Mobile communication device capable of setting tone color and method of setting tone color

Abstract

A mobile communication device and a method of setting tone color, which allow a user to set the tone color of received sound. Provided are a normal mode, which sets the equalizer using GCF standards stored in an internal memory or equalizer setting values selected by a provider, a country-specific mode, which uses country-specific setting, and a user mode, in which a user can set frequency-specific gains of the received sound, and one mode is selected from the provided mode, so that the tone color of the received sound can be adjusted according to the selection. Telephone speech quality can be optimized for user preference, network environments and language characteristics.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising: a memory configured to store a plurality of equalizer settings including a first equalizer setting and a second equalizer setting; and a controller configured to: receive a signal including a sound from a network service via a receiver, the signal not including equalizer settings information, automatically select at least one equalizer setting corresponding to a network service area from the plurality of equalizer settings, and apply the at least one equalizer setting to the sound such that a characteristic of the sound is adjusted according to the at least one equalizer setting, wherein the network service area is identified by a communication system that is used in the network service area.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an equalizer configured to adjust the characteristic using the at least one equalizer setting.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the equalizer further is configured to: select a frequency bandwidth of the sound as the characteristic.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network service area includes a first network service area corresponding to the first equalizer setting and a second network service area corresponding to the second equalizer setting, and wherein a first frequency bandwidth corresponding to the first network service area is different from a second frequency bandwidth corresponding to the second network service area.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to: determine the network service area based on at least one of a current location of the apparatus, an input by a user, a country where the apparatus is to be used, or a combination thereof.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a user interface configured to receive a selection of at least one of a plurality of equalization modes from a user, the plurality of equalization modes including at least one of a first equalization mode corresponding to a manual adjustment of the equalizer or a second equalization mode corresponding to an automatic adjustment of the equalizer.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the user interface is configured to: receive an input in relation with the manual adjustment or the automatic adjustment from the user.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the user interface is configured to: present information regarding the second equalizer setting via a display operatively coupled to the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one equalizer setting comprises: a frequency gain corresponding to a frequency bandwidth of the network service area.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to: adjust the second equalizer setting based at least in part on a frequency bandwidth of the sound or another sound to be received in relation with the network service area.

11. A method comprising: receiving, via a receiver in an electronic device, a signal including a sound from a network service, the signal not including equalizer settings information; automatically selecting, by a controller in the electronic device, at least one equalizer setting corresponding to a network service area from a plurality of equalizer settings, the plurality of equalizer settings stored in a memory in the electronic device and including a first equalizer setting and a second equalizer setting; and applying the at least one equalizer setting to the sound such that a characteristic of the sound is adjusted according to the at least one equalizer setting, via an equalizer, wherein the network service area is identified by a communication system that is used in the network service area.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein selecting comprises: selecting the first equalizer setting as the at least one equalizer setting based on determining that the network service area corresponds to a first communication system; and selecting the second equalizer setting as the at least one equalizer setting based on determining that the network service area corresponds to a second communication system.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein applying comprises: changing the at least one equalizer setting from the first equalizer setting to the second equalizer setting based at least in part on the network service area or the communication system.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein changing comprises: adjusting the second equalizer setting, based at least in part on a frequency bandwidth of the sound or another sound to be received in relation with the network service area.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein applying comprises: modifying a tone color corresponding to the sound from a first tone color to a second tone color.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein applying comprises: selecting a frequency bandwidth of the sound as the characteristic.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein selecting comprises: receiving a selection of at least one of a plurality of equalization modes from a user, the equalization modes including at least one of a first equalization mode corresponding to a manual adjustment of the equalizer, or a second equalization mode corresponding to an automatic adjustment of the equalizer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein receiving comprises: receiving an input in relation with the manual adjustment or the automatic adjustment from the user.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein one or more of the equalizer settings comprises: a frequency gain corresponding to a frequency bandwidth of the network service area.

20. A non-transitory machine-readable storage device configured to store a plurality of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: receive, via a receiver in an electronic device in which the one or more processors are equipped, a signal including a sound from a network service, the signal not including equalizer settings information; automatically select at least one equalizer setting corresponding to a network service area from a plurality of equalizer settings, the plurality of equalizer settings stored in a memory in the electronic device and including a first equalizer setting and a second equalizer setting; and apply the at least one equalizer setting to the sound such that a characteristic of the sound is adjusted according to the at least one equalizer setting, via an equalizer, wherein the network service area is identified by a communication system that is used in the network service area.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication system is at least one of CDMA, GSM and JCDMA.

22. The method of claim 11, wherein the communication system is at least one of CDMA, GSM and JCDMA.

23. The non-transitory machine-readable storage device of claim 20, wherein the communication system is at least one of CDMA, GSM and JCDMA.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts:

(2) FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method of setting the tone color of received sound using a user interface of a mobile communication device;

(3) FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating an equalizer control interface, which appears when a user mode of an equalizer setting menu is selected;

(4) FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a mobile communication device of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating a data structure of frequency-specific gains, which is used to store the equalizer setting of a mobile communication device of the present invention;

(6) FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating a data structure of country-specific equalizer setting, which is used to store the equalizer setting of a mobile communication device of the present invention; and

(7) FIG. 4C is a diagram illustrating a data structure of equalizer setting data, which is used to store the equalizer setting of a mobile communication device of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) FIGS. 1 through 4C, discussed below, and the various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present disclosure in this patent document are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented in any suitably arranged mobile communication device.

(9) FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method of setting the tone color of received sound by a user interface of a mobile communication device.

(10) As shown in FIG. 1, when a user selects equalizer setting from a user interface (S100), an equalizer setting menu is displayed (S102).

(11) The equalizer setting menu may include a normal mode, a county-specific mode (i.e., a mode according to each country) and a user mode.

(12) If the user mode is selected (S104), an equalizer control interface is displayed (S106), so that a user can set desirable tone color by controlling each gain according to frequency.

(13) For example, the user can increase the gain of low frequency when he/she wants to emphasize low sound, or increase the gain of middle frequency when he/she wants clear voice.

(14) When the user completes inputting desired equalizer setting in response to the displaying step S106, the inputted equalizer setting is stored as currently-used equalizer setting in an internal memory (S108).

(15) If the user selects the country-specific mode (S110), a list of countries stored in the internal memory is displayed (S112), so that the user can select one country from the displayed country list.

(16) The country list may include country names included in country-specific equalizer setting of the equalizer setting data.

(17) The country list displaying step S112 supports adding a new country, deleting stored information of a country, editing a stored country name, and editing the equalizer setting in a home or visiting country. Preferably, the country list displaying step S112 further includes a step of updating the country-specific equalizer setting of the equalizer setting data, stored in the internal memory.

(18) The country list displaying step S112 may provide an option of automatic roaming service area synchronization.

(19) When the user selects one country from the list, the frequency-specific gains (i.e., gains according to frequencies) of the selected country are stored as currently-used equalizer setting (S114).

(20) When the option of automatic roaming service area synchronization is selected, the country selecting step S114 can store equalizer setting, optimized for a roaming service area, as currently-used equalizer setting.

(21) The roaming service area is identified by the communication system (CDMA, GSM, JCDMA, and so on), which is used in the roaming service area. The roaming service area option can be automatically set in response to the activation of automatic roaming service, or be set via the interface of a mobile communication device.

(22) Preferably, the equalizer setting of the roaming service area is previously stored at the time the mobile communication device is manufactured.

(23) When the user selects the normal mode, the basic frequency-specific equalizer setting stored at the time of manufacturing is set as the currently-used equalizer setting in the internal memory (S116).

(24) Through the user mode, the country-specific mode and a basic mode, a controller controls the equalizer using the currently-used equalizer setting, stored in the internal memory (S118). Later, the tone color of received sound is adjusted by the equalizer setting of the user.

(25) FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the equalizer control interface that appears when the user mode of the equalizer setting menu is selected (S104).

(26) As shown in FIG. 2, gains at 20 Hz, 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz, 3000 Hz and 4000 Hz can be adjusted, and each gain can have a value in the range from 3 to +3. Each frequency can be replaced by a different value in response to the development of technology, and the selectable range of the gains can also be enlarged or reduced.

(27) The user can recognize a currently selected frequency based on a cursor 200, increase or reduce the gain of the currently-selected frequency using an upward or downward arrow key in a keyboard, and select a frequency bandwidth, which he/she wants to adjust using a rightward or leftward arrow key in the keyboard.

(28) Describing, as an example, the equalizer setting situation shown in FIG. 2, the currently-selected frequency is 1000 Hz, and the user can raise the level of middle-low sound, such as 1000 Hz, by selecting the upward arrow key or reduce the level of the same by selecting the downward arrow key. As shown, the gain 202 at a low sound 20 Hz is zero (0), which is not adjusted from the reference value. The gains 204, 206 and 208 at the other frequencies are in the same state.

(29) During adjustment, it is possible to play part of stored sound as a test. In this case, it is preferable that the stored sound or sample voices are played through the equalizer setting adjusted by the user input at that moment.

(30) When the setting is finished, frequency-specific gains, set through an enter key or the like in the key pad, are stored in the currently-used equalizer setting (S108).

(31) FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a mobile communication device of the present invention.

(32) As shown in FIG. 3, the mobile communication device of the present invention includes a receiver 300, an equalizer 310, a signal converter 320, a speaker 330, a user interface 340, a controller 350, a data link 360 and an internal memory 370.

(33) The receiver 300 receives a radio signal when a received call is connected, and sends the received radio signal to the equalizer 310.

(34) The equalizer 310 controls the tone color of the radio signal from the receiver 300 according to an equalizer setting that is supplied through the user interface 340 by a frequency-specific gains stored in its own memory, and sends the tone-compensated radio signal to the signal converter 320.

(35) The signal converter 320 converts the tone-controlled radio signal from the equalizer 310 into an audio signal that a speaker can reproduce, and sends the audio signal to the speaker 330.

(36) The speaker 330 reproduces the audio signal received from the signal converter 320.

(37) The user interface 340, under the control of the controller 350, displays an equalizer setting menu, a country-specific equalizer setting interface and a user equalizer setting interface, and in response to a user input, changes the setting of the equalizer 310 via the controller 350, and stores equalizer setting data in the internal memory 370.

(38) It is preferable that the equalizer setting data be a data structure that includes currently-used equalizer setting, user-selected equalizer setting and country-specific equalizer setting.

(39) As shown in FIG. 3, the user interface 340 includes an equalizer setting menu display part 341, a normal mode setting part 342, a country-specific mode setting part 343 and a user mode setting part 344. The equalizer setting menu display part 341 enables the operation of the equalizer setting menu. When a normal menu is selected from the equalizer setting menu, the normal mode menu 342 sets an initial equalizer setting value given at the time of manufacturing in the equalizer 310. When a country-specific menu is selected from the equalizer setting menu, the country-specific mode setting part 343 reads in the country-specific equalizer setting from the internal memory 370 and displays country names. When a user selects one of the country names, the country-specific mode setting part 343 applies the equalizer setting of the selected country to the equalizer 310. The user mode setting part 344 provides an interface for adjusting the gain of each frequency when the user mode is selected from the equalizer setting menu. When the user changes the equalizer setting, the user mode setting part 344 stores the changed equalizer setting in the equalizer setting data in the internal memory 370, and applies the changed equalizer setting to the equalizer 310.

(40) The controller 350 is connected to the user interface 340, the equalizer 310, the internal memory 370 and the data link 360 to control the operation of respective parts and control the equalizer 310 according to relevant equalizer setting when is adjusted equalizer setting of tone color through the user interface 340.

(41) The data link 360 is connected to an external device, and when the equalizer setting data is inputted from the external device, the data link 360 notifies the controller 350 of the input of the equalizer setting data. The data link 360 also transmits the equalizer setting data from the controller 350 to the external device.

(42) The internal memory 370 stores the equalizer setting data, which can be stored, loaded, deleted and changed by controller 350.

(43) FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating a data structure of frequency-specific gains, which is used to store the equalizer setting of the mobile communication device of the present invention.

(44) As shown in FIG. 4A, the data structure of frequency-specific gains includes frequency number 410, first frequency 411, first gain 412, second frequency 413, second gain 414, and so forth. The frequency number 410 indicates the number of frequencies to which gain values are to be set. The first frequency 411 indicates a first frequency value, and the first gain 412 indicates the gain of the first frequency. The second frequency 413 indicates a second frequency value, and the second gain 414 indicates the gain of the second frequency.

(45) FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating a data structure of country-specific equalizer setting, which is used to store the equalizer setting of a mobile communication device of the present invention.

(46) As shown in FIG. 4B, the data structure of country-specific equalizer setting includes country number 430, name of first country 431, equalizer setting of first country 432, name of second country 433 and equalizer setting of second country 434. The country number 430 indicates the number of countries whose equalizer setting values are stored. The name of first country 431 indicates the name of a first country, and the equalizer setting of first country 432 indicates the equalizer setting of the first country, which has a data structure of frequency-specific gains as shown in FIG. 4A. The name of second country 433 indicates the name of a second country, and the equalizer setting of second country 434 indicates the equalizer setting of the second country.

(47) FIG. 4C is a diagram illustrating a data structure of equalizer setting data, which is used to store the equalizer setting of a mobile communication device of the present invention.

(48) As shown in FIG. 4C, the data structure of equalizer setting data includes currently-used equalizer setting 400, user-selected equalizer setting 420 and country-specific equalizer setting 440. The currently-used equalizer setting 400 has a data structure of frequency-specific gains as shown in FIG. 4A. The user-selected equalizer setting 420 indicates equalizer setting values, selected by the user, which have a data structure of frequency-specific gains as shown in FIG. 4A. The country-specific equalizer setting 440 indicates information related with country-specific equalizer setting, which has a data structure of country-specific equalizer setting as shown in FIG. 4B.

(49) Hereinafter, the operation of the mobile communication device of the present invention will be described.

(50) First, a process of setting frequency-specific gains of the equalizer 310 using the user interface 340 will be described.

(51) Preferably, the user interface for setting the equalizer is provided as an item of a setting menu of the mobile communication device, particularly, a music and sound setting menu.

(52) When the user selects the equalizer setting, the equalizer setting menu is displayed. The equalizer setting menu may include normal mode, country-specific mode and user mode.

(53) When the normal mode is selected, the equalizer setting menu display part 341 enables the normal mode setting part 342.

(54) The normal mode setting part 342 sets the initial equalizer setting value, given at the time of manufacturing in the equalizer 310 and stores the initial equalizer setting value in the currently-used equalizer setting 400 of the equalizer setting data of the internal memory 370.

(55) When the country-specific mode is selected, the equalizer setting menu display part 341 enables the country-specific mode setting part 343.

(56) The country-specific mode setting part 343 reads the country-specific equalizer setting from the internal memory 370 by the controller 350 and displays the country names 431 and 433, so that the user can select one of the displayed country names.

(57) When the user selects one of the country names, the country-specific mode setting part 343 applies the equalizer setting 432 or 434 of the selected country to the equalizer 310 by the controller 350, and stores this value in the currently-used equalizer setting 400 of the equalizer setting data stored in the internal memory 370.

(58) The country-specific module 343 supports adding a new country, deleting stored information of a country, editing a stored country name, and editing gains according to frequencies. Preferably, the country-specific module 343 updates the country-specific equalizer setting 440 of the equalizer setting data, stored in the internal memory 370 the country-specific mode setting part 343 applies the equalizer setting 432 or 434 of the selected country to the equalizer 310 by the controller 350.

(59) The country-specific mode setting part 343 provides an option of roaming service area synchronization, and when the option is selected, can apply the equalizer setting of a corresponding automatic roaming service area to the equalizer 310.

(60) When the option of roaming service area synchronization is selected, the country-specific mode setting part 343 can read in a roaming service area-indicating value stored by a different module in charge of automatic roaming service and apply the equalizer setting of the corresponding country to the equalizer 310 by the controller 350.

(61) In the case of automatic roaming service area change, the country-specific mode setting part 343 can apply the equalizer setting of the corresponding roaming service area to the equalizer 310.

(62) Frequency-specific gains of the automatic roaming service country may be previously stored at the time of manufacturing or be changed by the user.

(63) It is preferable that the frequency-specific gains of the automatic roaming service country are previously stored in a mobile communication device when the device is manufactured.

(64) The equalizer setting menu display part 341 enables the user mode setting part when the user mode is selected.

(65) The user mode setting part 344 provides an interface for adjusting the gain of each frequency (see FIG. 2). Preferably, the initial value of each frequency-specific gain can be the user-selected equalizer setting 420 of the equalizer setting data stored in the internal memory 370.

(66) When the user inputs a frequency-specific gain, the user module 344 applies the gain to the equalizer 310, and stores the gain in the currently-used equalizer setting 400 and the user-selected equalizer setting 420 of the equalizer setting data of the internal memory 370.

(67) Next, a process of setting a frequency-specific gain in the equalizer 310 using the data link 360 will be described.

(68) The data link 360 is connected to an external device, and when the equalizer setting data having a data structure, as shown in FIG. 4C, is received from the external device, the data link 360 notifies the arrival of the equalizer setting data to the controller 350.

(69) When the data link 360 notifies the arrival of the equalizer setting data, the controller 350 stores the equalizer setting data, received from the external device, and applies the currently-used equalizer setting 400 of the received data to the equalizer 310.

(70) Although the present disclosure has been described with an exemplary embodiment, various changes and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art. It is intended that the present disclosure encompass such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.