Mobile communication device having children's safe mode and method of operation thereof

1 . A mobile communication device having a user input device, a user output device, a storage device configured to store digital data and a transceiver configured to communicate with a second communication device, said mobile communication device comprising:

a user-activatable children's safe operating mode in which said mobile communication device is configured to:

inhibit user-activation of said transceiver,

inhibit user-alteration of user-defined data stored in said storage device, and

cause said output device to provide pre-defined output data retrieved from said storage device in response to user input provided via said user input device.

2 . The mobile communication device as recited in claim 1 wherein said mobile communication device is selected from the group consisting of:

a mobile telephone,

a PDA, and

an MDA.

3 . The mobile communication device as recited in claim 1 wherein said input device comprises a keypad having keys, each of said keys associated with different portions of said pre-defined output data, and, in said children's safe operating mode, said mobile communication device is configured to cause output of said pre-defined output data in response to pressing a corresponding key of said keypad.

4 . The mobile communication device as recited in claim 1 wherein said input device comprises a keypad having keys and, in said children's safe operating mode, said mobile communication device is configured to cause said output device to provide arbitrarily selected output data in response to pressing any key of said keypad.

5 . The mobile communication device as recited in claim 1 wherein said output device comprises a display and said pre-defined output data comprises visual data including at least a digital image.

6 . The mobile communication device as recited in claim 1 wherein said output device comprises a speaker and said pre-defined output data comprises audio data.

7 . The mobile communication device as recited in claim 1 wherein said output device comprises a vibrator and said pre-defined output data comprises a vibrating sequence.

8 . The mobile communication device as recited in claim 1 wherein said mobile communication device is further configured to execute a game in said children's safe operating mode.

9 . The mobile communication device as recited in claim 1 wherein said children's safe operating mode is deactivatable by entering a pre-defined deactivation code via said input device.

10 . The mobile communication device as recited in claim 1 wherein said input device comprises a keypad and said children's safe operating mode is deactivatable by pressing a pre-defined combination of keys of said keypad.

11 . The mobile communication device as recited in claim 1 wherein said mobile communication device is provided with at least first and second user-activatable children's safe operating modes and is configured to cause output of different pre-defined output data in response to user input in said first and second children's safe operating modes, respectively.

12 . The mobile communication device as recited in claim 1 wherein said mobile communication device is configured to accept an incoming call only by entering a pre-defined deactivation code via said input device when said children's safe operating mode is activated.

13 . The mobile communication device as recited in claim 1 wherein said mobile communication device is configured to accept an incoming call only by pressing a pre-defined combination of keys on a keypad integrated in said mobile communication device when said children's safe operating mode is activated.

14 . A method of controlling a mobile communication device having a user input device, a user output device, a storage device configured to store digital data and a transceiver configured to communicate with a second communication device, comprising:

activating a user-activatable children's safe operating mode, said activating:

inhibiting user-activation of said transceiver,

inhibiting user-alteration of user-defined data stored in said storage device, and

causing said output device to provide pre-defined output data retrieved from said storage device in response to user input provided via said user input device.

15 . The method as recited in claim 14 wherein said user input device comprises a keypad integrated in said mobile communication device.

16 . The method as recited in claim 15 wherein said pre-defined output data is retrieved based on which keys of said keypad are pressed.

17 . The method as recited in claim 15 wherein said pre-defined output data is retrieved irrespective of which keys of said keypad are pressed.

18 . The method as recited in claim 14 wherein said retrieved output data is selected from the group consisting of:

a digital image,

a video sequence,

an audio sequence, and

a vibrating sequence.

19 . The method as recited in claim 14 further comprising executing a game in said children's safe operating mode.

20 . The method as recited in claim 15 further comprising deactivating said children's safe operating mode by entering a pre-defined deactivation code or pressing a pre-defined combination of keys on said keypad.

21 . The method as recited in claim 15 further comprising accepting an incoming call by entering a pre-defined deactivation code or pressing a pre-defined combination of keys on said keypad.