Electronic device and method providing improved management of multiple times from multiple time zones

• US 8,531,920 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2012
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Scott, Sherryl Lee Lorraine, Yach, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Kayes, Sean
• Application Number:
  US13/364,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20120134240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 368 21- 22, 368/6, 368/14, 368223-224
• US Class Current: 368/14
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/0076 in which the time in another time-zone or in another city can be displayed at will
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 20/18 Decoding time data; Circuits therefor

Abstract

An improved electronic device and method provide an improved clock feature that includes a time zone management function which enables multiple times from multiple time zones to be managed by the user. Responsive to a detection that the electronic device has been moved from one time zone to another, a dialog is initiated wherein the user is queried whether a current time on the electronic device should be changed and whether multiple times should be output on the display.

Claims

1. A method on an electronic device that comprises a display, the method comprising:

outputting a current time on the display using a first visual object;

responsive to a determination that the electronic device has been moved between a first time zone and a second time zone, outputting a query whether the current time should be changed from being a home current time prevalent in the first time zone to being a local current time prevalent in the second time zone;

responsive to an input indicating that the current time should be changed to he the local current time, outputting the local current time using the first visual object and outputting the home current time on the display with use of a second visual object additional to the first visual object;

responsive to an input indicating that the current time should not be changed to be the local current time, outputting a second query whether the local current time should be output on the display; and

responsive to an input indicating that the local current time should be output on the display, outputting the local current time on the display with use of the second visual object.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive to the input indicating that the current time should be changed to be the local current time, outputting a third query whether the home current time should be output on the display.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

responsive to the input indicating that the current time should be changed to be the local current time, outputting, in addition to the third query, a sixth query whether the input in response to the third query should be applied in response to subsequent sixth queries.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first visual object is greater in size than the second visual object.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the input indicating that the current time should not be changed to be the local current time, outputting, in addition to the second query, a fourth query whether the input in response to the second query should be applied in response to subsequent second queries.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the electronic device has been moved between a first time zone and a second time zone, outputting, in addition to the first query, a fifth query whether the input in response to the first query should be applied in response to subsequent first queries.

7. An electronic device comprising:

a processor;

a display;

a memory having stored therein a number of instructions which, when executed on the processor, causes the electronic device to perform operations comprising;

outputting a current time on the display using a first visual object;

responsive to a determination that the electronic device has been moved between a first time zone and a second time zone, outputting a first query whether the current time should be changed from being a home current time prevalent in the first time zone to being a local current time prevalent in the second time zone;

responsive to an input indicating that the current time should be changed to be the local current time, outputting the local current time using the first visual object and outputting the home current time on the display with use of a second visual object additional to the first visual object;

responsive to an input indicating that the current time should not be changed to be the local current time, outputting a second query whether the local current time should be output on the display; and

responsive to an input indicating that the local current time should be output on the display, outputting the local current time on the display with use of the second visual object.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise, responsive to the input indicating that the current time should be changed to be the local time, outputting a third query whether the home current time should be output on the display.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, further comprising:

responsive to the input indicating that the current time should be changed to be the local current time, outputting, in addition to the third query, a sixth quern whether the input in response to the third query should be applied in response to subsequent sixth queries.

10. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the first visual object is greater in size than the second visual object.

11. The electronic device of claim 7, further comprising:

responsive to the input indicating that the current time should not be changed to be the local current time, outputting, in addition to the second query, a fourth query whether the input in response to the second query should be applied in response to subsequent second queries.

12. The electronic device of claim 7, further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the electronic device has been moved between a first time zone and a second time zone, outputting, in addition to the first query, a fifth query whether the input in response to the first query should be applied in response to subsequent first queries.