Method and system for processing overloaded keys of a mobile device

• US 7,065,386 B1
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Issued: 06/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Openwave Systems Incorporated (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Smethers, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): AFSHAR, KAMRAN
• Application Number:
  US10/976,420
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 455/565, 455/566, 455/418, 455/550.1, 455/556.2, 379/386, 379/283, 345/168
• US Class Current: 455/565
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device

Abstract

Improved approaches are disclosed for processing overloaded keys substantially more in accordance with user'"'"'s expected behavior. With the improved approaches, users are less likely to undergo unexpected processing in response to overloaded key presses. In one embodiment, the processing ignores certain overloaded key presses and/or imposes delays to ensure that users have an opportunity to appreciate when an overloaded key has switched to another function. These approaches are particularly well suited for small-scale mobile devices having reduced size displays and overloaded keys such as mobile phones (e.g., cellular phones), two-way pagers, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), or other two-way mobile communication devices.

Claims

1. A method for processing an overloaded key on a mobile device, said method comprising:

receiving a key press of the overloaded key to be processed from a buffer;

determining whether the function of the overloaded key has switched;

clearing any additional overloaded key presses of the overloaded key from the buffer when said determining determines that the function of the overloaded key has switched;

setting a pause period for the overloaded key when said determining determines that the function of the overloaded key has switched, thereby causing subsequent presses of the overloaded key to be ignored during the pause period;

receiving a subsequent press of the overloaded key;

determining whether the subsequent press of the overloaded key occurred during the pause period; and

processing the subsequent press of the overloaded key when said determining determines that the subsequent press of the overloaded key did not occur during the pause period.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining whether the function of the overloaded key has switched comprises determining whether the function of the overloaded key has transitioned from a first function to a second function since its last key press.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a personal digital assistant or a cellular phone.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a two-way mobile communication device having limited input keys, one of the input keys being the overloaded key.

5. A method as recited in claim 1,

wherein the mobile device is a two-way mobile communication device having limited input keys, one of the input keys being the overloaded key;

and

wherein the overloaded key is a Clear/Back key that supports a clear function and a back function.

6. A computer readable medium including at least computer program code for processing an overloaded key on a mobile device, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for receiving a key press of the overloaded key to be processed from a buffer;

computer program code for determining whether the function of the overloaded key has switched;

computer program code for clearing any additional overloaded key presses of the overloaded key from the buffer when said computer program code for determining determines that the function of the overloaded key has switched; and

computer program code for setting a pause period for the overloaded key when said computer program code for determining determines that the function of the overloaded key has switched, thereby causing subsequent presses of the overloaded key to be ignored during the pause period;

computer program code for receiving a subsequent press of the overloaded key;

computer program code for determining whether the subsequent press of the overloaded key occurred during the pause period; and

computer program code for processing the subsequent press of the overloaded key when said determining determines that the subsequent press of the overloaded key did not occur during the pause period.

7. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 6,

wherein the mobile device is a two-way mobile communication device having limited input keys, one of the input keys being the overloaded key;

and

wherein the overloaded key is a Clear/Back key that supports a clear function and a back function.

8. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 6 wherein the mobile device is a personal digital assistant or a cellular phone.

9. A mobile device, comprising:

a display configured to display text entered by a user;

a keypad to facilitate text entry by the user, said keypad including at least an overloaded key that serves a plurality of functions;

a buffer for storing key presses entered by the user via said keypad; and

a processor configured to control operation of said mobile device, said processor being configured to provide context sensitive processing overloaded key presses by operating to receive a key press of the overloaded key to be processed from said buffer, determine whether the function of the overloaded key has switched, and clear any additional overloaded key presses of the overloaded key from said buffer when it is determined that the function of the overloaded key has switched, wherein said processor further operates to set a pause period for the overloaded key when it is determined that the function of the overloaded key has switched, thereby causing subsequent presses of the overloaded key to be ignored during the pause period, receive a subsequent press of the overloaded key, determine whether the subsequent press of the overloaded key occurred during the pause period, and process the subsequent press of the overloaded key when it is determined that the subsequent press of the overloaded key did not occur during the pause period.

10. A method for processing an overloaded key on a mobile device, said method comprising:

receiving a key press of the overloaded key to be processed;

determining whether the function of the overloaded key has switched;

determining whether a pause period has expired when said determining determined that the function of the overloaded key has switched;

ignoring the overload key when said determining determines that the pause period has not expired;

processing the overload key when said determining determines that the pause period has expired;

determining whether a subsequent press of the overloaded key occurred during the pause period; and

processing the subsequent press of the overloaded key when said determining determines that the subsequent press of the overloaded key did not occur during the pause period.