Method and user interface apparatus for managing functions of wireless communication components

• US 8,195,245 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2009
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Compal Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Compal Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Hsu, Yu-Ting, Wang, Hong-Tien, Wang, Bo-Chiang, Wu, Yi-Hsi, Chang, Ching-Chih
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): WANG-HURST, KATHY W
• Application Number:
  US12/501,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20100285785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/422.1, 715/700, 715/810, 345/594
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/165 the additional display being small, e.g. for presenting status information
• 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 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

A method and a user interface apparatus for managing functions of wireless communication components are provided. The present method displays a plurality of status bars respectively representing the wireless communication components on a screen of a communication device and arranges the status bars to form a management interface, wherein each of the status bars corresponds to a status switching region and displays a plurality of function icons of usable functions of the corresponding wireless communication component. Then, the communication device detects a selection operation from a user. When the selection operation is selecting the status switching region, an activation status of the wireless communication component corresponding to the selected status switching region is switched. When the selection operation is selecting the function icon, a function corresponding to the selected function icon is executed. Accordingly, the present invention provides a convenient way for the user to manage the wireless communication components.

Claims

1. A method for managing functions of wireless communication components, adapted to manage at least one function of a plurality of the wireless communication components in a communication device, the method comprising:

respectively displaying a status bar representing each of the wireless communication components, and arranging the status bars to form a management interface, wherein each of the status bars corresponds to a status switching region and comprises a plurality of function icons of the functions of the corresponding wireless communication component, wherein the status switching region and the function icons are displayed within each of the status bars at the same time;

detecting a selection operation performed by a user;

when the selection operation is selecting one of the status switching regions,

switching an activation status of the wireless communication component corresponding to the selected status switching region;

searching for the functions of the activated wireless communication components according to the activation status of each of the wireless communication components;

re-determining the wireless communication component that each of the searched functions corresponds to according to a priority order of the activated wireless communication components; and

displaying the function icons of the functions in the status bar of the corresponding wireless communication component; and

when the selection operation is selecting one of the function icons, executing the function corresponding to the selected function icon.

2. The method for managing the functions of the wireless communication components as claimed in claim 1, wherein before the step of respectively displaying the status bar representing each of the wireless communication components, the method further comprises:

receiving an activation operation performed by the user to initiate the management interface; and

detecting the activation status of each of the wireless communication components.

3. The method for managing the functions of the wireless communication components as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of respectively displaying the status bar representing each of the wireless communication components comprises:

indicating the activation status of each of the wireless communication components in the corresponding status switching region or the corresponding status bar.

4. The method for managing the functions of the wireless communication components as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of respectively displaying the status bar representing each of the wireless communication components comprises:

according to the activation status of each of the wireless communication components, searching for the functions of the activated wireless communication components; and

displaying the function icons of the searched functions in the status bars of the corresponding wireless communication components.

5. The method for managing the functions of the wireless communication components as claimed in claim 4, wherein the step of respectively displaying the status bar representing each of the wireless communication components further comprises:

determining the wireless communication component that each of the searched functions corresponds to according to the priority order of the activated wireless communication components; and

displaying the function icons of the functions in the status bar of the corresponding wireless communication component.

6. The method for managing the functions of the wireless communication components as claimed in claim 5, wherein the priority order is determined according to a communication charge rate, a communication quality or a transmission rate of each of the wireless communication components.

7. The method for managing the functions of the wireless communication components as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of respectively displaying the status bar representing each of the wireless communication components further comprises:

determining whether the wireless communication components required for executing one of the functions are activated; and

displaying the function icon of the function in the status bar of one of the wireless communication components only when the required wireless communication components are all activated.

8. The method for managing the functions of the wireless communication components as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of respectively displaying the status bar representing each of the wireless communication components comprises:

hiding or darkening the function icons of the functions of the wireless communication components that are not activated.

9. The method for managing the functions of the wireless communication components as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of respectively displaying the status bar representing each of the wireless communication components comprises:

sequentially arranging the function icons of the functions in the corresponding status bar according to a use frequency of the functions.

10. The method for managing the functions of the wireless communication components as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of respectively displaying the status bar representing each of the wireless communication components comprises:

displaying a signal strength of each of the wireless communication components in the corresponding status bar.

11. The method for managing the functions of the wireless communication components as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless communication components are a global positioning system (GPS) component, a global system for mobile communication (GSM) component, a personal handy-phone system (PHS) component, a code division multiple access (CDMA) component, a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) system component or a bluetooth component.

12. The method for managing the functions of the wireless communication components as claimed in claim 1, wherein the status switching region is a screen button or an icon displayed in the corresponding status bar, or the status switching region corresponds to a hardware button equipped on the communication device.

13. A user interface apparatus for managing functions of wireless communication components, adapted to a communication device comprising a plurality of wireless communication components, comprising:

an input unit, for allowing a user to input a selection operation;

a status bar module, for respectively displaying a status bar representing each of the wireless communication components, and arranging the status bars to form a management interface;

a status switching module, for corresponding to a status switching region of each of the wireless communication components and, when the selection operation is selecting one of the status switching regions, switching an activation status of the wireless communication component corresponding to the selected status switching region; and

a function executing module, for displaying a function icon of at least one function of each of the wireless communication components in the corresponding status bar, wherein the status switching region and the function icons are displayed within each of the status bars at the same time and, when the selection operation is selecting one of the function icons, executing the function corresponding to the selected function icon,

wherein when the status switching module switches the activation status of the wireless communication component corresponding to the selected status switching region, the function executing module searches for the functions of the activated wireless communication component according to the activation status of each of the wireless communication components, determines the wireless communication component that each of the searched functions corresponds to according to a priority order of the activated wireless communication components, and displays the function icons of the functions in the status bar of the corresponding wireless communication component.

14. The user interface apparatus for managing the functions of the wireless communication components as claimed in claim 13, wherein the status switching module indicates the activation status of each of the wireless communication components in the corresponding status switching region or the corresponding status bar.

15. The user interface apparatus for managing the functions of the wireless communication components as claimed in claim 13, wherein the function executing module searches for the functions of each of the activated wireless communication components according to the activation status of each of the wireless communication components, and displays the function icons of the functions in the corresponding status bar.

16. The user interface apparatus for managing the functions of the wireless communication components as claimed in claim 15, wherein the function executing module determines the wireless communication component that each of the searched functions corresponds to according to the priority order of the activated wireless communication components, and displays the function icons of the functions in the status bar of the corresponding wireless communication component.

17. The user interface apparatus for managing the functions of the wireless communication components as claimed in claim 16, wherein the priority order is determined according to a communication charge rate, a communication quality or a transmission rate of each of the wireless communication components.

18. The user interface apparatus for managing the functions of the wireless communication components as claimed in claim 13, wherein the function executing module further determines whether the wireless communication components required for executing one of the functions are activated, and displays the function icon of the function in the status bar of one of the wireless communication components only when the required wireless communication components are all activated.

19. The user interface apparatus for managing the functions of the wireless communication components as claimed in claim 13, wherein the function executing module further hides or darkens the function icons of the functions of the wireless communication components that are not activated.

20. The user interface apparatus for managing the functions of the wireless communication components as claimed in claim 13, wherein the function executing module further sequentially arranges the function icons of the functions in the corresponding status bar according to a use frequency of the functions.

21. The user interface apparatus for managing the functions of the wireless communication components as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

a signal strength display module, for displaying a signal strength of each of the wireless communication components in the corresponding status bar.

22. The user interface apparatus for managing the functions of the wireless communication components as claimed in claim 13, wherein the wireless communication components are a GPS component, a GSM component, a PHS component, a CDMA component, a Wi-Fi system component or a bluetooth component.

23. The user interface apparatus for managing the functions of the wireless communication components as claimed in claim 13, wherein the input unit is a touch screen, a touch panel, a keyboard or a mouse.

24. The user interface apparatus for managing the functions of the wireless communication components as claimed in claim 13, wherein the status switching region is a screen button or an icon displayed in the corresponding status bar, or the status switching region corresponds to a hardware button equipped on the communication device.