ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD PROVIDING IMPROVED ALARM CLOCK FEATURE AND FACILITATED ALARM EDITING MODE

• US 20090284389A1
• Filed: 05/11/2009
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Klassen, Gerhard Dietrich, Kalu, Kalu Onuka
• Granted Patent: US 8,963,894 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.220
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 11/00 Producing optical signals at preselected times
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 13/02 at preselected times, e.g. alarm clocks
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 13/026 acting at a number of different times

Abstract

An improved electronic device and method provide an improved clock feature that includes an improved alarm clock function and a BEDTIME mode that is initiated by execution of a BEDTIME mode routine. The alarm clock function enables an alarm to be edited very easily.

Claims

1. A method on an electronic device that comprises an I/O apparatus, the method comprising:

executing the electronic device in a predetermined mode that comprises outputting on a display of the I/O apparatus a current time with use of a visual object having a size in one dimension that is at least about one-half as long as a physical length of the display in the one dimension; and

responsive to an actuation of a predetermined input member of the I/O apparatus, outputting on the display an interaction component having at least one field that comprises an alterable element of an alarm.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

altering the alterable element in response to receipt of a predetermined input; and

storing at least a portion of the alarm.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein altering comprises outputting in the at least one field an altered version of the alterable element.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein actuation of the predetermined input member comprises actuation of a multiple-axis input device of the I/O apparatus;

and

wherein the method further comprises;

detecting receipt of a navigational input of the multiple-axis input device; and

responsive thereto, altering the alterable element.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the electronic device further comprises a processor apparatus, and wherein the method further comprises:

responsive to the actuation of the predetermined input member, directing a focus of the processor apparatus onto the at least one field; and

detecting as the navigational input a navigational input within the at least one field among a number of selectable choices comprising one or more of;

an “

ON”

selectable choice, or

an “

OFF”

selectable choice.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising detecting as the navigational input a navigational input within the at least one field among a number of selectable choices comprising:

an “

ON”

selectable choice,

an “

OFF”

selectable choice, or

an “

ON”

selectable choice as to all weekdays.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the electronic device further comprises a processor apparatus, and wherein the method further comprises:

directing a focus of the processor apparatus onto the at least one field;

detecting as the navigational input a navigational input in a first direction;

detecting another navigational input of the multiple-axis input device in a second direction different from first direction; and

responsive to the detecting of the another navigational input, shifting the focus from the at least one field onto another field of the interaction component.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising outputting the another field at a location disposed in the second direction from the at least one field.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein operating the electronic device in the predetermined mode comprises outputting on the display an alarm time, and wherein the method further comprises outputting as at least a portion of the interaction component an enlarged version of at least a portion of the alarm time in place of the at least a portion of the alarm time.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein operating the electronic device in the predetermined mode comprises outputting on the display an alarm time, and wherein the method further comprises:

detecting as an input an alteration of the alarm time to a different alarm time; and

outputting in place of the alarm time the different alarm time.

11. An electronic device comprising:

a processor apparatus comprising a processor and a memory;

an I/O apparatus structured to provide input to the processor apparatus and to receive output signals from the processor apparatus;

the memory having stored therein a number of instructions which, when executed on the processor, causes the electronic device to perform operations comprising;

executing the electronic device in a predetermined mode that comprises outputting on a display of the I/O apparatus a current time with use of a visual object having a size in one dimension that is at least about one-half as long as a physical length of the display in the one dimension; and

responsive to an actuation of a predetermined input member of the I/O apparatus, outputting on the display an interaction component having at least one field that comprises an alterable element of an alarm.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

altering the alterable element in response to receipt of a predetermined input; and

storing at least a portion of the alarm.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein altering comprises outputting in the at least one field an altered version of the alterable element.

14. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein actuation of the predetermined input member comprises actuation of a multiple-axis input device of the I/O apparatus;

and

wherein the operations further comprise;

detecting receipt of a navigational input of the multiple-axis input device; and

responsive thereto, altering the alterable element.

15. The electronic device of claim 14 wherein the electronic device further comprises a processor apparatus, and wherein the operations further comprise:

responsive to the actuation of the predetermined input member, directing a focus of the processor apparatus onto the at least one field; and

detecting as the navigational input a navigational input within the at least one field among a number of selectable choices comprising one or more of;

an “

ON”

selectable choice, or

an “

OFF”

selectable choice.

16. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise detecting as the navigational input a navigational input within the at least one field among a number of selectable choices comprising:

an “

ON”

selectable choice,

an “

OFF”

selectable choice, or

an “

ON”

selectable choice as to all weekdays.

17. The electronic device of claim 14 wherein the electronic device further comprises a processor apparatus, and wherein the operations further comprise:

directing a focus of the processor apparatus onto the at least one field;

detecting as the navigational input a navigational input in a first direction;

detecting another navigational input of the multiple-axis input device in a second direction different from first direction; and

responsive to the detecting of the another navigational input, shifting the focus from the at least one field onto another field of the interaction component.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise outputting the another field at a location disposed in the second direction from the at least one field.

19. The electronic device of claim 11 wherein executing the electronic device in the predetermined mode comprises outputting on the display an alarm time, and wherein the operations further comprise outputting as at least a portion of the interaction component an enlarged version of at least a portion of the alarm time in place of the at least a portion of the alarm time.

20. The electronic device of claim 11 wherein executing the electronic device in the predetermined mode comprises outputting on the display an alarm time, and wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting as an input an alteration of the alarm time to a different alarm time; and

outputting in place of the alarm time the different alarm time.