Methods, devices and computer program products for operating mobile devices responsive to user input through movement thereof

A method of operating a mobile device having a standby mode of operation and a messaging application execution mode of operation, the method comprising:

• detecting a predefined localized movement of a housing of the mobile device using a sensor associated therewith;
• associating the detected predefined localized movement with a first function of the mobile device comprising a wireless device or network search function and a second function of the mobile device comprising a presence information update function responsive to a user input assigning the detected predefined localized movement thereto;
• searching for wireless devices or networks in a vicinity of the mobile device responsive to detecting the predefined localized movement in the standby mode;
• and
• updating presence information responsive to detecting the predefined localized movement in the messaging application execution mode.

A method of operating a mobile device, the method comprising:

• detecting a first predefined localized movement of a housing of the mobile device using a sensor associated therewith;
• detecting a second predefined localized movement of the housing that is different from the first predefined localized movement using the sensor;
• associating the first predefined localized movement with a function of the mobile device;
• associating the second predefined localized movement with a predetermined delay time for performing the function of the mobile device;
• in response to detecting the second predefined localized movement and after detecting the first predefined localized movement, delaying performance of the function associated with the first predefined localized movement by the predetermined delay time associated with the second predefined localized movement;
• and then
• performing the function at the predetermined delay time.

A mobile device having first and second modes of operation, comprising:

• a mobile device housing;
• a sensor configured to detect localized movements of the housing;
• a user interface configured to receive a user input assigning a particular predefined localized movement to different first and second functions of the mobile device;
• and
• a controller coupled to the sensor and the user interface and configured to associate the predefined localized movement with the first and second functions responsive to receiving the user input, wherein the controller is further configured to perform the first function responsive to detection of the predefined localized movement in the first mode of operation and perform the second function responsive to detection of the predefined localized movement in the second mode of operation;
• wherein the controller is further configured to associate a predetermined delay time with the predefined localized movement responsive to a user input defining the predetermined delay time or assigning the predefined localized movement thereto and perform the first or second function at the predetermined delay time after detection of the predefined localized movement.

A mobile device, comprising:

• a mobile device housing;
• a sensor configured to detect localized movements of the housing;
• and
• a controller coupled to the sensor and configured to associate a first predefined localized movement of the housing with a function of the mobile device, associate a second predefined localized movement of the housing that is different from the first predefined localized movement with a predetermined delay time for performing the function of the mobile device, delay performance of the function by the predetermined delay time after detection of the first predefined localized movement and in response to detection of the second predefined localized movement of the housing, and then perform the function at the predetermined delay time.