Integrated messaging user interface with message-based logging

• US 7,512,400 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2004
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: McCabe, Mark Anthony, Van Tilburg, Martijn E., Starbuck, Bryan T., Fuller, Deana R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen; Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cai; Wayne
• Application Number:
  US10/835,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20050243979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,796 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.17, 379/88.21, 379/93.23, 345/333, 455/455, 455/414.1, 455/403
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2473 Telephone terminals interfacing a personal computer, e.g. using an API (Application Programming Interface) details of API H04M7/0021
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/576 associated with a pictorial or graphical representation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/301 Management of recordings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4509 Unified messaging with single point of access to voicemail and other mail or messaging systems unified messaging in packet switching networks H04L51/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/20 hybrid systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/203 composed of PSTN and data network, e.g. the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/206 composed of PSTN and wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/60 logging of communication history, e.g. outgoing or incoming calls, missed calls, messages or URLs logging of telephone numbers H04M1/56, H04M1/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/64 file transfer between terminals download of applications H04M1/72406; transfer of messages, e.g. SMS, e-mail or MMS H04M1/7243
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/68 with means for recording information, e.g. telephone number during a conversation recording of telephone conversations H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal

Abstract

Mechanisms for organizing messages across different message types. This may be accomplished by using a single integrated user interface in which messages across a variety of different message types are represented in a common way. For example, the user experience of placing a telephone call is standardized, regardless of the actual telephone technology (Cell Phone, VoIP, or POTS) used to conduct the telephone conversation. Also, addition to a general log that includes the overall list of messages, each message also has a separate, message-based log, thereby allowing for more flexible querying and organization of the messages regardless of the message type.

Claims

1. In a computing system that is capable of using a plurality of telephone technologies to facilitate telephone conversations, a method for providing a user of the computing system with a user interface that allows the user the ability to select a subject field to include with a type of telephone technology selected to use at the time a call is placed, the method comprising the following:

an act of identifying a callee;

an act of presenting a user interface that may be used to place a telephone call with the callee, wherein the user interface provides a standard user experience regardless of which of the plurality of telephone technologies is used to initiate a telephone call to the callee, wherein the plurality of telephone technologies connect a plurality of different types of telephone devices, and wherein the user interface comprises;

a contact window that includes;

a first input field for displaying an indication of a telephone number used to contact the callee;

a subject field that allows a user to insert a subject of the telephone call prior to initiation of the telephone call; and

a selectable call field usable to initiate the telephone call, wherein the call field includes a link to display, in the contact window, the plurality of telephone technologies usable to initiate the telephone call with the callee for selection by the user;

an act of receiving input to the subject field that allows the user to inform the callee of the subject of the telephone call;

after presenting the user interface with the contact window and displaying the indication of the telephone number of the callee, an act of receiving input selecting one telephone technology from the plurality of telephone technologies from the call field in the contact window; and

upon receiving user input to initiate the telephone call, an act of sending the subject field to the callee in a dial-up request to give the callee more information relevant to whether or not the callee wants to accept or decline the call.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

an act of using the selected telephone technology to initiate the telephone call.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the plurality of telephone technologies include two or more of POTS, cell phone communications, or Voice-over-IP.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the user interface further includes a mechanism for allowing notes to be drafted and associated with the telephone conversation.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the user interface further includes a mechanism for allowing further communications to be initiated with the callee that are not the same as the telephone technology selected for engaging in the telephone call.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the further communications include one or more of instant messaging, e-mail, whiteboarding, shared windowing, and shared applications.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the user interface further includes a mechanism for viewing recent communications related to the telephone call.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the recent communications are recent communications with the callee regardless of the message type of those recent communications.

9. A method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the recent communications are recent communications regarding the same subject as the telephone call regardless of the message type of those recent communications.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the following:

an act of generating a per-message log that is dedicated to the telephone conversation.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, further comprising:

an act of accessing a query regarding a plurality of messages of which the computing system has a record, each of the messages having an associated per-message log; and

an act of using the per-message logs to formulate a response to the query.

12. In a computing system that is capable of using a plurality of telephone technologies to facilitate telephone conversations, a method for providing a user of the computing system with a user interface that allows the user the ability to select a subject filed to include with a type of telephone technology selected to use at the time a call is placed, the method comprising the following:

presenting a user interface that may be used to place a telephone call from a user to at least one contact, wherein the user interface provides a standard user experience regardless of which of POTS, cell, and VOIP telephone technologies supported by the user interface is used to initiate a telephone call to the contact, and wherein the POTS, cell, and VOIP telephone technologies connect a plurality of different types of telephone devices, and the user interface comprises;

(i) a contact window at a first tab, the contact window including;

(a) a first input field for displaying an indication of a telephone number used to initiate a phone call to a selected contact, wherein the first input field includes a plurality of portions including;

(1) a text field identifying a particular telephone number of the selected contact; and

(2) a link portion which, upon selection, provides a list of alternative telephone numbers corresponding to the selected contact;

(b) a subject field that allows a user to insert a subject of the telephone call prior to initiation of the telephone call; and

(c) a selectable call field usable to initiate the telephone call with the selected contact, wherein the call field includes a plurality of portions including;

(1) a button portion for initiating the telephone call; and

(2) a link portion which, upon selection, provides a list of selectable and available telephone technologies usable to initiate the telephone call with the contact, including at least POTS, VOIP, and cell, and wherein one of the telephone technologies is set as a default for automatic selection when no other contrary selection has been made by the user, and wherein the same link portion is used to identify any of the POTS, VOIP, and cell telephone technologies;

(ii) a notes window at a second tab, the notes window including an input field for the user to add notes regarding the telephone call initiated in the contact window;

(iii) a history window at a third tab, the history window including a history of recent communication with the selected contact, including communication made over diverse types of communication mechanisms; and

(iv) an input window, independent of any tab, wherein the input window is displayed simultaneously with each of the windows at the tabs, and includes a selectable link for enabling a user to add and remove tabs and windows corresponding thereto;

in the contact window, identifying a contact and placing the telephone number corresponding to the identified contact in the text field of the first input field in the contact window;

receiving user input to the subject field that allows the user to inform the contact of the subject of the telephone call;

after presenting the user interface, identifying the contact, and placement of the telephone number of the identified contact in the text field of the first input field in the contact window, receiving input selecting one telephone technology from the plurality of telephone technologies from the call field in the contact window;

upon receiving user input to initiate the telephone call, sending the subject field to the identified contact to give the contact more information relevant to whether or not the contact wants to accept or decline the call, and;

using the selected telephone technology to initiate the telephone call with the identified contact.