Alert methods and apparatus for call appointments in a calendar application based on communication conditions of a mobile station

1. A method in a mobile communication device of processing calendar information, the method comprising the acts of:

identifying, by the mobile communication device, whether a radio frequency (RF) out-of-coverage condition exists between the mobile communication device and a wireless communication network within a predetermined time period from a date and time of an appointment associated with a calendar application of the mobile communication device;

in response to identifying the RF out-of-coverage condition within the predetermined time period from the date and time of the appointment, causing an RF out-of-coverage warning indication to be produced in association with the appointment at a user interface of the mobile communication device, the RF out-of-coverage warning indication indicating the existence of the RF out-of-coverage condition;

otherwise, when the mobile communication device fails to identify the RF out-of-coverage condition within the predetermined time period from the date and time of the appointment, refraining from causing the RF out-of-coverage warning indication to be produced at the user interface; and

at the date and time of the appointment: causing a calendar reminder indication for the appointment to be produced at the user interface as a reminder of the appointment.

2. The method of claim 1 , which is performed in accordance with computer instructions which are stored in a memory and executed on a processor of the mobile communication device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the RF out-of-coverage warning indication comprises a message which instructs a user of the mobile communication device to relocate the mobile communication device for removing the out-of-coverage condition.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the RF out-of-coverage warning indication includes an audible or vibrating alert.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying whether the appointment is associated with call appointment information for a call appointment with use of the mobile communication device;

when it is identified that the appointment is associated with the call appointment information: allowing the RF out-of-coverage warning indication to be displayed in response to identifying the RF out-of-coverage condition within the predetermined time period; and

when it is identified that the appointment is not associated with the call appointment information: refraining from causing the RF out-of-coverage warning indication to be displayed in response to identifying the RF out-of-coverage condition within the predetermined time period.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying whether the appointment is associated with a telephone number for a call appointment with use of the mobile communication device;

when it is identified that the appointment is associated with the telephone number: allowing the RF out-of-coverage warning indication to be displayed in response to identifying the RF out-of-coverage condition within the predetermined time period; and

when it is identified that the appointment is not associated with the telephone number: refraining from causing the RF out-of-coverage warning indication to be displayed in response to identifying the RF out-of-coverage condition within the predetermined time period.

7. A mobile communication device, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory coupled to the one or more processors;

a wireless transceiver coupled to the one or more processors;

the wireless transceiver being operative for communications with a wireless communication network;

a user interface which includes a visual display and a plurality of keys;

the one or more processors being operative to:

identify whether a radio frequency (RF) out-of-coverage condition exists between the mobile communication device and the wireless communication network within a predetermined time period from a date and time of an appointment associated with a calendar application of the mobile communication device;

in response to identifying the RF out-of-coverage condition within the predetermined time period from the date and time of the appointment, cause an RF out-of-coverage warning indication to be produced in association with the appointment at the user interface, the RF out-of-coverage warning indication indicating the existence of the RF out-of-coverage condition;

otherwise, if the one or more processors fail to identify the RF out-of-coverage condition within the predetermined time period from the date and time of the appointment, then refrain from causing the RF out-of-coverage warning indication to be produced at the user interface; and

at the date and time of the appointment: cause a calendar reminder indication for the appointment to be produced at the user interface as a reminder of the appointment.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 7 , wherein the wireless communication network comprises a cellular telecommunications network and the wireless transceiver is operative for communications with the cellular telecommunications network, the one or more processors being further operative to:

identify whether the RF out-of-coverage condition exists between the mobile communication device and the cellular telecommunications network.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 7 , wherein the RF out-of-coverage warning indication comprises a message which instructs a user of the mobile communication device to relocate the mobile communication device for removing the RF out-of-coverage condition.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 7 , further comprising:

the user interface further comprising at least one of an audible alert mechanism and a vibrating alert mechanism; and

wherein the RF out-of-coverage warning indication includes at least one of an audible alert via the audible alert mechanism and a vibrating alert via the vibrating alert mechanism.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

identify whether the appointment is associated with call appointment information for a call appointment with use of the mobile communication device;

when it is identified that the appointment is associated with the call appointment information: allow the RF out-of-coverage warning indication to be displayed in response to identifying the RF out-of-coverage condition within the predetermined time period; and

when it is identified that the appointment is not associated with the call appointment information: refrain from causing the RF out-of-coverage warning indication to be displayed in response to identifying the RF out-of-coverage condition within the predetermined time period.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

identify whether the appointment is associated with a telephone number for a call appointment with use of the mobile communication device;

when it is identified that the appointment is associated with the telephone number: allow the causing of the RF out-of-coverage warning indication to be displayed in response to identifying the RF out-of-coverage condition within the predetermined time period; and

when it is identified that the appointment is not associated with the telephone number: refrain from causing the RF out-of-coverage warning indication to be displayed in response to identifying the RF out-of-coverage condition within the predetermined time period.

13. A communication system, comprising:

a wireless communication network;

a mobile communication device operative in the wireless communication network;

the mobile communication device including:

one or more processors;

memory coupled to the one or more processors;

a wireless transceiver coupled to the one or more processors;

the wireless transceiver being operative for communications with the wireless communication network;

a user interface which includes a visual display and a plurality of keys;

the one or more processors being operative to:

identify whether a radio frequency (RF) out-of-coverage condition exists between the mobile communication device and the wireless communication network within a predetermined time period from a date and time of an appointment associated with a calendar application of the mobile communication device;

in response to identifying the RF out-of-coverage condition within the predetermined time period from the date and time of the appointment, cause an RF out-of-coverage warning indication to be produced in association with the appointment at the user interface, the RF out-of-coverage warning indication indicating the existence of the RF out-of-coverage condition;

otherwise, when the one or more processors fail to identify the RF out-of-coverage condition within the predetermined time period from the date and time of the appointment, then refrain from causing the RF out-of-coverage warning indication to be produced at the user interface; and

at the date and time of the appointment: cause a calendar reminder indication for the appointment to be produced at the user interface as a reminder of the appointment.

14. The communication system of claim 13 , wherein the wireless communication network comprises a cellular telecommunications network, and the one or more processors of the mobile communication device are further operative to:

identify whether the RF out-of-coverage condition exists between the wireless transceiver and the cellular telecommunications network.

15. The communication system of claim 13 , wherein the RF out-of-coverage warning indication comprises a message which instructs a user of the mobile communication device to relocate the mobile communication device for removing the RF out-of-coverage condition.

16. The communication system of claim 13 , further comprising:

the user interface of the mobile communication device further comprising at least one of an audible alert mechanism and a vibrating alert mechanism; and

wherein the RF out-of-coverage warning indication includes at least one of an audible alert via the audible alert mechanism and, a vibrating alert via the vibrating alert mechanism.

17. The communication system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors of the mobile communication device are further operative to:

identify whether the appointment is associated with call appointment information for a call appointment with use of the mobile communication device;

when it is identified that the appointment is associated with the call appointment information: allow the RF out-of-coverage warning indication to be displayed in response to identifying the RF out-of-coverage condition within the predetermined time period; and

when it is identified that the appointment is not associated with the call appointment information: refrain from causing the RF out-of-coverage warning indication to be displayed in response to identifying the RF out-of-coverage condition within the predetermined time period.

18. The communication system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors of the mobile communication device are further operative to:

identify whether the appointment is associated with a telephone number for a call appointment with use of the mobile communication device;

when it is identified that the appointment is associated with the telephone number: allow the RF out-of-coverage warning indication to be displayed in response to identifying the RF out-of-coverage condition within the predetermined time period; and

when it is identified that the appointment is not associated with the telephone number: refrain from causing the RF out-of-coverage warning indication to be displayed in response to identifying the RF out-of-coverage condition within the predetermined time period.