Unified message box for wireless mobile communication devices

• US 20040137955A1
• Filed: 10/15/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Skins LLC
• Original Assignee: Varia Mobil LLC
• Inventors: Nelson, Jonathan O., Engstrom, G. Eric, Hull, Eric J., Grahm, Tyrol R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,212,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A mobile communication device, such as a wireless mobile phone, is provided with a unified message function equipped to facilitate a user in interacting with communication messages of different message types supported by the mobile communication device via an unified message box.

Claims

1. In a wireless mobile communication device, a method of operation comprising:

receiving a first user request from an input key of the wireless mobile communication device; and

in response, displaying on a display of the wireless mobile communication device, a list of communication messages of at least two message types selected from a message type group comprising of an email message type, a text message type, a voice message type, and a call message type.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying comprises displaying on the display for a communication message, a pictorial icon depicting a sender/caller of the communication message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying comprises displaying on the display for a communication message, a pictorial icon depicting an unknown sender/caller for the communication message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method of operation, further comprising

receiving a second user request from the same or another input key of the wireless mobile communication device;

and

in response, expanding the display of a selected one of the displayed communication messages.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method of operation, further comprising

receiving a second user request from the same or another input key of the wireless mobile communication device;

and

in response, facilitating reply to a selected one of the displayed communication messages in a same communication protocol the selected communication message is received.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method of operation, further comprising

receiving a second user request from the same or another input key of the wireless mobile communication device;

and

in response, facilitating the user in selecting a communication protocol, and facilitating reply to a selected one of the displayed communication messages in the selected communication protocol.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said displaying comprises displaying the list of communication messages with at least three message types selected from the message type group comprising of the email message type, the text message type, the voice message type, and the call message type.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said displaying comprises displaying the list of communication messages with at least four message types comprising the email message type, the text message type, the voice message type, and the call message type.

9. A wireless mobile communication device comprising:

a transceiver to facilitate sending and receiving communication messages of a plurality of message types;

a display;

an input device; and

an unified message function to render on the display, in response to a first input inputted using the input device, a list of communication messages of at least two message types selected from a message type group comprising of an email message type, a text message type, a voice message type, and a call message type.

10. The wireless mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein the unified message function is designed to display for a communication message, as part of said displaying, a pictorial icon depicting a sender/caller of the communication message.

11. The wireless mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein the unified message function is designed to display for a communication message, as part of said displaying, a pictorial icon depicting an unknown sender/caller for the communication message.

12. The wireless mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein the unified message function is further designed to expand the display of a selected one of the displayed communication messages, in response to a second input inputted from the input device.

13. The wireless mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein the unified message function is further designed to facilitate reply to a selected one of the displayed communication messages in a same communication protocol the selected communication message is received, in response to a second input inputted from the input device.

14. The wireless mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein the unified message function is further designed to facilitate selection of a communication protocol, and facilitate reply to a selected one of the displayed communication messages in the selected communication protocol, in response to a second input inputted from the input device.

15. The wireless mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein the unified message function is designed to display the list of communication messages with at least three message types selected from the message type group comprising of the email message type, the text message type, the voice message type, and the call message type.

16. The wireless mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein the unified message function is designed to display the list of communication messages with at least four message types comprising the email message type, the text message type, the voice message type, and the call message type.

17. The wireless mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein the wireless mobile device comprises a wireless mobile phone.