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

• US 20060058013A1
• Filed: 09/15/2004
• Published: 03/16/2006
• 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 D., Barake, Omar G. J., Schifman, David I.
• Granted Patent: US 7,783,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• 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 method of enabling and disabling a short-range wireless communications element of a handheld electronic device, comprising:

enabling said short-range wireless communications element;

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

providing a first icon on said handheld electronic device after pairing said handheld electronic device with said second electronic device; and

thereafter;

(i) disabling said short-range wireless communications element and providing a second icon on said handheld electronic device whenever said first icon is activated, and (ii) enabling said short-range wireless communications element and providing said first icon on said handheld electronic device whenever said second icon is activated.

4. The method according to claim 1, said short-range wireless communications element including a transmitter/receiver element, wherein enabling said short-range wireless communications element comprises turning said transmitter/receiver element on and disabling said short-range wireless communications element comprises turning said transmitter/receiver element off.

5. The method according to claim 1, said handheld electronic device having a battery, wherein when enabled, said short-range wireless communications element consumes power from said battery, and when disabled, said short-range wireless communications element does not consume power from said battery.

6. The method according to claim 1, said handheld electronic device having a display, said first and second icons, when provided, being displayed on said display.

7. The method according to claim 1, said first and second icons, when displayed, being displayed on a home screen of said handheld electronic device.

2. The method according to claim I, said short-range wireless communications element being a Bluetooth communications element.

3. The method according to claim 2, said first icon being a “

Turn Bluetooth Off”

icon and said second icon being a “

Turn Bluetooth On”

icon.

8. A handheld electronic device, comprising:

a display;

a short-range wireless communications element;

a processor; and

a memory, said memory storing one or more routines executable by said processor, said one or more routines being adapted to;

enable said short-range wireless communications element and pair said handheld electronic device with a second electronic device using said short-range wireless communications element;

provide a first icon on said display after said handheld electronic device has been paired with a second electronic device; and

thereafter;

(i) disable said short-range wireless communications element and provide a second icon on said display whenever said first icon is activated, and (ii) enable said short-range wireless communications element and provide said first icon on said display whenever said second icon is activated.

9. The handheld electronic device according to claim 8, said short-range wireless communications element being a Bluetooth communications element.

10. The handheld electronic device according to claim 9, said first icon being a “

Turn Bluetooth Off”

icon and said second icon being “

Turn Bluetooth On”

icon.

11. The handheld electronic device according to claim 8, said short-range wireless communications element including a transmitter/receiver element, wherein enabling said short-range wireless communications element comprises turning said transmitter/receiver element on and disabling said short-range wireless communications element comprises turning said transmitter/receiver element off.

12. The handheld electronic device according to 8, wherein when enabled, said short-range wireless communications element consumes power, and when disabled, said short-range communications element does not consume power.

13. The handheld electronic device according to claim 8, said first and second icons, when displayed, being displayed on a home screen of said handheld electronic device.