DEVICE, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR INFORMING USERS OF FUNCTIONS AND CHARACTERS ASSOCIATED WITH TELEPHONE KEYS

• US 20070082708A1
• Filed: 12/06/2005
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: GRIFFIN, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 7,869,832 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/565
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/56 including a user help function

Abstract

System and method for informing a user of functions or characters associated with keys on a mobile communications device includes a keyboard operable to input DTMF codes and a display screen operable to display information. The display screen is also operable to display a virtual representation of at least a portion of the keyboard. The virtual representation includes help information on one or more virtually represented keys of the keyboard. This help information informs a user of an associated telephone function or character of one or more keys that are virtually represented on the display.

Claims

1. A system for informing a user of DTMF codes for numbers associated with letters on a mobile communication device that is in phone mode comprising:

a keypad comprising a plurality of keys having an array of alphabetic characters that is not arranged in an ITU Standard E.161 phone keypad arrangement, and an array of numbers that is arranged in an ITU Standard E.161 arrangement;

a display for displaying information; and

a processor for communicating inputs from the keypad to the display, wherein the processor is operable to cause the display to present both the number and letter corresponding to a telephone number on the display.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least some of the numbers share keys with letters.

3. A system for informing a user of functions or characters associated with keys on a mobile communication device, comprising:

a keyboard having keys operable to input DTMF codes;

a display operable to present information;

said display being operable to display a virtual representation of at least a portion of the keyboard, the virtual representation including help information on one or more virtually represented keys of the keyboard; and

said help information informing a user of an associated telephone function or character of one or more keys that are virtually represented on the display to allow a user to enter a DTMF code corresponding to a letter on the keyboard.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the virtually represented keys on the display have the approximate shape and size of keys on the keyboard.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the help information informs the user that twelve keys of the keyboard are associated with alphabetic characters consistent with an ITU Standard E.161 phone keypad arrangement.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the help information informs the user of one or more remote answering service menu options that correspond to the one or more keys that are virtually represented on the display.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the help information informs the user of a voice mail command function that corresponds to the one or more keys that are virtually represented on the display.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the telephone is a mobile communication device that is in phone mode.

9. The system of claim 3, further comprising a processor and memory operable to store user specified help information.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor and memory are operable to store a user specified phone number in association with the user specified help information.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor and memory are further operable to display the stored user specified help information when signaled to do so by a user.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is operable to display the user specified help information associated with the user specified phone number after the user specified phone number is dialed.

13. The system of claim 3, wherein the display is operable to present the help information when signaled to do so by a user.

14. The system of claim 3, further comprising a processor operable to receive a data signal containing the help information and display the received help information as a virtual representation.

15. A mobile communication device, comprising:

means for inputting DTMF codes;

means for storing a virtual representation of at least a portion of the means for inputting DTMF codes, the virtual representation including help information associated with the means for inputting DTMF codes;

the help information informing a user of an associated telephone function or character of the virtually represented means for inputting DTMF codes; and

means for displaying the stored virtual representation to inform the user of the virtual representation.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 15, further comprising:

means for signaling the mobile communication device to display the stored virtual representation.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein the help information comprises letters of the alphabet associated with one or more keys of an ITU Standard E.161 phone keypad arrangement.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein the means for inputting DTMF codes is a keypad having a plurality of keys.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 18, wherein the keypad has a QWERTY, AZERTY, DVORAK, or QWERTZ layout, or a reduced version of any of these layouts.

20. A method for informing a user of functions associated with keys on a communication device having a display and a keypad, the steps of which comprise:

dialing a phone number to initiate a phone call;

answering the phone call;

transmitting a signal from an automated service to the communication device, the message including help information;

processing the signal in the communication device; and

displaying a virtual representation of at least a portion of the keypad on the display, the virtual representation including the help information.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

inputting a command to the automated service;

transmitting a second signal from the automated service that includes further help information;

processing the second signal in the communication device; and

displaying a second virtual representation of at least a portion of the keypad, the second virtual representation including the further help information.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the help information comprises at least one of:

a directory of names, functions associated with an answering system, and functions associated with a voice mail system.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of storing the help information in the communication device.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the help information comprises letters of the alphabet associated with one or more keys of an ITU Standard E.161 phone keypad arrangement, and the further help information comprises a list of names grouped by last names, the groups respectively corresponding to the letter groupings on the ITU Standard E.161 phone keypad arrangement.