User interface and method for viewing short messages on a wireless device

• US 9,191,346 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2014
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Maguire, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US14/314,833
• Publication Number:
  US 20140310367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• Field of Search: 715758-759, 715/741, 715/736, 715763-765, 715/752, 715/700, 455455-456
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/65 Telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

A method is performed by an electronic communication device. The method includes storing electronic messages, and storing criteria for determining whether a stored message is related to a current message. A current electronic message is displayed to a user of the communication device, including the current message'"'"'s outside address and message body. The relevance of each of the stored messages to the current message is assessed based on the previously-stored criteria. Those messages that meet the criteria are selected and displayed along with the current message.

Claims

1. A method of operating a communication device, the method comprising:

detecting an input associated with a first electronic message; and

displaying, by determining at least one additional electronic message to be displayed, a plurality of electronic messages together in a message viewer on a display of the communication device based on a determination that a common address is associated with each of the plurality of messages.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the displayed messages is an outgoing electronic message and at least one of the displayed messages is an incoming electronic message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining is performed automatically.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing the common address of the plurality of electronic messages to a common form.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising displaying the common form.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of electronic messages is a current message being composed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of electronic messages is a message currently being accessed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electronic messages are displayed according to an order in which the plurality of electronic messages were transmitted or received.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the common address is at least one of a telephone number and a messaging address.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for operating a communication device, the computer executable instructions comprising instructions for:

detecting an input associated with a first electronic message; and

displaying, by determining at least one additional electronic message to be displayed, a plurality of electronic messages together in a message viewer on a display of the communication device based on a determination that a common address is associated with each of the plurality of messages.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein at least one of the displayed messages is an outgoing electronic message and at least one of the displayed messages is an incoming electronic message.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the determining is performed automatically.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, further comprising processing the common address of the plurality of electronic messages to a common form.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, further comprising displaying the common form.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein one of the plurality of electronic messages is a current message being composed.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein one of the plurality of electronic messages is a message currently being accessed.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the plurality of electronic messages are displayed according to an order in which the plurality of electronic messages were transmitted or received.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the common address is at least one of a telephone number and a messaging address.

19. A communication device comprising a processor and memory, the memory comprising computer executable instructions for:

detecting an input associated with a first electronic message; and

displaying, by determining at least one additional electronic message to be displayed, a plurality of electronic messages together in a message viewer on a display of the communication device based on a determination that a common address is associated with each of the plurality of messages.