Abstract: An exemplary system and method avoids unannounced software updates for a connected device by acquiring installation consent from the user for each software update to the connected device. Consent is acquired by leveraging an extended interface application described below, to facilitate notifications from the connected device to the user and receive user inputs indicating consent in response to the notifications.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for providing a controlled software update to a group of computing devices. A server distributes a software update over the air to a first group of computing devices, through a wireless communication network. The first group of computing devices is monitored for successful installation of the software update. Upon determining that the software update is subject to a problem or potential problem, a second group of computing devices is identified based on the monitoring of the first group of computing devices. A software update cancellation message is sent through the wireless communication network to the second group of computing devices, instructing the second group of computing devices to cancel the software update in a way that is silent to the user of each respective computing device.

Abstract: An exemplary system and method avoids unannounced software updates for a connected device by acquiring installation consent from the user for each software update to the connected device. Consent is acquired by leveraging an extended interface application described below, to facilitate notifications from the connected device to the user and receive user inputs indicating consent in response to the notifications.

Abstract: An arrangement for dynamically varying how space on a small display is allocated for presentation of various types of user information is provided. The arrangement optimizes utilization of space on small displays by dynamically allocating lines on the display for presentation of status or header-type information as well as menu item-type information. The arrangement configures the display such that lines therein are dedicatable in any combination to displaying these two types of information.

Abstract: An arrangement for displaying message screens on a telephone terminal provides easy access to messages received by the telephone terminal from a service provider. The arrangement allows users to seamlessly and intuitively view header and body information of a message without the need for any unnecessary key presses.

Abstract: An interactive display arrangement for easily moving between menu screens in a display device at a telephone terminal is provided. Ease of movement between the menu screens for certain logical functions is facilitated by a multipurpose screen prompt having a single softkey message. This softkey message is commonly displayed in each plurality of sets of softkey messages displayed in associated menu screens, with multiple tasks being assigned to this softkey label message. Each assigned task for the softkey message is determined by each menu screen in which the softkey message is displayed. By being able to use a single screen prompt for multiple functions, simplicity and screen space in a small interactive display is conserved. Also, the user of the display is able to move easily among available menu screens in the interactive display arrangement without the need for detailed knowledge of the menu hierarchy.

Abstract: In an interactive display for a telephone terminal, movement between menu screens is controlled by hard buttons located on the telephone terminal. Directional arrow symbols, responsive to the switching action provided by pressing the hard buttons, are selectively employed in the display space of the menu screens for providing a visual indication to a user of available previous and/or next menu screens. These arrow symbols occupy minimal space in the display screens, yet enable the user of the telephone terminal to easily determine the availability of and direction to proceed to access additional available menu selections in the interactive display.

Abstract: A softkey directory for use in a telephone terminal is arranged such that a user of the terminal is prevented from entering the same name identifier at more than one softkey label. The directory is further arranged such that the user of the telephone terminal also is prevented from entering a telephone number without an associated name identifier and from entering a name identifier without an associated telephone number.

Abstract: A telephone terminal provides display screens of information messages which are selectively arranged to be time-specific in accordance with the complexity content of the information in each message. The amount of text in an information message, the complexity of words in the message and whether any user action should follow the text presented in the message are factors used in optimizing the duration of the display screens for the messages timed specific to their content. A plurality of user selectable options for the duration of the display screens also are available. These selectable options alter the duration time of all the display screens as a set. Within each selected set the variable time accorded each display screen, in accordance with the time-specfic information messages, provides for optimum viewing of each message by a user of the telephone terminal.

Abstract: A telephone terminal is configurable by a user to contain just those features desired by the user. Although equipped with a full set of available features, the terminal also is initially configured only with a minimum default set of features directly and easily accessible by a user. The user is able to reconfigure the telephone terminal for selectively adding features when he or she desired more capabilities.

Abstract: A locking arrangement is provided for limiting access to certain selected menu functions on a telephone terminal is provided. Although these functions are generally located in different sections of the menu hierarchy, each may be unlocked and relocked while a user remains in the same section of the menu hierarchy containing the selected function. For accessing the function, the user enter a password while located in the same section of the menu hierarchy as the function to be accessed. Once the password is entered, direct access to the selected menu function is permitted. The locking arrangement provides for the relocking of each of the selected functions automatically by the user simply exiting the accessed selected function.

Abstract: An arrangement for increasing the available character spaces for softkey label screen prompts in a small interactive display for use in a telephone terminal is provided. In a first configuration of the arrangement, available character spaces in the interactive display are partitioned into equal adjacent character sets with each character set having an allocated number of character spaces for displaying a softkey label. The telephone terminal is configured such that available character spaces in adjacent character sets are borrowed and used by a particular character set having a softkey label for display that exceeds the allocated number of character spaces in the particular character set. In a second configuration of the arrangement, a first character set is combined with an adjacent second character set for displaying the large softkey label.

Abstract: In a user-interactive display-based telephone terminal, a user of the telephone terminal is provided easy access at the terminal to both local features and network-based features from a telecommunication switch. The user of the terminal reconfigures the terminal to a state wherein network based information is obtained by simply actuating any of the associated network-based keys. Similarly, the user of the telephone terminal reconfigures the terminal to a state wherein local information stored in the terminal is obtained by simply actuating an associated local key. The information selected, local or network-based, is displayed in the same location in an associated display on the terminal. The user of the terminal is therefore not provided with nor is he or she required to have knowledge of the location of a particular feature.

Abstract: A telephone terminal configured to provide a personalized user selectable feature which is displayed whenever the telephone terminal display is returned to an idle state from accessing other available features on the telephone terminal. Any of the available features on the telephone terminal may be designated as the personalized user selectable feature. A user may, for example, select a feature in the terminal that he or she uses the most as the personalized user selectable feature. Rapid movement to and execution of this user selectable feature from any of the other features in the telephone terminal is thus facilitated.

Abstract: An interactive display arrangement in a telephone terminal permits direct movement between unrelated child menu screens in a menu hierarchy. The arrangement is configured such that a user may advance directly from a displayed first child menu screen to an unrelated second child menu screen in the menu hierarchy, in order to perform specific tasks at the second child menu screen. Once the tasks at the second menu screen are completed or the user elects not to perform such tasks, the arrangement permits the user to return directly to the first child menu screen. The user of the telephone terminal thus is able to easily complete specific tasks at selected menu screens in the interactive display arrangement without the need for excessive movement in the menu hierarchy.