ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD PROVIDING ACTIVATION OF AN IMPROVED BEDTIME MODE OF OPERATION

• US 20100085841A1
• Filed: 05/11/2009
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Koh, Haejung Lisa, Lazaridis, Mihal, Hardy, Michael Thomas, Klassen, Gerhard Dietrich, Adams, Neil Patrick, Jain, Rohit Rocky, Yach, David Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,284,633 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 368/73
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 11/00 Producing optical signals at preselected times
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 13/026 acting at a number of different times

Abstract

An improved electronic device and method provide an improved clock feature that includes a BEDTIME mode that is initiated by execution of a BEDTIME mode routine. The BEDTIME mode comprises a number of features that are conducive to sleep by performing operations that minimize distractions to a user, and all such operations are initiated by execution of the BEDTIME mode routine. The BEDTIME mode can be triggered in a variety of fashions, such as by setting an alarm or by docking the device with a predetermined other device such as a docking station.

Claims

1. A method of switching an electronic device between a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, the electronic device comprising an I/O apparatus, the method comprising:

operating the electronic device in the first mode of operation that comprises outputting a current time on a display of the I/O apparatus with use of a first visual object; and

responsive to a detection of a predetermined event, switching the electronic device from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation by executing a routine that initiates;

outputting the current time on the display with use of a second visual object of a size greater than a size of the first visual object, and

suspending output of at least one type of alert that would otherwise be output as one or more of an audio alert, a visual alert, or a tactile alert in response to an occurrence subsequent to the predetermined event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined event comprises setting of a particular clock function to an “

ON”

condition.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein setting the particular clock function to the “

ON”

condition comprises setting of an alarm clock function to an “

ON”

condition with an alarm time of the alarm clock function being within a predetermined period of time from the current time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined event comprises connection of the electronic device with another device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein connection of the electronic device with another device comprises an operational connection of the electronic device with a predetermined other device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising employing a unique identifier associated with the predetermined other device, wherein the unique identifier is associated with one or more customizable settings for controlling the second mode of operation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the routine further initiates suspending of wireless communications on the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the routine further initiates changing of an illumination level of the display from a first illumination level to a second illumination level, the first illumination level being one of a substantially zero level of illumination or a predetermined substantially non-zero level of illumination, the second illumination level being between the substantially zero level of illumination and the predetermined substantially non-zero level of illumination.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first mode of operation further comprises illuminating the display at the predetermined substantially non-zero level of illumination and, responsive to an expiration of a predetermined duration of time without a detection of an input, changing the illumination level of the display from the predetermined substantially non-zero level of illumination to a lesser level of illumination, and wherein the second mode of operation further comprises maintaining the illumination of the display at the second illumination level beyond an expiration of the predetermined duration of time.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined event comprises detection that the electronic device is in a predetermined orientation with respect to a reference.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein suspending output of at least one type of alert comprises suspending every alert that would otherwise be output as one or more of an audio alert, a visual alert, or a tactile alert in response to an occurrence subsequent to the predetermined event.

12. An electronic device comprising:

a processor apparatus comprising a processor and a memory;

an I/O apparatus structured to provide input to the processor apparatus and to receive output signals from the processor apparatus;

the memory having stored therein a number of instructions which, when executed on the processor, causes the electronic device to perform operations comprising;

operating the electronic device in the first mode of operation that comprises outputting a current time on a display of the I/O apparatus with use of a first visual object; and

responsive to a detection of a predetermined event, switching the electronic device from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation by executing a routine that initiates;

outputting the current time on the display with use of a second visual object of a size greater than a size of the first visual object, and

suspending output of at least one type of alert that would otherwise be output as one or more of an audio alert, a visual alert, or a tactile alert in response to an occurrence subsequent to the predetermined event.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the predetermined event comprises setting of a particular clock function to an “

ON”

condition.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein setting the particular clock function to the “

ON”

condition comprises setting of an alarm clock function to an “

ON”

condition with an alarm time of the alarm clock function being within a predetermined period of time from the current time.

15. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the predetermined event comprises connection of the electronic device with another device.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein connection of the electronic device with another device comprises an operational connection of the electronic device with a predetermined other device.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the electronic device employs a unique identifier associated with the predetermined other device, wherein the unique identifier is associated with one or more customizable settings for controlling the second mode of operation.

18. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the routine further initiates suspending of wireless communications on the electronic device.

19. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the routine further initiates changing of an illumination level of the display from a first illumination level to a second illumination level, the first illumination level being one of a substantially zero level of illumination or a predetermined substantially non-zero level of illumination, the second illumination level being between the substantially zero level of illumination and the predetermined substantially non-zero level of illumination.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the first mode of operation further comprises illuminating the display at the predetermined substantially non-zero level of illumination and, responsive to an expiration of a predetermined duration of time without a detection of an input, changing the illumination level of the display from the predetermined substantially non-zero level of illumination to a lesser level of illumination, and wherein the second mode of operation further comprises maintaining the illumination of the display at the second illumination level beyond an expiration of the predetermined duration of time.

21. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the predetermined event comprises detection that the electronic device is in a predetermined orientation with respect to a reference.

22. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein suspending output of at least one type of alert comprises suspending every alert that would otherwise be output as one or more of an audio alert, a visual alert, or a tactile alert in response to an occurrence subsequent to the predetermined event.

23. An electronic device comprising:

a housing comprising a first portion and a second portion, at least one of the first portion and the second portion being movable with respect to the other of the first portion and the second portion;

a processor apparatus disposed on the housing and comprising a processor and a memory;

an I/O apparatus disposed on the housing and structured to provide input to the processor apparatus and to receive output signals from the processor apparatus;

the memory having stored therein a number of instructions which, when executed on the processor, causes the electronic device to perform operations comprising;

operating the electronic device in a first mode of operation that comprises outputting a current time on a display of the I/O apparatus with the use of a first visual object; and

responsive to a detection of a predetermined event, switching the electronic device from the first mode of operation to a second mode of operation by executing a routine that initiates;

outputting the current time on the display with the use of a second visual object of a size greater than that of the first visual object, and

suspending the outputting of at least one type of alert that would otherwise be output as one or more of an audio alert, a visual alert, and a tactile alert in response to an occurrence subsequent to an initiation of the routine of a predetermined event.