Method for receiving inputs from user of electronic device

Abstract

A method of receiving inputs by an electronic device comprising a user interface component is disclosed. The user interface component is set in an inactive operating mode, such as a keypad locking mode or a screen saver mode, for substantially non-active usage of the user interface component. An input is received in the inactive mode. The input received in the inactive operating mode may be stored and presented on a user interface component.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device comprising a user interface component and a processing unit configured to set the user interface component in an inactive operating mode to be applied during non-active or limited usage of the user interface component, wherein
 the electronic device is configured to detect a user input on a touch screen during the inactive mode,   the device is configured to store the user input during the inactive operating mode,   the device is configured to activate an application for processing the stored user input after exiting the inactive operating mode,   the device is configured to submit the user input for the application, and   the device is configured to prompt the user for a further action after exiting the inactive operating mode.   
     
     
       2. A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to determine the type of the input in the input area. 
     
     
       3. A device according to  claim 2 , wherein the device is configured to select an appropriate application for processing the input on the basis of the detected type of the input, and
 the device is configured to activate the selected application and/or submit the data representing the input to the selected application.   
     
     
       4. A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device in the inactive operating mode is configured to receive data for at least one of the following: a word processing application, a phonebook or another contact management application, a notepad application, a calendar application, a messaging application, a drawing application, or a spreadsheet application. 
     
     
       5. A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a screen and a screen saver facility, wherein the device comprises a processing unit configured to set the screen in the inactive operating mode when the screen saver is activated. 
     
     
       6. A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a keypad and a keypad locking facility, and the device comprises means to set the keypad in the inactive operating mode when the keypad lock is activated. 
     
     
       7. A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to receive an input, trigger an arrangement of the input reception means, or detect an input as an appropriate input in the inactive operating mode if a predetermined activation input has been received from the user when the device is in the inactive operating mode. 
     
     
       8. A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to continue in the inactive operating mode after storing the input. 
     
     
       9. A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to detect input of a predetermined activation to allow receipt of the user input. 
     
     
       10. A method for receiving inputs by an electronic device comprising a user interface component, the method comprising:
 setting the user interface component in an inactive operating mode for non-active or limited usage of the user interface component,   detecting a user input on a touch screen in the inactive mode,   storing the user input during the inactive operating mode,   activating an application for processing the stored user input after exiting the inactive operating mode,   submitting the user input for the application, and   prompting the user for a further action after exiting the inactive operating mode.   
     
     
       11. method according to  claim 10 , wherein the input is presented in a user interface component of the electronic device. 
     
     
       12. method according to  claim 10 , wherein the touch screen is set in the inactive operating mode when a screen saver is activated, and receiving the input when the screen saver is active. 
     
     
       13. A method according to  claim 10 , wherein a keypad is set in the inactive operating mode when a keypad lock is activated, and receiving the input when the keypad lock is activated. 
     
     
       14. A method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 detecting input of a predetermined activation to allow receipt of the user input.   
     
     
       15. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium downloadable into a memory of a data processing device comprising a user interface component and means for setting the user interface component in an inactive operating mode and executable in a processor of the data processing device, the computer program product comprising:
 a program code part for controlling the data processing device to store a user input during the inactive operating mode,   a program code part for controlling the data processing device to activate an application for processing the stored user input after exiting the inactive operating mode,   a program code part for controlling the data processing device to submit the user input for the application, and   a program code part for controlling the data processing device to prompt the user for a further action after exiting the inactive operating mode.   
     
     
       16. A computer program product according to  claim 15 , further comprising a program code part for activating an application to which data representing the input in the input area is fed. 
     
     
       17. A computer program product according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a program code part for controlling the data processing device to detect input of a predetermined activation to allow receipt of the user input.   
     
     
       18. An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory unit communicatively connected to the processor and including:
 computer code for controlling a data processing device to store a user input during an inactive operating mode, 
 computer code for controlling the data processing device to activate an application for processing the stored user input after exiting the inactive operating mode, 
 computer code for controlling the data processing device to submit the user input for the application, and 
 computer code for controlling the data processing device to prompt the user for a further action after exiting the inactive operating mode. 
   
     
     
       19. An apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured to present the input in a user interface component of the apparatus. 
     
     
       20. An apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the apparatus is a mobile communications device. 
     
     
       21. An apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the apparatus is a module for a mobile station. 
     
     
       22. An apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the memory unit further includes:
 computer code for controlling the data processing device to detect input of a predetermined activation to allow receipt of the user input.   
     
     
       23. A mobile apparatus, comprising:
 at least one transceiver configured for wireless communications with a network;   a user interface;   at least one processor; and   at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the mobile apparatus at least to:   define an inactive operating mode, to be applied during a non-active or limited usage of the user interface, for receiving a limited user input from a user;   define an active operating mode, to be applied during an active or non-limited usage of the user interface, for receiving a user input from the user;   set the user interface from the active operating mode to the inactive operating mode;   enable detection of the limited user input provided by the user using the user interface during the inactive operating mode, wherein the limited user input is not associated with applying the active operating mode, wherein the limited user input comprises a voice input; and   enable processing of the voice input by a text recognition application during the inactive operating mode;   wherein the mobile apparatus is further caused to prompt the user for one or more further voice inputs; and   wherein the user is prompted for one or more further voice inputs after the mobile apparatus is caused to exit the inactive operating mode.    
     
     
       24. The mobile apparatus of claim 23, wherein data from a recognized text converted from the voice input is stored as a text document.  
     
     
       25. The mobile apparatus of claim 23, wherein data from a recognized text converted from the voice input comprises an instruction from the user to control one or more functions of the mobile apparatus.  
     
     
       26. The mobile apparatus of claim 23, wherein the inactive operating mode during which the voice input is made is a lock mode.  
     
     
       27. The mobile apparatus of claim 23, wherein processing of the voice input is a conversion to text.  
     
     
       28. An apparatus, comprising:
 at least one transceiver configured for wireless communications with a network;   a user interface;   at least one processor; and   at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus at least to:   set the user interface from an active operating mode, to be applied during active or non-limited usage of the user interface, for receiving a user input from a user, to an inactive operating mode to be applied during non-active or limited usage of the user interface, for receiving a limited user input from the user;   enable detection of the limited user input provided by a user using the user interface during the inactive operating mode, wherein the limited user input is not associated with applying the active operating mode, wherein the limited user input is a voice input; and   enable processing of the voice input during the inactive operating mode;   wherein data from the processed voice input is submitted to the network comprising an element that performs an action based on the processed voice input; and   wherein the apparatus is further caused to prompt the user for one or more further voice inputs after the apparatus is caused to exit the inactive operating mode.    
     
     
       29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the voice input is used for a service by the network.  
     
     
       30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the service comprises one of a mobile instant messaging service and a presence service.  
     
     
       31. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the apparatus is configured to allow the user to specify information for an interest group associated with the network when the user interface is in the inactive operating mode.  
     
     
       32. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the inactive operating mode during which the voice input is made is a lock mode.  
     
     
       33. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein processing of the voice input is a conversion to text.