Apple Exhibit 1015 Page 00001
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jun. 18, 2002
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`Sheet 1 013
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`US 6,408,191 B1
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`FIG.
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`1
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`112
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`PROGRAM
`MEMORY
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`DATA
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`FIG. 2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jun. 18, 2002
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`Sheet 3 of 3
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`US 6,408,191 B1
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`US 6,408,191 B1
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`1
`ARRANGEMENT FOR DISPLAYING
`MESSAGE SCREENS ON A TELEPHONE
`TERMINAL
`
`This is a continuation of copending application(s) Ser.
`No. 08/775,317 filed on Dec. 31, 1996.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`1. Technical Field
`
`This invention is directed to telephone terminals and more
`particularly, to a telephone terminal configurable by a user
`for accessing messages available at the terminal through an
`interactive display arrangement.
`2. Description of the Prior Art
`Current trends in the design of telephone terminals indi-
`cate that more and more of telephone functionality is being
`integrated into the telephone display on the terminal. For
`example, information as to features available on the display
`has migrated from light emitting diodes (LEDs) to the
`display, and local additions such as directories, incoming
`caller information and the like, are all migrating to the
`display.
`The technology presently in use in telephone displays is
`character-based liquid crystal device (LCD) displays. These
`displays are configured in various array sizes such as, for
`example, a 2 line by 10 character LCD display, a 3 line by
`12 character LCD display and even a 4 line by 12 character
`LCD display. In order to be artfully incorporated into the
`telephone housing of some telephone terminals, by way of
`example,
`the recently introduced AT&T 3760 and 3770
`wireless telephone terminals, these displays tend to be small,
`typically on the order of one inch in height. Also, in order to
`provide a reasonable number of characters for information
`such as caller information and directory access information,
`a small font size for the characters is generally used.
`Wireless telephone terminals have evolved to a state
`where they now permit reception and storage of short
`messages for access by a user at his or her convenience.
`Such short message capability has traditionally been pro-
`vided in paging devices, which alert the user upon receipt of
`a new message through beeping, vibrating and the like.
`Since in these devices this message function is usually the
`only one provided, the user simply presses a button when-
`ever he or she wishes to view the messages, which are
`typically identified as a series of message headers.
`Existing short message-capable wireless telephone termi-
`nals rely upon a “pager model” for viewing messages. Such
`design requires that a user of the terminal initially view a
`series of message headers.
`In order to view an entire
`message, the user must select a specific header in order to
`view the message body corresponding to that message
`header. Likewise, the user must take a separate action to exit
`from the message body level and return to the message
`header level. It is therefore desirable that the short message
`capability be incorporated in a telephone terminal
`in a
`manner that allows a user to easily access, view and manage
`a received message presented on a small display.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The prior art problem is solved in accordance with the
`present invention by providing an arrangement for display-
`ing message screens on a telephone terminal through which
`easy access to messages received by the telephone terminal
`from a service provider is available for
`the user. The
`arrangement allows users to seamlessly and intuitively view
`
`2
`header and body information of a message without the need
`for any additional, unnecessary key presses.
`A set of menu keys or buttons in a user interface provides,
`in accordance with a first aspect of the invention, quick
`access to messages as well as other features of the telephone
`terminal with just a few key presses of these menu keys. The
`menu keys include a “Right” arrow key, a “Left” arrow key,
`an “Up” arrow key, a “Down” arrow key, a “Select” key and
`a “Home” key. The Right, Left, Up and Down arrow keys
`are functionally descriptive in moving between menu
`screens and advantageously provides a dual axis of control
`for a user in navigating among a plurality of these menu
`screens. The Select key selects or advances to a feature
`choice which is being displayed in a menu screen. Finally,
`the Home key is used to return a user to an original or
`starting menu screen in the plurality of menu screens.
`In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, each
`message in a series of messages may be viewed by selecting
`a “messages menu” choice in a displayed menu. Once this
`messages menu choice is selected by the Select key, the
`message header in the displayed menu provides an enumera-
`tion for the particular message being displayed as well as a
`total number of messages in the series of messages. Also in
`the menu screen, the message body is displayed in available
`characters spaces on the display and below the message
`header. If the received message body is greater than the
`available character spaces of the display, a down-arrow is
`provided in the display to indicate that the message body
`continues and that additional information can be viewed by
`scrolling to the next screen with the Down arrow key. At any
`point in the message being viewed, the user may step to the
`next message in the series of messages by pressing the Right
`arrow key, which sends the user to the top of this next
`message. The user can use the Left and Right arrow keys in
`a similar fashion to step backward and forward to all
`messages. This dual axis of control advantageously allows a
`user to view the contents of a menu area without having to
`perform the additional step of selecting, with the Select key,
`each message in the area.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
`
`This invention and its mode of operation will be more
`clearly understood from the following detailed description
`when read with the appended drawings in which:
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a wireless telephone terminal
`and a base unit,
`the telephone terminal being usable for
`incorporating the present invention;
`FIG. 2 illustrates the telephone terminal of FIG. 1 includ-
`ing a user interactive display displaying a first menu screen
`accessible in accordance with the present invention; and
`FIGS. 3 and 4 are flow charts of the invention illustrating
`some of the display screens provided by the circuitry shown
`in FIG. 1 and also illustrating how movement between these
`display screens is achieved, in accordance with the inven-
`tion.
`
`Throughout the drawing, the same elements when shown
`in more than one figure are designated by the same reference
`numerals.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown an illustrative
`block diagram of a wireless telephone terminal 100 useful
`for describing the operation of the present invention. The
`telephone terminal is configured so that incoming messages
`from a service provider may be received from a base station
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`US 6,408,191 B1
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`3
`or unit 120 and accessed or stored, as appropriate. Auser of
`the terminal
`is alerted to the receipt of each of these
`messages and also provided easy access to these messages
`through a user interface 200, described in detail later herein.
`Examples of other user interfaces in telephone terminals are
`found in copending and commonly assigned U.S. patent
`applications, Ser. Nos. 08/559,516, 08/559,517, and 08/678,
`392.
`
`The terminal includes an input/output (I/O) interface unit
`110 which connects to a radio frequency (RF) transceiver
`111 containing a transmitter and receiver for providing
`communications in, by way of illustrative example, a cel-
`lular radio system.
`Various types of cellular radio systems are known in the
`art and have been otherwise described. One such system is
`described in The Bell System Technical Journal, Volume 58,
`January 1979, Number 1, particularly in papers entitled
`“Advanced Mobile Phone Service:
`Introduction, Back-
`ground and Objectives” by W. R. Young and “The Cellular
`Concept” by V. H. MacDonald.
`The RF transceiver 111 also may provide communications
`suitable for operating in a cordless telephone system. Such
`a cordless telephone system is described in U.S. Pat. Nos.
`4,706,274 and 5,044,010, for example.
`This I/O interface unit 110 contains switching and control
`circuits required by the terminal 100 for establishing, main-
`taining and terminating RF communications connections
`between terminal 100 and base unit 120. Through these
`circuits and via antennas 115 and 125, the terminal 100 thus
`sends to and receives the appropriate signals, including the
`incoming messages, from the base unit via the RaF trans-
`ceiver 111.
`
`The terminal 100 also includes a program memory 112
`which provides instructions to a central processor unit
`(CPU) 113 for controlling the various operating features and
`functions originating at the terminal. This program memory
`112 contains data for interpreting a plurality of codes
`representative of various control signals received from the
`base unit 120 and for generating codes to be transmitted to
`the base unit 120. Adata memory 114 is utilized by the CPU
`113 for storing and accessing data associated with perform-
`ing the various functions and features programmed in the
`program memory 112. In the described embodiment, CPU
`113 is a microprocessor, program memory 112 is a read-
`only-memory (ROM) and data memory 114 is a random-
`access-memory
`These components are readily
`available from a number of semiconductor manufacturers
`such as Intel, Motorola, AMD and NEC. Connected to the
`interface unit 110 is a user interface 200, the physical aspects
`of which are shown in greater detail in FIG. 2.
`A messaging service is advantageously employed in a
`wireless system since a user or subscriber of a wireless
`telephone terminal may not be available when a caller
`attempts to reach him or her through a regular wireless
`telephone call. Through use of the messaging service, the
`caller is able to leave a short message that will be received
`by the subscriber when he or she “resurfaces” or becomes
`available at the telephone terminal. A messaging service
`known as Short Message Service (SMS) is presently avail-
`able from AT&T Corp.
`in the AT&T AUTOPLEX (R)
`System-1000.
`The SMS message is a feature that is incorporated in a
`message center (not shown) that is part of the overall cellular
`system. In achieving the SMS message feature, the message
`center provides a voice mail functionality which enables the
`message center to play an announcement that prompts a
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`caller to leave a SMS message. A store and forward func-
`tionality also is provided in the message center. This store
`and forward functionality enables the message center to
`forward the SMS message to the telephone terminal at the
`appropriate time for conveying it to the user of the telephone
`terminal.
`
`In order to suitably illustrate the SMS feature, the fol-
`lowing descriptive operation for this feature is provided.
`1. A caller from a wireless telephone terminal or a
`land-based station makes a call to a subscriber with a
`
`wireless telephone terminal who subscribes to the SMS
`feature.
`
`2. The SMS subscriber’s telephone terminal alerts the
`subscriber, but for some reason, the subscriber does not
`answer. If the subscriber is made aware of the incoming
`call and wishes to reroute the call to the message center,
`the subscriber needs only to press a send key 229 on the
`telephone terminal. Alternatively, if the telephone ter-
`minal of the subscriber happens to be in the OFF state
`when the call is made, the call is automatically rerouted
`to the message center.
`3. When the call is received at the message center, the
`message center greets the caller and makes a suitable
`announcement such as: Please press 1 if you would like
`to leave a Spoken Voice Message, or Please press 2 if
`you would like to have your Party Paged, or Please
`press 3 if you would like to leave a Short Alphanumeric
`Message.
`4. If the caller presses “1”, and chooses to leave a Spoken
`Voice Message, then the caller is prompted to do so “at
`the tone.” The called party is then appraised of pending
`voice messages via voice mail notification or Message
`Waiting indication. The called party is then expected to
`call into the voice mail notification and access the voice
`mail.
`
`5. If the caller presses “2”, and chooses to have his or her
`party paged, then the caller is prompted to enter via the
`keypad a “Reach Me” number. This will be delivered
`for display as, for example, “Please call 234-5678”
`when the called party resurfaces and responds to a
`page. The called party is then expected to call the
`“Reach Me” number.
`
`6.
`
`If the caller presses “3”, and chooses to leave a
`personalized Short Alphanumeric Message,
`then the
`caller is connected to a human attendant, who will
`transcribe the message into text which will be typically
`equal to 220 characters. This text is then stored at the
`message center.
`7. When the called party resurfaces, a home location
`register (not shown) in the cellular system notifies the
`message center.
`8. The message center forwards the SMS/Paging infor-
`mation to the SMS subscriber.
`
`9. For the SMS subscriber whose telephone terminal is in
`the idle state, the SMS/Paging information is conveyed
`to the telephone terminal and an alerting signal
`is
`generated in the terminal. This alerting signal times out
`after about three seconds after the SMS/Paging mes-
`sage is sent to the telephone terminal.
`10. For the SMS subscriber whose telephone terminal is
`in the talk state, and if that telephone is an analog
`telephone, then a type of call waiting is invoked which
`allows the called party to receive an indication of the
`SMS/Paging information at the terminal. If the tele-
`phone terminal is a digital telephone, i.e., code division
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`US 6,408,191 B1
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`multiple access (CDMA) or time division multiple
`access (TDMA),
`then the SMS/Paging signal
`is
`received in the terminal independent of the state of the
`terminal. Beep tones are provided to the SMS
`subscriber, thus bringing attention to this delivery.
`11. While the telephone terminal is in either the idle or
`talk state,
`the subscriber is able to view the SMS/
`Paging message.
`the user interface 200
`With reference now to FIG. 2,
`comprises a user interactive display 210 which includes a
`number of Icon screen display symbols. Such screen display
`symbols include a battery level symbol 211, a signal strength
`symbol 212, a Home symbol 213, a Phone Book symbol
`214, a Mailbox symbol 215, a Lock symbol 216 and a Tools
`symbol 217.
`The battery level symbol 211 consists of four battery
`icons or symbols for showing the battery power level. At full
`charge, all symbols are filled-in. As the battery loses power,
`the filled-in part of each one of the symbols is removed from
`top to bottom leaving only the symbol outline. When only
`one filled-in symbol remains, it is an indication to the user
`to recharge the battery. The signal strength symbol 212
`provides an indication of the received signal strength. The
`radiating portion of this symbol appears largest when the
`received signal
`is strong and becomes smaller as the
`received signal becomes weaker.
`Also shown in the user interface 200 is a set of menu keys
`or buttons which provides, in accordance with the disclosed
`embodiment, quick access to all of the features of the
`telephone terminal with just a few key presses of these menu
`keys. The menu keys include a “Left” arrow key 221, a “Up”
`key 222, a “Right” arrow key 223, a “Down” arrow key 224,
`a “Home” key 225 and a “Select” key 227 which are
`functionally descriptive in moving between menu screens.
`These directional keys provide a dual axis of control for a
`user in navigating among a plurality of these menu screens.
`The Select key 227 selects the feature which is being
`displayed along the side of the filled-in oval outline. The
`Home key 225 is used to return a user to the original starting
`screen in the plurality of display screens. Other well-known
`keys or buttons: a “Talk” or send key 229, an “End” key 226
`and a “Power” key 228, as well as others illustrated in the
`form of a dial pad, are also part of the telephone terminal
`shown in FIG. 2 but are conventional keys and need not be
`described in detail herein, except
`to indicate that,
`in a
`cellular system, the Talk key 229 and the End key 226 are
`used to respectively send a just-entered or stored telephone
`number to a base unit and to terminate an established
`conversation.
`
`The screen display changes dynamically as the user
`performs functions and makes selections via the Select key
`227. Shown in the display 210 is just one menu screen in the
`hierarchically arranged menu. The illustrated entry is one of
`possible original starting screens or the “Home Screen”
`which is conveniently provided for a user whenever the
`telephone terminal
`is turned ON from an OFF state or
`returned to its standby state after the user presses the End
`key 226, terminating a telephone call.
`The Icon Home symbol 213, the Icon Phone Book symbol
`214, the Icon Mailbox symbol 215, the Icon Lock symbol
`216 and the Icon Tools symbol 216 are associated with
`parent menu screens which are at
`the top level
`in the
`hierarchical display. When the wireless terminal is turned on
`with the power key 228, the Home symbol 213 and its two
`selectable features from this level are provided in the Home
`Screen display or display 210. Also shown in this display is
`the name of the service provider that provides the user with
`cellular service and, optionally, time and date information.
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`The Phone Book symbol 214 is associated with a parent
`screen display for sub-menu displays in which telephone
`numbers are added or deleted, viewed or retrieved as appro-
`priate by a terminal user. The Mailbox symbol 215 is
`associated with a parent screen display for sub-menu dis-
`plays in which voice messages, test messages and call logs
`(incoming and outgoing) are accessed. The Lock symbol
`216 is associated with a parent screen display for sub-menu
`displays through which security is provided for the terminal
`device. Display screens such as Phone Locks, Call Blocks,
`Phone Book Access and Mailbox access are accessed from
`
`this parent screen. The Tools symbol 217 is associated with
`a parent screen display for sub-menu displays through phone
`settings, call options and service options which are set by a
`user or representative of the service provider, as appropriate.
`A user easily and intuitively advances among the parent
`menu screens by using the Right and Left arrow keys 223
`and 225. As the user cycles among these screens, the Icon
`screen display symbol that is associated with the selected
`parent screen is filled-in or darkened thereby informing the
`user just which one of the top menu options is active. From
`either of the parent menu screens at the top level in the
`hierarchical display, the Down arrow key 224 moves down
`through the selectable sub-level menu choices and cycles at
`the bottom, back to the first entry of the sub-level menu
`choices.
`In order to access one of the sub-level menu
`choices, the user must select into the desired sublevel menu
`choice, with the Select key 227. While in a sub-level menu
`choice, should the user desire to move directly up in this
`menu choice, the Up arrow key 222 is used to take the user
`up through this choice and back to the parent screen. The
`simplicity of the user interface is that all features illustrated
`by the display screens herein are accessible through the use
`of the directional keys and the select key. Although all are
`not shown, each one of the equal
`level menu choices
`represented by menu screen displays 210, 320, 330, 340 and
`350 provide a number of selectable optional screens that
`may be selected by the user of the telephone terminal 100.
`The user interactive display 210 also includes a menu
`level indicator 218. This menu level indicator includes both
`
`upper and lower brackets and also a plurality of symbols
`comprising elliptical or oval shaped outlines enclosed in the
`brackets and aligned in a column on a side of the screen
`display. Selective use of the brackets advantageously pro-
`vide an indication to the user that all selectable choices are
`
`available on the displayed screen or that one or more
`selectable choices are not shown on the displayed screen.
`Specifically, an open or missing bracket at the bottom of the
`menu level indicator 218 provides an indication to the user
`that there are additional choices off-screen and that the user
`
`may scroll down to these choices with the Down arrow key
`224. An example of the menu level indicator with an open
`bracket at the bottom is shown in the display screen 210. An
`open or missing bracket at
`the top of the menu level
`indicator 218 provides an indication to the user that there are
`additional choices off-screen and that the user may scroll up
`to these choices with the Up arrow key 222. Aclosed bracket
`indicates that the display screen includes all of the selectable
`choices.
`
`The Menu options or selectable features accessible for
`display and other information, to be described later herein,
`are provided by the filled-in oval shaped outline. When
`selectable menu options are being displayed on the menu
`screen, only one oval shaped outline is filled in for indicating
`to the user the one option that will then be selected when the
`Select key 227 is pressed. The level indicator 218 thus
`informs a user just which one of the menu options is
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`US 6,408,191 B1
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`7
`currently active and may be selected by the dark or filled-in
`oval shaped outline next to a menu screen option. As shown
`in screen display 210, for example, a user may select the last
`number dialed by depressing the Select key 227 since the
`filled in oval 219 is adjacent to the “Last Number” screen
`display option. Auser may also advance to the “View Own
`Num” screen display option by depressing first the Down
`arrow key 224 and then the Select key 227. Once the user of
`the telephone terminal has decided which menu choice he or
`she wishes to explore, the directional arrow keys 221, 222,
`223 and 224 are used to place the darkened oval next to that
`choice on the display and the Select key 227 is then pressed
`to select that menu choice.
`
`While the embodiment of the present invention is illus-
`tratively described as incorporated into a wireless telephone
`terminal, it should be recognized that the present command-
`operated terminal could be utilized in other program-
`controlled systems such as wired telephone terminals. Since
`such systems utilize a variety of hardware and programming
`techniques, no attempt is made to describe the details of the
`program used to control the telephone terminal. However,
`the present
`invention must be blended into the overall
`structure of the system in which it is used and must be
`tailored to mesh with other features and operations of the
`system. Thus, in order to avoid confusion and in order to
`enable those skilled in the art
`to practice the claimed
`invention, this specification will describe the operation of
`the present
`invention using the telephone terminal 100
`shown in FIG. 1; the display screen shown in FIG. 2; and the
`display screen flow diagrams of FIGS. 3 and 4 which, taken
`together, describe the logical steps and the various param-
`eters required to implement the present invention.
`FIG. 3 shows a flow chart for illustrating some of the
`display screens provided by the circuitry in FIG. 1 and
`produced in the interactive display in the same manner as
`illustratively shown in display 210 in FIG. 2. These display
`screens, along with those shown in FIG. 4, are illustratively
`embodied in a 4-line by 12 character LCD display. The
`sequence in which these display screens are provided is
`indicated by the flow chart, and is shown in sufficient detail
`to permit one skilled in the art to duplicate the circuitry of
`FIG. 1, either by programming a microprocessor or by
`special purpose logic circuitry such as is available in a
`digital signal processor.
`The display screens shown in FIG. 3 are of the five parent
`screens 210, 320, 330, 340 and 350 or main areas on the top
`level of the menu. For general navigation on this top level
`of the menu, the user uses the Right or Left arrow keys 223
`or 221 to move across the five main areas of the display,
`which are, the Home screen, where manual calls are placed,
`the Phone Book, Mail Box, Lock, and Tools.
`For ease of understanding the flow charts shown in both
`FIGS. 3 and 4 and movement between the display screens
`shown therein, filled-in or darkened directional triangles,
`which respectively represent the four directional arrow keys,
`are employed. Thus, by way of example, movement between
`the display screen 210 and display screen 320 may be
`accomplished by pressing the right arrow key 223, which
`also has an image of a right-facing triangle located thereon.
`Similarly, movement between the display screen 320 and
`display screen 210 may be accomplished by pressing the left
`arrow key 225, which also has an image of a left-facing
`triangle located thereon. Movement between display screen
`320 and display screen 321 is achieved in a similar manner,
`only using up-facing and down-facing triangles which
`respectively correspond to the up arrow key 222 and the
`down arrow key 224. For further ease of understanding,
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`40
`
`45
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`50
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`55
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`60
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`65
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`8
`these directional triangles are positioned near interconnect-
`ing lines that extend to those display screens between which
`the user is able to navigate.
`When navigation between screens requires that the user
`press the Select key 227, a filled-in elliptical or oval shaped
`outline is positioned near the interconnecting line that
`requires this key press. Thus, for example, to move from
`menu screen 331 to menu screen 401 requires pressing the
`Select key 227. And this filled in oval shaped outline is
`conveniently provided on the top surface of the Select Key
`227.
`
`With reference now to navigating in the parent screens,
`and starting from the Home display screen 210, the user can
`press the Right arrow key 223, for example, to move across
`to the Phone Book screen 320 and see the first
`three
`
`selectable features of the Phone Book. Here the Up and
`Down arrow keys 222 and 224 can be used to move the
`darkened elliptical cursor to any of the Phone Book features
`as shown in screens 320 through 323 and the Select key 227
`can then be used to choose a feature. The Right arrow key
`223 again allows movement to the next area of the interface,
`the Mail Box screen 330 where the three features of the
`
`Mailbox screen can be viewed and accessed. Another press
`of the Right arrow key moves the user to the Locks screen
`340 where features shown in screens 340 through 344 are
`accessed. Yet another press of the Right arrow key moves the
`user to the Tools screen 350 where features shown in the
`
`screens 350 through 353 are accessed. One last press of the
`Right arrow key moves the user to the home screen 210 once
`again. As the user moves to each of the parent screens, the
`outline of the Icon associated with that parent screen is
`darkened. Thus the user always knows which main area is
`being accessed.
`The flow chart in FIG. 4 shows how a received message
`is accessed in the telephone terminal while the terminal is in
`the idle or standby state. Once a message has arrived and the
`user desires to access this message, the user simply presses
`the Right or Left arrow key, as appropriate, to get to the
`Mailbox screen 330, shown in FIG. 3, and then the Down
`arrow key 224 to position the darkened oval next to the text
`message option as shown in display screen 331, this screen
`being shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. From here, the user then
`presses the Select key 227 to view a text message log which
`contains not only the recently received message but also any
`previously stored and not deleted messages, typically up to
`30. By pressing the select key 227 at this point, the user is
`taken to the first message screen display which shows the
`most recently received message. Having selected into the
`message log,
`the user is now also able to view other
`messages in this message log, as desired.
`Once the user enters the text message log through the
`menu he or she is placed into the first message, for example,
`message screen display 401 which is labeled 01 of 07. The
`message shown in this screen display 401 is short and has no
`additional information beyond that shown in display 401. By
`pressing the Select key at the screen display 401, the user is
`provided the options of Storing the number, Seeing a long
`number and Sending DTMF tones to the far end. Such
`operation is described in copending U.S. application Ser.
`No. 08/559,516. The Select option is similarly available at
`screens 402 through 406. The user also may press the Right
`arrow key 223 to view the next message which is labeled 02
`of 07. At this message screen display 402, the user has two
`options with respect to viewing new information. The first
`one is that he or she can use the Right arrow key 223 to scroll
`to message 03 as shown in message screen display 404, or
`he or she can use the Down arrow key 224 to scroll to the
`
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`US 6,408,191 B1
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`9
`remainder of message 02, as shown in screen display 403. At
`any point while reading message 2 the user can press the
`Right arrow key 223 to View message 3, and then the Down
`arrow key 224 to view the remainder of message 3 or, while
`viewing message 3, the Right arrow key 223 at any time for
`viewing message 4 (not shown) and the other received
`messages. The left and up arrow keys 221 and 222 are also
`valid at all times, the Left arrow key 221 allowing the user
`to scroll to the previous message and the Up arrow key 222
`allowing the user to scroll to previous pages of the current
`message.
`In the disclosed embodiment of the invention, the user
`may not only use the Up and Down arrow keys to scroll
`through one message at a time, but also may use the Right
`and Left arrow keys to scroll between messages at anytime
`during the reading process. There is never a need to “Select
`into” a message since all messages are already in the reading
`mode. Thus, the short message capability is incorporated
`into the telephone terminal in a manner that allows a user to
`easily access, view and manage a received message pre-
`sented on a small display.
`Once the user has completed viewing the desired portion
`of the text message log, the user may be returned to the
`Home screen or screen display 210 by pressing the Home
`key 225. The user may also be returned to this Home screen
`through a process described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,371,788
`which issued on Dec. 6, 1994. Alternatively, the user may
`return to the parent screen or Mailbox screen display 331
`through the combined use of the Left or Up arrow keys 225
`or 222, as appropriate. From this screen display 331, the user
`may navigate to any of the other equal-level parent screen
`displays, as earlier described herein.
`What has been described is merely illustrative of the
`present invention. Other applications to telephone, computer
`or other user-interactive systems other than the disclosed
`system are contemplated as being within the knowledge of
`one skilled in the art. Thus it is to be understood that the
`
`disclosed user interface may be utilized in displays and
`applications, other than those specifically described herein,
`without departing from the spirit and scope of the present
`invention.
`What is claimed is:
`
`1. An arrangement for configuring a wireless telephone
`terminal for accessing text messages received by the tele-
`phone terminal from a base station and displayable at the
`terminal, the arrangement comprising:
`means for receiving in said telephone terminal a pl