Method and system for assisting a user to engage in a microbrowser-based interactive chat session

• US 6,727,916 B1
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Ballard, Barbara
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US09/746,702
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 345/864, 345/786-787, 345/752, 345/758, 345/760, 345/853, 345/854, 345/855, 345/475, 345/179, 345/544, 345/1.3, 345/2.3, 345/3.1, 345/5, 345/866, 345/863, 345/702-703, 345/860, 345/712, 345/784-785, 345/756, 345/755, 345/754, 235/486, 235/492
• US Class Current: 715/758
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A method and system for assisting a user to engage in a microbrowser-based interactive chat session. The microbrowser displays a conversation choice card comprising (i) a history-of-communications and (ii) a number of choice-items related to the chat session. The use of a conversation choice-card conveniently reduces the number of keystrokes that a user might otherwise need to carry out various functions related to the chat session. It also may cut the number of keystrokes required to perform interactive chat functions.

Claims

1. A user interface for providing an interactive chat session on a wireless handheld device, the wireless handheld device having a display screen and at least one actuator, the user interface comprising:

(a) a display block including;

(1) at least one history-of-communications segment displayed on the display screen, the at least one history-of-communications segment having communications between the wireless handheld device and at least one remote entity; and

(2) at least one choice-item segment displayed on the display screen, the at least one choice-item segment having a plurality of choice-items each (i) selectable by a user through actuation of the at least one actuator and (ii) defining an action item related to the chat session;

wherein only a portion of the display block is viewable on the display screen at any given time; and

(b) a mechanism to allow the user to scroll through the display block to move some of the choice-items into view on the display screen while moving some of the communications out of view.

2. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the display screen initially displays (i) the at least one history-of-communications segment and (ii) at least a first choice-item of the at least one choice-item segment.

3. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the at least one choice-item segment includes (i) a quick-text choice-item, (ii) a type-reply choice-item, (iii) a refresh option, and (iv) a close-chat choice-item.

4. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the wireless handheld device is equipped with a microbrowser application.

5. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the display screen is at least three rows of characters high.

6. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the display screen is at least twelve characters wide.

7. The user interface of claim 1, wherein a choice card defines the user interface, the choice card including the at least one history-of-communications segment and the at least one choice-item segment.

8. The user interface of claim 7, wherein the choice card is encoded in a markup language.

9. The user interface of claim 8, wherein the markup language is selected from the group consisting of WML, HDML, and cHTML.

10. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the at least one history-of-communications segment displayed on the display screen comprises at least one outgoing message sent from the wireless handheld device to the at least one remote entity.

11. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the at least one history-of-communications segment displayed on the display screen comprises at least one outgoing message and at least one incoming message that have been sent between the wireless handheld device and the at least one remote entity.

12. The user interface of claim 11, wherein the at least one history-of-communications segment displayed on the display screen comprises, in connection with each of the at least one incoming message, an identification of a respective sender of the message.

13. A method for assisting a user to engage in an interactive chat session via a device, the device having a display screen and at least one actuator, the method comprising:

(a) scrollably displaying a display block on the display screen such that only a portion of the display block is viewable at a given time, the display block comprising;

(1) at least one history-of-communications segment having communications between the device and at least one remote entity; and

(2) at least one choice-item segment having a plurality of choice-items each (i) selectable by a user through actuation of the at least one actuator and (ii) defining an action item related to the chat session; and

(b) in response to an indication from the user, scrolling some of the choice-items into view on the display screen while scrolling some of the communications out of view.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein displaying the display block comprises initially displaying (i) the at least one history-of-communications segment and (ii) at least a first choice-item of the at least one choice-item segment.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one choice-item segment comprises (i) a quick-text choice-item, (ii) a type-reply choice-item, (iii) a refresh option, and (iv) a close-chat choice-item.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein displaying the display block comprises displaying a choice card, the choice card defining the at least one history-of-communications segment and the at least one choice-item segment.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising encoding the choice card in a markup language.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein encoding the choice card comprises encoding the choice card in a markup language selected from the group consisting of WML, HDML, and cHTML.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein displaying the display block comprises displaying at least one outgoing message sent from the device to the at least one remote entity.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein displaying the display block comprises displaying at least one outgoing message and at least one incoming message sent between the device and the at least one remote entity.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein displaying at least one incoming message comprises displaying, in connection with each of the at least one incoming message, an identification of a respective sender of the message.

22. A user interface for assisting in providing an interactive chat session on a device, the device comprising a display screen and at least one actuator, the user interface comprising:

(a) a choice card displayed on the display screen, the choice card having a display block, the display block comprising;

(1) at least one history-of-communications segment having a history-of-communications between the first device and at least one remote entity; and

(2) at least one choice-item segment having a plurality of choice-items (i) each selectable by a user through actuation of the at least one actuator and (ii) defining an action item related to the chat session;

wherein only a portion of the display block is viewable on the display screen at any given time; and

(b) a mechanism to allow the user to scroll through the display block to move some of the choice-items into view on the display screen while moving some of the communications out of view.

23. A method of assisting a user to engage in an interactive chat session via a device coupled with a telecommunications network, the device having a display screen and at least one actuator, the method comprising:

(a) scrollably displaying a display block of a choice card on the display screen such that only a portion of the display block is viewable on the display screen at a given time, the display block of the choice card comprising;

(1) at least one history-of-communication segment having a history-of-communications between the first device and at least one remote entity; and

(2) at least one choice-item segment having a plurality of choice-items each (i) selectable by the user through actuation of the at least one actuator and (ii) defining an action item related to the interactive chat session;

(b) in response to an indication from the user, scrolling some of the choice-items into view on the display screen while scrolling some of the communications out of view.