Contact-centric user-interface features for computing devices

• US 8,280,437 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2011
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• 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, Shirai, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US13/330,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20120094715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 287 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.2, 455/412.2, 455/412.1, 455/414.2, 455/404.2, 455/556.1, 455/557, 455/566, 379/266.1, 709/206, 709/224, 709/227, 709/220
• US Class Current: 455/556.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata

Abstract

Embodiments described herein provide a system, method and technique for operating a communication device. According to an embodiment, information contained in a contact record is displayed, where the information includes a plurality of entries. Each entry is associated with one of a plurality of communication types and includes an identifier for use with an application of the associated communication type. An input is detected corresponding to a user'"'"'s selection of one of the plurality of entries. In response to the user'"'"'s selection, the application of the communication type associated with the selected entry is automatically executed by initiating a communication using the identifier included in the selected entry.

Claims

1. A method for operating a computing device, the method being performed by one or more processors of the computing device and comprising:

presenting a user interface feature on a touch-sensitive display of the computing device, the user interface feature including one or more images and one or more names of persons associated with the one or more images, each of the one or more images being (i) associated with a person and contact information for that person, and (ii) selectable by a user;

enabling the user to select a first image from the one or more images by making contact with a region on the touch-sensitive display where the first image is present;

in response to the user selecting the first image, presenting contact information corresponding to the person associated with the first image on the display, the contact information including one or more selectable contact entries; and

in response to the user selecting one of the one or more selectable contact entries, automatically initiating a communication using an application corresponding to a type of the selected contact entry.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more selectable contact entries include a representation corresponding to a type of a contact identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more selectable contact entries include a contact identifier, the contact identifier including at least one of a phone number, an email address, or an instant message identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the application includes at least one of a phone application, an email application, or a messaging application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface feature corresponds to a list of favorite contacts.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a cellular phone.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

presenting a user interface feature on a touch-sensitive display of the computing device, the user interface feature including one or more images and one or more names of persons associated with the one or more images, each of the one or more images being (i) associated with a person and contact information for that person, and (ii) selectable by a user;

enabling a user to select a first image from the one or more images by making contact with a region on the touch-sensitive display where the first image is present;

in response to the user selecting the first image, presenting contact information corresponding to the person associated with the first image on the display, the contact information including one or more selectable contact entries; and

in response to the user selecting one of the one or more selectable contact entries, automatically initiating a communication using an application corresponding to a type of the selected contact entry.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the one or more selectable contact entries include a representation corresponding to a type of a contact identifier.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the one or more selectable contact entries include a contact identifier, the contact identifier including at least one of a phone number, an email address, or an instant message identifier.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the application includes at least one of a phone application, an email application, or a messaging application.

11. A computing device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

one or more processors coupled to the touch-sensitive display; and

a memory resource coupled to the one or more processors, the memory resource storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

present a user interface feature on the touch-sensitive display, the user interface feature including one or more images and one or more names of persons associated with the one or more images, each of the one or more images being (i) associated with a person and contact information for that person, and (ii) selectable by a user;

enabling a user to select a first image from the one or more images by making contact with a region on the touch-sensitive display where the first image is present;

in response to the user selecting the first image, present contact information corresponding to the person associated with the first image on the display, the contact information including one or more selectable contact entries; and

in response to the user selecting one of the one or more selectable contact entries, automatically initiate a communication using an application corresponding to a type of the selected contact entry.

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the one or more selectable contact entries include a representation corresponding to a type of a contact identifier.

13. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the one or more selectable contact entries include a contact identifier, the contact identifier including at least one of a phone number, an email address, or an instant message identifier.

14. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the application includes at least one of a phone application, an email application, or a messaging application.

15. The computing device of claim 11, the user interface feature corresponds to a list of favorite contacts.