Primary actions menu for a mobile communication device

• US 20070238488A1
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Scott, Sherryl
• Application Number:
  US11/393,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20070238488A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

A mobile communication device having a user interface for invoking a command displays a reduced set of commands accessed by actuating an input device on the mobile communication device, the reduced set of commands comprises a set of context-sensitive commands derived from a full-function set of commands associated with an application. The input device may be a dedicated input device, such as a trackball, for accessing the set of context-sensitive commands.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device comprising:

a housing having a display and a plurality of input devices; and

an interface for invoking a command associated with an application on the mobile communication device, the interface comprising a reduced set of commands on the display and accessed by actuating one of the plurality of input devices, the reduced set of commands comprising a set of context-sensitive commands derived from a full-function set of commands associated with the application.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein the set of context-sensitive commands is a menu comprising commands likely to be performed in the application.

3. The mobile communication device of claim 2 wherein the set of context-sensitive commands includes the most likely commands to be performed in the full-function set of commands.

4. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein the one of the input devices is a dedicated input device for displaying the set of context-sensitive commands on the mobile communication device.

5. The mobile communication device of claim 4 wherein the dedicated input device is a trackball.

6. A user interface for invoking a context-sensitive command associated with an application on a mobile communication device, the interface comprising:

a display;

a plurality of input devices on the mobile communication device, and

a reduced set of commands on the display accessed by actuating one of the plurality of input devices, the reduced set of commands comprising a set of context-sensitive commands derived from a full-function set of commands associated with the application.

7. The user interface of claim 6 wherein the set of context-sensitive commands is a menu comprising commands more likely to be performed in the application than other commands in the full-function set of commands.

8. The user interface of claim 6 wherein the one of the input devices is a dedicated input device for displaying the set of context-sensitive commands.

9. The user interface of claim 8 wherein the dedicated input device is a trackball.

10. A method of invoking a command associated with an application on a mobile communication device, the method comprising:

selecting the application from an application interface;

actuating an input device on the mobile communication device to display a reduced set of commands comprising a set of context-sensitive commands derived from a full-function set of commands associated with the application;

selecting the command from the set of context-sensitive commands; and

actuating the input device to invoke the command.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the set of context-sensitive commands is a menu comprising commands which are more likely to be performed in the application than commands from the full-function set of commands.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the input device is a dedicated input device for displaying the set of context-sensitive commands on the mobile communication device.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the dedicated input device is a trackball.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the full-function set of commands is accessed from the set of context-sensitive commands.