METHODS AND APPARATUS TO DISPLAY MOBILE DEVICE CONTEXTS

• US 20120117499A1
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Mori, Robert, Sasaki, Curtis Jyun, Marks, Bradley Michael, Sartipi, Siamak, Kaul, Bhavuk, Fresko, Nedim, Wu, Carol C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,881,057 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• 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

Example methods and apparatus to display mobile device contexts are disclosed. An example method includes displaying a first context in a user interface of a mobile device based on first device platform information, the first context including a first arrangement of information, graphics, and application icons that are associated with the first device platform information, determining that second device platform information received after the first device platform information corresponds to a second context, the second context being different from the first context and including a second arrangement of information, graphics, and applications that are associated with the second device platform information, and displaying the second context in the user interface replacing the first context without prompting a user of the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method to display mobile device contexts, the method comprising:

displaying a first context in a user interface of a mobile device based on first device platform information, the first context including a first arrangement of information, graphics, and application icons that are associated with the first device platform information;

determining that second device platform information received after the first device platform information corresponds to a second context, the second context being different from the first context and including a second arrangement of information, graphics, and applications that are associated with the second device platform information;

displaying the second context in the user interface replacing the first context without prompting a user of the mobile device.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first device platform information includes first application information and the second device platform information includes second application information.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

determining a first weight for the first context based on the first platform device information matching first rules specifying conditions when to display the first context;

determining a second weight for the second context based on the first platform device information matching second rules specifying conditions when to display the second context;

displaying the first context based on the first weight being greater than the second weight.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

determining a first weight for the first context based on the second platform device information matching first rules specifying conditions when to display the first context;

determining a second weight for the second context based on the second platform device information matching second rules specifying conditions when to display the second context;

displaying the second context based on the second weight being greater than the first weight.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

determining a first weight for the first context based on the second platform device information matching first rules specifying conditions when to display the first context;

determining a second weight for the second context based on the second platform device information matching second rules specifying conditions when to display the second context;

displaying the second context based on the first weight being less than a threshold and the second weight being greater than the threshold.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising selecting the second context to compare the second device platform information from a group of contexts based on a rule specifying that the second context can be transitioned from the first context.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving feedback that the first context was manually selected to replace the second context displayed via the user interface;

reducing the correspondence between the second context and the second device platform information;

increasing the correspondence between the first context and the second device platform information.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, further comprising:

determining if the first context is displayed via the user interface for at least a time threshold;

reducing the correspondence between the second context and the second device platform information if the first context is displayed longer than the time threshold; and

increasing the correspondence between the first context and the second device platform information if the first context is displayed longer than the time threshold.

9. A tangible article of manufacture storing machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

display a first context in a user interface of a mobile device based on first rules of the first context matching first device platform information;

determine that second device platform information received after the first device platform information matches a second context based on second rules of the second context matching the second device platform information;

display the second context in the user interface without prompting a user of the mobile device.

10. A tangible article of manufacture as defined in claim 9 storing machine readable instructions, which, when executed cause the machine to:

determine a first weight for the first context based on the second platform device information matching first rules specifying conditions when to display the first context;

determine a second weight for the second context based on the second platform device information matching second rules specifying conditions when to display the second context;

display the second context based on the second weight being greater than the first weight.

11. A tangible article of manufacture as defined in claim 9 wherein the first context includes a first arrangement of information, graphics, pictures, and application icons and the second context includes a second arrangement of information, graphics, pictures, and application icons.

12. A tangible article of manufacture as defined in claim 9 wherein the application icons included within the first context are selected by the user to be displayed within the first context and the application icons included within the second context are selected by the user to be displayed within the second context.

13. A tangible article of manufacture as defined in claim 9 wherein the first context is displayed in conjunction with the second context via the user interface.

14. A tangible article of manufacture as defined in claim 9 wherein the first context is displayed during a first time of a day and the second context is displayed during a second time of the day.

15. An apparatus to display mobile device contexts, the apparatus comprising:

a context engine to;

display a first context in a user interface of a mobile device based on first device platform information, the first context including a first arrangement of information, graphics, and application icons that are associated with the first device platform information;

display a second context in the user interface replacing the first context without prompting a user of the mobile device to display the second context;

a context selector to determine that second device platform information received after the first device platform information corresponds to the second context, the second context including a second arrangement of information, graphics, and applications that are associated with the second device platform information.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, further comprising a platform compiler to:

determine a first weight for the first context based on the first platform device information matching first rules specifying conditions when to display the first context;

determine a second weight for the second context based on the first platform device information matching second rules specifying conditions when to display the second context;

determine a third weight for the first context based on the second platform device information matching first rules specifying conditions when to display the first context;

determine a fourth weight for the second context based on the second platform device information matching second rules specifying conditions when to display the second context.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the context selector is to:

display the first context based on the first weight being greater than the second weight;

display the second context based on the second weight being greater than the first weight.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, further comprising a feedback processor to:

receive feedback that the first context was manually selected to replace the second context displayed via the user interface;

reduce the correspondence between the second context and the second device platform information;

increase a correspondence between the first context and the second device platform information.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, further comprising a application instructor to:

identify applications corresponding to application icons displayed within the second context;

send instructions to the identified applications to cause the applications to be operational within the second context, the instructions including the second device platform information.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein the applications use the second device platform information to display relevant application data within the second context.