Wireless phones with keys displaying image files

• US 7,983,718 B1
• Filed: 10/11/2007
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Roka, Pujan K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar; Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): Magloire; Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US11/974,271
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: 455/564, 455/566, 455/550.1, 379/88.13, 379/202.01, 379/204.01, 379/203.01, 379/205.01, 348/14.08, 348/14.09, 348/14.1, 348/21.12, 348/211.13
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/677 Preventing the dialling or sending of predetermined telephone numbers or selected types of telephone numbers, e.g. long distance numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6775 by providing access to preprogrammed keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72424 with manual activation of emergency-service functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72475 specially adapted for disabled users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/62 user interface aspects of conference calls

Abstract

A wireless telephone includes one or more keys incorporating a programmable display. The display may display an image file (e.g., a photo of a parent or friend), such as a photo captured by a camera incorporated into the telephone. The image file may be displayed directly on the key or it may be cropped or downsampled as appropriate. The user interface allows the user to program the key to dial a particular telephone number. In one embodiment, during a multi-party conference call the keys display images of the conference call participants. The participant currently speaking can be displayed on a main display of the phone. When the conference call is over, the key displays revert back to their previous display state.

Claims

1. A wireless telephone, comprising:

telephone circuitry for placing and receiving wireless telephone calls;

a main display;

a hard key separate from the main display operative by a user of the telephone to place a call using the telephone circuitry, wherein the key includes a programmable display for displaying an image file; and

a memory storing machine readable instructions allowing a user to select an image file stored in the memory for presentation directly or indirectly on the programmable display;

wherein the image file comprises a video file, and wherein the instructions a) cause a still image from the video file to be presented on the hard key after selection of the video file for presentation on the display, and b) cause the still image to begin moving in accordance with the video file when the hard key is activated by the user.

2. The wireless telephone of claim 1, wherein the telephone further comprises a camera, and wherein the image file comprises a digital photograph captured by the camera.

3. The wireless telephone of claim 1, wherein the hard key comprises a key associated with a speed dial function.

4. The wireless telephone of claim 1, wherein the telephone comprises a plurality of hard keys, each having a programmable display for displaying an image.

5. The wireless telephone of claim 4, wherein the instructions support a conference function wherein an image file of each conference participant is displayed on a separate hard key in the plurality of keys.

6. The wireless telephone of claim 5, wherein the telephone is operative to receive data during a conference identifying a participant in the conference currently speaking and wherein the instructions responsively display the image associated with the conference participant currently speaking on the main display.

7. The wireless telephone of claim 1, wherein the telephone comprises a telephone designed and promoted for use by children, the elderly, or both.

8. A method of facilitating a user of a wireless telephone to place a call from the telephone to a third party, the telephone including a hard key having an associated programmable display and a main display, the hard key separate from the main display, the hard key providing a speed dial function in which a press of the hard key causes a dialing of a phone number, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a prompt instructing the user to assign an image file to the display associated with the hard key;

b) providing a prompt instructing the user to assign a phone number to the hard key;

c) providing instructions in the telephone which cause the image file to be displayed on the display, either directly or indirectly; and

d) providing telephone circuitry in the phone which places the call to the assigned phone number when the user activates the hard key; and

wherein the image file comprises a video file, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of causing a still image from the video file to be presented on the hard key and causing the still image to begin moving in accordance with the video file when the hard key is activated by the user.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

providing a camera with the telephone and a memory for storing image files of photographs captured by the camera;

wherein the prompt in a) prompts the user to select a image file from the stored images files.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the telephone comprises a plurality of hard keys each having an associated programmable display and wherein the steps a), b) and c) allow the user to have each of the of hard keys display a different image file.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the telephone further includes a conference call functionality, and wherein the method further comprises the step of temporarily disabling the display of the image file when the conference call functionality is invoked on the telephone.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises the step of displaying an image file of a conference call participant on the display of the hard key during the conference call.

13. A wireless telephone comprising:

telephone circuitry for placing and receiving wireless telephone calls;

a main display;

a hard key separate from the main display wherein the hard key includes a programmable display for displaying an image; and

a memory storing machine readable instructions, wherein the instructions include instructions for displaying an image of a conference call participant on the programmable display when the wireless telephone is engaged in a conference call with the conference call participant;

wherein the image file comprises a video file, and wherein the instructions a) cause a still image from the video file to be presented on the hard key, and b) cause the still image to begin moving in accordance with the video file when the hard key is activated by the user.

14. The wireless telephone of claim 13, wherein the instructions further include instructions causing the image of the conference participant to be displayed on the main display that is currently speaking during the conference.

15. The wireless telephone of claim 13, wherein the phone includes a plurality of hard keys, each including a programmable display for displaying an image.