Merging various request methods into a single unified user interface

• US 20020052196A1
• Filed: 08/30/2001
• Published: 05/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kennedy, Kevin A., Padawer, Andrew D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,072,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27463 Predictive input, predictive dialling by comparing the dialled sequence with the content of a telephone directory
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2748 by matching character strings

Abstract

Methods and systems for allowing a user to enter a request, such as dialing input, without having to specify, or otherwise commit to, a particular request method. Upon detecting a user input that represents a user request for service, response data is retrieved that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be in accordance with a first request method. However, other response data is also retrieved that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user have intended the request to be in accordance with other request methods. Accordingly, the user need not commit to a particular request method before entering the request, thus unifying and simplifying the request process.

Claims

1. In a device that allows a user to enter a request for service using a plurality of request methods, the meaning of the request depending on the user'"'"'s intended request method, a method for merging the plurality of request methods so as to allow the user to enter the request without requiring that the user specify the request method, the method comprising the following:

a specific act of detecting user input that represents a user request for service, the meaning of the request depending on the user'"'"'s intended request method;

a specific act of retrieving first response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be in accordance with a first request method;

a specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be in accordance with a second request method; and

a specific act of unifying the first response data and the second response data into a unified data structure.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the following:

a specific act of presenting the first response data and the second response data to the user so the user may review the first and second response data through a single unified user interface.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the specific act of detecting user input that represents a user request for service comprises the following:

a specific act of detecting dialing input that represents a user request for service.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein the specific act of retrieving first response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be in accordance with a first request method comprises the following:

a specific act of retrieving first response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be a telephone number.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the specific act of retrieving first response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be a telephone number comprises the following:

specific act of retrieving first response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be a telephone number with an area code dialed first.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be a telephone number comprises the following:

specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be a telephone number without an area code dialed first.

7. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be a telephone number comprises the following:

specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be a dialed first name.

8. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be a telephone number comprises the following:

specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be a dialed surname name.

9. A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the specific act of retrieving first response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be a telephone number comprises the following:

specific act of retrieving first response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be a telephone number without an area code dialed first.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be a telephone number comprises the following:

specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be a dialed first name.

11. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be a telephone number comprises the following:

specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be a dialed surname.

12. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein the specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be a telephone number comprises the following:

specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be a dialed first name.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be a telephone number comprises the following:

specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be a dialed surname.

14. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the specific act of retrieving first response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be in accordance with a first request method comprises the following:

a specific act of retrieving a first portion of the first response data from a first database, the first portion containing one or more entries from the first database;

a specific act of retrieving a second portion of the first response data from a second database the second portion containing one or more entries from the second database, at least some of the entries in the first portion having a different data structure format that at least some of the entries in the second portion.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the specific act of retrieving a first portion of the first response data from a first database comprises the following:

a specific act of retrieving the first portion of the first response data from a contacts database.

16. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the specific act of retrieving a first portion of the first response data from a second database comprises the following:

a specific act of retrieving the first portion of the first response data from a speed dial database.

17. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the specific act of retrieving a second portion of the first response data from a second database comprises the following:

a specific act of retrieving the first portion of the first response data from a call log database.

18. A method in accordance with claim 17, further comprising:

a specific act of removing duplicates from the call log database.

19. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

before the specific act of retrieving the first response data and before the specific act of retrieving the second response data, a specific act of determining that the user input warrants the specific act of retrieving the first response data and the specific act of retrieving the second response data.

20. In a device that allows a user to enter a request for service using a plurality of request methods, the meaning of the request depending on the user'"'"'s intended request method, a method for merging the plurality of request methods so as to allow the user to enter the request without requiring that the user specify the request method, the method comprising the following:

a specific act of detecting user input that represents a user request for service, the meaning of the request depending on the user'"'"'s intended request method; and

a step for representing a plurality of responses to the request, the plurality of response in aggregate representing responses that would be appropriate for two or more of the request methods.

21. A method in accordance with claim 20, wherein the step for representing a plurality of responses to the request comprises the following:

a specific act of retrieving first response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be in accordance with a first request method;

a specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be in accordance with a second request method; and

a specific act of unifying the first response data and the second response data into a unified data structure.

22. A method in accordance with claim 21, further comprising the following:

a specific act of presenting the first response data and the second response data to the user so the user may review the first and second response data through a single unified user interface.

23. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein the specific act of retrieving first response data that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be in accordance with a first request method comprises the following:

a specific act of retrieving a first portion of the first response data from a first database, the first portion containing one or more entries from the first database;

a specific act of retrieving a second portion of the first response data from a second database the second portion containing one or more entries from the second database, at least some of the entries in the first portion having a different data structure format that at least some of the entries in the second portion.

24. A method in accordance with claim 21, further comprising:

before the specific act of retrieving the first response data and before the specific act of retrieving the second response data, a specific act of determining that the user input warrants the specific act of retrieving the first response data and the specific act of retrieving the second response data.

25. A method in accordance with claim 20, wherein the specific act of detecting user input that represents a user request for service comprises the following:

a specific act of detecting dialing input that represents a user request for service.

27. A computer-readable medium in accordance with claim 26, wherein the computer-readable media is one or more physical storage media.

29. A method in accordance with claim 28, further comprising the following:

a specific act of presenting the first response data and the second response data to the user so the user may review the first and second response data through a single unified user interface.

26. A computer program product for use in a device that allows a user to enter a request for service using a plurality of request methods, the meaning of the request depending on the user'"'"'s intended request method, the computer program product for implementing a method for merging the plurality of request methods so as to allow the user to enter the request without requiring that the user specify the request method, the computer program product comprising computer-readable media having stored thereon the following:

computer-executable instructions for detecting user input that represents a user request for service, the meaning of the request depending on the user'"'"'s intended request method;

computer-executable instructions for causing first response data to be retrieved, the first response data representing an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be in accordance with a first request method;

computer-executable instructions for causing second response data to be retrieved, the second response data representing an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be in accordance with a second request method; and

computer-executable instructions for causing the first response data and the second response data to be presented to the user so the user may review the first and second response data through a single unified user interface.

28. In a telephonic device that allows a user to enter dialing input using a plurality of dialing methods, the meaning of the dialing input depending on the user'"'"'s intended dialing method, a method for merging the dialing methods so as to allow the user to dial using the plurality of dialing methods without requiring that the user specify the dialing method, the method comprising the following:

a specific act of detecting user input that represents dialing input, the meaning of the dialing input depending on the user'"'"'s intended dialing method;

a specific act of retrieving first response data that represents an appropriate response to the dialing input should the user intend the dialing input to be in accordance with a first dialing method;

a specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the dialing input should the user intend the dialing input to be in accordance with a second dialing method; and

a specific act of unifying the first response data and the second response data into a unified data structure.

30. In a telephonic device that allows a user to enter dialing input using a plurality of dialing methods, the meaning of the dialing input depending on the user'"'"'s intended dialing method, a method for merging the dialing methods so as to allow the user to dial using the plurality of dialing methods without requiring that the user specify the dialing method, the method comprising the following:

a specific act of detecting user input that represents dialing input, the meaning of the dialing input depending on the user'"'"'s intended dialing method;

a step for retrieving and presenting a plurality of responses to the dialing input, the plurality of response in aggregate representing responses that would be appropriate for two or more of the dialing methods.

31. A computer program product for use in a telephonic device that allows a user to enter dialing input using a plurality of dialing methods, the meaning of the dialing input depending on the user'"'"'s intended dialing method, the computer program product for implementing a method for merging the dialing methods so as to allow the user to dial using the plurality of dialing methods without requiring that the user specify the dialing method, the computer program product comprising computer-readable media having stored thereon the following:

computer-executable instructions for detecting user input that represents dialing input, the meaning of the dialing input depending on the user'"'"'s intended dialing method;

computer-executable instructions for causing first response data to be retrieved, the first response data representing an appropriate response to the dialing input should the user intend the dialing input to be in accordance with a first dialing method;

computer-executable instructions for causing second response data to be retrieved, the second response data representing an appropriate response to the dialing input should the user intend the dialing input to be in accordance with a second dialing method; and

computer-executable instructions for causing the first response data and the second response data to be presented to the user so the user may review the first and second response data through a single unified user interface.

32. A computer program product in accordance with claim 31, wherein the computer-readable media is one or more physical storage media.

33. A device that allows a user to enter a request using a plurality of request methods, the meaning of the request depending on the user'"'"'s intended request method, the device merging the plurality of request methods so as to allow the user to enter the request without requiring that the user specify the request method, the telephonic device comprising the following:

a data source representing data appropriate for one or more request methods;

an input user interface configured to detect a user-entered request, the meaning of the request depending on the user'"'"'s intended request method;

a filter configured to return at least some of the data in the data source that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend to use a first request method;

a second filter configured to return at least some of the data source that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend to use a second request method; and

a single unified user interface configured to receive at least some of the data returned from the first and second filters, and configured to present the received data to the user in a unified fashion.

34. A device in accordance with claim 33, wherein the first filter and the second filter are the same filter module.

35. A device in accordance with claim 33, wherein the first filter and the second filter are different filter modules.

36. A telephonic device that allows a user to enter dialing input using a plurality of dialing methods, the meaning of the dialing input depending on the user'"'"'s intended dialing method, the telephonic device merging the dialing methods so as to allow the user to dial using the plurality of dialing methods without requiring that the user specify the dialing method, the telephonic device comprising the following:

a data source representing dialing information;

a input user interface configured to detect user-entered dialing input, the meaning of the dialing input depending on the user'"'"'s intended dialing method;

a first filter configured to return at least some of the dialing information in the data source that conforms with the dialing input should the user intend to use a first dialing method;

a second filter configured to return at least some of the dialing information in the data source that conforms with the dialing input should the user intend to use a second dialing method; and

a single unified user interface configured to receive at least some of the dialing information returned from the first and second filters, and configured to present the received data to the user in a unified fashion.