Multitasking graphical user interface

• US 7,222,304 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2003
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Beaton, Brian Finlay, Smith, Colin Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao (Kevin)
• Application Number:
  US10/629,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20040021697A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,392 Days
• Field of Search: 715/762, 715/744, 715/751, 715/754, 715/853, 715/854, 715/811, 715/810, 455/566, 455/556
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

A telecommunications device permits a user to perform several communication related tasks concurrently. The telecommunications device includes a user input device, a display having a tools portion and a windows portion, and a processing element. The processing element includes an element configured to represent the communication related tasks as objects in the tools portion, an element configured to launch different ones of the communication related tasks based upon selection of corresponding ones of the communication related task objects by the user via the user input device, and an element configured to change the window portion based on the user selection without changing the tools portion.

Claims

1. A telecommunications device for permitting a user to perform a plurality of communication-related tasks concurrently within the telecommunications device comprising:

a user input device;

a display having a tools portion and a windows portion; and

a processing element, connected to the user input device and the display, wherein the processing element is configured to communicate with a wireless voice network, to represent the communication-related tasks as objects in the tools portion, to provide the user with simultaneous access to the plurality of communications-related tasks, to execute different ones of the communication-related tasks based upon selection of corresponding ones of the communication-related task objects by the user via the user input device, and to change the window portion based on the user selection without changing the tools portion.

2. The telecommunications device of claim 1, wherein the user input device is a touch screen element on the display, and wherein the processing element executes one of the communication-related tasks based on the user touching a corresponding one of the communication-related task objects on the touch screen element.

3. The telecommunications device of claim 1, wherein the processing element executes a plurality of the communication-related tasks concurrently when a corresponding plurality of the communication-related task objects are selected by the user.

4. The telecommunications device of claim 3, wherein the processing element sends and receives voice calls and notes.

5. The telecommunication device of claim 3, further comprising:

means for managing the plurality of communication-related tasks to suspend, resume, or stop at least one of the plurality of communication-related communication related tasks.

6. The telecommunications device of claim 1, wherein the processing element partitions the display into the window portion and the tools portion.

7. The telecommunications device of claim 1, wherein the processing element provides access to the communication-related task objects in the tools portion regardless of the user selection.

8. The telecommunications device of claim 1, wherein the telecommunications device is a mobile telephone.

9. The telecommunications device of claim 8, wherein the mobile telephone includes a GSM mobile telephone.

10. A graphical user interface manager for controlling a telecommunications device display, having a window portion and a tools portion, to permit a user to perform a plurality of communication-related tasks concurrently, comprising:

a display controller for representing the communication-related tasks as objects in the tools portion and for providing the user with simultaneous access to the plurality of communication-related tasks;

a first processor element for launching different ones of the communication-related tasks to communicate with the wireless voice network based upon selection of corresponding ones of the communication-related task objects by the user; and

second processor element for changing the window portion based on the user selection without changing the tools portion.

11. The graphical user interface manager of claim 10, wherein the telecommunications device display includes a touch screen display, and wherein the first processor element comprises:

a third processor element for executing one of the communication-related tasks based on the user touching a corresponding one of the communication-related task objects on the touch screen display.

12. The graphical user interface manager of claim 10, wherein the first processor element comprises:

means for executing a plurality of the communication-related tasks concurrently when a corresponding plurality of the communication-related task objects are selected by the user.

13. The graphical user interface manager of claim 12, wherein the executing means includes means for sending and receiving voice calls and sending and receiving notes.

14. The graphical user interface manager of the claim 10, further including a fourth processor element for partitioning the telecommunications device display into the window portion and the tools portion.

15. The graphical user interface manager of claim 10, wherein the second processor element includes means for providing access to the communication related task objects in the tools portion regardless of the user selection.

16. A method of controlling a telecommunications device display, having a window portion and a tools portion, comprising:

representing a plurality of communication-related tasks as objects in the tools portion;

providing a user with simultaneous access to the plurality of communication-related tasks;

executing code on one or more processors to launch different ones of the communication-related tasks based upon selection of corresponding ones of the communication-related task objects by the user;

changing the window portion based on the user selection; and

maintaining the tools portion unchanged regardless of the user selection.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the telecommunications device display is a touch screen display, and wherein launching includes executing one of the communication-related tasks based on the user touching a corresponding one of the communication-related task objects on the touch screen display.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein launching includes executing a plurality of the communication-related tasks concurrently when a corresponding plurality of the communication-related task objects are selected by the user.

19. A method of concurrently performing tasks on a telecommunications device configured to communicate with a wireless voice network, the device including a display screen displaying a plurality of task objects corresponding to the tasks, comprising:

receiving a first user selection signal, the first user selection signal representing a selection by a user of a first one of the task objects;

executing a first one of the plurality of communication tasks corresponding to the selected first task object;

providing the user with simultaneous access to the plurality of task objects;

receiving a second user selection signal while executing the first task, the second user selection signal representing a selection of a second one of the task objects by the user; and

executing a second one of the tasks corresponding to the selected second task object while continuing to execute the first task.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first task object is a voice call object for establishing a voice call, and wherein the first task comprises:

opening a voice call window on the display screen, entering an identity of a recipient of the voice call, and

establishing the voice call with the voice call recipient.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the second task object is a note object for sending a note, and wherein executing the second task comprises:

opening a note window on the display screen,

entering note text for the note, the note being pre-addressed to the voice call recipient, and

sending the note.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein executing the second task comprises changing a recipient of the note to identify a recipient other than the voice call recipient.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the second task object is a voice call object, and wherein executing the second task comprises:

opening a voice call window on the display screen,

entering an identity of another voice call recipient, and

establishing the voice call with the another voice call recipient.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein executing the second task further comprises:

prompting the user to select either to place the voice call recipient on hold or to terminate the voice call with the voice call recipient, and

receiving a selection signal from the user.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the first task object is a note object for sending a note, and wherein executing the first task comprises:

opening a note window on the display screen,

entering note text and an identity of a note recipient, and

sending the note to the note recipient.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the second task object is a voice call object for establishing a voice call, and wherein executing the second task comprises:

opening a voice call window on the display screen,

entering an identity of a recipient of the voice call, and

establishing the voice call with the voice call recipient.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein receiving the second user selection signal comprises:

receiving a voice call from a caller,

opening a voice call window informing the user of an identity of the caller, and

receiving the second user selection signal in response to the received voice call, the second user selection signal being an indication of an acceptance or a denial of the received voice call.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein executing the second task comprises:

permitting the user to converse with the caller when the second user selection signal indicates an acceptance.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein receiving the first user selection signal comprises:

receiving a voice call from a caller,

opening a voice call window informing the user of an identity of the caller, and

receiving the first user selection signal in response to the received voice call, the first user selection signal being an indication of an acceptance or a denial of the received voice call.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein executing the first task comprises:

permitting the user to converse with the caller when the first user selection signal indicates an acceptance.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein receiving the second user selection signal comprises:

receiving a second voice call from a second caller,

opening a voice call window informing the user of an identity of the second caller, and

receiving the second user selection signal in response to the received second voice call, the second user selection signal being an indication of an acceptance or a denial of the received second voice call.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein executing the second task comprises:

permitting the user to converse with the second caller when the second user selection signal indicates an acceptance.