Handheld Electronic Device with Dedicated Standby Key

Abstract

A handheld mobile communication device comprises a keyboard, a navigation actuator, and a dedicated standby key. The dedicated standby key is located along an edge of the handheld mobile communication device. The dedicated standby key is the only key in the handheld mobile communication device for initiating entry into a standby mode. The handheld mobile communication device further comprises a standby mode module arranged to disable, upon entry into the standby mode, the navigation actuator and at least a portion of the keyboard.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A handheld mobile communication device, comprising:
 a keyboard;   a navigation actuator;   a dedicated standby key located along an edge of the handheld mobile communication device, the dedicated standby key being the only key in the handheld mobile communication device for initiating entry into a standby mode; and   a standby mode module arranged to disable, upon entry into the standby mode, the navigation actuator and at least a portion of the keyboard.   
     
     
         2 . The handheld mobile communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the dedicated standby key is the only key located along the edge of the handheld mobile communication device. 
     
     
         3 . The handheld mobile communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the edge is the top edge of the handheld mobile communication device. 
     
     
         4 . The handheld mobile communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the edge is the top edge of the handheld mobile communication device, and the dedicated standby key is the only key located along the top edge of the handheld mobile communication device. 
     
     
         5 . The handheld mobile communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the dedicated standby key is actuable with a single action. 
     
     
         6 . The handheld mobile communication device of  claim 5 , wherein the dedicated standby key is actuable upon depression of the dedicated standby key. 
     
     
         7 . The handheld mobile communication device of  claim 1 , wherein entry into the standby mode is initiated when the dedicated standby key is depressed and held for a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         8 . The handheld mobile communication device of  claim 1 , further comprising a display arranged to display a confirmation message of initiating entry into the standby mode. 
     
     
         9 . The handheld mobile communication device of  claim 1 , arranged to provide a time-limited option to abort entry into the standby mode. 
     
     
         10 . The handheld mobile communication device of  claim 9 , wherein actuation of any key of the keyboard while the time-limited option has not yet expired causes entry into the standby mode to be aborted. 
     
     
         11 . A method of providing a standby mode in a handheld mobile communication device having a keyboard and a navigation actuator, the method comprising:
 initiating entry into a standby mode upon actuation of a dedicated standby key located along an edge of the handheld mobile communication device, the dedicated standby key being the only key in the handheld mobile communication device for initiating entry into the standby mode; and   disabling, upon entry into the standby mode, the navigation actuator and at least a portion of the keyboard.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the dedicated standby key is the only key located along the edge of the handheld mobile communication device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the edge is the top edge of the handheld mobile communication device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the edge is the top edge of the handheld mobile communication device, and the dedicated standby key is the only key located along the top edge of the handheld mobile communication device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the dedicated standby key is actuable with a single action. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the dedicated standby key is actuable upon depression of the dedicated standby key. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein actuation of the dedicated standby key occurs when the dedicated standby key is depressed and held for a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising displaying a confirmation message of initiating entry into the standby mode. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing a time-limited option to abort entry into the standby mode. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising aborting entry into the standby mode upon actuation of any key of the keyboard while the time-limited option has not yet expired.