Portable multifunction device, method, and graphical user interface for conference calling

• US 9,325,852 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2015
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Forstall, Scott, Chaudhri, Imran, Matas, Michael, Van Os, Marcel, Lemay, Stephen O., Coffman, Patrick Lee, Cranfill, Elizabeth Caroline Furches, Christie, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US14/632,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20150189091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• Field of Search: 715763-765, 715740-743, 715/780, 715/863, 715/773, 715851-853
• 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: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/576 associated with a pictorial or graphical representation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6008 in the transmitter circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• 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: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• 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 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/62 user interface aspects of conference calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 : Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/564 : whereby the feature is a sub-conference

Abstract

In some embodiments, a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display performs a method that includes: displaying a phone call user interface on the touch screen display, wherein the phone call user interface includes: a first informational item associated with an active phone call between a user of the device and a first party, a second informational item associated with a suspended phone call between the user and a second party, and a merge call icon; upon detecting a user selection of the merge call icon, merging the active phone call and the suspended phone call into a conference call between the user, the first party, and the second party, and replacing the phone call user interface with a conference call user interface. The conference call user interface includes: a third informational item associated with the conference call, and a conference call management icon.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display,

displaying a first phone call user interface on the touch screen display for an active phone call between a user of the device and a first party;

in response to receiving an incoming call from a second party, displaying an incoming call user interface on the touch screen display, the incoming call user interface including a hold call icon;

in response to detecting a user selection of the hold call icon;

suspending the active phone call between the user of the device and the first party,

activating a phone call between the user of the device and the second party, and

displaying a second phone call user interface including first information identifying the first party, second information identifying the second party, and a merge call icon;

upon detecting a user selection of the merge call icon;

merging the active phone call between the user of the device and the second party and the suspended phone call between the user of the device and the first party into a conference call between the user, the first party, and the second party.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving the incoming call from the second party, ceasing to display the first phone call user interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying an incoming call user interface on the touch screen display comprises replacing display of the first phone call user interface with display of the incoming call user interface on the touch screen display.

4. The method of claim 1, including:

upon detecting a user selection of the merge call icon;

replacing the second phone call user interface with a conference call user interface, wherein replacing the second phone call user interface with the conference call user interface includes;

ceasing to display the first information and the second information;

displaying third information associated with the conference call, and

displaying a conference call management icon for redisplaying the first information and the second information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the incoming call user interface includes an end current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon, the method further comprising:

in response to detecting a user selection of the end current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon;

terminating the active phone call between user of the device and the first party,

activating a phone call between the user of the device and the second party, and

displaying a third phone call user interface on the touch screen display.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second phone call user interface includes a swap call icon, the method further comprising:

in response to detecting a user selection of the swap call icon while displaying the second phone call user interface;

suspending the active phone call between the user of the device and the second party,

activating the phone call between the user of the device and the first party, and

displaying a fourth phone call user interface including the first information identifying the first party and the second information identifying the second party.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second phone call user interface includes an end call icon, the method further comprising:

in response to detecting a user selection of the end call icon while displaying the second phone call user interface;

terminating the active phone call between the user of the device and the second party,

activating the phone call between the user of the device and the first party, and

redisplaying the first phone call user interface on the touch screen display.

8. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display,

displaying a first phone call user interface on the touch screen display for an active phone call between a user of the device and a first party;

in response to receiving an incoming call from a second party, displaying an incoming call user interface on the touch screen display;

in response to detecting a predefined user input;

merging the phone call between the user of the device and the first party and a phone call between the user of the device and the second party into a conference call between the user, the first party, and the second party.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the incoming call user interface includes a hold call icon, the method further comprising:

in response to detecting a user selection of the hold call icon while displaying the incoming call user interface on the touch screen display;

suspending the active phone call between the user of the device and the first party,

activating a phone call between the user of the device and the second party, and

displaying a second phone call user interface including first information identifying the first party and second information identifying the second party.

10. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display,

displaying a first phone call user interface on the touch screen display for an active phone call between a user of the device and a first party;

in response to receiving an incoming call from a second party, displaying an incoming call user interface on the touch screen display, the incoming call user interface including a hold call icon;

in response to detecting a user selection of the hold call icon;

suspending the active phone call between the user of the device and the first party,

activating a phone call between the user of the device and the second party, and

displaying a second phone call user interface including first information identifying the first party, second information identifying the second party, and a merge call icon.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

while displaying the second phone call user interface, detecting a predefined user input; and

in response to detecting the predefined user input, merging the active phone call between the user of the device and the second party and the suspended phone call between the user of the device and the first party into a conference call between the user, the first party, and the second party.

12. A portable multifunction device, comprising:

a touch screen display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the programs including instructions for;

displaying a first phone call user interface on the touch screen display for an active phone call between a user of the device and a first party;

in response to receiving an incoming call from a second party, displaying an incoming call user interface on the touch screen display, the incoming call user interface including a hold call icon;

in response to detecting a user selection of the hold call icon;

suspending the active phone call between the user of the device and the first party,

activating a phone call between the user of the device and the second party, and

displaying a second phone call user interface including first information identifying the first party, second information identifying the second party, and a merge call icon;

upon detecting a user selection of the merge call icon;

merging the active phone call between the user of the device and the second party and the suspended phone call between the user of the device and the first party into a conference call between the user, the first party, and the second party.

14. The portable multifunction device of claim 12, the programs further comprising instructions for:

in response to receiving the incoming call from the second party, ceasing to display the first phone call user interface.

15. The portable multifunction device of claim 12, wherein displaying an incoming call user interface on the touch screen display comprises replacing display of the first phone call user interface with display of the incoming call user interface on the touch screen display.

16. The portable multifunction device of claim 12, the programs further comprising instructions for:

upon detecting a user selection of the merge call icon;

replacing the second phone call user interface with a conference call user interface, wherein replacing the second phone call user interface with the conference call user interface includes;

ceasing to display the first information and the second information;

displaying third information associated with the conference call, and

displaying a conference call management icon for redisplaying the first information and the second information.

17. The portable multifunction device of claim 12, wherein the incoming call user interface includes an end current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon, the programs further comprising instructions for:

in response to detecting a user selection of the end current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon;

terminating the active phone call between user of the device and the first party,

activating a phone call between the user of the device and the second party, and

displaying a third phone call user interface on the touch screen display.

18. The portable multifunction device of claim 12, wherein the second phone call user interface includes a swap call icon, the programs further comprising instructions for:

in response to detecting a user selection of the swap call icon while displaying the second phone call user interface;

suspending the active phone call between the user of the device and the second party,

activating the phone call between the user of the device and the first party, and

displaying a fourth phone call user interface including the first information identifying the first party and the second information identifying the second party.

19. The portable multifunction device of claim 12, wherein the second phone call user interface includes an end call icon, the programs further comprising instructions for:

in response to detecting a user selection of the end call icon while displaying the second phone call user interface;

terminating the active phone call between the user of the device and the second party,

activating the phone call between the user of the device and the first party, and

redisplaying the first phone call user interface on the touch screen display.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display, cause the device to:

display a first phone call user interface on the touch screen display for an active phone call between a user of the device and a first party;

in response to receiving an incoming call from a second party, display an incoming call user interface on the touch screen display, the incoming call user interface including a hold call icon;

in response to detecting a user selection of the hold call icon;

suspend the active phone call between the user of the device and the first party,

activate a phone call between the user of the device and the second party, and

display a second phone call user interface including first information identifying the first party, second information identifying the second party, and a merge call icon;

upon detecting a user selection of the merge call icon;

merge the active phone call between the user of the device and the second party and the suspended phone call between the user of the device and the first party into a conference call between the user, the first party, and the second party.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, the one or more programs further comprising instructions, which cause the device to:

in response to receiving the incoming call from the second party, cease to display the first phone call user interface.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein displaying an incoming call user interface on the touch screen display comprises replacing display of the first phone call user interface with display of the incoming call user interface on the touch screen display.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, the one or more programs further comprising instructions, which cause the device to:

upon detecting a user selection of the merge call icon;

replacing the second phone call user interface with a conference call user interface, wherein replacing the second phone call user interface with the conference call user interface includes;

cease to display the first information and the second information;

display third information associated with the conference call, and

display a conference call management icon for redisplaying the first information and the second information.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the incoming call user interface includes an end current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon, the one or more programs further comprising instructions, which cause the device to:

in response to detecting a user selection of the end current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon;

terminate the active phone call between user of the device and the first party,

activate a phone call between the user of the device and the second party, and

display a third phone call user interface on the touch screen display.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, the one or more programs further comprising instructions, which cause the device to:

in response to detecting a user selection of the swap call icon while displaying the second phone call user interface;

suspend the active phone call between the user of the device and the second party,

activate the phone call between the user of the device and the first party, and

display a fourth phone call user interface including the first information identifying the first party and the second information identifying the second party.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the second phone call user interface includes an end call icon, the one or more programs further comprising instructions, which cause the device to:

in response to detecting a user selection of the end call icon while displaying the second phone call user interface;

terminate the active phone call between the user of the device and the second party,

activate the phone call between the user of the device and the first party, and

redisplay the first phone call user interface on the touch screen display.