Patent Publication Number: US-2016226930-A1

Title: Method and system for communication devices

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure generally relates to collaboration among users of touchscreen devices. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Advances in communications technologies have challenged designers of user interfaces for communication devices, particularly in light of the increasing popularity of touch screen devices. For example, a common challenge has been to design and implement user interfaces that provide an appropriate balance of information, usability, intuitiveness, control, and functionality that promotes a quality user experience. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present disclosure will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a simplified pictorial illustration of a user interface first embodiment of the present invention constructed and operative in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a simplified flowchart diagram of a method of operation of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 3A and 3B  are a simplified pictorial illustration of a user interface constructed and operative in accordance with a second embodiment embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a simplified flowchart diagram of a first method of operation of the embodiment of  FIGS. 3A and 3B ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a simplified flowchart diagram of a second method of operation of the embodiment of  FIGS. 3A and 3B . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS 
     Overview 
     A method, system, and apparatus are described, the method, system, and apparatus including a user interface for a communication device, the user interface including a first icon representing a first communication event between a first party and a second party, and a second icon representing a second communication event between the first party and a third party, a processor to receive input signals from the first party, the signals input via the user interface, the processor, in response to the received input signals, performs one of a communication event transfer including transferring the first communication event from being between the first party and the second party to being between the second party and the third party, and a communication event merger including the creation of a merged communication event between the user, the second party, and the third party. Related methods, systems, and apparatuses are also described. 
     Exemplary Embodiments 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 1 , which is a simplified pictorial illustration of a user interface constructed and operative in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. A method for transferring a first communication event is depicted as an ordered sequence of events. The method for transferring the first communication event (e.g. a phone call) is depicted as being between a first party (i.e. the user of a smart phone) and a second party to being between the second party and a third party. The smart phone is shown in four views,  100 A- 100 D, and it is appreciated that in  FIG. 1 , the smart phones  100 A- 100 D are all the same smart phone at different stages of operation of transferring the communication event. The same is true of other elements depicted in the figure, such as, but not limited to first icon  110 A,  110 B. 
     In a first stage, the smart phone  100 A displays two icons  110 A,  120  indicating that two phone calls are in progress. The first phone call is represented by first icon  110 A. Icon  110 A displays an icon element  130  indicating that a phone call with Alice has been placed on hold. Similarly, second icon  120  displays an icon element  140  indicating that a second phone call with Bob is in progress. As is typical in the art, smart phone  100 A- 100 D comprises a touch screen user interface  145 . 
     In a second stage, a user&#39;s finger  150  is displayed indicating that the user is interacting with the touch screen user interface  145  of the smart phone  100 B. The user&#39;s finger  150  is placed on the first icon  110 B. At this point, the first icon  110 B is depicted as being hashed, in order to indicate that the smart phone  100 B touch screen user interface  145  displays the first icon  110 B as highlighted. 
     In a third stage, the user&#39;s finger  150  is shown on the smart phone  100 C as having dragged (arrow  160 ) the first icon  110 C from its previous location  170  so as to now be superimposed on top of the second icon  120 . 
     Finally, in a fourth stage, the user&#39;s finger  150  is removed from the smart phone  100 D touch screen user interface  145 . The first icon  110 A- 110 C and the second icon  120  are no longer displayed on the touch screen user interface  145 . An on-screen display  180  appears on the smart phone  100 D touch screen, informing the user that “CALL TRANSFER SUCCEEDED”. 
     Typical implementations of the smart phone  100 A- 100 D comprise at least one processor, one of which may be a special purpose processor operative to perform the methods for transferring calls (and/or, as will be described below, managing conference calls), according to the methods described herein. In addition, the smart phone  100 A- 100 D comprises non-transitory processor-readable storage media (i.e. memory). The memory may store instructions, which at least one of the processors may execute, in order to perform the methods described herein. The smart phone  100 A- 100 D also comprises the touch screen user interface  145 , which is in communication with the processor. The smart phone  100 A- 100 D further comprises typical and standard hardware and software components as are known in the art not specifically described herein, for the sake of brevity. 
     It is also appreciated that although the present specification speaks of a smart phone, such as the smart phone  100 A- 100 D, the methods and systems described herein may be implemented in any appropriate device which is a communication device. Such devices might include, but not be limited to a tablet device, smartphone, desktop or portable computer, set-top box, Internet-enabled television, media center PC, or any other suitable device, such as is known in the art. Similarly, although the present description refers to manipulation by the user&#39;s finger  150  on touch screen user interface  145 , other appropriate pointing methods as are known in the art (e.g., but not limited to: mice, eye tracking methods, etc.) 
     Reference is now additionally made to  FIG. 2 , which is a simplified flowchart diagram of a method of operation of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . In step  205 , a touch event is detected as having occurred on the touch screen user interface  145  of the smart phone  100 A- 100 D. The touch screen user interface  145  relays the coordinates of (i.e.: X, Y) where the touch occurs to the processor (step  210 ). The processor in turn stores the coordinates in the memory. By way of example, in  FIG. 1 , the user&#39;s finger  150  first invokes a touch event (as in step  205 ) when it touches the first icon  110 B on smart phone  100 B. The coordinates where the user&#39;s finger  150  is resting would, in step  210 , be recorded in the memory. 
     A check is performed by the processor to determine if the coordinates (X, Y) where the touch event was detected is within the position of the call session area, i.e. one of the icons  110 B,  120  of  FIG. 1  (step  215 ). It is appreciated that a touch event which is not detected within the position of the call session area produces no result in the context of the present embodiment (e.g., in  FIG. 1 , the user&#39;s finger  150  may be well below and to the right of the first icon  110 B). If the touch event is determined in step  215  to be within the position of the call session area, then the selected call session is highlighted (step  220 ). By way of example, it was noted above that when the user&#39;s finger touches the first icon  110 B, the smart phone  100 B touch screen user interface  145  displays the first icon  110 B as highlighted. 
     At this point, the touch screen user interface  145  detects a next touch event (step  225 ), in this case, a drag event. By way of example, in  FIG. 1 , the user&#39;s finger  150  is shown on the smart phone  100 C as having dragged (arrow  160 ) the first icon  110 C from its previous location to be on top of the second icon  120 . In step  230  the touch screen user interface  145  relays the drag path to the processor. The processor in turn stores the drag path in the memory. It is appreciated that the drag path is an ordered list of (X,Y) coordinates through which the user&#39;s finger  150  travels in dragging the first icon  110 A onto second icon  120 . 
     A graphics processor (which may be one of the processors mentioned above) draws the first icon  110 A on the portion of the touch screen to which the first icon  110 A has been dragged (step  240 ). In  FIG. 1 , for example, the first icon  110 A,  110 B has been dragged atop the second icon  120 , as it is depicted on smart phone  100 C. 
     The processor determines if the selected call session (represented by the first icon  110 A,  110 B) overlaps a second call session (represented by the second icon  120 ) (step  245 ). If the processor determines that the selected call session does not overlap the second call session, then the method returns to step  225 , and waits for a drag action, as described above. If, however, the processor determines that the selected call session does overlap the second call session, then the processor will remove the first and second call sessions represented by the first icon  110 A-C and second icon  120  (step  250 ), and display the on-screen display  180 , i.e., “CALL TRANSFER SUCCEEDED” or other appropriate message (step  255 ). It is appreciated that a sufficient partial overlap of the first icon  110 A-C and second icon  120  in step  250  may be treated as a completely successful drag action. The amount of overlap which is to be treated as a completely successful drag action is typically application dependent, and may be 50% overlap, 75% overlap, or 95% overlap in particular applications, by way of example. 
     The phone call is transferred (e.g. to the third party—Bob) by the communication devices using telephonic techniques known in the art. 
     Reference is now made to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , which are a simplified pictorial illustration of a user interface constructed and operative in accordance with a second embodiment embodiment of the present invention. A method of creating a merged communication event, such as a conference call, by merging individual communications events between the user of a smart phone  300 A-F and at least a second and third party is depicted as an ordered sequence of events occurring on the smart phone  300 A-F. As was the case with  FIG. 1 , it is appreciated that in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the smart phones  300 A-F are all the same smart phone at different stages of the operation of merging the communication event. The same is true of other elements in the figure, such as, but not limited to the third icon  310 A-F, the fourth icon  320 A-E, and so forth. 
     In a first stage, the smart phone  300 A displays two icons  310 A,  320 A indicating that two phone calls are in progress. The first phone call is represented by third icon  310 A. Third icon  310 A displays an icon element  330  indicating that a phone call with Alice has been placed on hold. Similarly, fourth icon  320 A displays an icon element  340  indicating that a second phone call with Bob is in progress. As is typical in the art, smart phone  300 A- 300 F comprises a touch screen user interface  345 . 
     In a second stage, two of a user&#39;s fingers  350  are displayed indicating that the user is interacting with the touch screen user interface  345  of the smart phone  300 B. One of the user&#39;s two fingers  350  are placed on the third icon  310 B. The second one of the user&#39;s two fingers  350  are placed on the fourth icon  320 B. At this point, the third icon  110 B and the fourth icon  320 B are depicted as being hashed, in order to indicate that the touch screen user interface  345  displays the third icon  310 B and the fourth icon  320 B as highlighted. 
     In a third stage, the user&#39;s two fingers  350  are shown on the smart phone  300 C as having pinched (arrow  360 ) the third icon  310 C from its previous location  365  so that the third icon  310 C is now superimposed on top of the fourth icon  320 C. 
     In a fourth stage, the smart phone  300 D touch screen user interface  345  displays a box  380  around the third icon  310 D, the fourth icon  320 D, and a newly displayed fifth icon  370 . The box  380  indicates that a conference call has been created by merging the two calls represented by the third icon  310 D and the fourth icon  320 D. The fifth icon  370  is now displayed indicating that the user (Carl) of the smart phone  300 D is also a participant in the conference call which was created. 
     In a fifth stage, the user&#39;s finger  350  is placed on the fourth icon  320 E, and the user swipes the finger  350  down (arrow  390 ). The fourth icon  320 E is dragged out of the conference call box  380 . Bob, the conference call participant represented by the fourth icon  320 E is now removed from the conference call. As a result, the call is now just between Carl, the user of the smart phone  300 E and Alice, represented by the third icon  310 E. Accordingly, in a sixth and final stage, shown on smart phone  300 F, only the third icon  310 F remains, indicating a single active phone call between Carl and Alice. 
     It is appreciated in the above description that only three parties (Alice, Bob, and Carl, the user of the smart phone  300 A-F) are depicted. However, the depiction of  FIGS. 3A-B  is exemplary, and persons of skill in the art will appreciate how the method depicted may be generalized to include more than three participants in the conference call. 
     Reference is now additionally made to  FIG. 4 , which is a simplified flowchart diagram of a first method of operation of the embodiment of  FIGS. 3A and 3B .  FIG. 4  depicts the method of merging of the calls, as shown in the first four stages of  FIGS. 3A-B . In step  405 , a multi-touch event (such as the user placing the two fingers  350  on the touch screen user interface  345 , as described above) is detected as having occurred on the touch screen user interface  345  of the smart phone  300 A- 300 D. The touch screen user interface  345  relays the coordinates of (i.e.: X1, Y1; and X2, Y2) where the multi-touch event occurs to the processor (step  410 ). The processor in turn stores the coordinates in the memory. 
     By way of example, in  FIG. 3A , the user&#39;s finger  350  first invokes a multi-touch event (as in step  405 ) when it touches the third icon  310 B and the fourth icon  320 B on smart phone  300 B. The coordinates where the user&#39;s two fingers  350  are resting would be recorded in the memory in step  410 . 
     A check is performed by the processor to determine if the coordinates (X1, Y1) where a first portion of the multi-touch event was detected is within the position of the first call session area, and to determine if the coordinates (X2, Y2) where a second portion of the multi-touch event was detected is within the position of the second call session area (step  415 ). It is appreciated that where only one of the two touch events of the multi-touch event is determined to be within the position of one of the call session areas, then the icon will move on the touch screen user interface  345  according to the gesture, but no conference call will result. 
     It is appreciated that if both portions of the multi-touch event are not detected within the position of either of the call session areas, no result in the context of the present embodiment is produced (e.g., in the second stage  FIG. 3A , the user&#39;s fingers  350  may be below and to the right of the third icon  310 B and the fourth icon  320 B). 
     If the multi-touch event is determined in step  415  to be within the position of the two call session areas, then the two selected calls session are highlighted (step  420 ). By way of example, it was noted above that when the user&#39;s fingers touched the third icon  310 B and the fourth icon  320 B, the smart phone  300 B touch screen user interface  345  displays the third icon  310 B and the fourth icon  320 B as highlighted. 
     In step  430  the touch screen user interface  345  relays the pinch path to the processor. The processor in turn stores the pinch path in the memory. It is appreciated that the drag path is, in fact, an ordered list of (X,Y) coordinates through which the user&#39;s two fingers  350  travel in pinching the third icon  310 C onto and the fourth icon  320 C. 
     A graphics processor (which may be one of the processors mentioned above) draws the third icon  310 C and the fourth icon  320 C onto the portion of the touch screen to which the third icon  310 C and the fourth icon  320 C have been dragged (step  440 ). In  FIG. 3A , for example, the third icon  310 C and the fourth icon  320 C have been dragged together, as it is depicted on smart phone  300 C. The third icon  310 C and the fourth icon  320 C are drawn on the portion of the touch screen according to the stored coordinates through which the pinch touch event was recorded to have occurred. 
     By comparing the stored coordinates at the end of the path of the pinch event (i.e. X1,Y1 and X2,Y2), using techniques known in the art, the processor determines if the user&#39;s two fingers  350  are closed together or not (step  450 ). If the user&#39;s two fingers  350  are not closed together, control returns to step  430 , and the system waits for a new pinch multi-touch event to occur. On the other hand, If the user&#39;s two fingers  350  are closed together, then the two call sessions (represented by the third icon  310 C and the fourth icon  320 C) are removed from the smart phone display (step  460 ). Instead, the box  380  indicating that a conference call has been created appears. The third icon  310 D, the fourth icon  320 D, and the icon  370  representing the user (i.e. the conference call host) appear in the box  380  (step  470 ). The phone call is conferenced by the communication devices using telephonic techniques known in the art. 
     Reference is now additionally made to  FIG. 5 , which is a simplified flowchart diagram of a second method of operation of the embodiment of  FIGS. 3A and 3B .  FIG. 5  depicts the method of removing one of the merged calls from the merged conference call event, as shown in the final two stages of  FIGS. 3A-B . In  FIGS. 3A-B  a scenario where three participants, Alice, Bob, and Carl, the user of the smart phone  300 A- 300 F in the conference call, are shown. In  FIG. 5 , it is assumed that there are four parties participating in the conference call. Thus, when one of the merged calls is from the merged four party conference call event, the merged conference call event remains as a three party conference call event. If, however, there are only three participants in the merged conference call event, as depicted in  FIGS. 3A-B , then the merged conference call event is terminated. This scenario can be extrapolated by persons of skill in the art based on the description previously provided. 
     A touch event is detected as having occurred on the touch screen user interface  345  of the smart phone  300 A- 300 F (step  505 ). The touch screen user interface  345  relays the coordinates of (i.e.: X, Y) where the touch occurs to the processor (step  510 ). The processor in turn stores the coordinates in the memory. By way of example, in the fifth stage of  FIGS. 3A-3B , one of the user&#39;s two fingers  350  first invokes a touch event (as in step  505 ) when it touches the third icon  310 E on smart phone  300 E. The coordinates where the one of the user&#39;s two fingers  350  is resting would be recorded in the memory in step  510 . 
     A check is performed by the processor to determine if the coordinates (X, Y) where the touch event was detected is within the position of one of the icons  310 E,  320 E in the box  380  of the conference call session area (step  515 ). It is appreciated that a touch event which is not detected within the one of the icons  310 E,  320 E in the box  380  of the conference call session area produces no result in the context of the present embodiment (e.g., in  FIGS. 3A-3B , the user&#39;s finger  350  may be below and to the right of the fourth icon  320 E). If the touch event is determined in step  515  to be within the position of the one of the icons  310 E,  320 E in the box  380  of the conference call session area, then the selected one of the icons  310 E,  320 E is highlighted (step  520 ). By way of example, when the user&#39;s finger touches the fourth icon  320 E, the smart phone  300 E touch screen user interface  345  displays the fourth icon  320 E as highlighted. 
     At this point, the touch screen user interface  345  detects a next touch event (step  525 ), in this case, a drag event. By way of example, in  FIGS. 3A-3B , one of the user&#39;s two fingers  350  is shown on the smart phone  300 E as having dragged (arrow  390 ) the fourth icon  320 E from its previous location to be outside of the box  380  representing the conference call. In step  530  the touch screen user interface  345  relays the drag path to the processor. The processor in turn stores the drag path in the memory. It is appreciated that the drag path is, in fact, an ordered list of (X,Y) coordinates through which one of the user&#39;s two fingers  350  travels in dragging the fourth icon  320 E outside of the box  380  representing the conference call. 
     A graphics processor (which may be one of the processors mentioned above) draws the fourth icon  320 E on the portion of the touch screen to which the fourth icon  320 E has been dragged (step  540 ). In  FIGS. 3A-3B , for example, the fourth icon  320 E is drawn by the graphics processor outside of the box  380  representing the conference call, as it is depicted on the smart phone  300 E. 
     The processor determines if the selected call session (represented by the fourth icon  320 E) has been dragged outside the area which represents the conference call, i.e. the box  380 , or not (step  545 ). If the processor determines that the selected call session has not been dragged outside the area which represents the conference call, i.e. the box  380 , then the method returns to step  525 , and waits for a drag action, as described above. If, however, the processor determines that the selected call session has been dragged outside the area which represents the conference call, i.e. the box  380 , then the processor will remove the selected call session represented by the fourth icon  320 E (step  550 ). 
     The icons remaining in the box representing the conference call, for instance, the third icon  310 F, the icon  370  representing the user (i.e. the conference call host), and an additional icon representing the fourth participant in the conference call still appear in the box  380  (step  560 ). 
     It is appreciated that software components of the present invention may, if desired, be implemented in ROM (read only memory) form. The software components may, generally, be implemented in hardware, if desired, using conventional techniques. It is further appreciated that the software components may be instantiated, for example: as a computer program product or on a tangible medium. In some cases, it may be possible to instantiate the software components as a signal interpretable by an appropriate computer, although such an instantiation may be excluded in certain embodiments of the present invention. 
     It is appreciated that various features of the invention which are, for clarity, described in the contexts of separate embodiments may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination. 
     It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof: