Mobile device for displaying information content

1 - 37 . (canceled)

38 . A mobile device for displaying information content, comprising:

at least one input key associated with a display;

a display for displaying information content with a first orientation and control content, adjacent an input key, indicating its function; and

a processor, for controlling the display, arranged to vary the first orientation of the information content to a second orientation and maintain control content adjacent the input key, wherein the location of the input key does not vary when the orientation of the information content is varied.

39 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 38 , further comprising a user input device, wherein the processor is operable to vary the user-determined orientation of the information content and maintain control content adjacent the input key, in response to input from the user input device.

40 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 39 , wherein the functionality of the user input device is controlled by the processor.

41 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 38 , wherein the processor is arranged to vary the user determined orientation of the information content between four predetermined orientations.

42 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 38 , wherein the processor is arranged to vary the user determined orientation of the information content by successive increments of 90 degrees rotation about a first origin in the display.

43 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 38 , wherein the processor, is operable to vary the user-determined orientation of the information content while it is displayed.

44 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 38 wherein the control content for the input key varies as the function of the input key is varied by the processor.

45 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 38 wherein the processor, when varying the orientation of the information content maintains the same control content adjacent the input key.

46 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 38 wherein the control content has a fixed orientation with respect to the mobile device.

47 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 38 , wherein the processor is operable to rotate the information content about a first origin and simultaneously rotate the control content about a second different origin, by ninety degrees.

48 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 47 , wherein the processor is operable to simultaneously rotate the information content and the control content, in response to input from the user input device.

49 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 47 , wherein the first origin and the second origin are fixed.

50 . A method of controlling the display of a mobile device comprising the steps of:

displaying information content with a first orientation and control content adjacent an input key, indicating the key's function; and

changing the first orientation to a second orientation while maintaining the control content adjacent the input key, wherein the location of the input key does not vary when the orientation of the information content is changed.

51 . A method as claimed in claim 49 , wherein the step of changing the first orientation is performed in response to user input while displaying the information content.

52 . A method as claimed in claim 49 , further comprising the step of changing the control content and/or its orientation when changing the orientation of the information content.

53 . A mobile device for displaying information content, comprising: a display, having a variable display area, for displaying within the variable display area information content;

a user input device; and

a processor, for controlling the display, arranged to incrementally change the size of the display area while displaying the information content, in response to successive inputs from the user input device.

54 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 53 , wherein the processor in response to input from the user input changes the display area size from a first one of a predetermined plurality of display area sizes to a second one of the predetermined plurality of display area sizes.

55 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 53 , wherein the processor in response to input from the user input varies the display area while displaying the information content.

56 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 53 , comprising a radio frequency transceiver, wherein the information content originates in another device and is received by the radio frequency transceiver from the another device.

57 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 53 , wherein the information content originates in the device.

58 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 53 , wherein the information content is alphanumeric text data.

59 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 58 , wherein the processor, provides a text message handling application in which the display area for the text message is variable in response to input from the user input device.

60 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 58 , wherein the user input device is a rotatable dial.

61 . A method of controlling the display of a mobile device comprising the steps of:

displaying information content within a first display area; and

incrementally changing the size of the first display area while displaying the information content, in response to successive inputs from a user.

62 . A mobile device for displaying information content, comprising:

a display for displaying information content in a display area of a user-determined size and orientation;

a user input device; and

a processor, for controlling the display, operable to vary the user-determined orientation and to incrementally change the size of the display area while displaying the information content, in response to successive inputs from the user input device.

63 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 62 , further comprising at least one input key associated with a display; wherein the display is operable to display control content, adjacent the input key, indicating its function and wherein the control content remains adjacent the input key when the display area is resized.

64 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 62 , wherein the display information has a predetermined and fixed orientation with respect to the display area so that a variation in the display area produces a concomitant variation in the orientation of the information content.

65 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 62 , wherein the processor in response to first input from the user input device changes the display area size from a first one of a predetermined plurality of display area sizes to a second one of the predetermined plurality of display area sizes.

66 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 62 , wherein the processor in response to second input from the user input devices changes the orientation of the display area from a first one of a predetermined plurality of orientations to a second one of the predetermined plurality of orientations.

67 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 66 , wherein the processor is arranged to vary the user determined orientation of the display area by successive increments of 90 degrees rotation about a first origin in the display.

68 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 62 , wherein the processor, arranged to vary the user-determined size and orientation of the display area while the information content is displayed therein.

69 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 62 , wherein the display has a plurality of edges and the control content is fixedly positioned at one edge of the display.

70 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 62 , wherein the processor, is arranged to rotate the display area about a first axis and simultaneously rotate the control content about a second axis, by ninety degrees in response to second input from the user input device.

71 . A method of controlling the display of a mobile device comprising the steps of:

displaying information content within a first display area with a first orientation;

incrementally changing the size of the first display area while displaying the information content, in response to successive inputs from a user; and

changing the orientation of the information content to a second orientation.

72 . A method as claimed in claim 71 , further comprising the step of displaying control content adjacent an input key, indicating the key's function wherein the control content is maintained adjacent the input key.

73 . A method as claimed in claim 71 , wherein the steps of changing the first orientation and changing the size of the first area are performed while displaying the information content.

74 . A method as claimed in claim 71 , further comprising the step of changing the orientation of the control content when changing the orientation of the information content.

75 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 47 , wherein the control content is positioned at the second origin.

76 . A mobile device as claimed in claim 53 , wherein the processor is arranged to incrementally change the display area without varying the orientation of the information content.

77 . A mobile device for displaying information content, comprising: a display for displaying information content, including alphanumeric characters, over a plurality of lines;

a user input device; and

a processor, for controlling the display, arranged to change the number of alphanumeric characters in a line of the displayed information content, while displaying the whole of the information content, in response to input from the user input device.

78 . A method of controlling a display of a mobile device comprising the steps of:

displaying information content, including alphanumeric characters, over a plurality of lines; and

changing, in response to input from a user, the number of alphanumeric characters in a line of the displayed information content, while displaying the whole of the information content.

79 . A mobile device for displaying information content, comprising:

a display for displaying information content, including alphanumeric characters, over a plurality of lines of a user-determined size and orientation;

a user input device; and

a processor, for controlling the display, operable to vary the user-determined orientation of each line and to change the number of alphanumeric characters that are displayed in each line, in response to input from the user input device.

80 . A method of controlling the display of a mobile device comprising the steps of:

displaying the information content, including alphanumeric characters, over a plurality of lines;

changing the number of alphanumeric characters that are displayed in each of the lines, in response to input from a user; and

changing the orientation of the information content to a second orientation.