Electronic device and method of messaging meeting invitees

• US 9,177,300 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2010
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: May, Darrell R., Khan, Atif, Bocking, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US12/772,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20100241970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,010 Days
• Field of Search: 715/715, 715751-753, 715763-765, 715/740, 715/780
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications

Abstract

A method of composing an email message at an electronic device and an electronic device operable to carry out the method are provided. The method includes receiving an email command from a user input of the electronic device through a calendar user interface, the email command relating to at least one of a plurality of intended attendees of a calendared meeting, and providing an email composition interface in response to receiving the email command. The email composition interface includes a user-editable portion of an address field. The user-editable portion of the address field is automatically populated with email address information for the at least one of the plurality of intended attendees.

Claims

1. A method of composing an email message at an electronic device having a processor, a memory maintaining a calendar application and a message application, an input device and a display, the method comprising:

providing a calendar user interface on said display, said calendar user interface showing an existing calendared event;

displaying, based on an input selecting the existing calendared event, an indication that an invitee is associated with the existing calendared event, the indication being selectable for composing a message to the invitee;

receiving, after the displaying, a selection of the invitee associated with the existing calendared event from said input device;

responsive to said selection of the invitee, providing an updated user interface, said updated user interface comprising a first selectable email command exclusive to said selected invitee, and a second selectable email command;

receiving another input associated with one of said first email command and said second email command from said input device;

providing an email composition interface on said display to the exclusion of both the calendar user interface and the updated user interface in response to the another input associated with said first email command or said second email command, said email composition interface including a user-editable portion of an address field;

when said another input is associated with said first email command, automatically populating said user-editable portion of said address field with email address information for said selected invitee; and

when said another input is associated with said second email command, automatically populating said user-editable portion of said address field with email address information for said selected invitee and another email address.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said existing calendared event is related to a meeting invitation received in said calendar application prior to said providing the calendar user interface, said existing calendared event including a date, a time and said email address information for the invitee.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

receiving the meeting invitation at said electronic device, said meeting invitation including said email address information for the invitee;

receiving an accept command from said input device in response to receipt of said meeting invitation; and

saving said existing calendared event based on the accept command, for viewing using said calendar user interface.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

composing at said electronic device, the meeting invitation to an event, said meeting invitation including said email address information for the invitee;

sending said meeting invitation to said email address information of the invitee; and

saving said existing calendared event in relation to sending said meeting invitation.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a user-editable portion of a subject field is automatically populated with information identifying said existing calendared event.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said calendar user interface occupies said entire display and said updated user interface occupies only a portion of said display.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said calendar user interface and said updated user interface are representative of said calendar application, and wherein providing said email composition interface comprises executing said message application.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said electronic device is a portable handheld electronic device.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said updated user interface comprises a menu, said menu including said first selectable email command and said second selectable email command.

10. An electronic device having a calendar application and email capability, the electronic device comprising:

a memory for maintaining said calendar application and a message application;

a display;

an input device; and

a processor connected to said memory, said display and said input device, said processor operable to control said display to provide a calendar user interface showing an existing calendared event;

said processor further operable to control said display for displaying, based on an input selecting the existing calendared event, an indication that an invitee is associated with the existing calendared event, the indication being selectable for composing a message to the invitee;

said processor further operable to receive, after the displaying, a selection of the invitee associated with said existing calendared event from said input device;

said processor further operable, responsive to said selection of the invitee, to control said display to provide an updated user interface, said updated user interface comprising a first selectable email command exclusive to said selected invitee, and a second selectable email command;

said processor further operable to receive another input associated with one of said first email command and said second email command from said input device, and to control said display to provide an email composition interface to the exclusion of both the calendar user interface and the updated user interface in response to receiving the another input associated with said first email command or said second email command, said email composition interface including a user-editable portion of an address field;

said processor further operable, when said another input is associated with said first email command, to automatically populate said user-editable portion of said address field with email address information for said selected invitee; and

said processor further operable, when said another input is associated with said second email command, to automatically populate said user-editable portion of said address field with email address information for said selected invitee and another email address.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein said existing calendared event is related to a meeting invitation received in said calendar application prior to said providing the calendar user interface, said existing calendared event including a date, a time and said email address information for the invitee.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11, said processor further operable to:

receive the meeting invitation, said meeting invitation including said email address information for the invitee;

receive an accept command from said input device in response to receipt of said meeting invitation; and

save said existing calendared event in said memory based on the accept command, for viewing using said calendar user interface.

13. The electronic device according to claim 11, said processor further operable to:

receive input from said input device composing said meeting invitation, said meeting invitation including said email address information for the invitee;

send said meeting invitation, via a transmitter and receiver connected to said processor, to said email address information of the invitee; and

save said existing calendared event in relation to sending said meeting invitation.

14. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein said calendar user interface occupies said entire display and said updated user interface occupies only a portion of said display.

15. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein said calendar user interface and said updated user interface are representative of said calendar application, and wherein providing said email composition interface comprises executing said message application.

16. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein said updated user interface comprises a menu, said menu including said first selectable email command and said second selectable email command.

17. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein a user-editable portion of a subject field is automatically populated with information identifying said existing calendared event.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing a set of instructions for an electronic device having a processor, a memory maintaining a calendar application and a message application, an input device and a display, the set of instructions for:

providing a calendar user interface on said display, said calendar user interface showing an existing calendared event;

displaying, based on an input selecting the existing calendared event, an indication that an invitee is associated with the existing calendared event, the indication being selectable for composing a message to the invitee;

receiving, after the displaying, a selection of the invitee associated with said existing calendared event from said input device;

responsive to said selection of the invitee, providing an updated user interface, said updated user interface comprising a first selectable email command exclusive to said selected invitee, and a second selectable email command;

receiving another input associated with one of said first email command and said second email command from said input device;

providing an email composition interface on said display to the exclusion of both the calendar user interface and the updated user interface in response to the another input associated with said first email command or said second email command, said email composition interface including a user-editable portion of an address field;

when said another input is associated with said first email command, automatically populating said user-editable portion of said address field with email address information for said selected invitee; and

when said another input is associated with said second email command, automatically populating said user-editable portion of said address field with email address information for said selected invitee and another email address.