Integrated personal digital assistant device

• US 7,395,089 B1
• Filed: 10/12/2001
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hawkins, Jeffrey C, Bridgwater, Thomas B, Haitani, Robert Y, Rees, William B
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bhattacharya; Sam
• Application Number:
  US09/976,475
• Time in Patent Office: 2,454 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/566, 455/575.3, 455/557, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/413, 455/550.1, 455/575.4
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/048 Arrangements providing optical indication of the incoming call, e.g. flasher circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An integrated device provides functionality of both a PDA and cellular telephone. Features include a power button offering control of both the computing and telephony functions of the device; a lid that turns the device on and off and controls additional telephony functions; a jog rocker that activates the device and is used to select from a variety of menu options; application buttons that offer direct access to applications stored on the device, and which can be configured to operate in conjunction with secondary keys to offer added functionality; a keyboard that enables data input into the device; an automatic word completion function that verifies and corrects a user'"'"'s typing in real time; and a simplified keyboard navigation system that allows the navigation of menus using keyboard shortcuts.

Claims

1. A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium for operating a handheld computing device, the computer program product controlling a processor coupled to the medium to perform the operations of:

responsive to a lid of the device being opened activating the device and executing a first application stored in memory of the device;

responsive to activation of the device power button when the lid is closed, activating the device and executing a second application stored in the memory of the device;

responsive receiving a notification of an incoming call and the lid being opened more than a predetermined period of time after receiving the notification, answering the incoming call; and

responsive receiving the notification of the incoming call and the lid being closed more than the predetermined period of time after receiving the notification, ignoring the incoming call.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first application and the second application are the same application.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first application and the second application comprises a telephone application or a communication application.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer program product is further configured to control the processor to perform the operations of:

responsive to the lid being closed while a call is in progress using the handheld computing device and a headset, keeping the call alive; and

responsive to the lid being closed while a call is in progress using the handheld computing device without the headset, terminating the call.

5. An apparatus comprising:

a first housing segment;

a second housing segment communicatively connected to the first housing segment, the second housing segment can be in a first position and a second position relative to the first housing segment, the second housing segment is configured to;

activate the apparatus in response to switching from the first position to the second position, and causing a processor in the apparatus to execute a communication application stored in a memory in the apparatus,

answer an incoming call in response to receiving a notification of the incoming call and switching from the first position to the second position within a first predetermined period of time, and

terminate an active call in response to switching from the second position to the first position within a second predetermined period of time; and

a power button, coupled to the first housing segment, in response to the second housing segment in the first position activating the apparatus when pressed and subsequently released within a predetermined duration of time, and causing the processor to execute a first application stored in the memory,

the power button is further configured to toggle a radio unit of the apparatus between an on state and an off state when the second housing segment is in the first position and when the power button is pressed and held for period longer than the predetermined duration of time.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second housing segment comprises a lid, the first position is the lid being closed and the second position is the lid being opened.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a jog rocker coupled to the first housing segment, for when the jog rocker is activated activating the apparatus and causing the processor to execute a second application stored in the memory.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising an application button coupled to the first housing segment, for in response to the application button is activated activating the apparatus and causing the processor to execute a third application associated with the application button.

9. A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium for operating an apparatus, the computer program product controlling a processor coupled to the medium to perform the operations of:

responsive to the apparatus being switched from a first state to a second state, activating the apparatus and executing by the processor a communication application stored in the memory of the apparatus;

responsive to receiving an incoming call notification and the apparatus being switched from the first state to the second state within a first predetermined period of time, answering the incoming call;

responsive to an active call and the apparatus being switched from the second state to the first state within a second predetermined period of time, terminating the active call;

responsive to a pressing and a subsequent releasing of the power button within a duration of time when the apparatus is in the first state, activating the apparatus and executing by the processor a first application stored in the memory of the apparatus; and

responsive to a pressing and holding of the power button that lasts longer than the duration of time when the apparatus is in the first state, toggling a radio unit of the apparatus between an on state and an off state.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the apparatus comprises a lid, the first state is the lid being closed and the second state is the lid being opened.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the computer program product is further configured to control the processor to perform the operations of:

responsive to a jog rocker of the apparatus being activated, activating the apparatus and executing a second application stored in the memory of the apparatus.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the computer program product is further configured to control the processor to perform the operations of:

responsive to an application button of the apparatus being activated, activating the apparatus and executing a third application associated with the application button.