CALL VOLUME ADJUSTMENT METHOD AND MOBILE COMMUNICATION TERMINAL USING THE SAME

Abstract

A call volume adjustment method and a mobile communication terminal using the same are disclosed. The method includes sensing if a pressure part of the mobile communication terminal is pressurized, determining the level of pressure applied to the pressure part upon sensing that the pressure part is pressurized, and adjusting the call volume of the mobile communication terminal according to the determined pressure level. Therefore, it is possible to adjust the call volume simply and conveniently without operating a specific key.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a conventional call volume adjustment process;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the internal configuration of a mobile communication terminal with a call volume adjustment function according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for adjusting the call volume of the mobile communication terminal according to the present invention;

FIG. 4A is a side view of a first embodiment of the mobile communication terminal according to the present invention under the condition that a stopper of the terminal is not pressurized;

FIG. 4B is a side view of the first embodiment of the mobile communication terminal according to the present invention under the condition that the stopper of the terminal is pressurized;

FIG. 5A is a front view of a second embodiment of the mobile communication terminal according to the present invention, which is a bar type and has a pressure part to be pressurized;

FIG. 5B is a front perspective view of a third embodiment of the mobile communication terminal according to the present invention, which is a slide type and has a pressure part to be pressurized;

FIG. 5C is a front view of a fourth embodiment of the mobile communication terminal according to the present invention, which is a folder type and has a pressure part to be pressurized;

FIG. 6A illustrates the internal configuration of a first embodiment of a pressurization sensing unit of the mobile communication terminal according to the present invention under the condition that a pressure part of the terminal is not pressurized;

FIG. 6B illustrates the internal configuration of the first embodiment of the pressurization sensing unit of the mobile communication terminal according to the present invention under the condition that the pressure part of the terminal is pressurized;

FIG. 7A illustrates the internal configuration of a second embodiment of the pressurization sensing unit of the mobile communication terminal according to the present invention under the condition that the pressure part of the terminal is not pressurized; and

FIG. 7B illustrates the internal configuration of the second embodiment of the pressurization sensing unit of the mobile communication terminal according to the present invention under the condition that the pressure part of the terminal is pressurized.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting a call volume of a mobile communication terminal, the method comprising: sensing whether a pressure part of the mobile communication terminal is pressurized;determining a level of pressure applied to the pressure part upon sensing that the pressure part is pressurized; andadjusting the call volume of the mobile communication terminal according to the determined pressure level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication terminal is a folder type and the sensing step comprises sensing whether a stopper attached between an upper folder and a lower folder is pressurized.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing step comprises sensing whether a portion of a speaker of the mobile communication terminal is pressurized.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing step comprises sensing whether a switch adapted to perform a switching operation is closed in response to the applied pressure.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the determining step comprises using a pressure sensor to determine the pressure level applied to the pressure part.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step comprises using a variable resistor having a resistance that varies with the pressure level to determine the level of the pressure applied to the pressure part.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting step comprises returning the call volume to a previous state, if it is sensed that the pressure part is no longer pressurized after the call volume has been increased.

8. A mobile communication terminal with a call volume adjustment function, the mobile communication terminal comprising: a pressurization sensing unit adapted to sense whether a pressure part of the mobile communication terminal is pressurized, and to determine a level of pressure applied to the pressure part;a controller adapted to adjust a call volume of the mobile communication terminal according to a result of the pressurization sensing unit; anda speaker adapted to output an audio signal with the adjusted call volume.

9. The mobile communication terminal of claim 8, wherein the pressure part comprises a stopper provided between an upper folder and a lower folder when the mobile communication terminal is a folder type.

10. The mobile communication terminal of claim 81 wherein the pressure part is provided at a portion of the speaker.

11. The mobile communication terminal of claim 8, wherein the pressurization sensing unit comprises a pressure sensor.

12. The mobile communication terminal of claim 8, wherein the pressurization sensing unit comprises: a switch adapted to perform a switching operation in response to pressure applied thereto; anda sensor adapted to determine a state of the switch and the level of the pressure applied to the pressure part.

13. The mobile communication terminal of claim 12, wherein the switch is connected to at least one of a pull-up resistor and a pull-down resistor.

14. The mobile communication terminal of claim 8, wherein the pressurization sensing unit comprises: a variable resistor having a resistance that varies with pressure; anda sensor adapted to determine the level of the pressure applied to the pressure part according to the varying resistance of the variable resistor.

15. The mobile communication terminal of claim 8, wherein the controller returns the call volume to a previous state before, if it is sensed that the pressure part is no longer pressurized after the call volume has been increased.

16. A method for adjusting a call volume of a mobile communication terminal, the method comprising: sensing whether a pressure part of the mobile communication terminal is pressurized;determining a level of pressure applied to the pressure part upon sensing that the pressure part is pressurized; andadjusting the call volume of the mobile communication terminal according to the determined pressure level,wherein the level of pressure is determined by the pressure of a user's ear on the pressure part.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the sensing step comprises sensing whether a portion of a speaker of the mobile communication terminal is pressurized.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the sensing step comprises using a switch adapted to perform a switching operation in response to the applied pressure.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the determining step comprises using a variable resistor having a resistance that varies with the pressure level to determine the level of pressure applied to the pressure part.

20. A mobile communication terminal with a call volume adjustment function, the mobile communication terminal comprising: a pressurization sensing unit adapted to sense whether a pressure part of the mobile communication terminal is pressurized, and to determine a level of pressure applied to the pressure part;a controller adapted to adjust a call volume of the mobile communication terminal according to a result of the pressurization sensing unit; anda speaker adapted to output an audio signal with the adjusted call volume,wherein the pressure part is provided at a portion of the speaker, and the level of pressure is determined according to the pressure of a user's ear on the pressure part.