TECHNIQUES FOR DISPLAYING AN ANIMATED CALLING CARD

• US 20140292768A1
• Filed: 04/01/2013
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Tobin, John Patrick Edgar
• Granted Patent: US 9,472,013 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/473
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/80 2D [Two Dimensional] animation, e.g. using sprites
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2213/12 Rule based animation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72

Abstract

According to various exemplary embodiments, a communication request from a caller is received at a mobile device associated with a callee. A relationship between the caller and the callee is determined. Animation rule information is accessed, where the animation rule information describes a plurality of animation rules corresponding to a plurality of relationships. Thereafter, a display of an animation is generated via a user interface in the mobile device of the callee, based on a specific animation rule in the animation rule information that corresponds to the relationship between the caller and the callee.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first mobile device associated with a first user, a communication request from a second user;

determining a relationship between the second user and the first user, based on user directory information;

accessing animation rule information describing a plurality of animation rules corresponding to a plurality of relationships; and

generating a display of an animation, via a user interface in the first mobile device, based on a specific animation rule in the animation rule information that corresponds to the determined relationship.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific animation rule specifies an animation to be generated, based on media data associated with users having the determined relationship.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing media data corresponding to the first user or the second user,

wherein the animation is generated based on the media data corresponding to the first user or the second user and the specific animation rule.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the media data corresponds to at least one of a photograph, a picture, a logo, a video, or an animation associated with the first user or the second user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user directory information identifies a plurality of users and, for one or more of the plurality of users, a known relationship with the first user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the known relationship is specified by the first user.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the known relationship is imported from an email account or social network account of the first user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a current location of a second mobile device associated with the second user,

wherein the animation includes a map identifying the current location of the second mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a current location of a second mobile device associated with the second user,

wherein the animation includes a location-specific animation based on the current location of the second mobile device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a current location of a second mobile device associated with the second user; and

calculating a distance between the current location of the second mobile device and a current location of the first mobile device,

wherein the animation identifies the distance.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication request corresponds to a telephone call, a text message, an instant message, an email message, or a video chat request.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined relationship is at least one of a romantic relationship, a friendship relationship, a familial relationship, a business relationship, and an undefined relationship.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a determination module configured to;

receive, at a first mobile device associated with a first user, a communication request from a second user; and

determine a relationship between the second user and the first user, based on user directory information; and

an animation generation module, implemented by one or more processors, configured to;

access animation rule information describing a plurality of animation rules corresponding to a plurality of relationships; and

generate a display of an animation, via a user interface in the first mobile device, based on a specific animation rule in the animation rule information that corresponds to the determined relationship.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the specific animation rule specifies an animation to be generated, based on media data associated with users having the determined relationship.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the animation generation module is further configured to access media data corresponding to the first user or the second user, and

wherein the animation is generated based on the media data corresponding to the first user or the second user and the specific animation rule.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the media data corresponds to at least one of a photograph, a picture, a logo, a video, or an animation associated with the first user or the second user.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the user directory information identifies a plurality of users and, for one or more of the plurality of users, a known relationship with the first user.

18. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having embodied thereon instructions executable by one or more machines to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at a first mobile device associated with a first user, a communication request from a second user;

determining a relationship between the second user and the first user, based on user directory information;

accessing animation rule information describing a plurality of animation rules corresponding to a plurality of relationships; and

generating a display of an animation, via a user interface in the first mobile device, based on a specific animation rule in the animation rule information that corresponds to the determined relationship.

19. The storage medium of claim 18, wherein the specific animation rule specifies an animation to be generated based on media data associated with users having the determined relationship.

20. The storage medium of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise accessing media data corresponding to the first user or the second user, and

wherein the animation is generated based on the media data corresponding to the first user or the second user and the specific animation rule.