Method for enabling/disabling mode functions in a multimode electronic device

An electronic device of the type having at least a mode selecting mode in which the device is capable of selecting among a plurality of enabled modes comprising a mode enabling/disabling mode for selectively enabling or disabling at least one of the modes, the electronic device comprising:

• a switching mechanism for cycling among the enabled modes, for selecting the mode enabling/disabling mode and for entering the mode enabling/disabling mode;
• means for displaying at least a mode indicator for each of the modes;
• and
• an enabler/disabler for enabling a mode if the mode was disabled or disabling the mode if the mode was enabled;
• wherein an integrated circuit is operable in the mode selecting mode and makes available for selecting a previously disabled mode that was not available for selecting prior to its enablement;
• and
• wherein during the cycling among the enabled modes, the integrated circuit makes a disabled mode unavailable for selecting in the mode selection mode although the disabled mode was available for selecting prior to its disablement.

A method for making an enabled mode unavailable for selecting in a mode selection mode in a multimode electronic device of the type having an integrated circuit operable in a plurality of enabled modes comprising a selected mode and a mode enabling/disabling mode, and wherein the integrated circuit is further operable in a mode selection mode for selecting among the plurality of enabled modes, the method comprising the steps of:

• cycling among the enabled modes and entering the mode enabling/disabling mode by initiating activation of a mode selecting mechanism;
• displaying at least a mode indicator for the selected mode;
• selecting the selected mode for which disabling is desired and switching the selected mode from one of enabled to disabled so that the selected mode is not available among the enabled modes for selecting;
• and
• exiting the mode enabling/disabling mode and resume cycling among the enabled modes;
• wherein during the resuming of the cycling among the enabled modes, the disabled selected mode will not be selectable in the mode selection mode and wherein the selected mode was selectable in the mode selection mode prior to its disablement during the selecting step.

A method for making the functions of a group of disabled modes available for selection in a multimode electronic device of the type having an integrated circuit operable in a plurality of modes comprising the group of modes to be disabled and a plurality of enabled modes comprising a mode enabling/disabling mode, and wherein the integrated circuit is further operable in a mode selection mode for selecting among the plurality of enabled modes, the method comprising the steps of:

• cycling among the enabled modes and entering the mode enabling/disabling modes by initiating activation of the mode selecting mechanism;
• displaying at least a mode indicator for the disabled group of modes;
• selecting the disabled group of modes for which enabling is desired and switching the disabled group of modes from one of disabled to enabled so that at least one function in each of the disabled modes is selectable;
• and
• exiting the mode enabling/disabling mode and resume cycling among the enabled modes;
• wherein during the resuming of the cycling among the enabled modes, the previously disabled group of modes will be now be among the enabled modes and available for selecting in the mode selection mode, and
• wherein the integrated circuit disables the selectability of the at least one function of each disabled mode of the disabled group of modes prior to the enablement of the disabled group of modes during a switching step.

A method for making a group of enabled modes unavailable for selecting in a mode selection mode in a multimode electronic device of the type having an integrated circuit operable in a plurality of enabled modes comprising a selected group of modes and a mode enabling/disabling mode, and wherein the integrated circuit is further operable in a mode selection mode for selecting among the plurality of enabled modes, the method comprising the steps of:

• cycling among the enabled modes and entering the mode enabling/disabling mode by initiating activation of the mode selecting mechanism;
• displaying at least a mode indicator for the selected group of modes;
• selecting the selected group of modes for which disabling is desired and switching the selected group of modes from one of enabled to disabled;
• and
• exiting the mode enabling/disabling mode and resume cycling among the enabled modes;
• wherein during the resuming of the cycling among the enabled modes, the disabled selected group of modes will not be selectable in the mode selection mode and wherein the selected group of modes was selectable from the mode selection mode prior to their disablement during a switching step.