Graphical user interface for a screen telephone
First Claim
1. A tangible computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for implementing a customizable visual user interface on a screen display of a telephony device comprising:
- an application program for providing services to a user on the telephony device;
a shell program that exposes an application programming interface for customizing the customizable visual user interface;
a message center operatively connected to the shell program for providing access to a user message; and
a telephony module for managing telephony functions,wherein the application programming interface exposed by the shell program comprises one or more methods, the application programming interface receiving input from an application, and wherein execution of the one or more methods of the application programming interface is responsive to the input from the application for customizing the customizable visual user interface,wherein the telephony module includes an operator agent for determining a media mode of an incoming call.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A graphical user interface for a web telephone and other telephony devices provides a unique combination of display elements that provide information and enable the user to access functionality of the device. The display elements include customizable screen areas called panes, an application program selection area, and call state area for displaying telephone line status information. A software platform of the user interface provides a set of default user interface features and exposes an application programming interface. System implementers may customize the default display elements or create entirely new custom panes that fit within a uniform user interface framework using the application programming interface.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A tangible computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for implementing a customizable visual user interface on a screen display of a telephony device comprising:
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an application program for providing services to a user on the telephony device; a shell program that exposes an application programming interface for customizing the customizable visual user interface; a message center operatively connected to the shell program for providing access to a user message; and a telephony module for managing telephony functions, wherein the application programming interface exposed by the shell program comprises one or more methods, the application programming interface receiving input from an application, and wherein execution of the one or more methods of the application programming interface is responsive to the input from the application for customizing the customizable visual user interface, wherein the telephony module includes an operator agent for determining a media mode of an incoming call. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of creating a customizable visual user interface for a telephony device with a screen display, the method comprising:
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providing, on one or more tangible computer-readable media, software comprising computer-executable instructions for customizing the customizable visual user interface, the customizable visual user interface comprising a branding area for displaying a brand graphic, wherein the branding area is operable to allow a user to connect to an internet location via the telephony device, and wherein the internet location is associated with the brand graphic; wherein the software for customizing the customizable visual user interface comprises at least one application programming interface comprising one or more methods for adding one or more custom panes corresponding to a parent application to the customizable visual user interface, the at least one application programming interface exposed by a shell program; wherein the software for customizing the customizable visual user interface is provided by a first software provider to a second software provider; and wherein customization of the customizable visual user interface is performed by the second software provider using the application programming interface.
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33. A method for developing software to run on a telephony device, the method comprising:
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receiving, on one or more tangible computer-readable media, a software platform comprising computer-executable instructions for displaying a user interface on a display screen of the telephony device, wherein the software platform includes a shell program that exposes a programmatic programming interface operable to provide functionality for customizing the user interface; receiving default user interface program modules that each display default user interface elements in the user interface; and creating a custom user interface program module, wherein the custom user interface program module uses the programmatic programming interface operable to provide functionality for customizing the user interface and displays a custom user interface element in the user interface, the custom user interface element associated with a parent application not included in the received software platform or the received default user interface program modules; and enumerating the custom program module in a data structure of an operating system to enable the software platform to identify the custom user interface element and add the custom user interface element to the user interface.
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34. A method for developing software to run on a telephony device, the method comprising:
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receiving, on one or more tangible computer-readable media, a software platform comprising computer-executable instructions for displaying a user interface on a display screen of the telephony device, wherein the software platform includes a shell program that exposes a programmatic programming interface operable to provide functionality for customizing the user interface; receiving default user interface program modules that each display default user interface elements in the user interface; and creating a custom user interface program module, wherein the custom user interface program module uses the programmatic programming interface operable to provide functionality for customizing the user interface and displays a custom user interface element in the user interface, the custom user interface element associated with a parent application not included in the received software platform or the received default user interface program modules receiving a set of application programs associated with the default user interface elements; and for a selected default user interface element, selecting an associated application program from the set to be loaded onto and executed in the telephony device; wherein the associated application program uses the selected default user interface element as a user interface. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. A tangible computer readable medium having programming modules that control display of a user interface of a screen phone, the programming modules including:
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a shell program for controlling display of a user interface on a display screen of the screen phone, wherein the shell program exposes a programmatic programming interface operable to provide functionality for customizing the user interface; default pane programs that each control display of default panes in the user interface, at least one of the default pane programs providing a user interface for a parent application program; wherein the parent application program communicates state changes to a corresponding default pane program, and the corresponding default pane program updates the default pane to reflect the state changes; and wherein the programmatic programming interface provides one or more methods for creating one or more custom panes for display in the user interface, the custom panes associated with one or more parent applications outside the shell program.
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38. A method of developing software for a customizable visual user interface for a telephony device with a screen display, wherein the customizable visual user interface comprises:
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a message area for displaying a visual indicator of fax, e-mail, or answering machine messages, the method comprising; providing, on one or more tangible computer-readable media, software comprising computer-executable instructions for implementing default elements of the customizable visual user interface and customizing the customizable visual user interface to a custom software implementer; wherein the software for implementing default elements of the customizable visual user interface and customizing the customizable visual user interface comprises one or more application programming interfaces comprising one or more methods for customizing the visual user interface, wherein at least one of the one or more application programming interfaces is exposed by a shell program and comprises a method for adding a custom pane corresponding to a parent application to the customizable visual user interface. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A computer-implemented method for providing run-time customization of a user interface of a telephony device, the method comprising:
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at run-time of the user interface, accepting an indication that a new user interface element is to be added to the user interface of the telephony device; and responsive to the accepting, adding the new user interface element to the user interface of the telephony device; wherein the accepting facilitates customization of the user interface of the telephony device at run-time of the user interface; and wherein the new user interface element is associated with a parent application separate from a shell program implementing default elements of the user interface, wherein the accepting is accomplished via a programmatic programming interface, the method further comprising; via the programmatic programming interface, accepting an indication that the new user interface element is to be registered for receiving messages related to the new user interface element.
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41. A tangible computer-readable medium having stored thereon software for implementing a customizable visual user interface for a telephony device with a screen display, the visual user interface comprising:
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an application program selection area, including user interface controls for selecting application programs; a call slip area, including a call slip user interface for displaying telephone line state information; and a customizable area including at least one user interface element enabling a user to activate an internet browser application program to access an online directory service; wherein the software for implementing a customizable visual user interface comprises at least one application programming interface comprising one or more methods for customizing the customizable area, the at least one application programming interface provided by a shell program implementing default elements of the visual user interface; and wherein at least one of the one or more methods for customizing the customizable area is for adding one or more custom panes to the visual user interface for the telephony device, the one or more panes associated with a parent application separate from a the shell program implementing default elements of the visual user interface.
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Specification