Telephone apparatus with dial key display for external line status

Claim 2

A radio communication apparatus comprising: radio communicating means for communicating a radio signal; a plurality of dial keys; and a plurality of display means, each of which is provided in each of said plurality of dial keys, each of said plurality of display means displays a plurality of states of each of a plurality of external lines on the basis of the radio signal received by said radio communication means, respectively, wherein said plurality of display means change display outputs in accordance with a real-time change of the states of the plurality of external lines.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display means displays a called state and a busy state respectively with the different colors.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display means displays a hold state and a busy state respectively with the different colors.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of dial keys includes a ten-key.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of display means has a plurality of light generation means, each generating a light of a different color.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising selecting means for selecting one of the plurality of external lines in accordance with the operations of said plurality of dial keys.

Claim 8

A radio telephone system including exchange means to which a plurality of external lines are connected, comprising: radio communication means for communicating a radio signal; display means for displaying states of said plurality of external lines on the basis of a radio signal received by said communication means, using characters; and selecting means for selecting one of said plurality of external lines, wherein said exchange means connects one of said external lines in accordance with the selection by said selecting means, and said display means changes displayed characters in accordance with a real-time change of the states of said plurality of external lines.

Claim 9

A radio telephone system including exchange means to which a plurality of external lines are connected, comprising: radio communication means for communicating a radio signal; display means for displaying states of said plurality of external lines on the basis of a radio signal received by said communication means, using characters; and selecting means for selecting one of said plurality of external lines, wherein said exchange means connects one of said external lines in accordance with the selection by said selecting means, and said display means changes displayed characters in accordance with a real-time change of the states of said plurality of external lines.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said display means displays a line number specifying one of the plural external lines and the states of the plural external lines, using the characters.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said display means displays a called state or a hold state, using the characters.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said dial key includes a ten-key.

Claim 13

A radio telephone apparatus comprising: radio communicating means for transmitting and receiving a radio signal; display means for displaying states of a plurality of external lines on the basis of a radio signal received by said radio communicating means, using characters; and a dial key, wherein said radio communicating means transmits the radio signal in order to select one of the plurality of external lines in accordance with the operation of said dial key, and said display means changes displayed characters in accordance with a real-time change of the states of the plurality of external lines.

Claim 14

A radio telephone apparatus comprising: radio communicating means for transmitting and receiving a radio signal; display means for displaying states of a plurality of external lines on the basis of a radio signal received by said radio communicating means, using characters; and a dial key, wherein said radio communicating means transmits the radio signal in order to select one of the plurality of external lines in accordance with the operation of said dial key, and said display means changes displayed characters in accordance with a real-time change of the states of the plurality of external lines.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said display means displays a line number specifying one of the plural external lines and the states of the plural external lines, using the characters.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said display means displays a called state or a hold state, using the characters.

Claim 17

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said dial key includes a ten-key.

Claim 18

A radio telephone apparatus comprising: receiving means for receiving state signals according to a plurality of states of each of a plurality of external lines through a radio line; a plurality of dial keys; a plurality of display means, each of which is provided in each of said plurality of dial keys, each of said plurality of display means displaying the plurality of states of each of the plurality of external lines, respectively, on the basis of the state signals received by said receiving means; and transmitting means for transmitting a selection signal to a select one of said plurality of external lines in accordance with the operation of said dial keys through the radio line, wherein said plurality of display means change states outputs in accordance with a real-time change of the display of the plurality of external lines.

Claim 19

A radio telephone apparatus comprising: receiving means for receiving state signals according to a plurality of states of each of a plurality of external lines through a radio line; a plurality of dial keys; a plurality of display means, each of which is provided in each of said plurality of dial keys, each of said plurality of display means displaying the plurality of states of each of the plurality of external lines, respectively, on the basis of the state signals received by said receiving means; and transmitting means for transmitting a selection signal to a select one of said plurality of external lines in accordance with the operation of said dial keys through the radio line, wherein said plurality of display means change states outputs in accordance with a real-time change of the display of the plurality of external lines.

Claim 20

An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said display means displays a called state and a busy state respectively with the different colors.

Claim 21

An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said display means displays a hold state and a busy state respectively with the different colors.

Claim 22

An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein each of said plurality of dial keys includes a ten-key.

Claim 23

An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein each of said plurality of display means has a plurality of light generation means, each generating a light of a different color.

Claim 24

A radio communication apparatus comprising: radio communication means for communicating a radio signal; discriminating means for discriminating states of plural communication channels; display means for displaying the states of the plural communication channels discriminated by said discriminating means using characters on the basis of the radio signal received by said radio communication means; and communicating means for communicating via one of the plural communication channels, wherein said display means changes displayed characters in accordance with a real-time change of the states of the plural communication channels.

Claim 25

A radio communication apparatus comprising: radio communication means for communicating a radio signal; discriminating means for discriminating states of plural communication channels; display means for displaying the states of the plural communication channels discriminated by said discriminating means using characters on the basis of the radio signal received by said radio communication means; and communicating means for communicating via one of the plural communication channels, wherein said display means changes displayed characters in accordance with a real-time change of the states of the plural communication channels.

Claim 26

An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said communicating means performs speech communication.

Claim 27

An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said communicating means comprises selecting means for selecting one of the plural communication channels.

Claim 28

An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said selecting means includes a dial key for selecting one of the plural communication channels.

Claim 29

An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said dial key includes a ten-key.

Claim 30

An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said display means displays a line number specifying one of the plural communication channels and the states of the plural communication channels, using the characters.

Claim 31

An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said display means displays a called state or a hold state, using the characters.

Claim 32

An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said discriminating means discriminates states of plural telephone lines.

Claim 35

A method according to claim 28, further comprising the step of selecting one of the plural communication channels.

Claim 36

A method according to claim 29, wherein one of the plural communication channels is selected by a dial key.

Claim 37

A method according to claim 30, wherein one of the plural communication channels is selected by a ten-key.

Claim 38

A method according to claim 28, wherein a line number specifying one of the plural communication channels and the states of the plural communication channels are displayed using the characters.

Claim 39

A method according to claim 28, wherein a called state or a hold state is displayed using the characters.

Claim 40

A method according to claim 28, wherein states of plural telephone lines are discriminated in said discriminating step.