into audio and output. It includes a speaker 19, image data, a hard disk memory 20 capable of recording and reproduction such as audio data and text data, controls the hard disk memory 20, and a control unit 10 for controlling the operation of the mobile phone. Here, the signal processing circuit 3 and the image encoding circuit 1
3, image decoding circuit 14, audio encoding circuit 17, audio decoding circuit 18, hard disk memory 20, and control unit 1
0s are connected to each other by a bus 11.

The output of the voice decoding circuit 18 is the speaker 1
9 and the signal detector 21. The signal detector 21 detects the signal level of the audio signal output from the audio decoding circuit 18 and outputs the detected signal level to the control unit 10, as will be described later in detail.

The hard disk memory 20 has a capacity of, for example, several hundred megabytes, receives image data, voice data, character data, etc., is input from the microphone 19, and is encoded by the voice encoding circuit 17. It is possible to store and reproduce voice data, image data coded by the image coding circuit 14 after being photographed by the CCD camera 12, character data input from a key operation unit (not shown), and the like. Is. The hard disk memory 20 can be built in the main body of the mobile phone or can be detachably mounted.

First, the general operation of the mobile phone according to this embodiment will be described below. The wireless communication unit 2 has an antenna 1
The radio signal received from the radio base station is frequency-converted into a baseband signal, and then the signal processing circuit 3
Is the format of the wireless communication used (CDMA
Etc.), the baseband signal is converted into audio data, image data, character data and the like by performing a predetermined signal processing on the frequency-converted baseband signal. The audio data output from the signal processing circuit 3 is transmitted to the audio decoding circuit 18 via the bus 11,
The audio decoding circuit 18 outputs a decoded audio signal to the speaker 19 by executing a decoding process including expansion of audio data and D / A conversion, and the speaker 19 converts the audio signal into audio. Output to the ear of the caller. on the other hand,
The microphone 16 converts the input voice of the caller into a voice signal, and the voice encoding circuit 17 uses the microphone 16
The encoded audio data is generated by performing encoding processing including A / D conversion and compression on the audio signal input from the device, and then output to the signal processing circuit 3 via the bus 11. Next, the signal processing circuit 3 generates a baseband signal by performing a predetermined signal processing on the audio data according to the used wireless communication format, and the wireless communication unit 2 converts the baseband signal into a wireless signal. After frequency conversion, the power is amplified and transmitted to the wireless base station via the antenna 1.

The image data output from the signal processing circuit 3 is transmitted to the image decoding circuit 14 via the bus 11, and the image decoding circuit 14 executes a decoding process including expansion of the image data. By doing so, the decoded image signal is output to the liquid crystal display unit 15, and the liquid crystal display unit 15 displays the image of the image signal to the caller. On the other hand, the CCD camera 12 converts an image captured by a caller into an image signal, and the image encoding circuit 13 executes an encoding process including compression on the image signal input from the CCD camera 12. As a result, the encoded image data is generated and then output to the signal processing circuit 3 via the bus 11. Next, the signal processing circuit 3 generates a baseband signal by performing a predetermined signal processing on the image data according to the used wireless communication format, and the wireless communication unit 2 converts the baseband signal into a wireless signal. After frequency conversion, the power is amplified and transmitted to the wireless base station via the antenna 1.

The hard disk memory 20 is a voice coil for rotating a spindle motor (not shown) for rotating a disk as a recording medium and a transducer for recording or reproducing information when recording or reproducing operation is performed. It is known that a mechanism operating unit such as a motor (not shown) is driven to generate noise. Therefore, in a mobile phone equipped with the hard disk memory 20, the noise may reach the user's ear during a call, making it difficult to hear the conversation voice. The operation of the hard disk memory 20 is controlled so that the operation sound generated from the above does not interfere with the listening of the call voice output from the speaker 19.

In the present embodiment, in order to control the operation of the hard disk memory 20 as described above, the mobile phone of the present embodiment is such that the sound pressure level of the sound output from the speaker 19 is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold value. At some time, the hard disk memory 20 is enabled only when the call voice masks the operation sound of the hard disk memory 20, while the sound pressure level of the sound output from the speaker 19 is smaller than a predetermined threshold value. Further, when the operation sound of the hard disk memory 20 interferes with listening to the call voice, the hard disk memory 20 is put in the standby state.

In the specification of the present application, the "standby state" of the hard disk memory 20 means a state in which the hard disk memory 20 cannot immediately start a recording or reproducing operation when a recording or reproducing request is made by the user or the outside. In each of the mechanism operating parts (not shown) inside the hard disk memory 20, the magnetic head is moved to the standby position and the spindle motor and the voice coil motor are stopped. Further, the “operational state” of the hard disk memory 20 means immediately the rotation operation of the spindle motor or the movement of the magnetic head when a request for recording or reproduction is made to the hard disk memory 20 from the user or the outside. It means that it is ready to start.

Regarding the control of the operation of the hard disk memory 20, the portable telephone according to the present embodiment has a speaker 19
Instead of detecting and comparing the sound pressure level of the voice output from the hard disk memory 20 and the sound pressure level of the operation sound of the hard disk memory 20, the control unit 10 is input to the speaker 19 in order to simplify the circuit configuration. It is configured to compare the signal level of the audio signal to be compared with a predetermined threshold level stored in the control unit 10. Further, in the present embodiment, the signal level of the audio signal is determined by the signal detector 21 by time integration of the audio signal output from the audio decoding circuit 18 during a predetermined time interval. Is detected as the integral value of. Also, the above threshold level is
It is determined by measuring in advance the sound pressure level of the sound that is sufficiently larger than the operation sound of the hard disk memory 20 and masks the operation sound, and further measuring the signal level of the sound signal corresponding to this sound pressure level. The threshold level thus determined is stored in the control program of the control unit 10.

The signal detector 21 outputs the detected signal level to the control section 10, and the control section 10 further determines whether or not the detected signal level is equal to or higher than a threshold level stored in advance. To judge. In the present embodiment, the threshold level is set to the signal level of the audio signal such that the sound pressure level of the audio output from the speaker 19 becomes 50 dB · A. Therefore, the magnitude of the signal level corresponding to the audio signal having the sound pressure level of 50 dB · A or more is set as the magnitude of the signal level for enabling the hard disk memory 20 to operate, and the sound pressure level is smaller than 50 dB · A. The level of the signal level corresponding to
The signal level is set so that the hard disk memory 20 is in the standby state. Here, the unit “dB · A” is a unit corrected by the characteristic of the noise audibility correction circuit A.

FIG. 2 is executed by the control unit 10.
It is a flowchart of a hard disk memory control process. In step S1 of FIG. 2, the control unit 10 puts the hard disk memory 20 into an operable state. Next, in step S2, the control unit 10 determines whether the mobile phone is in a call, that is, whether the mobile phone is in operation for a call. If it is determined that the call is not in progress, the process returns to step S1. If it is determined that the call is in progress, the process proceeds to step S3. In step S3, the signal level detected by the signal detector 21 is compared with a predetermined threshold level stored in advance. If the signal level is equal to or higher than the threshold level, step S2
Return to. On the other hand, when the signal level is lower than the threshold level, the hard disk memory 2 is read at step S4.
0 is set in the standby state, and then the process returns to step S2.

As described above, according to the mobile phone of this embodiment, when the sound pressure level of the sound output from the speaker 19 is 50 dB · A or more, that is, the sound pressure level is generated from the hard disk memory 20. Even if noise enters the user's ear, the hard disk memory 20 can be operated only when the sufficiently received voice can be heard due to the ear masking effect. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the user from feeling uncomfortable and not being able to hear the call voice due to the noise generated from the mechanism operating unit of the hard disk memory 20 during the call.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a block diagram showing an overall schematic configuration of the mobile phone in the embodiment of FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing control by the control unit 10. The components having the same functions and names as those of the mobile phone shown in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 3, the mobile phone according to the present embodiment has a hard disk memory 2 as a device capable of recording and reproducing image data, voice data, character data and the like.
In addition to 0, it is characterized by further including a semiconductor memory 30 which is an auxiliary recording means, which is connected to the bus 11 and whose operation is controlled by the control unit 10. The semiconductor memory 30 temporarily records data that needs to be recorded when the hard disk memory 20 is in a standby state.

In the present embodiment, the semiconductor memory 30
May be built in the main body of the mobile phone or configured to be detachably attached.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the hard disk memory and semiconductor memory control processing executed by the control unit 10. The semiconductor memory 30 is in an inoperable state before the control process is executed.

In step S11 of FIG. 4, the control unit 1
0 makes the hard disk memory 20 operable,
Next, in step S12, it is determined whether the semiconductor memory 30 is in an operable state and there is new data to be transferred in the semiconductor memory 30. When the result of step S12 is YES, that is, when the data to be recorded is recorded in the semiconductor memory 30 because the hard disk memory 20 was put in the standby state during the previous call, the data was recorded in step S13. Data from the semiconductor memory 30 to the hard disk memory 2
After being automatically transferred to 0, the semiconductor memory 30 is made inoperable and the process proceeds to step S14. Step S
When 12 is NO, the process directly proceeds to step S14. Next, in step S14, it is determined whether or not the mobile phone is in a call, and when it is determined that the call is in progress, the signal level detected by the signal detector 21 in step S15 is the same as that in the first embodiment. It is determined whether or not it is equal to or higher than a similar threshold level. If the signal level is equal to or higher than the threshold level, the process returns to step S14. On the other hand, if the signal level is lower than the threshold level, the hard disk memory 20
Is set in the standby state, then the semiconductor memory 30 is set in the operable state in step S17, and then the process returns to step S14.

Here, the "operational state" of the semiconductor memory 30 means a state in which the recording or reproducing operation can be started immediately when the semiconductor memory 30 is requested by the user or the outside for recording or reproducing. Point to. Also,
After all the data in the semiconductor memory 30 has been transferred to the hard disk memory 20, the semiconductor memory 30 is configured to be in an "inoperable state" in which the power is turned off to save power. Instead of this, when the power of the mobile phone is turned on, the power of the semiconductor memory 30 is always turned on.
0 may be configured to distinguish between an operable state and an inoperable state by controlling permission of writing to and reading from the semiconductor memory 30.

As described above, during a call, when the signal level of the audio signal is the sound pressure level of the audio output from the speaker 19 is 50 dB · A or more, that is, the noise of the hard disk memory 20. The hard disk memory 20 can be operated when the user can listen to the sufficiently received voice without causing discomfort even when the user gets into the ear. Further, when the signal level of the audio signal is 50 dB · A or more of the sound pressure level of the audio output from the speaker 19, the hard disk memory 20 is in the standby state, but when data is being recorded, the auxiliary recording means is used. The semiconductor memory 30 is set to the operable state, and the data to be recorded while the hard disk memory 20 is in the standby state is alternatively and temporarily recorded in the semiconductor memory 30. Therefore, during a call, it is possible to prevent the user from feeling uncomfortable and not being able to hear the call voice due to the noise generated from the mechanism operating unit of the hard disk memory 20, and the data can be transferred during the call. It is also possible to record in the semiconductor memory 30.

(Modification) The first embodiment and the second embodiment
In the embodiment of the present invention, the threshold level of the signal level for putting the hard disk memory 20 in the standby state is set to a value corresponding to the sound pressure level of 50 dB · A from the speaker 19, as an example. Not limited.
Further, in the first and second embodiments, the hard disk memory 20 is used as the disk recording / reproducing device for recording and reproducing image data, audio data, character data, etc., but the present invention is not limited to this. Instead, a disc recording / reproducing device such as a magneto-optical disc recording / reproducing device or a phase change type optical disc recording / reproducing device may be used.

[0034]

As described above in detail, according to the portable telephone of the present invention, a disk recording / reproducing apparatus for recording and reproducing data, and an audio output means for converting a received audio signal into audio and outputting the audio. In a mobile phone equipped with
Signal detection means for detecting the signal level of the audio signal,
And an operation control means for controlling the operation of the disc recording / reproducing apparatus based on the signal level detected by the signal detecting means. Therefore, during a call, depending on the signal level of the audio signal applied to the audio output means,
For example, since it is possible to control the disc recording / reproducing apparatus to put it in a standby state and stop its operation, noise caused by a mechanism operating unit of the disc recording / reproducing apparatus may cause the user to feel uncomfortable or to hear the conversation voice. You can prevent that you can not get.

In the mobile phone, the operation control means is preferably such that the mobile phone is operating for a call and the signal level detected by the signal detection means is lower than a predetermined threshold level. Is also small,
While the disk recording / reproducing apparatus is in the standby state, the disk recording / reproducing apparatus is in the operable state when the mobile phone is not in operation for a call. Therefore, at the time of a call, it is possible to control the disc recording / reproducing apparatus to put it in a standby state and stop its operation, so that the user feels uncomfortable due to the noise generated from the mechanism operating section of the disc recording / reproducing apparatus, It can be prevented that the call voice cannot be heard.

The mobile phone preferably further comprises auxiliary recording means for temporarily recording data. Therefore, even when the noise coming into the ears of the caller becomes a problem during the call, and the disc recording / reproducing apparatus cannot operate, the information can be recorded using the auxiliary recording means.

Further, in the portable telephone, the operation control means is preferably such that the portable telephone is operating for a call and the signal level detected by the signal detecting means is a predetermined threshold value. When the level is lower than the level, the disc recording / reproducing apparatus is put in a standby state and the auxiliary recording means is made operable. Therefore, even when the noise coming into the ears of the caller becomes a problem during the call, and the disc recording / reproducing apparatus cannot operate, the information can be recorded using the auxiliary recording means.

Still further, according to the mobile phone, preferably, the operation control means, when the mobile phone is not in operation for a call and data is recorded in the auxiliary recording means, The disc recording / reproducing apparatus is set in an operable state, and the data recorded in the auxiliary recording means is transferred to the disc recording / reproducing apparatus. Therefore, by transferring the data recorded in the auxiliary recording means to the disc recording / reproducing apparatus, the memory space of the auxiliary recording means provided as an alternative recording means can be effectively used.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall schematic configuration of a mobile phone according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a hard disk memory control process executed by the control unit 10 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an overall schematic configuration of a mobile phone according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a hard disk memory and semiconductor memory control process executed by the control unit 10 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional mobile phone.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... antenna, 2 ... Wireless communication section, 3 ... Signal processing circuit, 10 ... control unit, 11 ... bus, 12 ... CCD camera, 13 ... Image coding circuit, 14 ... Image decoding circuit, 15 ... Liquid crystal display part, 16 ... Microphone, 17 ... voice encoding circuit, 18 ... voice decoding circuit, 19 ... speaker, 20 ... Hard disk memory, 21 ... Signal detector, 30 ... Semiconductor memory.

Front page continuation (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ identification code FI theme code (reference) H04Q 7/38 H04B 7/26 X (72) Inventor Hiroshi Takaso 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 5K027 AA11 BB07 HH29 5K039 BB04 DD04 EE01 5K067 AA23 BB04 FF02 FF40 GG11 HH23 KK15 5K101 LL12 NN06 NN07 NN11 NN21

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A mobile phone equipped with a disk recording / reproducing device for recording and reproducing data, and a voice output means for converting a received voice signal into voice and outputting the voice, the signal level of the voice signal being detected. And a signal control means for controlling the operation of the disc recording / reproducing apparatus based on the signal level detected by the signal detection means. 2. The operation control means, when the mobile phone is in operation for a call and the signal level detected by the signal detection means is lower than a predetermined threshold level, the disk. The mobile phone according to claim 1, wherein the recording / reproducing device is put in a standby state while the disk recording / reproducing device is put in an operable state when the mobile phone is not in operation for a call. 3. The mobile phone according to claim 1, further comprising auxiliary recording means for temporarily recording data. 4. The operation control means, when the mobile phone is operating for a call and the signal level detected by the signal detection means is smaller than a predetermined threshold level, the disc 4. The mobile phone according to claim 3, wherein the recording / reproducing device is put in a standby state and the auxiliary recording means is made operable. 5. The operation control means enables the disc recording / reproducing apparatus when the portable telephone is not in operation for a call and data is recorded in the auxiliary recording means, 5. The mobile phone according to claim 4, wherein the data recorded in the auxiliary recording means is transferred to the disc recording / reproducing device.