Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PORTABLE TELEPHONE AND TERMINAL EQUIPMENT
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application is a division of co-pending Canadian
Patent Application Serial No. 2,359,131 filed on
December 7, 2000.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a portable telephone and
terminal equipment in which various types of data can be
inputted by switching between a plurality of input modes.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventionally, mobile data communication systems capable
of accessing computer networks such as the Internet through
mobile communication networks currently exist. As examples of
this type of system, there are those which treat the portable
telephone as a simple adapter, and use a notebook or laptop
type computer as a data terminal equipment, or those which use
the portable telephone itself as a data terminal equipment.
In systems treating portable telephones as simple
adapters, the users must carry a data terminal equipment in
addition to the portable telephone which reduces ease of
portability, and requires work to physically connect the
portable telephone and data terminal equipment, thus
increasing the load on the user. In addition, improvements of
peripheral technology enabled that portable telephones had
features to be required as data terminal equipments. Due
thereto, systems using the portable telephone itself as a data
terminal equipment have been actively proposed and developed
in recent years.
As an example of an actually existing service, there is a
system wherein a browser, which is software for browsing
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data, is provided in the portable telephone, and Internet WWW
(World Wide Web) services are offered to users of portable
telephones via the mobile communication network. In this
system, when a portable telephone receives data (hereinafter
referred to as HTML data) written in HTML (HyperText Markup
Language) offered by a server on the Internet, the HTML data
is interpreted and executed at the portable telephone to
generate a user interface (such as a graphical user
interface) according to the HTML data, which is offered to
the user of the portable telephone.
This being said, forms are widely used on the WWW as a
method for servers to acquire input data from users over the
Internet. These forms are user interfaces which are provided
by interpreting and executing HTML data. Each of forms
usually has at least one text input fields for users to input
text data. The data input procedures for such text input
fields are usually as follows.
A user operates cursor moving means while referred to a
form displayed on the display device to select a text input
field in which to input data, then inputs data into the field.
This procedure is repeated for the number of text input
fields requiring data input, after which an instruction to
transmit the inputted data is inputted. As a result, the
data inputted into the form is sent to the server on the
Internet.
However, when inputting data into a text input field
permitting the input of only a specific type of data, the
user must operate data input means (such as a keyboard) for
inputting the specific type of data. For example, if the
selected text input field is a field for inputting a Japanese
address, the data input means must be operated to enable
input of kanji and kana characters, and if the field is for
inputting one's age, it must be possible to input numerals.
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In particular, in the case of Japanese, the characters
displayed (inputted symbol code) will differ between hiragana
and katakana even if the input procedure (key operating
procedure) is exactly the same, so that the user must be able
to designate which type of character to input. Additionally,
when inputting Japanese, a method of using the Latin alphabet
as phonetic symbols and converting the inputted letters into
kana or kanji as required is widely employed. That is, when
inputting Japanese, operations to select characters are
necessary. This type of operation is also performed for
inputting characters in languages other than Japanese (such
as a portion of the languages other than Japanese utilized in
various Asian countries). In contrast, with input systems
that allow for the input of only numerals and alphabetic
letters it is possible to eliminate the need for operations
to select displayed characters. For example, an input system
can be conceived wherein an input mode for inputting numerals,
an input mode for inputting capital alphabet letters and an
input mode for inputting lower case alphabet letters are
provided and the input is performed after choosing one~of
these. However, in this case as well, an operation to switch
input modes is required, just as for inputting Japanese
addresses or inputting one's age. Of course, it is possible
to reduce the number of the operations mentioned above as
long as it is possible to use input means with enough
operating keys such as a keyboard for inputting data into a
computer, but providing such input means would require
portability to be sacrificed.
The above operations require a lot of work of users,
and in particular, they can be troublesome for users of
portable telephones for which it is difficult to provide a
sufficient number of operating keys for inputting various
types of data and arrange the operating keys in such a way as
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to simplify data input. That is, in terminal equipments
such as portable telephones, much troublesome work is
required when trying to change the functions (resources) of
a terminal equipment such as the input mode, thus for
example requiring a lot of work of users when inputting data
using forms.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One of the objects of the present invention is to offer
a terminal equipment such as a portable telephone capable of
reducing the work required of users when inputting data
without complicating the operating system. Additionally,
another object of the present invention is to offer a
terminal equipment enabling users to readily make use of the
resources in their own equipments.
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In accordance with one aspect of the present invention
there is a wireless communication terminal that primarily
functions as a wireless mobile telephone, comprising: an
output device comprising a display and an audio output; a
5 communication control that selectively implements multiple
communication functionalities comprising a browsing
functionality and a playback functionality; a browser that
activates the browsing functionality to selectively access a
content comprising data for music or motion picture; and a
mode control that automatically reconfigures at least one of
the display and the audio output for the playback
functionality according to the data in the accessed content.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of a
mobile communication system using a portable telephone MS
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware
structure of the same portable telephone MS.
Fig. 3 is a block diagram for explaining the
characteristic portions of the present invention in the
functional structure of the same portable telephone MS.
Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a screen
displayed by the same portable telephone MS.
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Fig. 5 is a flow chart indicating the flow of
procedures at the same portable telephone MS from when form
data are received until the content inputted by the user is
sent.
Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the structure
of an object table OT in the same portable telephone MS.
Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example for the coding
of input mode designating tags in the form data received by
the same portable telephone MS.
Fig. 8 is a flow chart showing the flow of procedures
performed by the same portable telephone MS with respect to
the input mode designating tags.
Fig. 9 is a flow chart showing the flow of procedures
performed by the same portable telephone MS when an object
to which data is to be inputted is a text input field.
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Fig. 10 is a diagram for explaining other examples of
processes for switching input modes.
Fig. 11 is a diagram for explaining other examples of
processes for switching input modes.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Here below, preferred embodiments of the present
invention shall be explained with reference to the drawings.
The present invention is not restricted to these embodiments,
and various modifications are possible within the scope of
the technical concept thereof.
A: Mobile Data Communication System
A-1: Structure of Mobile Data Communication System
First, the overall structure of a mobile data
communication system using a portable telephone according to
the present invention shall be explained.
Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of a
mobile communication system using a portable telephone
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
In the drawing, MS denotes a portable telephone which
receives packet communication services from a mobile packet
communication network MPN. This portable telephone MS is
connected to the mobile packet communication network MPN and
mobile telephone network MTN shown in this drawing. The
mobile telephone network MTN is a network for offering
general mobile telephone services, and the portable telephone
MS is able to receive this telephone service. The structure
of the portable telephone MS shall be described below. The
mobile telephone network MTN comprises a base station BS to
be described below and a mobile local switch MLS for
providing call switching services.
The mobile packet communication network MPN comprises a
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base station BS, a packet processing module PS, a gateway
server GWS and a communication path connecting these.
The base stations BS are provided at predetermined
intervals formed by dividing the ground in a range of a
radius of approximately 500 m, and each performs radio
communications with portable telephones MS belonging to the
radio zone created by each.
The packet processing module PS is a computer system
provided at a packet subscriber exchange station which
accommodates a plurality of base stations BS, for receiving
packet switching requests from the portable telephones MS and
relaying packet switching within the mobile packet
communication network MPN.
The gateway server GWS is a computer system provided on
a mobile packet gateway relay exchange station for
interconnecting the mobile packet communication network MPN
with other networks such as the Internet INET, for converting
between communication protocols that differ between networks.
Here, the conversion of communication protocols specifically
refers to conversion between the transmission protocol for
the mobile packet communication network heeded by the mobile
packet communication network MPN, and TCP/IP (Transmission
Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) heeded by other networks
such as the Internet INET.
Additionally, the gateway server GWS, upon receiving a
GET request in HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) from the
portable telephone MS, checks the URL (Uniform Resource
Locator) contained in the GET request, and if it indicates a
memory location inside the IP server W connected to the
gateway server GWS through a dedicated line, the GET request
is transferred to the IP server W and the reply is returned
to the portable telephone MS. Additionally, when the URL in
the GET request is a generally accessible URL on the Internet
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INET, the GET request is transferred to the Internet INET,
and the reply sent from the Internet INET in response to this
GET request is returned to the portable telephone MS.
Furthermore, the gateway server GWS works in
conjunction with the IP server W to control information
distribution services such as the sending and receiving of
electronic mail and various applications.
The IP server W is a server system operated by an IP
(Information Provider), for sending out information to be
provided to users to networks as HTML data. These IP servers
W may be connected to the gateway server GWS through the
Internet INET or connected to the gateway sever GWS through
dedicated lines. It is also possible to provide an IP server
W inside a gateway server GWS.
A-2: Example of Operation of Mobile Data Communication
System
Next, an example of operation of a mobile data
communication system having the above-described structure
shall be explained.
When a GET request is sent out from a portable
telephone MS addressed to an IP server W connected to the
Internet INET, the gateway server GWS transfers this GET
request to the IP server. the IP server W returns a response
to the GET request through the gateway server GWS to the
portable telephone MS. If the reply returned at this time is
HTML data requesting input of user data (hereinafter referred
to as form data), an input process for user data is performed
at the portable telephone MS which received the reply and the
inputted user data is sent all at once to the IP server W.
B: Structure of Portable Telephone MS
B-1: Hardware Structure of Portable Telephone MS
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Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware
structure of the portable telephone MS, and as shown in the
drawing, the portable telephone MS comprises internally a
transceiver portion (such as an antenna; radio portion,
5 transmitter and receiver) 11 for performing radio
communications with the base station BS, an audio inputting
portion (such as a mike) 12 for inputting sound, an audio
emitting portion (such as a speaker) 13 for emitting sounds,
an operating panel 14 provided with operating keys operated
10 by a user, a liquid crystal display 15 having a liquid
crystal panel or the like, and a control portion 16 for
controlling these portions.
The above operating panel 14 is provided with a ten-key
for inputting telephone numbers and various types of data, a
power button for instructing whether to turn the power on or
off, a communication mode switching button for switching
between an voice calling mode for making telephone calls and
a data transmission mode for performing data transmissions,
and an input mode switching button for instructing the input
mode to be switched.
Additionally, The control portion 16 contains a CPU
(Central Processing Unit) 161 for performing various types of
control, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 162 for storing various
programs and specific URL's and an SRAM (Static Random Access
Memory) 163 for storing telephone book data and the current
input mode and the like, such that when the power button is
depressed and a power supply which is not shown is turned on,
the CPU 161 reads and executes a basic control program stored
in the ROM 162 to control the ROM 162, SRAM 163, transceiver
portion 11, audio inputting portion 12, audio emitting
portion 13, operating panel 14 and liquid crystal display 15.
Here, the SRAM 163 described above is merely one possible
example, and the means for storing the current input mode can
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be another type of non-volatile memory such as an EEPROM.
As described above, the portable telephone MS comprises
as communication modes a calling mode for making telephone
calls and a data mode for performing data transmissions, and
when the communication mode changes to the data mode, it
reads out a program (so-called browser) for browsing document
data stored in the ROM 162, and runs the browser, upon which
a dialog screen (hereinafter referred to as the initial
screen) based on HTML data is displayed on the liquid crystal
display 15. The operating panel 14 and liquid crystal
display 15 are shared by the calling mode an data mode.
B-2: Functional Structure of Portable Telephone MS
Next, the functions of the portable telephone MS shall
be explained in connection with the characteristic portions
of the present invention. The functions explained here are
functions provided due to the CPU 161 running the browser in
the data mode. As for other functions, a general portable
telephone function is also provided, but since this is
commonly known, the explanation shall be omitted.
Fig. 3 is a block diagram for explaining the functional
structure of the portable telephone MS in connection with the
characteristic portions of the present invention, wherein the
functional elements offered by the CPU 161 running the
browser in data mode are shown as blocks.
As shown in this drawing, the above-described
functional elements include receiving means 21 for receiving
HTML data from the mobile packet communication network MPN,
interpreting/executing means 22 for interpreting HTML data
received by the receiving means 21 and executing a procedure
in accordance with the results of the interpretation, a user
interface process 23 which is a process generated as a result
of execution by the interpreting/executing means 22, display
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means 24 for displaying display data outputted from the user
interface process 23, operating means 25 for changing the
input mode according to mode switching instructions, input
mode setting means 26 for outputting mode switching
instructions in accordance with mode designation instructions
form the user interface process 23 to the operating means 25,
and transmitting means 27 for transmitting transmission data
from the user interface process 23 to the mobile packet
communication network MPN.
In the above-described functional elements, the
receiving means 21 and transmitting means 27 are functions
achieved by the transceiver portion 11 in Fig. 2, the display
means 24 is a function achieved by the liquid crystal display
24, and the interpreting/executing means 22 is a function
achieved by the CPU 161 running the browser. The
interpreting/executing means 22 prepares an object table OT
to be described in detail below, and also performs processes
using this.
The user interface process 23 is a process generated by
the CPU 161 running the browser in accordance with HTML data
received by the transceiver portion 11, and its functions
depending on contents in the HTML data. For example, when
HTML data describing a form having a text input field is
received by the transceiver portion 11, a page having a text
input field and a cursor for inputting data are displayed on
the display means 24, thus enabling data input to the text
input field. Here, the types of data which are allowed to be
inputted are types which are indicated in the HTML data as a
property of the text input field.
The operating means 25 is a function that is achieved
by the operating panel 14, the CPU 161 which has run the
basic control program and the SRAM 163, comprising a process
whereby the CPU 161 determines the input data based on the
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signals inputted by the operation of the ten-key on the
operating panel 14 and the current input mode stored in a
predetermined area of the SRAM 163, and a process whereby the
CPU 161 changes the current input mode stored in the SRAM 163
to the next input mode upon depression of the input mode
switching button in the operating panel 14. In the present
embodiment, the input mode changes circularly, for example,
from numerals to the alphabet to kana (kanji) to numerals,
etc., each time the input mode switching button is depressed.
The input mode setting means 26 is a function performed
by the CPU 161 running the browser and the SRAM 163, whereby
the CPU 161 updates the current input mode stored in the
predetermined area of the SRAM 163 so as to make the new
input mode decided by the user interface process 23 (mode
indicated by the mode designation instruction) the current
input mode. The operating means 25 circularly updates the
current input mode stored in the predetermined area of the
SRAM 163 each time a mode switching instruction is received
from the input mode setting means 26. For example, if the
current input mode is the numeral input mode, and the new
input mode decided by the user interface process 23 is the
kana input mode, then a mode switching instruction is
supplied from the input setting means 26 to the operating
means 25 twice, thereby changing the current input mode to
the kana input mode through the alphabet input mode.
C: Operations of Portable Telephone MS
Upon receiving form data providing a dialog screen such
as is shown by example in Fig. 4, the portable telephone MS
performs the process indicated in Fig. 5. In Fig. 4, RB
denotes a radio button, wherein one of a plurality of buttons
is selected by a user (the button corresponding to "female"
in Fig. 4). TIF1-TIF4 respectively denote text input fields
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wherein, according to the user, the name is inputted in the
text input field TIF1, the postal code inputted in the
is
text input fields TIF2 and TIF3, and the address is inputted
in the text input field TI F4. SB denotes a send button,
which when depressed by a user, sends user data inputted
the
in the form. CB denotes a cancel button, which when
depressed by a user, initializes the form.
Fig. 5 is a flow chart showing the flow of procedures
of the portable telephone MS from when the form data are
received until the content inputted by the user is sent, the
procedures indicated in this drawing being able to be
achieved by the above-described means working in conjunction.
When the receiving means 21 receives the form data, the
interpreting/executing means 22 interprets and executes the
instructions making up the form data. As a result, the user
interface process 23 is generated (step SA1). In the form
data interpreting process, the interpreting/executing means
22 generates an object table OT (see Fig. 6) by forming
correspondences between identification information for
identifying all of the objects on the form and property
information indicating the type (check boxes, buttons, text
input fields, etc.) and properties (size, color, etc.) of the
object. Here, the destination of the inputted data is also
included in the properties of the send button on the form.
Furthermore, if a text input field to which an input
mode designating tag is associated with the form exists
during the process for generating the object table OT, the
interpreting/executing means 22 stores in the object table OT
the input mode designated by the input mode designating tag
as a property of the text input field with which the tag has
been associated.
An example of the writing of an input mode designating
tag in the form data is shown in Fig. 7. The coding example
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shown in this drawing corresponds to the text input field
TIF4 in Fig. 4. In this coding example, while the character
string beginning with "input type" here is a generally used
expression, the character string beginning with "inputmode"
5 is a special expression for the present embodiment. Here, it
is assumed that the input mode for the text input field TIF4
is kana (kanji) mode.
Fig. 8 is a flow chart showing the flow of procedures
with respect to the input mode designation tags, and the
10 interpreting/executing means 22 performs the procedure
indicated in the flow chart each time it comes across a text
input field with which an input mode designation tag is
associated. As shown in this drawing, the
interpreting/executing means 22 first specifies the input
15 mode designated by the input mode designating tags (step SB1).
Next, the interpreting/executing means 22 stores in the
object table OT the input mode specified in step SB1 as a
property of the text input field to which the tag is
associated (step SB2).
Again with reference to Fig. 3, the user interface
process 23 generated by the interpreting/executing means 22.
has the display means 24 display a screen in accordance with
the form data, i.e. a form (see Fig. 4) (step SA2).
Subsequently, until an instruction to send data.inputted to
the form is inputted, a procedure for inputting data to the
objects to which data input is allowed is performed by the
operating means 25 and the input mode setting means 26 (step
SA3 ) .
The data input procedure differs according to the type
and property of the object to which an input is made. If the
object to which the input is made is a radio box or a list,
the operation of the user will be completed simply by
selecting a desired choice from among a plurality of choices.
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As a result, information indicating the selected choice is
stored in the object table as input data for that object.
If the object in which the input is made is a text
input field, as shown in Fig. 9, the user first selects the
object (step SC1). Consequently, the user interface process
23 obtains identification information for the object to which
an input is made. The user interface process 23, having
acquired the identification information, refers to the object
table OT, and upon finding that the object is a text input
field, enables the input of data to the text input field. As
a result, the display means 24, for example, blinks a cursor
at the head of the text input field.
Furthermore, if an input mode is set as a property of
the text input field (step SC2), the user interface process
23 supplies the input mode setting means 26 with a mode
designation instruction for changing the text input mode to
the set input mode (step SC3). The input mode setting means
26 which has received the mode designation instruction
supplies the operating means 25 with a mode switching
instruction for a number of times depending on the input mode
changing order, the current input mode and the mode
designation instruction. The operating means which has
received the mode switching instruction switches the input
mode each time the instruction is received. As a result, the
input mode is finally changed to the mode designated by the
mode designation instruction (step SC4). Then, the input of
data is allowed (step SC5).
If an input mode is not set as a property of the text
input field, the user interface process 23 (step SC2), the
procedure advances to step SC5 while retaining the current
input mode.
When the data is inputted to the text input field in
this way and the send button in Fig. 4 is depressed, the
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determination in step SA4 of Fig. 5 results in a "YES", and a
send procedure is performed (step SA5).
In the transmission procedure of step SA5, transmission
data is generated from the identification information of the
object to which the data has been inputted and the
corresponding input data by means of the user interface
process 23, and an instruction to send this data to the
destination stored in correspondence to the send button is
supplied to the transmitting means 27. The transmitting
means 27, upon receiving this instruction, sends the data to
the destination (IP server W).
D: Supplemental Description
While the data input mode for the text input field was
designated by using input mode designating tags in the above-
described embodiment, there is no restriction to such an
arrangement. For example, it is possible to include an input
example for the text input field in the form data as shown in
Fig. 10, and to designate the input mode of the text input
field based on the type of character string contained in the
input example, or to provide a text input field inside text
as shown in Fig. 11, and to designate the input mode of the
text input field based on the type of the preceding or
subsequent string.
Additionally, while the string "inputmode" was given as
an example of an indicator for switching input modes in the
above-described embodiment, it is also possible to define and
use other character strings as indicators.
Additionally, while an example wherein the input mode
in the portable telephone MS is switched by means of the
interpreting/executing means 22 preparing and using an object
table OT was given in the above embodiment, this is only one
possible example of installation in the portable telephone MS,
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and other configurations of the installation may be employed
as well.
Additionally, in the above-described embodiment, an
example of offering a user interface by means of images using
HTML data was given, but it is also possible to have a
character-based interface. Furthermore, it is possible to
offer other user interfaces using .data in formats other than
the HTML format.
Additionally, numerals, the alphabet, and kana (kanji)
were given as examples of input modes in the above-described
embodiment, but the input mode to which the present invention
is directed need not be restricted to these, and the present
invention may just as well be applied to portable telephones
supporting language systems different from Japanese (such as
Chinese). Additionally, for example, if the portable
telephone supports a plurality of languages such as in a
Russian mode, a Mandarin mode, a Cantonese mode and the like,
it is possible to apply the present invention with the
respective language modes as input modes. Similarly, the
present invention can be applied to portable telephones
supporting input modes corresponding to a plurality of code
systems.
Additionally, it is also possible to apply the present
invention to portable telephones in which the user is capable
of inputting images, audio and graphic characters, and to
switch between input modes containing these. For example, it
is possible to display a form in a portable telephone having
a digital camera, such that when a field for inputting image
data or a predetermined object on the form (such as the
character string "take picture") is selected, the camera is
automatically operated, and image data representing the taken
image is inputted to the field. Of course, it is also
possible to have an arrangement such that when a
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predetermined object (such as the character string "input
audio") is selected, audio data inputted from the audio
inputting portion is inputted to the field. In these
embodiments, it is possible to enable a user to preset
whether to automatically input image data or audio data in
order to protect the privacy of the user.
Furthermore, the data capable of being inputted in each
input mode does not have to be exclusively divided. For
example, the present invention can be applied to portable
telephones provided with input modes which are adapted to
make it easier to input key words relating to finance or to
input key words relating to shopping. In this case, i.t is
possible to offer a service wherein the input mode of the
portable telephone automatically changes to the input mode
adapted for inputting key words relating to finance when a
user operates the portable telephone displaying a menu
offering various services to select a menu category relating
to banking services.
Additionally, the user interface offered to the user
need not be restricted to a visual user interface. For
example, the user interface may be such as to select a menu
category be following oral guidance.
Additionally, in the above-mentioned embodiment, an
example of returning data inputted to the form to the source
of the form data was given, but it can be sent to a server
different from the source of the form. Additionally, an
external device such as a computer may be connected to the
portable telephone MS, and the input data can be sent to the
external device without using the transmitting means 27 (i.e.
without passing through the mobile communication network MPN).
Furthermore, the destination of the input data may be inside
the portable telephone MS. That is, the destination of the
inputted data can be freely set within the range allowed by
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the processing system.
Additionally, in the above-described embodiment, an
example wherein the form data are received through receiving
means 21 (i.e. through the mobile communication network MPN)
5 was given, but the form data can be pre-stored in the
portable telephone MS, and received through a communication
path (such as RS-232C) other than the mobile communication
network MPN.
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, an
10 example wherein the user inputted the user data after
choosing an object in which to perform the input was given,
but in the event that there is only one object into which to
input on the form, it is possible to automatically select
that object and to skip the user selection operation.
15 Additionally, it is possible to enable a data input
mode to be set independent of the object. For example, if
the HTML data contains information designating an input mode,
it is possible to switch the input mode of all objects in a
page that is expressed by HTML data in accordance with that
20 information. That is, the input mode can be switched in
units of HTML data (content).
Additionally, for example, an embodiment such that when
a portable telephone having a plurality of standby screens
accesses the homepage of a specific site, the standby screen
of the portable telephone is automatically changed according
to a standby screen change instruction written in the
homepage. With this embodiment, by rewriting the content of
the homepage of a specific site (change instruction), for
example, every quarter, the standby screens of portable
telephones accessing the site can be changed according to the
season.
As is clear from the above, the object of switching in
the present invention need not be restricted to the input
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mode. For example, in a portable ,telephone provided with a
~~i
,. .
digital camera, image data representim,';, ,a,., photographed image
can be converted into image data of a si'~t Iand data size)
designated by the form before inputting it into the field.
The same also applies to audio, so that the sampling rate of
audio data inputted from the audio inputting portion can be
converted before being inputted to the field.
Furthermore, applied to portable telephones having a
video playback mode, a music playback mode, a telephone-
dedicated mode and the like, these modes can be made the
object of switching. For example, it is possible to make it
so that when a portable telephone accesses a site which
distributes content, a screen for selecting the content to be
distributed is displayed on the portable telephone, and when
the desired content is selected by the operations of a user,
the mode of the portable telephone automatically changes to a
video playback mode, so that the settings of the liquid
crystal display and the audio emitting portion are optimized
for video playback. This type of embodiment can be achieved
by preparing a content selection screen such that when
content is selected, an instruction corresponding to that
type of content is executed, and displaying this selection
screen on a portable telephone in which these types of
instructions can be interpreted and executed to change the
settings of that device. Additionally, it can be applied to
a portable telephone provided with a normal mode and a mode
used when not wishing to disturb others in a public area,
such as to access a specific site to select a mode. Of
course, while this type of mode switching can be performed
manually, in portable telephones which tend to. have
complicated operations, there is the advantage that it is
easier to understand for users to switch the mode or function
of portable telephones by accessing specific sites.
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Additionally, when applying the present invention to
portable telephones wherein the settings can be switched at a
level more specific than modes, the settings such as screen
size, audio volume, playback speed and the like used at the
time of playback of the content can be changed according to
the content. Furthermore, when selecting content which is to
be distributed, it is possible to have the portable telephone
execute a control instruction selected according to the
content (an instruction for controlling the hardware
resources of the portable telephone). As a result, it will
become possible to turn the backlight of the liquid crystal
display on or off according to the content, to play back
music data (such as music data selected from at least one
type of music used to give notification of a received call),
or to have a reception call lamp (a lamp which lights up or
blinks when a signal such as a telephone call or electronic
mail is receive) blink at a timing which depends on the
content. Of course, the settings to be switched need not be
restricted to hardware resources. For example, a specific
site can be accessed by a portable telephone which has
software for transmitting and receiving electronic mail and
has not been set for using this software, whereupon the
portable telephone can run setup instructions (instructions
for setting up software so as to be usable in the portable
telephone) contained in the homepage of that site.
Additionally, according to the present invention, an
embodiment wherein the portable telephone accesses a site for
maintaining portable telephones, performs a test as to
whether or not the control instructions sent from that site
fulfill specifications such as transmission power, and
automatically operates the electronic volume which controls
the transmission power based on the results of the test.
Additionally, an embodiment wherein a specific site for
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updating the software of the portable telephone is accessed
by the portable telephone, and new software is downloaded
from the site and installed in the portable telephone in
accordance with control instructions sent from that site is
also possible.
Additionally, an embodiment wherein a portable
telephone having a normal menu and a menu which has been
simplified for the purpose of reducing the complexity of
operations accesses a specific site, and when a user selects
an object for switching the menu in the user interface based
on data sent from that site, the menu used in the portable
telephone is switched is also possible. Additionally, it is
possible to have a portable telephone having functions
corresponding to a plurality of menu items access a specific
site, and use checkboxes or the like to select desired menu
items from a user interface based on the data sent from the
site (a user interface presenting all of the menu items in a
selectable manner), thereby enabling the user to readily
customize the menu of the portable telephone. In this case,
the portable telephone can be shipped with the capability
only of using the functions required for accessing the site.
Additionally, in view of reducing complexity of
operation, the object of control in the present invention is
not limited to software resources. For example, it is
possible to make the number of colors capable of being
emitted by the reception lamp a single color for the purpose
of reducing complexity of operation at the time of shipping
of the portable telephone, but then to be able to change the
number of colors to a plurality after accessing a specific
site from the portable telephone, assigning each color a
different meaning.
As is clear from the above, the feature of controlling
activation, deactivation and setup of resources in the
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portable telephone from a remotely located server is also
included within the scope of the present invention.
Furthermore, while the above-described embodiments and
modifications give examples of application of the present
invention to portable telephones, the application of the
present invention is not limited to portable telephones, and
may include PDA's (Personal Digital (Data) Assistants) having
a communication function and portable or desktop computers
having a transmission function. Of course, it is also
possible to apply the present invention to data terminal
equipments such as PDA's and computers not having a
transmission function, and to terminal equipments formed by
connecting communication terminals such as modems compatible
with portable telephones or fixed networks.
