Unified desktop triad control user interface for a phone manager

• US 9,678,624 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2012
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Original Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Inventors: Gimpl, Martin, Reeves, Paul E., Sirpal, Sanjiv, de Paz, Alexander, Schrock, Rodney W.
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wan, Jasmine
• Application Number:
  US13/605,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20130080943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,741 Days
• Field of Search: 715738, 715753, 715716, 709223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

Methods and devices for selectively presenting a user interface or “desktop” across two devices are provided. More particularly, a unified desktop is presented across a device and a computer system that comprise a unified system. The unified desktop acts as a single user interface that presents data and receives user interaction in a seamless environment that emulates a personal computing environment. To function within the personal computing environment, the unified desktop includes a process for docking and undocking the device with the computer system. The unified desktop presents a new user interface to allow access to functions of the unified desktop.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing a device with a first processor, the device operable to at least one of conduct a telephone call and send a text message;

providing a computer system;

docking the device to the computer system to form a unified system;

generating a unified desktop for the unified system, wherein the unified desktop includes at least a first user interface associated with the device and a second user interface associated with the computer system;

while docked, receiving a first user input in the second user interface;

in response to the first user input, providing a triad control displayed in a portion of the second user interface;

receiving a second user input on a user-selectable icon in the triad control displayed in the portion of the second user interface, wherein the user-selectable icon is associated with a phone manager stored in a memory of the device;

receiving, by the device, the selection of the user-selectable icon associated with the phone manager; and

in response to the second user input, the device executing a phone manager application and providing a phone manager user interface in another portion of the second user interface, the phone manager user interface including one or more selectable icons that, when selected, allow a user to conduct a communication session executed by the processor of the device, wherein the phone manager user interface includes;

a call log field with selectable icons that represent one or more received and one or more sent telephone calls;

a frequently called field with one or more selectable icons that present data about frequently contacted persons;

a favorites field with one or more selectable icons that present data about favorite contacted persons; and

a contacts field that presents one or more contacts.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the triad control includes icons associated with functions provided by the device and the triad control is devoid of icons associated with functions provided by the computer system, wherein the first user interface is operable to present different information than the second user interface, and wherein docking the device to the computer system comprises collocating the device and the computer system and physically connecting the device to the computer system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more selectable icons of the phone manager user interface are selectable to start a telephone call.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more selectable icons of the phone manager user interface are selectable to send a text message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the call log field is presented in a first portion of the phone manager user interface, and wherein each selectable icon of the call log field includes a name and number associated with each telephone call received or sent.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the frequently called field is presented in a second portion of the phone manager user interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the favorite'"'"'s field is presented in a third portion of the phone manager user interface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the contacts field is presented in a fourth portion of the phone manager user interface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the phone manager includes a search function with a user interface, wherein the user interface of the search function accepts a search string, and wherein the selectable icons, within the phone manager user interface, are selectable to conduct a communication session with an entity associated with the selectable icon using the device.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the device includes a first operating system and the computer system includes a second operating system executed by a second processor, and wherein the first operating system creates the unified desktop.

11. A unified system, comprising:

a device comprising;

a first screen;

a first memory; and

a first processor;

a computer system comprising;

a second screen;

a second memory; and

a second processor, wherein the device is docked with the computer system to form the unified system;

wherein the unified system is configured to;

generate a unified desktop for the unified system, wherein the unified desktop includes at least a first user interface associated with the device and a second user interface associated with the computer system;

while docked, receive a first user input in the second user interface;

in response to the first user input, provide a triad control displayed in a portion of the second user interface;

receive a second user input on a user-selectable icon in the triad control displayed in the portion of the second user interface, wherein the user-selectable icon is associated with a phone manager stored in the first memory of the device;

receive, by the device, the selection of the user-selectable icon associated with the phone manager; and

in response to the second user input, present a phone manager user interface in another portion of the second user interface, the phone manager user interface associated with the phone manager application executed by the device and including one or more selectable icons that, when selected, allow a user to conduct a communication session executed by the device, the phone manager user interface including;

a call log field with selectable icons that represent one or more received and one or more sent telephone calls;

a frequently called field with one or more selectable icons that present data about frequently contacted persons;

a favorites field with one or more selectable icons that present data about favorite contacted persons; and

a contacts field that presents one or more contacts.

12. The unified system of claim 11, wherein the triad control is devoid of icons associated with functions provided by the computer system, wherein the phone manager user interface includes one or more selectable icons associated with one or more entities, and wherein the selectable icons, within the phone manager user interface, are selectable to conduct a communication session with an entity associated with the selectable icon using the device.

13. The unified system of claim 11, wherein the device includes a first operating system operable to create the unified desktop, wherein one or more selectable icons may be selected to start a telephone call, and wherein one or more selectable icons may be selected to send a text message.

14. The unified system of claim 11, wherein the phone manager user interface presents:

the call log field in a first portion of the phone manager user interface;

the frequently called field in a second portion of the phone manager user interface;

the favorite'"'"'s field in a third portion of the phone manager user interface; and

the contacts field in a fourth portion of the phone manager user interface.

15. The unified system of claim 14, wherein the phone manager includes a search function with a user interface, and wherein the user interface of the search function accepts a search string.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, the computer executable instructions causing a processor to execute a method for providing a unified desktop, the computer-executable instructions comprising:

upon docking a device with a computer system to form a unified system, instructions to generate a unified desktop for the unified system, wherein the unified desktop includes a first user interface associated with the device and a second user interface associated with the computer system;

while docked, instructions to receive a first user input in the second user interface;

in response to the first user input, instructions to provide a triad control displayed in a portion of the second user interface;

instructions to receive a second user input on a user-selectable icon in the triad control displayed in the portion of the second user interface, wherein the user-selectable icon is associated with a phone manager stored in a memory of the device;

instructions to receive, by the device, the selection of the user-selectable icon associated with the phone manager; and

in response to the second user input, instructions for the device to execute a phone manager application and to provide a phone manager user interface in another portion of the second user interface, the phone manager user interface including selectable icons that allow a user to conduct a communication session executed by the device, wherein the phone manager user interface includes;

a call log field with selectable icons that represent one or more received and one or more sent telephone calls;

a frequently called field with one or more selectable icons that present data about frequently contacted persons;

a favorites field with one or more selectable icons that present data about favorite contacted persons; and

a contacts field that presents one or more contacts.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the device includes a first operating system operable to create the unified desktop, wherein the phone manager user interface includes one or more selectable icons associated with one or more entities, wherein the selectable icons, within the phone manager user interface, are selectable to conduct a communication session with an entity associated with the selectable icon using the device, wherein one or more selectable icons are selected to start a telephone call, and wherein one or more selectable icons are selected to send a text message.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein:

the call log field is presented in a first portion of the phone manager user interface;

the frequently called field is presented in a second portion of the phone manager user interface;

the favorite'"'"'s field is presented in a third portion of the phone manager user interface; and

the contacts field is presented in a fourth portion of the phone manager user interface.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the phone manager includes a search function with a user interface, wherein the user interface of the search function accepts a search string, and wherein the phone manager returns a set of contacts based on the search string.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein each selectable icon of the call log field includes a name and number associated with each telephone call received or sent.