Grouping and displaying of contextual objects

• US 6,934,911 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2002
• Issued: 08/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Korhonen, Hannu, Salmimaa, Marja, Lehikoinen, Juha
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Application Number:
  US10/056,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20030142125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 715/645, 715/152, 715/744, 715/745, 715/747, 715/864, 715/853, 715/866, 715/765, 715/835, 715/810, 715/811, 715/812, 715/733, 715/751, 715/752, 715/779, 715/814, 715/825, 715/840, 715/841, 455/414, 455/3.06, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455/566, 455/344, 340/998
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72472 wherein the items are sorted according to specific criteria, e.g. frequency of use

Abstract

An apparatus and method for displaying a plurality of icons on the display of a mobile terminal are provided. Messages are first sorted by comparing characteristics of the messages with first context category values. The messages may be assigned to discrete groups. The messages within each of the groups are then sorted by comparing characteristics of the messages with second context category values. Icons are assigned to the messages and displayed on a display of the mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A method of grouping and displaying a plurality of icons that can be selected by a user from a display on a first mobile terminal, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a plurality of messages from message sources;

(b) sorting the plurality of messages into a set of groups in accordance with one or more characteristics associated with each of the plurality of messages and a first context category;

(c) sorting the messages within each of the groups in accordance with one or more characteristics associated with each of the plurality of messages and a second context category;

(d) associating an icon with each of the plurality of messages; and

(e) representing the icons on the display in accordance with the sorting performed in (b) and (c).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first context category comprises distances between the message sources and the first mobile terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second context category comprises distances between the message sources and the first mobile terminal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein (e) comprises:

representing the groups in distinct sections of the display; and

wherein sizes of each of the icons within each group correspond to the sorting performed in (c).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein (e) further comprises:

representing in each group an icon that corresponds to a message having one or more characteristics that best match the second context category in a format that is enlarged in relation to other icons in the group.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein (e) comprises:

representing the groups in distinct sections of the display; and

wherein sizes of the icons within each group are uniform.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein (e) further comprises:

representing icons in a first group that corresponds to messages having one or more characteristics that best match the first context category in a format that is enlarged in relation to icons in the other groups within the set of groups.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first context category comprises an ordered list of tasks and each of the groups within the set of groups corresponds to one of the tasks.

9. The method of claim 8, further including:

(f) deleting the representation of a group when a corresponding task is completed.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein (d) comprises extracting an icon from one of the plurality of messages.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein in (b) and (c) at least some of the characteristics are extracted from the plurality of messages.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein in step (b) at least one of the context categories is set by the user of the first mobile terminal.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the icons arc displayed in navigation bar formed along at least a portion of a bottom of the display.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of groups comprises two groups.

15. The method of claim 1, further including:

(f) deleting at least one of the icons after a predetermined time period.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the icon deleted instep (f) corresponds to a message that has been time stamped with the predetermined time period.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the predetermined time period is selected by the user.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the message sources comprises a second mobile terminal.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second context categories comprises information exchanged between the first mobile terminal and at least one additional mobile terminal.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second context categories comprises voting results of votes received from the first mobile terminal and at least one additional mobile terminal.

21. A mobile terminal comprising:

a display capable of displaying graphical icons;

a user input device that permits a user of the mobile terminal to select one or more of the graphical icons displayed on the display; and

a processor programmed with computer-executable instructions that, when executed cause the mobile terminal to perform the steps comprising;

(a) receiving a plurality of messages from message sources;

(b) sorting the plurality of messages into a set of groups in accordance with one or more characteristics associated with each of the plurality of messages and a first context category;

(c) sorting the messages within each of the groups in accordance with one or more characteristics associated with each of the plurality of messages and a second context category;

(d) associating an icon with each of the plurality of messages; and

(e) representing the icons on the display in accordance with the sorting performed in (b) and (a).

22. The mobile terminal of claim 21, further comprising a context category database storing context category values.

23. A mobile terminal comprising:

a receiving circuit that receives a plurality of messages containing information relating to a particular service that is potentially available to a user of the mobile terminal;

a message storage area that stores the plurality of messages;

a display unit capable of displaying graphical icons;

a context matching function that;

(a) sorts the plurality of messages into a set of groups in accordance with one or more characteristics associated with each of the plurality of messages and a first context category;

(b) sorts the messages within each of the groups in accordance with one or more characteristics associated with each of the plurality of messages and a second context category; and

a display function that displays icons associated with the messages in a format determined by the sorting performed in (a) and (b).

24. The mobile terminal of claim 23, further comprising a context category database storing context category values.

25. A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions for causing a mobile terminal having a display to perform the steps of:

(a) receiving a plurality of messages from message sources;

(b) sorting the plurality of messages into a set of groups in accordance with one or more characteristics associated with each of the plurality of messages and a first context category;

(c) sorting the messages within each of the groups in accordance with one or more characteristics associated with each of the plurality of messages and a second context category;

(d) associating an icon with each of the plurality of messages; and

(e) representing the icons on the display in accordance with the sorting performed in (b) and (c).