Abstract:
An underlying message for interacting with a user of a communication device, the underlying message comprising a visual one to be displayed on the communication device and an activity associated with the visual cue. The underlying message is configured to provide the associated activity through the communication device in response to the detection of a predefined user activation interaction with the visual cue.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefits of U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/769,169 filed on Feb. 25, 2013, which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to an underlying message method and system. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    With the proliferation of communication networks, communication devices are becoming common place, as well as more and more advanced. Current communication devices are capable of sending and receiving diverse types of data and interact In various ways through a multitude of applications or interfaces. 
         [0004]    However, there is a need for a means allowing users to communicate and interact in various ways via a common interface. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    There is provided an underlying message for interacting with a user of a communication device, the underlying message comprising:
       a visual cue to be displayed on the communication device; and   an activity associated with the visual cue;
 
wherein the underlying message is configured to provide the associated activity through the communication device in response to the detection of a predefined user activation interaction with the visual cue.
       
 
         [0008]    There is also provided an underlying message as above wherein the visual cue includes:
       a text portion for displaying information about the associated activity; and   an indicator portion indicating the presence of the associated activity.       
 
         [0011]    There is further provided an underlying message as above wherein the associated activity includes processor executable code to be executed by a processor of the communication device or a link to processor executable code on a remote server be executed by a processor of the remote server. 
         [0012]    There Is still further provided an underlying message as above wherein execution of the associated activity causes a change in behavior of a remote controller. 
         [0013]    There is also provided a method for interacting with a user of a communication device using the above described underlying message. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0014]    Embodiments of the disclosure will be described by way of examples only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is an example of an underlying message visual cue in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is an example of an underlying message associated with the visual cue of FIG,  1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a schematic representation of an underlying message system in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram of an underlying message process in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0019]    Similar references used in different Figures denote similar components. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    Generally stated, the non-limitative illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure provide an underlying message method and system. The underlying message consists in a visual cue having an associated activity (e.g. audio, video and/or text content, real-time communication, data submission request, interactive form, etc.), which a user can interact with. The visual cue may simply be a graphically recognizable icon or it may also include some text/indicator of the associated activity or instructions as to how to activate the associated activity (e.g. “Press to activate”, “Slide to open”, etc.) or a combination thereof. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown an example of an underlying message visual cue  2  in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure. The visual cue  2  Is displayed on the graphical interface  1  of a receiving communication device such as, for example, a smart phone, tablet PC, personal digital assistant (PDA), laptop or personal computer, etc. 
         [0022]    The visual cue  2  generally includes a text portion  3  for displaying information about the subject of the associated activity, its content, its originator and/or instructions as to how to activate the associated activity (e.g. “Press to activate”, “Slide to open”, etc.), or a combination thereof, and an indicator portion  4  indicating the presence of an associated activity, 
         [0023]    In an alternative embodiment the visual cue  2  may simply be a graphically recognizable icon. In another alternative embodiment, physical attributes of the visual cue  2  may vary, for example the text portion  3  and/or the Indicator portion  4  may vary in color and/or form according to the type of the associated activity and/or the way in which to activate it and/or it status (e.g. not read, not read, replied to, etc). 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , there is shown an example of an associated activity  5  associated with the visual cue  2  of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure. The associated activity  5 , which is activated from the visual cue  2  and displayed on the graphical Interface  1  of the receiving communication device, generally includes audio, video and/or text content, real-time communication, data submission request, interactive form, etc., which a user can access or interact with. In the illustrated example the associated activity  5  includes image and text  6  as well as an interactive form  7 . 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a schematic representation of an underlying message system In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure. The underlying message system generally takes the form of various communication devices such as, for example, smart phones, tablet PCs or personal digital assistant (PDA)  12 , laptop  14  or personal  16  computers, etc., and, optionally, sensors/controllers  18  and/or servers  20 , operatively interconnected through a network  10  such as, for example, Ethernet (broadband, high-speed), wireless WiFi, cable Internet, satellite connection, cellular or satellite network, etc., or a combination thereof. 
         [0026]    The various communication devices  12 ,  14 ,  16  may communicate underlying messages directly between each other using processor executable code, stored an a data storage medium thereon, configured to cause the processor of each communication device  12 ,  14 ,  16  to generate/transmit and receive/activate underlying messages. 
         [0027]    In an alternative embodiment, the various communication devices  12 ,  14 ,  16  may communicate underlying messages through a server  20 . 
         [0028]    The communication devices  12 ,  14 ,  16  may communicate underlying messages using various addressing means known in the art as well as through a proxy scheme or addressing table on the server  20 . 
         [0029]    In another alternative embodiment, sensors/controllers  18  may communicate underlying messages directly to communication devices  12 ,  14 ,  16 , or through a server  20 , using processor executable code, stored on a data storage medium thereon, configured to cause the processor of the sensors/controllers  18  to generate/transmit and receive/activate underlying messages. The sensors/controllers  18  may communicate underlying messages directly to communication devices  12 ,  14 ,  16  in a machine-to-machine (M2M) configuration, the activity  5  (see  FIG. 2 ) relating some status, alarm or information regarding a specific sensor/controller  15  and providing an interactive for  7  (see  FIG. 2 ), or other interactive interface, allowing a user to cause the sensor/controller  18  to behave in a desired way in response to the communicated status, alarm or information. 
         [0030]    Depending on the configuration of the underlying message system, the associated activity  5  (see  FIG. 2 ) may be uploaded/executed locally on the receiving communication device  12 ,  14 ,  16  or displayed/executed remotely from the server  20  (i.e. if present). Optionally, underlying message activities  5  may also be stored on the server  20  if present. 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , there is shown a flow diagram of the underlying message process in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure. Steps of the process  100  are indicated by blocks  102  to  118 . 
         [0032]    The process  100  starts at block  102  where an underlying message Is received on a communication device  12 ,  14 ,  16 . 
         [0033]    Then, at block  104 , the visual cue  2  is displayed on the graphical interface  1  of the receiving communication device  12 ,  14 ,  16 . 
         [0034]    At block  106 , the process  100  verifies if the activity  5  has been activated, If so It proceeds to  108 , if not, it proceeds back to block  104 . 
         [0035]    At block  108 , the process  100  verifies if the activity  5  has Is interactive, if so it proceeds to  114 , if not, it proceeds to block  110 . 
         [0036]    At block  110 , the process  100  displays the content of the activity  5  (i.e. text, audio, video, etc. or a combination thereof) on the graphical interface  1  of the receiving communication device  12 ,  14 ,  16 . 
         [0037]    The process  100  then verifies, at block  112 , if the used has closed the activity  5 , if so it proceeds to  118 , if not, it proceeds back to block  110 . 
         [0038]    At block  114 , the process  100  displays the content of the activity  5  (i.e. real-time communication, data submission request, interactive form, etc.) using an interactive interface on the graphical interface  1  of the receiving communication device  12 ,  14 ,  16 . 
         [0039]    The process  100  then verifies, at block  116 , if the used has closed the interface of the activity  5  (or submitted requested data, an associated form, etc.), if so it proceeds to  118 , if not, it proceeds back to block  114 . 
         [0040]    Finally, at block  118 , the visual cue  2  is displayed on the graphical Interface  1  of the receiving communication device  12 ,  14 ,  16 . 
         [0041]    Although the present disclosure has been described with a certain degree of particularity and by way of an illustrative embodiments and examples thereof, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the features of the embodiments described and illustrated herein, but includes all variations and modifications within the scope and spirit of the disclosure as hereinafter claimed.