Merging various request methods into a single unified user interface

• US 7,072,461 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2001
• Issued: 07/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kennedy, Kevin A., Padawer, Andrew D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elahee, Md S.
• Application Number:
  US09/945,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20020052196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,769 Days
• Field of Search: 37935501-3551, 379/356.01, 379/88.03, 379/142.01, 379/354, 379/357.03, 379/201.04, 455/414.1, 455/564, 341/26, 341/23, 345/173
• US Class Current: 379/355.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27463 Predictive input, predictive dialling by comparing the dialled sequence with the content of a telephone directory
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2748 by matching character strings

Abstract

Methods and systems for allowing a user to enter a request, such as dialing input, without having to specify, or otherwise commit to, a particular request method. Upon detecting a user input that represents a user request for service, response data is retrieved that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user intend the request to be in accordance with a first request method. However, other response data is also retrieved that represents an appropriate response to the request should the user have intended the request to be in accordance with other request methods. Accordingly, the user need not commit to a particular request method before entering the request, thus unifying and simplifying the request process.

Claims

1. A method for a telephone device that supports multiple request methods and that allows a user to enter a user request for service using said request methods, the device accepting user input, a method for retrieving and merging data responsive to the request methods so as to allow the user to enter the user request without requiring that the user specify the request method, comprising the following:

a specific act of detecting said user input that represents a service request, the meaning of the service request depending on the user'"'"'s intended request method, wherein the specific act of detecting said user input comprises a specific act of detecting each of a plurality of characters sequentially input by the user as part of the service request, wherein the plurality of characters comprises numerals or letters or a group of numbers or letters and wherein a first character of the plurality of characters represents a first specific request and a second character of the plurality of characters represents a second specific request that refines the first specific request;

a specific act of retrieving first response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be in accordance with a first request method;

a specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be in accordance with a second request method;

a specific act of unifying the first response data and the second response data into a first unified data structure after accessing a plurality of databases of said request methods;

a specific act of retrieving third response data that represents an appropriate response to the second specific request should the user intend the second specific request to be in accordance with a first request method;

a specific act of retrieving fourth response data that represents an appropriate response to the second specific request should the user intend the second specific request to be in accordance with a second request method; and

a specific act of unifying the third response data and the fourth response data into a second unified data structure.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the following:

a specific act of presenting the first response data and the second response data to the user so the user may review the first and second response data through a single unified user interface.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the specific act of detecting user input that represents a user request for service comprises the following:

a specific act of detecting dialing input that represents a user request for service.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein the specific act of retrieving first response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be in accordance with a first request method comprises the following:

a specific act of retrieving first response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be a telephone number.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the specific act of retrieving first response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be a telephone number comprises the following:

specific act of retrieving first response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be a telephone number with an area code dialed first.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be a telephone number comprises the following:

specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be a telephone number without an area code dialed first.

7. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be a telephone number comprises the following:

specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be a dialed first name.

8. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be a telephone number comprises the following:

specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the specific request to be a dialed surname name.

9. A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the specific act of retrieving first response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be a telephone number comprises the following:

specific act of retrieving first response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be a telephone number without an area code dialed first.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend first specific request to be a telephone number comprises the following:

specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be a dialed first name.

11. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be a telephone number comprises the following:

specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be a dialed surname.

12. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein the specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be a telephone number comprises the following:

specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be a dialed first name.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be a telephone number comprises the following:

specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should to user intend the first specific request to be a dialed surname.

14. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the specific act of retrieving first response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be in accordance with a first request method comprises the following:

a specific act of retrieving a first portion of the first response data from a first database, the first portion containing one or more entries from the first database;

a specific act of retrieving a second portion of the first response data from a second database the second portion containing one or more entries from the second database, at least some of the entries in the first portion having a different data structure format that at least some of the entries in the second portion.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the specific act of retrieving a first portion of the first response data from a first database comprises the following:

a specific act of retrieving the first portion of the first response data from a contacts database.

16. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the specific act of retrieving a first portion of the first response data from a second database comprises the following:

a specific act of retrieving the first portion of the first response data from a speed dial database.

17. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the specific act of retrieving a second portion of the first response data from a second database comprises the following:

a specific act of retrieving the first portion of the first response data from a call log database.

18. A method in accordance with claim 17, further comprising:

a specific act of removing duplicates from the call log database.

19. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

before the specific act of retrieving the first response data and before the specific act of retrieving the second response data, a specific act of determining that the user input warrants the specific act of retrieving the first response data and the specific act of retrieving the second response data.

20. A method for a telephone device that supports multiple request methods and that allows a user to enter a user request for service using said request methods, the device accepting user input a method for retrieving and merging data responsive to the request methods so as to allow the user to enter the user request without requiring that the user specify the request method, comprising the following:

a specific act of detecting user input that represents a service request, the meaning of the service request depending on the user'"'"'s intended request method, wherein the specific act of detecting said user input comprises a specific act of detecting each of a plurality of characters sequentially input by the user as part of the user request, wherein the plurality of characters comprises numerals or letters or a group of numbers or letters and wherein a first character of the plurality of characters represents a first specific request and a second character of the plurality of characters represents a second specific request that refines the first specific request; and

for the first and second specific request represented by the first and second characters sequentially input by the user, a step for representing a plurality of responses to the first and second specific requests after accessing a plurality of databases of said request methods, the plurality of responses in aggregate representing responses that would be appropriate for two or more of the request methods.

21. A method in accordance with claim 20, wherein the step for representing a plurality of responses to the specific request comprises the following:

a specific act of retrieving first response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be in accordance with a first request method;

a specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the second specific request should the user intend the second specific request to be in accordance with a second request method; and

a specific act of unifying the first response data and the second response data into a unified data structure.

22. A method in accordance with claim 21, further comprising the following:

a specific act of presenting the first response data and the second response data to the user so the user may review the first and second response data through a single unified user interface.

23. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein the specific act of retrieving first response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be in accordance with a first request method comprises the following:

a specific act of retrieving a first portion of the first response data from a first database, the first portion containing one or more entries from the first database;

a specific act of retrieving a second portion of the first response data from a second database the second portion containing one or more entries from the second database, at least some of the entries in the first portion having a different data structure format that at least some of the entries in the second portion.

24. A method in accordance with claim 21, further comprising:

before the specific act of retrieving the first response data and before the specific act of retrieving the second response data, a specific act of determining that the user input warrants the specific act of retrieving the first response data and the specific act of retrieving the second response data.

25. A method in accordance with claim 20, wherein the specific act of detecting user input that represents a user request for service comprises the following:

a specific act of detecting dialing input that represents a user request for service.

26. A computer program product for implementing a method in a telephone device that supports multiple request methods and that allows a user to enter a request for service using said request methods, the device accepting user input, the computer program product for implementing a method for retrieving and merging data responsive to the request methods so as to allow the user to enter the user request without requiring that the user specify the request method, the computer program product comprising computer-readable media having stored thereon the following:

computer-executable instructions for detecting said user input that represents a service request, the meaning of the service request depending on the user'"'"'s intended request method, wherein detection of the user input comprises the detection of each of a plurality of characters sequentially input by the user as part of the user request, wherein the plurality of characters comprises numerals or letters or a group of numbers or letters and wherein a first character of the plurality of characters represents a first specific request and a second character of the plurality of characters represents a second specific request that refines the first specific request;

computer-executable instructions for causing first response data to be retrieved, the first response data representing an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be in accordance with a first request method;

computer-executable instructions for causing second response data to be retrieved, the second response data representing an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend the first specific request to be in accordance with a second request method;

computer-executable instructions for causing the first response data and the second response data to be presented to the user so the user may review the first and second response data through a first single unified user interface after accessing a plurality of databases of said request methods;

computer-executable instructions for causing third response data to be retrieved, the third response data representing an appropriate response to the second specific request should the user intend the second specific request to be in accordance with a third request method;

computer-executable instructions for causing fourth response data to be retrieved, the fourth response data representing an appropriate response to the second specific request should the user intend the second specific request to be in accordance with a fourth request method; and

computer-executable instructions for causing the third response data and the fourth response data to be presented to the user so the user may review the third and fourth response data through a second single unified user interface.

27. A computer-readable medium in accordance with claim 26, wherein the computer-readable media is one or more physical storage media.

28. In a telephonic device that supports multiple dialing methods and that allows a user to enter dialing input using said dialing methods, the device accepting user input, a method for retrieving and merging data responsive to the dialing methods so as to allow the user to dial using the dialing methods without requiring that the user specify the dialing method, comprising the following:

a specific act of detecting said user input that represents dialing input, the meaning of the dialing input depending on the user'"'"'s intended dialing method, wherein the specific act of detecting said user input comprises a specific act of detecting each of a plurality of characters sequentially input by the user as part of the dialing input, wherein the plurality of characters comprises numerals or letters or a group of numbers or letters and wherein a first character of the plurality of characters represents a first specific dialing input request and a second character of the plurality of characters represents a second specific dialing input request that refines the first separate dialing input request;

a specific act of retrieving first response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific dialing input request should the user intend the first specific dialing input request to be in accordance with a first dialing method;

a specific act of retrieving second response data that represents an appropriate response to the first specific dialing input request should the user intend the first specific dialing input request to be in accordance with a second dialing method;

a specific act of unifying the first response data and the second response data into a first unified data structure after accessing a plurality of databases of said dialing methods;

a specific act of retrieving third response data that represents an appropriate response to the second specific dialing input request should the user intend the second specific dialing input request to be in accordance with a third dialing method;

a specific act of retrieving fourth response data that represents an appropriate response to the second specific dialing input request should the user intend the second specific dialing input request to be in accordance with a fourth dialing method; and

a specific act of unifying the third response data and the fourth response data into a second unified data structure.

29. A method in accordance with claim 28, further comprising the following:

a specific act of presenting the first response data and the second response data to the user so the user may review the first and second response data through a single unified user interface.

30. In a telephonic device that supports multiple dialing methods allows a user to enter dialing input using said dialing methods, the device accepting user input, a method for retrieving and merging data responsive to the dialing methods so as to allow the user to dial using the dialing methods without requiring that the user specify the dialing method, comprising the following:

a specific act of detecting said user input that represents dialing input, the meaning of the dialing input depending on the user'"'"'s intended dialing method, wherein the specific act of detecting said user input comprises a specific act of detecting each of a plurality of characters sequentially input by the user as part of the dialing input, wherein the plurality of characters comprises numerals or letters or a group of numbers or letters and wherein a first character of the plurality of characters represents a first specific dialing input request and a second character of the plurality of characters represents a second specific dialing input request that refines the first separate dialing input request; and

for the first and second specific dialing input request represented by the first and second characters sequentially input by the user, a step for retrieving and presenting a plurality of responses to the first and second specific dialing input requests after accessing a plurality of databases of said dialing methods, the plurality of responses in aggregate representing responses that would be appropriate for two or more of the dialing methods.

31. A computer program product for use in a telephonic device that supports multiple dialing methods allows a user to enter dialing input using said dialing methods, the device accepting user input, the computer program product for implementing a method for retrieving and merging data responsive to the dialing methods so as to allow the user to dial using the dialing methods without requiring that the user specify the dialing method, the computer program product comprising computer-readable media having stored thereon the following:

computer-executable instructions for detecting said user input that represents dialing input, the meaning of the dialing input depending on the user'"'"'s intended dialing method, wherein detection of the user input comprises the detection of each of a plurality of characters sequentially input by the user as part of the dialing input, wherein the plurality of characters comprises numerals or letters or a group of numbers or letters and wherein a first character of the plurality of characters represents a first specific dialing input request and a second character of the plurality of characters represents a second specific dialing input request that refines the first separate dialing input request;

computer-executable instructions for causing first response data to be retrieved, the first response data representing an appropriate response to the first specific dialing input request should the user intend the first specific dialing input to be in accordance with a first dialing method;

computer-executable instructions for causing second response data to be retrieved, the second response data representing an appropriate response to the first specific dialing input request should the user intend the first specific dialing input to be in accordance with a second dialing method;

computer-executable instructions for causing the first response data and the second response data to be presented to the user so the user may review the first and second response data through a first single unified user interface after accessing a plurality of databases of said dialing methods;

computer-executable instructions for causing third response data to be retrieved, the third response data representing an appropriate response to the second specific dialing input request should the user intend the second specific dialing input to be in accordance with a third dialing method;

computer-executable instructions for causing fourth response data to be retrieved, the fourth response data representing an appropriate response to the second specific dialing input request should the user intend the second specific dialing input to be in accordance with a fourth dialing method; and

computer-executable instructions for causing the third response data and the fourth response data to be presented to the user so the user may review the third response data and the fourth response data through a second single unified user interface.

32. A computer program product in accordance with claim 31, wherein the computer-readable media is one or more physical storage media.

33. A telephone device that supports multiple request methods and that allows a user to enter a request using said request methods, the device merging the request methods so as to allow the user to enter the request without requiring that the user specify the request method, the telephonic device comprising the following:

a data source representing data appropriate for one or more request methods;

an input user interface configured to detect said user input in the form of a plurality of sequentially input characters, wherein the plurality of characters comprises numerals or letters or a group of numbers or letters and wherein a first character of the plurality of characters represents a first specific request and a second character of the plurality of characters represents a second specific request that refines the first specific request, the meaning of the first or second specific request depending on the user'"'"'s intended request method;

a first filter configured to return, for the first specific request entered by the user, at least some of the data in the data source that represents an appropriate response to the first specific request should the user intend to use a first request method;

a second filter configured to return, for the second request entered by the user, at least some of the data source that represents an appropriate response to the second specific request should the user intend to use a second request method; and

a single unified user interface configured to receive, for each specific request entered by the user, at least some of the data returned from the first and second filters, and configured to present the received data to the user in a unified fashion after accessing a plurality of databases of said request methods.

34. A device in accordance with claim 33, wherein the first filter and the second filter are the same filter module.

35. A device in accordance with claim 33, wherein the first filter and the second filter are different filter modules.

36. A telephonic device that supports multiple dialing methods and that allows a user to enter dialing input using said dialing methods, the telephonic device merging the dialing methods so as to allow the user to dial using the dialing methods without requiring that the user specify the dialing method, the telephonic device comprising the following:

a data source representing dialing information;

an input user interface configured to detect said user input that represents a specific dialing input request in the form of a plurality of sequentially input characters, wherein the plurality of characters comprises numerals or letters or a group of numbers or letters and wherein a first character of the plurality of characters represents a first specific dialing input request and a second character of the plurality of characters represents a second specific dialing input request that refines the first separate dialing input request, the meaning of the specific dialing input request depending on the user'"'"'s intended dialing method;

a first filter configured to return, for the first specific dialing input request entered by the user, at least some of the dialing information in the data source that conforms with the first specific dialing input should the user intend to use a first dialing method;

a second filter configured to return, for the second specific dialing input request entered by the user, at least some of the dialing information in the data source that conforms with the second specific dialing input should the user intend to use a second dialing method; and

a single unified user interface configured to receive, for each specific dialing input request entered by the user, at least some of the dialing information returned from the first and second filters, and configured to present the received data to the user in a unified fashion after accessing a plurality of databases of said dialing methods.