Mobile electronic communication device with lights to indicate received messages

• US 8,934,872 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2010
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Varia Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Varia Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Hull, Eric J., Nelson, Jonathan O., Mager, Gary N.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, JUSTIN YE
• Application Number:
  US12/912,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20110124367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,540 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.1, 455/412.1, 455/550.1, 455/412.2, 715/808, 709/206
• US Class Current: 455/412.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/576 associated with a pictorial or graphical representation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/048 Arrangements providing optical indication of the incoming call, e.g. flasher circuits

Abstract

A mobile electronic communication device includes a processor unit, a transceiver, a keypad and a light unit. Each key of the keypad is associated with a contact of a contact list. The light unit can perform light functions to notify a user of the reception and/or status of messages received via the transceiver. The light functions include providing an indication of the age of a received message that was sent by a contact in the contacts list. The age of the message is indicated by a modulation of the illuminating light. In one embodiment, the age of a message is indicated as one of a set of predetermined age ranges, with each age range being represented by a unique color.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic communication device comprising:

a transceiver;

a light unit having a plurality of light sources, wherein each of the light sources is associated with an identity of a particular contact from a contact list;

a processor unit coupled to the transceiver and light unit; and

non-transitory storage media containing instructions that, in response to execution on the processor unit, cause the light unit to output light from a selected one of the light sources to indicate, for a received message, the identity of the contact that sent the received message, wherein the instructions further cause the light unit to output light with modulation that depends on an age category of a message received by the mobile electronic communication device out of a plurality of predetermined age categories, wherein;

each age category of the plurality of age categories is represented by a predetermined color of light that can be output by the light unit; and

each age category of the plurality of age categories is represented by a predetermined number of light flashes within a cycle.

2. The mobile electronic communication device of claim 1, wherein:

the mobile electronic communication device is configured to receive messages of two or more types; and

in response to execution on the processor unit, the instructions further cause the light unit to output the light with modulation that depends on the received message'"'"'s type.

3. The mobile electronic communication device of claim 2, wherein the message is a SMS message.

4. The mobile electronic communication device of claim 1, wherein the selected one of the light sources being lit is associated with the identity of the particular contact prior to receipt of the message.

5. The mobile electronic communication device of claim 4, wherein, in response to execution on the processor unit, the instructions further cause the light unit to simultaneously illuminate an other light source to indicate that an other message has been received from an other contact, wherein the other contact is associated with the other light source prior to receipt of the other message.

6. The mobile electronic communication device of claim 1, wherein, in response to execution on the processor unit the instructions further cause the light unit to output light with modulation that depends on an age of a message received by the mobile electronic communication device.

7. The mobile electronic communication device of claim 6, wherein the modulated light has a color that depends on the relative age of a received message.

8. The mobile electronic communication device in claim 6, wherein the message is a most recent message received from a contact.

9. The mobile electronic communication device of claim 8, wherein the message is an unread message received from the contact.

10. The mobile electronic communication device of claim 1, wherein:

the light unit comprises a touch-screen display that renders a virtual light unit having a plurality of virtual light sources, with a selected one of the virtual light sources manifesting an appearance of being illuminated.

11. The mobile electronic communication device of claim 1, wherein the touch-screen display comprises an LED circuit having a plurality of LEDs configured to selectively output light having a color selected from a set of a plurality of preselected colors.

12. A mobile electronic communication device comprising:

a transceiver; and

means coupled to the transceiver to output light, the output light associated with an identity of a particular contact, to indicate, for a received message, the identity of the contact that sent the received message and to blink the output light with a number of light flashes in a cycle and color of light that depends on an age category of a message received by the mobile electronic communication device out of a plurality of predetermined age categories.

13. The mobile electronic communication device of claim 12, wherein the mobile electronic communication device is configured to receive messages of two or more types, wherein said means is configured to output light with modulation that depends on the received message'"'"'s type.

14. The mobile electronic communication device of claim 12, wherein the output light is associated with the particular contact prior to receipt of the message.

15. The mobile electronic communication device of claim 12, wherein the mobile electronic communication device is configured to receive messages of two or more types, wherein said means is configured to output light with modulation that depends on the received message'"'"'s type and an age of the message received.