Granted Patent B2

US 7,940,900 · App. 11/566,672 · Granted May 10, 2011

Abstract

Claims (32)

1. In a mobile computing device enabled for telephony communications, a method comprising:

establishing a telephone call to transmit voice signals;

muting the established telephone call;

continually actuating a control switch for a duration in which to transmit voice signals in the established telephone call and continually enabling a speaker to output communications signals received by the mobile computing device regardless of the actuation of the control switch; and

releasing the control switch, the released control switch re-muting the established telephone call.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control switch comprises a physical switch.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the physical switch is on a side of the mobile computing device.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the physical switch is on a back face of the mobile computing device.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the physical switch is on a front face of the mobile computing device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile computing device comprises a touch screen.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the control switch comprises a software button displayed on the touch screen and interactable directly through the touch screen.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a screen of the mobile computing device displays a communication control application notating one of a physical button or key on the mobile computing device corresponding to the control switch.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein continually actuating comprises pressing and holding a button on the mobile computing device.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein continually actuating comprises actuating and maintaining a tension switch from a first position to a second position, a release of the tension switch automatically returning the tension switch to the first position.

11. A computer readable medium configured to store instructions executable by a processor of a mobile computing device, the instructions when executed by the processor cause the processor to:

establish a telephone call to transmit voice signals;

mute the established telephone call;

unmute the established telephone call in response to continuous actuation of a control switch on the mobile computing device for a duration in which to transmit voice signals in the established telephone call and continually enable a speaker to output communications signals received by the mobile computing device regardless of the continuous actuation of the control switch; and

re-mute the established telephone call in response to releasing the continuous actuation of the control switch.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the mobile computing device comprises a touch screen.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the control switch comprises a software button displayed on the touch screen and interactable directly through the touch screen.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein a screen of the mobile computing device displays a communication control application notating one of a physical button or key on the mobile computing device corresponding to the control switch.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the control switch comprises a button mechanism and the continuous actuation corresponds to the pressing and holding the button mechanism.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the control switch comprises a solid state switch and the continuous actuation corresponds to touching and maintaining touch on the solid state switch.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the control switch comprises a tension-enabled switch and the continuous actuation corresponds to movement of the tension-enabled switch from a first position and holding it in a second position, the tension-enabled switch returning to the first position when released from the second position.

18. A mobile computing device enabled for telephony communications, the device comprising:

a means for establishing a telephone call to transmit voice signals;

a means for initially muting the established telephone call;

a means for transmitting voice signals in the established telephone call in response to continually actuating a control switch for a duration and a means for outputting communications signals received by the mobile computing device regardless of the actuation of the control switch; and

a means for re-muting the established telephone call in response to releasing the control switch.

19. The mobile computing device of claim 18 , wherein the means for establishing the telephone call comprises a telephony module and the means for initially muting the established telephone call comprises an electrical circuit for disabling a microphone of the mobile computing device.

20. The mobile computing device of claim 19 , wherein the means for transmitting the voice signals comprises an electrical circuit for enabling the microphone of the mobile computing device and the means for re-muting the established telephone call comprises an electrical circuit for re-disabling the microphone of the mobile computing device.

Assignments (8)