Electronic device configured with messaging composition interface

• US 8,914,451 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2012
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Langlois, Michael George, Lessing, Robert Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Winder, Patrice
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Julian
• Application Number:
  US13/400,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20130218984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207, 705/319, 715/733, 715/738, 715/739, 715744-747, 715751-753
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• 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]

Abstract

An electronic device and method for sending a message is provided. The electronic device includes a network interface, an input device and a processor in communication with the network interface and the input device. The processor is configured to establish a connection with a plurality of messaging applications, select a messaging service, receive content and input via a messaging composition interface and send the message. The method involves establishing a connection with a plurality of messaging applications, selecting a messaging service, receiving content and input via a messaging composition interface, and sending the message.

Claims

1. A method for sending a message on an electronic device, the method comprising:

establishing connections between a messaging composition interface and a plurality of individually executable messaging applications resident at the electronic device and corresponding to a plurality of messaging services, each of the plurality of messaging services having a communications type, and at least two of the plurality of messaging services having different communications types;

receiving, at the messaging composition interface, an input corresponding to a selection of a messaging service, the selection being made from a dynamically generated plurality of choices corresponding to the plurality of messaging services for which connections have been established, and adjusting the messaging composition interface to add or remove at least one field according to the communication type of the selected messaging service;

receiving content, at a messaging composition interface, wherein a message comprises the content and the message conforms to the communications type of the selected messaging service;

receiving input indicative of a destination for the message at the messaging composition interface, the input indicating a destination address conforming to the selected messaging service;

if, after receiving the input corresponding to the selection of the messaging service and the input indicative of the destination, receiving input corresponding to a selection of a different messaging service, then updating the destination address to correspond to the different messaging service when the destination is associated with an address conforming to the different message service;

sending the message to the destination via the selected one of the messaging service and the different messaging service; and

automatically invoking, in response to sending the message, one of the plurality of individually executable messaging applications; and

using a native graphical user interface of the invoked messaging application for the remainder of a messaging session.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the messaging service is associated with an individually executable messaging application of the plurality of individually executable messaging applications.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the different communications types include at least two of the following types:

status updates, email, instant messages, and audio files.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the individually executable messaging applications comprises its own native graphical interface.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after receiving said content, selecting another message service.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the content is preserved upon selecting said another message service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting a messaging service comprises determining a subset of available messaging services available to the destination.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising rendering a menu comprising a plurality of selections corresponding to the subset of available messaging services.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving input indicative of a destination comprises populating a recipient field of the messaging composition interface.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising recommending a destination based on a portion of the input indicative of the destination.

11. An electronic device for sending a message, the electronic device comprising:

a network interface for communicating over a network;

an input device; and

a processor in communication with the network interface and the input device, the processor configured to;

establish connections between a messaging composition interface and a plurality of individually executable messaging applications resident at the electronic device and corresponding to a plurality of messaging services, each of the plurality of messaging services having a communications type, and at least two of the plurality of messaging services having different communications types;

receive, via the messaging composition interface, an input from the input device corresponding to a selection of a messaging service, the selection being made from a dynamically generated plurality of choices corresponding to the plurality of messaging services for which connections have been established, and adjust the messaging composition interface to add or remove at least one field according to the communication type of the selected messaging service;

receive content from the input device, via a messaging composition interface, wherein a message comprises the content and the message conforms to the communications type of the selected messaging service;

receive input indicative of a destination for the message, via the messaging composition interface, the input indicating a destination address conforming to the selected messaging service;

receive input corresponding to a selection of a different messaging service after receiving the input corresponding to the selection of the messaging service and the input indicative of the destination, and update the destination address to correspond to the different messaging service when the destination is associated with an address conforming to the different message service;

send the message to the destination via the selected one of the messaging service and the different messaging service through the network; and

automatically invoke, in response to sending the message, one of the plurality of individually executable messaging applications; and

use a native graphical user interface of the invoked messaging application for the remainder of a messaging session.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the messaging service is associated with an individually executable messaging application of the plurality of individually executable messaging applications.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein each of the individually executable messaging applications comprises its own native graphical interface.

14. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to, after receiving said content, select another message service.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the content is preserved upon selecting said another message service.

16. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a subset of available messaging services available to the destination.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, further comprising a display in communication with the processor, wherein the processor is further configured to render a menu comprising a plurality of selections corresponding to subset of available messaging services on the display.

18. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the input device is configured to receive input for populating a recipient field of the messaging composition interface.

19. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the input device is a touch membrane.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with codes, the codes for directing a processor to:

establish connections between a messaging composition interface and a plurality of individually executable messaging applications resident at an electronic device and corresponding to a plurality of messaging services, each of the plurality of messaging services having a communications type, and at least two of the plurality of messaging services having different communications types;

receive, via the messaging composition interface, an input from an input device of the electronic device corresponding to a selection of a messaging service, the selection being made from a dynamically generated plurality of choices corresponding to the plurality of messaging services for which connections have been established, and adjusting the messaging composition interface to add or remove at least one field according to the communication type of the selected messaging service;

receive content, via a messaging composition interface, wherein a message comprises the content and the message conforms to the communications type of the selected messaging service;

receive input indicative of a destination for the message, via the messaging composition interface, the input indicating a destination address conforming to the selected messaging service;

receive input corresponding to a selection of a different messaging service after receiving the input corresponding to the selection of the messaging service and the input indicative of the destination, and update the destination address to correspond to the different messaging service when the destination is associated with an address conforming to the different message service;

send the message to the destination via the selected one of the messaging service and the different messaging service; and

automatically invoke, in response to sending the message, one of the plurality of individually executable messaging applications; and

use a native graphical user interface of the invoked messaging application for the remainder of a messaging session.