Integrated messaging user interface with message-based logging

• US 20050243979A1
• Filed: 04/30/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: McCabe, Mark Anthony, Van Tilburg, Martijn E., Starbuck, Bryan T., Fuller, Deana R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,512,400 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.190
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2473 Telephone terminals interfacing a personal computer, e.g. using an API (Application Programming Interface) details of API H04M7/0021
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/576 associated with a pictorial or graphical representation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/301 Management of recordings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4509 Unified messaging with single point of access to voicemail and other mail or messaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/20 hybrid systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/203 composed of PSTN and data network, e.g. the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/206 composed of PSTN and wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/60 logging of communication history, e.g. outgoing or incoming calls, missed calls, messages or URLs
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/64 file transfer between terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/68 with means for recording information, e.g. telephone number during a conversation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal

Abstract

Mechanisms for organizing messages across different message types. This may be accomplished by using a single integrated user interface in which messages across a variety of different message types are represented in a common way. For example, the user experience of placing a telephone call is standardized, regardless of the actual telephone technology (Cell Phone, VoIP, or POTS) used to conduct the telephone conversation. Also, addition to a general log that includes the overall list of messages, each message also has a separate, message-based log, thereby allowing for more flexible querying and organization of the messages regardless of the message type.

Claims

1. In a computing system that is capable of using a plurality of telephone technologies to facilitate telephone conversations, a method for providing a user of the computing system with a common user interface regardless of the telephone technology, the method comprising the following:

an act of identifying a callee;

an act of presenting a user interface that shows a plurality of telephone technologies that may be used to engage in a telephone call with the callee, the user interface further including a mechanism for a user to select one of the plurality of telephone technologies to be used to engage in the telephone call;

an act of determining that the user has interfaced with the mechanism to select one of the plurality of telephone technologies to use to engage in the telephone call; and

an act of using the selected telephone technology to facilitate the telephone call.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of telephone technologies include POTS.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the plurality of telephone technologies includes cell phone communications.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein the plurality of telephone technologies includes Voice-over-IP.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of telephone technologies includes cell phone communications.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the plurality of telephone technologies includes Voice-over-IP.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of telephone technologies includes Voice-over-IP.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the user interface further includes a mechanism for allowing notes to be drafted and associated with the telephone conversation.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the user interface further includes a mechanism for allowing further communications to be initiated with the callee that are not the same as the telephone technology selected for engaging in the telephone call.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the further communications include one or more of instant messaging, e-mail, whiteboarding, shared windowing, and shared applications.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the user interface further includes a mechanism for viewing recent communications related to the telephone call.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the recent communications are recent communications with the callee regardless of the message type of those recent communications.

13. A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the recent communications are recent communications regarding the same subject as the telephone call regardless of the message type of those recent communications.

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

an act of generating a per-message log that is dedicated to the telephone conversation.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14, further comprising:

an act of accessing a query regarding a plurality of messages of which the computing system has a record, each of the messages having an associated per-message log; and

an act of using the per-message logs to formulate a response to the query.

16. A computer program product for use in a computing system that is capable of using a plurality of telephone technologies to facilitate telephone conversations, the computer program product for implementing a method for providing a user of the computing system with a common user interface regardless of the telephone technology, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having thereon computer-executable instruction for implementing the method, the method comprising the following:

an act of identifying a callee;

an act of presenting a user interface that shows a plurality of telephone technologies that may be used to engage in a telephone call with the callee, the user interface further including a mechanism for a user to select one of the plurality of telephone technologies to be used to engage in the telephone call;

an act of determining that the user has interfaced with the mechanism to select one of the plurality of telephone technologies to use to engage in the telephone call; and

an act of using the selected telephone technology to facilitate the telephone call.

17. A computer program product in accordance with claim 16, wherein the plurality of telephone technologies include POTS.

18. A computer program product in accordance with claim 17, wherein the plurality of telephone technologies includes cell phone communications.

19. A method in accordance with claim 18, wherein the plurality of telephone technologies includes Voice-over-IP.

20. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein the plurality of telephone technologies includes cell phone communications.

21. A method in accordance with claim 20, wherein the plurality of telephone technologies includes Voice-over-IP.

22. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein the plurality of telephone technologies includes Voice-over-IP.

23. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein the user interface further includes a mechanism for allowing notes to be drafted and associated with the telephone conversation.

24. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein the user interface further includes a mechanism for allowing further communications to be initiated with the callee that are not the same as the telephone technology selected for engaging in the telephone call.

25. A method in accordance with claim 24, wherein the further communications include one or more of instant messaging, e-mail, whiteboarding, shared windowing, and shared applications.

26. A method in accordance with claim 16, further comprising the following:

an act of generating a per-message log that is dedicated to the telephone conversation.

27. A method in accordance with claim 26, further comprising:

an act of accessing a query regarding a plurality of messages of which the computing system has a record, each of the messages having an associated per-message log; and

an act of using the per-message logs to formulate a response to the query.

28. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein the one or more computer-readable media are physical memory media.

29. In a computing system that is capable of using a plurality of telephone technologies to facilitate telephone conversations, a method for providing a user of the computing system with a common user interface regardless of the telephone technology, the method comprising the following:

an act of identifying a callee; and

a step for providing a common user experience for initiating a telephone conversation with the callee regardless of the telephone technology used.

30. A method in accordance with claim 29, wherein the step for providing a common user experience for initiating a telephone conversation with the callee regardless of the telephone technology used comprises the following:

an act of presenting a user interface that shows a plurality of telephone technologies that may be used to engage in a telephone call with the callee, the user interface further including a mechanism for a user to select one of the plurality of telephone technologies to be used to engage in the telephone call;

an act of determining that the user has interfaced with the mechanism to select one of the plurality of telephone technologies to use to engage in the telephone call; and

an act of using the selected telephone technology to facilitate the telephone call.