System and method for an extendable mobile communications device user interface

• US 8,275,844 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2010
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Maguire, Michael, Pathiyal, Krishna K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Andy
• Application Number:
  US12/887,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20110010639A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 715/808, 715/841
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality

Abstract

A system and method for an extendable software interface includes a software architecture for use in a mobile device having a processor and a memory device. The software architecture includes a set of first-order controller software instructions configured to interface the application program with a first-order data model, and a first-order data object stored in the memory device in the form of the first-order data model. The first-order data object includes a second-order data object. A second-order set of controller software instructions configured to interact with the second-order data object is also included in the software architecture.

Claims

1. A method on a mobile device having a display, comprising:

receiving at the mobile device an electronic message with an e-mail address within a body of the electronic message;

displaying on the display at least a portion of the electronic message including the e-mail address; and

in response to a selection of the e-mail address, displaying on the display a function list including at least a first function for interfacing with an address book application, and a second function for interfacing with an e-mail application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic message is an e-mail message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic message is an SMS message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving at the mobile device the selection of the e-mail address comprises receiving a cursor positioning over the e-mail address.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first function comprises adding the e-mail address to an address book and the second function comprises creating an e-mail message addressed to the e-mail address.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising launching an application associated with the selection.

7. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a display;

an input device; and

a processor, connected to the display and the input device, and configured to receive an electronic message with an e-mail address within a body of the electronic message, display on the display at least a portion of the electronic message including the e-mail address, and in response to a selection of the e-mail address at the input device, display on the display a function list including at least a first function for interfacing with an address book application, and a second function for interfacing with an e-mail application.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 7, wherein the electronic message is an e-mail message.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 7, wherein the electronic message is an SMS message.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 7, wherein the receiving the selection of the e-mail address comprises receiving a cursor positioning over the e-mail address.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 7, further comprising the processor configured to receive selection of one of the first and second functions.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 11, further comprising the processor configured to launch the application associated with the selected function.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the interface comprises a menu list.

14. A method of providing functionality on a mobile device having a display, comprising:

receiving at the mobile device an e-mail message with an e-mail address within a body of the e-mail message;

displaying on the display at least a portion of the e-mail message including the e-mail address;

in response to a selection of the e-mail address, displaying on the display a function list including at least a first function for interfacing with an address book application, and a second function for interfacing with an e-mail application; and

receiving a selection of one of the first and second functions, and then performing the selected function.

15. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a display;

a transceiver; and

a processor connected with the display and the transceiver, the processor configured for;

receiving with the transceiver an e-mail message having an e-mail address within a body of the e-mail message;

displaying on the display at least a portion of the e-mail message including the e-mail address;

in response to a selection of the e-mail address, displaying on the display a function list including at least a first function for interfacing with an address book application, and a second function for interfacing with an e-mail application; and

receiving a selection of at least one of the at least two functions, and then performing the selected function.