MOBILE DEVICE INTEGRATION WITH WLAN FUNCTIONALITY

• US 20130035138A1
• Filed: 08/02/2011
• Published: 02/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Abbott, Martin Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 8,560,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/06 including a wireless LAN interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point

Abstract

A graphical user interface for a mobile device presents a primary GUI indicating functions and operations of the mobile device. A WLAN GUI is also presented on the display, indicating connectivity aspects of the mobile device regarding WLANs. The WLAN GUI is immediately accessible directly from the primary GUI as the next presented display in response to user interaction with the primary GUI. An additional WLAN GUI may be presented indicating the WLAN access point which is connected to the mobile device and indicating which WLAN access point is downloading or uploading data to the mobile device.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface (GUI) for a mobile device having a display, comprising:

a primary GUI for presentation on the display, the primary GUI indicating functions and operations of the mobile device and having a status area; and

a WLAN GUI for presentation on the display, the WLAN GUI indicating connectivity aspects of the mobile device regarding WLANs, the WLAN GUI accessible directly from the status area of the primary GUI as the next presented display in response to user interaction with the primary GUI.

2. The interface of claim 1 wherein the primary GUI comprises a home screen including an on-going menu area indicative of active functions of the mobile device and wherein the WLAN GUI is immediately accessible from the on-going menu area in response to user interaction with the on-going menu area.

3. The interface of claim 1 wherein the primary GUI comprises a home screen including a source menu area indicative of active data transfer functions of the mobile device and wherein the WLAN GUI includes a first additional screen accessible from the source menu area in response to user interaction with the source menu area, and wherein the first additional screen indicates downloading or uploading connectivity information.

4. The interface of claim 1 wherein the WLAN GUI includes a first additional screen accessible from the source menu area in response to user interaction with the source menu area, and wherein:

when the mobile device is not connected to a WLAN, a data item is ready for transfer, and a WLAN is not available, the first additional screen comprises a notification of the following user-selectable options;

hold transfer of the data item until a WLAN connection is present;

transfer the data item;

cancel transfer of the data item; and

always transfer email attachments over a WLAN connection; and

when the mobile device is not connected to a WLAN, a data item is ready for transfer, and a WLAN is available, the first additional screen comprises a notification that;

a WLAN is available; and

a data item is available for transfer.

5. The interface of claim 1 wherein the WLAN GUI is available by a single action on the display of the mobile device and wherein the status area of the primary GUI exists in all screens presented on the mobile device display and the WLAN GUI persists until deselected by user interaction.

6. The interface of claim 1 wherein the WLAN GUI includes at least one of the following:

an indication of available WLAN access points;

an indication of a WLAN access point, if any, to which the mobile device is connected;

an indication of whether a preferred WLAN access point is available; and

an indication of available WLAN access points as well as an indication of the security level of the available WLAN access points.

7. The interface of claim 1 wherein the WLAN GUI comprises a notification of a plurality of the following states of the WLAN connectivity of the mobile device:

WLAN connectivity OFF;

WLAN connectivity ON, no access point detected;

WLAN connectivity ON, access points detected, not connected;

WLAN connectivity ON, access points detected, connected to unsecure WLAN; and

WLAN connectivity ON, access points detected, connected to secure WLAN;

WLAN connectivity ON, access points detected, connected to unsecure WLAN, data not being transferred;

WLAN connectivity ON, access points detected, connected to secure WLAN, data not being transferred;

WLAN connectivity ON, access points detected, connected to unsecure WLAN, data being transferred; and

WLAN connectivity ON, access points detected, connected to secure WLAN, data being transferred;

a previously identified user-preferred WLAN access point; and

a provider preferred WLAN access point.

8. The interface of claim 1 further comprising a source menu available from the status area and additional screens available from the source menu, said additional screens indicating the following:

(a) when the mobile device is not connected to a WLAN and a data item is ready for download or upload, a screen comprising a notification of the following options is provided;

hold download or upload of the item until a WLAN connection;

download or upload the item;

cancel download or upload of the item; and

always download or upload email attachments over a WLAN connection; and

/or

(b) when the mobile device is connected to a WLAN, the screen comprises a notification of the following options;

downloading or uploading in process; and

downloading or uploading complete.

9. A mobile device comprising:

a display;

an antenna circuit for receiving WLAN signals;

a memory storing executable instructions; and

a processor executing the instructions stored in the memory and controlling the display, the processor connected to the antenna circuit for processing the received WLAN signals;

the executable instructions comprising;

instructions for displaying on the display a primary GUI indicating functions and operations of the mobile device and having a status area;

instructions for displaying on the display a WLAN GUI indicating connectivity aspects of the mobile device regarding WLANs which are received by the antenna and processed by the processor of the mobile device, the WLAN GUI accessible directly from the status area of the primary GUI as the next presented display in response to user interaction with the primary GUI.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the executable instructions for displaying the primary GUI include instructions for displaying an on-going menu area indicative of active functions of the mobile device and wherein the WLAN GUI is accessible from the on-going menu area in response to user interaction with the on-going menu area.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein, when the mobile device is connected to a WLAN, the display of the first additional WLAN GUI comprises a notification that:

Downloading or uploading in process;

or

Downloading or uploading complete.

12. The device of claim 9 wherein the executable instructions for displaying the WLAN GUI include instructions for displaying an additional screen accessible from the source menu area in response to user interaction with the source menu area, and wherein:

when the mobile device is not connected to a WLAN, a data item is ready for transfer, and a WLAN is not available, the additional WLAN GUI comprises a notification of the following user-selectable options;

hold transfer of the data item until a WLAN connection is present;

transfer the data item;

cancel transfer of the data item; and

always transfer email attachments over a WLAN connection; and

when the mobile device is not connected to a WLAN, a data item is ready for transfer, and a WLAN is available, the additional WLAN GUI comprises a notification that;

a WLAN is available; and

a data item is available for transfer.

13. The device of claim 9 wherein the WLAN GUI is available by a single action on the display of the mobile device and wherein the WLAN GUI is available and persists from the status area of all screens on the display.

14. The device of claim 9 wherein the WLAN GUI includes at least one of the following:

an indication of available WLAN access points;

an indication of a WLAN access point, if any, to which the mobile device is connected;

an indication of whether a preferred WLAN access point is available; and

an indication of available WLAN access points as well as an indication of the security level of a WLAN access point.

15. The device of claim 9 wherein the WLAN GUI comprises a notification of the following states of the WLAN connectivity of the mobile device:

WLAN connectivity OFF;

WLAN connectivity ON, no access point detected;

WLAN connectivity ON, access points detected, not connected;

WLAN connectivity ON, access points detected, connected to unsecure WLAN; and

WLAN connectivity ON, access points detected, connected to secure WLAN;

WLAN connectivity ON, access points detected, connected to unsecure WLAN, data not being transferred;

WLAN connectivity ON, access points detected, connected to secure WLAN, data not being transferred;

WLAN connectivity ON, access points detected, connected to unsecure WLAN, data being transferred; and

WLAN connectivity ON, access points detected, connected to secure WLAN, data being transferred;

a previously identified user-preferred WLAN access point; and

a provider preferred WLAN access point.

16. A tangible computer readable storage medium having computer executable instructions stored therein and executable by a processor of a computing device having a display, the computer executable instructions comprising:

instructions for displaying on the display a primary GUI indicating functions and operations of the processor of the computing device and having a status area; and

instructions for displaying on the display a WLAN GUI indicating connectivity aspects of the processor regarding WLANs which are detected by the computing device, the WLAN GUI accessible directly from the status area of the primary GUI as the next presented display in response to user interaction with the primary GUI.

17. The storage medium of claim 16 wherein the computer executable instructions for displaying the primary GUI include instructions for displaying an on-going menu area indicative of active functions of the computing device and wherein the WLAN GUI is accessible from the on-going menu area in response to user interaction with the on-going menu area.

18. The storage medium of claim 16 wherein the executable instructions for displaying the primary GUI include instructions for displaying a source menu area indicative of active data transfer functions of the mobile device and wherein the executable instructions for displaying the WLAN GUI include instructions for displaying a first additional screen accessible from the source menu area in response to user interaction with the source menu area, and wherein the first additional screen indicates whether a WLAN access point is connected to the mobile device and whether the WLAN access point is downloading or uploading data to the mobile device.

19. The storage medium of claim 18 wherein, when the mobile device is connected to a WLAN, the display of the first additional screen comprises a notification that:

Downloading or uploading in process;

or

Downloading or uploading complete.

20. The storage medium of claim 16 wherein the WLAN GUI is available by a single action on the display of the computing device and wherein the WLAN GUI is available and persists from the status area of all screens presented on the mobile device display.

21. The storage medium of claim 16 wherein the computer executable instructions for displaying the primary GUI include instructions for confirming the security level of a WLAN access point prior to the computing device executing an application which contains secure information.