Method and system of transport mode notification on a multi-mode handheld communication device

• US 8,301,120 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2007
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Adams, Neil P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Akonai, Olumide T Ajibade
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peaches, Randy
• Application Number:
  US11/743,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20080273489A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,008 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.6, 455/412.2
• US Class Current: 455/412.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A communications device includes multiple data transceivers, each configured for communication via a respective communication transport mode. The communication device has one or more data packets which are associated with one of the communication transport modes. The handheld communication device transmits or receives the data packet(s) via the data transceiver that is configured for communication with the corresponding communication transport mode. A user-indication of the communication transport mode of the data packet(s) is provided in accordance with the data transceiver that communicates the data packet(s). The user indication is provided on a per-data packet basis, substantially contemporaneously with the communication of the data packet(s) via the one data transceiver.

Claims

1. A method of communication in a handheld communication device capable of a plurality of communication transport modes, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at least one data packet at the handheld communication device, the handheld communication device comprising a plurality of data transceivers, each said data transceiver being configured for communication via a respective one of the communication transport modes, the at least one data packet being associated with one of the communication transport modes, the handheld communication device communicating the at least one data packet via one of the data transceivers, the one data transceiver being configured for communication via the one communication transport mode; and

providing a user-indication of the one communication transport mode for the at least one data packet in accordance with the one data transceiver, by displaying the user indication substantially contemporaneously with a time instant of initiation of transmission or receipt of the at least one data packet at the communication device and extinguishing the user-indication substantially contemporaneously with a time instant of completion of the transmission or the receipt of the at least one data packet at the communication device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user-indication indicates the communication transport mode and the communication of the at least one data packet.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the handheld communication device comprises a display device, the handheld communication device is configured to render a plurality of information screens on the display device, the user-indication comprises an icon, and the user-indication providing step comprises rendering the icon on a communication status region of the display device, the status region being visible on the plurality of information screens.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the user-indication providing step comprises rendering the icon with a first icon configuration for one of the communication transport modes, and rendering the icon with a second configuration for another of the communication transport modes, the second icon configuration being different from the first configuration, the icon when rendered with the second icon configuration having a different appearance than the first icon configuration.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first icon configuration comprises a first colour, and the second icon configuration comprises a second colour different from the first colour.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the first icon configuration comprises a first shape, and the second icon configuration comprises a second shape different from the first shape.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first icon configuration comprises a first shape, and the second icon configuration comprises a second shape different from the first shape.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein one of the communication transport modes comprises a long-range wireless cellular communication protocol, and another one of the communication transport modes comprises a shorter range wireless local area network communication protocol, and the rendered icon indicates one of the long-range communication protocol and the shorter range communication protocol.

9. The method according to claim 4, wherein one of the communication transport modes comprises a slow-speed wireless communication protocol, and another one of the communication transport modes comprises a higher speed wireless communication protocol, and the rendered icon indicates one of the slow-speed communication protocol and the higher speed communication protocol.

10. The method according to claim 4, wherein one of the communication transport modes comprises one of a GPRS and an EDGE wireless communication protocol, and another one of the communication transport modes comprises a WiFi communication protocol, and the rendered icon indicates one of the GPRS/EDGE communication protocol and the WiFi communication protocol.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user-indication of the one communication transport mode is user configurable.

12. A communications device comprising:

a plurality of data transceivers, each said data transceiver being configured for communication via a respective one of the communication transport modes;

communication transport mode determining means in communication with the plurality of data transceivers for determining a transport mode of at least one data packet received at the handheld communications device, the handheld communication device being configured to communicate the at least one data packet via one of the data transceivers, the at least one data packet being associated with one of the communication transport modes, the one data transceiver being configured for communication via the one communication transport mode; and

communication transport mode indicating means in communication with the communication transport mode determining means, the communication transport mode indicating means being configured to provide a user-indication of the one communication transport mode for the at least one data packet, the communication transport mode indicating means providing the user indication by displaying the user-indication substantially contemporaneously with a time instant of initiation of transmission or receipt of the at least one data packet at the communication device and extinguishing the user-indication substantially contemporaneously with a time instant of completion of the transmission or the receipt of the at least one data packet at the communication device.

13. The communications device according to claim 12, and the user-indication indicates the communication transport mode and the communication of the at least one data packet.

14. The communications device according to claim 13, further comprising a display device, the communication device being configured to render a plurality of information screens on the display device, the user-indication comprises an icon, and the communication transport mode indicating means is configured to render the icon on a communication status region of the display device, the status region being visible on the plurality of information screens.

15. The communications device according to claim 14, wherein the communication transport mode indicating means is configured to render the icon with a first icon configuration for one of the communication transport modes, and rendering the icon with a second configuration for another of the communication transport modes, the second icon configuration being different from the first configuration, the icon when rendered with the second icon configuration having a different appearance than the first icon configuration.

16. The communications device according to claim 15, wherein one of the communication transport modes comprises a long-range or slow-speed wireless cellular communication protocol, and another one of the communication transport modes comprises a shorter range or higher speed wireless local area network communication protocol, and the rendered icon indicates one of the long range or slow-speed communication protocol and the shorter range or higher speed communication protocol.

17. The communications device according to claim 12, wherein the user-indication of the one communication transport mode is user configurable.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium carrying processing instructions stored thereon for a handheld communications device, the processing instructions, when executed by a computer processor of the communications device, enabling the handheld communication device to perform the following steps:

receive at least one data packet at the handheld communication device, the handheld communication device comprising a plurality of data transceivers, each said data transceiver being configured for communication via a respective one of the communication transport modes, the at least one data packet being associated with one of the communication transport modes, the handheld communication device communicating the at least one data packet via one of the data transceivers, the one data transceiver being configured for communication via the one communication transport mode; and

provide a user-indication of the one communication transport mode for the at least one data packet in accordance with the one data transceiver, by displaying the user indication substantially contemporaneously with a time instant of initiation of transmission or receipt of the at least one data packet at the communication device and extinguishing the user-indication substantially contemporaneously with a time instant of completion of the transmission or the receipt of the at least one data packet at the communication device.