Methods and apparatus for providing presentations for the composition of messages having size limitations

1. A method for use in a communication device, the method comprising:

providing a message composition interface; and

presenting a maximum allowable remaining number of characters allowable for further entry in the message only when a character count of the number of character inputs received in the message is greater than or equal to a warning count value, the warning count value being less than a maximum allowable number of characters of the message.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message comprises a message segment.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message comprises a message segment, and the maximum allowable number of characters of the message segment is one hundred and sixty four (164).

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

presenting a number of message segments in the message along with the maximum allowable remaining number of characters allowable for further entry in the message only when the character count is greater than or equal to the warning count value.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

when the character count meets the warning count value, presenting an alert bar which includes the maximum allowable remaining number of characters allowable for further entry in the message.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the warning count value is less than the maximum allowable number of characters by a predetermined number, the predetermined number being ten (10).

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

when the character count meets the warning count value, presenting an alert bar which includes the maximum allowable remaining number of characters allowable for further entry in the message; and

after the character count meets the warning count value, when the character count becomes less than the warning count value, removing the presentation of the alert bar which includes the maximum allowable remaining number of characters allowable for further entry in the message.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message includes a first message segment, the method further comprising:

when the character count exceeds the maximum allowable number of characters in the first message segment:

producing a second message segment for the message; and

incrementing a count of the number of message segments for the message.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

maintaining a message segment count for the message; and

when the message segment count exceeds a maximum allowable number of segments permitted for the message, presenting a messaging mode switching indicator.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

formatting the message for transmission via a Short Message Service (SMS).

11. A computer readable medium, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium;

computer instructions stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium;

the computer instructions being executable by one or more processors of a communication device for providing a presentation for composition of a message by performing the actions of:

providing a message composition interface; and

presenting a maximum allowable remaining number of characters allowable for further entry in the message only when a character count of the number of character inputs received in the message is greater than or equal to a warning count value, the warning count value being less than a maximum allowable number of characters of the message.

12. A wireless communication device, comprising:

one or more processors;

a wireless 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:

provide a message composition interface in the user interface; and

present a maximum allowable remaining number of characters allowable for further entry in the message only when a character count of the number of character inputs received in the message is greater than or equal to a warning count value, the warning count value being less than a maximum allowable number of characters of the message.

13. The wireless communication device of claim 12 , wherein the message comprises a message segment.

14. The wireless communication device of claim 12 , wherein the message comprises a message segment, and the maximum allowable number of characters of the message segment is one hundred and sixty four (164).

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

present a number of message segments in the message along with the maximum allowable remaining number of characters allowable for further entry in the message only when the character count is greater than or equal to the warning count value.

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

when the character count meets the warning count value, present an alert bar which includes the maximum allowable remaining number of characters allowable for further entry in the message.

17. The wireless communication device of claim 12 , wherein the warning count value is less than the maximum allowable number of characters by a predetermined number, the predetermined number being ten (10).

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

when the character count meets the warning count value, present an alert bar which includes the maximum allowable remaining number of characters allowable for further entry in the message; and

after the character count meets the warning count value, when the character count becomes less than the warning count value, remove the presentation of the alert bar which includes the maximum allowable remaining number of characters allowable for further entry in the message.

19. The wireless communication device of claim 12 , wherein the message includes a first message segment, and the one or more processors are further configured to:

when the character count exceeds the maximum allowable number of characters in the first message segment:

produce a second message segment for the message; and

increment a count of the number of message segments for the message.

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

maintain a message segment count for the message; and

when the message segment count exceeds a maximum allowable number of segments permitted for the message, present a messaging mode switching indicator.