Radio communication apparatus

Claim 2

A radio communication apparatus comprising: a base unit connected to a communication line; a radio terminal unit driven by a battery and connected to the base unit via a radio circuit; a speaker provided at the base unit for generating a ring tone when there is an incoming signal from the communication line; means for detecting physical connection of the radio terminal unit to the base unit to charge the battery of the terminal unit; and control means for causing the speaker to generate a ring tone when there is an incoming signal from the communication line in a state where the radio terminal unit is physically connected to the base unit for charging the battery, and causing the radio terminal unit to generate a ring tone for a predetermined time when there is an incoming signal from the communication line in a non-charging state in which the radio terminal unit is not physically connected to the base unit.

Claim 3

A radio communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication line includes a telephone line and the radio terminal unit includes a radio telephone set.

Claim 4

A radio communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means includes means for causing the radio terminal unit to generate a ring tone for only the predetermined time when there is an incoming signal from the communication line in the non-charging state in which the radio terminal unit is not connected to base unit, and then causing the speaker of the base unit to generate a ring tone.

Claim 5

A radio communication apparatus comprising: a base unit connected to a communication line; and a radio terminal unit having a rechargeable battery and connected to the base unit through a radio circuit; wherein the base unit includes: a first ring tone generating means for generating a ring tone; incoming signal detecting means for detecting an incoming signal from the communication line; means for charging the rechargeable battery of the radio terminal unit when the radio terminal unit is physically connected to the base unit; means for detecting that the rechargeable battery is being charged by the charging means; and control means for causing the first ring tone generating means to generate a ring tone when the incoming signal detecting means detects that there is an incoming signal and the charge detecting means has detected that the rechargeable battery is being charged by the charging means, and for transmitting a ring tone signal to the radio terminal unit for causing the radio terminal unit to generate a ring tone when the incoming signal detection means detects an incoming signal and the charge detecting means has detected that the rechargeable battery is in a non-charging state in which the radio terminal is not physically connected to the base unit; and wherein the radio terminal unit includes: a second ring tone generating means for generating a ring tone upon receiving a ring tone signal from the base unit; volume control means for controlling the volume of a ring tone generated by the second ring tone generating means; and off-hook means for performing an off-hook operation in response to a ring tone generated by the first or second ring tone generating means.

Claim 6

A radio communication apparatus comprising: a base unit connected to a communication line; and a radio terminal unit having a rechargeable battery and connected to the base unit through a radio circuit; wherein the base unit includes: a first ring tone generating means for generating a ring tone; incoming signal detecting means for detecting an incoming signal from the communication line; means for charging the rechargeable battery of the radio terminal unit when the radio terminal unit is physically connected to the base unit; means for detecting that the rechargeable battery is being charged by the charging means; and control means for causing the first ring tone generating means to generate a ring tone when the incoming signal detecting means detects that there is an incoming signal and the charge detecting means has detected that the rechargeable battery is being charged by the charging means, and for transmitting a ring tone signal to the radio terminal unit for causing the radio terminal unit to generate a ring tone when the incoming signal detection means detects an incoming signal and the charge detecting means has detected that the rechargeable battery is in a non-charging state in which the radio terminal is not physically connected to the base unit; and wherein the radio terminal unit includes: a second ring tone generating means for generating a ring tone upon receiving a ring tone signal from the base unit; volume control means for controlling the volume of a ring tone generated by the second ring tone generating means; and off-hook means for performing an off-hook operation in response to a ring tone generated by the first or second ring tone generating means.

Claim 7

A radio communication apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the communication line includes a telephone line and the radio terminal unit includes a radio telephone set.

Claim 8

A radio communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control means stops the transmission of the ring tone signal and causes the second ring tone generating means to generate a ring tone when an off-hook operation is not performed by the off-hook means at the radio terminal unit even when a predetermined time has passed after the transmission of the ring tone signal.

Claim 9

A radio communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control means stops the transmission of the ring tone signal and causes the first ring tone generating means to generate a ring tone when an off-hook operation is not performed by the off-hook means at the radio terminal unit even when a predetermined time has passed after the transmission of the ring tone signal.

Claim 10

A radio communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the volume control means controls the volume of the second ring tone generated by the second ring tone generating means so as to change the volume with time.

Claim 11

A radio communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the volume control means controls the volume of the second ring tone generated by the second ring tone generating means so as to change the volume stepwise with time.