Unified interface for voice, text or picture message authoring

• US 7,363,029 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2005
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith Micro Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Core Mobility (Smith Micro Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Othmer, Konstantin
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Tuan A.
• Application Number:
  US11/129,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20060189333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 4554121- 2, 455/413, 455/466, 455418-420, 4554141- 4, 455/550.1, 455/557, 4555561- 2, 455563-567, 4555691- 2, 455 901- 3, 455/575.1, 455/966.1, 455/116, 455/67.11, 455/7, 455115- 14, 455/127.4, 455/91, 455/93, 455 68- 69, 455/552.1, 455344-345, 379 38- 42, 379/51, 379/68, 379 78- 82, 379 8801- 4, 379 8808- 9, 379 8812- 14, 379 8822- 28, 379/93.09, 379/11, 37910015- 16, 340 751- 62, 704/201, 704/246, 704275-277, 704/231, 704/251
• US Class Current: 455/414.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A unified messaging interface and associated methods that enables mobile communication device users to initiate the creation of a message for a recipient without being required to explicitly specify the type of message that is to be created. The mobile communication device supports multiple message types, such as voice, text, and picture messages. The user begins providing message content to the communication device by, for example, speaking, entering text, or clicking a shutter of a camera. The unified messaging interface detects the nature of the content and creates a corresponding type of message. The user can indicate a desire to create and send a message by performing “one-click” action. The one-click action is an operation performed on the device that can be instantiated as a single button-press on the keypad; selection of a single soft key by depressing a button on the keypad or touching the screen of the device; or issuance of a single voice command.

Claims

1. In a wireless communication system in which messages can be created and transmitted to recipients, a method for initiating transmission of a message using a unified messaging interface, comprising:

at a wireless communication device that is associated with a sender and is capable of creating messages of more than one type, including at least a first message type and a second message type;

receiving user input indicating that the user will create a message that is to be sent to a recipient; and

receiving, from the user, content to be included in the message, wherein the content is adapted for use in only one of the first message type and the second message type;

detecting the content and identifying the message type for which the content is adapted to be used; and

in response to identifying the message type, creating the message, wherein the message has the identified message type.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input does not specify the message type of the message that is to be created.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input indicating that the user will create a message that is to be sent to a recipient is generated in response to a one-click action of the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first message type is associated with voice messages; and

the second message type is associated with text messages.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first message type is associated with voice messages; and

the second message type is associated with picture messages.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first message type is associated with text messages; and

the second message type is associated with picture messages.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless communication device is capable of creating messages of at least three types, including at least the first message type, the second message type, and a third message type; and

and the content received from the user is adapted for use in only one of the first message type, the second message type, and the third message type.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the first message type is associated with voice messages;

the second message type is associated with text messages; and

the third message type is associated with picture messages.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving content to be included in the message includes receiving voice input from the user; and

creating the message includes creating a voice message that has the voice input as content.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving content to be included in the message includes receiving text input from the user; and

creating the message includes creating a text message that has the text input as content.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving content to be included in the message includes receiving picture input from the user; and

creating the message includes creating a picture message that has the picture input as content.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after creating the message, initiating transmission of the message to a recipient.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein initiating transmission of the message to the recipient is performed without requiring additional input from the user after the message is created.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input indicating that the user will create a message that is to be sent to a recipient comprises selection by the user of a recipient from a contacts list.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the user input indicating that the user will create a message that is to be sent to a recipient is generated in response to the user depressing a key of the wireless communication device; and

the method further comprises, after creating the message, initiating transmission of the message to a recipient in response to the user again depressing the key of the wireless communication device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the user input indicating that the user will create a message that is to be sent to a recipient is generated in response to the user depressing a key of the wireless communication device;

the user continues to depress the key of the wireless communication device as the wireless device receives the content to be included in the message; and

the method further comprises, after creating the message, initiating transmission of the message to a recipient in response to the user releasing the key of the wireless communication device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input indicating that the user will create a message that is to be sent to a recipient comprises a voice command.

18. In a wireless communication device that operates in a wireless communication system in which messages can be created and transmitted to recipients, a method for initiating transmission of a message using a unified messaging interface, comprising:

in response to user input indicating that the user will create a message that is to be sent to a recipient, initiating recording that can be used with a voice message;

if the user provides voice content and the voice content is completely received, initiating transmission of the voice message after the voice content is completely received; and

if the user enters text to the wireless communication device before the voice content is completely received;

creating a text message rather than a voice message, wherein the text message includes content associated with the entered text; and

initiating transmission of the text message.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein, if the user activates a camera shutter of the wireless communication device before the voice content is completely received:

creating a picture message rather than a voice message, wherein the picture message includes content associated with a picture taken by the wireless communication device; and

initiating transmission of the picture message.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein, if the user enters text to the wireless communication device after the voice content is completely received and before transmission of the voice message is initiated, creating a title of the message that includes the entered text.