Method and apparatus for controlling an electronic device display for presenting information on said display

• US 8,965,457 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2004
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Yang, Lianghua
• Primary Examiner(s): Iqbal, Khawar
• Application Number:
  US10/913,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20060030369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,851 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/556, 455/550, 455/466, 455/456.1, 455/14.1, 455/416, 455/415, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/414.4, 455/414.5, 455/414.6, 435/566, 435/556, 435/550
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality

Abstract

A method and apparatus for presenting information is provided. In an embodiment, an electronic device with wireless telephony features is provided. The display of the device is divided into at least two regions. The first region is reserved for presenting status information about the device, including such information as battery life, signal strength, time and date, carrier information, and the like. The second region is reserved for use by applications, such as at least a main menu application and an incoming telephone call application. When an incoming call arrives, the main menu application presented on the second region is replaced with the incoming call information, but the status information remains unchanged. As the status of the incoming call changes from unanswered to answered, only a portion of the second region is updated, as a remaining portion of the second region remains the same and indicates that an incoming call is being processed.

Claims

1. A method of displaying information on a mobile communications device having a display comprising:

displaying, on the display, at least three regions where the contents of each region is controllable separately from the other regions and where the each region is displayed concurrently;

displaying a first set of information in a first region comprising at least one of status information about the mobile communications device or a main menu;

displaying a second set of information in a second region comprising information corresponding to a call that is one of an incoming call or an ongoing call;

displaying a third set of information in a third region comprising an option set, the option set being a plurality of options operable on the call, and where the option set is dynamically changeable by substituting the displayed options for at least one other set of options between the receiving of the call and the termination of the call, such that when said incoming call is received, said option set comprises options about how said incoming call can be processed, and when said incoming call is answered said option set is dynamically configured to in-call options, said in-call options determined according to applications associated with the mobile communications device, wherein the in-call options include adjusting the volume.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first set of information comprises status information about the mobile communications device.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the first set of information comprises a telephone number of said mobile communications device.

4. The method according to claim 2 wherein the first set of information comprises a current time and date.

5. The method according to claim 2 wherein the first set of information comprises information indicative of a signal strength, the signal strength being between the mobile communications device and at least one wireless base station serving said device.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the first set of information comprises information indicative of a carrier operating said at least one wireless base station.

7. The method according to claim 2 wherein the first set of information comprises information indicative of remaining battery life.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first region occupies at least about ten percent of the display.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first region occupies at least about fifty percent of the area of the display.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first region occupies between about ten percent and about ninety percent of the area of the display.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the second and third regions are similar in size.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein the second region is about twice the size of the third region.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing a set of instructions for an electronic device having a display, the set of instructions comprising functionality of:

controlling the display to present a first set of information in a first region of said display, the first set of information comprising at least one of status information about the electronic device or a main menu;

controlling the display to present a second set of information in a second region of the display, the second set of information comprising information corresponding to a call that is one of an incoming call or an ongoing call;

controlling the display to present a third set of information in a third region of the display, the third set of information comprising a plurality of options operable on the call, and where the option set is dynamically changeable by substituting the displayed options for at least one other set of options between reception of the call and the termination of the call, such that when said incoming call is received, said option set comprises options about how said incoming call can be processed, and when said incoming call is answered said option set is dynamically configured to in-call options, said in-call options determined according to applications associated with the electronic device, wherein the in-call options include adjusting the volume; and

where the contents of each region is controllable separately from the other regions and where the each region is displayed continually along with the other regions between reception of the call and the termination of the call.

14. A telephonic electronic device comprising:

a display for displaying information thereon;

a processor operatively coupled to the display, the processor configured to enable functionality comprising controlling the display to present a first set of information in a first region of said display, said first set of information comprising at least one of status information about the telephonic electronic device or a main menu, controlling the display to present a second set of information in a second region of the display, the second set of information comprising information corresponding to a call that is one of an incoming call or an ongoing call, controlling the display to present a third set of information in a third region of the display, the third set of information comprising a plurality of options operable on the call, making the option set dynamically changeable by substituting the displayed options for at least one other set of options between reception of the call and the termination of the call, such that when said incoming call is received, said option set comprises options about how said incoming call can be processed, and when said incoming call is answered said option set is dynamically configured to in-call options, said in-call options determined according to applications associated with the telephonic electronic device, wherein the in-call options include adjusting the volume; and

where the processor controls each region separately from the other regions while keeping each region displayed continually along with the other regions between reception of the call and the termination of the call.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the first set of information comprises status information about the telephonic electronic device.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein the first set of information comprises information indicative of a signal strength, the signal strength being between the telephonic electronic device and at least one wireless base station serving said telephonic electronic device.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the first set of information comprises information indicative of a carrier operating said at least one wireless base station.

18. The device of claim 14 wherein the first set of information comprises information indicative of remaining battery life.

19. The device of claim 14 wherein the first set of information comprises a telephone number of said telephonic electronic device.

20. The device of claim 14 wherein the first set of information comprises a current time and date.

21. The device of claim 14 wherein the first region occupies about ten percent of the display.