System and method for providing a parameter for an application operating on an electronic device

• US 7,797,679 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Lee, Matthew, Tysowski, Piotr, May, Darrell
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Thomas K
• Application Number:
  US11/469,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20080126957A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 717/120, 717/121
• US Class Current: 717/121
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

The invention relates to a system, method and device for modifying a parameter for an application operating on an electronic device. The method comprises the steps of: (a) upon activation of the device, determining a state of initial configuration for the device; (b) if the state indicates that the device requires configuration, providing a GUI interface allowing for changes to be made to the parameter; and (c) if a change is made to the parameter through the interface, updating a storage location with the change. In the method, the device may have communication capabilities with a network; and time zone information relating to the location of the device may be provided from the network or from the device; and the time zone information may be used to update an aspect relating to the parameter.

Claims

1. A method of modifying a parameter for at least one application by a set up application operating on an electronic device, comprising the steps of:

upon activation of the device, determining a state of initial configuration for the device from configuration data stored in the device;

if the state of initial configuration indicates that the device requires configuration, initiating the set up application and automatically generating a series of graphical user interface ‘

GUI’

screens on a display of said device, said series of GUI screens providing introductory information relating to the device only on a first activation of the device;

if a change is made to a parameter through the GUI interface, updating a storage location in memory of the device with the change;

changing the state of initial configuration of the device after the set up application is activated on the device to reflect an operation history of the set up application; and

if the state of initial configuration indicates that the set up application had previously been initiated, presenting a GUI where said at least one application and said set up application are presented and upon a subsequent activation of the set up application, activating said set up application at a point in its operation based on the operation history.

2. The method of modifying a parameter for at least one application by a set up application operating on an electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the introductory information relates to operational parameters of the device and a network in communication with the device.

3. The method of modifying a parameter for at least one application by a set up application operating on an electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the parameter is accessed by at least two applications for its operation and the at least two applications operate on the device.

4. The method of modifying a parameter for at least one application by a set up application operating on an electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the set up application has access to a table of contents GUI providing topics that are displayed on said subsequent activation of the set up application.

5. The method of modifying a parameter for at least one application by a set up application operating on an electronic device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the parameter relates to a display characteristic for elements generated on a the display.

6. The method of modifying a parameter for at least one application by a set up application operating on an electronic device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the GUI interface utilizes at least one template providing text to be displayed in a GUI screen and options relating to the parameter.

7. The method of modifying a parameter for at least one application by a set up application operating on an electronic device as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

the device has CDMA communication capabilities with the network; and

aspects of the GUI interface can be accessed only if a telephone number has been programmed into the device.

8. The method of modifying a parameter for at least one application by a set up application operating on an electronic device as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

the device has wireless communication capabilities;

time zone information relating to the location of the device is provided from the network; and

the set up application uses the time zone information is used to update an aspect relating to the parameter.

9. The method of modifying a parameter for at least one application by a set up application operating on an electronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the time zone information is derived using triangulation of signals received from the network by the device.

10. The method of modifying a parameter for at least one application by a set up application operating on an electronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the time zone information is derived using country code information associated with the device provided from the network.

11. An electronic device comprising:

at least one software application operating on the device, the at least one application having a parameter relating to its operation;

a module for modifying the parameter for the at least one application;

the module operating on the electronic device, the module modifying the parameter by;

upon activation of the device, determining a state of initial configuration for the device from configuration data stored in the device;

if the state of initial configuration indicates that the device requires configuration, initiating the set up application and automatically generating

a series of graphical user interface ‘

GUI’

screens on a display of said device, said series of GUI screens providing introductory information relating to the device only on a first activation of the device;

if a change is made to a parameter through the GUI interface, updating a storage location in memory of the device with the change;

changing the state of initial configuration of the device after the set up application is activated on the device to reflect an operation history of the set up application; and

if the state of initial configuration indicates that the set up application had previously been initiated, presenting a GUI where said at least one application and said set up application are presented and upon a subsequent activation of the set up application, activating said set up application at a point in its operation based on the operation history; and

said memory to store the configuration data, the state of initial configuration and the record for the parameter.

12. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the parameter relates to a display characteristic for elements generated on a display of the device.

13. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the device has COMA communication capabilities; and

aspects of the GUI interface can be accessed only if a telephone number has been programmed into the device.

14. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the GUI interface utilizes at least one template providing text to be displayed in a GUI screen and options relating to the parameter.

15. The electronic device as claimed in 14, wherein:

the device has communication capabilities with a network; and

time zone information relating to the location of the device is provided from the network; and

the time zone information is used to update an aspect relating to the parameter.

16. A method of providing time information to a portable communication device, comprising the steps of:

upon activation of the device, determining a state of configuration for the device from configuration data stored in the device;

if the state of configuration indicates that the device requires configuration of an internally stored time value, deriving time zone information from location information relating to the device provided from a network communicating with the device;

updating a parameter relating to an application that utilizes the time information;

if the state of initial configuration indicates that the device requires configuration, initiating the set up application and automatically generating a series of graphical user interface ‘

GUI’

screens on a display of said device, said series of GUI screens providing introductory information relating to the device only on a first activation of the device;

if a change is made to a setting through the GUI interface, updating a storage location in memory of the device with the change;

changing the state of initial configuration of the device after the set up application is activated on the device to reflect an operation history of the set up application; and

if the state of initial configuration indicates that the set up application had previously been initiated, presenting a GUI where said at least one application and said set up application are presented and upon a subsequent activation of the set up application, activating said set up application at a point in its operation based on the operation history.

17. The method of providing time information to a portable communication device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the time zone information is derived using triangulation of signals received from the network by the device.

18. The method of providing time information to a portable communication device as claimed in claim 16, wherein:

country code data is associated with the device; and

the method further comprises comparing the country code data to a preset time zone record provided with the device to determine a current time zone for the device.