User interface methods and apparatus for use in communicating text and photo messages

1. A method for use in messaging from a portable communication device having a camera module, the method comprising:

in an instant communication mode, presenting a conversation thread of a message conversation involving one or more participants, and presenting text input field for entering text in the message conversation;

during the presentation of the conversation thread and the text input field for entering text, in response to detecting an actuation of a send key of the portable communication device, sending by the portable communication device to the one or more participants a message which includes the text from the text input field; and

in the instant communication mode, in response to detecting an actuation of a camera shutter key, performing by the portable communication device an automatic multi-step process which includes capturing a photographic image via the camera module, attaching the photographic image to the message, and sending, to the one or more participants in the message conversation, the message which includes the attached photographic image,

wherein the send key and the camera shutter key are separate keys and wherein actuation of the send key does not cause a photographic image to be captured.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to detecting the actuation of the camera shutter key, suppressing a preview mode of the camera module.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

opening a camera application of the portable communication device; and

in response to opening of the camera application, invoking the preview mode of the camera module.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

refraining from presenting a user input prompt for saving the photographic image after capturing the photographic image with the camera module.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in a non-instant communication session, during presentation of a text input field for entering text:

in response to detecting an actuation of the send key or an enter key, sending to one or more recipients a message which includes the text from the text input field;

in response to detecting an actuation of the camera shutter key, performing a multi-step process which includes capturing a photographic image with the camera module and attaching the photographic image to a message, without sending the message; and

in response to detecting an actuation of the send or enter key while the photographic image is attached to the message, sending to the one or more recipients the message which includes the attached photographic image.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the instant communication session comprises an instant message (IM) communications or BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) message communications.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the non-instant instant communication session comprises Short Message Service (SMS) message communications or electronic mail (e-mail) message communications.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in a voice call mode with a voice call maintained with a voice call participant via a wireless network: in response to detecting an actuation of a camera shutter key, performing an automatic multi-step process which includes capturing a photographic image with the camera module, attaching the photographic image to a message, and sending to the voice call participant the message which includes the attached photographic image.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising:

computer instructions stored in the computer readable medium;

the computer instructions being executable by one or more processors of a communication device for:

in an instant communication mode, presenting a conversation thread of a message conversation involving one or more participants, and presenting a text input field for entering text in the message conversation;

during the presentation of the conversation thread and the text input field for entering text, in response to detecting an actuation of a send key of the portable communication device, sending by the portable communication device to the one or more participants a message which includes the text from the text input field; and

in the instant communication mode, in response to detecting an actuation of a camera shutter key, performing by the portable communication device an automatic multi-step process which includes capturing a photographic image via a camera module, attaching the photographic image to a message, and sending, to the one or more participants, the message which includes the attached photographic image,

wherein the send key and the camera shutter key are separate keys and wherein actuation of the send key does not cause a photographic image to be captured.

10. A wireless communication device, comprising:

one or more processors;

a radio frequency (RF) transceiver coupled to the one or more processors;

a user interface coupled to the one or more processors, the user interface comprising a display;

memory coupled to the one or more processors;

the one or more processors being configured to:

in an instant communication mode, presenting a conversation thread of a message conversation involving one or more participants, and presenting a text input field for entering text in the message conversation;

during the presentation of the conversation thread and the text input field for entering text, in response to detecting an actuation of a send key of the portable communication device, sending by the portable communication device to the one or more participants a message which includes the text from the text input field; and

in the instant communication mode, in response to detecting an actuation of a camera shutter key, performing by the portable communication device an automatic multi-step process which includes capturing a photographic image via a camera module, attaching the photographic image to the message, and sending via the RF transceiver to the one or more participants, the message which includes the attached photographic image,

wherein the send key and the camera shutter key are separate keys and wherein actuation of the send key does not cause a photographic image to be captured.

11. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to suppress a preview mode of the camera module.

12. The wireless communication device of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

open a camera application;

in response to opening of the camera application, invoke the preview mode of the camera module.

13. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to refrain from presenting a user input prompt for saving the photographic image after capturing the photographic image with the camera module.

14. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

in a non-instant communication session, during presentation of a text input field for entering text:

in response to detecting an actuation of the send or an enter key, send to one or more recipients via the RF transceiver a message which includes the text from the text input field;

in response to detecting an actuation of the camera shutter key, performing a multi-step process which includes capturing a photographic image with the camera module and attaching the photographic image to a message, without sending the message via the RF transceiver; and

in response to detecting an actuation of the send or enter key while the photographic image is attached to the message, sending to the one or more recipients via the RF transceiver the message which includes the attached photographic image.

15. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , wherein the instant communication session comprises instant message (IM) communications or BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) message communications.

16. The wireless communication device of claim 14 , wherein the non-instant instant communication session comprises Short Message Service (SMS) message communications or electronic mail (e-mail) message communications.

17. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , wherein the portable communication device comprises a cellular telephone operative in a cellular telecommunications network.

18. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

in a voice call mode where a voice call is maintained with a voice call participant via the wireless network: in response to detecting an actuation of a camera shutter key, performing an automatic multi-step process which includes capturing a photographic image with the camera module, attaching the photographic image to a message, and sending to the voice call participant via the RF transceiver the message which includes the attached photographic image.