Expedited communication key system and method

• US 20050129241A1
• Filed: 02/26/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Scott, Sherryl Lee Lorraine, Lazaridis, Mihal, Hardy, Michael Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,536,206 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/270
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2748 by matching character strings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72516 with means for out-of-range alerting

Abstract

A method of performing expedited communication functions on a mobile device includes monitoring the duration-of key press on a keyboard of the mobile device and determining if the monitored duration of the key press is greater than a threshold duration. If the monitored duration of the key press is determined to be less than a threshold duration, then a primary key function associated with the pressed key is activated. If the monitored duration of the key press is determined to be greater than a threshold duration, then an expedited communication function associated with the pressed key is activated.

Claims

1. A mobile device operable to initiate and receive communications over one or more wireless communication networks, the mobile device comprising:

a processing subsystem, a memory subsystem, a display subsystem, a communication subsystem, and a keyboard subsystem, the processing subsystem coupled to the memory subsystem, display subsystem, keyboard subsystem and communication subsystem, and operable to store and retrieve data in the memory subsystem, to execute instructions stored in the memory subsystem, receive input data from the keyboard subsystem, and to cause the communication subsystem to transmit and receive data over the communication network; and

mobile device program code comprising program instructions executable by the processing subsystem and stored in the memory subsystem and upon execution cause the mobile device to;

receive a keyboard subsystem input related to a key press;

monitor the duration of the key press;

determine if the monitored duration of the key press is greater than a threshold duration;

if the monitored duration of the key press is determined to be less than a threshold duration, activate a primary key function associated with the pressed key; and

if the monitored duration of the key press is determined to be greater than a threshold duration, activate an expedited communication function associated with the pressed key.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein execution of the program instructions operable to activate an expedited communication function associated with the pressed key causes the mobile device to initiate a telephone call over the communication subsystem.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein execution of the program instructions operable to activate an expedited communication function associated with the pressed key cause the mobile device to:

determine if the communication subsystem is in voice communication coverage;

if the communication subsystem is determined to be in voice communication coverage, then causing the mobile device to initiate a telephone call over the communication subsystem;

if the communication subsystem is determined to not be in voice communication coverage, then causing the mobile device to determine if the communication subsystem is in data communication coverage; and

if the communication subsystem is determined to be in data communication coverage, then causing the mobile device to initiate a data communication over the communication subsystem.

4. The mobile device of claim 3, wherein the data communication is an e-mail communication.

5. The mobile device of claim 4, wherein the data communication over the communication subsystem is initiated by presenting an e-mail dialog option on the display of the mobile device.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein execution of the program instructions operable to activate an expedited communication function associated with the pressed key cause the mobile device to:

access a communication profile stored in the memory subsystem;

access communication preference data stored in the communication profile and associated with the pressed key; and

initiate a communication according to the communication preference data.

7. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the communication preference data defines communication modes according to communication times.

8. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the communication modes comprise communications associated with one or more telephone numbers and/or one or more e-mail addresses.

9. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the received keyboard subsystem input related to a key press is generated by a voice command.

10. A mobile device operable to initiate and receive communications over one or more wireless communication networks, the mobile device comprising:

a processing subsystem, a memory subsystem, a display subsystem, a communication subsystem, and a keyboard subsystem, the processing subsystem coupled to the memory subsystem, display subsystem, keyboard subsystem and communication subsystem, and operable to store and retrieve data in the memory subsystem, to execute instructions stored in the memory subsystem, receive input data from the keyboard subsystem, and to cause the communication subsystem to transmit and receive data over the communication network; and

mobile device program code comprising program instructions executable by the processing subsystem and stored in the memory subsystem and upon execution cause the mobile device to;

receive a keyboard subsystem input related to a key press;

determine an operational mode of the mobile device;

if the operational mode of the mobile device is determined to be a first operational mode, then the program instructions cause the mobile device to;

monitor the duration of the key press;

determine if the monitored duration of the key press is greater than a threshold duration;

if the monitored duration of the key press is determined to be less than a threshold duration, activate a primary key function associated with the pressed key; and

if the monitored duration of the key press is determined to be greater than a threshold duration, activate an expedited communication function associated with the pressed key.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein if the operational mode of the mobile device is determined to be a second operational mode, then the program instructions cause the mobile device to activate the primary key function associated with the pressed key.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the second operational mode is a text entry mode.

13. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein execution of the program instructions operable to activate an expedited communication function associated with the pressed key cause the mobile device to:

determine if the communication subsystem is in voice communication coverage;

if the communication subsystem is determined to be in voice communication coverage, then causing the mobile device to initiate a telephone call over the communication subsystem;

if the communication subsystem is determined to not be in voice communication coverage, then causing the mobile device to determine if the communication subsystem is in data communication coverage; and

if the communication subsystem is determined to be in data communication coverage, then causing the mobile device to initiate a data communication over the communication subsystem.

14. A method of performing expedited communication functions on a mobile device, the method comprising:

monitoring the duration of key press on a keyboard of the mobile device;

determining if the monitored duration of the key press is greater than a threshold duration;

if the monitored duration of the key press is determined to be less than a threshold duration, then activating a primary key function associated with the pressed key; and

if the monitored duration of the key press is determined to be greater than a threshold duration, then activating an expedited communication function associated with the pressed key.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein activating an expedited communication function associated with the pressed key comprises initiate a telephone call over the communication subsystem.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein activating an expedited communication function associated with the pressed key comprises:

determine if the communication subsystem is in voice communication coverage;

if the communication subsystem is determined to be in voice communication coverage, then initiating a telephone call over the communication subsystem;

if the communication subsystem is determined to not be in voice communication coverage, then determining if the communication subsystem is in data communication coverage; and

if the communication subsystem is determined to be in data communication coverage, then initiating a data communication over the communication subsystem.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the data communication is an e-mail communication.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein activating an expedited communication function associated with the pressed key comprises:

accessing communication preference data associated with the pressed key; and

initiate a communication according to the communication preference data.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the communication preference data defines communication modes according to communication times.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the communication modes comprise communications associated with one or more telephone numbers and/or one or more e-mail addresses.

21. A mobile device comprising:

means for monitoring a duration of a key press on a keyboard of the mobile device;

means for determining if the monitored duration of the key press is greater than a threshold duration;

means for activating a primary key function associated with the pressed key if the monitored duration of the key press is determined to be less than a threshold duration; and

means for activating an expedited communication function associated with the pressed key if the monitored duration of the key press is determined to be greater than a threshold duration.

22. The mobile device of claim 21, wherein the means for activating an expedited communication function associated with the pressed key if the monitored duration of the key press is determined to be greater than a threshold duration comprises:

means for determining if the communication subsystem is in voice communication coverage;

means for initiating a telephone call over the communication subsystem if the communication subsystem is determined to be in voice communication coverage;

means for determining if the communication subsystem is in data communication coverage if the communication subsystem is determined to not be in voice communication coverage; and

means for initiating a data communication over the communication subsystem if the communication subsystem is determined to be in data communication coverage.

23. The mobile commination device of claim 21, wherein the means for activating an expedited communication function associated with the pressed key if the monitored duration of the key press is determined to be greater than a threshold duration comprises:

means for accessing communication preference data associated with the pressed key; and

means for initiating a communication according to the communication preference data.