Author: claimsbot

1. An imaging apparatus, comprising:
photographic control means for controlling a photographing behavior in accordance with an input of a direction for taking a photograph;
switching means for switching between an active state of the imaging apparatus and a low power state lower in power consumption than the active state;
optical finder means for introducing a photographic subject light entered via a photographic optical system into a finder window along a predetermined light path;
transmissive display means provided on the predetermined light path and having a display screen capable of switching between a transmission state that transmits the photographic subject light and a low transmission state lower in transmittance than in the transmission state; and
display control means for controlling the transmittance of the display screen between the transmission state and the low transmission state;
wherein the photographic control means has photography prohibition means for setting in a photography prohibited state in which the photographing behavior is not performed even when the direction for taking the photograph is inputted; and
wherein the display control means has means for putting a predetermined region in the display screen into the low transmission state in a case that the photography prohibited state is set in the low power state.
2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
means for shifting the imaging apparatus into a state of a power source being turned off in accordance with an operational input to a predetermined operation member;
wherein the low power state is the state of the power source being turned off.
3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
means for shifting the imaging apparatus into a power saving state in a case that an operational input to the imaging apparatus is not carried out for a certain period of time;
wherein the low power state is the power saving state.
4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined region includes an entire region on the display screen possible to be visually recognized in the finder window.
5. A display control method, comprising the steps of:
controlling a photographing behavior in an imaging apparatus in accordance with an input of a direction for taking a photograph;
switching between an active state of the imaging apparatus and a low power state lower in power consumption than in the active state; and
controlling a display screen of transmissive display means, which is provided on a light path of optical finder means for introducing a photographic subject light entered via a photographic optical system into a finder window and is capable of switching between a transmission state that transmits the photographic subject light and a low transmission state lower in transmittance than in the transmission state, regarding the transmittance between the transmission state and the low transmission state;
wherein the photographic controlling has a step of prohibiting photography that sets in a photography prohibited state in which the photographing behavior is not performed even when the direction for taking the photograph is inputted; and
wherein the display controlling has a step of putting a predetermined region in the display screen into the low transmission state in a case of setting in the photography prohibited state in the low power state.
6. An imaging apparatus, comprising:
a photographic control device controlling a photographing behavior in accordance with an input of a direction for taking a photograph;
a switching device switching between an active state of the imaging apparatus and a low power state lower in power consumption than the active state;
an optical finder device introducing a photographic subject light entered via a photographic optical system into a finder window along a predetermined light path;
a transmissive display device provided on the predetermined light path and having a display screen capable of switching between a transmission state that transmits the photographic subject light and a low transmission state lower in transmittance than in the transmission state; and
a display control device controlling the transmittance of the display screen between the transmission state and the low transmission state;
wherein the photographic control device has a photography prohibition device setting in a photography prohibited state in which the photographing behavior is not performed even when the direction for taking the photograph is inputted; and
wherein the display control device has a device putting a predetermined region in the display screen into the low transmission state in a case that the photography prohibited state is set in the low power state.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method of processing to-be-transmitted data packets based on transmission time interval in a sending device of a wireless communication network, comprising the steps of:
a) according to said transmission time interval, determining a transmission queue of component data packets corresponding to the transmission time based on a to-be-transmitted data packet;
b) generating a sub-header for each component data packet in said transmission queue in accordance with needs, which comprises the following information of the component data packet:
original data packet ID for indicating the original data packet which the component data packet belongs to;
segmentation processing ID for indicating times of segmentation happened to said original data packet in order to obtain said component data packet, and the data segment which said component data packet belongs to after each segmentation;
data amount ID for indicating the data amount of the data portion of said component data packet;

c) generating a transmitted data packet based on each of said generated sub-headers and data portions of the respective component data packets in said transmission queue, whose header portion contains component number indicating information for indicating the number of component data packets contained in said transmitted data packet.
2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said step a further comprises:
a1) according to said transmission time interval, calculating the transmittable data amount in said transmission time interval;
a2) judging whether or not the data amount of the first-order data packet in the to-be-transmitted data packets is larger than said transmittable data amount;
a3) if the data amount of said first-order data packet is larger than said transmittable data amount, segmenting the first-order data packet into a first data segment and a second data segment, adding said first data segment into the transmission queue and using said second data segment as a new first-order data packet, wherein the data amount of said first data segment is equal to the transmittable data amount.
3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that said step b comprises:
b\u2032) generating sub-headers for said first data segment and said second data segment respectively, each of the generated sub-header containing:
original data packet ID for indicating an original data packet which the data segment belongs to;
segmentation processing ID for indicating times of segmentation happened to the original data packet in order to obtain the data segment, and the data segment which said data segment belongs to after each segmentation;
data amount indicating information for indicating the data amount of the data portion of said data segment;
wherein said segmentation processing ID comprises:
segmentation processing time ID for indicating times of segmentation happened to the original data packet in order to obtain said data segment;
data segment ID for indicating the data segment which said data segment belongs to after each segmentation during the processing of obtaining said data segment by the original data packet.
4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that said step a further comprises:
a3\u2032) if the data amount of said first-order data packet is less than or equal to said transmittable data amount, adding said first-order data packet into the transmission queue as a component data packet, using the difference between said transmittable data amount and the data amount of said first-order data packet as a new transmittable data amount, taking the next data packet to said first-order data packet as a new first-order data packet, and repeating step a2.
5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that said step b further comprises:
judging whether or not the to-be-transmitted data packet corresponding to the component data packet is the second data segment obtained from the previous segmentation processing;
if said to-be-transmitted data packet is the second data segment obtained from the previous segmentation, generating a sub-header for the component data packet based on the previously generated sub-header for said to-be-transmitted data packet; said step b\u2032 further comprises:
if said to-be-transmitted data packet is the second data segment obtained from the previous segmentation, then generating sub-headers for said first data segment and said second data segment obtained from the current segmentation based on the previously generated sub-header for said to-be-transmitted data packet.
6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said step c comprises:
generating a header portion of said transmitted data packet based on sub-headers generated for respective component data packets in said transmission queue, said header portion comprising component number indicating information for indicating the number of component data packets contained in said transmitted data packet.
7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said step c comprises:
c1) adding the sub-header of the current component data packet in the transmission queue into the header portion of the transmitted data packet;
c2) according to the segmentation processing ID contained in the sub-header of the component data packet, judging whether or not times of segmentation happened to the corresponding original data packet in order to obtain said component data packet is zero;
c3) if times of segmentation happened to said corresponding original data packet in order to obtain said component data packet is not zero, judging whether or not a predefined condition is met;
c4) if the predefined condition is met, taking the next component data packet to the current component data packet in the transmission queue as a new current component data packet, and performing c1)-c2) and corresponding subsequent operations on it;
c5) adding the data portion of each component data packet to the data portion of the transmitted data packet in the same position relationship as the sub-header of said each component data packet in said transmission queue in the header portion of the transmitted data packet.
8. The method according to claim 7, characterized by further comprising:
c4\u2032) if the predefined condition is not met, switching the sub-header of said current component data packet with the previous sub-header to the sub-header of said current component data packet in the header portion of the transmitted data packet, and returning to step c3).
9. The method according to claim 7, characterized by further comprising:
c3\u2032) if times of segmentation happened to the original data packet in order to obtain said component data packet is zero, judging whether or not in the header portion of said transmitted data packet, there is a characteristic sub-header previous to the sub-header corresponding to said current component data packet, the segmentation processing ID contained in said characteristic sub-header indicating no segmentation happened to an original data packet in order to obtain the component data packet corresponding to the characteristic sub-header;
if there is said characteristic sub-header, deleting the segmentation processing ID thereof from the sub-header corresponding to said current component data packet, taking the next component data packet to said current component data packet in the transmission queue as a new current component data packet, and performing c1-c2 and corresponding subsequent operations on it;
if there is no said characteristic sub-header, taking the next component data packet to said current component data packet in the transmission queue as a new current component data packet, and performing c1-c2 and corresponding subsequent operations on it.
10. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that said predefined condition is that in the header portion of the transmitted data packet, the segmentation processing ID contained in the previous sub-header to the sub-header of said current component data packet indicates that times of segmentation happened to an original data packet in order to obtain the component data packet corresponding to the previous sub-header is not zero, or indicates that the sub-header of said current component data packet is already at the top of the header portion of the transmitted data packet.
11. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said component data packet and said to-be-transmitted data packet each comprise an original data packet andor data segments obtained from segmenting an original data packet or data segment.
12. A processing device for processing to-be-transmitted data packets based on transmission time interval in a sending device of a wireless communication network, comprising:
determining means for, according to said transmission time interval, determining a transmission queue of component data packets corresponding to the transmission time based on a to-be-transmitted data packet;
first generating means for generating a sub-header for each component data packet in said transmission queue in accordance with needs, which comprises the following information of the component data packet:
original data packet ID for indicating the original data packet which the component data packet belongs to;
segmentation processing ID for indicating times of segmentation happened to said original data packet in order to obtain said component data packet, and the data segment which said component data packet belongs to after each segmentation;
data amount ID for indicating the data amount of the data portion of said component data packet;

second generating means for generating a transmitted data packet based on each of said generated sub-headers and data portions of the respective component data packets in said transmission queue, whose header portion contains component number indicating information for indicating the number of component data packets contained in said transmitted data packet.
13. The processing device according to claim 12, characterized in that said determining means further comprises:
calculating means for calculating a transmittable data amount in the transmission time according to said transmission time interval;
first judging means for judging whether or not the data amount of the first-order data packet in the to-be-transmitted data packets is larger than said transmittable data amount;
segmenting means for, if the data amount of said first-order data packet is larger than said transmittable data amount, segmenting the first-order data packet into a first data segment and a second data segment, adding said first data segment into the transmission queue and using said second data segment as a new first-order data packet, wherein the data amount of said first data segment is equal to the transmittable data amount.
14. The processing device according to claim 13, characterized in that said first generating means is further used for generating sub-headers for said first data segment and said second data segment respectively, each of the generated sub-header containing:
original data packet ID for indicating an original data packet which the data segment belongs to;
segmentation processing ID for indicating times of segmentation happened to the original data packet in order to obtain the data segment, and the data segment which said data segment belongs to after each segmentation;
data amount indicating information for indicating the data amount of the data portion of said data segment;
wherein said segmentation processing ID comprises:
segmentation processing time ID for indicating times of segmentation happened to the original data packet in order to obtain said data segment;
data segment ID for indicating the data segment which said data segment belongs to after each segmentation during the processing of obtaining the data segment by the original data packet.
15. The processing device according to claim 13, characterized in that said determining means further comprises:
first controlling means for, if the data amount of said first-order data packet is less than or equal to said transmittable data amount, adding said first-order data packet into the transmission queue as a component data packet, using the difference between the transmittable data amount and the data amount of said first-order data packet as a new transmittable data amount, taking the next data packet to said first-order data packet as a new first-order data packet, and controlling said judging means to perform operations on the new first-order data packet.
16. The processing device according to claim 15, characterized by further comprising:
second judging means for judging whether or not the to-be-transmitted data packet corresponding to the component data packet is the second data segment obtained from the previous segmentation processing,
wherein said first generating means is further used for, if said to-be-transmitted data packet is the second data segment obtained from the previous segmentation, generating a sub-header for the component data packet based on the previously generated sub-header for said to-be-transmitted data packet;
and if said to-be-transmitted is the second data segment obtained from the previous segmentation, then generating sub-headers for the first data segment and the second data segment obtained from the current segmentation based on the previously generated sub-headers for said to-be-transmitted data packet.
17. The processing device according to claim 12, characterized in that said second generating means comprises: Component number determining means for generating a header portion of said transmitted data packet based on sub-headers generated for respective component data packets in said transmission queue, said header portion comprising component number indicating information for indicating the number of component data packets contained in said transmitted data packet.
18. The processing device according to claim 12, characterized in that said second generating means further comprises:
adding means for adding the sub-header of the current component data packet in the transmission queue to the header portion of the transmitted data packet;
third judging means for, according to the segmentation processing ID contained in the sub-header of the component data packet, judging whether or not times of segmentation happened to a corresponding original data packet in order to obtain the component data packet is zero;
wherein said third judging means is further used for, if times of segmentation happened to said corresponding original data packet in order to obtain said component data packet is not zero, judging whether or not a predefined condition is met;
second controlling means for, if the predefined condition is met, taking the next component data packet to the current component data packet in the transmission queue as a new current component data packet, and performing c1-c2 and corresponding subsequent operations on it;
wherein said adding means is further used for adding the data portion of each component data packet to the data portion of the transmitted data packet in the same position relationship as the sub-header of said each component data packet in said transmission queue in the header portion of the transmitted data packet.
19. The processing device according to claim 18, characterized in that said second generating means further comprises:
switching means for, if the predefined condition is not met, switching the sub-header of said current component data packet with the previous sub-header to the sub-header of said current component data packet in the header portion of the transmitted data packet;
and third judging means is further used for, after said switching, judging whether or not the predefined condition is met.
20. The processing device according to claim 18, characterized in that said third judging means is further used for, if times of segmentation happened to the original data packet in order to obtain said component data packet is zero, judging whether or not in the header portion of said transmitted data packet, there is a characteristic sub-header previous to the sub-header corresponding to the current component data packet, a segmentation processing ID contained in said characteristic sub-header indicating no segmentation happened to an original data packet in order to obtain the component data packet corresponding to the characteristic sub-header; said second generating means further comprises deleting means for, if there is said characteristic sub-header, deleting the segmentation processing ID thereof from a sub-header corresponding to said current component data packet;
said second controlling means is further used for, if there is no said characteristic sub-header, taking the next component data packet to the current component data packet in the transmission queue as a new current component data packet, and controlling said adding means and said third judging means to perform corresponding operations on the new current component data packet;
and after deleting the segmentation processing ID thereof from the sub-header corresponding to said current component data packet, taking the next component data packet to the current component data packet in the transmission queue as a new current component data packet, and controlling said adding means and said third judging means to perform corresponding operations on the new current component data packet.
21. The processing device according to claim 18, characterized in that said predefined condition is that in the header portion of the transmitted data packet, the segmentation processing ID contained in the previous sub-header to the sub-header of said current component data packet indicates that times of segmentation happened to an original data packet in order to obtain the component data packet corresponding to the previous sub-header is not zero, or indicates that the sub-header of said current component data packet is already at the top of the header portion of the transmitted data packet.
22. The processing device according to claim 12, characterized in that said component data packet and said to-be-transmitted data packet each comprise an original data packet andor data segments obtained from segmenting an original data packet or data segment.
23. A method of parsing a transmitted based on transmission time interval in a receiving device of a wireless communication network, comprising the steps of:
I) extracting component number indicating information from the header portion of said transmitted data packet;
II) extracting the first-order sub-header from the header portion of said transmitted data packet;
III) according to segmentation processing information contained in said first-order sub-header, judging whether or not times of segmentation happened to an original data packet in order to obtain the component data packet corresponding to said first-order sub-header is zero;
IV) if times of segmentation happened to the original data packet in order to obtain the component data packet corresponding to said first-order sub-header is not zero, extracting the corresponding data portion from the data portion of said transmitted data packet and storing it to a buffer;
V) using the next sub-header to said first-order sub-header in the header portion of said transmitted data packet as a new first-order sub-header, and repeating steps II) and III).
24. The method according to claim 23, characterized by further comprising:
IV\u2032) if times of segmentation happened to the original data packet in order to obtain the corresponding component data packet is zero, extracting data portions of respective component data packets following to the data portion of said component data packet in the transmitted data packet according to the component number indicating information of said transmitted data packet, for sending.
25. A parsing device for parsing a received transmitted data packet based on transmission time interval in a receiving device of a wireless communication network, comprising:
extracting means for extracting component number indicating information from the header portion of said transmitted data packet,
wherein said extracting means is further used for extracting the first-order sub-header from the header portion of said transmitted data packet;
judging means for, according to the segmentation processing information contained in said first-order sub-header, judging whether or not times of segmentation happened to the original data packet in order to obtain the component data packet corresponding to said first-order sub-header is zero,
wherein said extracting means is further used for extracting the corresponding data portion from the data portion of said transmitted data packet and storing it into a buffer if times of segmentation happened to the original data packet in order to obtain the component data packet corresponding to said first-order sub-header is not zero;
the parsing device further comprising controlling means for using the next sub-header to the first-order sub-header in the header portion of said transmitted data packet as a new first-order sub-header to control said extracting means and said judging means to perform corresponding operations on the new first-order sub-header.
26. The parsing device according to claim 25, characterized in that said extracting means is further used for,
if times of segmentation happened to the original data packet in order to obtain the corresponding component data packet is zero, extracting data portions of respective component data packets following to the data portion of said component data packet in the transmitted data packet according to the component number indicating information of said transmitted data packet, for sending.
27. A processing device according to claim 12 implemented in a sending device in a wireless communication network.
28. A parsing device according to claim 25 implemented in a receiving device in a wireless communication network.
29. A processing device according to claim 12 implemented in a communication device in a wireless communication network as a part of a sending device, the communication device further comprising a receiving device.

We claim:

1. A method for alerting a user of a device that includes a user interface, comprising:
detecting an alert in response to a trigger;
identifying the alert that is associated with the trigger;
activating an alert mode operating state in response to a selected alert;
mapping a context of the user interface to another context that is associated with the selected alert when the alert mode operating state is active; and
notifying the user of the selected alert through the user interface when the alert mode operating state is active.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the alert in response to the trigger corresponds to at least one of: detecting an interrupt request on the device, detecting a service request from an application program on the device, and detecting a received broadcast transmission that is received by the device.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger corresponds to at least one of a time based trigger, an event based trigger, and a peer-to-peer based trigger.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger corresponds to a time based trigger that is associated with at least one of a scheduler function, a calendar function, an appointment function, an alarm clock function, a chronograph function, and a countdown timer function.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger corresponds to an event based trigger that is associated with at least one of a low battery warning, a stolen device warning, a registration warning, and a message notification.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: prioritizing the identified alert, and selecting the identified alert as the selected alert when the priority of the identified alert satisfies a priority rule.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the priority rule is arranged to manage identified alerts according to a hierarchy based on at least one of: an assigned priority level that is associated with the identified alert and a time of occurrence that is associated with the identified alert.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein a low battery alert has a higher priority than a message alert.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: persisting in the alert mode operating state until the selected alert is dismissed.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: dismissing the selected alert in response to a timeout condition that is associated with the selected alert.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the timeout condition is associated with at least one of: the expiration of a scheduled appointment, the expiration of a scheduled alarm, the expiration of a countdown timer, and the expiration of a specified time.
12. The method of claim 9, further comprising: dismissing the selected alert in response to a selector from the user interface.
13. The method of claim 9,.wherein notifying the user of the selected alert corresponds to activating a visual cue with the user interface, wherein the visual cue includes at least one field that is dynamically updated while the alert mode persists.
14. The method of claim 9, further comprising: returning to an initial operating state when the selected alert is dismissed.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises at least one of: a display screen, a speaker-type device, an LED-type device, and a vibrating-type device.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the user of the selected alert corresponds to activating a cue on the user interface, wherein the cue corresponds to at least one of: a visual cue, an audible cue, and a vibrating cue.
17. The method of claim 1, wherein the activated cue is associated with at least one of: the selected alert, a type that is associated with the selected alert, and a status that is associated with the selected alert.
18. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the user of the selected alert corresponds to activating a visual cue that is associated with the selected alert, wherein the visual cue corresponds to at least one of: a graphical display screen, an animation sequence, a flashing screen, a pop-up display, a screen overlay, a colored screen, a colored pattern for a display screen, a colored LED, a blinking LED, a blinking sequence for an LED, and a colored blinking sequence for a colored LED.
19. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the user of the selected alert corresponds to activating an audible cue that is associated with the selected alert, wherein the audible cue corresponds to at least one of: a single tone, a sequence of tones, multiple tones, a sequence of multiple tones, a compressed audio file playback, an uncompressed audio file playback, a MIDI file playback, and a synthesized sound playback.
20. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the user of the selected alert corresponds to activating a vibrating cue that is associated with the selected alert, wherein the vibrating cue corresponds to at least one of: a single vibration, a repeating vibration, a sequence of vibrations, and a pattern of vibrations that form a rhythm.
21. The method of claim 1, further comprising: activating a transition sequence after a predetermined time interval expires while the alert mode operating state is active.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the transition sequence comprises at least one of: a horizontal screen wipe, a vertical screen wipe, a fade effect, a half-tone effect, a flash-fade effect, a flashing effect, and a cross-dissolve effect.
23. The method of claim 9, further comprising: returning to an initial screen after the selected alert is dismissed, and updating a status indicator of a display in the user interface after the selected alert is dismissed, wherein the status indicator is related to the selected alert.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the status indicator dynamically changes.
25. An apparatus, comprising:
a user interface that includes a display screen and a selector; and
a means for detecting an alert in response to a trigger;
a means for identifying the alert that is associated with the trigger;
a means for activating an alert mode operating state in response to a selected alert;
a means for mapping a context of the user interface to another context that is associated with the selected alert when the alert mode operating state is active; and
a means for notifying the user of the selected alert through the user interface when the alert mode operating state is active.
26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising: a means for prioritizing the identified alert, and a means for selecting the identified alert as the selected alert when the priority of the identified alert satisfies a priority rule.
27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the means for notifying the user of the selected alert corresponds to a means for activating a visual cue that is associated with the selected alert, wherein the visual cue corresponds to at least one of: a graphical display screen, an animation sequence, a flashing screen, a pop-up display, a screen overlay, a colored screen, a colored pattern for a display screen, a colored LED, a blinking LED, a blinking sequence for an LED, and a colored blinking sequence for a colored LED.
28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the means for notifying the user of the selected alert corresponds to a means for activating an audible cue that is associated with the selected alert, wherein the audible cue corresponds to at least one of: a single tone, a sequence of tones, multiple tones, a sequence of multiple tones, a compressed audio file playback, an uncompressed audio file playback, a MIDI file playback, and a synthesized sound playback.
29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the means for notifying the user of the selected alert corresponds to a means for activating a vibrating cue that is associated with the selected alert, wherein the vibrating cue corresponds to at least one of: a single vibration, a repeating vibration, a sequence of vibrations, and a pattern of vibrations that form a rhythm.
30. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising: a means for dynamically updating the display screen when the alert mode operating state is active such that content associated with the display screen is updated according to a time interval.
31. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising: a means for dynamically changing a status indicator region of the display screen, wherein the status indicator region is includes information that is associated with an identified alert.
32. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising: a means for transitioning the display screen from an alert screen to an initial screen when the alert mode operating state is active over a predetermined timeout interval.
33. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising: a means for alternating between views on the display screen when the alert mode operating state is active.
34. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising: a means for transitioning between views on the display screen after the selected alert is dismissed.
35. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising: a means for transitioning a header region of the display screen after the selected alert is dismissed, wherein the header region includes an indicator that is associated with the selected alert.
36. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising: a means for prioritizing identified alert, and a means for selecting the identified alert as the selected alert when the priority of the identified alert satisfies a priority rule.
37. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising: a means for dismissing the selected alert in response to at least one of: a timeout and the activation of the selector in the user interface.
38. An apparatus, comprising:
a user interface that includes a display and a selector; and
an electronic system that is arranged to interact with the user interface and the display, wherein the electronic system is configured to:
detect an alert in response to a trigger;
identify the alert that is associated with the trigger;
activate an alert mode operating state in response to a selected alert;
map a context of the user interface to another context that is associated with the selected alert;
notify the user of the selected alert through the user interface when the alert mode operating state is active.
39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the user interface includes a vibrating means, and wherein the electronic system is arranged to notify the user of the selected alert by activating the vibrating means when the alert mode operating state is active.
40. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the user interface includes a sound means, and wherein the electronic system is arranged to notify the user of the selected alert by activating the sound means when the alert mode operating state is active.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A server device comprising:
a communications section which sends and receives predetermined information to and from at least one customer terminal and at least one sales-staff terminal which are connected with each other through a communications network;
a product-information sender which sends predetermined product information to the at least one customer terminal through said communications section;
a contact-information receiver which receives contact information sent from the at least one customer terminal in association with the product information sent by said product-information sender, through said communications section;
an information acquirer which acquires information regarding a customer corresponding to the at least one customer terminal, in accordance with the contact information received by said contact-information receiver; and
a sales-information sender which sends the information acquired by said information acquirer and the contact information received by said contact-information receiver, to the at least one sales-staff terminal through said communications section.
2. The server device according to claim 1, wherein:
said product-information sender sends a Web page including predetermined product information to the at least one customer terminal; and
said sales-information sender sends an e-mail including the information acquired by said information acquirer and the contact information received by the contact-information receiver, to the at least one sales-staff terminal.
3. The server device according to claim 1, further including:
a customer-information storage section which stores information regarding at least one registered customer, in advance; and
a staff-information storage section which stores information regarding at least one sales staff in association with the information stored in said customer-information storage section, and
wherein said information acquirer acquires information regarding the customer corresponding to the at least one customer terminal from said customer-information storage section, and acquires also the information regarding a sales staff corresponding to the customer from said staff-information storage section, and
said sales-information sender sends an e-mail including the information regarding the customer and acquired by said information acquirer and the contact information received by said contact-information receiver, to an e-mail address included in the information regarding the at least one sales staff and acquired by said information acquirer.
4. A method for supporting sales performance, comprising the steps of:
sending predetermined product information to at least one customer terminal via a communications network;
receiving contact information sent from the at least one customer terminal in association with the product information sent at said step of sending the product information;
acquiring information regarding a customer corresponding to the at least one customer terminal, in accordance with the contact information received at said step of receiving the contact information; and
sending the information acquired at said step of acquiring the information and the contact information received at said step of receiving the contact information, to at least one sales staff terminal through a communications network.
5. The method according to claim 4, wherein:
said step of sending the product information includes a step of sending a Web page including the predetermined product information to the at least one customer terminal; and
said step of sending the sales information includes a step of sending an e-mail including the information acquired at said step of acquiring the information, said at least one sales staff terminal.
6. A method for supporting sales performance, comprising the steps of:
sending a Web page including product information, in response to accessing from at least one customer terminal through a communications network, to the at least one customer terminal;
receiving contact information sent from said at least one customer terminal in association with the product information sent at said step of sending the product information;
acquiring information regarding a customer corresponding to said at least one customer terminal, from a predetermined storage section storing customer information, in accordance with the contact information received at said step of receiving the contact information;
acquiring information regarding at least one corresponding sales staff, from a predetermined storage section storing sales staff information, in accordance with the information acquired at said step of acquiring the information regarding the customer; and
setting, as an addressee, an e-mail address included in the information acquired at said step of acquiring the information regarding the at least one corresponding sales staff, thereby sending an e-mail including the information acquired at said step of acquiring the customer information and the contact information received at said step of receiving the contact information, said to at least one sales-staff terminal of the at least one corresponding sales staff through a communications network.
7. A computer readable recording medium recording a program for controlling a computer to execute a method for supporting sales performance comprising the steps of:
sending predetermined product information to at least one customer terminal via a communications network;
receiving contact information sent from the at least one customer terminal in association with the product information sent at said step of sending the product information;
acquiring information regarding a customer corresponding to the at least one customer terminal, in accordance with the contact information received at said step of receiving the contact information; and
sending the information acquired at said step of acquiring the information and the contact information received at said step of receiving the contact information, to at least one sales staff terminal through a communications network.
8. A data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing an instruction sequence for controlling a computer to execute a method for supporting sales performance comprising the steps of:
sending predetermined product information to at least one customer terminal via a communications network;
receiving contact information sent from the at least one customer terminal in association with the product information sent at said step of sending the product information;
acquiring information regarding a customer corresponding to the at least one customer terminal, in accordance with the contact information received at said step of receiving the contact information; and
sending the information acquired at said step of acquiring the information and the contact information received at said step of receiving the contact information, to at least one sales staff terminal through a communications network.
9. A server device comprising:
a communications section which sends and receives predetermined information to and from at least one customer terminal and at least one sales-staff terminal connected with each other through a communications network;
a product-information sender which sends predetermined product information to the at least one customer terminal through said communications section;
a request-information receiver which receives request information, sent form the at least one customer terminal in association with the product information sent by said product-information sender, through said communications section;
an information acquirer which acquires information regarding a customer corresponding to the at least one customer terminal and product information corresponding to the request information, in accordance with the request information received by said request-information receiver; and
a sales-information sender which sends the information acquired by said information acquirer to the at least one sales-staff terminal through the communications section.
10. The server device according to claim 9, wherein:
said product-information sender sends a Web page including the predetermined product information to the at least one customer terminal; and
said sales-information sender sends an e-mail including the information acquired by said information acquirer to the at least one sales-staff terminal.
11. A server device comprising:
a customer-information storage section which stores in advance information regarding at least one registered customer;
a staff-information storage section which stores information regarding at least one sales staff in association with information regarding the at least one customer stored in said customer-information storage section;
a communications section which sends and receives predetermined information to and from at least one customer terminal and at least one sales-staff terminal through a communications network;
a customer-information sender which sends the information stored in said customer-information storage section to the at least one customer terminal through said communications section;
a request-information receiver which receives request information, sent from the at least one customer terminal in association with the information sent by said customer-information sender and for requesting to update registered information, through said communications section;
an information updating section which updates the information regarding the at least one customer and being received by said request-information receiver; and
a sales-information sender which sends the information updated by said information updating section, to the at least one sales-staff terminal through the communications section.
12. The server device according to claim 11, wherein:
said customer-information sender sends a Web page including the customer information corresponding to the at least one customer terminal to the at least one customer terminal; and
said sales-information sending section sends an e-mail including the information updated by said information updating section, to said at least one sales-staff terminal.
13. A method for supporting sales performance, comprising the steps of:
sending predetermined product information, in response to accessing from at least one customer terminal through a communications network, to the at least one customer terminal;
receiving request information sent from the at least one customer terminal in association with the product information sent at said step of sending the product information;
acquiring information regarding a customer corresponding to the at least one customer terminal and the product information corresponding to the request information, in accordance with the request information received at said step of receiving the request information; and
sending the information acquired at said step of acquiring the information to said at least one sales-staff terminal through a communications network.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein:
said step of sending the product information includes a step of sending a Web page including the predetermined product information to the at least one customer terminal; and
said step of sending the sales information includes a step of sending an e-mail including the information acquired at said step of acquiring the information, to the at least one sales-staff terminal.
15. A method for supporting sales performance, comprising the steps of:
sending information regarding at least one customer registered in a predetermined storage section, in response to accessing from the at least one customer terminal through a communications network, to the at least one customer terminal;
receiving request information, sent from the at least one customer terminal in association with the customer information sent at said step of sending the customer information and representing a request for updating registered information;
updating the information registered in the predetermined storage section, in accordance with the request information received at said step of receiving the request information; and
sending the information updated at said step of updating the information, to at least one sales-staff terminal through a communications network.
16. The method according to claim 15, wherein:
said step of sending the customer information includes a step of sending a Web page including the customer information corresponding to the at least one customer terminal, to the at least one customer terminal; and
said step of sending the sales information includes a step of sending an e-mail including the information updated at said step of updating the information, to the at least one sales-staff terminal.
17. A computer readable recording medium recording a program for controlling a computer to execute a method for supporting sales performance, said method comprising the steps of:
sending predetermined product information, in response to accessing from at least one customer terminal through a communications network, to the at least one customer terminal;
receiving request information sent from the at least one customer terminal in association with the product information sent at said step of sending the product information;
acquiring information regarding a customer corresponding to the at least one customer terminal and the predetermined product information corresponding to the request information, in accordance with the request information received at said step of receiving the request information; and
sending the information acquired at said step of acquiring the information to at least one sales-staff terminal through a communications network.
18. A computer readable recording medium recording a program for controlling a computer to execute a method for supporting sales performance, said method comprising the steps of:
sending information regarding a customer and being stored in a predetermined storage section, in response to accessing from at least one customer terminal through a communications network, to the at least one customer terminal;
receiving request information for requesting to update registered information, sent from the at least one customer terminal in association with the customer information sent at said step of sending the information;
updating the customer information stored in the predetermined storage section, in accordance with the request information received at said step of receiving the request information; and
sending the customer information updated at said step of updating the customer information, to at least one sales-staff terminal through a communications network.
19. A data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing an instruction sequence for controlling a computer to execute a method for supporting sales performance, said method comprising the steps of:
sending predetermined product information, in response to accessing from at least one customer terminal through a communications network, to the at least one customer terminal;
receiving request information sent from the at least one customer terminal in association with the product information sent at said step of sending the product information;
acquiring information regarding a customer of the at least one customer terminal and the product information corresponding to the request information, in accordance with the request information received at said step of receiving the request information; and
sending the information acquired at said step of acquiring the information to at least one sales-staff terminal through a communications network.
20. A data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing an instruction sequence for controlling a computer to execute a method for supporting sales performance, said method comprising the steps of:
sending information regarding a customer registered in a predetermined storage section, in response to accessing from at least one customer terminal through a communications network, to the at least one customer terminal;
receiving request information sent from the at least one customer terminal in association with the customer information sent at said step of sending the customer information;
updating the information regarding the customer stored in the predetermined storage section, in accordance with the request information received at said step of receiving the request information; and
sending the information including the information updated at said step of updating the information to at least one sales-staff terminal through a communications network.