INITIATING A CALL FROM A MOBILE DEVICE TO A NUMBER THAT IS NOT HYPERLINKED

• US 20100004032A1
• Filed: 09/15/2009
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: KUHL, Lawrence E., BOCKING, Andrew D., LAZARIDIS, Mihal, MAJOR, Harry R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,160,649 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/56 Arrangements for indicating or recording the called number at the calling subscriber's set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails

Abstract

A method and mobile device for initiating telephone calls through a wireless communication network are provided. Number strings are identified in text displayed on a visual display of the mobile device. Number strings may be hyperlinked when the strings meet predetermined criteria. The mobile device monitors for a predetermined user input and upon detecting the predetermined user input causes a list of user selectable functions to be displayed on the visual display. The list of user selectable functions includes a telephone call function for initiating a telephone call to a selected number string. A telephone call to the selected number string can be initiated through the wireless communications network when the telephone call function is selected.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a controller including at least one processor;

a wireless transceiver connected to the controller for exchanging signals with a wireless communications network;

a user interface connected to the controller for receiving user input;

a storage connected to the controller and storing data items that include text containing number strings;

a visual display connected to the controller for displaying the text of data items stored in the storage;

the controller being operative to;

receive a selection input through the user interface to display a data item comprising an electronic message on the visual display;

detect any number strings within at least a portion of the data item and compare the detected number strings to first predetermined criteria to identify telephone number strings in the detected number strings;

display the electronic message on the visual display, wherein each number string in the electronic message identified as a telephone number string is displayed as a selectable hyperlinked number string, wherein each number string not identified as a telephone number string is displayed as a selectable non-hyperlinked number string;

move a position marker on the visual display throughout the displayed text in response to navigational input through the user interface;

monitor for a predetermined user input through the user interface and upon detecting the predetermined user input cause a list of user selectable functions to be displayed on the display;

determine, in dependence on the location of the position marker, if a hyperlinked number string is selected when the predetermined user input is detected and if so, cause the displayed list of user selectable functions to include a telephone call function for initiating a telephone call to the selected hyperlinked number string, and cause, if the telephone call function for the hyperlinked number string is selected from the list of user selectable functions, a telephone call to the hyperlinked number string to be initiated through the wireless communications network; and

determine, in dependence on the location of the position marker, if a non-hyperlinked number string is selected when the predetermined user input is detected and if so, compare the non-hyperlinked number string against second predetermined criteria to determine if the non-hyperlinked number string is a callable number string, and if the non-hyperlinked number string is determined to be a callable number string, cause the displayed list of user selectable functions to include a telephone call function for initiating a telephone call to the non-hyperlinked number string, and cause, if the telephone call function for the non-hyperlinked number string is selected from the list of user selectable functions, a telephone call to the non-hyperlinked number string to be initiated through the wireless communications network.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a depressible rotatable input mechanism connected to the controller, wherein the navigational input is rotation of the depressible rotatable input mechanism, and the predetermined user input is a depression of the depressible rotatable input mechanism when the telephone number string is selected.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the second predetermined criteria requires that the number string include a first minimum number of numeric characters, and the first predetermined criteria requires that the number string match one of a plurality of predetermined telephone number patterns, each of the telephone number patters requiring a minimum number of numeric characters that is higher than the first minimum.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the list of user selectable functions includes an SMS function for initiating an SMS message to the hyperlinked number string when the hyperlinked number string is selected when the predetermined user input is detected, and wherein the processor is further operative to cause an SMS message to be initiated to the hyperlinked number string through the wireless communications network when the SMS function is selected from the list of user selectable functions, and

wherein the list of user selectable functions includes an SMS function for initiating an SMS message to the non-hyperlinked number string when the non-hyperlinked number string is selected when the predetermined user input is detected, and wherein the processor is further operative to cause an SMS message to be initiated to the non-hyperlinked number string through the wireless communications network when the SMS function is selected from the list of user selectable functions.

5. A method for initiating telephone calls from a mobile device which operates in a wireless communication network, the mobile device comprising a controller including at least one processor, a user interface connected to the controller for receiving user input, a storage connected to the controller and storing data items that include text containing number strings and a visual display connected to the controller for displaying the text of data items stored in the storage, the method comprising:

detecting any number strings within at least a portion of the text of a selected data item;

determining whether any detected number strings are telephone number strings according to first predetermined criteria;

causing the text of the selected data item to be displayed on the visual display, wherein each number string determined to be a telephone number string is displayed as a selectable hyperlinked number string;

monitoring for a predetermined user input through the user interface and, upon detecting the predetermined user input, cause a list of user selectable functions to be displayed on the visual display;

determining if a hyperlinked number string is selected when the predetermined user input is detected and if so, cause the displayed list of user selectable functions to include a telephone call function for initiating a telephone call to the selected hyperlinked number string; and

causing a telephone call to be initiated to the hyperlinked number string through the wireless communications network when the telephone call function for the hyperlinked number string is selected from the list of user selectable functions.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising causing the hyperlink for the selected hyperlinked number string to be highlighted when it is selected.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising causing a position marker to move on the visual display throughout the displayed text in response to navigational input through the user interface.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the user interface includes a depressible rotatable input mechanism connected to the controller, wherein the navigational input is rotation of the depressible rotatable input mechanism, and the predetermined user input is a depression of the depressible rotatable input mechanism when the telephone number string is selected.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising causing a position marker to move on the list of user selectable functions in response to navigational input through the user interface.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the user interface includes a depressible rotatable input mechanism connected to the controller, wherein the navigational input is rotation of the depressible rotatable input mechanism, and selection of the telephone call function from the list of user selectable functions is a depression of the depressible rotatable input mechanism when the telephone call function is selected.

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

causing a position marker to move on the visual display throughout the displayed text in response to navigational input through the user interface;

in response to detecting the predetermined user input causing the display of the list of user selectable functions;

if the position marker is located within a non-hyperlinked number string in the displayed text which does not meet the first predetermined criteria, causing the displayed list of user selectable functions to include a telephone call function for initiating a telephone call to the non-hyperlinked number string when the position marker is located within the non-hyperlinked number string in the displayed text and the non-hyperlinked number string meets second predetermined criteria; and

causing a telephone call to be initiated to the non-hyperlinked number string through the wireless communications network when the telephone call function for the non-hyperlinked number string is selected from the list of user selectable functions.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second predetermined criteria are less stringent than the first second predetermined criteria.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second predetermined criteria requires that the number string include a first minimum number of numeric characters, and the first predetermined criteria requires that the number string match one of a plurality of predetermined telephone number patterns, each of the telephone number patters requiring a minimum number of numeric characters that is higher than the first minimum.

14. The method of claim 5, wherein the list of user selectable functions includes one or more additional functions for taking action based on the telephone number string.

15. The method of claim 5, wherein the list of user selectable functions includes an SMS function for initiating an SMS message to the hyperlinked number string when the hyperlinked number string is selected when the predetermined user input is detected, and wherein the processor is further operative to cause an SMS message to be initiated to the hyperlinked number string through the wireless communications network when the SMS function is selected from the list of user selectable functions.

16. A mobile device comprising:

a controller including at least one processor;

a wireless transceiver connected to the controller for exchanging signals with a wireless communications network;

a user interface connected to the controller for receiving user input;

a storage connected to the controller and storing data items that include text containing a number string;

a visual display connected to the controller for displaying the text of data items stored in the storage;

the controller being operative to;

cause the text of the data item to be displayed on the visual display of the mobile device, the text including the number string;

cause a position marker to move on the visual display throughout the displayed text in response to navigational input through the user interface;

monitor for a predetermined user input through the user interface and upon detecting the predetermined user input cause a list of user selectable functions to be displayed on the visual display, wherein the displayed list of user selectable functions includes a telephone call function for initiating a telephone call to the number string when the position marker is located within the number string in the displayed text and the number string meets predetermined criteria, wherein the location of the position marker within the number string does not affect the list of user selectable functions displayed; and

cause a telephone call to the number string to be initiated through the wireless communications network when the telephone call function for the number string is selected from the list of user selectable functions.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the location of the position marker within the number string does not affect the list of user selectable functions displayed.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the user interface includes a depressible rotatable input mechanism connected to the controller, wherein the navigational input is rotation of the depressible rotatable input mechanism, and the predetermined user input is a depression of the depressible rotatable input mechanism when the telephone number string is selected.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the user interface includes a depressible rotatable input mechanism connected to the controller, wherein the navigational input is rotation of the depressible rotatable input mechanism, and selection of the telephone call function from the list of functions is a depression of the depressible rotatable input mechanism when the telephone call function is selected.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein the list of user selectable functions includes an SMS function for initiating an SMS message to the number string when the predetermined user input is detected while the number string is selected, and wherein the processor is further operative to cause an SMS message to be initiated to the selected number string through the wireless communications network when the SMS function for the selected number string is selected from the list of user selectable functions.