Alerting device for notifying incoming call by using earphone jack in portable mobile phone

[0002] This application claims priority to an application entitled “Alerting Device for Notifying Incoming Call by Using Ear Jack in Portable Mobile Phone” filed with the Korean Industrial Property Office on Sep. 8, 2000 and assigned Ser. No. 2000-53525, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

[0003] 1. Field of the Invention

[0004] The present invention relates generally to a portable mobile phone, and in particular, to an alerting device for notifying a user of an incoming call or an alarm.

[0005] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0006] In general, a portable mobile phone notifies a user of an incoming call by sound, vibration or light. A user is also notified of an alarm in the form of a sound, a vibration or of a light. However, the sound of an incoming call can scarcely be recognized if the user has poor hearing or is in a noisy surrounding. Further, if the phone is in a pocket or in a bag of the user, an incoming call or an alarm can hardly be recognized by sound, vibration or light.

[0007] In an attempt to solve the above problems, a technology has been suggested to output an incoming call sound through an external earphone connected to portable mobile phone. According to this technology, a user is able to listen to the sound of an incoming call through an external earphone even if the user is in a noisy surrounding or has poor hearing, or even in the case when the phone is in a bag or in a pocket.

[0008] However, with the existing technology, it is impossible to use external vibration or light to notify the user.

[0009] It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a system for notifying a user of an incoming call or an alarm from the outside of a portable mobile phone by using a standard earphone jack.

[0010] To achieve the above object, there is provided a system for notifying a user of an incoming call of a portable mobile phone according to the present invention. The system of a portable mobile phone having an earphone jack for connecting an earphone and an earphone operator for operating the earphone, includes an external incoming notifying system. The system further includes a discriminator, an incoming notifying operator, a selector and a controller installed in the portable mobile phone. The external incoming notifying system has at least one incoming notifying element and an earphone jack connector for connecting the incoming notifying elements to the earphone jack of the portable phone. The discriminator, connected to the earphone jack, determines which device of the earphone and the external incoming notifying system is connected to the earphone jack. The incoming notifying operator operates the external incoming notifying system. The selector connects the earphone operator or the incoming notifying operator to the earphone jack. The controller receives the determination of the discriminator connects one of the earphone operator ad the receiving notifying operator to the earphone jack.

[0011] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a construction of an incoming notifying system for an incoming call with an earphone jack according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention in unnecessary detail.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a construction of an incoming notifying system for an incoming call with an earphone jack according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a portable mobile phone 100 includes a conventional standard earphone jack 102 for connecting a conventional earphone 200, an earphone operator 108 for operating the earphone 200, an incoming notifying operator 110 for operating an incoming notifying element, and a controller 112. The phone 100 further includes a discriminator 104 and a selector 106 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Further, an external incoming notifying device 300 according to the present invention, includes an earphone jack connector 302, at least one incoming notifying element (i.e., a lamp 304, a vibration motor 306, a buzzer 308) a switch 310, and a resistance unit RS as a sensor element. The earphone jack connector 302 includes a ground terminal GND, a microphone terminal MIC, and a speaker terminal SPK for connecting to the earphone jack 102 of the portable mobile phone 100. The lamp 304, the vibration motor 306 and the buzzer 308 are connected between the speaker terminal SPK and the ground terminal GND through the switch 310, and the microphone terminal MIC is grounded through the resistance unit RS. The switch 310 connects the lamp 304, the vibration motor 306 or the buzzer 308 with the speaker terminal SPK of the earphone jack connector 302. The switch 310 connects the lamp 304 or the vibration motor 306 to the speaker terminal SPK of the earphone jack connector 302 by manipulation of a user who does not desire a sound signal of a notification. However, if the user desires a sound signal of notification, the buzzer 308 is connected to the speaker terminal SPK of the earphone jack connector 302.

[0015] The discriminator 104, connected with the microphone terminal MIC and the speaker terminal SPK of the earphone jack 102, determines which device of the earphone 200 and the external incoming notifying device 300 is connected to the earphone jack 102. The discriminator 104 detects and determines whether the earphone connector 202 of the earphone 200 is connected to the earphone jack 102 as in case of the conventional art. On the other hand, when the external incoming notifying device 300 rather than the earphone 200 is connected to the earphone jack 102, the microphone terminal MIC of the earphone jack 102 is grounded through the resistance unit RS connected to the microphone terminal MIC of the earphone jack connector 302. Then, the discriminator 104 detects and determines whether or not the external incoming notifying device 300 is connected.

[0016] The selector 106, connected between the microphone terminal MIC, the speaker terminal SPK of the earphone jack 102, the earphone operator 108 and the incoming notifying operator 110, connects the earphone operator 108 or the incoming notifying operator 110 to the earphone jack 102.

[0017] The controller 112, connected to the discriminator 104, the selector 106, the earphone operator 108 and the incoming notifying operator 110, receives the determination from the discriminator and controls the selector 106 so as to connect one of the earphone operator and the incoming notifying operator to the earphone jack 102, and operate the same.

[0018] If the earphone 200 is connected to the earphone jack 102, the earphone 200 is normally used as in the conventional art. If the external incoming notifying device 300 is connected to the earphone jack 102, the device notifies a user of an incoming call or an alarm by sound, light or vibration. The combinations thereof are only limited by the amount of switches in the device and are not meant to be exclusive as any notifying devices can be incorporated herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

[0019] It is possible to notify a user of an incoming call or an alarm from outside of the portable mobile phone 100, using the conventional earphone jack, by making use of the external incoming notifying device 300 including the same earphone jack connector 302 as the standard earphone jack 102 of the portable mobile phone 100.

[0020] As described above, the alerting device for notifying an incoming call according to the present invention provides advantages of notifying a user of an incoming call and an alarm from outside of the portable mobile phone and, at the same time, using the conventional earphone jack, by making use of the external incoming notifying device including the same earphone jack connector as the standard earphone jack of a portable mobile phone. The kinds of incoming notifying elements of the external incoming notifying device 300 may be varied. Further, it is possible to operate the lamp 304, the vibration motor 306 and the buzzer 308 together without actuating the switch 310, or adjust these elements in another structure from the structure shown in FIG. 1.

[0021] While the invention has been shown and described with reference to a certain preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.