Operating multiple views on a computing device in connection with a wireless communication session

• US 8,078,993 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2005
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Haitani, Robert, Prasad, Srikiran, Gayed, Nancy, Venkataraman, Ramachandran
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo, Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): BECKER, SHASHI KAMALA
• Application Number:
  US11/200,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20070049335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,318 Days
• Field of Search: 715/864, 715/737, 715/753, 715/788
• US Class Current: 715/864
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

Embodiments described herein include a computing device that is configured to generate a multi-view presentation. The computing device may include a wireless communication application that performs at least one of transmitting and receiving data wirelessly during a communication session. The computing device may generate a view for the communication session on a corresponding display area. In one embodiment, the view occupies only a portion of the display area. At the same time the view of the communication session is provided, an embodiment provides that one or more user-interface features are provided in a portion of the display area for use with a second application. In one embodiment, these user-interface features may be provided in a region of the display that does not include the area occupied by the view.

Claims

1. A method for operating a computing device, the method comprising:

operating a non-communication application;

concurrently with operating the non-communication application, operating a wireless communication application, the communication application using or being responsive to data generated from a communication session in which data is both transmitted and received wirelessly on the computing device to provide for a participation of a user in the communication session;

wherein operating the wireless communication application includes generating an interface on the computing device for the user to access and use in controlling the communication session, the interface being generated to be either in focus or accessible to the user when the user operates the non-communication application while the communication session is ongoing;

providing an input mechanism independently of the communication application and the non-communication application;

detecting the user performing an action on the input mechanism of the device in order to enter an input, the input being of a type that can be interpreted by either the communication application or the non-communication application;

programmatically selecting one of the communication application or the non-communication application to process the input from the action being performed on the input mechanism, based on a pre-established protocol or condition by which the communication application and non-communication application are operated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein operating the communication application includes generating the interface to include a view for the communication session on a display area of the computing device, wherein the view occupies only a portion of the display area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein operating the wireless communication application includes operating a phone application to transmit and receive voice data for a telephonic communications session that is connected on the computing device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein generating a view includes displaying information about the communication session.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein generating the interface to include the view includes displaying content comprising one or more of (i) status information about the communication session, (ii) information about a correspondent of the communication session, or (iii) information about a communication link of the communication session.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the information about the correspondent of the communication session includes an image of the correspondent.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein programmatically determining whether the communication application or the non-communication application is to process the input is based on identifying a type and/or a value of the input.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the input corresponds to one of (i) an input from a QWERTY type keyboard, or (ii) an input from an application button.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the value of the input includes at least a letter and/or a number conveyed by the input.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the type of the input includes a press-and-hold button.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein programmatically determining whether the communication application or the non-communication application is to process the input is based on identifying which application is in focus.

7. A method for operating a computing device, the method comprising:

providing a first view on a display area of the computing device from execution of a first application; and

concurrently with providing the first view, providing a second view on the display area from execution of a second application, wherein the second application handles wireless data that is transmitted and received during an established wireless communication session that includes participation of a user;

providing an input mechanism independently of the first application and the second application;

detecting the user performing an action on the input mechanism of the device in order to enter an input, the input being of a type that can be interpreted by either the communication application or the non-communication application;

programmatically selecting one of the first application or the second application to process the input from the action being performed on the input mechanism based on a pre-established protocol or condition by which the first application and second application are operated.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein providing the first view and providing the second view includes making a first set of user-interface features for the first view and a second set of user-interface features for the second view available at the same time on the display area while the communication session is active, and wherein the method further comprises enabling the user to switch from using either of the first or second set of user-interface features to using another of the first or second set of user-interface features.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the second application corresponds to a phone application, and wherein providing the second view includes displaying information about a connected telephonic session as at least a part of the second view.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein providing the second view includes displaying information about the state or status of the connected telephonic session in progress.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the second view includes displaying information about a correspondent of the connected telephonic session.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein displaying information about a correspondent of the connected telephonic session includes using information retrieved from a contact record stored on the computing device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein displaying information about a correspondent of the connected telephonic session includes identifying information of either (i) a caller of an incoming call, or (ii) a recipient of an outgoing call, and matching the information to the contact record stored on the computing device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein identifying information includes identifying one or more of (i) a phone number of the correspondent, or (ii) a name of the correspondent.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein providing the second view includes providing one or more features for enabling the user to control the connected telephonic session.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein providing one or more features includes providing a feature for enabling the user to specify a phone number for the connected telephonic session.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein providing one or more features includes providing a feature for enabling the user to accept or decline an incoming phone call.

18. The method of claim 7, wherein providing a second view on the display area includes handling multiple connected telephonic sessions on the computing device at one time through execution of the second application.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein handling multiple connected telephonic sessions on the computing device at one time through execution of the second application includes operating the second application to conduct a telephone conference using two or more other callers on two or more communication channels.

20. The method of claim 7, further comprising enabling a user to switch focus from one of the first view or second view to the other of the first view or second view.

21. The method of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises enabling the user to hide the second view while the communication session is in progress.

34. The method of claim 7, wherein programmatically determining whether the first application or the second application is to process the input of the input mechanism is based on identifying a type and/or value of the input.

35. The method of claim 7, wherein programmatically determining whether the first application or the second application is to process the input of the input mechanism is based on identifying which application is in focus.

22. A method for operating a computing device, the method comprising:

concurrently displaying at least a first view and a second view, wherein the first view is generated by a resident application and the second view is generated by a phone application;

providing an input mechanism independently of the resident application and the phone application;

detecting the user performing an action on an input mechanism of the device in order to enter an input, the input being of a type that can be interpreted by either the communication application or the non-communication application, wherein each of the resident application and the phone application is operable to process the input, but for that both the resident application and the phone application concurrently display the first view and the second view;

selecting one of the resident application or the phone application to handle an input from the action being performed on the input mechanism when the first view and the second view are displayed and a telephonic session is connected and ongoing;

wherein selecting one of the resident application or the phone application to handle the input includes using a pre-established protocol or condition by which the resident application and phone application are operated.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the phone application is implemented as a communication plug-in that is responsive to data generated by or used in connection with the connected telephonic session.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein using a pre-established protocol or condition includes determining which of the resident application or the phone application is to handle a key down event when the telephonic session is connected.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein using a pre-established protocol or condition includes determining that one of the first view or second view is in focus.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein using a pre-established protocol or condition includes designating a default priority for the first view and the second view in response to one or more defined events.

27. A computer-readable medium that stores instructions for operating a computing device, the instructions including instructions for performing steps comprising:

operating a non-communication application; and

concurrently with operating the non-communication application, operating a wireless communication application in connection with a communication session in which data is both transmitted and received wirelessly on the computing device to provide for a participation of a user in the communication session;

providing an input mechanism independently of the communication application and the non-communication application;

wherein operating the wireless communication application includes generating an interface on the computing device for the user to access, the interface being generated to be accessible to the user when the user accesses an interface of either the non-communication application or another application during the communication session;

detecting the user performing an action on an input mechanism of the device in order to enter an input, the input being of a type that can be interpreted by either communication application or the non-communication application;

programmatically selecting one the communication application or the non-communication application to process the input from the action being performed on the input mechanism based on a pre-established protocol or condition by which the communication application and non-communication application are operated.

28. A computer-readable medium that stores instructions for operating a computing device, the instructions including instructions for performing steps comprising:

concurrently displaying at least a first view and a second view, wherein the first view is generated by a resident application and the second view is generated by a phone application;

providing an input mechanism independently of the resident application and the phone application;

detecting the user performing an action on an input mechanism of the device in order to enter an input, the input being of a type that can be interpreted by either of communication application or the non-communication application, wherein each of the resident application and the phone application is operable to process input from the input mechanism independently of the other application, but for that both the resident application and the phone application concurrently display the first view and the second view; and

determining which of the resident application or the phone application is to handle the input from the action being performed on the input mechanism when the first view and the second view are displayed and a telephonic session is connected and ongoing;

wherein determining which of the resident application or the phone application to handle the input includes using a pre-established protocol or condition by which the communication application and the non-communication application are operated.