Abstract:
A computer method and system for portable phone devices enable a user to compose and send a data message (e.g., a photo/image) during a voice call. The data message includes any of image data, audio (music) packette, an electronic calendar entry/event, contact information, HTML, text-based data, video data, multimedia and the like. During a voice call session between a user and a recipient, the user using a subject phone device obtains at least one data element. The subject phone device automatically forms and transmits a data message, including the at least one data element, to the recipient of the voice call session. The subject phone device maintains and continues the voice call session with voice data indicative of verbal conversation between the recipient and user. The subject phone device may be a PDA, mobile/cellular phone or other wireless communication and data device.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/633,287, filed on Dec. 3, 2004, the entire teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     With the advent of portable, wireless telephone devices, various additional features for use on such devices are being developed. One such feature is video sharing. Video sharing allows a party to a cellular/mobile phone call to view a live video or a video clip in real time during a voice call. See Nokia Video Sharing at the Nokia.com website; and 2-way video conferencing at the symbian.com website and mobilemag.com website.  
         [0003]     However, there are problems with sharing of data during a phone/voice call as follows. In  FIG. 1   a  at step A, using a mobile phone, Harry  10  calls Karen  12  on her mobile phone/device, and they talk to each other at step B. If Karen  12  wants to send any text or image type data to Harry  10 , she hangs up at step C and re-establishes a separate connection between their mobile phones using a messaging application to send the data (step D). Even if she could send the data while on the first phone connection (at steps A, B), she would have to manually compose a message and key in/enter Harry&#39;s email address.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The present invention is a novel and non-obvious method and system for enabling a user to compose and send a data message (e.g. a photo) during a phone/voice call. “Data message” includes image data, audio (music) data packette, a calendar entry or event, contact information, HTML, text based packette, a video clip, a multimedia segment and the like.  
         [0005]     In a preferred embodiment, the invention system and method for augmenting voice data on a phone/voice call includes the computer implemented steps of: 
        during a voice call session between a user and a recipient, the user using a subject handset, (a) enabling the user to obtain at least one data element using the subject handset, and (b) forming and transmitting a data message to the recipient from the subject handset, the data message including the at least one data element as its contents; and     continuing the voice call session with voice data indicative of verbal conversation between the recipient and user through the subject handset.        
 
         [0008]     The invention step of forming a data message includes automatic addressing of the data message to the recipient based on the voice call session. That is, the data message inherits the original voice call context (recipient name/phone number/corresponding email address as addressee name and target delivery location).  
         [0009]     The subject handset is preferably a mobile phone, PDA or similar wireless communication and/or data device. The user obtained data element is any of image data, multimedia data, audio (music) data, text-based data, graphics and video data. The data element may be formed during the voice call session, such as using a camera coupled to (e.g., built into) the subject handset. The data element may also include stored data (image, text, multimedia, audio/music, calendar event, contacts, etc.) of the subject handset. The recipient may be the mobile phone being used by the other party in the call or any other contact method associated with this user in the contact database (e.g., email address, mobile phone, etc.)  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 1   a  is an illustration of the prior art mobile device usage.  
         [0012]      FIG. 1   b  is an illustration of the present invention mobile device use.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2   a  is a block diagram of a hand held, portable electronic device embodying the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIGS. 2   b  and  2   c  are flow schematics of the embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is an illustration of a “Call” tab in the user interface during an active voice call of a preferred embodiment.  
         [0016]      FIGS. 4   a - 4   b  are illustrations of a “Send Picture” tab in the user interface of the preferred embodiment of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is an illustration of a “Send Other” tab in the user interface of the preferred embodiment of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]     A description of preferred embodiments of the invention follows.  
         [0019]     Illustrated in  FIG. 2   a  is a block diagram of a hand held portable digital communication and data device  11 . Examples of such a device include mobile/cellular phones, PDA&#39;s (personal data assistants), and other electronic devices for carrying digital data representing voice, audio, images, video, text and/or multimedia. An I/O port  13  transmits and receives signals carrying such digital data, for example to initiate a connection and after a connection is established during (throughout) a working session. A main bus  15  carries the digital data between the I/O port  13  and various applications (processor routines and the like) such as phone application  17  and messaging (email) application  21  according to respective protocols (e.g., SMTP, TCP/IP, Bluetooth, etc.). The various applications  17 ,  19 ,  21  may have corresponding data  29 . Included in data  29  is contact information (e.g., names, mobile and other phone numbers, email addresses, etc.) such as for supporting an address book, calendar data and other data for use with applications  17 ,  19 ,  21 . Device  11  also includes a camera subsystem  19  further discussed below.  
         [0020]     Attached to main bus  15  is I/O interface  23  for coupling various input and output devices (e.g., keypad, scroll wheel, actuators, display, speaker, microphone, etc.) to the device  11 . Network interface  27  allows the device  11  to connect/communicate to a network. Central processor unit  25  is also attached to main bus  15  and provides for the execution of computer instructions throughout the applications  17 ,  19 ,  21  and supporting operating system.  
         [0021]     As briefly described above in  FIG. 1   a,  in the prior art the phone application initiates and makes a connection sending and receiving digital voice and audio data across the main bus. Thus the phone application supports a current working session. In order for the user (mobile device) to transmit image or text data, the phone application session (active voice call) must be ended, and a new working session (e.g., email session) supported by the messaging application must be initiated and maintained. That is, after the active voice call to a recipient and supporting phone application session are ended, the messaging application is operated to form (address to the recipient) and send messages including text, image, etc. data across a respective connection. This re-establishing of a connection to the recipient at this time is effectively a redundant and tedious task for the user.  
         [0022]     In contrast, the present invention enables a user to transmit images, text, multimedia, etc. data to the phone call recipient during an active voice call/working session supported by the phone application  17 . Thus electronic device  11  transmits voice and image data to the call recipient in a same working session (e.g., solely the voice call session) initiated and maintained by the phone application  17  and independent of a separate email session. Further, the name (and corresponding mobile phone number) of voice call recipient is re-used and automatically entered/keyed in as the data message addressee.  
         [0023]     To follow the example of  FIG. 1 a  but using the present invention, as before Harry  10  calls Karen  12  at step E in  FIG. 1   b  using respective mobile phones, and they talk to each other (step F). This time Karen&#39;s phone employing the present invention, enables Karen  12 , without hanging up (disconnecting the voice call session), to operate the camera subsystem  19  of device  11 , take a picture and automatically send it to Harry  10  without her having to manually address it (step G). Karen  12  may also operate the present invention device  11  to locate a stored audio file and when she selects it, the invention system  11  sends it to Harry  10  (step H) within the same one working voice call session (connection).  
         [0024]     The present invention takes advantage of the knowledge that Karen  12  might want to send text/image/audio etc. data to Harry&#39;s phone, so while still talking, Karen  12  can send data (steps G, H) without having to manually address the data to Harry  10 . Even if Harry&#39;s phone is not a mobile phone, Karen&#39;s phone database  29  contains Harry&#39;s mobile phone number or email address. The present invention system  11  addresses the data automatically. (using the stored contact information in database  29 ) so that Harry  10  can receive the data accordingly. In some embodiments device  11  is not equipped to send voice and text/image/audio file data simultaneously, thus the later data types (text/image/audio files) are automatically addressed and stored (queued) for transmission as soon as the parties  10 ,  12  hang up the initial voice call/connection.  
         [0025]     The foregoing is accomplished as follows.  
         [0026]     With respect to  FIG. 2   c,  a user is on an active voice call with phone application  17  supporting the call session. Information identifying the call session (e.g., recipient name and phone number) is stored as data  29  and/or used as an index into the user&#39;s address book at  29 . Upon user command to use a camera feature, phone application  17  calls camera application  19  to allow the user to operate the electronic device  11  as a camera. The result is the capture of an image (a digital image)  31 . The camera application  19  ends by returning control and an indication of the resulting digital image  31  to the phone application  17 . The original voice call session remains active. In response, phone application  17  calls the messaging application  21  to “package” the resulting digital image  31  as an outgoing message. The messaging application  21  inherits or automatically assumes the current active voice call recipient as the addressee of the subject outgoing message  33 . In particular, messaging application  21  addresses the subject outgoing message  33  using the current active voice call connection number (i.e., recipient&#39;s mobile phone number). If the current connection number is not an appropriate device for receiving message  33 , then messaging application  21  uses (e.g., defaults to) the recipient&#39;s mobile phone number and/or email address as stored in corresponding address book/generally data store  29  ( FIG. 2   a ).  
         [0027]     Upon message application  21  output of the subject message  33 , system  11  (phone application  17 ) queues  35  the message  33  for network transmission. All the while, the original voice call session remains active and the user and recipient may carry on a conventional telephone conversation. In some embodiments, transmission of message  33  is immediate. In other embodiments, transmission of message  33  is effected upon completion/cessation of the voice call session.  
         [0028]     Generically speaking, the present invention provides the operation of various applications/features  19 ,  21  within the context  37  of an active phone session of the phone service application  17 . In this way, the phone service (application)  17  effectively serves as a shell or container program that executes the other applications (routines, processes)  19 ,  21  under its request while maintaining the active phone session. With reference to  FIG. 2   b,  at  41  phone service  17  calls or otherwise initiates a data selector  39  to fulfill user command (while conversing on the phone) for a subject data element. This may include enabling user generation of new images or finding/selecting of stored images, video, audio file, music file, multimedia file, calendar or contacts data, etc.  45  to serve as message content. In response (step  43 ), data selector  39  provides or makes available the requested data file/message content  45 .  
         [0029]     Next phone service  17  calls/initiates the data messaging member/service  21  to package the subject data file/content  45  into a new message  47 . This call to messaging service  21  includes the context  37  (i.e., identification of the active call recipient, name, phone number and/or email address as stored at  29 ) of the phone service  17  current active phone session. The data messaging service  21  automates the addressing of the newly ordered message (package  47 ) based on the inherited context  37  and uses the message content  45  produced by data selector  39  as the contents of the new message (package  47 ). Data messaging service  21  outputs the newly generated message  47  which is queued  49  for transmission. In some embodiments newly generated message  47  is stored in queue  49  until the device network is available for transmission. In other embodiments, network data such as message  47  is transmitted immediately.  
         [0030]     Throughout the foregoing, phone service  17  supports the active phone call/session enabling the user and recipient to converse (verbally). As a result, there is no interruption or change in original phone call connection.  
         [0031]     The user interface in a preferred embodiment of device  11  is illustrated in  FIGS. 3-5 .  FIG. 3  shows operation of device  11  as a telephone either in response to receiving an incoming phone call or in response to user command to initiate a phone call. Once a phone call connection is established, the “Call” tab  51  of the user interface indicates the phone number which is party to the active voice call, the running amount of time used on the call, etc. Phone call session data  29  supports this display.  
         [0032]      FIG. 4   a  illustrates the “Send Picture” tab  53  which the user selects, during the active voice call, in order to initiate the camera application/subsystem  19 . The image from the camera view finder is shown in the main frame (body) of the “Send Picture” tab  53 . Alternatively, through tab  53  the user views and selects from a list of names of stored image files as illustrated in  FIG. 4   b.    
         [0033]      FIG. 5  illustrates a “Send Other” tab  55  which lists for the user names of stored audio files, music files, multimedia files, contact information and other data files in system  11 . Here the user interface of device  11  enables user selection of other data to send (transmit) to the call recipient of the active voice call session using the principles of the present invention discussed above.  
         [0034]     Tabs  53  and  55  and corresponding supporting software/computer instructions effectively implement the data selector  39  of  FIG. 2   b.  Once the item is selected by the user, the user interface returns to the “Call” tab  51  with prompting indicating that the selected data elements/items have been transmitted (e.g., as a message  33 ,  47 ) or are queued for network transmission accordingly. Alternatively, the user interface includes a “send to” portion (screen display) of subject message  33 ,  47  that automatically defaults to a mobile phone number or email address of the active voice call recipient. The default information is obtained from the phone call session data  29  established at the beginning of the active voice call session (discussed above in  FIG. 2   c ).  
         [0035]     While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims.  
         [0036]     For example, the invention can take the form of software, firmware, hardware and/or a computer program produce accessible from from a computer-usable or computer-readable medium providing program code for use by or in connection with a computer or any instruction execution system. For the purposes of this description, a computer-usable or computer readable medium can be any apparatus that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.  
         [0037]     The medium can be an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system (or apparatus or device) or a propagation medium. Examples of a computer-readable medium include a semiconductor or solid state memory, magnetic tape, a removable computer diskette, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a rigid magnetic disk and an optical disk. Current examples of optical disks include compact disk—read only memory (CD-ROM), compact disk—read/write (CD-R/W) and DVD.  
         [0038]     A data processing system suitable for storing and/or executing program code will include at least one processor coupled directly or indirectly to memory elements through a system bus. The memory elements can include local memory employed during actual execution of the program code, bulk storage, and cache memories which provide temporary storage of at least some program code in order to reduce the number of times code must be retrieved from bulk storage during execution.  
         [0039]     Input/output or I/O devices (including but not limited to keyboards, displays, pointing devices, etc.) can be coupled to the system either directly or through intervening I/O controllers.  
         [0040]     Network adapters may also be coupled to the system to enable the data processing system to become coupled to other data processing systems or remote printers or storage devices through intervening private or public networks. Modems, cable modem and Ethernet cards are just a few of the currently available types of network adapters.