Print option for WAP browsers

• US 6,553,240 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ironworks Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Dervarics, Gergely
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Iqbal, Khawar
• Application Number:
  US09/475,757
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 455/557, 455/414, 455/550, 455/556, 455/566, 455/422, 370/328, 370/338, 370/351, 370/356, 370/400, 370/402, 709/238, 709/209, 709/227, 709/207, 709/329, 313/200
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications

Abstract

The WAP browser in a mobile phone is adapted to permit printing of WML data received and interpreted by the WAP browser. The mobile phone has control circuitry, including a processing unit, a memory connected to the processing unit, and a display. The WAP browser is adapted to interpret received Wireless Markup Language (WML) data and display it on the display. The WAP browser includes a print option which, when selected by the user of the wireless communication device, causes the WML data to be printed.

Claims

1. A mobile phone comprising:

control circuitry, including a processing unit;

a memory connected to the processing unit;

a display; and

a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) browser adapted to interpret received Wireless Markup Language (WML) data and display said WML data on said display,

wherein said WAP browser includes a print option which, when selected by the user of the mobile phone, causes said WML data to be printed.

2. The mobile phone recited in claim 1, wherein the WML data is stored at a location in said memory prior to selection of the print option.

3. The mobile phone recited in claim 2, wherein said WML data is read from said location in said memory when said print option is selected and is decoded prior to printing.

4. The mobile phone recited in claim 1, wherein the WML data is printed via a direct infrared interface to a printer.

5. The mobile phone recited in claim 1, wherein the WML data is transferred to the printer using Bluetooth wireless transfer.

6. The mobile phone recited in claim 1, wherein the print option is selected by the user in accordance with a menu displayed on said display.

7. The mobile phone recited in claim 6, wherein the user selects the print option by pressing a soft key associated with the menu.

8. The mobile phone recited in claim 1, wherein the print option utilizes a printing facility which can print data from sources other than said WML data interpreted by said WAP browser.

9. The mobile phone recited in claim 8, wherein the printing facility can also print a phone book or calendar stored in the mobile phone.

10. The mobile phone recited in claim 8, wherein the character width of lines in said display is narrower than the character width of lines printed by said printing facility.

11. The mobile phone recited in claim 8, wherein the printing facility is included in operating system software of the mobile phone.

12. The mobile phone recited in claim 1, wherein said print option causes said WML data to be printed on an external printer with the character width of the printed WML data modified according to the characteristics of the external printer.