Edit menu for a mobile communication device

• US 20070238489A1
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Scott, Sherryl
• Application Number:
  US11/393,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20070238489A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

A mobile communication device having a user interface for invoking an text editing command is provided. The interface comprises a reduced set of commands which is accessed by actuating an input device on the mobile communication device, the reduced set of commands comprising a set of context-sensitive commands derived from a full-function set of commands associated with a text-based application. The input device may be a dedicated input device, such as a trackball, for accessing the set of context-sensitive commands.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device comprising:

a housing having a display and a plurality of input devices, and

an interface for editing a portion of text in a text-based application on a mobile communication device, the interface comprising a reduced set of commands on the display which is accessed by actuating one of the input devices, the reduced set of commands comprising a set of editing commands derived from a full-function set of commands associated with the text-based application.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein the set of editing commands is a menu comprising commands which are more likely to be performed in the application than commands from the full-function set of commands.

3. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein the one of the input devices is a dedicated input device for displaying the set of editing commands on the mobile communication device.

4. The mobile communication device of claim 3 wherein the dedicated input device is a trackball.

5. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein the full-function set of commands is accessed from the set of editing commands.

6. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein the set of editing commands appears below the text to be edited.

7. A user interface for invoking a command for editing a portion of text in a text-based application on a mobile communication device, the interface comprising:

a display;

a plurality of input devices on the mobile communication device, and

a reduced set of commands on the display which is accessed by actuating one of the input devices, the reduced set of commands comprising a set of editing commands derived from a full-function set of commands associated with the text-based application.

8. The user interface of claim 7 wherein the set of editing commands is a menu comprising commands which are more likely to be performed in the application than commands from the full-function set of commands.

9. The user interface of claim 7 wherein the one of input devices is a dedicated input device for displaying the set of editing commands on the mobile communication device.

10. The user interface of claim 9 wherein the dedicated input device is a trackball.

11. The user interface of claim 7 wherein the set of editing commands is positioned below the text to be edited.

12. A method of editing a portion of text in a text-based application on a mobile communication device, the method comprising:

selecting the text-based application from an application interface;

selecting the portion of text to be edited;

actuating an input device on the mobile communication device to display a reduced set of commands comprising editing commands which are derived from a full-function set of commands associated with the application;

selecting an editing command from the set of editing commands; and

actuating the input device again to perform the command.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the set of editing commands is a menu comprising commands which are more likely to be performed in the application than commands from the full-function set of commands.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the input device is a dedicated input device for displaying the set of editing commands on the mobile communication device.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the dedicated input device is a trackball.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the full-function set of commands is accessed from the set of editing commands.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the set of editing commands appears below the text to be edited.