This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-340878, filed Nov. 25, 2004, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a consumer device such as a TV with a communication function, like a videophone. The present invention also relates to a communication method in such a consumer device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a personal computer (to be referred to as a PC hereinafter), software for implementing a videophone function is sometimes incorporated. For example, in Windows (registered trademark) available from Microsoft, software called “Windows Messenger” (registered trademark) for implementing a videophone function is incorporated. This software registers the name of a user who activates this software on the state of this user with a server. The user state is, e.g., “present”, “absent”, or “busy”. Depending on this user state, it can be determined whether the user can answer an incoming videophone call.
When using Windows Messenger, upon activation of this software and logon by a specific user name, the event that Windows Messenger is used by the specific user name is automatically notified to the server. The change of the user state can also be automatically registered at the same time a function such as a PC screen saver starts. Furthermore, the change of the user state can also be registered in accordance with an explicit software operation by the user.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-319355 discloses a technique in which when a caller cannot be connected to a callee in a videophone system, a message is transmitted from the caller to the server, and the server notifies a callee of the reception of an automatically recorded message by mail.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2000-115371 discloses a technique in which a switch has a number of modes of functions, e.g., voice mail, and has a number of modes including an absence mode and an transfer mode. Functions are set beforehand in order that a function is selected and activated when a telephone number of incoming call and a callee's mode correspond to a specific telephone number and a specific callee's mode, respectively.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 9-135437 discloses a technique in which a receiver with a communication function is connected to a response server via a telephone line to avoid a mismatch between the telephone number managed by the response server and that of the receiver.
However, in the above disclosed techniques, transmission of presence information cannot be controlled. That is, the user cannot control whether to notify the communication party of the presence of the device managed by the user. This is a problem from the viewpoint of privacy protection.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a communication apparatus comprises a communication unit configured to communicate with an external device, a management unit configured to manage a transmission condition of presence information, and a control unit configured to control transmission of the presence information via the communication unit on the basis of the transmission condition of the presence information managed by the management unit.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a communication method comprises managing a transmission condition of presence information, and controlling a transmission of the presence information on the basis of the transmission condition of the managed presence information.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the embodiment given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The communication device A is a TV with a communication function like a videophone. Note that the present invention is not limited to the TV with the communication function. For example, the present invention can be applied to a system in which a communication device and a server can mutually recognize their presence by exchanging a logical message.
The communication device A includes a communication means for communicating with an external device, a management means for managing a transmission condition of the presence information of the communication device A and a transmission condition of the status information of the user A who manages and uses the communication device A, and a control means for controlling transmission of the presence information and the status information via the communication means on the basis of the transmission condition of the presence information and the status information managed by this management means. Detailed examples of the means will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
For example, the management means manages the transmission condition set by the user A. This management means can set whether to transmit the presence information and the status information, depending on the presence server and a callee's device, which is the communication device B. More specifically, the management means controls transmissions of the presence information and the status information by registering with the callee's device to which the presence information and the status information are to be transmitted.
Hence, the user A can take an initiative to control transmissions of the presence information and the status information. That is, the user A can prevent the presence information and the status information from being unconditionally transmitted. In other words, the presence of the communication device A can be hidden according to a user's intention, thereby protecting privacy. For example, when the presence of the communication device A is hidden, it is effective as a measure against unsolicited bulk mails, which are mails transmitted to mail addresses selected at random.
The communication device A also includes an indicator, e.g., LED, or another display different from a video display, indicating the state in which the presence information and the status information are to be transmitted. Alternatively, the communication device A may display, by superimposing on the video display, the information indicating that the presence information and the status information are to be transmitted.
As shown in
Alternatively, as shown in
The control means of the communication device A uploads the presence information and the status information to the presence server C under the transmission condition of the presence information and the status information. The communication device B which intends to communicate with the communication device A interrogates the presence server C, about the presence information and the status information of the user A.
As shown in
The device power supply state management unit 11 manages a power supply state. For example, the device power supply state management unit 11 manages the power supply state for the display to which the video is output. The presence policy holding unit 12 holds and manages the transmission condition of the presence information. The transmission presence determination unit 13 controls transmission of the presence information via the network interface unit 14, on the basis of the power supply state managed by the device power supply state management unit 11 and the transmission condition of the presence information held by the presence policy holding unit 12. That is, the transmission presence determination unit 13 controls upload of the presence information for the presence server C.
Next, an example of transmission of the presence information used for operations shown in
More specifically, as shown in
An example of the operation of the communication device A will be described below with reference to
The transmission presence determination unit 24 controls communication with the external device, e.g., presence server C, via the network interface unit 25, on the basis of the designated time period managed by the time slot management unit 22. For example, in the designated time slot, communication with the external device is rejected. In response to this communication rejection, for example, a message is stored in the external device, which is server. Alternatively, in response to a incoming call from the external device in the designated time slot, the transmission presence determination unit 24 superimposes the information indicating the incoming call on the output video, or displays the information indicating the incoming call on another display different from the display on which the video is output.
An example of the operation of the communication device A will be described below with reference to
The transmission presence determination unit 34 controls communication with the external device, e.g., presence server C, via the network interface unit 35, on the basis of the broadcast time of the designated program managed by the time slot management unit 32. For example, in the broadcast time of the designated program, communication with the external device is rejected. In response to this communication rejection, for example, a message is stored in the external device, which is server. Alternatively, in response to a incoming call from the external device in the broadcast time of the designated program, the transmission presence determination unit 34 superimposes the information indicating the incoming call on the output video, or displays information indicating the incoming call on another display different from the display on which the video is output.
An example of the operation of the communication device A will be described below with reference to
The transmission presence determination unit 44 controls communication with the external device, e.g., presence server C, via the network interface unit 45, on the basis of the broadcast time of the selected program managed by the selected program management unit 42. For example, in the broadcast time of the selected program, communication with the external device is rejected. In response to this communication rejection, for example, a message is stored in the external device, which is server. Alternatively, in response to a incoming call from the external device in the broadcast time of the selected program, the transmission presence determination unit 44 superimposes the information indicating a incoming call on the output video, or displays information indicating the incoming call on another display different from the display on which the video is output.
An example of the operation of the communication device A will be described below with reference to
The transmission presence determination unit 54 controls communication with the external device, e.g., presence server C, via the network interface unit 55, on the basis of the broadcast time of the selected program managed by the selected program management unit 52. For example, in the broadcast time period of the selected program, communication with the external device is rejected. In response to this communication rejection, for example, a message is stored in the external device, which is server. Alternatively, in response to a incoming call from the external device in the broadcast time of the selected program, the transmission presence determination unit 54 superimposes the information indicating the incoming call on the output video, or displays information indicating the incoming call on another display different from the display on which the video is output.
An example of the operation of the communication device A will be described below with reference to
The transmission presence determination unit 64 controls communication with the external device, e.g., presence server C, via the network interface unit 65, on the basis of the broadcast time of the selected program managed by the selected program/time slot management unit 62. For example, in the broadcast time of the selected program, communication with the external device is rejected. In response to this communication rejection, for example, a message is stored in the external device, which is server. Alternatively, in response to a incoming call from the external device in the broadcast time of the selected program, the transmission presence determination unit 64 superimposes the information indicating the incoming call on the output video, or displays information indicating the incoming call on another display different from the display on which the video is output.
An example of the operation of the communication device A will be described below with reference to
The transmission presence determination unit 74 controls communication with the external device, e.g., presence server C, via the network interface unit 75, on the basis of the video output state managed by the viewing state management unit 72. For example, in the state of the video output ON, communication with the external device is rejected. In response to this communication rejection, for example, a message is stored in the external device (server). Alternatively, in response to a incoming call from the external device in the state of the video output ON, the transmission presence determination unit 74 superimposes the information indicating the incoming call on the output video, or displays information indicating the incoming call on another display different from the display on which the video is output.
Note that a video game can be applied in place of the video output. That is, it can be predicted that a video game is ON when the video output is ON. Hence, depending on whether the video game is ON, the user can control communication with the external device, and correspond to a incoming call from the external device. For example, in the state of the video game ON, communication with the external device is rejected. In response to this communication rejection, for example, a message is stored in the external device, which is server. Alternatively, in the stage of the game ON, information indicating a incoming call is superimposed on a screen in the state of the game ON, or information indicating the incoming call is displayed on another display different from the display on which the video is output.
An example of the operation of the communication device A will be described below with reference to
The transmission presence determination unit 84 controls transmission of the presence information for the external device, e.g., presence server C, upon turn-on of power supply. The transmission presence determination unit 84 also controls logoff from the external device upon turn-off of power supply. Furthermore, the transmission presence determination unit 84 controls communication with the external device, e.g., presence server C, via the network interface unit 85, on the basis of the designated time slot managed by the time slot management unit 82. For example, in the designated time slot, communication with the external device is rejected. In response to this communication rejection, for example, a message is stored in the external device, which is server. Alternatively, in response to a incoming call from the external device in the designated time slot, the transmission presence determination unit 84 superimposes the information indicating the incoming call on the output video, or displays information indicating the incoming call on another display different from the display on which the video is output.
FIGS. 15 to 17 are diagrams for explaining a presence policy.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
On the basis of this presence policy table, the information corresponding to a transmission of the presence information for the external device and a incoming call from the external device are controlled. For example, in correspondence with the power supply ON state of the communication device A, the presence information is transmitted to the external device to logon to the external device, the status information indicating “present” is transmitted, and the device responds to a incoming call from the external device. Also, in correspondence with the stand-by ON state of the communication device A, the status information indicating “absent” is transmitted to the external device. In correspondence with the power supply OFF state of the communication device A, the device logs off from the external device.
The communication device A may control the following operations.
For example, when a codec is used during recording the program, another codec is used to process incoming call's information.
Also, the communication device A manages whether the video game is ON, rejects a incoming call in the video game ON state, superimposes the information indicating the incoming call on a game screen, or displays the incoming call information on another display different from the display on which the video is output.
As described above, in the communication device A, the following effects can be obtained.
Since the communication device A includes the control button 1 (or the control button 1 on the remote controller 2) which controls transmission of the presence information and status information, transmission of the presence information and status information can easily be controlled.
Depending on the power supply state, e.g., power supply ON/stand-by/power supply OFF, the communication device A can control transmission of the presence information and status information.
The communication device A can also control transmission of the presence information and status information depending on the operation state, e.g., video output ON/game ON.
The communication device A can also reject a incoming call depending on the operation state, e.g., video output ON/game ON, and store the message on the server side. That is, the communication device A can cause the server to store the message, by a incoming call rejection setting depending on the operation state defined by the user.
Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2004-340878 | Nov 2004 | JP | national |