Mobile communication terminal and method

• US 20080233937A1
• Filed: 05/08/2006
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Tuorila, Heini, Nurmela, Marja-Leena, Reed, Dominick
• Application Number:
  US11/429,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20080233937A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files

Abstract

It is presented a method for providing a user interface of a mobile communication terminal comprising a mode switch actuator, where the mobile communication terminal has at least two operational modes. The method comprises the: detecting an actuation of the mode switch actuator; determining a first operational mode being a currently active operational mode; determining a second operational mode to switch to; and switching operational mode of the mobile communication terminal from the first operational mode to the second operational mode. This provides a user interface which may be different for each operational mode, enhancing usability by excluding user interface items that are unnecessary for each operational mode. Corresponding multimode devices and computer program product are also presented.

Claims

1. A method for providing a user interface of a mobile communication terminal, comprising a mode switch actuator, said mobile communication terminal having at least two operational modes, said method comprising:

detecting an actuation of said mode switch actuator;

determining a first operational mode being a currently active operational mode;

determining a second operational mode to switch to; and

switching operational mode of said mobile communication terminal from said first operational mode to said second operational mode.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a main user application of said mobile communication terminal differs between said first operational mode and said second operational mode.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said mobile communication terminal furthermore comprises a keypad comprising keys, and functions associated with at least one of said keys of said keypad differ between said first operational mode and said second operational mode.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a menu system of said mobile communication terminal differs between said first operational mode and said second operational mode.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein an idle screen of said mobile communication terminal differs between said first operational mode and said second operational mode.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said switching operational mode involves switching a mode indication from a first mode indication to a second mode indication.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said first mode indication includes a first color scheme and said second mode indication includes a second color scheme, said second color scheme being distinct from said first color scheme.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said first color scheme comprises a first color of a light by a multi-directional input device of said mobile communication terminal and said second color scheme comprises a second color of a light by said multi-directional input device of said mobile communication terminal, said second color being distinct from said first color.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein said first mode indication includes a first background of a display of said mobile communication terminal, and said second mode indication includes second background of said display, said second background being distinct from said first background.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein said first mode indication includes using a first theme used on a display of said mobile communication terminal, and said second mode indication includes second theme used on said display, said second theme being distinct from said first theme.

11. The method according to claim 6, wherein said first mode indication includes highlighting, on a display of said mobile communication terminal, an icon representing said first operational mode and said second mode indication includes highlighting, on said display, an icon representing said second operational mode.

12. The method according to claim 6, wherein said first mode indication includes a first sound scheme and said second mode indication includes a second sound scheme, said second sound scheme being distinct from said first sound scheme.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said second sound scheme differs from said first sound scheme by having different sounds associated with a same user interface event.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein said second sound scheme differs from said first sound scheme by having different sounds effects applied to a common original sound associated with a same user interface event, for at least one user interface event.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein said switching operational mode involves presenting a user indication.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said user indication comprises at least one user indication selected from the group comprising a visual indication, an audible indication and a tactile indication.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein said determining a second operational mode to switch to involves:

determining said second operational mode to switch to as a next operational mode after said currently active operational mode in a predefined circular list of operational modes.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said predefined circular list of operational modes comprises three operational modes.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said three operational modes are a phone mode, an exercise mode and a media player mode.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein said determining a second operational mode involves:

if said actuation is detected to be shorter than a threshold time, determining said second operational mode to be a next operational mode in a predefined circular list of operational modes, and if said actuation is detected to be longer than a threshold time, determining said second operational mode to be a default operational mode.

29. A computer program product comprising software instructions that, when executed in a multimode device, performs the method according to claim 1.

21. A multimode device having at least two operational modes comprising:

a mode switch actuator and a controller, wherein;

said controller is configured to detect an actuation of said mode switch actuator;

said controller is configured to determine a first operational mode being a currently active operational mode;

said controller is configured to determine a second operational mode to switch to; and

said controller is configured to, once said first and second operational modes have been determined, switch operational mode of said multimode device from said first operational mode to said second operational mode.

22. The multimode device according to claim 21, wherein said multimode device is a mobile communication terminal.

23. The multimode device according to claim 21, wherein said controller is configured to determine said second operational mode as a next operational mode after said currently active operational mode in a predefined circular list of operational modes.

24. The multimode device according to claim 23, wherein said predefined circular list of operational modes comprises three operational modes.

25. The multimode device according to claim 24, wherein said three operational modes are a phone mode, an exercise mode and a media player mode.

26. The multimode device according to claim 21, wherein:

said mode switch actuator is a button capable of being in a first position and a second position, and

said button is biased to the first position.

27. A multimode device having at least two operational modes comprising:

a mode switch actuator;

a controller;

means for detecting an actuation of said mode switch actuator;

means for determining a first operational mode being a currently active operational mode;

means for determining a second operational mode to switch to; and

means for switching operational mode of said multimode device from said first operational mode to said second operational mode.

28. The multimode device according to claim 27, wherein said multimode device is a mobile communication terminal.