Portable apparatus, method and user interface

• US 8,472,934 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2007
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Hering, Jean-Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Arevalo, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US11/946,373
• Publication Number:
  US 20090137236A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,036 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/418, 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/456.2, 455/466, 455/214, 455/2.01, 455/419, 455/412.2, 455/567, 455/445, 455/553.1, 370/338, 370/329, 370/252, 370/389, 370/346, 370/315, 370/464, 370/328, 379/220.01, 709/206, 718/108, 707/101
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality

Abstract

A method for handling a plurality of processes running on a portable apparatus including: receiving a first user input and in response to the first user input suspending a subset of the plurality of processes. Corresponding portable apparatus, computer program product and user interface are also presented.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

enabling running simultaneously of a plurality of processes, each of the plurality of processes using an associated portion of available resources;

in response to receiving a first user input, enabling displaying of a list of running processes;

in response to receiving a second user input corresponding to selecting a displayed icon, enabling displaying of a selection indicator corresponding to at least one running process in the displayed list;

categorising each of the running plurality of processes either as a desired process or as an undesired process based on the second user input received;

in response to receiving a third user input, enabling temporary suspending of the at least one undesired process; and

enabling reallocating resources from the temporary suspended at least one undesired process to the at least one desired process.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein each process is associated with an execution priority and wherein said temporarily suspending involves considering the execution priority and only temporarily suspending processes below a predetermined level of execution priority.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first user input is representative of a selection of at least one desired process from said plurality of running processes, and wherein said at least one undesired process comprises at least one of the remaining processes from the plurality of running processes.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said at least one desired process is the most recently initiated process.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein any user input is received via any of a key, jog dial, joystick, touch sensitive display, microphone or any combination thereof.

6. A portable apparatus comprising:

a controller, memory, display and user input circuitry, wherein said apparatus is configured to perform the method according to claim 1.

7. The portable apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said portable apparatus is selected from the group consisting of a mobile communication terminal, a digital media player, a pocket computer and a digital camera.

8. A portable apparatus comprising:

means for performing the method according to claim 1.

9. A computer program product embodied in a memory of a portable apparatus comprising software instructions that, when executed in a portable apparatus, performs the method according to claim 1.

10. A user interface comprising:

an output device, wherein said user interface is arranged to;

visualize phases of the method according to claim 1.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein a said process comprises one or more of:

providing a telecommunication service, providing a cellular voice call, providing a data call, providing a World Wide Web service, providing a Wireless Application Protocol service, providing a cellular video call, providing a data call, transmitting a facsimile, transmitting music, transmitting a still image, transmitting a video, and enabling electronic commerce.

12. An apparatus comprising:

at least one controller; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one controller, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following;

enable running simultaneously a plurality of processes, each of the plurality of processes using an associated portion of available resources;

in response to receiving a first user input, enable displaying of a list of running processes;

in response to receiving a second user input corresponding to selecting a displayed icon, enable displaying of a selection indicator corresponding to at least one running process in the displayed list;

categorise each of the running plurality of processes either as a desired process or as an undesired process based on the second user input received;

in response to receiving a third user input, enable temporary suspending of the at least one undesired process; and

enable reallocating of resources from the temporary suspended at least one undesired process to the at least one desired process.

13. A computer program product stored in a non-transitory medium, the computer program product configured to:

enable running simultaneously a plurality of processes, each of the plurality of processes using an associated portion of available resources;

in response to receiving a first user input, enabling displaying of a list of running processes;

in response to receiving a second user input corresponding to selecting a displayed icon, enable displaying of a selection indicator corresponding to at least one running process in the displayed list;

enable categorising each of the running plurality of processes either as a desired process or as an undesired process based on the second user input received;

in response to receiving a third user input, enable temporary suspending of the at least one undesired process; and

enable reallocating of resources from the temporarily suspended at least one undesired process to the at least one desired process.