Method and system for handwritten electronic messaging

• US 7,224,991 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Issued: 05/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Markowitz, Robert Edward, Robinson, Bethany Scott, Fuoss, Paul Henry, Katseff, Howard Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yun; Eugene
• Application Number:
  US11/235,854
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/556.2, 455/550.1, 455/412.1, 715/541, 715/531, 345/156, 345/173, 345/179
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for providing handwritten messages with electronic communication devices. For example the electronic communication device may be a mobile communication device and may include a touch screen, screen buffer memory, processor, and transceiver. In preferred embodiments, the mobile communication device may be a personal digital assistant (PDA), a two-way pager, or a mobile telephone. The mobile communication device user may create a handwritten message on the touch screen using, for example, a stylus. In one exemplary embodiment, the handwritten message displayed on the touch screen may be stored to the buffer memory as an image, directed by the processor to the transceiver, and transmitted via a wireless connection to, for example, a wireless base station and the Internet. The Internet may route the handwritten message image to a desired Internet address. The handwritten message may be displayed in real time on the recipient'"'"'s display, e.g., an instant message (IM) session, or stored in their email mailbox for later retrieval and display. The recipient may type in a text message in response to the hand written message, and this message will be transmitted to mobile communication device and displayed on the mobile communication device. In another embodiment, the receiving party may also have handwritten messaging capabilities (included with, for example, a PC, PDA or a mobile phone) and may respond with a handwritten message.

Claims

1. A method comprising

displaying a received text message for a first user on a touch screen display of an electronic communication device, the text of the message having been composed by a second user;

receiving a handwritten message that was input by the first user using the touch screen display while the received text message was being displayed on the touch screen display,

displaying the input handwritten message on the touch screen display in handwritten form at the same time as the received text message is being displayed on the touch screen display, said displaying of the input handwritten message being such that both the received text message and the input handwritten message in handwritten form are displayed on the touch screen display at the same time as one another,

in response to the first user thereafter touching a predetermined button area of the touch screen display while both the received text message and the input handwritten message in handwritten form are displayed on the touch screen display at the same time as one another, creating an email message that includes both the received text message and the input handwritten message, and

thereafter transmitting the email message to an electronic message address associated with the second user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined button area includes the word “

reply”

.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting said email message over a communication network.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said communication network includes at least one of a wireless communication network, the public switched telephone network, a broadband communication system, and the Internet.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said email message is further transmitted to an electronic mail server connected to said at least one communication network.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting said email message using an electronic mail protocol.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said electronic mail protocol is one of SMTP, POP3 and IMAP4.

8. A method of electronic communications comprising the steps of:

displaying for a first user on a touch screen display of a mobile electric communication device a typewritten message that was received over a wireless connection, the text of said message having been composed by a second user;

receiving a handwritten message that was input by a first user using said touch screen display while the received typewritten message was being displayed on the touch screen display;

displaying the input handwritten message on the touch screen display in handwritten form at the same time as the received typewritten message is displayed on the touch screen display so that both the received typewritten message and the input handwritten message in handwritten form are displayed on the touch screen display at the same time as one another, and

thereafter, in response to the first user indicating that the first user desires to have the received typewritten message and the input handwritten message transmitted, and while both the received typewritten message and the input handwritten message in handwritten form are being displayed on the touch screen display at the same time as one another, transmitting the input handwritten message image together with the received typewritten message to an electronic message address associated with another electronic communication device.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the input handwritten message and the received typewritten message are transmitted in the same message field.