# US 2014/0198054 A1 · Screen freezing for a wireless communication device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0198054 A1 - Document ID: US20140198054A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/741,969 - Filed: 2013-01-15 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-15 - Assignees: Sprint Communications Company L.P. - Inventors: Sanjay K. Sharma; Jessica L. Kemp; Peter S. Syromiatnikov; Kenneth Ray Steele; John D. Sumler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140198054A1 ## CPC - G06F 3/041: Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means - H04M 1/724: User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones - H04M 1/67: by electronic means - H04M 1/72436: for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails - H04M 1/72445: for supporting Internet browser applications - H04M 2250/12: including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion - H04M 2250/22: including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract A wireless communication device comprises a touchscreen and a processing system. The touchscreen is configured to display a graphical user interface. The processing system is configured to receive a freeze command from a user of the wireless communication device and, responsive to the freeze command, hold at least a portion of the touchscreen in a frozen state, direct the touchscreen to display a status notification indicating that the at least the portion of the touchscreen is in the frozen state, and unfreeze the at least the portion of the touchscreen responsive to an unfreeze event. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operating a wireless communication device, the method comprising: displaying a graphical user interface on a touchscreen of the wireless communication device; receiving a freeze command from a user of the wireless communication device; responsive to the freeze command, holding at least a portion of the touchscreen in a frozen state; displaying a status notification indicating that the at least the portion of the touchscreen is in the frozen state; and unfreezing the at least the portion of the touchscreen responsive to an unfreeze event. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the freeze command from the user comprises receiving a selection of the at least the portion of the touchscreen. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the unfreeze event comprises an expiration of a timer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein unfreezing the at least the portion of the touchscreen responsive to the unfreeze event comprises unfreezing the at least the portion of the touchscreen responsive to an unfreeze command from the user. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein unfreezing the at least the portion of the touchscreen responsive to the unfreeze event comprises removing the status notification indicating that the at least the portion of the touchscreen is in the frozen state. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein holding the at least the portion of the touchscreen in the frozen state comprises maintaining a brightness of the touchscreen while the at least the portion of the touchscreen is in the frozen state. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein holding the at least the portion of the touchscreen in the frozen state comprises preventing the touchscreen from rotating while the at least the portion of the touchscreen is in the frozen state. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein holding the at least the portion of the touchscreen in the frozen state comprises preventing the touchscreen from displaying an incoming call notification on the at least the portion of the touchscreen that is in the frozen state. ### Claim 9 A wireless communication device comprising: a touchscreen configured to display a graphical user interface; and a processing system configured to receive a freeze command from a user of the wireless communication device and, responsive to the freeze command, hold at least a portion of the touchscreen in a frozen state, direct the touchscreen to display a status notification indicating that the at least the portion of the touchscreen is in the frozen state, and unfreeze the at least the portion of the touchscreen responsive to an unfreeze event. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The wireless communication device of claim 9 wherein the processing system configured to receive the freeze command from the user comprises the processing system configured to receive a selection of the at least the portion of the touchscreen. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The wireless communication device of claim 9 wherein the unfreeze event comprises an expiration of a timer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The wireless communication device of claim 9 wherein the processing system configured to unfreeze the at least the portion of the touchscreen responsive to the unfreeze event comprises the processing system configured to unfreeze the at least the portion of the touchscreen responsive to an unfreeze command from the user. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The wireless communication device of claim 9 wherein the processing system configured to unfreeze the at least the portion of the touchscreen responsive to the unfreeze event comprises the processing system configured to remove the status notification indicating that the at least the portion of the touchscreen is in the frozen state. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The wireless communication device of claim 9 wherein the processing system configured to hold the at least the portion of the touchscreen in the frozen state comprises the processing system configured to maintain a brightness of the touchscreen while the at least the portion of the touchscreen is in the frozen state. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The wireless communication device of claim 9 wherein the processing system configured to hold the at least the portion of the touchscreen in the frozen state comprises the processing system configured to prevent the touchscreen from rotating while the at least the portion of the touchscreen is in the frozen state. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The wireless communication device of claim 9 wherein the processing system configured to hold the at least the portion of the touchscreen in the frozen state comprises the processing system configured to prevent the touchscreen from displaying an incoming call notification on the at least the portion of the touchscreen that is in the frozen state. ### Claim 17 A computer apparatus comprising: software instructions configured, when executed by a wireless communication device, to direct the wireless communication device to display a graphical user interface on a touchscreen of the wireless communication device, receive a freeze command from a user of the wireless communication device, responsive to the freeze command, hold at least a portion of the touchscreen in a frozen state, display a status notification indicating that the at least the portion of the touchscreen is in the frozen state, and unfreeze the at least the portion of the touchscreen responsive to an unfreeze event; and at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing the software instructions. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The computer apparatus of claim 17 wherein the unfreeze event comprises an expiration of a timer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The computer apparatus of claim 17 wherein the software instructions, to direct the wireless communication device to unfreeze the at least the portion of the touchscreen responsive to the unfreeze event, direct the wireless communication device to unfreeze the at least the portion of the touchscreen responsive to an unfreeze command from the user. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The computer apparatus of claim 17 wherein the software instructions, to direct the wireless communication device to hold the at least the portion of the touchscreen in the frozen state, direct the wireless communication device to maintain a brightness of the touchscreen while the at least the portion of the touchscreen is in the frozen state.