Mobile electronic communication device with lights to indicate received messages
AssigneeWildseed Ltd.
InventorsEric J. Hull, Jonathan O. Nelson, Gary N. Mager
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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.
Claims31
A mobile electronic communication device comprising:
- a transceiver;
- a keypad having a plurality of keys;
- a light unit coupled to the keypad;
- and
- a processor unit coupled to the transceiver, keypad and light unit, wherein the processor unit is configured to cause the light unit to output light to light a selected one of the keys to indicate a source of a received message.
A method for use with a mobile electronic communication having a plurality of keys, each key being associated with a corresponding contact, the method comprising:
- receiving a message;
- determining a sender of the received message;
- and
- illuminating a key of the plurality of keys when the sender is the corresponding contact.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.