Handheld wireless communication device that selectively generates a menu in response to received commands

• US 8,537,117 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2007
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Griffin, Jason T., Corley, Cortez
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): MERKOULOVA, OLGA VLADIMIROVNA
• Application Number:
  US11/674,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20070211034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,408 Days
• Field of Search: 345/169, 345/167, 345/168, 345/157, 345/163, 345/156, 345/160, 341/15, 341/22, 400/472, 400/489, 715/856, 340/407.1
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails

Abstract

A handheld wireless communication device configured to send and receive text messages. The device is hand cradleable with a body configured to be held in one hand by an operator during text entry. A display is located on a front face of the body and upon which information is displayed to the operator during text entry. A key field is also located on the front face of the body and that includes a plurality of alphanumeric input keys and menu control keys. A microprocessor is provided that receives operator commands from the keys and the trackball navigation tool and which affects corresponding changes to the display based on user input. The key field is arranged such that the keys in lateral exterior key columns are associated with an application function.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

a body having a front face;

a key field located on the front face of the body, the key field comprising;

a lateral exterior key column having a call initiate key, a toggle key for changing between a predictive text mode and a tap-typing mode, a CAP lock key, and a number lock key;

a plurality of alphanumeric input keys, the alphanumeric input keys comprising a plurality of alphabetic keys having letters associated therewith and a numeric telephone keypad at least partially overlaid on the plurality of alphabetic keys, and

a menu key that is different from the plurality of alphanumeric input keys, the menu key being actuable to generate menu commands;

a navigation tool located on the front face of the body, the navigation tool being actuable to generate navigation tool commands; and

a microprocessor that receives the menu commands and the navigation tool commands, the microprocessor being programmed to generate a first menu in response to receiving the navigation tool commands and a second menu in response to receiving the menu commands, the second menu being different than the first menu, and the first menu containing a list of menu items abbreviated from the second menu.

2. The communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the key field includes a plurality of key columns, the plurality of key columns including lateral exterior key columns having one or more function keys in each of the lateral exterior key columns.

3. The communication device as recited in claim 2, wherein the function keys constituting the lateral exterior columns exclusively have application functions associated therewith.

4. The communication device as recited in claim 2, wherein the lateral exterior key columns include a right-hand side lateral exterior key column having a return-carriage key.

5. The communication device as recited in claim 2, wherein the lateral exterior key columns include a right-hand side lateral exterior key column having a character delete key.

6. The communication device as recited in claim 2, wherein the lateral exterior key columns include a right-hand side lateral exterior key column having a call cancel key.

7. The communication device as recited in claim 6, wherein at least one key in the right-hand side lateral exterior key column is a return-carriage key and at least one key in the right-hand side lateral exterior key column is a character delete key.

8. The communication device as recited in claim 7, wherein the call cancel key is located above the character delete key which is located above the return-carriage key.

9. The communication device as recited in claim 8, wherein at least one key in the right-hand side lateral exterior key column is a speaker phone toggle key located above the return-carriage key.

10. The communication device as recited in claim 2, wherein the lateral exterior key columns include a left-hand side lateral exterior key column having a toggle key for changing between a predictive text mode and a tap-typing mode.

11. The communication device as recited in claim 2, wherein the lateral exterior key columns include a left-hand side lateral exterior key column having a symbol list call-up key.

12. The communication device as recited in claim 2, wherein the lateral exterior key columns include a left-hand side lateral exterior key column having the call initiate key.

13. The communication device as recited in claim 2, wherein the lateral exterior key columns include a left-hand side lateral exterior key column having the CAP lock key.

14. The communication device as recited in claim 2, wherein the lateral exterior key columns include a left-hand side lateral exterior key column having the number lock key.

15. The communication device as recited in claim 2, wherein the lateral exterior key columns include a left-hand side lateral exterior key column having the call initiate key located above the toggle key, the toggle key being located above the symbol list call-up key which is located above the CAP lock key which is located above the number lock key.

16. The communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the navigation tool is at least partially surrounded by the key field.

17. The communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to display the first menu as a short list of menu items and to display the second menu as an extended list of menu items.

18. The communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the lateral exterior key column is at a side and has the call initiate key located above the toggle key, the toggle key being located above the symbol list call-up key which is located above the CAP lock key which is located above the number lock key.

19. The communication device as recited in claim 18, further comprising a right-hand side lateral exterior key column having a call cancel key.

20. The communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the call initiate key is located above the toggle key.

21. The communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the toggle key is located above the symbol list call-up key.

22. The communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the symbol list call-up key is located above the CAP lock key.

23. A communication device comprising:

a body having a front face;

a user interface located on the front face of the body;

a key field located on the front face of the body, the key field comprising;

a lateral exterior key column having a call initiate key, a toggle key for changing between a predictive text mode and a tap-typing mode, a CAP lock key, and a number lock key;

a plurality of alphanumeric input keys, the alphanumeric input keys comprising a plurality of alphabetic keys having letters associated therewith and a numeric telephone keypad at least partially overlaid on the plurality of alphabetic keys, and

a menu key that is different from the plurality of alphanumeric input keys, the menu key being actuable to generate menu commands; and

a microprocessor that receives the menu commands and determines a location of a cursor on the user interface, the microprocessor being programmed to generate a first menu in response to receiving the menu commands while the cursor is positioned in a first defined area and a second menu in response to receiving the menu commands while the cursor is positioned in a second defined area, the second menu being different than the first menu, and wherein the first menu contains a list of menu items abbreviated from the second menu.

24. The communication device as recited in claim 23, wherein the first defined area includes a location on the user interface that is configured for data entry and wherein the second defined area includes a location on the user interface that is configured for menu display actuation.

25. The communication device as recited in claim 24, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to display a short list of menu items while the cursor is positioned in the first defined area and to display an extended list of menu items while the cursor is positioned in the second defined area.

26. The communication device as recited in claim 23, wherein the lateral exterior key column is at a side and has the call initiate key located above the toggle key, the toggle key being located above the symbol list call-up key which is located above the CAP lock key which is located above the number lock key.

27. A communication device comprising:

a body having a front face;

a key field located on the front face of the body, the key field comprising;

a lateral exterior key column having a call initiate key, a toggle key for changing between a predictive text mode and a tap-typing mode, a CAP lock key, and a number lock key;

a plurality of alphanumeric input keys that allows entry of letters or, in a numerical mode, allows entry of numbers, and

a menu key that is different from the plurality of alphanumeric input keys, the menu key being actuable to generate menu commands;

a navigation tool located on the front face of the body, the navigation tool being actuable to generate navigation tool commands; and

a microprocessor that receives the menu commands and the navigation tool commands, the microprocessor being programmed to generate a first menu in response to receiving the navigation tool commands and a second menu in response to receiving the menu commands, the second menu being different than the first menu, and the first menu containing a list of menu items abbreviated from the second menu.