Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8731617B2/en
Timestamp: 2019-02-23 18:04:02
Document Index: 49334015

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 2', 'application No. 04253180', 'application No. 1273', 'Application No. 04253180', 'Application No. 04253180', 'Application No. 06122386']

US8731617B2 - Initiating a call from a mobile device to a number that is not hyperlinked - Google Patents
US8731617B2
US8731617B2 US13/410,953 US201213410953A US8731617B2 US 8731617 B2 US8731617 B2 US 8731617B2 US 201213410953 A US201213410953 A US 201213410953A US 8731617 B2 US8731617 B2 US 8731617B2
US13/410,953
US20120172070A1 (en
2006-03-31 Priority to US11/278,310 priority Critical patent/US7606598B2/en
2009-09-15 Priority to US12/559,760 priority patent/US8160649B2/en
2012-03-02 Priority to US13/410,953 priority patent/US8731617B2/en
2012-03-02 Assigned to RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED reassignment RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: LAZARIDIS, MIHAL, MAJOR, HARRY R., BOCKING, ANDREW D., KUHL, LAWRENCE E.
2012-07-05 Publication of US20120172070A1 publication Critical patent/US20120172070A1/en
2014-05-20 Publication of US8731617B2 publication Critical patent/US8731617B2/en
The present disclosure describes a method and communication device for initiating voice calls. Number strings are identified in displayed text. Number strings are displayed in different formats depending on whether the number strings meet predetermined criteria. A list of user selectable functions is displayed when predetermined user input is detected. The list of user selectable functions includes a voice call function for initiating a voice call to a selected number string. A voice call to the selected number string can be initiated when the voice call function is selected.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/559,760, filed Sep. 15, 2009, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/278,310, filed Mar. 31, 2006 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,606,598), the content of both documents being incorporated herein by reference.
In accordance with one example embodiment, there is provided a method for initiating voice calls from a communication device, comprising: causing, without user intervention, each number string in text of a data item which matches first predetermined criteria to be displayed in a first format and each number string in the text of the data item which does not match the first predetermined criteria to be displayed in a second format; causing a voice call to be initiated to a number string displayed in the first format when first predetermined user input is detected; causing a list of user selectable functions to be displayed in response to detecting second predetermined user input when a position marker is located within a number string, the list of user selectable functions including a voice call function for initiating a voice call to the number string when the number string matches second predetermined criteria, wherein the second predetermined criteria are different from the first predetermined criteria; and causing a voice call to be initiated to a number string when the voice call function for the number string is selected from the list of user selectable functions.
In accordance with another example embodiment, there is provided a method for initiating voice calls from a communication device, comprising: causing, without user intervention, each number string in text of a data item which matches first predetermined criteria to be displayed in a first format and each number string in the text of the data item which does not match the first predetermined criteria to be displayed in a second format; causing a voice call to be initiated to a number string displayed in the first format when first predetermined user input is detected; causing a list of user selectable functions to be displayed in response to detecting second predetermined user input when a position marker is located within a number string, the list of user selectable functions including a voice call function for initiating a voice call to the number string when the number string matches second predetermined criteria, wherein the second predetermined criteria are different from the first predetermined criteria; causing a voice call to be initiated to a number string when the voice call function for the number string is selected from the list of user selectable functions; and causing a voice call to be initiated to a number string in which a position marker is located when the first predetermined user input is detected and the number string meets third predetermined criteria, wherein the third predetermined criteria are more stringent than the second predetermined criteria but less stringent than the first predetermined criteria.
In accordance with a further example embodiment, there is provided a method for initiating voice calls from a communication device, comprising: causing, without user intervention, each number string in text of a data item which matches first predetermined criteria to be displayed in a first format and each number string in the text of the data item which does not match the first predetermined criteria to be displayed in a second format; causing a voice call to be initiated to a number string displayed in the first format when first predetermined user input is detected; causing a list of user selectable functions to be displayed in response to detecting second predetermined user input when a position marker is located within a number string, the list of user selectable functions including an SMS function for initiating an SMS message to the number string when the number string matches second predetermined criteria, wherein the second predetermined criteria are different from the first predetermined criteria; and causing an SMS message to be initiated to the number string when the SMS function is selected from the list of user selectable functions.
In accordance with yet a further example embodiment, there is provided a mobile device comprising: a controller including at least one processor; a wireless transceiver connected to the controller for exchanging signals with a wireless communications network; a user interface connected to the controller for receiving user input; a storage connected to the controller and storing data items that include text containing number strings; a visual display connected to the controller for displaying the text of data items stored in the storage; the controller being operative to: receive a selection input through the user interface to display a data item comprising an electronic message on the visual display; detect any number strings within at least a portion of the data item and compare the detected number strings to first predetermined criteria to identify telephone number strings in the detected number strings; display the electronic message on the visual display, wherein each number string in the electronic message identified as a telephone number string is displayed as a selectable hyperlinked number string, wherein each number string not identified as a telephone number string is displayed as a selectable non-hyperlinked number string; move a position marker on the visual display throughout the displayed text in response to navigational input through the user interface; monitor for a predetermined user input through the user interface and upon detecting the predetermined user input cause a list of user selectable functions to be displayed on the display; determine, in dependence on the location of the position marker, if a hyperlinked number string is selected when the predetermined user input is detected and if so, cause the displayed list of user selectable functions to include a telephone call function for initiating a telephone call to the selected hyperlinked number string, and cause, if the telephone call function for the hyperlinked number string is selected from the list of user selectable functions, a telephone call to the hyperlinked number string to be initiated through the wireless communications network; and determine, in dependence on the location of the position marker, if a non-hyperlinked number string is selected when the predetermined user input is detected and if so, compare the non-hyperlinked number string against second predetermined criteria to determine if the non-hyperlinked number string is a callable number string, and if the non-hyperlinked number string is determined to be a callable number string, cause the displayed list of user selectable functions to include a telephone call function for initiating a telephone call to the non-hyperlinked number string, and cause, if the telephone call function for the non-hyperlinked number string is selected from the list of user selectable functions, a telephone call to the non-hyperlinked number string to be initiated through the wireless communications network.
In accordance with yet a further example embodiment, there is provided a method for initiating telephone calls from a mobile device which operates in a wireless communication network, the mobile device comprising a controller including at least one processor, a user interface connected to the controller for receiving user input, a storage connected to the controller and storing data items that include text containing number strings and a visual display connected to the controller for displaying the text of data items stored in the storage, the method comprising: detecting any number strings within at least a portion of the text of a selected data item; determining whether any detected number strings are telephone number strings according to first predetermined criteria; causing the text of the selected data item to be displayed on the visual display, wherein each number string determined to be a telephone number string is displayed as a selectable hyperlinked number string; monitoring for a predetermined user input through the user interface and, upon detecting the predetermined user input, cause a list of user selectable functions to be displayed on the visual display; determining if a hyperlinked number string is selected when the predetermined user input is detected and if so, cause the displayed list of user selectable functions to include a telephone call function for initiating a telephone call to the selected hyperlinked number string; and causing a telephone call to be initiated to the hyperlinked number string through the wireless communications network when the telephone call function for the hyperlinked number string is selected from the list of user selectable functions.
In accordance with yet a further example embodiment, there is provided a mobile device comprising: a controller including at least one processor; a wireless transceiver connected to the controller for exchanging signals with a wireless communications network; a user interface connected to the controller for receiving user input; a storage connected to the controller and storing data items that include text containing a number string; a visual display connected to the controller for displaying the text of data items stored in the storage; the controller being operative to: cause the text of the data item to be displayed on the visual display of the mobile device, the text including the number string; cause a position marker to move on the visual display throughout the displayed text in response to navigational input through the user interface; monitor for a predetermined user input through the user interface and upon detecting the predetermined user input cause a list of user selectable functions to be displayed on the visual display, wherein the displayed list of user selectable functions includes a telephone call function for initiating a telephone call to the number string when the position marker is located within the number string in the displayed text and the number string meets predetermined criteria; and cause a telephone call to the number string to be initiated through the wireless communications network when the telephone call function for the number string is selected from the list of user selectable functions.
In accordance with yet a further example embodiment, there is provided a method for initiating telephone calls from a mobile device which operates in a wireless communication network, the method including: displaying text on a visual display of the mobile device; moving a position marker on the visual display throughout the displayed text in response to a navigational input by a user to the mobile device; monitoring for a predetermined user input to the mobile device and upon detecting the predetermined user input causing a list of user selectable functions to be displayed on the visual display; determining if the position marker is located within a non-hyperlinked number string in the displayed text when the predetermined user input is detected and if so, causing the displayed list of user selectable functions to include a telephone call function for initiating a telephone call to the non-hyperlinked number string; and causing, if a user selects from the list of functions the initiate a telephone call function, a telephone call to the non-hyperlinked number string to be initiated through the wireless communications network.
In accordance with yet a further example embodiment, there is provided a mobile device that includes a controller including at least one processor, a wireless transceiver coupled to the controller for exchanging signals with a wireless communications network, a user interface coupled to the controller for receiving user input, a storage coupled to the controller and storing data items that include text containing number strings, and a visual display coupled to the controller for displaying the text of data items stored in the storage. The controller is operative to: cause text of a user selected data item to be displayed on the visual display of the mobile device; cause a position marker to move on the visual display throughout the displayed text in response to a navigational input by a user through the user interface; monitor for a predetermined user input to the mobile device through the user interface and upon detecting the predetermined user input cause a list of user selectable functions to be displayed on the visual display; determine if the position marker is located within a non-hyperlinked number string in the displayed text when the predetermined user input is detected and if so, cause the displayed list of user selectable functions to include a telephone call function for initiating a telephone call to the non-hyperlinked number string; and cause, if a user selects from the list of functions the initiate a telephone call function, a telephone call to the non-hyperlinked number string to be initiated through the wireless communications network.
In accordance with yet a further example embodiment, there is provided a method for initiating telephone calls from a mobile device which operates in a wireless communication network, including: receiving an selection input from a user through a user interface of the mobile device to display an electronic message on a display of the device; scanning a text portion of the electronic message to detect any number strings contained therein and comparing the detected number strings against first criteria to identify telephone number strings from among the identified number strings; displaying the electronic message on the display and causing a user selectable hyperlink to be created for each number string in the electronic message identified as being a telephone number string, wherein any number strings not identified as telephone number strings are displayed as non-hyperlinked number strings; moving a position marker on the display throughout the displayed text in response to a navigational input by a user through the user interface of the mobile device; monitoring for a predetermined user input through a user interface of the mobile device and upon detecting the predetermined user input causing a list of user selectable functions to be displayed on the visual display; determining, in dependence on the location of the position marker, if a hyperlinked telephone number string is selected by a user when the predetermined user input is detected and if so, causing the displayed list of user selectable functions to include a telephone call function for initiating a telephone call to the selected hyperlinked telephone number string, and causing, if a user selects from the list of functions the initiate a telephone call to the selected hyperlinked telephone number string, a telephone call to the hyperlinked telephone number string to be initiated through the wireless communications network; and determining if the position marker is located within a non-hyperlinked number string in the displayed text when the predetermined user input is detected and if so, comparing the non-hyperlinked number string against further criteria to identify if the non-hyperlinked number string is a callable number string, and if the non-hyperlinked number string is identified as being a callable number string, causing the displayed list of user selectable functions to include a telephone call function for initiating a telephone call to the non-hyperlinked number string, and causing, if a user selects from the list of functions the initiate a telephone call to the non-hyperlinked number string function, a telephone call to the non-hyperlinked number string to be initiated through the wireless communications network.
Although scrollwheel 312 of FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 has been shown and described as one mechanism for use in viewing and selecting visually displayed information, any suitable viewing/selection mechanism may be utilized for the present user interface techniques to be described, such as UP and DOWN keys, a mouse and cursor mechanism, a touch pad mechanism or a touch screen display mechanism. Additionally, viewing/ selection mechanisms with a depressible rotatable wheel or ball as the user input interface having a configuration that varies from that shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 could also be used.
1. A method for initiating voice calls from a communication device, comprising:
causing, without user intervention, each number string in text of a data item which matches first predetermined criteria to be displayed in a first format and each number string in the text of the data item which does not match the first predetermined criteria to be displayed in a second format;
causing a voice call to be initiated to a number string displayed in the first format when the number string is selected and first predetermined user input is detected;
causing a list of user selectable functions to be displayed in response to detecting second predetermined user input when a position marker is located within a number string, the list of user selectable functions including a voice call function for initiating a voice call to the number string when the number string matches second predetermined criteria, wherein the second predetermined criteria are different from the first predetermined criteria; and
causing a voice call to be initiated to a number string when the voice call function for the number string is selected from the list of user selectable functions.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second predetermined criteria are less stringent than the first predetermined criteria.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second predetermined criteria and first predetermined criteria require that the number string be within a certain minimum and maximum length range, and the range of the second predetermined criteria is greater than the range of the first predetermined criteria.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined criteria requires that the number string be within a certain minimum and maximum length range and match one of a number of predetermined patterns, the second predetermined criteria requires only that the number string be within a certain minimum and maximum length range, and the second predetermined criteria is greater than the range of the first predetermined criteria.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined user input is actuation of a SEND key.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the second predetermined user input is depression of a navigation input mechanism.
causing an SMS message to be initiated to the number string when the SMS function is selected from the list of user selectable functions.
causing a voice call to be initiated to a number string displayed in the second format in which the position marker is located when the first predetermined user input is detected and the number string meets third predetermined criteria.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first format is a hyperlinked format and the second format is a non-hyperlinked format.
12. A method for initiating voice calls from a communication device, comprising:
causing a list of user selectable functions to be displayed in response to detecting second predetermined user input when a position marker is located within a number string, the list of user selectable functions including a voice call function for initiating a voice call to the number string when the number string matches second predetermined criteria, wherein the second predetermined criteria are different from the first predetermined criteria;
causing a voice call to be initiated to a number string when the voice call function for the number string is selected from the list of user selectable functions; and
causing a voice call to be initiated to a number string displayed in the second format in which a position marker is located when the first predetermined user input is detected and the number string meets third predetermined criteria, wherein the third predetermined criteria are more stringent than the second predetermined criteria but less stringent than the first predetermined criteria.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first predetermined user input is actuation of a SEND key.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the second predetermined user input is depression of a navigation input mechanism.
15. The method of claim 12, wherein the first format is a hyperlinked format and the second format is a non-hyperlinked format.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting a number string displayed in the first format comprises highlighting the number string.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein selecting a number string displayed in the first format comprises highlighting the number string.
cause, without user intervention, each number string in text of a data item which matches first predetermined criteria to be displayed in a first format and each number string in the text of the data item which does not match the first predetermined criteria to be displayed in a second format;
cause a voice call to be initiated to a number string displayed in the first format when the number string is selected and first predetermined user input is detected;
cause a list of user selectable functions to be displayed in response to detecting second predetermined user input when the position marker is located within a number string, the list of user selectable functions including a voice call function for initiating a voice call to the number string when the number string matches second predetermined criteria, wherein the second predetermined criteria are different from the first predetermined criteria; and
cause a voice call to be initiated to a number string when the voice call function for the number string is selected from the list of user selectable functions.
19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein selecting a number string displayed in the first format comprises highlighting the number string.
cause a list of user selectable functions to be displayed in response to detecting second predetermined user input when the position marker is located within a number string, the list of user selectable functions including a voice call function for initiating a voice call to the number string when the number string matches second predetermined criteria, wherein the second predetermined criteria are different from the first predetermined criteria;
cause a voice call to be initiated to a number string when the voice call function for the number string is selected from the list of user selectable functions; and
cause a voice call to be initiated to a number string displayed in the second format in which a position marker is located when the first predetermined user input is detected and the number string meets third predetermined criteria, wherein the third predetermined criteria are more stringent than the second predetermined criteria but less stringent than the first predetermined criteria.
21. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein selecting a number string displayed in the first format comprises highlighting the number string.
US13/410,953 2006-03-31 2012-03-02 Initiating a call from a mobile device to a number that is not hyperlinked Active US8731617B2 (en)
US11/278,310 US7606598B2 (en) 2006-03-31 2006-03-31 Initiating a call from a mobile device to a number that is not hyperlinked
US12/559,760 US8160649B2 (en) 2006-03-31 2009-09-15 Initiating a call from a mobile device to a number that is not hyperlinked
US13/410,953 US8731617B2 (en) 2006-03-31 2012-03-02 Initiating a call from a mobile device to a number that is not hyperlinked
US12/559,760 Continuation US8160649B2 (en) 2006-03-31 2009-09-15 Initiating a call from a mobile device to a number that is not hyperlinked
US20120172070A1 US20120172070A1 (en) 2012-07-05
US8731617B2 true US8731617B2 (en) 2014-05-20
US11/278,310 Active 2028-02-13 US7606598B2 (en) 2006-03-31 2006-03-31 Initiating a call from a mobile device to a number that is not hyperlinked
US12/559,760 Active 2026-05-01 US8160649B2 (en) 2006-03-31 2009-09-15 Initiating a call from a mobile device to a number that is not hyperlinked
US13/410,953 Active US8731617B2 (en) 2006-03-31 2012-03-02 Initiating a call from a mobile device to a number that is not hyperlinked
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Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:KUHL, LAWRENCE E.;LAZARIDIS, MIHAL;MAJOR, HARRY R.;AND OTHERS;SIGNING DATES FROM 20061024 TO 20061031;REEL/FRAME:027798/0648