Multidimensional volume and vibration controls for a handheld electronic device

1. A method for adjusting control settings of a communication device comprising:

rendering a control module on a display of the communication device;

rendering a plurality of control portions within the control module, the control portions being serially and contiguously located on the display, the plurality of control portions comprising:

a first control portion corresponding to a first feature;

a second control portion corresponding to a second feature;

a third control portion corresponding to a combination of the first and second features; and

a fourth control portion corresponding to disabling the first and second features;

rendering the third control portion and the fourth control portion in a location between the first control portion and the second control portion; and

obtaining at the control module a different, non-overlapping portion of a single defined range of input values; and

allocating the single defined range to each of the first control portion, the second control portion, the third control portion, and the fourth control portion.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of control portions are located substantially linearly, one above the others, on the display.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the control setting includes one of a volume setting corresponding to the first control portion, a vibrate setting corresponding to the second control portion, a combination vibrate-and-volume setting corresponding to the third control portion and a disablement setting corresponding to the fourth control portion.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the control module further includes a movable slider having a slider coordinate position controlled by a selection tool.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 , further comprising:

detecting a selection proximate to one of the plurality of control portions wherein detecting further includes detecting the selection proximate the movable slider within one of the control portions;

generating a change request based upon the detected selection within one of the plurality of control portions; and

adjusting the control setting in response to the change request.

6. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the control module further includes a displayed color of setting intensity corresponding to the slider coordinate position within one of the control portions.

7. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the control module further includes a displayed magnitude of setting intensity corresponding to the slider coordinate position within one of the control portions.

8. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the display is a touch-sensitive display and wherein detecting a selection further includes detecting depressible engagement of the touch-sensitive display by a selection tool proximate the movable slider within one of the control portions.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the control module further includes a visible cursor that moves in correspondence with the movement of the selection tool in relation to the touch-sensitive display.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the selection is executed by the selection tool including a stylus.

11. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein the control module further includes a plurality of moveable sliders with each moveable slider having a slider coordinate position controlled by the selection tool and each moveable slider is associated with a corresponding one of the control portions.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein detecting further includes detecting the selection proximate one of the movable sliders within one of the control portions.

13. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the display is a touch-sensitive display and wherein detecting a selection further includes detecting depressible engagement of the touch-sensitive display by a selection tool proximate one of the movable sliders within one of the control portions.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the control module further includes a visible cursor that moves in correspondence with the movement of the selection tool in relation to the touch-sensitive display.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the selection is executed by the selection tool including a stylus.

16. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the selection is executed by the selection tool which is a navigational tool on the communication device.

17. A communication device comprising:

a display;

a processor in data-communication with the display of the communication device, the processor configured to render a control module on the display, the control module including a plurality of control portions within the control module, the control portions being serially and contiguously located on the display, the control portions comprising:

a first control portion corresponding to a first feature;

a second control portion corresponding to a second feature;

a third control portion corresponding to a combination of the first and second features; and

a fourth control portion corresponding to disabling the first and second features;

the processor further being configured to:

render the third control portion and the fourth control portion in a location between the first control portion and the second control portion; and

obtain, at the control module, a different, non-overlapping portion of a single defined range of input values; and

allocate the single defined range to each of the first control portion, the second control portion, the third control portion, and the fourth control portion.

18. The communication device as recited in claim 17 , wherein the control setting includes one of a volume setting corresponding to the first control portion, a vibrate setting corresponding to the second control portion, a combination vibrate-and-volume setting corresponding to the third control portion and a disablement setting corresponding to the fourth control portion.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a program for adjusting a control setting of a communication device, the program causing the communication device to:

render a control module on a display of the communication device;

render a plurality of control portions within the control module, the control portions being serially and contiguously located on the display, the control portions comprising:

a first control portion corresponding to a first feature;

a second control portion corresponding to a second feature;

a third control portion corresponding to a combination of the first and second features; and

a fourth control portion corresponding to disabling the first and second features;

render the third control portion and the fourth control portion in a location between the first control portion and the second control portion;

obtain at the control module a different, non-overlapping portion of a single defined range of input values; and

allocate the single defined range to each of the first control portion, the second control portion, the third control portion, and the fourth control portion.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 19 , wherein the control setting includes one of a volume setting corresponding to the first control portion, a vibrate setting corresponding to the second control portion, a combination vibrate-and-volume setting corresponding to the third control portion and a disablement setting corresponding to the fourth control portion.