Handheld Electronic Device and Associated Method Providing Time Data in a Messaging Environment

• US 20110225258A1
• Filed: 05/19/2011
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Wormald, Christopher R., Klassen, Gerhard D., Kuhl, Lawrence E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,503,400 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/02 manually operated with input through keyboard and computation using a built-in program, e.g. pocket calculators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

An improved handheld electronic device and an associated method are provided in which time data regarding certain aspects of a messaging conversation on a handheld electronic device are made available to a user. Such time data is provided, for instance, in situations where an interruption has occurred during a messaging conversation. Time data can also be provided to a user on demand in certain circumstances.

Claims

1. A method of providing an output on a first electronic device, the first electronic device operable to be in electronic communication with a second electronic device, the method comprising:

determining that a first messaging communication has occurred at a first time between the first electronic device and the second electronic device;

outputting a first indication that is representative of at least a portion of the first communication;

detecting a predetermined input; and

responsive to the detecting a predetermined input, outputting a first time stamp representative of the first time in association with the first indication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting a predetermined input comprises detecting an input from a user of the first electronic device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the input from a user comprises a movement of a cursor to a location adjacent and overlapping the first indication.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first time stamp is output adjacent the first indication.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting another input, and removing the first time stamp.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first time stamp is removed in response to detecting an expiration of a predetermined duration of time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first time stamp comprises a time of day representative of the first time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first time stamp comprises a date representative of the first time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first time stamp comprises a relative time stamp representative of an elapsed time since the first time.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first indication is output in an electronic conversation comprising a plurality of indications, each indication being representative of at least a portion of a corresponding messaging communication between the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first time stamp is output between the first indication and a next one of the plurality of indications.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first time stamp comprises a relative time stamp representative of an elapsed time between the first messaging communication and a next messaging communication corresponding to the next one of the plurality of indications.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first time stamp comprises a linguistic output.

14. A first electronic device for providing an output on the first electronic device, the first electronic device operable to be in electronic communication with a second electronic device, the first electronic device comprising:

a display;

a memory; and

a processor electronically coupled with the display and the memory, the processor configured to;

determine that a first messaging communication has occurred at a first time between the first electronic device and the second electronic device;

output a first indication that is representative of at least a portion of the first communication;

detect a predetermined input; and

responsive to the detecting a predetermined input, output a first time stamp representative of the first time in association with the first indication.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the detecting a predetermined input comprises detecting an input from a user of the first electronic device.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the input from a user comprises a movement of a cursor to a location adjacent and overlapping the first indication.

17. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the first time stamp is output adjacent the first indication.

18. The electronic device of claim 14, further comprising detecting another input, and removing the first time stamp.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the first time stamp is removed in response to detecting an expiration of a predetermined duration of time.

20. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the first time stamp comprises a time of day representative of the first time.

21. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the first time stamp comprises a date representative of the first time.

22. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the first time stamp comprises a relative time stamp representative of an elapsed time since the first time.

23. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the first indication is output in an electronic conversation comprising a plurality of indications, each indication being representative of at least a portion of a corresponding messaging communication between the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

24. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein the first time stamp is output between the first indication and a next one of the plurality of indications.

25. The electronic device of claim 24, wherein the first time stamp comprises a relative time stamp representative of an elapsed time between the first messaging communication and a next messaging communication corresponding to the next one of the plurality of indications.

26. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the first time stamp comprises a linguistic output.

27. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions embedded thereon for execution by a processor of a first electronic device for providing an output on the first electronic device, the first electronic device operable to be in electronic communication with a second electronic device, such that when executed, the processor:

determines that a first messaging communication has occurred at a first time between the first electronic device and the second electronic device;

outputs a first indication that is representative of at least a portion of the first communication;

detects a predetermined input; and

responsive to the detecting a predetermined input, outputs a first time stamp representative of the first time in association with the first indication.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the detecting a predetermined input comprises detecting an input from a user of the first electronic device.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein the input from a user comprises a movement of a cursor to a location adjacent and overlapping the first indication.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the first time stamp is output adjacent the first indication.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 27, further comprising detecting another input, and removing the first time stamp.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the first time stamp is removed in response to detecting an expiration of a predetermined duration of time.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the first time stamp comprises a time of day representative of the first time.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the first time stamp comprises a date representative of the first time.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the first time stamp comprises a relative time stamp representative of an elapsed time since the first time.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the first indication is output in an electronic conversation comprising a plurality of indications, each indication being representative of at least a portion of a corresponding messaging communication between the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein the first time stamp is output between the first indication and a next one of the plurality of indications.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 37, wherein the first time stamp comprises a relative time stamp representative of an elapsed time between the first messaging communication and a next messaging communication corresponding to the next one of the plurality of indications.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the first time stamp comprises a linguistic output.