ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD OF PROVIDING VISUAL NOTIFICATION OF A RECEIVED COMMUNICATION

• US 20130145295A1
• Filed: 08/13/2012
• Published: 06/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: BOCKING, Andrew Douglas, Lindsay, Donald James, RYDENHAG, Daniel Tobias
• Granted Patent: US 9,015,641 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• 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: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages

Abstract

A method includes displaying information associated with an application on an electronic device, providing a visual notification of a received communication, and detecting a gesture. In response to detecting the gesture, a first part of an inbox is displayed while reducing display of the information, including at least partially displaying information associated with the received communication. Based on a characteristic of the gesture, providing the visual notification is discontinued.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying information associated with an application on an electronic device;

providing a visual notification of a received communication;

detecting a gesture;

in response to detecting the gesture, displaying a first part of an inbox while reducing display of the information, including at least partially displaying information associated with the received communication;

based on a characteristic of the gesture, discontinuing providing the visual notification.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a plurality of icons, including a first icon associated with the received communication, wherein the visual notification comprises displaying a symbol in association with the first icon.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a plurality of icons in response to detecting the gesture, including a first icon associated with the received communication, wherein the visual notification comprises displaying a symbol in association with the first icon.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the gesture is detected by a touch-sensitive display of the electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic is a distance of at least part of the gesture.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic is a distance between an edge of a display and a touch location of the gesture

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic is a time duration of the gesture

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic is a combination of time and distance.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic is a change in direction of the gesture.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic is a location associated with at least one edge of a touch-sensitive display.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic causes the inbox to be opened and the information is no longer displayed.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual notification comprises illuminating a light source disposed in a housing of the electronic device and separated from a display.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual notification comprises displaying a symbol on a display of the electronic device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual notification comprises displaying a symbol in association with an inbox entry for the received communication.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual notification comprises displaying a symbol in association with an icon associated with the received communication.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual notification comprises displaying a symbol in association with an icon of a plurality of icons displayed in response to detecting the gesture.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein display of the inbox progressively increases in size or decreases in size along with movement of the gesture.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the inbox associated with two or more communication applications.

19. A computer-readable storage device having computer-readable code executable by at least one processor of the portable electronic device to perform the method of claim 1.

20. An electronic device configured to perform the method of claim 1.

21. A method comprising:

displaying information associated with an application on an electronic device;

providing a first visual notification of a received communication comprising illuminating a light source disposed in a housing of the electronic device;

providing a second visual notification of the received communication comprising a symbol displayed in association with a displayed icon associated with the received communication;

detecting a gesture;

in response to detecting the gesture, displaying a first part of an inbox while displaying less of the information, including at least partially displaying information associated with the received communication;

based on a first characteristic of the gesture, discontinuing providing the first visual notification;

based on a second characteristic of the gesture, discontinuing providing the second visual notification.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising displaying a plurality of icons in response to detecting the gesture, including the displayed icon associated with the received communication.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the first characteristic is different from the second characteristic.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the first visual notification and the second visual notification are discontinued at different times.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the first characteristic is at least one of time and distance.

26. A method comprising:

displaying information associated with an application on an electronic device;

detecting a gesture;

in response to detecting the gesture;

displaying a plurality of icons associated with a plurality of applications;

displaying a first visual notification of a received communication in association with a first icon associated with the received communication;

displaying a first part of an inbox while reducing display of the information, including at least partially displaying information associated with the received communication;

based on a characteristic of the gesture, discontinuing displaying the first visual notification.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising displaying a second visual notification of a second received communication in association with a second icon associated with the second received communication.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising discontinuing displaying the second visual notification when the second icon is selected.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein displaying the first part of the inbox comprises gradually displaying more of the inbox, while displaying less of the information, along with movement of the gesture.