Primary actions menu for a mobile communication device
A mobile communication device having a user interface for invoking a command displays a reduced set of commands accessed by actuating an input device on the mobile communication device, the reduced set of commands comprises a set of context-sensitive commands derived from a full-function set of commands associated with an application. The input device may be a dedicated input device, such as a trackball, for accessing the set of context-sensitive commands.
1 . A mobile communication device comprising:
a housing having a display and a plurality of input devices; and
an interface for invoking a command associated with an application on the mobile communication device, the interface comprising a reduced set of commands on the display and accessed by actuating one of the plurality of input devices, the reduced set of commands comprising a set of context-sensitive commands derived from a full-function set of commands associated with the application.
2 . The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein the set of context-sensitive commands is a menu comprising commands likely to be performed in the application.
3 . The mobile communication device of claim 2 wherein the set of context-sensitive commands includes the most likely commands to be performed in the full-function set of commands.
4 . The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein the one of the input devices is a dedicated input device for displaying the set of context-sensitive commands on the mobile communication device.
5 . The mobile communication device of claim 4 wherein the dedicated input device is a trackball.
6 . A user interface for invoking a context-sensitive command associated with an application on a mobile communication device, the interface comprising:
a display;
a plurality of input devices on the mobile communication device, and
a reduced set of commands on the display accessed by actuating one of the plurality of input devices, the reduced set of commands comprising a set of context-sensitive commands derived from a full-function set of commands associated with the application.
7 . The user interface of claim 6 wherein the set of context-sensitive commands is a menu comprising commands more likely to be performed in the application than other commands in the full-function set of commands.
8 . The user interface of claim 6 wherein the one of the input devices is a dedicated input device for displaying the set of context-sensitive commands.
9 . The user interface of claim 8 wherein the dedicated input device is a trackball.
10 . A method of invoking a command associated with an application on a mobile communication device, the method comprising:
selecting the application from an application interface;
actuating an input device on the mobile communication device to display a reduced set of commands comprising a set of context-sensitive commands derived from a full-function set of commands associated with the application;
selecting the command from the set of context-sensitive commands; and
actuating the input device to invoke the command.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the set of context-sensitive commands is a menu comprising commands which are more likely to be performed in the application than commands from the full-function set of commands.
12 . The method of claim 10 wherein the input device is a dedicated input device for displaying the set of context-sensitive commands on the mobile communication device.
13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the dedicated input device is a trackball.
14 . The method of claim 10 wherein the full-function set of commands is accessed from the set of context-sensitive commands.