Personal communication device and call process status signalling method

This invention relates to personal communication devices, and network call process signalling for such devices, and more particularly to a personal communication device having a tactile array for encoding call process status, and a method of encoding call process status using the device. An array of stimulators associated with a personal communications device for providing the user with tactile messaging respecting call processing or call network status. The array is positioned on the device so as to be in contact with the user while the terminal is carried or worn, on a wrist, for example. The stimulators of the array, are activated independently so as to provide the user with an encoded message of call processes such as alerting, dial tone, busy signal, etc. Preferably each status is associated with one of a set of unique patterns of operation of the stimulators recognizable by the user as tactile image or pattern of operation, rather than necessitating tactile sensation of individual sequences of each stimulator. Advantageously audio and haptic signalling is synchronised to provide a tactile warning to alert user to impending audio signal, and thereby allow a lower level, i.e. quieter, audio signal to be used, because the user is primed by the tactile signal to expect the audio signalling. Thus the audio threshold for effective signalling is reduced and obtrusiveness of audio signalling in public places may be reduced when used in combination with tactile messaging.