Graphic entries for interactive directory

• US 20040017376A1
• Filed: 07/29/2002
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ignacio Germade, Marco Susani, Roberto Tagliabue
• Inventors: Tagliabue, Roberto, Germade, Ignacio, Susani, Marco
• Granted Patent: US 7,375,730 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/581
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2746 Sorting, e.g. according to history or frequency of use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus (800) and method (700) for a communication device (100) having a display for graphically organizing communication patterns (602) of the user. Visual attributes of the images associated with specific parties are varied dynamically as the communication patterns of the user with specific parties change.

Claims

1. A display for a communication device for graphically organizing communication patterns of a user, the display comprising:

a first image associated with a first party, indicative of a first communication pattern between the user and the first party within a predetermined period; and

a second image associated with a second party, indicative a second communication pattern between the user and the second party within the predetermined period;

wherein the first and second images are dynamically varied based upon a variance between the first and second communication patterns.

2. The display of claim 1 wherein the first communication pattern is based upon a total time of communication between the first party and the user within the predetermined period, and the second communication pattern is based upon a total time of communication between the second party and the user within the predetermined period.

3. The display of claim 1 wherein the first communication pattern is based upon a total number of occurrences of communications between the first party and the user within the predetermined period, and the second communication pattern is based upon a total number of occurrences of communications between the second party and the user within the predetermined period.

4. The display of claim 1 wherein the size of the first image and the size of the second image are varied proportional to the variance.

5. The display of claim 1 wherein the size of the first image and the size of the second image are varied inversely proportional to the variance.

6. The display of claim 1 further comprising predefined concentric areas having a center wherein the positions of the first and second images relative to the center are proportional to the variance.

7. The display of claim 1 further comprising predefined concentric areas having a center wherein the positions of the first and second images relative to the center are inversely proportional to the variance.

8. The display of claim 1 further comprising a first group of images comprising the first and second images wherein the first group of images is depicted on the display as a first cluster.

9. The display of claim 1 further comprising a first group of images having a first group name, the first group of images comprising the first and second images wherein the first group name is depicted on the display.

10. The display of claim 9 further comprising a first area, a second area, and a second group of images, the first group of images associated with the first area, and the second group of images having a second group name associated with the second area, wherein the first group name and the first group of images are depicted on the display within the first area and the second group name and the second group of images are depicted on the display within the second area.

11. A communication device for graphically organizing communication patterns of a user for communications between the user and a plurality of parties, the communication device comprising:

a transceiver;

a processor coupled to the transceiver;

a memory device coupled to the processor, the memory device storing a first image representing a first communication pattern of the user with a first party of the plurality of parties, and a second image representing a second communication pattern of the user with a second party of the plurality of parties;

a display coupled to the processor; and

a user interface, coupled to the display and the processor, being effective to dynamically vary the first and second images on the display based upon a variance between the first and second communication patterns.

12. The communication device of claim 11 wherein the first communication pattern is based upon a total time of communication between the first party and the user within the predetermined period, and the second communication pattern is based upon a total time of communication between the second party and the user within the predetermined period.

13. The communication device of claim 11 wherein the first communication pattern is based upon a total number of occurrences of communications between the first party and the user within the predetermined period, and the second communication pattern is based upon a total number of occurrences of communications between the second party and the user within the predetermined period.

14. The communication device of claim 11 wherein the size of the first image and the size of the second image are varied proportional to the variance.

16. The communication device of claim 11 wherein the display further comprises predefined concentric areas having a center wherein the positions of the first and second images relative to the center are proportional to the variance.

17. The communication device of claim 11 wherein the display further comprise predefined concentric areas having a center wherein the positions of the first and second images relative to the center are inversely proportional to the variance.

18. The communication device of claim 11 wherein the memory device further storing a first group of images comprising the first and second images;

wherein the processor is further effective to show the first group of images on the display as a first cluster.

20. The communication device of claim 18 wherein the display further comprising first and area second areas, the memory device further storing a second group of images, the first group of images associated with the first area, and the second group of images having a second group name associated with the second area;

wherein the processor is further effective to show the first group name and the first group of images on the display within the first area, and the second group name and the second group of images on the display within the second area.

21. The communication device of claim 11 capable of establishing communication with a desired party by selecting an image associated with the desired party.

22. The communication device of claim 20 capable of establishing communication with a desired group by selecting a group name associated with the desired group.

15. The communication device of Claim II wherein the size of the first image and the size of the second image are varied inversely proportional to the variance.

19. The communication device of Claim II wherein the memory device further storing a first group of images having a first group name, the first group of images comprising the first and second images;

wherein the processor is further effective to show the first group name on the display.

23. A directory for use in a portable electronic device having one or more entries comprising:

one or more icons arranged in one or more groupings, each icon being associated with a corresponding one of the one or more entries, wherein each icon includes one or more visual properties, which are dynamically adjusted based upon at least one of a pattern of usage and a received set of user preferences.

24. The directory of claim 23 wherein the one or more entries include one or more prestored telephone numbers.

25. The directory of with claim 24 wherein the size of each of the one or more icons dynamically changes based upon the frequency with which a telephone call is made to the telephone number.

26. The directory in of claim 24 wherein the size of the one or more icons dynamically changes based upon the time elapsed between the last telephone call made to or received from the corresponding telephone number.

27. A method in a communication device running an application program, comprising steps of:

displaying a plurality of images corresponding to data entries of the application program on a display of the communication device;

varying a visual attribute of each of the plurality of images displayed based on a historical use pattern associated with the corresponding data entries of the application program,

dynamically updating the visual attribute of each of the plurality of images as the historical use pattern changes.

28. The method of claim 27, varying the visual attribute of each of the plurality of images displayed by sizing each image in proportion to the historical use pattern associated with the corresponding data entries of the application program.

29. The method of claim 27, varying the visual attribute of each of the plurality of the images displayed by sizing the image in proportion to the proximity to the communication device of the device associated with the corresponding data entries of the application program.

30. The method of claim 27, varying the visual attribute of each of the plurality of the images displayed by sizing the images of a grouping displayed according to at least one of the time of day and day of week.

31. The method of claim 27, the communication device running the application program is a communication device running a phonebook application, displaying a plurality of images corresponding to phonebook entries of the phonebook application program on the display of the communication device.

32. The method of claim 31, varying the visual attribute of each of the plurality of the images displayed by sizing each image in proportion to a frequency of use of the phonebook entry.

33. A method in a communication device running an application program, comprising steps of:

displaying a plurality of images corresponding to data entries of the application program on a display of the communication device;

varying a visual attribute of each of the plurality of images displayed based on a historical use pattern associated with the corresponding data entries of the application program,

dynamically updating an arrangement of each of the plurality of images as the historical use pattern changes.