Handheld electronic device including simplified enabling and disabling of short-range wireless communications element, and associated method
View Patent ↗An improved handheld electronic device and an associated method provide a simplified mechanism for enabling and disabling a short-range wireless communications element used to create a connection to a short-range wireless network, such as a Bluetooth™ network. The method, implemented by the handheld electronic device, includes enabling the short-range wireless communications element, pairing the handheld electronic device with a second electronic device using the short-range wireless communications element, and providing a first icon on the handheld electronic device after pairing the handheld electronic device with the second electronic device. Thereafter, the method includes disabling the short-range wireless communications element and providing a second icon on the handheld electronic device whenever the first icon is activated, and enabling the short-range wireless communications element and providing the first icon on the handheld electronic device whenever the second icon is activated.
1. A non-transitory computer-readable memory storing one or more routines for use in the execution in a computer processor of a method of enabling and disabling a short-range wireless communications element of an electronic device, the method comprising:
enabling said short-range wireless communications element including a transmitter/receiver element;
pairing said electronic device with a second electronic device using said short-range wireless communications element; rendering a first icon on a display of said electronic device after pairing said electronic device with said second electronic device;
disabling said transmitter/receiver element by interacting with said first icon, said first icon being replaced with a second icon on said electronic device, and
enabling said transmitter/receiver element by interacting with said second icon, said second icon being replaced with said first icon on said electronic device.
2. The computer-readable memory according to claim 1 , wherein said short-range wireless communications element is a communications element capable of communicating at a frequency of 2.4 Gigahertz.
3. The computer-readable memory according to claim 2 , wherein said first icon or said second icon are graphic icons.
4. The computer-readable memory according to claim 1 , wherein said electronic device has a battery, and wherein said transmitter/receiver element does not consume power from said battery when disabled.
5. The computer-readable memory according to claim 1 , wherein said first and second icons are displayed on a home screen of said electronic device.
6. An electronic device, comprising:
a display;
a short-range wireless communications element;
a processor in communication with said short-range wireless communications element, the processor for:
enabling said short-range wireless communications element including a transmitter/receiver element;
pairing said electronic device with a second electronic device using said short-range wireless communications element;
rendering a first icon on the display of said electronic device after pairing said electronic device with said second electronic device; and
disabling said transmitter/receiver element by interacting with said first icon, said first icon being replaced with a second icon on said electronic device, and
enabling said transmitter/receiver element by interacting with said second icon, said second icon being replaced with said first icon on said electronic device.
7. The electronic device according to claim 6 , wherein said short-range wireless communications element is a communications element capable of communicating at a frequency of 2.4 Gigahertz.
8. The electronic device according to claim 7 , wherein said first icon or said second icon are graphic icons.
9. The electronic device according to claim 6 , wherein said electronic device has a battery, and wherein said transmitter/receiver element does not consume power from said battery when disabled.
10. The electronic device according to claim 6 , wherein said first and second icons are displayed on a home screen of said electronic device.
11. A method of enabling and disabling a short-range wireless communications element of an electronic device, comprising:
enabling said short-range wireless communications element including a transmitter/receiver element;
pairing said electronic device with a second electronic device using said short-range wireless communications element;
rendering a first icon on a display of said electronic device after pairing said electronic device with said second electronic device;
disabling said transmitter/receiver element by interacting with said first icon, said first icon being replaced with a second icon on said electronic device, and
enabling said transmitter/receiver element by interacting with said second icon, said second icon being replaced with said first icon on said electronic device.
12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said short-range wireless communications element is a communications element capable of communicating at a frequency of 2.4 Gigahertz.
13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said first icon or said second icon are graphic icons.
14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said electronic device has a battery, and wherein said transmitter/receiver element does not consume power from said battery wherein when disabled.
15. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said first and second icons are displayed on a home screen of said electronic device.