Controlling an integrated messaging system using gestures

• US 8,762,892 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2008
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Banks, Richard M., Gosset, Philip, Harper, Richard, Sellen, Abigail
• Primary Examiner(s): SALOMON, PHENUEL S
• Application Number:
  US12/022,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20090193348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,337 Days
• Field of Search: 715/764, 715/863, 715/864
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for displaying and interacting with messages are described. Messages are displayed using one of a number of different visualization schemes provided. A user can interact with messages or change the selected visualization scheme using gestures and the mapping of gestures to particular actions is different for different visualization schemes. In an embodiment the messages are received via integrated messaging channels and messages are classified using a number of properties. Each of the visualization schemes has a different way of graphically representing messages and each scheme is adapted to emphasize a different combination of message properties.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

selecting a visualization scheme on a user device from a set of visualization schemes that are different from each other, each visualization scheme being designed to emphasize a subset of message properties, the message properties comprising properties relating to content of a message and properties related to transmission of the message;

displaying, on a touch screen of the user device, messages addressed to a user, that are received by the user device, based upon the selected visualization scheme, a first visualization scheme of the set of visualization schemes causing a first of the messages to be displayed with emphasis on a first property of the first of the messages and a second visualization scheme of the set of visualization schemes causing the first of the messages to be displayed with emphasis on a second property of the first of the messages, the first property of the first of the messages and the second property of the first of the messages being different, wherein in the first visualization scheme,

a first message comprises first text data and a first image, and

the first message is displayed in a first region in either a first representation or a second representation, the first representation displaying the first text data and not the first image, the second representation displaying the first image and not the first text data;

detecting a gesture by the user on the touch screen of the user device; and

mapping the gesture to an action that is to be performed by the user device, wherein the mapping of the gesture is dependent upon the selected visualization scheme and wherein the action comprises an interaction by the user device with one of the messages.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the messages comprise messages received via integrated messaging channels.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

updating the display according to the action.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein mapping the gesture to an action comprises:

accessing mapping data associated with the selected visualization scheme; and

mapping the gesture to an action using the mapping data.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein detecting a gesture by a user comprises:

detecting a gesture from a set of gestures comprising;

tap, multiple tap, touch and linger, and drag.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the set of visualization schemes that are available for selection by a first user are different from a second set of visualization schemes that are available for selection by at least a second user.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the action is replying to a selected message.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein replying to the selected message includes enabling at least one of textual input, audio input, or video input.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein one or more themes are applicable to the set of visualization schemes, application of one of the one or more themes to the set of visualization schemes changing the appearance of the visualization schemes in a related manner.

10. A messaging system comprising:

an interface to messaging channels;

a touch sensitive display arranged to display messages received via the interface using a selected one of a set of visualization schemes, each of the set of visualization schemes being designed to emphasize a subset of message properties, the message properties comprising properties relating to content of a message and properties related to transmission of the message, the messages comprising a plurality of properties that include two or more of the following;

a recipient identifier, a sender identifier, an image, a message subject, or message content, a first visualization scheme of the set of visualization schemes causing a first of the messages to be displayed with emphasis on a first property of the first of the messages and a second visualization scheme of the set of visualization schemes causing the first of the messages to be displayed with emphasis on a second property of the first of the messages, the first property of the first of the messages and the second property of the first of the messages being different, wherein in the first visualization scheme,

a first message comprises first text data and a first image, and

the first message is displayed in a first region in either a first representation or a second representation, the first representation displaying the first text data and not the first image, the second representation displaying the first image and not the first text data; and

a processing element arranged to enable a user to interact with messages displayed using a gesture on the touch sensitive display and wherein the gesture is mapped to an interaction according to the selected visualization scheme, each visualization scheme organizes a different subset of the properties associated with the messages for display by the messaging system, a first gesture mapping in the first visualization scheme to switching between the first representation and the second representation.

11. A messaging system according to claim 10, further comprising:

a database of message properties comprising properties for messages received via the interface.

12. A messaging system according to claim 11, further comprising:

a database of messages comprising messages received via the interface.

13. A messaging system according to claim 10, wherein the processing element is arranged, on detection of a user gesture, to:

access mapping data for the selected visualization scheme; and

map the gesture to an action using the mapping data,

wherein the action comprises one of a user interaction with a message and selection of a visualization scheme.

14. A messaging system according to claim 13, further comprising:

a database of rendering options comprising the mapping data for each of the set of visualization schemes.

15. A messaging system according to claim 14, wherein the database of rendering options further comprises display data for each of the set of visualization schemes.

16. A messaging system of claim 10, wherein the gesture and the interaction are a combination being assigned to the selected visualization scheme and another combination of the gesture and another interaction are assigned to another visualization scheme.

17. One or more storage devices with device-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

selecting a visualization scheme on a user device from a set of visualization schemes that are different from each other, each visualization scheme being designed to emphasize a subset of message properties, the message properties comprising properties relating to content of a message and properties related to transmission of the message;

displaying, on a touch screen of the user device, messages addressed to a user, that are received by the user device, based upon the selected visualization scheme, the selected visualization scheme causing a first of the messages to be displayed with emphasis on a first property of the first of the messages and a second visualization scheme of the set of visualization schemes causing the first of the messages to be displayed with emphasis on a second property of the first of the messages, the first property of the first of the messages and the second property of the first of the messages being different, wherein in the first visualization scheme,

a first message comprises first text data and a first image, and

the first message is displayed in a first region in either a first representation or a second representation, the first representation displaying the first text data and not the first image, the second representation displaying the first image and not the first text data;

detecting a gesture by a user on a touch screen of the user device; and

mapping the gesture to an action that is to be performed by the user device, wherein the mapping is dependent upon the selected visualization scheme and wherein the action comprises an interaction with one of the messages, the gesture being a linger gesture and mapping in the first visualization scheme to switching between the first representation and the second representation.

18. One or more storage devices according to claim 17,

further comprising device-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

executing the action.

19. One or more storage devices according to claim 17, wherein each message has a plurality of properties, wherein each visualization scheme emphasizes a different subset of the properties.

20. One or more storage devices according to claim 19, further comprising device-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

identifying properties for each of the received messages; and

storing the properties for each of the received messages.