Advanced voice and data operations in a dual-mode mobile data communication device

• US 7,596,386 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2007
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Major, Harry R., Mousseau, Gary P., Lazaridis, Mihal, Yach, David Paul, Vander Veen, Raymond P., Asthana, Atul
• Primary Examiner(s): Phu; Sanh D
• Application Number:
  US11/924,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20080045265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 455/415, 455/413, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/552.1, 379/93.23, 379/93.17, 370/351, 370/352, 370/356, 707/102, 707/103
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A system and method for integrating voice and data operations into a single mobile device capable of simultaneously performing data and voice actions. The mobile device working in a network capable of exchanging both cell phone calls and data items to the mobile device. By wearing an earphone or an ear-bud device the user is capable of dealing with voice conversations while working with data centric information related to the current caller. By providing a data-centric device with voice capabilities there is a new range of features that allow incoming data events to trigger outgoing voice events.

Claims

1. A method of processing a received data item in a dual mode mobile communications device (device) having integrated data and voice components, said method comprising:

receiving the data item from a computer associated with the device, the data item being selectively directed to the device;

presenting on said device, a display representative of the data item;

determining if a portion of the displayed data item has been selected;

searching at least one database for contacts related to any selected portion;

determining if a contact is indicated by the searching step; and

initiating a voice call from the device, to an indicated contact in the database, subsequent to the step of presenting the data item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected portion of the displayed data item is indicated by highlighting.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected portion of the displayed data item is indicated by pointing.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one database is resident on the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one database is resident on a computer associated with the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein searching comprises searching databases on the mobile device and on a computer associated with the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying at least some of the contacts found by the search, if any.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the search result contact has been indicated by pointing.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the search result contact has been indicated by highlighting.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the data item is received via a computer associated with the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the data item is an email message.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the data item is a calendar appointment.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the search result contact is a telephone number.

14. A mobile device operable to initiate voice calls in response to received data items, comprising:

a receiver for receiving the data items from a computer associated with the mobile device, the computer for selectively directing data items to the mobile device;

a display for presenting representations of received data items

a data component for detecting when a portion of a presented data item has been selected, and for searching at least one database for contacts relating to the selected portion of the data-item display; and

and a voice component for initiating a voice call to a contact found in the database search and indicated subsequent to its presentation on the display.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the mobile device is operable to transmit a message to the computer to control which data items are transmitted to the mobile device.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one database is resident on the computer.

17. A method of initiating a voice call in response to a data item received at a dual mode mobile communications device (device), the method comprising:

presenting a visible display, representative of the data item received at the device;

determining if a user of the device has indicated at least one contact number visible in the displayed data item;

searching at least one database for contacts related to any indicated contact number;

verifying whether any indicated contact number is not valid by reference to any contacts found in the database search; and

initiating a voice call from the device, to at least one indicated contact number that is not invalid, subsequent to the verifying step.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one contact number is a plurality of contact numbers, and wherein voice calls are initiated to each contact number that is not invalid.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising generating a user query if any of the indicated contacts are found to be invalid.