Abstract:
A multimedia display process executing in a mobile device traps user input signals to allow switching from display of multimedia to another task without requiring manual termination of the multimedia display process by the user.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/560,331 filed Nov. 15, 2006 both of which claim priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/820,969, filed Aug. 1, 2006, all of which is referenced herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention is related in general to wireless communications device applications and more specifically to the implementation of a click-through/click-to-call feature in such an application while multimedia content is being displayed. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Present day consumers expect online content to be much more immersive and interactive than before. This is true for online content being viewed on a computer, and increasingly so for content being viewed on a handheld device, especially as internet browsing on the go becomes more popular and widespread. 
         [0004]    However, while general purpose computers today have ample resources to allow many processes to execute concurrently and to have many interrupt traps to detect user interaction, mobile devices often operate in limited operating systems with limited resources. In some circumstances, only a single program can execute at a time, making switching from one task to another somewhat challenging on mobile devices. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In accordance with the present invention, a multimedia display process traps user input signals to allow switching from display of multimedia to another task without requiring manual termination of the multimedia display process by the user. For example, a simple user input gesture can initiate a telephone call to a telephone number associated with multimedia content during playback of the multimedia content. A prompt is associated with the multimedia content to inform the user of the ability to be connected by voice communications to information related to the subject matter of the multimedia content. For example, a mobile phone can play a video showing an exhilarating drive in an automobile with an overlaid text message: “For a test drive near you, press Dial.” In addition, a soft button on the mobile phone can have a label of “Dial.” Pressing of the soft button by the user while the prompt is visible stops playback of the video and connects the user by telephone to a nearby dealership of the particular make of automobile shown in the video. 
         [0006]    Embodiments of the invention provide for making the click feature visible to the consumer in an intuitive and convenient fashion within an application displaying media content, such as audio and/or video content. The consumer should be able to immediately interrupt the currently displayed media, by means of some mechanism on the device, and invoke the communications link with the content provider. The specific type of communication between the consumer and the content provider may not be static, and could change in a specific or general form over the course of time of the media being displayed. 
         [0007]    In one embodiment, the application indicates to the consumer by visual means the option of pressing a particular button on the wireless communication device to contact the content provider via the device&#39;s telephony function. The application, upon clicking the indicated button by the consumer, immediately halts the display of the media currently being displayed, and proceeds to call the content provider. When this communications transaction is terminated, the application returns to the original browsing location before the call, whereupon browsing by the consumer can resume. 
         [0008]    Such a feature as described here allows content providers, while displaying various types of media to a consumer, to target the consumer at a specific moment, offering the consumer an alternate path of navigation to provide the consumer with “at the moment” communication with the content provider. 
         [0009]    Specifically, the alternate navigation path makes use of the wireless device&#39;s communications capabilities to get the consumer in direct contact with the content provider. The content provider can use such a communications channel to gather information from the consumer, or provide immediate and up to the minute information to the consumer, thus facilitating further interaction. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating various networks, a server, telecommunications equipment, and a mobile communications device according to the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  shows the mobile communications device of  FIG. 1  in greater detail. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing the general architecture of the mobile communications device of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram showing multi-media meta data to enable click through and/or click-to-call features in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a logic flow diagram of the processing of click through and/or click-to-call features in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    In accordance with the present invention, a mobile telecommunications device, such as mobile phone  108  ( FIG. 2 ), presents the user with a prompt  204  indicating the availability of information associated with currently playing multimedia content, such as video  202 . For example, the associated information can be made available through a telephone call that can be placed at the pressing of a soft button  208 . Such makes video  202  truly interactive, allowing the user to actively seek out additional information related to the content of video  202 , pausing or stopping playback of the multimedia content, in response to a single, easy, user input gesture. 
         [0016]    From the user&#39;s perspective, the multimedia experience is very interactive--additional related information is available at the push of a single button. From the content provider&#39;s perspective, content can be made much more appealing and much more likely to draw a response by embedding a link to the content within an entertaining and eye-catching video or other multimedia content. 
         [0017]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , mobile phone  108  is in communication with a wireless communications network  106 , such as a conventional data-capable cellular telephone network for example. Wireless communications network  106  is in communication with the Internet  104  and the public switched telephone network (PSTN)  110 . As a result, mobile phone  108  is capable of browsing information available through Internet  104 , e.g., from server  102 , and of voice communication through PSTN  110 , e.g., with telephone  112 . 
         [0018]    Mobile phone  108  is a shown in diagrammatic form in  FIG. 3 . It should be appreciated that other devices can be used in place of mobile telephone  108 , such as a smartphone, personal digital assistant (PDA), or a PDA with voice capability, for example. Mobile telephone  108  includes a microprocessor  302  that retrieves data and/or instructions from memory  304  and executes retrieved instructions in a conventional manner. 
         [0019]    Microprocessor  302  and memory  304  are connected to one another through an interconnect  306  which is a bus in this illustrative embodiment. Interconnect  306  is also connected to one or more input devices  308 , one or more output devices  310 , and network access circuitry  312 . Input devices  308  include a typical wireless telephone keypad in this illustrative embodiment and a microphone. Output devices  310  include a liquid crystal display (LCD) in this illustrative embodiment in addition to a speaker for playing audio received by mobile telephone  108  and a second speaker for playing ring signals. Input devices  308  and output devices  310  can also collectively include a conventional headset jack for supporting voice communication through a convention headset. Network access circuitry  312  includes a transceiver and an antenna for conducting data and/or voice communication through a network. 
         [0020]    Browser logic  314  is a collection of instructions or data that define the behavior of mobile telephone  108  in browsing information available through Internet  104 . Except as described herein, browser logic  314  is conventional. 
         [0021]    Multimedia playback logic  316  is a collection of instructions or data that define the behavior of mobile telephone  108  in playing multimedia content, such as video  202 , to the user. Multimedia playback logic  316  is responsive to commands from browser logic  314 , such as to start, stop, pause, and resume playback of multimedia content for example. 
         [0022]    Telephony API (Applications Programming Interface)  318  is a collection of instructions and data that define the behavior of mobile telephone  108  in establishing and carrying out communication through network access circuitry  312  in a conventional manner. Telephony API  318  accepts commands from other logic, such as browser logic  314 , to effect telephone communications. Such commands can include dialing a specified telephone number, going off-hook, and going on-hook (i.e., hanging up), for example. 
         [0023]    History data  320  stores data representing previous activity of browser logic  314 , such as sites previously visited through Internet  104 , for example. 
         [0024]    For presentation to the user during playback of multimedia content, prompt  204  ( FIG. 2 ) and label  206  for soft button  208  are described in metadata associated with the multimedia content, such as multimedia metadata  402  ( FIG. 4 ). In this illustrative example, video  202  ( FIG. 2 ) is served through Internet  104  ( FIG. 1 ) by server  102  for presentation by mobile phone  108 . In addition, server  102  associates multimedia metadata  402  ( FIG. 4 ) with video  202  ( FIG. 2 ). 
         [0025]    When a request is received from mobile phone  108  ( FIG. 1 ) for video  202  ( FIG. 2 ) from server  102 , server  102  sends data representing video  202  and multimedia metadata  402  ( FIG. 4 ) in response. 
         [0026]    Multimedia metadata  402  includes one or more contemporaneous links such as contemporaneous link  404 . Contemporaneous link  404  includes data representing a contact type  406 , a contact address  408 , a contact description  410 , and an offset range  412 . 
         [0027]    Contact type  406  specifies the type of contact associated with contemporaneous link  404 . For example, the contact type can be a voice telephone call, an SMS/MMS/XMS message (referred to herein as simply an SMS message), an e-mail message, a WAP link, or an HTTP link. 
         [0028]    Contact address  408  specifies an address to which the user is to be directed upon actuation of contemporaneous link  404 . If contact type  406  specifies a voice telephone call or an SMS message, contact address  408  specifies a telephone number to dial to establish a voice telephone call or to which to send the SMS message, respectively. If contact type  406  specifies an e-mail message, contact address  408  specifies an e-mail address to which to send the e-mail message. If contact type  406  specifies a WAP or HTTP link, contact address  408  specifies a URL to which to direct browsing logic  314  upon actuation of contemporaneous link  404 . 
         [0029]    Contact description  410  specifies the appearance of a prompt, such as prompt  204  and label  206 , by which the user is informed of the nature of contemporaneous link  404  and/or how to actuate contemporaneous link  404 . In the illustrative example of  FIG. 2 , prompt  204  prompts the user by presenting the text, “For a test drive near you, press Dial.” In addition, label  206  identifies soft button as “Dial.” Thus, the user is informed that, by pressing soft button  208  while prompt  204  is displayed, information about how to arrange a test drive of a new automobile will be presented. 
         [0030]    Offset range  412  specifies a beginning offset and an ending offset within video  202  between which contemporaneous link  404  is active. 
         [0031]    Logic flow diagram  500  ( FIG. 5 ) illustrates the behavior of mobile telephone  108  ( FIG. 2 ) in playing video  202  and processing associated multimedia metadata  402 . In step  502  ( FIG. 5 ), browsing logic  314  initiates playback of video  202  ( FIG. 2 ) by multimedia playback logic  316 . During playback in step  502 , multimedia playback logic  316  causes information of contemporaneous links, such as prompt  202 , to be displayed over video  202  at times within playback of video  202  specified by offset range  412  ( FIG. 4 ). In this illustrative embodiment, contact description  410  ( FIG. 4 ) specifies the content of prompt  204  ( FIG. 2 ) and label  206  to be associated with soft button  208 . In an alternative embodiment, prompt  204  is added to the substantive content of video  202  using conventional video editing techniques prior to delivery of video  202  through Internet  104 . In this alternative embodiment, contact description  410  ( FIG. 4 ) specifies label  206  to be associated with soft button  208 . In either case, multimedia playback logic  316  ( FIG. 3 ) causes label  206  to be associated with soft button  208  during playback of the portion of video  202  represented by offset range  412 . 
         [0032]    In step  504  ( FIG. 5 ), multimedia playback logic  316  ( FIG. 3 ) asynchronously detects actuation of soft button  208  during playback of the portion of video  202  represented by offset range  412 . In doing so, multimedia playback logic  316  identifies a particular contemporary link within multimedia metadata  402  by identifying the offset range within which actuation of soft button  208  is detected. In this illustrative example, the particular contemporary link is contemporary link  404 . 
         [0033]    In step  506  ( FIG. 5 ), multimedia playback logic  316  ( FIG. 3 ) causes multimedia playback logic  316  to pause or, alternatively, stop playback of video  202 . In some mobile devices, only one process is able to execute an any given time, typically as a limitation of either the device itself or the operating system of the device. In these cases, multimedia playback logic  316  stops playback of video  202 . 
         [0034]    In step  508  ( FIG. 5 ), multimedia playback logic  316  ( FIG. 3 ) initiates contact according to the contemporaneous link actuated by the user. In this illustrative example, the user actuated contemporaneous link  404  and browsing logic  314  initiates contact according to contact type  406  and contact address  408 . If contact type  406  and contact address  408  collectively specify a telephone call to a specified telephone number, multimedia playback logic  316  ( FIG. 3 ) initiates a telephone call to the specified telephone number through telephony API  318 . If contact type  406  and contact address  408  collectively specify an SMS message to a specified telephone number, multimedia playback logic  316  ( FIG. 3 ) initiates sending of an SMS message to the specified telephone number through telephony API  318 . If contact type  406  and contact address  408  collectively specify an e-mail message to a specified e-mail address, multimedia playback logic  316  ( FIG. 3 ) initiates sending of an e-mail message to the specified e-mail address. If contact type  406  and contact address  408  collectively specify a WAP or HTTP URL, multimedia playback logic  316  ( FIG. 3 ) retrieves and displays content from the specified URL. 
         [0035]    If contact type  406  and contact address  408  collectively specify a telephone call or an SMS message to a specified telephone number and if supported by mobile telephone  108  and its operating system, processing by multimedia playback logic  316  transfers to step  510  upon termination of the specified connection. In the case of a telephone call, telephony API  318  informs multimedia playback logic  316  upon termination of the telephone call initiated in step  508 . In the case of an SMS message, telephone API  314  informs multimedia playback logic  316  upon completion of sending the message. 
         [0036]    In step  510  ( FIG. 5 ), multimedia playback logic  316  causes browsing logic  314  to resume browsing behavior in a conventional manner and responsive to interaction with the user through input device(s)  308 . In one embodiment, browser logic  314  returns to browsing at a location immediately preceding display of video  202 . That location, and perhaps other locations, are stored in history data  320  ( FIG. 3 ) to allow backtracking in a conventional manner. In another embodiment, browsing logic  314  resumes browsing at a predetermined subsequent location. For example, multimedia metadata  402  can include data specifying a URL for subsequent browsing after completion of display of video  202 , e.g., as a contemporaneous link whose offset range includes the end of video  202 . Upon completion of playback of video  202  or upon termination of the contact initiated in step  508 , browser logic  314  can resume browsing at the location specified by the URL. 
         [0037]    After step  510 , processing according to logic flow diagram  500  completes. 
         [0038]    It should be appreciated that, while video  202  is described above as the multimedia content with which a telephone number or other contact information is associated, other forms of multimedia can be associated with contact information the an analogous manner. For example, an audio signal can be played back to the user while a textual and/or graphical prompt informs the user to “Press Dial to order this song” or “Press Download to download this ring tone.” 
         [0039]    The above description is illustrative only and is not limiting. Instead, the present invention is defined solely by the claims which follow and their full range of equivalents.