Patent · US Expired

Communication terminal apparatus and method for selecting options using a dial shuttle

US6178338A · kind A · utility

60Cited by
6References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignees

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 28, 1997
Grant dateJan 23, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 28, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04M1/236
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Cellular telephone which utilizes a dial shuttle for selecting functions listed in various option lists to be performed. The dial shuttle is depressed by a user to call up a particular option list menu (option group) on the telephone's display. Upon depression of the dial shuttle, one of the option groups stored in memory that is associated with the current operating mode of the device is retrieved, wherein each of the stored option groups is associated with a respective operating mode and includes a respective plurality of functions for selection by a user during the respective operating mode. The current operating mode pertains not only to whether a telephone call is taking place but also to the number of digits that have been entered into the cellular telephone. The retrieved option group is displayed and the dial shuttle is utilized by the user to selected one of the displayed functions for execution.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.