Access to contacts

• US 9,313,309 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2008
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Hautala, Ismo Tapio
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAPANESE, WILLIAM C
• Application Number:
  US12/332,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20100153886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,679 Days
• Field of Search: 715/735, 715/815, 715/810
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• 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: H04M 1/72472 wherein the items are sorted according to specific criteria, e.g. frequency of use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector

Abstract

A user interface comprises a display and a controller, said controller being arranged to display an arrangement of at least one contact icon associated with a contact and to display a control icon, said control icon associated with a function.

Claims

1. A user interface comprising:

a display; and

a controller configured to display an arrangement comprising two or more contact icons, each of the contact icons being associated with a contact and a control icon, said control icon being associated with a function, wherein all contact icons displayed in the arrangement belong to a group of contacts being represented by the control icon displayed in said arrangement, wherein all contacts belonging to the group of contacts represented by the control icon displayed in the arrangement are selectable for said function by marking or highlighting the control icon, and wherein the control icon is configured to change the displayed the group of contact to another group of contacts comprising contact icons.

2. A user interface according to claim 1, wherein said controller is arranged to execute said function upon receiving input representing a selection of said control icon.

3. A user interface according to claim 1, wherein said controller is arranged to display said arrangement upon receipt of a specific input.

4. A user interface according to claim 3, wherein said specific input is a keypress or a gesture on a touchpad or touch display.

5. A user interface according to claim 3, wherein said controller is arranged to display said arrangement irrespective of a current operating mode.

6. A user interface according to claim 1, wherein said controller is arranged to display a list of a plurality of contacts upon receipt of a second specific input.

7. A user interface according to claim 6, wherein said controller is arranged to display said list of a plurality of contacts simultaneously with the arrangement.

8. A user interface according to claim 1, wherein said function associated with said control icon is related to a contact associated with a marked contact icon.

9. A user interface according to claim 1, wherein said function associated with said control icon is related to an operating mode.

10. A user interface according to claim 9, wherein said operating mode is dependent on a currently executed application and wherein said function is related to said application.

11. A user interface according to claim 6, wherein said controller is arranged to receive input representing a selection of a contact from the list of plurality of contacts and in response thereto add an icon representing said selected contact to the arrangement of contact icons and the control icon.

12. A user interface according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said contact icons is associated with a group of contacts.

26. An apparatus comprising or arranged to comprise a user interface according to claim 1.

13. A method comprising:

displaying an arrangement comprising two or more contact icons, each of the contact icons being associated with a contact; and

displaying a control icon belonging to the arrangement, said control icon being associated with a function, wherein all contact icons displayed in the arrangement belong to a group of contacts being represented by the control icon displayed in said arrangement, wherein all contacts belonging to the group of contacts represented by the control icon displayed in the arrangement are selectable for said function by marking or highlighting the control icon, for allowing access to contacts, and wherein the control icon is configured to change the displayed the group of contact to another group of contacts comprising contact icons.

14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising executing said function upon receiving input representing a selection of said control icon.

15. A method according to claim 13, further comprising displaying said arrangement upon receipt of a specific input.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said specific input is a keypress or a gesture on a touchpad or touch display.

17. A method according to claim 15, further comprising displaying said arrangement irrespective of a current operating mode.

18. A method according to claim 13, further comprising displaying a list of a plurality of contacts upon receipt of a second specific input.

19. A method according to claim 18, further comprising displaying said list of a plurality of contacts simultaneously with the arrangement.

20. A method according to claim 13, wherein said function associated with said control icon is related to a contact associated with a marked contact icon.

21. A method according to claim 13, wherein said function associated with said control icon is related to an operating mode.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein said operating mode is dependent on a currently executed application and wherein said function is related to said application.

23. A method according to claim 18, further comprising receiving input representing a selection of a contact from the list of plurality of contacts and in response thereto adding an icon representing said selected contact to the arrangement of contact icons and the control icon.

24. A method according to claim 13, wherein at least one of said contact icons is associated with a group of contacts.

25. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a computer executable program configured to execute, when the computer executable program is run in a controller, a method comprising displaying an arrangement comprising two or more contact icons, each of the contact icons being associated with a contact and a control icon, said control icon being associated with a function, wherein all contact icons displayed in the arrangement belong to a group of contacts being represented by the control icon displayed in said arrangement, wherein all contacts belonging to the group of contacts represented by the control icon displayed in the arrangement are selectable for said function by marking or highlighting the control icon, and wherein the control icon is configured to change the displayed the group of contact to another group of contacts comprising contact icons.

28. An apparatus implementing or arranged to implement a non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 25.

27. An apparatus comprising:

at least one controller; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one controller, cause the apparatus at least to;

display an arrangement comprising two or more contact icons, each of the contact icons being associated with a contact; and

display a control icon belonging to the arrangement, said control icon being associated with a function, wherein all contact icons displayed in the arrangement belong to a group of contacts being represented by the control icon displayed in said arrangement, wherein all contacts belonging to the group of contacts represented by the control icon displayed in the arrangement are selectable for said function by marking or highlighting the control icon, and wherein the control icon is configured to change the displayed the group of contact to another group of contacts comprising contact icons.