SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MODE-NEUTRAL COMMUNICATIONS WITH A WIDGET-BASED COMMUNICATIONS METAPHOR

• US 20100251124A1
• Filed: 03/29/2010
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Geppert, Birgit, Roessler, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 8,938,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/734
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/247 Telephone sets including user guidance or feature selection means facilitating their use user interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/42 Graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5027 Dropping a party from a conference conducting a computer conference, e.g. admission detection H04L12/1822
• 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 2250/62 user interface aspects of conference calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 : Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42289 : with carrierprovider selection by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/563 : User guidance or feature selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/564 : whereby the feature is a sub-conference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 : for social networking applications

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for managing communications mode neutrally using widgets. The method includes presenting via a graphical user interface (GUI) a set of connected graphical elements representing a communication session comprising at least two communicating users, wherein each graphical element representing a user further comprises at least one graphical sub-element indicating user communication details, receiving user input associated with the set of connected graphical elements, the user input having an action associated with the communication session, and performing the action based on the received user input. The graphical sub-elements can indicate a communication mode through which an associated user connects to the communication session and/or available communication modes for an associated user. The graphical sub-elements can include a telephone, mobile phone, instant message, camera, video camera, microphone, text-message, document, headset, or email icon.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of managing communications mode neutrally using widgets, the method causing a computing device to perform steps comprising:

presenting via a graphical user interface (GUI) a set of connected graphical elements representing a communication session comprising at least two communicating users, wherein each graphical element representing a user further comprises at least one graphical sub-element indicating user communication details;

receiving user input associated with the set of connected graphical elements, the user input having an action associated with the communication session; and

performing the action based on the received user input.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein one of graphical sub-element indicates a communication mode through which an associated user is connected to the communication session.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the graphical sub-elements indicates available communication modes for an associated user.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the graphical sub-elements comprise one or more of a telephone icon, a mobile phone icon, an instant message icon, a camera icon, a video camera icon, a microphone, a text message icon, a document icon, a headset icon, and an email icon.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein connected graphical elements are connected in the GUI by one or more of a line, a shape, proximity, a common shape, a common color, and a common appearance.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the method further causing the computing device to update the at least one graphical sub-element dynamically based on changing user communication details.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein graphical sub-elements are communications widgets.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, the method causing the computing device to perform steps further comprising:

receiving a first user input indicating a specific graphical sub-element;

displaying a menu of options based on the specific graphical sub-element and its respective associated user;

receiving a second user input selecting an option in the menu of options; and

manipulating the communication session based on the second user input.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein manipulating the communication session comprises creating a separate communication session.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the GUI accepts input via at least one of mode-neutral user controls, mode neutral buttons, and mode neutral gestures.

11. A system for managing communications mode neutrally using widgets, the system comprising:

a processor;

a first module controlling the processor to present via a graphical user interface (GUI) a set of connected graphical elements representing a communication session comprising at least two communicating users, wherein each graphical element representing a user further comprises at least one graphical sub-element indicating user communication details;

a second module controlling the processor to receive user input associated with the set of connected graphical elements, the user input having an action associated with the communication session; and

a third module controlling the processor to perform the action based on the received user input.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein one of graphical sub-element indicates a communication mode through which an associated user is connected to the communication session.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the graphical sub-elements indicates available communication modes for an associated user.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the graphical sub-elements comprise one or more of a telephone icon, a mobile phone icon, an instant message icon, a camera icon, a video camera icon, a microphone, a text message icon, a document icon, a headset icon, and an email icon.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein connected graphical elements are connected in the GUI by one or more of a line, a shape, proximity, a common shape, a common color, and a common appearance.

16. The system of claim 11, the system further comprising a fourth module controlling the processor to update the at least one graphical sub-element dynamically based on changing user communication details.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein graphical sub-elements are communications widgets.

18. The system of claim 17, the system further comprising:

a fourth module controlling the processor to receive a first user input indicating a specific graphical sub-element;

a fifth module controlling the processor to display a menu of options based on the specific graphical sub-element and its respective associated user;

a sixth module controlling the processor to receive a second user input selecting an option in the menu of options; and

a seventh module controlling the processor to manipulating the communication session based on the second user input.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein manipulating the communication session comprises creating a separate communication session.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to manage communications mode neutrally using widgets, the instructions comprising:

presenting via a graphical user interface (GUI) a set of connected graphical elements representing a communication session comprising at least two communicating users, wherein each graphical element representing a user further comprises at least one graphical sub-element indicating user communication details;

receiving user input associated with the set of connected graphical elements, the user input having an action associated with the communication session; and

performing the action based on the received user input.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, the instructions further comprising:

receiving a first user input indicating a specific graphical sub-element;

displaying a menu of options based on the specific graphical sub-element and its respective associated user;

receiving a second user input selecting an option in the menu of options;

manipulating the communication session based on the second user input.