Systems, apparatus, methods and computer-readable storage media facilitating heterogeneous messaging for a communication device

• US 8,881,025 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2010
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Swink, Cristy, Sikes, Jason, Merkoski, David, Fineman, Benjamin, Solis Snydal, Jonathan, Shia, Megan Elisabeth
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US12/903,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20110087972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,483 Days
• Field of Search: 715752-758, 715/748, 715/749, 715854-855, 715719-726, 715863-864, 715783-787, 455/412.1, 455/466, 709/206
• US Class Current: 715/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4594 Address books, i.e. directories containing contact information about correspondents telephone directories in user terminals H04M1/27453
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 : for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 : Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Apparatus, methods and computer-readable storage media for threading calls and messages are provided. A method can include: receiving messaging content; and displaying the messaging content in a single thread, wherein the messaging content is threaded and a thread of the messaging content comprises at least one text message and at least one call. The method can further include threading the messaging content, wherein the threading comprises ordering the messaging content based, at least, on a time at which received ones of the messaging content are received at a communication device. In various embodiments, the messaging content can include one or more of voice information, MMS or SMS text messages, voicemail information, system messages, email messages, instant messages, pictorial information, video information or audio information, data traffic information, user-opted notifications, traffic reports, news alerts, weather information, stock reports, social networking chats, social networking posts or social networking status updates.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, in response to execution, cause a mobile communication device comprising a processor to perform operations, comprising:

facilitating receiving messaging content;

sorting content items of the messaging content to generate at least two content groups, wherein respective content items in a same content group of the at least two content groups are associated with a same telephone number, and wherein the messaging content comprises a voice call and a text message such that each content group contains at least one voice call and at least one text message;

threading the respective content items for the same content group, wherein the threading comprises providing the respective content items in the same content group in chronological order of receipt; and

facilitating displaying, via a user interface, in a thread, threaded content items for the same content group, wherein the facilitating the displaying comprises facilitating the displaying of the threaded first content group of the messaging content in a first region of a display of the device, and facilitating the displaying of the threaded second content group of the messaging content in a second region of the display of the device.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the text message is a multimedia message service message.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the messaging content further comprises pictorial information.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the messaging content further comprises news alerts.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise, prior to the sorting:

determining times at which received content items of the messaging content associated with the same telephone number are received at the apparatus; and

based on the times, associating timestamps with the received content items of the messaging content associated with the same telephone number.

6. A method for a mobile communication device, comprising:

receiving, by a mobile communication device comprising a processor, messaging content comprising voice call information and a text message;

sorting, by the mobile communication device, the messaging content to generate at least two content groups;

wherein a first subset of the messaging content is received from a first telephone number and is associated with a first content group of the two content groups such that the first content group contains at least one voice call and at least one text message and

wherein a second subset of the messaging content is received from a second telephone number and is associated with a second content group of the two content groups such that the second content group contains at least one voice call and at least one text message;

threading, by the mobile communication device, the first subset of the messaging content associated with the first telephone number and the first content group based on an order of receipt of content items within the first subset of the messaging content;

threading, by the mobile communication device, the second subset of the messaging content associated with the second telephone number and the second content group based on an order of receipt of content items within the second subset of the messaging content; and

facilitating, by the mobile communication device, displaying, via a user interface, the threaded first subset of the messaging content and the threaded second subset of the messaging content, wherein the

facilitating the displaying comprises facilitating the displaying of the threaded first subset of the messaging content in a first region of a display of the device, and facilitating the displaying of the threaded second subset of the messaging content in a second region of the display of the device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the text message comprises a multimedia message service message.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the messaging content further comprises audio information.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the messaging content further comprises social networking status updates.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining, by the device, respective times at which items of messaging content are received; and

associating, by the device, timestamps with the items of the received messaging content as a function of the times.

18. The method of claim 6, wherein the messaging content further comprises news alerts.

19. The method of claim 6, wherein the messaging content further comprises pictorial information.

11. A mobile communication apparatus, comprising:

a memory to store executable instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory that facilitates execution of the executable instructions to perform operations, comprising;

receiving messaging content, wherein the messaging content comprises a text message and voice call data;

sorting items of content of the messaging content resulting in at least two content groups, wherein the items of content are sorted into a same group of the at least two content groups based on the messaging content being associated with a same telephone number, such that each content group contains at least one voice call and at least one text message;

generating threaded items of content by threading the items in the same group based on order of receipt of the content items; and

initiating display of the threaded items of content in the same group, wherein the initiating the display comprises initiating the display of the first group of threaded items of content in a first region of a screen of the apparatus, and initiating the display of the second group of threaded items of content in a second region of the screen of the apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the order of receipt is the order of receipt by the apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the messaging content is a short message service message.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the messaging content further comprises data traffic information.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise, prior to the sorting:

determining times at which the items of content of the messaging content determined to be from the same telephone number are received by the apparatus; and

based on the times, associating timestamps with the items of content of the messaging content determined to be from the same telephone number.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the messaging content further comprises social networking status updates.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the messaging content further comprises news alerts.