Abstract: An apparatus (625) with a first plurality of input keys (635). Some of the first input keys may be associated with both a numeric value and a first set of alphabetic values and arranged in a first alphabetic keypad layout. The apparatus (625) is further provided with a second plurality of input keys (645), positioned adjacent to the first plurality of input keys (635), and being associated with at least one alphabetic value. Some of the input keys of the second plurality of input keys (645) may be arranged in a second alphabetic keypad layout different from the first alphabetic keypad layout. Further, in various embodiments, at least some input keys of the first plurality of input keys (635) have a second set of alphabetic values that is used as part of the second alphabetic keypad layout. Additionally, in various embodiments, at least some of the alphabetic values of the second keyboard layout are arranged at least partially based on a frequency of use of such alphabetic values.

Abstract: A mobile device is equipped with components to facilitate communication with another user, as well as controlling pointing on a computing device proximally disposed adjacent to the mobile device. The communication may be audio or textual. The mobile device includes a movement mechanism to generate movement signals, which are processed into pointing control signals and transmitted to the proximally disposed computing device. The movement mechanism may be an electro-mechanical mechanism, an optical-electro-mechanical mechanism, or an optical mechanism, integrated with the device, or disposed on an interchangeable cover removably mated with a core body of the mobile device. The pointing control signals may be transmitted as radio frequency signal employing a radio frequency signal transmitter, or infrared signal employing an infrared signal transmitter. Similarly, the transmitter may be disposed on an interchangeable cover removably mated with a core body of the mobile device.

Abstract: A mobile communication device, such as a wireless mobile phone, is provided with a unified message function equipped to facilitate a user in interacting with communication messages of different message types supported by the mobile communication device via an unified message box.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided with a first plurality of input keys. Each of the first plurality of input keys is associated with at least one numeric value and at least one alphabetic value and arranged in a numeric and first alphabetic telephone keypad arrangement. The apparatus is also provided with a second plurality of input keys that are at least partially surrounding the first plurality of input keys. At least some of the second plurality of input keys are associated with at least one alphabetic value. Further, input keys of the first and the second plurality of input keys are arranged relative to each other to form a second alphabetic arrangement.

Abstract: An apparatus, such as a communication device, is provided with emoticon input logic associated with an input key to improve the ease-of-use of the apparatus for entering emoticons, e.g. into a text message, while the apparatus is operating e.g. in a text mode. Responsive to a selection of the associated input key, one or more emoticons are displayed for selection. A user may “scroll” through the one or more displayed emoticons to “select” an emoticon. In one embodiment, current focus is place on one of the displayed emoticons, and the emoticon with the current focus is automatically selected upon elapse of a predetermined amount of time after the current focus was placed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for facilitating input of data to an electronic device using selectively illuminated chambered keys is disclosed. A determination is made as to which of a plurality of chambers is to be illuminated. An indicia assigned to a region on the surface of the key above a selected chamber is highlighted by illumination(s), that is (are) based at least upon the determination.

Abstract: An interchangeable covering for a mobile electronic communication device (mobile device) includes an electronic component having a switch unit, a personalization unit and an interface unit. The switch unit includes key(s) that are accessible to the user when the covering is fitted to the mobile device. The personalization unit stores information such as music data files, audio ring files, screen animation files, data files (e.g., telephone numbers, email addresses, URLs, radio channels, etc.) and/or instructions that can be executed by a processor in the mobile device. The user can use the switch unit to access the information in the personalization unit. The personalization unit interacts with the electronics of the mobile device via the interface unit.

Abstract: A wireless mobile communication device is provided with a light source arrangement configured to be able to output at least one of a steady or sweeping light pulse. The former may be used as a light pointer. The later may be used to facilitate spatial painting of illumination images. In various embodiments, the light source arrangement may include one or more collimated light sources and optionally, one or more mirrors, optically aligned and/or operated in a complementary manner. Further, the device is provided with instructions designed to selectively hold steady or operate the light source(s) and/or the mirror(s) in the complementary manner, activating/deactivating the LS to paint a line (row/column) of pixels in one direction, in accordance with the row/column of a bitmap of an illumination image to be painted, as the device is moved in another complementary direction.

Abstract: The present invention includes a wireless mobile communication device with a body casing having an exterior surface, and a number of light sources (LS) disposed on the exterior surface. A machine accessible medium is provided with instructions to selectively activate the number of LS in a spatial movement dependent manner to spatially paint luminescent images. Additionally, a processor is coupled to the machine accessible medium to execute the instructions. As a result, spatial painting of luminescent images utilizing a wireless mobile communication device is facilitated.

Abstract: An apparatus, such as a communication device, is provided with emoticon input logic associated with an input key to improve the ease-of-use of the apparatus for entering emoticons, e.g. into a text message, while the apparatus is operating e.g. in a text mode. Responsive to a selection of the associated input key, one or more emoticons are displayed for selection. A user may “scroll” through the one or more displayed emoticons to “select” an emoticon. In one embodiment, current focus is placed on one of the displayed emoticons, and the emoticon with the current focus is automatically selected upon elapse of a predetermined amount of time after the current focus was placed.

Abstract: Identification based operational modification of a portable electronic device includes detecting the presence of an employee identification badge, authenticating the identification badge as an eligible identification badge based at least in part upon data associated with the identification badge that is individualized to at least the employee and/or employer, and modifying one or more operating characteristics of the portable electronic device resulting in an identification badge authenticated mode of operation for the portable electronic device based upon successful authentication of the identification badge.

Abstract: An interchangeable cover for a mobile communications device is provided. The interchangeable cover includes a a resilient three-sided semi-rigid shell having a substantially U-shaped profile adapted to wrap around a substantial portion of a front, back and side of the mobile communications device upon assembly over the device, without requiring any fasteners. In one embodiment, the cover is configured to fit a mobile communications device having a trapezoidal profile, whereby front and back face portions clasp around the front and back of the phone. In accordance with various embodiments, the cover may include holes and slots through which phone buttons pass, dumb buttons, or built-in buttons that enable users to provide inputs to the phone. The three-sided shell provides additional surface area when compared to conventional single-sided faceplates. Accordingly, the cover appears as a more integral part of the phone. Furthermore, the extra surface area may be used for advertisement purposes.

Abstract: A wireless communication device having luminescent display capabilities in accordance with various embodiments is provided with a machine accessible medium including instructions to receive data representing a set of one or more picture elements of an audience assisted image to facilitate coordinated display of a luminescent representation of a portion of the audience assisted image by the wireless communication device in cooperation with one or more additional wireless communication devices, as well as a processor to execute the instructions.

Abstract: A wireless mobile phone, is provided with an input keypad having a number of touch sensitive keys, and complementary logic to facilitate entry of alphanumeric data through stroking of the touch sensitive keys of the input keypad. Alphanumeric data or commands are entered through selected ones of down, up, right, left, and a number of other patterns of stroking of the touch sensitive keys. As a result, a user may enter alphanumeric data or commands in a much more user friendly manner.

Abstract: A wireless mobile phone is provided with the capability to visually convey various information to users, using a number of light emitting devcies (LEDs). The information may include notification of an incoming call, text messages of a call (in Morse code representations), complementary graphics for non-graphics contents, and visual representations of attributes of sound. In various embodiments, the implementations may include a visualization controller to selectively activate and deactivate the LEDs, and applicable ones of an event, text and sound visualization clients. In various embodiments, all or selected combinations of the elements may be part of the base unit of the wireless mobile phone, while the remaining elements, if any, may be part of an interchangeable face plate or a covering skin.

Abstract: A device is equipped with the ability to non-persistently display a data on its display in bar code form on demand, to enable another system to acquire the data by reading the bar code.

Abstract: A wireless communication device having vibrational communication capabilities in accordance with various embodiments is provided including a receiver to receive signals, a body casing, a vibrator coupled to the body casing to vibrate the wireless communication device, a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions, which when executed cause the wireless communication device to vibrationally output received alphanumeric data through vibrational manifestation of the received alphanumeric data using the vibrator, and an execution unit coupled to the storage medium for executing the plurality of programming instructions.

Abstract: A mobile electronic communication device includes a processor unit, a transceiver, a keypad and a light unit. Each key of the keypad is associated with a contact of a contact list. The light unit can perform light functions to notify a user of the reception and/or status of messages received via the transceiver. The light functions include providing an indication of the age of a received message that was sent by a contact in the contacts list. The age of the message is indicated by a modulation of the illuminating light. In one embodiment, the age of a message is indicated as one of a set of predetermined age ranges, with each age range being represented by a unique color.

Abstract: On a communication device, letters A to Z are assigned to data entry keys of a data entry keypad (330), and the letters assigned to each of the data entry keys are advantageously arranged in accordance with the frequency of occurrence of the letters in use. Numeric digits are assigned to the data entry keys in the conventional way. A controller (410) detects activation of each data entry key on the keypad (330) by a user, and also detects the number of times the data entry key is activated. The controller (410) then accesses a key map (415) in memory to determine the letter or numeric digit selected by the user. From the assignment of the letters to the data entry keys and the corresponding mapping (415) in the memory, the letters having a higher probability of occurrence are selected by a single activation of the data entry keys and, letters with a lower probability of occurrence are selected by activating the data entry keys two or more times.