Patent ID: 8538370

Claim:
A wireless communications device, comprising: a housing; a user interface disposed on said housing configured to enable a user to type text messages for communication over a communications network; at least one illumination device comprising an electronic display; an emergency message button selectable by a user; and a processing unit in communication with said user interface and emergency message button, and configured to: determine whether a user has selected said emergency message button, based on a determination that a force applied to the emergency message button exceeds a first threshold force, wherein the first threshold force is greater than a second threshold force required to actuate the user interface for typing text messages; generate and send an emergency message to a public safety answering point in response to a determination that a user has selected said emergency message button; and in further response to the determination that a user has selected said emergency message button, set said at least one illumination device into an emergency mode, the emergency mode reducing or eliminating illumination of said at least one illumination device; and display an acknowledgement notification signal of the selection of the emergency message button as text on a black background on the electronic display.