Method and device for providing a multi-level user interface having a dynamic key assignment for cellularly communicative device

A cellularly communicative device, comprising:

• circuitry that allows the cellularly communicative device to operate over a cellular network;
• a display;
• a keypad, including a plurality of alpha or numeric keys and a dynamically assignable function key, wherein the dynamically assignable function key is not one of the alpha or numeric keys of the keypad;
• and
• a processor and programming executing in the processor which configure the cellularly communicative device to:
• (1) display a first screen on the display, the first screen concurrently comprising:
• (a) a first level menu providing a plurality of functional groupings for user selection, on a first area of the displayed first screen, wherein each of the functional groupings represents a different group of cellular device functions offered by the cellularly communicative device;
• and
• (b) on a second area of the displayed first screen, a second level menu of choices for user selection from within a selected one of the functional groupings of the first level menu;
• (2) responsive to a cursor control input from a user, move a cursor on the display across at least the second level menu to indicate a selection of one of the choices on the displayed second level menu;
• (3) responsive to a user acceptance of the selected one of the choices, display a second screen on the display, the second screen concurrently comprising:
• (a) an area containing information relating to the selected choice;
• and
• (b) a key assignment area displaying a dynamically assignable function of the cellularly communicative device associated with the selected choice, the dynamically assignable function being dynamically assigned to the function key of the cellularly communicative device responsive to the selected choice;
• and
• (4) perform the dynamically assigned function associated with the selected choice, upon user activation of the function key during the display of the second screen.

A method of providing a user interface on a cellularly communicative device comprising circuitry that allows the cellularly communicative device to operate over a cellular network, a display, a keypad including a plurality of alpha or numeric keys and a dynamically assignable function key, wherein the dynamically assignable function key is not one of the alpha or numeric keys of the keypad, the method comprising steps of:

• (1) displaying a first screen on the display, the first screen concurrently comprising:
• (a) a first level menu providing a plurality of functional groupings for user selection, on a first area of the displayed first screen, wherein each of the functional groupings represents a different group of cellular device functions offered by the cellularly communicative device;
• and
• (b) on a second area of the displayed first screen, a second level menu of choices for user selection from within a selected one of the functional groupings of the first level menu;
• (2) responsive to a cursor control input from a user, moving a cursor on the display across at least the second level menu to indicate a selection of one of the choices on the displayed second level menu;
• (3) responsive to a user acceptance of the selected one of the choices, displaying a second screen on the display, the second screen concurrently comprising:
• (a) an area containing information relating to the selected choice;
• and
• (b) a key assignment area displaying a dynamically assignable function of the cellularly communicative device associated with the selected choice, the dynamically assignable function being dynamically assigned to the function key of the cellularly communicative device responsive to the selected choice;
• and
• (4) performing the dynamically assigned function associated with the selected choice, upon user activation of the function key during the display of the second screen.

A method of providing a user interface on a cellularly communicative electronic device comprising electronic circuitry that allows the cellularly communicative electronic device to operate over a cellular network, a display, a keypad including a plurality of alpha or numeric keys and a dynamically assignable function key, wherein the dynamically assignable function key is not one of the alpha or numeric keys of the keypad, the method comprising steps of:

• (1) displaying a first screen on the display, the first screen concurrently comprising:
• (a) a first level menu providing a plurality of functional groupings for user selection, on a first area of the displayed first screen, wherein each of the functional groupings represents a different group of cellular device functions offered by the cellularly communicative electronic device;
• and
• (b) on a second area of the displayed first screen, a second level menu of choices for user selection from within a selected one of the functional groupings of the first level menu;
• (2) responsive to a cursor control input from a user, moving a cursor on the display across at least the second level menu to indicate a selection of one of the choices on the displayed second level menu, wherein the displayed second level menu presents choices arranged in a prescribed order as a function of frequency of previous user selections of one or more of the choices;
• (3) responsive to a user acceptance of the selected one of the choices, displaying a second screen on the display, the second screen concurrently comprising:
• (a) an area containing information relating to the selected choice;
• and
• (b) a key assignment area displaying a function of the cellularly communicative device associated with the selected choice, dynamically assigned to the function key of the cellularly communicative device;
• and
• performing the dynamically assigned function associated with the selected choice, upon user activation of the function key during the display of the second screen.