APPARATUS, AND ASSOCIATED METHOD, FOR TEMPORARILY LIMITING OPERABILITY OF USER-INTERFACE PORTION OF COMMUNICATION DEVICE

• US 20130147719A1
• Filed: 12/08/2011
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Bender, Michael John, Hole, David Phillip
• Application Number:
  US13/314,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20130147719A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

An apparatus, and an associated method, disables the functionality of a portion of a user interface of a communication device, such as a wireless device, for a limited period. A detector detects an alert, (such as an alert communication activity,) such as the delivery at the communication device of notification of a communication termination at the communication device. Responsive to the detection, a portion of the user interface is disabled by a disabler. Disabling of the portion of the user interface is for a limited period and prevents a user of the device from inadvertently rejecting, or accepting the terminating communication until the limited period expires.

Claims

1. A wireless device comprising at least one processor configured to limit operability of a portion of a user interface for a selected period in response to an event generated on the wireless device.

2. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein said processor is configured to limit operability of a portion of the user interface in response to an event generated responsive to a change in a call condition.

3. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein said processor is further configured to enable the operability of the portion of the user interface at the end of a selected period commencing substantially concurrently with generation of the event.

4. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the portion of the user interface enables entry of user selection of a responsive action in response to the alert.

5. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the event is generated in response to a terminating call.

6. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the user interface comprises a communication reject key and wherein said processor is configured to disable operability of the communication reject key.

7. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the wireless device further comprises a display element and wherein said processor is further configured to generate a display at said display element indicative of limiting operability by said processor of the portion of the user interface responsive to generation of the event.

8. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein said processor is configured to limit operability of a portion of a user interface for a selected period responsive to entry at the user interface of originating call indicia.

9. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the selected period is of a length dependent upon prior input entry at the user interface.

10. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the user interface comprises a communication accept key and wherein said processor is configured to disable operability of the communication accept key.

11. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the user interface comprises a touch screen and wherein said operability limiter is configured to limit acceptance of a particular touch input applied to the touch screen.

12. A method for operating a communication device having a user interface, said method comprising:

generating an event at the communication device; and

substantially concurrently, limiting operability of a portion of the user interface for a selected period.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising, at the end of the selected period, enabling the portion of the user interface.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the portion of the user interface enables entry of user selection of responsive action in response to the event.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the event generated during said generating is generated in response to a terminating call.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the event generated during said generating is generated in response to a wireless-device-triggered alert.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the selected period comprises a fixed period.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the user interface key comprises a communication reject key and wherein said limiting operability comprises limiting operability of the communication reject key.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the communication device further comprises a display element and wherein said method further comprises generating a display at the display element indicative of limited operability of the portion of the user interface responsive to the detection of the generation of the event during said detecting.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein said generating an event further comprises generating an indication of use of the communication device pursuant to an originating communication.

21. The method of claim 12 wherein the user interface comprises a communication accept key and wherein said limiting operability comprises limiting operability of the communication accept key.

22. The method of claim 12 wherein the selected period is of a length dependent upon prior input entry at the user interface.

23. The method of claim 12 wherein the selected period is of a length dependent upon performance of an additional function at the communication device.

24. A method for operating a communication device having a user interface, said method comprising:

generating an event at the communication device; and

enabling operability of a portion of the user interface subsequent to a selected period after generation of the event.

25. An apparatus for a communication device having a user interface, said apparatus comprising:

an event generator configured to generate an event at the communication device; and

an operability enabler configured to enable operability of a portion of the user interface subsequent to a selected period after generation of the event.