Graphics based call management
First Claim
1. A terminal for use with a communication system, said communication system operable for controlling communication connections between a plurality of terminals under control of signals transmitted between said communication system and said terminals, said terminal comprising,display means,means for establishing on said display means first and second visually distinct areas,means for visually displaying a plurality of images on said display means, each said image representative of one of said plurality of terminals,means for controlling the movement of said images into and out of said first and said second visually distinct areas, said controlling means operative in response to signals provided by a user at said terminal, andmeans responsive to the movement of two images into said first visually distinct area for sending signals to said communication system representative of a desired communication connection between the terminals associated with said two images.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
There is disclosed a method of setting up, manipulating, and taking down communication connections. The telephone instrument would include a graphics screen, such as a PC, and a series of call appearance boxes would be represented on the screen. Each possible party to a connection would be represented by a picture (icon generated upon request for a particular party) and an associated label (the party'"'"'s name). The icon representative of a party is moved, by use of a cursor, inside a communication appearance box on the screen to place that party on the call. The icon would be moved out of the box to drop the party from the call. In this manner, two-party, as well as conference, calls can be established.
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Citations
63 Claims
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1. A terminal for use with a communication system, said communication system operable for controlling communication connections between a plurality of terminals under control of signals transmitted between said communication system and said terminals, said terminal comprising,
display means, means for establishing on said display means first and second visually distinct areas, means for visually displaying a plurality of images on said display means, each said image representative of one of said plurality of terminals, means for controlling the movement of said images into and out of said first and said second visually distinct areas, said controlling means operative in response to signals provided by a user at said terminal, and means responsive to the movement of two images into said first visually distinct area for sending signals to said communication system representative of a desired communication connection between the terminals associated with said two images.
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14. A communication system operable for controlling communication connections between a plurality of terminals connected to said system, said system comprising,
display means, means for establishing on said display means a plurality of visually distinct areas, means for visually displaying a plurality of images on said display means, each said image identifiable as a particular one of said plurality of terminals, means for selectively controlling the positioning of said images into and out of said visually distinct areas, in response to signals provided to said display, and means responsive to the positioning of any two images into one of said visually distinct areas for controlling the establishment of a communication connection between the terminals identified with said two images.
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24. The method of controlling communication connections between a plurality of terminals in a communication system, said method comprising
establishing on a visual display a plurality of visually distinct areas, creating on said display a plurality of images, each said image identifiable as a particular one of said plurality of terminals, selectively controlling the positioning of said images into and out of said visually distinct areas in response to signals provided to said display, and controlling, in response to the positioning of any two images into one of said visually distinct areas, a communication connection between the terminals identified with said two images.
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30. A computer program method for controlling a personal computer, said personal computer used as a partial replacement for a conventional terminal in a communication system, said communication system operable for controlling communication connections between a plurality of said terminals under control of signals transmitted between said communication system and said conventional terminals, said personal computer having a visual display, said computer program comprising the steps of,
segregating on said display first and second visually distinct areas, presenting on said display a plurality of images each said image representative of one of said plurality of terminals, positioning in conjunction with stimuli presented by a user said images into and out of said first and said second visually distinct areas, and sending signals in response to the positioning of two images into said first visually distinct area to said communication system representative of a desired communication connection between the terminals associated with said two images.
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39. A terminal for use with a communication system, said communication system operable for controlling communication connections between a plurality of terminals under control of signals transmitted between said communication system and said terminals, said terminal comprising,
display means, means for visually displaying a plurality of images on said display means, each said image representative of on of said plurality of terminals, means for controlling the movement of said images on said display means, said controlling means operative in response to signals provided by a user at said terminal, and means responsive to selected movement of said images for establishing communication connections with respect to said terminals represented by selectively moved ones of said images.
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46. A communication system operable for controlling communication connections between a plurality of terminals connected to said system, said system comprising,
display means, means for establishing on said display means a plurality of visually distinct areas, means for visually displaying a plurality of images on said display means, each said image identifiable as a particular one of said plurality of terminals, means for selectively controlling the positioning of said images into and out of said visually distinct areas, in response to signals provided to said display, and means responsive to the positioning of one or more images into one of said visually distinct areas for controlling the establishment of a communication connection between the terminals identified with said positioned images.
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53. The method of controlling communication connections between a plurality of terminals in a communication system, said method comprising
creating on a visual display a plurality of images, each said image identifiable as a particular one of said plurality of terminals, selectively controlling the positioning of said images on said display in response to signals provided to said display, and controlling, in response to the positioning of any image, a communication connection with respect to the terminals identified with said positioned images.
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55. A terminal for use with a communication system, said communication system operable for controlling communication connections between a plurality of terminals under control of signals transmitted between said communication system and said terminals, said terminal comprising,
display means, means for establishing on said display means first and second visually distinct areas, means for visually displaying a plurality of first images on said display means, each of said first images representative of one of said plurality of terminals, means for establishing a second image on said display, said second image being selectively movable under control of a user at said terminal, and means responsive to the movement of said second image into the same visually distinct area as one of said first images for sending signals to said communication system representative of a desired communication connection with respect to the terminal associated with said one first image.
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58. A computer program method for controlling a personal computer, said personal computer used as a partial replacement for a conventional terminal in a communication system, said communication system operable for controlling communication connections between a plurality of said terminals under control of signals transmitted between said communication system and said conventional terminals, said personal computer having a visual display, said computer program comprising the steps of,
presenting on said display a plurality of images each said image representative of one of said plurality of terminals and first and second visually distinct areas, positioning in conjunction with stimuli presented by a user said images into and out of said first and said second visually distinct areas, and sending signals in response to the positioning of an image into said first visually distinct area to said communication system representative of a desired communication connection with respect to the terminal associated with positioned image.
Specification