Patent ID: 7761119

Claim:
A method for indicating signal strength of a multi-mode wireless communications device, the method comprising the steps of: detecting a first signal strength of a first wireless technology on the multi-mode wireless communication device; detecting a second signal strength of a second wireless technology on the multimode wireless communication device, wherein the step of detecting the second signal strength of the second wireless technology further comprises conducting a user-controlled periodic search for the second wireless technology; periodically searching for at least one alternate signal strength of an alternate wireless technology; displaying a single annunciator signal strength display that includes a first signal strength display area adjacent to a second signal strength display area, wherein the first signal strength display area indicates an active mode signal and the second signal strength display area indicates an inactive mode signal; displaying a first signal strength indicator in the first signal strength display area on the multi-mode wireless communication device, the first signal strength indicator corresponding to the detected first signal strength of the first wireless technology when the first wireless technology provides the active mode signal; simultaneously displaying a second signal strength indicator in the second signal strength display area on the multi-mode wireless communication device if the second wireless technology is detected, the second signal strength indicator corresponding to the detected second signal strength of the second wireless technology when the second wireless technology provides the inactive mode signal; simultaneously displaying the at least one alternate signal strength indicator on the multi-mode wireless communication device if the at least one alternate wireless technology is detected in the periodic search, the at least one alternate signal strength indicator corresponding to the detected at least one signal strength of the alternate wireless technology; switching the inactive mode from a first active mode having a first active mode signal strength to a next active mode having a next active mode signal strength; and displaying a next active mode signal strength indicator corresponding to the next active mode signal strength.