Integrated personal digital assistant device

• US 8,538,478 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2012
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hawkins, Jeffrey C, Bridgwater, Thomas B, Haitani, Robert Y, Rees, William B
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhattacharya, Sam
• Application Number:
  US13/609,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20130005400A1
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 455/446, 455/556.2, 455/566, 455/567
• US Class Current: 455/556.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/048 Arrangements providing optical indication of the incoming call, e.g. flasher circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An integrated device provides functionality of both a PDA and cellular telephone. Features include a power button offering control of both the computing and telephony functions of the device; a lid that turns the device on and off and controls additional telephony functions; a jog rocker that activates the device and is used to select from a variety of menu options; application buttons that offer direct access to applications stored on the device, and which can be configured to operate in conjunction with secondary keys to offer added functionality; a keyboard that enables data input into the device; an automatic word completion function that verifies and corrects a user'"'"'s typing in real time; and a simplified keyboard navigation system that allows the navigation of menus using keyboard shortcuts.

Claims

1. A method for operating a mobile computing device, the method being performed by one or more processors and comprising:

receiving a first user input via one or more input mechanisms to initiate a phone application;

in response to receiving the first user input, initiating the phone application by providing a user interface feature for the phone application on a display of the mobile computing device; and

enabling the user to operate the phone application by interacting with the user interface feature via the one or more input mechanisms, the user interface feature being able to switch between a speed dial view, a contacts view, a keypad view, and a call history view of the phone application in response to additional user inputs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface feature for the phone application includes an icon for each of the speed dial view, the contacts view, the keypad view, and the call history view, and wherein the icon for a corresponding view is highlighted when the user interface feature for the phone application is switched to the corresponding view.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the user to initiate a telephone communication from interacting with each of the speed dial view, the contacts view, the keypad view, and the call history view.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein when the user interface feature is switched to the keypad view, the user is enabled to initiate a telephone communication by dialing a sequence of keys on the display.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the speed dial view is a default view of the user interface feature of the phone application.

6. A mobile computing device comprising:

a display device;

one or more input mechanisms;

a memory to store a phone application;

a processor coupled to the display, the one or more input mechanisms, and the memory, the processor to;

receive a first user input via the one or more input mechanisms to initiate the phone application;

in response to receiving the first user input, initiate the phone application by providing a user interface feature for the phone application on the display device; and

enable the user to operate the phone application by interacting with the user interface feature via the one or more input mechanisms, the user interface feature being able to switch between a speed dial view, a contacts view, a keypad view, and a call history view of the phone application in response to additional user inputs.

7. The mobile computing device of claim 6, wherein the user interface feature for the phone application includes an icon for each of the speed dial view, the contacts view, the keypad view, and the call history view, and wherein the icon for a corresponding view is highlighted when the user interface feature for the phone application is switched to the corresponding view.

8. The mobile computing device of claim 6, further comprising a radio component for wireless communications, and wherein the processor further enables the user to initiate a telephone communication from interacting with each of the speed dial view, the contacts view, the keypad view, and the call history view.

9. The mobile computing device of claim 6, wherein when the user interface feature is switched to the keypad view, the user is enabled to initiate a telephone communication by dialing a sequence of keys on the display.

10. The mobile computing device of claim 6, wherein the speed dial view is a default view of the user interface feature of the phone application.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform steps comprising:

receiving a first user input via one or more input mechanisms to initiate a phone application;

in response to receiving the first user input, initiating the phone application by providing a user interface feature for the phone application on a display of the mobile computing device; and

enabling the user to operate the phone application by interacting with the user interface feature via the one or more input mechanisms, the user interface feature being able to switch between a speed dial view, a contacts view, a keypad view, and a call history view of the phone application in response to additional user inputs.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the user interface feature for the phone application includes an icon for each of the speed dial view, the contacts view, the keypad view, and the call history view, and wherein the icon for a corresponding view is highlighted when the user interface feature for the phone application is switched to the corresponding view.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to enable the user to initiate a telephone communication from interacting with each of the speed dial view, the contacts view, the keypad view, and the call history view.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein when the user interface feature is switched to the keypad view, the user is enabled to initiate a telephone communication by dialing a sequence of keys on the display.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the speed dial view is a default view of the user interface feature of the phone application.