Method for providing event to application, and electronic device using this method

• US 20050257149A1
• Filed: 05/16/2003
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamane, Naoki, Kondo, Takashi, Yamada, Kazuhiro, Kamiya, Dai, Sumi, Yutaka
• Granted Patent: US 7,725,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/700
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/543 Local
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications

Abstract

An event obtaining unit 121 obtains an event generated in an event generation unit 110 and outputs the event to the event providing unit 122. When an operation mode is mode A, the event providing unit 122 refers to an event table T1 and provides the event to an application corresponding to the event. If the event is provided to a communication AP 131, the communication AP 131 is launched prior to providing the event. On the other hand, when the operation mode is mode B, the event providing unit 122 provides the event to a Java runtime environment 140. In addition, the event providing unit 122 changes the operation mode when a switching button CB is pressed.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

an obtaining means for obtaining an event; and

a providing means for identifying an application on the basis of the event obtained by said obtaining means and a current operation mode and providing the event to the identified application, wherein a plurality of operation modes defined by a combination of one or more executable application is provided in said providing means.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

an input means for inputting an instruction of changing the plurality of operation modes; and

a switching means for changing the operation mode according to the instruction input by said input means.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein an operating system, which is not capable of executing multiple application programs simultaneously, is implemented in said electronic device.

4. The device of claim 3, further comprising a storage means for correspondingly storing, for each mode, one or more applications and an event used for said one or more applications, and

wherein said providing means identifies an application referring to said storage means.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said providing means provides the obtained event to the identified application when the application is running, and said providing means executes the application and then provides the event to the application when the application is not running.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said switching means includes a control that enables a user to provide a direction and cyclically changes the plurality of operation modes when said control is manipulated.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein said input means changes an aspect of said control when said control is manipulated.

8. The device of claim 5, further comprising a notifying means for notifying a current operation mode.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising:

a first display area for being used by the application; and

a second display area that the application cannot use,

wherein

said notifying means displays on said second display area an image that represents the current operation mode.

10. The device of claim 5, wherein said providing means provides the event obtained by the event obtaining means to the identified application when said electronic device is in a standby status waiting for an event to be generated.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein when said electronic device is in the standby status said operation system launches a predetermined application while maintaining the standby status.

12. The device of claim 10, further comprising:

a communication means for performing communication via a communication network;

a program obtaining means for obtaining an application program using said communication means,

wherein

when said electronic device is in the standby status said operation system executes a predetermined application while maintaining the standby status.

13. A method for providing a generated event to an application in an electronic device, the method comprising:

a specifying step of specifying an operation mode defined by a combination of one or more executable applications;

an obtaining step of obtaining an event; and

a providing step of identifying an application on the basis of the obtained event and a current operation mode and providing the event to the identified application.