Voicemail user interface methods and apparatus for mobile communication devices

• US 8,285,255 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2003
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Vander Veen, Raymond P., Lazaridis, Mihal
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sabouri, Mazda
• Application Number:
  US10/456,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20030228863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,413 Days
• Field of Search: 455/413, 455/412.2, 379/88.12
• US Class Current: 455/412.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/42 Graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/256 comprising a service specific user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4509 Unified messaging with single point of access to voicemail and other mail or messaging systems unified messaging in packet switching networks H04L51/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53358 Message preview
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

Voicemail user interface methods and apparatus for mobile communication devices are disclosed. Voicemail notification messages corresponding to voicemail messages are received through a wireless receiver of the mobile device and voicemail message header lines corresponding to them are displayed in a message list. In one illustrative example, the mobile device provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for the end-user with visual objects corresponding to PLAY, REWIND, FAST FORWARD, SKIP BACK, SKIP FORWARD, as examples, which provides for transparency of voicemail system-specific commands. Preferably, the mobile device receives the voicemail notification messages from several different voicemail systems for consolidating such processing using this single common user interface. Each voicemail notification message preferably includes voicemail message summary information, such as a calling party identifier, a message time stamp, and message length, for use in providing the voicemail message header information in the message list. In addition, each voicemail notification message preferably includes voicemail retrieval/processing information, such as a voicemail access telephone number, a voicemail message identification number, and voicemail message processing commands, for use in providing the system interface transparency.

Claims

1. In a mobile communication device, a method of processing voicemail messages comprising:

storing, in memory, a first dual tone-multiple frequency (DTMF) command set for voicemail message processing functions of a first voicemail system;

storing, in the memory, a second DTMF command set for voicemail message processing functions of a second voicemail system which is different from the first DTMF command set for the first voicemail system;

receiving, through a wireless transceiver, a voicemail notification message associated with a voicemail message received at one of the first and the second voicemail systems;

detecting, through a user interface, an end-user selection of a visual object or switch which is visually indicative of a voicemail message processing function;

causing the following acts to be performed in response to detecting the end-user selection of the visual object or switch;

selecting, from one of the first and the second DTMF command sets corresponding to the one of the first and the second voicemail systems at which the voicemail message was received a DTMF command code corresponding to the voicemail message processing function; and

causing the DTMF command code to be sent to the one of the first and the second voicemail systems for invoking the voicemail message processing function at the one of the first and the second voicemail systems.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the voicemail message processing function comprises one of PLAY, REWIND, FAST FORWARD, SKIP BACK, SKIP FORWARD, SAVE, and DELETE.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual object or switch comprises a visual object of a graphical user interface (GUI) of the user interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual object or switch comprises a mechanical switch of the user interface.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to detecting the end-user selection of the visual object or switch;

visually displaying, in a display of the mobile communication device, voicemail message header information associated with the voicemail message.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing a connection to be established between the mobile communication device and the one of the first and the second voicemail systems.

7. A mobile communication device, comprising:

one or more processors;

a wireless transceiver coupled to the one or more processors;

the wireless transceiver configured to receive one or more voicemail notification messages associated with one or more voicemail messages received at one or more voicemail systems which include a first voicemail system and a second voicemail system;

memory for storing a first dual tone-multiple frequency (DTMF) command set for voicemail message processing functions of the first voicemail system and a second DTMF command set for voicemail message processing functions of the second voicemail system which is different from the first DTMF command set for the first voicemail system;

a user interface having a visual display;

the visual display configured to display voicemail message header information associated with the one or more voicemail notification messages received at one of the first and the second voicemail systems;

the user interface providing a plurality of end-user selectable visual objects or switches corresponding to a plurality of voicemail message processing functions;

the plurality of voicemail message processing functions including PLAY, SKIP BACK, and SKIP FORWARD;

each visual object or switch having a visual indicator indicative of its voicemail message processing function; and

the one or more processors configured to perform the following acts in response to detecting an end-user selection of one of the visual objects or switches;

select, from one of the first and the second DTMF command sets corresponding to the one of the first and the second voicemail systems at which the voicemail message was received, a DTMF command code corresponding to the voicemail message processing function and to cause the DTMF command code to be sent to the one of the first and the second voicemail systems to invoke the voicemail message processing function at the one of the first and the second voicemail systems indicated by the visual indicator of the visual object or switch.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of visual objects or switches comprises visual objects of a graphical user interface (GUI).

9. The mobile communication device of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause a connection to be established between the mobile communication device and the one of the first and the second voicemail systems.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of visual objects or switches comprise visual objects of a graphical user interface (GUI) which includes:

visual objects corresponding to “

PLAY”

, “

REWIND”

, and “

FAST FORWARD”

.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of visual objects or switches comprise visual objects of a graphical user interface (GUI) which includes:

visual objects corresponding to “

SKIP BACK”

, and “

SKIP FORWARD”

.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of visual objects or switches includes:

a first visual object or switch corresponding to “

SAVE”

for saving a voicemail message and a second visual object or switch corresponding to “

DELETE”

for deleting a voicemail message.

13. A mobile communication device, comprising:

one or more processors;

a wireless transceiver coupled to the one or more processors;

the wireless transceiver configured to receive a first voicemail notification message associated with a first voicemail message received at a first voicemail system;

the wireless transceiver configured to receive a second voicemail notification message associated with a second voicemail message received at a second voicemail system;

a user interface having a visual display;

the visual display configured to display first voicemail message header information associated with the first voicemail message and second voicemail message header information associated with the second voicemail message;

the user interface providing a plurality of end-user selectable visual objects or switches corresponding to a plurality of voicemail processing functions;

each visual object or switch having a visual indicator indicative of its voicemail processing function;

memory coupled to the one or more processors;

the memory for storing a first set of voicemail processing information for the first voicemail system, the first set of voicemail processing information including a first dual tone-multiple frequency (DTMF) command set for voicemail message processing functions of the first voicemail system;

the memory for storing a second set of voicemail processing information for the second voicemail system, the second set of voicemail processing information including a second DTMF command set for voicemail message processing functions of the second voicemail system which is different from the first DTMF command set;

the one or more processors configured to use the first DTMF command set to invoke voicemail message functions at the first voicemail system through the wireless transceiver in response to detecting end-user selections of the visual objects or switches in connection with the first voicemail message; and

the one or more processors configured to use the second DTMF command set to invoke the voicemail message functions at the second voicemail system through the wireless transceiver in response to detecting end-user selections of the visual objects or switches in connection with the second voicemail message.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the plurality of visual objects or switches comprises visual objects of a graphical user interface (GUI).

15. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the plurality of selectable visual objects or switches comprises mechanical switches at the user interface.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the first set of voicemail processing information includes a first voicemail access telephone number of the first voicemail system used for connecting with the first voicemail system, and wherein the second set of voicemail processing information includes a second voicemail access telephone number of the second voicemail system used for connecting with the second voicemail system.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the first DTMF command set includes commands of the first voicemail system corresponding to PLAY, REWIND, and FAST FORWARD, and wherein the second DTMF command set includes commands of the second voicemail system corresponding to PLAY, REWIND, and FAST FORWARD.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the first DTMF command set includes commands for the first voicemail system corresponding to PLAY, SKIP BACK, and SKIP FORWARD, and wherein the second DTMF command set includes commands for the second voicemail system corresponding to PLAY, SKIP BACK, and SKIP FORWARD.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 13, further comprising:

wherein the user interface provides a plurality of end-user selectable visual objects or switches further corresponding to a plurality of voicemail processing functions which include SKIP BACK and SKIP FORWARD.

20. The mobile communication device of claim 13, further comprising:

wherein the user interface provides a plurality of end-user selectable visual objects or switches further corresponding to a plurality of voicemail processing functions which include SAVE and DELETE.

21. In a mobile communication device having a user interface which includes a visual display and a plurality of end-user selectable visual objects or switches corresponding to a plurality of voicemail processing functions, each visual object or switch having a visual indicator indicative of its voicemail processing function, a method for use in processing voicemail messages comprising the acts of:

storing, in memory, a first set of voicemail processing information for a first voicemail system, the first set of voicemail processing information including a first dual tone-multiple frequency (DTMF) command set for voicemail message processing functions of the first voicemail system;

storing, in the memory, a second set of voicemail processing information for a second voicemail system, the second set of voicemail processing information including a second DTMF command set for voicemail message processing functions of the second voicemail system which is different from the first DTMF command set;

receiving, through a wireless transceiver, a first voicemail notification message associated with a first voicemail message received at the first voicemail system;

displaying, in the visual display, first voicemail message header information associated with the first voicemail message;

in response to detecting end-user selections of the visual objects or switches in connection with the first voicemail message, invoking voicemail message functions at the first voicemail system through the wireless transceiver with use of the first DTMF command set stored in memory;

receiving, through the wireless transceiver, a second voicemail notification message associated with a second voicemail message received at the second voicemail system;

displaying, in the visual display, second voicemail message header information associated with the second voicemail message; and

in response to detecting end-user selections of the visual objects or switches in connection with the second voicemail message, invoking the voicemail message functions at the second voicemail system through the wireless transceiver with use of the second DTMF command set stored in memory.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the plurality of visual objects or switches comprises visual objects of a graphical user interface (GUI).

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the plurality of selectable visual objects or switches comprises mechanical switches at the user interface.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the first set of voicemail processing information includes a first voicemail access telephone number of the first voicemail system used for connecting with the first voicemail system, and wherein the second set of voicemail processing information includes a second voicemail access telephone number of the second voicemail system used for connecting with the second voicemail system.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the first DTMF command set includes commands of the first voicemail system corresponding to PLAY, REWIND, and FAST FORWARD, and wherein the second DTMF command set includes commands of the second voicemail system corresponding to PLAY, REWIND, and FAST FORWARD.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the first DTMF command set includes commands of the first voicemail system corresponding to PLAY, SKIP BACK, and SKIP FORWARD, and wherein the second DTMF command set includes commands of the second voicemail system corresponding to PLAY, SKIP BACK, and SKIP FORWARD.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the first DTMF command set includes commands of the first voicemail system corresponding to SAVE and DELETE, and wherein the second DTMF command set includes commands of the second voicemail system corresponding to SAVE and DELETE.