Mobile telephone configuration in response to a menu time-out

• US 6,389,280 B1
• Filed: 09/09/1999
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Morrison, Shawn C., Mittelstadt, David J., DeTar, Steve C., Chittiappa, Gayathri, Slater, Jon D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gary, Erika A.
• Application Number:
  US09/393,045
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/575, 455/574, 455/566, 455/550, 345/352, 345/146, 345/33, 345/145
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• 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

A mobile telephone has an existing configuration and displays a menu. The mobile telephone generates a time-out from the menu if an elapsed time after entering the menu exceeds a time period. In response to the time-out, the mobile telephone implements a new configuration based on the menu in which the time-out occurred.

Claims

1. A method for operating a mobile telephone having an existing configuration, the method comprising:

displaying a menu having a plurality of configuration options;

generating a time-out from the menu if an elapsed time after entering the menu exceeds a time period; and

in response to the time-out, automatically implementing a new configuration option from said plurality of configuration options based on the menu in which the time-out occurred and automatically altering the mode of operation of the mobile telephone to correspond to said new configuration option.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying the menu comprises displaying a Service Provider Selection Mode menu.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the existing configuration comprises a manual mode and wherein implementing the new configuration comprises implementing an automatic mode.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a list of menus, and wherein displaying the menu comprises displaying the menu in response to a selection from the list of menus.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile telephone is configured to communicate with satellites.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the mobile telephone is configured to communicate using code division multiple access spread spectrum signaling.

7. A mobile telephone having an existing configuration, the mobile telephone comprising:

menu logic configured to control a display to display a menu having a plurality of configuration options;

time-out logic configured to generate a time-out if an elapsed time after entering the menu exceeds a time period; and

configuration logic configured to automatically implement a new configuration option from said plurality of configuration options in response to the time-out and based on the menu in which the time-out occurred and to automatically alter the mode of operation of the mobile telephone to correspond to said new configuration option.

8. The mobile telephone of claim 7 wherein the menu comprises a Service Provider Selection Mode menu.

9. The mobile telephone of claim 8 wherein the existing configuration comprises a manual mode and wherein the new configuration comprises an automatic mode.

10. The mobile telephone of claim 7 wherein the menu logic is configured to control the display to display a list of menus, and to control the display to display the menu in response to a selection from the list of menus.

11. The mobile telephone of claim 7 wherein the mobile telephone is configured to communicate with satellites.

12. The mobile telephone of claim 11 wherein the mobile telephone is configured to communicate using code division multiple access spread spectrum signaling.