SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A USER INTERFACE THAT FACILITATES USER SELECTION OF A COMMUNICATION LINE FOR AN OUTGOING CALL ON A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20080242289A1
• Filed: 03/26/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Kuhl, Lawrence Edward, Zinn, Scotte, Marui, Keizo, Vander Veen, Raymond Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,478,345 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• 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 2250/66 user interface aspects for indicating selection options for a communication line

Abstract

A system and method for providing a user interface that allows users to change the active line on which an outgoing call may be placed. In example embodiments, a direction to display a line selection menu on the call screen is received from the user, where the line selection menu is comprised of data identifying one or more of the multiple communication lines accessible at the mobile device. In response to the direction received from the user, the line selection menu is displayed on the call screen, and an input identifying a user-selected communication line is received. A display field in which data identifying the active line is displayed is updated accordingly.

Claims

1. A method of providing a user interface that facilitates user selection of a communication line for an outgoing call on a mobile device, the mobile device providing access to a plurality of communication lines on which outgoing calls may be made by a user, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a call screen on a display of the mobile device;

displaying data identifying a first of the plurality of communication lines in a first display field of the call screen;

receiving a first input from the user, the first input comprising a direction to display on the call screen a line selection menu, wherein the line selection menu comprises data identifying at least a subset of the plurality of communication lines;

displaying the line selection menu on the call screen after receiving the first input;

receiving a second input from the user, the second input identifying a user-selected second communication line of the subset; and

updating the first display field by displaying data identifying the second communication line in the first display field.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of initiating an outgoing call using the second communication line of the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein data identifying a communication line comprises a telephone number associated with the communication line.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the first input from the user comprises:

detecting when a selection element displayed on the call screen has been moved into the first display field by the user; and

detecting when the user provides the direction to display the line selection menu while the selection element is settled in the first display field.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the first input from the user comprises:

detecting when the user provides a direction to display an options menu, the options menu providing an option to display the line selection menu; and

detecting when the user selects the option to display the line selection menu.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the second input from the user comprises:

detecting when a selection element displayed on the call screen has been moved to highlight data identifying the second communication line in the line selection menu; and

detecting when the user selects the second communication line while the selection element highlights data identifying the second communication line in the line selection menu.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein data associated with one or more outgoing calls previously made on the mobile device is displayed to the user in a second display field of the call screen.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein data associated with one or more outgoing calls previously made on the mobile device on the communication line identified by data currently displayed in the first display field is displayed to the user in the second display field.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of additionally displaying one or more line-specific calling feature icons in the first display field, when the line selection menu is not displayed.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of additionally displaying one or more line-specific calling feature icons for each communication line of the subset in the line selection menu, when the line selection menu is displayed.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying one or more general calling feature icons in a third display field of the call screen.

12. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions executable on a processor of the mobile device for implementing the method of claim 1.

13. A system for providing a user interface that facilitates user selection of a communication line for an outgoing call on a mobile device, the mobile device providing access to a plurality of communication lines on which outgoing calls may be made by a user, the mobile device comprising a processor, a display, and at least one input device, wherein the system is configured to execute an application programmed to perform the steps of the method as claimed in claim 1.

14. A mobile device in which a user interface that facilitates user selection of a communication line for an outgoing call on the mobile device is provided, the mobile device providing access to a plurality of communication lines on which outgoing calls may be made by a user, the mobile device comprising a processor, a display, and at least one input device, wherein the mobile device configured to execute an application programmed to perform the steps of:

displaying a call screen on a display of the mobile device;

displaying data identifying a first of the plurality of communication lines in a first display field of the call screen;

receiving a first input from the user, the first input comprising a direction to display on the call screen a line selection menu, wherein the line selection menu comprises data identifying at least a subset of the plurality of communication lines;

displaying the line selection menu on the call screen after receiving the first input;

receiving a second input from the user, the second input identifying a user-selected second communication line of the subset; and

updating the first display field by displaying data identifying the second communication line in the first display field.