User Interface Methods and Apparatus For Use In Communicating Text And Photo Messages

• US 20130093833A1
• Filed: 10/14/2011
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Ibdah, Abdallah, Al-Asaaed, Ennis
• Granted Patent: US 8,819,154 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00106 using land mobile radio networks, e.g. mobile telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3266 of text or character information, e.g. text accompanying an image H04N2201/3226 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3273 Display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders

Abstract

Techniques for use in messaging from a portable communication device having a camera module are described. In an instant communication session, the portable device displays a message thread involving two or more participants and a text input field for entering text. In response to an input to capture an image, the portable device automatically captures a photographic image via the camera module, attaches the photographic image to a message, and sends the message to at least one of the two or more participants.

Claims

1. A method for use in messaging from a portable communication device having a camera module, the method comprising:

in an instant communication session, displaying a message thread involving two or more participants, and displaying a text input field for entering text; and

in response to an input to capture an image, automatically capturing a photographic image via the camera module, attaching the photographic image to a message, and sending the message to at least one of the two or more participants.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the input to capture an image, suppressing a preview mode of the camera module.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

opening a camera application of the portable communication device;

in response to opening of the camera application, invoking the preview mode of the camera module; and

in response to an input to capture an image during the preview mode, capturing a photographic image with the camera module.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

refraining from presenting a user input prompt for saving the photographic image.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in a non-instant communication session, during presentation of a text input field for entering text;

in response to detecting an actuation of the send or enter key, sending to one or more recipients a message which includes the text from the text input field;

in response to detecting an actuation of a camera shutter key, performing a multi-step process which includes capturing a photographic image with the camera module and attaching the photographic image to a message, without sending the message; and

in response to detecting an actuation of the send or enter key while the photographic image is attached to the message, sending to the one or more recipients the message which includes the attached photographic image.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to detecting an actuation of the camera shutter key when text is entered into the text input field, performing the automatic multi-step process which includes capturing the photographic image with the camera module, attaching the photographic image to the message, and sending to the one or more participants the message which includes the text from the text input field and the attached photographic image.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the instant communication session comprises an instant message (IM) communications or BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) message communications.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the non-instant instant communication session comprises Short Message Service (SMS) message communications or electronic mail (e-mail) message communications.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in a voice call mode with a voice call maintained with a voice call participant via a wireless network;

in response to detecting an actuation of a camera shutter key, performing an automatic multi-step process which includes capturing a photographic image with the camera module, attaching the photographic image to a message, and sending to the voice call participant the message which includes the attached photographic image.

10. A computer readable medium, comprising:

a computer readable medium;

computer instructions stored in the computer readable medium;

the computer instructions being executable by one or more processors of a communication device for;

in an instant communication session, displaying a message thread involving two or more participants, and displaying a text input field for entering text; and

in response to an input to capture an image, automatically capturing a photographic image via a camera module, attaching the photographic image to a message, and sending the message to at least one of the two or more participants.

11. A wireless communication device, comprising:

one or more processors;

a radio frequency (RF) transceiver coupled to the one or more processors;

a user interface coupled to the one or more processors, the user interface comprising a display;

memory coupled to the one or more processors;

the one or more processors being configured to;

in an instant communication session, cause a message thread involving two or more participants and a text input field for entering text to be displayed in the display; and

in response to an input to capture an image, automatically capturing a photographic image via a camera module, attaching the photographic image to a message, and sending the message via the RF transceiver to at least one of the two or more participants.

12. The wireless communication device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to suppress a preview mode of the camera module.

13. The wireless communication device of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

open a camera application;

in response to opening of the camera application, invoke the preview mode of the camera module; and

in response to the input to capture the image during the preview mode, capture a photographic image with the camera module.

14. The wireless communication device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to refrain from presenting a user input prompt for saving the photographic image.

15. The wireless communication device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

in a non-instant communication session, during presentation of a text input field for entering text;

in response to detecting an actuation of the send or enter key, send to one or more recipients via the RF transceiver a message which includes the text from the text input field;

in response to detecting an actuation of a camera shutter key, performing a multi-step process which includes capturing a photographic image with the camera module and attaching the photographic image to a message, without sending the message via the RF transceiver; and

in response to detecting an actuation of the send or enter key while the photographic image is attached to the message, sending to the one or more recipients via the RF transceiver the message which includes the attached photographic image.

16. The wireless communication device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

in response to detecting an actuation of a camera shutter key when text is entered into the text input field, perform an automatic multi-step process which includes capturing the photographic image with the camera module, attaching the photographic image to the message, and sending to the one or more participants via the RF transceiver the message which includes the text from the text input field and the attached photographic image.

17. The wireless communication device of claim 11, wherein the instant communication session comprises instant message (IM) communications or BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) message communications.

18. The wireless communication device of claim 15, wherein the non-instant instant communication session comprises Short Message Service (SMS) message communications or electronic mail (e-mail) message communications.

19. The wireless communication device of claim 11, wherein the portable communication device comprises a cellular telephone operative in a cellular telecommunications network.

20. The wireless communication device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

in a voice call mode where a voice call is maintained with a voice call participant via the wireless network;

in response to detecting an actuation of a camera shutter key, performing an automatic multi-step process which includes capturing a photographic image with the camera module, attaching the photographic image to a message, and sending to the voice call participant via the RF transceiver the message which includes the attached photographic image.

21. A user interface method for use in messaging from a portable communication device which includes a camera module, the method comprising:

in an instant communication mode, presenting a conversation thread of a message conversation involving one or more participants, and presenting a text input field for entering text in the message conversation;

during the presentation of the conversation thread and the text input field for entering text;

in response to detecting an actuation of a send or enter key, sending to the one or more participants a message which includes the text from the text input field; and

alternatively, in response to detecting an actuation of a camera shutter key, performing an automatic multi-step process which includes capturing a photographic image with the camera module, attaching the photographic image to a message, and sending to the one or more participants the message which includes the attached photographic image.