METHOD AND MOBILE DEVICE FOR FACILITATING CONTACT FROM WITHIN A TELEPHONE APPLICATION

• US 20080234006A1
• Filed: 03/23/2007
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Kuhl, Lawrence Edward, Scott, Sherryl Lee Lorraine, Lee, Matthew Richard, Marui, Keizo
• Granted Patent: US 8,000,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2747 Scrolling on a display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2748 by matching character strings
• 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

Abstract

The described embodiments involve use of a mobile communication device in the context of facilitating contact from within a telephone application. The described embodiments are primarily concerned with enabling quick and efficient access to contact methods other than by telephone from within the telephone application. This is done by generating a contact list, which may have one or more contacts, using an integrated dialing field provided by the telephone application and then displaying all available contact types or methods available for contacting a particular contact selected from the list.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating contact using a mobile communication device comprising a navigation component, the method comprising:

a) generating a list of contacts in a telephone application of the mobile communication device;

b) receiving navigation input corresponding to manipulation of the navigation component, the navigation input being received in relation to the list of contacts;

c) receiving first selection input corresponding to actuation of the navigation component in relation to a selected one of the contacts in the list of contacts;

d) determining multiple contact types available for contacting the selected contact based on stored contact information of the selected contact; and

e) displaying in a display of the mobile communication device the multiple contact types as a menu of selectable contact type options.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

f) receiving second selection input in relation to a selected one of the selectable contact type options;

g) determining whether the stored contact information comprises multiple entries for the contact type of the selected contact type option; and

h) if the stored contact information comprises multiple entries for the contact type of the selected contact type option, displaying a selectable contact option for each of the multiple entries.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein step h) comprises, if the stored contact information does not comprise multiple entries for the contact type of the selected contact type option, performing a predetermined action in relation to the selected contact type option, wherein the predetermined action depends on the contact type of the selected contact type option.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined action comprises launching an application to support contact via the selected contact type.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined action comprises initiating a telephone call if the contact type is a telephone contact type.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the display of the selectable contact option for each of the multiple entries is performed within a separate display window.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the display of the selectable contact option for each of the multiple entries is performed within the menu of selectable contact type options.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step d) comprises accessing the stored contact information using an address book application executing on the mobile communication device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step a) is performed in response to alphanumeric input received in relation to a dialing field of the telephone application, wherein the alphanumeric input is one of ambiguous and unambiguous.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein step a) further comprises accessing the stored contact information using an address book application executing on the mobile communication device based on the alphanumeric input.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein step b) comprises receiving scrolling input in relation to the list of contacts, highlighting one contact in the list based on the scrolling input and displaying all telephone numbers stored in the stored contact information for the highlighted contact.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein all telephone numbers stored for the highlighted contact are displayed on the display in a drop-down list below the highlighted contact.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the displaying of all telephone numbers is performed after a predetermined delay.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple contact types are selected from the group consisting of:

an electronic mail contact type, a telephone contact type, a short messaging contact type and a multimedia messaging contact type.

15. A mobile device comprising:

a processor;

a display responsive to the processor;

a navigation component coupled to the processor for providing navigation input to the processor, the navigation component being actuable to effect a selection;

a keyboard component coupled to the processor for providing keyed input to the processor;

a memory accessible to the processor and storing program code executable by the processor for executing a telephone application;

wherein the telephone application is configured;

to generate a list of contacts to be displayed on the display based on received keyed input, and in response to actuation of the navigation component to select one contact in the list of contacts to determine multiple contact types available for contacting a selected one of the contacts in the list of contacts and to cause the display to display the multiple contact types for the selected contact as a menu of selectable contact type options.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the memory further stores contact information for multiple contacts and stores program code executable by the processor for executing an address book application, the address book application being configured to access the contact information and to cooperate with the telephone application to enable generation of the list of contacts and determination of the multiple contact types.

17. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the telephone application is configured to make a function call to the address book application to receive the list of contacts, wherein the function call includes a parameter based on the keyed input.

18. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the memory further stores program code executable by the processor for executing a user interface application, wherein the telephone application is configured to cooperate with the user interface application to display the menu of contact type options.

19. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the telephone application is further configured to cooperate with the address book application and the user interface application to:

receive selection input in relation to a selected one of the contact type options displayed in the menu, determine whether the stored contact information comprises multiple entries for the contact type of the selected contact type option and, if the stored contact information comprises multiple entries for the contact type of the selected contact type option, display a selectable contact option for each of the multiple entries.

20. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the telephone application is further configured to, if the stored contact information does not comprise multiple entries for the contact type of the selected contact type option, perform a predetermined action in relation to the selected contact type option, wherein the predetermined action depends on the contact type of the selected contact type option.

21. The mobile device of claim 20, wherein the predetermined action comprises launching an application to support contact via the selected contact type.

22. The mobile device of claim 20, wherein the predetermined action comprises initiating a telephone call if the contact type is a telephone contact type.

23. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the selectable contact options are displayed within a separate display window.

24. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the selectable contact options are displayed within the menu of contact type options.

25. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the multiple contact types are selected from the group consisting of:

an electronic mail contact type, a telephone contact type, a short messaging contact type and a multimedia messaging contact type.

26. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the navigation component is manipulable to navigate the list of contacts and the contact type options.

27. The mobile device of claim 26, wherein the navigation component is a two-dimensional navigation component selected from the group consisting of:

a track ball, a directional pad and a joystick.

28. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the keyed input is ambiguous.

29. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the keyed input is unambiguous.