Network selection user interface for wireless devices

• US 20060183477A1
• Filed: 02/15/2005
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Zinn, Ronald Scotte, Naqvi, Noushad, Bocking, Andrew, Lazaridis, Mihal, Phipps, Darcy
• Application Number:
  US11/057,836
• Publication Number:
  US 20060183477A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/435.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method for selecting a wireless network for a wireless device comprising: receiving a command from a user through a clickable thumbwheel and a graphical user interface (“GUI”) presented on a display of the wireless device to scan for and identify available networks; displaying a choice of the available networks on the display; and, receiving a command from the user through the clickable thumbwheel and the GUI to switch operation of the wireless device from a current network to an available network in the choice of the available networks.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a wireless network for a wireless device comprising:

receiving a command from a user through a clickable thumbwheel and a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

) presented on a display of the wireless device to scan for and identify available networks;

displaying a choice of the available networks on the display; and

,

receiving a command from the user through the clickable thumbwheel and the GUI to switch operation of the wireless device from a current network to an available network in the choice of the available networks.

2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising displaying a choice of modes for selecting the wireless network.

3. The method of claim 2 and further comprising determining the choice of modes in response to a current network type.

4. The method of claim 3 and further comprising receiving a command from the user through the clickable thumbwheel and the GUI to select a mode from the choice of modes.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the choice of modes includes an automatic mode for automatically scanning for and identifying the available networks and for automatically selecting one of the available networks.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the choice of the available networks are items in a menu.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the menu has at least one icon to identify at least one of the current network, a home network, and a forbidden network.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the GUI has a button for receiving the command to scan for and identify available networks.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the GUI has a menu having a menu item for receiving the command from a user to switch operation of the wireless device from the current network to the available network.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the menu has a menu item for adding the available network to a preferred network list.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the menu has a menu item for displaying a preferred network list.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless device has a keyboard for selecting items in the GUI to generate commands.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the keyboard is one of a QWERTY keyboard, a modified QWERTY keyboard, a Dvorak keyboard, and a predictive text keyboard.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless network is a wireless carrier.

15. A computer program product having a computer readable medium tangibly embodying computer executable code for directing a wireless device to select a wireless network, the computer program product comprising:

code for receiving a command from a user through a clickable thumbwheel and a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

) presented on a display of the wireless device to scan for and identify available networks;

code for displaying a choice of the available networks on the display; and

,

code for receiving a command from the user through the clickable thumbwheel and the GUI to switch operation of the wireless device from a current network to an available network in the choice of the available networks.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 and further comprising code for displaying a choice of modes for selecting the wireless network.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 and further comprising code for determining the choice of modes in response to a current network type.

18. A wireless device operable on a wireless network, comprising:

a processor coupled to memory and an interface to the wireless network and adapted for;

receiving a command from a user through a clickable thumbwheel and a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

) presented on a display of the wireless device to scan for and identify available networks;

displaying a choice of the available networks on the display; and

,

receiving a command from the user through the clickable thumbwheel and the GUI to switch operation of the wireless device from a current network to an available network in the choice of the available networks.

19. The wireless device of claim 18 wherein the processor is further adapted for displaying a choice of modes for selecting the wireless network.

20. The wireless device of claim 19 wherein the processor is further adapted for determining the choice of modes in response to a current network type.