Preferred contact group centric interface

• US 8,826,160 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2009
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Sherrard, Andrew, McNeel, Warren, Chugh, Jasdeep Singh, O'Connor, Stephen John, Koser, Mikkel Crone, Turnnidge, Richard Paul, Hendrick, Michael Thomas, Sentman, Gary, Warfel, Karl, Chang, Wen-Hsing, Abolrous, Sally, Buzescu, Adrian
• Primary Examiner(s): PITARO, RYAN F
• Application Number:
  US12/492,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20100058193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• Field of Search: 715/764, 715/831, 715/834, 715/864
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27 Devices whereby a plurality of signals may be stored simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8066 According to the number of recipients
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

A preferred contact group centric interface for a communication device can be used to facilitate communications by a user. The user interface can be arranged to activate from a user'"'"'s “home page” on the display, from an idle screen that is accessed after a timeout period expires, or any other appropriate mechanism that activates the preferred contact group centric experience. A user selects the preferred contact group from among an array of the user'"'"'s contacts. Once the contact group is configured, a minimal number of navigation/selection features is necessary to activate any number of communication modes available to the contacts. The contact group is configured such that simple and quick navigation between the contact members is achieved. The contact group can be presented in 2D and 3D arrangements, in any number of list or geometric configurations. A pricing plan can optionally be tied to each member of the contact group.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a data store for maintaining a subset of contacts selected at least in part by a user of a communications device, wherein the subset of user contacts includes a portion of contacts accessible by the communications device and wherein the subset of contacts includes a plurality of contacts; and

at least one computing device comprising a processor and a user interface component, implemented by executing instructions on the processor, the user interface component in communication with the data store., and the at least one computing device operative to;

cause the generation of a display on the communications device, the display including a graphical identifier associated with each contact of the subset of contacts;

identify a preferred communication mode associated with a user contact corresponding to a selected graphical identifier from the graphical identifiers displayed on the communications device, wherein the preferred communication mode is pre-selected by the user and wherein the preferred communication mode associated with the user contact corresponding to the selected graphical identifier is different from a preferred communication mode associated with at least one of the other user contacts in the subset; and

automatically initiate a communication corresponding to the preferred communication mode and directed to the user contact associated with the selected graphical identifier in response to selection by the user of a single input on the communication device,

wherein the graphical identifiers associated with the subset of contacts are caused to be presented on the display in response to initiation of an idle screen state.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each contact in the subset of contacts is selected by the user of the communications device.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the display includes a first position corresponding to a selected graphical identifier position such that a graphical identifier presented in the first position corresponds to the selected graphical identifier.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the graphical identifier associated with a first contact selected by the user as a member of the subset of contacts is initially presented on the display in the first position.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the preferred communication mode associated with the at least one of the other user contacts in the subset is pre-configured as a default communication mode.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the preferred communication mode associated with the at least one of the other user contacts in the subset is pre-selected by the user.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the preferred communication mode associated with the user contact corresponding to the selected graphical identifier corresponds to a telephone call to the user contact corresponding to the selected graphical identifier.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying a subset of contacts selected at least in part by a user of the communication device, wherein the subset of user contacts includes a portion of contacts accessible by a communication device and wherein the subset of contacts includes a plurality of contacts;

identifying a graphical identifier corresponding to each user contact from the subset;

causing the generation of a display on the communications device, the display including an arrangement of at least a portion of the graphical identifiers;

identifying a pre-selected communication mode associated with a user contact corresponding to a selected graphical identifier from the at least a portion of the graphical identifiers displayed on the communications device; and

automatically initiating a communication corresponding to the pre-selected communication mode and directed to the user contact associated with the selected graphical identifier in response to selection by the user of a single input on the communication device,

wherein the graphical identifiers associated with the subset of contacts are caused to be presented on the display in response to initiation of an idle screen state and wherein the method is implemented in a computer system.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein each contact in the subset of contacts is selected by the user of the communications device.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the display includes an arrangement of each of the graphical identifiers corresponding to a user contact from the subset.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the arrangement includes a first position corresponding to a selected graphical identifier position such that a graphical identifier presented in the first position corresponds to the selected graphical identifier.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the graphical identifier associated with a first contact selected by the user as a member of the subset of contacts is initially presented on the display in the first position.

13. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the pre-selected communication mode is user configured.

14. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the pre-selected communication mode is configured as a default communication mode.

15. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the pre-selected communication mode is user modifiable.

16. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the pre-selected communication mode associated with the user contact corresponding to the selected graphical identifier is different from a pre-selected communication mode associated with at least one of the other user contacts in the subset.

17. A computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying a subset of contacts, wherein the subset of user contacts includes a portion of contacts accessible by a communication device and wherein the subset of contacts includes a plurality of contacts;

identifying a graphical identifier corresponding to each user contact from the subset;

causing the generation of a display on the communications device, the display including an arrangement of at least a portion of the graphical identifiers;

identifying a pre-selected communication mode associated with a user contact corresponding to a selected graphical identifier from the at least a portion of the graphical identifiers displayed on the communications device, wherein the pre-selected communication mode is user configured; and

automatically initiating a communication corresponding to the pre-selected communication mode and directed to the user contact associated with the selected graphical identifier in response to selection by the user of a single input on the communication device,

wherein the graphical identifiers associated with the subset of contacts are caused to be presented on the display in an idle screen and wherein the method is implemented in a computer system.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein each contact in the subset of contacts is selected by the user of the communications device.

19. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the display includes an arrangement of each of the graphical identifiers corresponding to a user contact from the subset.

20. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the arrangement includes a first position corresponding to a selected graphical identifier position such that a graphical identifier presented in the first position corresponds to the selected graphical identifier.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the graphical identifier associated with a first contact selected by the user as a member of the subset of contacts is initially presented on the display in the first position.

22. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the pre-selected communication mode is user modifiable.

23. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the pre-selected communication mode associated with the user contact corresponding to the selected graphical identifier is different from a pre-selected communication mode associated with at least one of the other user contacts in the subset.

24. A computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying a subset of contacts, wherein the subset of user contacts includes a portion of contacts accessible by a communication device and wherein the subset of contacts includes a plurality of contacts;

identifying a graphical identifier corresponding to each user contact from the subset;

causing the generation of a display on the communications device, the display including an arrangement of at least a portion of the graphical identifiers;

identifying a pre-selected communication mode associated with a user contact corresponding to a selected graphical identifier from the at least a portion of the graphical identifiers displayed on the communications device, wherein the pre-selected communication mode associated with the user contact corresponding to the selected graphical identifier is different from a pre-selected communication mode associated with at least one of the other user contacts in the subset; and

automatically initiating a communication corresponding to the pre-selected communication mode and directed to the user contact associated with the selected graphical identifier in response to selection by the user of a single input on the communication device,

wherein the graphical identifiers associated with the subset of contacts are caused to be presented on the display in an idle screen and wherein the method is implemented in a computer system.

25. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein each contact in the subset of contacts is selected by the user of the communications device.

26. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the display includes an arrangement of each of the graphical identifiers corresponding to a user contact from the subset.

27. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the arrangement includes a first position corresponding to a selected graphical identifier position such that a graphical identifier presented in the first position corresponds to the selected graphical identifier.

28. The method as recited in claim 27, wherein the graphical identifier associated with a first contact selected by the user as a member of the subset of contacts is initially presented on the display in the first position.

29. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the pre-selected communication mode is configured as a default communication mode.

30. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the pre-selected communication mode is user modifiable.

31. The method as recited in claim 24 further comprising causing the generation of a second display on the communications device, the second display comprising a communications option menu including an arrangement of available communication modes associated with a currently selected graphical identifier corresponding to a first contact, wherein the arrangement of available communication modes comprises a second arrangement of graphical identifiers on the second display about a central axis, wherein the second arrangement of graphical identifiers comprises at least a portion of a set of graphical identifiers indicative of available communication modes, and wherein one of the graphical identifiers indicative of available communication modes corresponds to a currently selected communication mode.