Handheld electronic device including simplified enabling and disabling of short-range wireless communications element, and associated method

• US 8,660,493 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2013
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Bocking, Andrew Douglas, Barake, Omar George Joseph, Schifman, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Vuong, Quochien B
• Application Number:
  US13/743,070
• Publication Number:
  US 20130130625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 405 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/66.1, 455/517, 455/518, 455/519, 455/566
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

An improved handheld electronic device and an associated method provide a simplified mechanism for enabling and disabling a short-range wireless communications element used to create a connection to a short-range wireless network, such as a Bluetooth™ network. The method, implemented by the handheld electronic device, includes enabling the short-range wireless communications element, pairing the handheld electronic device with a second electronic device using the short-range wireless communications element, and providing a first icon on the handheld electronic device after pairing the handheld electronic device with the second electronic device. Thereafter, the method includes disabling the short-range wireless communications element and providing a second icon on the handheld electronic device whenever the first icon is activated, and enabling the short-range wireless communications element and providing the first icon on the handheld electronic device whenever the second icon is activated.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable memory storing one or more routines for use in the execution in a computer processor of a method of enabling and disabling a short-range wireless communications element of an electronic device, the method comprising:

enabling said short-range wireless communications element including a transmitter/receiver element;

pairing said electronic device with a second electronic device using said short-range wireless communications element;

rendering a first icon on a display of said electronic device after pairing said electronic device with said second electronic device;

disabling said transmitter/receiver element by interacting with said first icon, said first icon being replaced with a second icon on said electronic device, and

enabling said transmitter/receiver element by interacting with said second icon, said second icon being replaced with said first icon on said electronic device.

2. The computer-readable memory according to claim 1, wherein said short-range wireless communications element is a communications element capable of communicating at a frequency of 2.4 Gigahertz.

3. The computer-readable memory according to claim 2, wherein said first icon or said second icon are graphic icons.

4. The computer-readable memory according to claim 1, wherein said electronic device has a battery, and wherein said transmitter/receiver element does not consume power from said battery when disabled.

5. The computer-readable memory according to claim 1, wherein said first and second icons are displayed on a home screen of said electronic device.

6. An electronic device, comprising:

a display;

a short-range wireless communications element;

a processor in communication with said short-range wireless communications element, the processor for;

enabling said short-range wireless communications element including a transmitter/receiver element;

pairing said electronic device with a second electronic device using said short-range wireless communications element;

rendering a first icon on the display of said electronic device after pairing said electronic device with said second electronic device; and

disabling said transmitter/receiver element by interacting with said first icon, said first icon being replaced with a second icon on said electronic device, and

enabling said transmitter/receiver element by interacting with said second icon, said second icon being replaced with said first icon on said electronic device.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein said short-range wireless communications element is a communications element capable of communicating at a frequency of 2.4 Gigahertz.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein said first icon or said second icon are graphic icons.

9. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein said electronic device has a battery, and wherein said transmitter/receiver element does not consume power from said battery when disabled.

10. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein said first and second icons are displayed on a home screen of said electronic device.

11. A method of enabling and disabling a short-range wireless communications element of an electronic device, comprising:

enabling said short-range wireless communications element including a transmitter/receiver element;

pairing said electronic device with a second electronic device using said short-range wireless communications element;

rendering a first icon on a display of said electronic device after pairing said electronic device with said second electronic device;

disabling said transmitter/receiver element by interacting with said first icon, said first icon being replaced with a second icon on said electronic device, and

enabling said transmitter/receiver element by interacting with said second icon, said second icon being replaced with said first icon on said electronic device.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said short-range wireless communications element is a communications element capable of communicating at a frequency of 2.4 Gigahertz.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said first icon or said second icon are graphic icons.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein said electronic device has a battery, and wherein said transmitter/receiver element does not consume power from said battery wherein when disabled.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein said first and second icons are displayed on a home screen of said electronic device.