Mobile Communications Device User Interface

• US 20100159966A1
• Filed: 06/15/2009
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Friedman, Jonathan D., Apfel, Darren A., Smuga, Michael A., Wilson, Brian M., Hoffman, Nell H., Kruzeniski, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,385,952 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04807 Pen manipulated menu
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A mobile communications device user interface is described. In an implementation, a method is implemented by a mobile communications device that includes outputting a user interface having a portion that is configured to accept content. When an option is selected in relation to the portion to initiate a communication and the content includes one or more contacts, the communication is formed that includes the content and is automatically addressed to the one or more contacts.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a mobile communications device, the method comprising:

outputting a user interface having a portion that is configured to accept content; and

when an option is selected in relation to the portion to initiate a communication and the content includes one or more contacts, forming the communication that includes the content and is automatically addressed to the one or more contacts.

2. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the communication is an email and the one or more contacts include at least one email address that is used to automatically address the communication.

3. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the communication is a multimedia messaging service (MMS) communication and the one or more contacts include at least one telephone number that is used to automatically address the communication.

4. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the communication is an upload to a social network service and the one or more contacts include at least one network address that is used to automatically address the communication.

5. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the portion is provided by an operating system and exposed to a plurality of applications such that the content accepted by the portion persists during navigation between the applications.

6. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the portion is configured to accept the content via a drag-and-drop operation.

7. A method as described in claim 6, wherein the drag-and-drop operation involves a gesture detected through interaction with a display device of the mobile communications device using touchscreen functionality.

8. A method as described in claim 7, wherein:

a thumbnail image of the content is displayed in the user interface as following the gesture; and

when the thumbnail image is displayed proximally to the portion, an animation is displayed in the user interface to show acceptance of the thumbnail image by the portion.

9. A method as described in claim 8, wherein the animation involves rotation and scaling of the thumbnail image.

10. A method as described in claim 1, wherein a display state of the portion changes when the content has been accepted by the portion to indicate the acceptance.

11. One or more computer-readable storage media comprising instructions that are executable by a mobile communications device to configure a user interface to include a portion that is configured to accept a plurality of contacts via a drag-and-drop operation and provide an option that is selectable to initiate a communication to each of the plurality of contacts.

12. One or more computer-readable media as described in claim 11, wherein the communication is a single email that is addressed to each of the plurality of contacts.

13. One or more computer-readable media as described in claim 11, wherein the communication is a single multimedia messaging service (MMS) communication that is addressed to each of the plurality of contacts using respective telephone numbers.

14. One or more computer-readable media as described in claim 11, wherein the communication is an upload to be performed to a plurality of members of one or more social network services.

15. One or more computer-readable media as described in claim 11, wherein the option is selectable to output a plurality of additional options, each of which indicating a different communication technique.

16. One or more computer-readable media as described in claim 11, wherein the portion is provided by an operating system and exposed to a plurality of applications such that the content accepted by the portion persists during navigation between the applications.

17. A mobile communications device comprising:

a display device;

a processor; and

memory configured to maintain a plurality of applications and an operating system that are executable on the processor, the operating system is configured to expose a feature to the plurality of applications to output in a user interface for display on the display device a portion that is selectable in the user interface to accept content via a drag-and-drop operation and output one or more indications of actions that are performable on each of the content accepted in the portion.

18. A mobile communications device as described in claim 17, wherein the drag-and-drop operation is performable via a gesture that is detectable via the display device using touchscreen functionality by the operating system.

19. A mobile communications device as described in claim 17, wherein the actions include creation of a playlist and initiation of a slideshow.

20. A mobile communications device as described in claim 17, wherein the portion provided by the operating system and exposed to the plurality of applications is configured such that the content accepted by the portion persists during navigation between the applications.