System and method for mode-neutral communications with a widget-based communications metaphor

• US 8,938,677 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2010
• Issued: 01/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Geppert, Birgit, Roessler, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Nunez, Jordany
• Application Number:
  US12/749,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20100251124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,758 Days
• Field of Search: 715/734, 715/733, 715/753, 379/202.01, 348/14.08
• US Class Current: 715/734
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or 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 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/247 Telephone sets including user guidance or feature selection means facilitating their use user interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/42 Graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5027 Dropping a party from a conference conducting a computer conference, e.g. admission detection H04L12/1822
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/62 user interface aspects of conference calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 : Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42289 : with carrierprovider selection by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/563 : User guidance or feature selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/564 : whereby the feature is a sub-conference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 : for social networking applications

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for managing communications mode neutrally using widgets. The method includes presenting via a graphical user interface (GUI) a set of connected graphical elements representing a communication session comprising at least two communicating users, wherein each graphical element representing a user further comprises at least one graphical sub-element indicating user communication details, receiving user input associated with the set of connected graphical elements, the user input having an action associated with the communication session, and performing the action based on the received user input. The graphical sub-elements can indicate a communication mode through which an associated user connects to the communication session and/or available communication modes for an associated user. The graphical sub-elements can include a telephone, mobile phone, instant message, camera, video camera, microphone, text-message, document, headset, or email icon.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

presenting, via a graphical user interface controlled by a processor, an interaction space and a set of connected graphical elements to a user who is not participating in a communication session;

when a plurality of communicating users participating in the communication session are located in the interaction space, visually connecting the plurality of communicating users to represent the communication session wherein;

each user of the plurality of communicating users is represented by unique graphical elements in the set of connected graphical elements; and

each unique graphical element of the unique graphical elements comprises a graphical sub-element overlaid on top of the each unique graphical element and indicating a respective communication modality currently used by the plurality of communicating users, wherein the graphical sub-element enables the each user of the plurality of communicating users to change the respective communication modality by interacting with the graphical sub-element;

receiving user input associated with the set of connected graphical elements, the user input having an action associated with the communication session; and

performing the action based on the received user input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical sub-element indicates an additional communication modality through which an associated user can communicate during the communication session.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the graphical sub-element further indicates an availability of the additional communication mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical sub-element comprises one of a telephone icon, a mobile phone icon, an instant message icon, a camera icon, a video camera icon, a microphone, a text message icon, a document icon, a headset icon, and an email icon.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of connected graphical elements are connected in the graphical user interface by one of a line, a shape, proximity, a common shape, a common color, and a common appearance.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the graphical sub-element based on changing user communication details.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical sub-element is a communications widget.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a first user input indicating a specific graphical sub-element;

displaying a menu of options based on the specific graphical sub-element and its respective associated user;

receiving a second user input selecting an option in the menu of options; and

manipulating the communication session based on the second user input.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein manipulating the communication session comprises creating a separate communication session that is separate from the communication session.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface accepts input via one of a mode-neutral user control, a mode neutral button, and a mode neutral gesture.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the action is joining the communication session.

11. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

presenting, via a graphical user interface, an interaction space and a set of connected graphical elements to a user who is not participating in a communication session;

when a plurality of communicating users participating in the communication session are located in the interaction space, visually connecting the plurality of communicating users to represent the communication session, wherein;

each user of the plurality of communicating users is represented by unique graphical elements in the set of connected graphical elements; and

each unique graphical element of the unique graphical elements comprises a graphical sub-element overlaid on top of the each unique graphical element and indicating a respective communication modality currently used by the plurality of communicating users, wherein the graphical sub-element enables the each user of the plurality of communicating users to change the respective communication modality by interacting with the graphical sub-element;

receiving user input associated with the set of connected graphical elements, the user input having an action associated with the communication session; and

performing the action based on the received user input.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the graphical sub-element indicates an additional communication modality through which an associated user can communicate during the communication session.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the graphical sub-element further indicates an availability of the additional communication mode.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the graphical sub-element comprises one of a telephone icon, a mobile phone icon, an instant message icon, a camera icon, a video camera icon, a microphone, a text message icon, a document icon, a headset icon, and an email icon.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the set of connected graphical elements are connected in the graphical user interface by one of a line, a shape, proximity, a common shape, a common color, and a common appearance.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores additional instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform further operations comprising updating the graphical sub-element based on changing user communication details.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the graphical sub-element is a communications widget.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores additional instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform further operations comprising:

receiving a first user input indicating a specific graphical sub-element;

displaying a menu of options based on the specific graphical sub-element and its respective associated user;

receiving a second user input selecting an option in the menu of options; and

manipulating the communication session based on the second user input.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein manipulating the communication session comprises creating a separate communication session that is separate from the communication session.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

presenting, via a graphical user interface, an interaction space and a set of connected graphical elements to a user who is not participating in a communication session;

when a plurality of communicating users participating in the communication session are located in the interaction space, visually connecting the plurality of communicating users to represent the communication session wherein;

each user of the plurality of communicating users is represented by unique graphical elements in the set of connected graphical elements;

each unique graphical element of the unique graphical elements comprises a graphical sub-element overlaid on top of the each unique graphical element and indicating a respective communication modality currently used by the plurality of communicating users, wherein the graphical sub-element enables the each user of the plurality of communicating users to change the respective communication modality by interacting with the graphical sub-element; and

each unique graphic element representing the plurality of communicating users is adjustably positioned;

receiving user input associated with the set of connected graphical elements, the user input having an action associated with the communication session; and

performing the action based on the received user input.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 20, storing additional instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform further operations comprising:

receiving a first user input indicating a specific graphical sub-element;

displaying a menu of options based on the specific graphical sub-element and its respective associated user;

receiving a second user input selecting an option in the menu of options; and

manipulating the communication session based on the second user input.