Pseudo-interactive input processing in wireless environments

• US 7,319,860 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2002
• Issued: 01/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Robertson, Ian M., Tapuska, David F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perez-Gutierrez; Rafael
• Assistant Examiner(s): AJIBADE AKONAI, OLUMIDE
• Application Number:
  US10/289,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20040090465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,895 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/412.1, 455/466, 455/574, 455/566, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/414.4, 455/550.1, 370/477, 370/412, 370/465, 370/468, 370/470, 370/472, 370/519, 370/413, 370/414, 370/415, 370/416, 345/169, 345/541, 345/542, 345/543, 345/551, 345/23, 345/141, 345/467, 345/468, 345/469, 345/470, 345/471, 345/472, 345/545, 345/559, 711/153, 711/170, 711/171, 711/172, 711/173, 710/52, 710/53, 710/56, 709/232, 709/235, 709/246, 709/247
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0018 based on latency requirement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/29 using a combination of thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72424 with manual activation of emergency-service functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

An electronic communications device including a user input device for inputting characters; and buffering and communications systems for storing in a buffer characters input by the user input device, and transmitting the content of the buffer over a communications link when there is a pause in input by the user input device for a predetermined time duration. The content of the buffer may also be transmitted over the communications link when the amount of stored characters in the buffer reaches a predetermined size, or when a designated submit key is detected.

Claims

1. An electronic communications device comprising:

a user input device for inputting characters; and

buffering and communications systems for storing buffer characters input by the user input device, and transmitting the content of the buffer over a communications link when there is a pause in input by the user input device for a predetermined time duration;

wherein the buffer has a buffer threshold length;

wherein the electronic device is configured to dynamically adjust the buffer threshold length or the predetermined time duration based on a user'"'"'s typing speed.

2. The electronic communications device of claim 1 wherein the content of the buffer is cleared each time the content of the buffer is transmitted.

3. The electronic communications device of claim 1 wherein the content of the buffer is also transmitted over the communications link when the amount of stored characters in the buffer reaches a predetermined size.

4. The electronic communications device of claim 1 wherein the content of the buffer is also transmitted over the communications link when a predetermined submit input is received from the user input device.

5. The electronic communications device of claim 1 wherein the content of the buffer is also transmitted over the communications link when the amount of stored characters in the buffer reaches a predetermined size and the content of the buffer is also transmitted over the communications link when a predetermined input is made by the user input device.

6. The electronic communications device of claim 1 wherein the predetermined time duration is approximately one second.

7. The electronic communications device of claim 1 wherein the communications link includes a wireless link.

8. The electronic communications device of claim 1 wherein the user input device includes a keyboard.

9. The electronic communications device of claim 1, where the electronic device is further configured to dynamically adjust the buffer threshold length or the predetermined time duration based on at least one or a packet size and packet overhead of a particular communications network in which the device is used, a latency and bandwidth of the network, and processing resources available on the device.

10. A method for transmitting information over a communications link from a communications device having a user input device, comprising:

storing characters input by the user input device in a buffer, the buffer having a buffer threshold length;

dynamically adjusting the buffer threshold length or a threshold time since a last character was input based on a user'"'"'s typing speed; and

determining if the threshold time has passed since the last character was input by the user input device, and if so transmitting the stored characters over the communications link and clearing the buffer.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the threshold time is approximately one second.

12. The method of claim 10 including a step of determining if a threshold number of characters have been stored in the buffer and if so:

(i) transmitting the stored characters over the communications link and (ii) clearing the buffer.

13. The method of claim 10 including a step of determining if a predetermined send command has been input by the user input device and if so:

(i) transmitting the stored characters over the communications link and (ii) clearing the buffer.

14. The method of claim 10 including a step of determining if either a threshold number of characters have been stored in the buffer or a predetermined send command has been input by the user input device, and if so:

(i) transmitting the stored characters over the communications link and (ii) clearing the buffer.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the user input device includes an alphanumeric keyboard.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the communications link includes a high latency wireless channel.