Terminal with messaging application

• US 20070004461A1
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Colum Duffy, Jens Benner, Kimberly Sudderth, Sridhar Bathina, Vesa Luiro
• Original Assignee: Colum Duffy, Jens Benner, Kimberly Sudderth, Sridhar Bathina, Vesa Luiro
• Inventors: Luiro, Vesa, Bathina, Sridhar, Duffy, Colum, Benner, Jens, Sudderth, Kimberly
• Application Number:
  US11/172,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20070004461A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/58 including a multilanguage function

Abstract

A handheld portable communications terminal includes a freehand input device, such as a touch screen or a digital pen, and plural messaging applications. One messaging application allows a user to input a drawing using the freehand input device, and produces drawing data in a standard or commonly-used format representative of the drawing. A second messaging application, selected by the first messaging application, sends the drawing data in a message in a standard or commonly-used format (e.g. SMS, MMS, IM, email). This allows the drawing to be reproduced by a receiving terminal equipped with a standard or common messaging application. The first messaging application provides for the immediate entry of a drawing using a freehand input device in response to the opening of the messaging application. It provides means to allow a recipient address to be entered or selected in response to an input indicating the completion of content entry. It also allows the message to be sent through a single user input in response to the entry or selection of a recipient address.

Claims

1. A handheld portable communications terminal comprising:

a freehand input device; and

at least one messaging application;

the messaging application being operable to allow a user to input a drawing using the freehand input device, to produce drawing data in a standard or commonly-used format representative of the drawing, and to send a message in a standard or commonly-used format incorporating the drawing data, thereby allowing the drawing to be reproduced by a receiving terminal equipped with a standard or common messaging application.

2. A terminal as claimed in claim 1, in which the freehand input device includes a touch screen.

3. A terminal as claimed in claim 1, in which the freehand input device includes an external input device coupled to the terminal.

4. A terminal as claimed in claim 1, in which the terminal includes first and second messaging applications, the first messaging application being operable to allow a user to input the drawing, and the second messaging application being operable to send the message.

5. A terminal as claimed in claim 4, in which the first messaging application is operable to select the second messaging application from a plurality of messaging applications included with the terminal.

6. A terminal as claimed in claim 5, in which the first messaging application is operable to select the second messaging application based at least in part on an address type of a recipient address to which the message is addressed.

7. A terminal as claimed in claim 5, in which the first messaging application is operable to select the second messaging application based at least in part on a content of the message.

8. A terminal as claimed in claim 5, in which the first messaging application is operable to select the second messaging application based at least in part on an expected cost of sending the message.

9. A terminal as claimed in claim 5, in which the first messaging application is operable to select the second messaging application based at least in part on radio networks which are available to the terminal.

10. A terminal as claimed in claim 5, in which the first messaging application is operable to select the second messaging application based at least on at least one preexisting user preference.

11. A terminal as claimed in claim 5, in which the second messaging application selected by the first messaging application is provided to a user as a selectable default send option.

12. A terminal as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second messaging application is selected from the group:

a) SMS application,

b) MMS application,

c) instant message application, and

d) email application.

13. A method of operating a handheld portable communications terminal, the terminal comprising:

a freehand input device, and at least one messaging application, the method comprising;

allowing a user to input a drawing using the freehand input device,

producing drawing data, representative of the drawing, in a standard or commonly-used format, and

sending a message in a standard or commonly-used format incorporating the drawing data,

thereby allowing the drawing to be reproduced by a receiving terminal equipped with a standard or common messaging application.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, in which the terminal includes first and second messaging applications, the first messaging application being operable to allow a user to input the drawing, and the second messaging application being operable to send the message.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, the first messaging application selecting the second messaging application from a plurality of messaging applications included with the terminal.

16. A terminal as claimed in claim 15, the first messaging application selecting the second messaging application based at least in part on an address type of a recipient address to which the message is addressed.

17. A terminal as claimed in claim 15, the first messaging application selecting the second messaging application based at least in part on a content of the message.

18. A method as claimed in claim 15, the first messaging application selecting the second messaging application based at least in part on an expected cost of sending the message.

19. A method as claimed in claim 15, the first messaging application selecting the second messaging application based at least in part on radio networks which are available to the terminal.

20. A method as claimed in claim 15, the first messaging application selecting the second messaging application based at least on at least one pre-existing user preference.

21. A method as claimed in claim 15, in which the second messaging application selected by the first messaging application is provided to a user as a selectable default send option.

22. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the second messaging application is selected from the group:

a) SMS application,

b) MMS application,

c) instant message application, and

d) email application.

23. Machine-readable instructions which when executed by computer apparatus control it to perform the method of claim 13.

24. Computer-readable media having stored thereon machine readable instructions which when executed by computer apparatus control it to perform the method of claim 13.

25. A mobile terminal operable to allow a user to enter a drawing for sending through a messaging application, the messaging application being:

responsive to the opening of the messaging application to provide for the immediate entry of a drawing using a freehand input device;

responsive to an input indicating the completion of content entry to provide means to allow a recipient address to be entered or selected; and

responsive to the entry or selection of a recipient address to allow the message to be sent through a single user input.

26. A terminal as claimed in claim 25, in which the terminal is arranged to display a dynamic menu in response to a user input.

27. A terminal as claimed in claim 26, in which the dynamic menu includes as a default option an option which relates to an action in a pre-determined sequence which immediately follows an action which has most recently been completed by a user.

28. A terminal as claimed in claim 25, in which the freehand input device includes a touch screen.

29. A terminal as claimed in claim 25, in which the freehand input device includes an external input device coupled to the terminal.

30. A method of operating a mobile terminal to allow a user to enter a drawing for sending through a messaging application forming part of the terminal, the method comprising:

in response to the opening of the messaging application, to providing for the immediate entry of a drawing using a freehand input device;

in response to an input indicating the completion of content entry, providing means to allow a recipient address to be entered or selected; and

in response to the entry or selection of a recipient address, allowing the message to be sent through a single user input.

31. A method as claimed in claim 30, comprising displaying a dynamic menu in response to a user input.

32. A method as claimed in claim 31, comprising including in the dynamic menu as a default option an option which relates to an action in a pre-determined sequence which immediately follows an action which has most recently been completed by a user.

33. Machine-readable instructions which when executed by computer apparatus control it to perform the method of claim 30.

34. Computer-readable media having stored thereon machine readable instructions which when executed by computer apparatus control it to perform the method of claim 30.