Method and apparatus for protecting against an inadvertent keystroke

Abstract

A method 29 is disclosed of protecting against the mistaken dialing of a cellular telephone 10 by an inadvertent keystroke. A user may inadvertently place a telephone call or activate another function by accidentally pressing a key 15 on a cellular phone 10 while it is in a standby mode. If the key 15 pressed remains depressed for over a predetermined amount of time, the cellular phone 10 disregards the action and places the phone back in the standby mode. While in the locked mode, the cellular telephone 10 may receive a call, then upon termination of the call, the cellular telephone 10 will display a query to the user if it should be in locked mode or active mode.

1 - 10 . (canceled)  
   
   
       11 . A method of unlocking a keypad of a telephone, the telephone including a CPU, a visual display, and a keypad for entering information into the telephone, the keypad being disabled, the method comprising: 
 receiving an incoming telephone call; and    displaying a message on the visual display after the incoming telephone call has been received and terminated that queries if the keypad should be re-abled or disabled.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising receiving a response to the query.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising re-abling the keypad due to a response to the query.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising disabling the keypad due to the response to the query.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising disabling the keypad if no response to the query is detected within a predetermined amount of time.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12 , the response including the depression of a key.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , the response further including the depression of a single key.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising re-abling the keypad due to the response.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising disabling the keypad due to the response.  
   
   
       20 . A cellular telephone that includes a locked mode, an unlocked mode, and an unlocking function, the telephone comprising: 
 a central processing unit;    a plurality of keys;    a graphical display;    whereby the central processing unit directs the cellular telephone to an unlocked mode when a telephone call is received while in the locked mode; and    the central processing unit directs an inquiry to be produced on the graphical display upon termination of the telephone call, inquiring if the cellular telephone should be in locked mode or unlocked mode.