Mute-until feature for electronic devices
An electronic device such as a cell phone, PDA, or handheld gaming device is provided with a mutable function such as an alarm function, a mute function, and a mute-until function. The mute function mutes the mutable function until deactivated. The mute-until function automatically deactivates the mute function after a condition has been satisfied.
1. An electronic device comprising:
a mutable function;
a mute function that can be activated to mute the mutable function; and
a mute-until function capable of automatically deactivating the mute function when a condition is satisfied, wherein the condition may be customized by a user of the electronic device.
2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the electronic device is a cell phone.
3. The graphical electronic device of claim 1 wherein the electronic device is a FDA.
4. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the electronic device is a gaming device.
5. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the electronic device is a portable device.
6. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the mutable function is an alarm function.
7. The electronic device of claim 6 wherein the alarm function is a calendared event reminder.
8. The electronic device of claim 6 wherein the timing-related alarm function is a countdown timer.
9. The electronic device of claim 6 wherein the alarm function is signaling alarm.
10. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the signaling alarm is an incoming call signal.
11. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the mutable function is a volume control.
12. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the condition is a timing event.
13. The electronic device of claim 12 wherein the timing event is an expiration of a set period of time.
14. The electronic device of claim 12 wherein the timing event is an arrival of a predetermined time of day.
15. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the condition is an end of a usage session.
16. The electronic device of claim 15 wherein the usage session is a game.
17. The electronic device of claim 15 wherein the usage session is a task.
18. An electronic device comprising:
a display screen;
an input device; and
a processor configured to
display a graphical user interface on the display screen,
receive user input from the input device, and
provide
an alarm function including an alarm,
a mute function that can be activated to mute the alarm, and
a mute-until function capable of automatically deactivating the mute function when a condition is satisfied, wherein the condition may be customized by a user of the electronic device.
19. The electronic device of claim 18 wherein an application running on the processor provides the alarm function.
20. The electronic device of claim 18 wherein an operating system running on the processor provides the alarm function.
21. The electronic device of claim 18 wherein the mute-until function provides user-selectable choices through the graphical user interface.
22. The electronic device of claim 21 wherein the user-selectable choices include more than one duration of time for the mute function.
23. The electronic device of claim 21 wherein the user-selectable choices include more than one time of day when the mute function can be deactivated.
24. The electronic device of claim 18 wherein the mute-until function is customizable by receiving input from the input device.
25. The electronic device of claim 24 wherein the input is a time of day when the mute function Will be deactivated.
26. The electronic device of claim 24 wherein the input is a period of time after which the mute function will be deactivated.
27. The electronic device of claim 24 wherein the input is the condition.
28. The electronic device of claim 27 wherein the input is an end of a usage session.