Cellular telephone including language translation feature

• US 5,946,376 A
• Filed: 11/05/1996
• Issued: 08/31/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Cistulli, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): WOLFE JR, WILLIS RAY
• Application Number:
  US08/744,101
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550, 455/566, 379/88.06, 379/93.17, 704/8, 707/536, 345/171, 345/334
• US Class Current: 379/88.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/58 including a multilanguage function

Abstract

An apparatus for translating character strings on the display of the cellular telephone between a first and second language is disclosed. A user generated interrupt seizes control of a display driver controlling the cellular telephone display. The display driver is controlled by either a first or second language module. Operation of the language modules is controlled by a table of variables responsive to the user interrupt. The table of variables includes a first set of variables for controlling the first language module and a second set of variables for controlling the second language module. A variable set is selected in response to a user input.

Claims

1. A method for translating a character string on a display of a cellular telephone between a first and a second language, comprising the steps of:

generating a user actuated interrupt;

selecting between a first and a second set of variables in a table of variables in response to the user actuated interrupt, the first set of variables enabling a first language module to display the character string in the first language and a first language format and the second set of variables enabling a second language module to display the character string in the second language and a second language format;

alerting a user interface function of state change while the user interface function is controlling the display according to the first language module, the first language module actuating the display to display characters in the first language format;

seizing control of the display with the second language module after alerting the user interface function of the state change, the second language module actuating the display to display characters in the second language format; and

controlling the display using the second language module.

2. A cellular telephone capable of translating a character string from a first language to a second language, comprising:

a button for initiating the translation of the character string from the first language to the second language;

a display unit for displaying the character string;

a first language module for actuating the display unit to display the character string in a first language format corresponding to the first language;

a second language module for actuating the display unit to display the character string in a second language format corresponding to the second language;

a table of variables including a first set of variables associated with the first language and a second set of variables associated with the second language, the selection of the first set of variables enabling the first language module to display the character string in the first language and the selection of the second set of variable enabling the second language module to display the character string in the second language; and

means responsive to an input from the button for interrupting the first language module while the first language module actuates the display unit according to the first set of variables and for selecting the second language module and the second set of variables to enable the second language module to display the character string on the display unit in the second language and the second language format.

3. The cellular telephone of claim 2 wherein the first language comprises Japanese and the second language comprises English.

4. A cellular telephone capable of translating a character string in a first language to a second language, comprising:

a button for initiating the translation of the character string from the first language to the second language;

a display unit for displaying characters in a first language format corresponding to the first language and a second language format corresponding to the second language;

a table of variables including a first set of variables associated with the first language and a second set of variables associated with the second language, wherein selection of the first set of variables converts the character string to the first language and selection of the second set of variables converts the character string to the second language;

a first language module responsive to the selection of the first set of variables for actuating the display unit to display the character string in the first language format;

a second language module responsive to the selection of the second set of variables for actuating the display unit to display the character string in the second language format;

a processor responsive to an input from the button for interrupting the first language module while the first language module actuates the display unit according to the first set of variables and for selecting the second language module and the second set of variables, whereby the second language module actuates the display unit to display the character string in the second language and the second language format.

5. The cellular telephone of claim 4 wherein the first language comprises Japanese and the second language comprises English.