PREFERRED CONTACT GROUP CENTRIC INTERFACE

• US 20100050123A1
• Filed: 03/27/2009
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adrian Buzescu, Andrew Sherrard, Gary Sentman, Jasdeep Singh Chugh, Karl Warfel, Michael Thomas Hendrick, Mikkel Crone Koser, O'Connor, Stephen John, Richard Paul Turnnidge, Sally Abolrous, Warren Mcneel, Wen-Hsing Chang
• Original Assignee: Adrian Buzescu, Andrew Sherrard, Gary Sentman, Jasdeep Singh Chugh, Karl Warfel, Michael Thomas Hendrick, Mikkel Crone Koser, O'Connor, Stephen John, Richard Paul Turnnidge, Sally Abolrous, Warren Mcneel, Wen-Hsing Chang
• Inventors: Sentman, Gary, Chang, Wen-Hsing, Abolrous, Sally, Hendrick, Michael Thomas, Koser, Mikkel Crone, Warfel, Karl, Sherrard, Andrew, O'Connor, Stephen John, Turnnidge, Richard Paul, Buzescu, Adrian, McNeel, Warren, Chugh, Jasdeep Singh
• Granted Patent: US 10,459,601 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/836
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• 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: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27 Devices whereby a plurality of signals may be stored simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8066 According to the number of recipients
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

A preferred contact group centric interface for a communication device can be used to facilitate communications by a user. The user interface can be arranged to activate from a user'"'"'s “home page” on the display, from an idle screen that is accessed after a timeout period expires, or any other appropriate mechanism that activates the preferred contact group centric experience. A user selects the preferred contact group from among an array of the user'"'"'s contacts. Once the contact group is configured, a minimal number of navigation/selection features is necessary to activate any number of communication modes available to the contacts. The contact group is configured such that simple and quick navigation between the contact members is achieved. The contact group can be presented in 2D and 3D arrangements, in any number of list or geometric configurations. A pricing plan can optionally be tied to each member of the contact group.

Claims

1. A method for managing user contacts on a communication device, the method comprising:

identifying a subset of contacts selected by a user of the communication device, wherein the subset of user contacts includes less than all of the user contacts accessible by the communication device; and

causing the user to be presented with a display on the communication device in which a graphical icon associated with each contact of the subset of contacts is selectable to facilitate communication with the respective contact, wherein each graphical icon associated with a contact in the subset of contacts is caused to be presented on the display in an arrangement about a center axis,

wherein the method is implemented in a computer system.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the graphical icons associated with the subset of contacts are caused to be presented on the display in one of a home page screen and an idle screen.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the arrangement is a 3D arrangement.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

causing the graphical icons associated with the subset of contacts to rotate about the center axis on the display in response to a user navigation input.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the dimensions of at least a portion of the graphical icons associated with the subset of contacts change as a function of the rotation about the center axis.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein a first graphical icon from the graphical icons associated with the subset of user contacts is selectable by movement of the first graphical icon into a first position on the display relative to the center axis.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein a graphical icon located in the first position on the display has dimensions larger than the other graphical icons on the display.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a preferred communication mode associated with a user contact corresponding to a selected graphical icon, wherein the preferred communication mode is pre-selected by the user; and

automatically initiating a communication corresponding to the preferred communication mode and directed to the selected user contact in response to selection by the user of a single input on the communication device.

9. A computer system for implementing the method as recited in claim 1.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method as recited in claim 1.

50. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising causing the user to be presented with a communications option menu including an arrangement of available communication modes associated with a currently selected graphical identifiers corresponding to a first contact, wherein the arrangement of available communication modes comprises a second arrangement of graphical identifiers on the display about a second axis, wherein the second arrangement of graphical identifiers comprises at least a portion of a set of graphical identifiers indicative of available communication modes, and wherein one of the graphical identifiers indicative of available communication modes corresponds to a currently selected communication mode.

11. A method comprising:

identifying a subset of contacts selected by a user of a communication device, wherein the subset of user contacts includes less than less than all of the user contacts accessible by the communication device; and

causing the user to be presented with a display on the communication device in which a graphical identifier associated with each contact of the subset of contacts is rotatable about a central axis,

wherein the method is implemented in a computer system.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising:

causing the graphical identifiers associated with the subset of contacts to rotate about the central axis on the display in response to a user navigation input.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein movement of a first graphical identifier of the graphical identifiers associated with the subset of contacts to a first position on the display relative to the central axis corresponds to selection of the first graphical identifier.

14. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the graphical identifiers associated with the subset of contacts are caused to be presented on the display in one of a home page screen and an idle screen.

15. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the graphical identifiers associated with the subset of contacts are caused to be presented on the display in a 2D arrangement about the central axis.

16. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the graphical identifiers associated with the subset of contacts are caused to be presented on the display in a 3D arrangement about the central axis.

17. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising:

identifying a graphical identifier associated with a user contact from the subset of user contacts selected by the user of the communication device;

identifying a preferred communication mode associated with the user contact corresponding to the selected graphical identifier, wherein the preferred communication mode is pre-selected by the user; and

automatically initiating a communication corresponding to the preferred communication mode and directed to the selected user contact in response to selection by the user of a single input on the communication device.

18. A computer system for implementing the method as recited in claim 11.

19. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method as recited in claim 11.

20. A method comprising:

identifying a subset of contacts selected by a user of a communication device from a set of user contacts accessible by the communication device;

determining an order associated with the user'"'"'s selection of each contact as a member of the subset of contacts; and

causing the user to be presented with a display on the communication device in which a graphical identifier associated with each contact of the subset of contacts is presented on the display in an arrangement about a central axis corresponding to the order associated with the user'"'"'s selection of the respective contact as a member of the subset of contacts,

wherein the method is implemented in a computer system.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the arrangement is a 2D arrangement about the central axis.

22. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the arrangement is a 3D arrangement about the central axis.

23. The method as recited in claim 20 further comprising:

causing the graphical identifiers associated with the subset of contacts to rotate about the center axis on the display in response to a user navigation input.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein a first graphical identifier from the graphical identifiers associated with the subset of user contacts presented on the display is selectable by movement of the first graphical icon into a first position on the display relative to the central axis.

25. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the graphical identifier associated with the first contact selected by the user as a member of the subset of contacts is presented on the display in a first position relative to the central axis.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the first position corresponds to a default selected graphical identifier.

27. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the default selected graphical identifier is presented on the display with an emphasis indicator.

28. The method as recited in claim 27, wherein the emphasis indicator corresponds to highlighting the default selected graphical identifier.

29. The method as recited in claim 27, wherein the emphasis indicator corresponds to the default selected graphical identifier having greater dimensions than the other displayed graphical identifiers.

30. The method as recited in claim 25 further comprising:

identifying a graphical identifier associated with a user contact from the subset of user contacts located in the first position relative to the central axis, wherein the first position corresponds to a selected contact;

identifying a preferred communication mode associated with the user contact corresponding to the selected graphical identifier, wherein the preferred communication mode is pre-selected by the user; and

automatically initiating a communication corresponding to the preferred communication mode and directed to the selected user contact in response to selection by the user of a single input on the communication device.

31. A computer system for implementing the method as recited in claim 20.

32. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method as recited in claim 20.

33. A computer-readable medium having a computer-executable component for displaying user contacts on a communication device, the computer-executable component comprising:

a user interface component for;

identifying a subset of contacts selected by a user of the communication device, wherein the subset of user contacts includes a portion of the user'"'"'s contacts accessible by the communication device; and

causing display of a graphical identifier associated with each contact of the subset of contacts in an arrangement about a center axis.

34. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 33, wherein the graphical identifiers associated with the subset of contacts are caused to be presented on the display in one of a home page screen and an idle screen.

35. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 33, wherein the arrangement is a 2D arrangement.

36. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 33, wherein the arrangement is a 3D arrangement.

37. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 33, wherein the subset of contacts includes a plurality of contacts.

38. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 37, wherein the arrangement of each graphical identifier associated with the subset of contacts arrangement about the center axis is a geometrical-styled arrangement about the center axis.

39. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 38, wherein a first position associated with the arrangement corresponds to an emphasized position.

40. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 39, wherein a graphical identifier located in the emphasis position is highlighted.

41. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 39, wherein a graphical identifier located in the emphasis position greater dimensions than the other displayed graphical identifiers.

42. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 33, wherein the user interface component is further operative to cause the graphical identifiers associated with the subset of contacts to rotate about the center axis on the display in response to a user navigation input.

43. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 42, wherein the dimensions of at least a portion of the graphical identifiers associated with the subset of contacts change as a function of the rotation about the center axis.

44. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 42, wherein movement of a first graphical identifier of the graphical identifiers associated with the subset of contacts to a first position on the display relative to the center axis corresponds to selection of the first graphical identifier.

45. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 44, wherein a graphical identifier located in the first position on the display has dimensions larger than the other graphical identifiers on the display.

46. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 42, wherein the graphical identifier associated with a first contact selected by the user as a member of the subset of contacts is presented on the display in a first position relative to the center axis.

47. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 46, wherein the first position corresponds to a default selected graphical identifier.

48. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 46, wherein the user interface component is further operative to:

identify a graphical identifier associated with a user contact from the subset of user contacts located in the first position relative to the center axis, wherein the first position corresponds to a selected contact;

identify a preferred communication mode associated with the user contact corresponding to the selected graphical identifier, wherein the preferred communication mode is pre-selected by the user; and

automatically initiate a communication corresponding to the preferred communication mode and directed to the selected user contact in response to selection by the user of a single input on the communication device.

49. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 33, wherein the user interface component is further operative to:

identify a preferred communication mode associated with a user contact corresponding to a selected graphical identifier, wherein the preferred communication mode is pre-selected by the user; and

automatically initiate a communication corresponding to the preferred communication mode and directed to the selected user contact in response to selection by the user of a single input on the communication device.