CA2203473A1 - User interface for accessing messages received by a telephone terminal - Google Patents
User interface for accessing messages received by a telephone terminalInfo
- Publication number
- CA2203473A1 CA2203473A1 CA002203473A CA2203473A CA2203473A1 CA 2203473 A1 CA2203473 A1 CA 2203473A1 CA 002203473 A CA002203473 A CA 002203473A CA 2203473 A CA2203473 A CA 2203473A CA 2203473 A1 CA2203473 A1 CA 2203473A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- display
- text message
- telephone terminal
- symbols
- message
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
- H04M1/72—Mobile telephones; Cordless telephones, i.e. devices for establishing wireless links to base stations without route selection
- H04M1/724—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
- H04M1/72403—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
- H04M1/7243—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality with interactive means for internal management of messages
- H04M1/72436—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality with interactive means for internal management of messages for text messaging, e.g. SMS or e-mail
Abstract
A user of a telephone terminal with an interactive display is provided with easy access to messages received by the terminal from a service provider.
When a message is received by the terminal, a plurality of symbols in the display and indicative of a number of selectable features accessible for display by the user is increased by one for including the message among the selectable features. The selectable features are similarly increased. After the receipt of the message, the selectable feature that represents the received message is prominently displayed in the display. The user is then able to view the message by advantageously pressing only a single button on the terminal. Also, the user is alerted by both audible and visual alerting signals once the message is received from the service provider.
When a message is received by the terminal, a plurality of symbols in the display and indicative of a number of selectable features accessible for display by the user is increased by one for including the message among the selectable features. The selectable features are similarly increased. After the receipt of the message, the selectable feature that represents the received message is prominently displayed in the display. The user is then able to view the message by advantageously pressing only a single button on the terminal. Also, the user is alerted by both audible and visual alerting signals once the message is received from the service provider.
Description
USER INTERFACE FOR ACCESSING MESSAGES
AT A TELEPHONE TERMINAL
Background of the Invention 1. Technical Field This invention is directed to telephone terminals and more particularly, to a telephone terminal configurable by a user for accessing messages available at the terminal through an interactive display arrangement.
AT A TELEPHONE TERMINAL
Background of the Invention 1. Technical Field This invention is directed to telephone terminals and more particularly, to a telephone terminal configurable by a user for accessing messages available at the terminal through an interactive display arrangement.
2. Description of the Prior Art Current trends in the design of telephone terminals indicate that more 10 and more of telephone functionality is being integrated into the telephone display on the terminal. For example, information as to features available on the display has migrated from light emitting diodes (LEDs) to the display, and local additions such as directories, incoming caller information and the like, are all migrating to the display.
The technology presently in use in telephone displays is character-based liquid crystal device (LCD) displays. These displays are configured in various array sizes such as, for example, a 2 line by 10 character LCD display, a 3 line by 12character LCD display and even a 4 line by 12 character LCD display. In order to be artfully incorporated into the telephone housing of some telephone terminals, by way of example, the recently introduced AT&T 3760 and 3770 wireless telephone terminals, these displays tend to be small, typically on the order of one inch in height. Also, in order to provide a reasonable number of characters for information such as caller information and directory access information, a small font size for the characters is generally used.
Wireless telephone terminals have evolved to a state where they now permit reception and storage of short messages for access by a user at his or her convenience. Such short message capability has traditionally been provided in paging devices, which alert the user upon receipt of a new message through beeping, vibrating and the like. Since in these devices this message function is usually the 30 only one provided, the user simply presses a button whenever he or she wishes to view the messages, which are typically in the form of numbers.
Most wireless telephone terminals employ a user interface for assisting a user to access features, such as a directory therein, and also perform specific functions by interacting with information shown in the telephone display on the terminal. Examples of user interfaces in such telephone terminals are found in copending and commonly assigned US patent applications, serial number 08/559516 and 08/559517, both filed on November lS, l99S. Typically, the user interface in a full featured wireless telephone terminal is arranged to provide many features and functions for the user of the telephone terminal. It is therefore desirable that the short message capability be incorporated in a telephone terminal in a manner that S provides the user with full, easy access to his or her messages without reducing the ease in which the user accesses those existing features and functions already available on such telephone terminal.
Summary of the Invention The prior art problem is solved in accordance with the present invention 10 by providing a user of a telephone terminal with an interactive display through which easy access to messages received by the telephone terminal from a service provider is available for the user.
When a message is received by the telephone terminal, in accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a plurality of symbols in the display and lS indicative of a number of selectable features accessible for display by a user is increased by one for including the message among the selectable features, whose number is similarly increased.
After the receipt of the message and in accordance with a second aspect of the invention, the selectable feature that represents the received message is20 prominently displayed in the display. The user may then easily view the message by pressing only a single button on the telephone terminal. Also, the user is alerted by both audible and visual alerting signals once the message is received from the service provider.
Brief Description of the Drawing This invention and its mode of operation will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description when read with the appended drawing in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a wireless telephone terminal and a base unit, the telephone terminal being usable for incorporating the present invention;
FIG. 2 illustrates the telephone terminal of FIG. 1 including a user interactive display displaying a first menu screen accessible in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 3 illustrates the telephone terminal of FIG. 1 including a user interactive display displaying a second menu screen accessible in accordance with 35 the present invention;
FIGs. 4 through 6 are flow charts of a first embodiment of the invention illustrating some of the display screens provided by the circuitry shown in FIG. 1 and also illustrating how movement between these display screens is achieved, inaccordance with the invention; and FIGs. 7 through 9 are flow charts of a second embodiment of the invention illustrating some of the display screens provided by the circuitry shown in FIG. 1 and also illustrating how movement between these display screens is achieved, in accordance with the invention.
Throughout the drawing, the same elements when shown in more than 10 one figure are designated by the same reference numerals.
Detailed Description Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown an illustrative block diagram of a wireless telephone terminal 100 useful for describing the operation of the present invention. The telephone terminal is configured so that incoming messages from a15 service provider may be received from a base station or unit 120 and accessed or stored, as appropliate. A user of the terminal is alerted to the receipt of each of these messages and also provided easy access to these messages through a user interface 200, described in detail later herein.
The terminal includes an input/output (I/O) interface unit 110 which 20 connects to a radio frequency (RF) transceiver 111 containing a transmitter and receiver for providing communications in, by way of illustrative example, a cellular radio system.
Various types of cellular radio systems are known in the art and have been otherwise described. Once such system is described in The Bell System 25 Technical Journal, Volume 58, January 1979, Number 1, particularly in papers entitled "Advanced Mobile Phone Service: Introduction, Background and Objectives" by W. R. Young and "The Cellular Concept" by V. H. MacDonald.
The RF transceiver 111 also may provide communications suitable for operating in a cordless telephone system. Such a cordless telephone system is 30 described in United States Patents 4,706,274 and 5,044,010, for example.
This I/O interface unit 110 contains switching and control circuits required by the terminal 100 for establishing, maintaining and termin~ting RF
communications connections between terminal 100 and base unit 120. Through these circuits and via antennas 115 and 125, the terminal 100 thus sends to and 35 receives the applopliate signals, including the incoming messages, from the base unit via the RF transceiver 111.
The terminal 100 also includes a program memory 112 which provides instructions to a central processor unit (CPU) 113 for controlling the various operating features and functions originating at the terminal. This program memory 112 contains data for interpreting a plurality of codes representative ofS various control signals received from the base unit 120 and for generating codes to be transmitted to the base unit 120. A data memory 114 is utilized by the CPU 113 for storing and accessing data associated with performing the various functions and features programmed in the program memory 1 12. In the described embodiment, CPU 113 is a microprocessor, program memory 112 is a read-only-memory (ROM) 10 and data memory 114 is a random-access-memory (RAM). These components are readily available from a number of semiconductor manufacturers such as Intel, Motorola, AMD and NEC. Connected to the interface unit 110 is a user interface 200, the physical aspects of which are shown in greater detail in FIG. 2.
A messaging service is advantageously employed in a wireless system 15 since a user or subscriber of a wireless telephone terminal may not be available when a caller attempts to reach him or her through a regular wireless telephone call.Through use of the messaging service, the caller is able to leave a short message that will be received by the subscriber when he or she "resurfaces" or becomes available at the telephone terminal. A messaging service known as Short Message Service 20 (SMS) is presently available from AT&T Corp. in the AT&T AUTOPLEX (R) System- 1000.
The SMS message is a feature that is incorporated in a message center (not shown) that is part of the overall cellular system. In achieving the SMS
message feature, the message center provides a voice mail functionality which 25 enables the message center to play an announcement that pron~ a caller to leave a SMS message. A store and forward functionality also is provided in the message center. This store and forward functionality enables the message center to forward the SMS message to the telephone terminal at the approp,iate time for conveying it to the user of the telephone terminal.
In order to suitably illustrate the SMS feature, the following descriptive operation for this feature is provided.
1. A caller from a wireless telephone terminal or a land-based station makes a call to a subscriber with a wireless telephone terminal who subscribes to the SMS feature.
2. The SMS subscriber's telephone terminal alerts the subscriber, but for some reason, the subscriber does not answer. If the subscriber is made aware of the incoming call and wishes to reroute the call to ~ CA 02203473 1997-04-23 the message center, the subscriber needs only to press a send key 224 on the telephone terminal. Alternatively, if the telephone terminal of the subscriber happens to be in the OFF state when the call is made, the call is automatically rerouted to the message center.
The technology presently in use in telephone displays is character-based liquid crystal device (LCD) displays. These displays are configured in various array sizes such as, for example, a 2 line by 10 character LCD display, a 3 line by 12character LCD display and even a 4 line by 12 character LCD display. In order to be artfully incorporated into the telephone housing of some telephone terminals, by way of example, the recently introduced AT&T 3760 and 3770 wireless telephone terminals, these displays tend to be small, typically on the order of one inch in height. Also, in order to provide a reasonable number of characters for information such as caller information and directory access information, a small font size for the characters is generally used.
Wireless telephone terminals have evolved to a state where they now permit reception and storage of short messages for access by a user at his or her convenience. Such short message capability has traditionally been provided in paging devices, which alert the user upon receipt of a new message through beeping, vibrating and the like. Since in these devices this message function is usually the 30 only one provided, the user simply presses a button whenever he or she wishes to view the messages, which are typically in the form of numbers.
Most wireless telephone terminals employ a user interface for assisting a user to access features, such as a directory therein, and also perform specific functions by interacting with information shown in the telephone display on the terminal. Examples of user interfaces in such telephone terminals are found in copending and commonly assigned US patent applications, serial number 08/559516 and 08/559517, both filed on November lS, l99S. Typically, the user interface in a full featured wireless telephone terminal is arranged to provide many features and functions for the user of the telephone terminal. It is therefore desirable that the short message capability be incorporated in a telephone terminal in a manner that S provides the user with full, easy access to his or her messages without reducing the ease in which the user accesses those existing features and functions already available on such telephone terminal.
Summary of the Invention The prior art problem is solved in accordance with the present invention 10 by providing a user of a telephone terminal with an interactive display through which easy access to messages received by the telephone terminal from a service provider is available for the user.
When a message is received by the telephone terminal, in accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a plurality of symbols in the display and lS indicative of a number of selectable features accessible for display by a user is increased by one for including the message among the selectable features, whose number is similarly increased.
After the receipt of the message and in accordance with a second aspect of the invention, the selectable feature that represents the received message is20 prominently displayed in the display. The user may then easily view the message by pressing only a single button on the telephone terminal. Also, the user is alerted by both audible and visual alerting signals once the message is received from the service provider.
Brief Description of the Drawing This invention and its mode of operation will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description when read with the appended drawing in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a wireless telephone terminal and a base unit, the telephone terminal being usable for incorporating the present invention;
FIG. 2 illustrates the telephone terminal of FIG. 1 including a user interactive display displaying a first menu screen accessible in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 3 illustrates the telephone terminal of FIG. 1 including a user interactive display displaying a second menu screen accessible in accordance with 35 the present invention;
FIGs. 4 through 6 are flow charts of a first embodiment of the invention illustrating some of the display screens provided by the circuitry shown in FIG. 1 and also illustrating how movement between these display screens is achieved, inaccordance with the invention; and FIGs. 7 through 9 are flow charts of a second embodiment of the invention illustrating some of the display screens provided by the circuitry shown in FIG. 1 and also illustrating how movement between these display screens is achieved, in accordance with the invention.
Throughout the drawing, the same elements when shown in more than 10 one figure are designated by the same reference numerals.
Detailed Description Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown an illustrative block diagram of a wireless telephone terminal 100 useful for describing the operation of the present invention. The telephone terminal is configured so that incoming messages from a15 service provider may be received from a base station or unit 120 and accessed or stored, as appropliate. A user of the terminal is alerted to the receipt of each of these messages and also provided easy access to these messages through a user interface 200, described in detail later herein.
The terminal includes an input/output (I/O) interface unit 110 which 20 connects to a radio frequency (RF) transceiver 111 containing a transmitter and receiver for providing communications in, by way of illustrative example, a cellular radio system.
Various types of cellular radio systems are known in the art and have been otherwise described. Once such system is described in The Bell System 25 Technical Journal, Volume 58, January 1979, Number 1, particularly in papers entitled "Advanced Mobile Phone Service: Introduction, Background and Objectives" by W. R. Young and "The Cellular Concept" by V. H. MacDonald.
The RF transceiver 111 also may provide communications suitable for operating in a cordless telephone system. Such a cordless telephone system is 30 described in United States Patents 4,706,274 and 5,044,010, for example.
This I/O interface unit 110 contains switching and control circuits required by the terminal 100 for establishing, maintaining and termin~ting RF
communications connections between terminal 100 and base unit 120. Through these circuits and via antennas 115 and 125, the terminal 100 thus sends to and 35 receives the applopliate signals, including the incoming messages, from the base unit via the RF transceiver 111.
The terminal 100 also includes a program memory 112 which provides instructions to a central processor unit (CPU) 113 for controlling the various operating features and functions originating at the terminal. This program memory 112 contains data for interpreting a plurality of codes representative ofS various control signals received from the base unit 120 and for generating codes to be transmitted to the base unit 120. A data memory 114 is utilized by the CPU 113 for storing and accessing data associated with performing the various functions and features programmed in the program memory 1 12. In the described embodiment, CPU 113 is a microprocessor, program memory 112 is a read-only-memory (ROM) 10 and data memory 114 is a random-access-memory (RAM). These components are readily available from a number of semiconductor manufacturers such as Intel, Motorola, AMD and NEC. Connected to the interface unit 110 is a user interface 200, the physical aspects of which are shown in greater detail in FIG. 2.
A messaging service is advantageously employed in a wireless system 15 since a user or subscriber of a wireless telephone terminal may not be available when a caller attempts to reach him or her through a regular wireless telephone call.Through use of the messaging service, the caller is able to leave a short message that will be received by the subscriber when he or she "resurfaces" or becomes available at the telephone terminal. A messaging service known as Short Message Service 20 (SMS) is presently available from AT&T Corp. in the AT&T AUTOPLEX (R) System- 1000.
The SMS message is a feature that is incorporated in a message center (not shown) that is part of the overall cellular system. In achieving the SMS
message feature, the message center provides a voice mail functionality which 25 enables the message center to play an announcement that pron~ a caller to leave a SMS message. A store and forward functionality also is provided in the message center. This store and forward functionality enables the message center to forward the SMS message to the telephone terminal at the approp,iate time for conveying it to the user of the telephone terminal.
In order to suitably illustrate the SMS feature, the following descriptive operation for this feature is provided.
1. A caller from a wireless telephone terminal or a land-based station makes a call to a subscriber with a wireless telephone terminal who subscribes to the SMS feature.
2. The SMS subscriber's telephone terminal alerts the subscriber, but for some reason, the subscriber does not answer. If the subscriber is made aware of the incoming call and wishes to reroute the call to ~ CA 02203473 1997-04-23 the message center, the subscriber needs only to press a send key 224 on the telephone terminal. Alternatively, if the telephone terminal of the subscriber happens to be in the OFF state when the call is made, the call is automatically rerouted to the message center.
3. When the call is received at the message center, the message center greets the caller and makes a suitable announcement such as:
Please press 1 if you would like to leave a Spoken Voice Message, or Please press 2 if you would like to have your Party Paged, or Please press 3 if you would like to leave a Short Alphanumeric Message.
Please press 1 if you would like to leave a Spoken Voice Message, or Please press 2 if you would like to have your Party Paged, or Please press 3 if you would like to leave a Short Alphanumeric Message.
4. If the caller presses " 1", and chooses to leave a Spoken Voice Message, then the caller is prompter to do so "at the tone."
The called party is then appraised of pending voice messages via voice mail notification or Message Waiting indication. The called party is then expected to call into the voice mail notification and access the voice mail.
The called party is then appraised of pending voice messages via voice mail notification or Message Waiting indication. The called party is then expected to call into the voice mail notification and access the voice mail.
5. If the caller presses "2", and chooses to have his or her party paged, then the caller is prompted to enter via the keypad a "Reach Me" number. This will be delivered for display as, for example, "Please call 234-5678" when the called party resurfaces and responds to a page. The called party is then expected to call the "Reach Me" number.
6. If the caller presses "3", and chooses to leave a personalized Short Alphanumeric Message, then the caller is connected to a human attendant, who will transcribe the message into text which will be less than or equal to 30 characters. This text is then stored at the message center.
7. When the called party resurfaces, a home location register (not shown) in the cellular system notifies the message center.
8. The message center forwards the SMS/Paging information to the SMS subscriber.
9. For the SMS subscriber whose telephone terminal is in the idle state, the SMS/Paging information is conveyed to the telephone terminal and an alerting signal is generated in the terminal.
This alerting signal times out after about three seconds after the SMS/Paging message is sent to the telephone terrninal.
This alerting signal times out after about three seconds after the SMS/Paging message is sent to the telephone terrninal.
10. For the SMS subscriber whose telephone terminal is in the talk state, and if that telephone is an analog telephone, then a type of call waiting is invoked which allows the called party to receive an indication of the SMS/Paging information at the terminal. If the telephone terminal is a digital telephone, i.e., code division multiple access (CDMA) or time division multiple access (TDMA), then the SMS/Paging signal is received in the terminal independent of the state of the terminal.
Beep tones are provided to the SMS subscriber, thus bringing attention to this delivery.
l l. While the telephone terminal is in either the idle or talk state, the subscriber is able to view the SMS/Paging message.
With reference now to FIG. 2, the user interface 200 comprises a user interactive display 210 which includes a number of screen display symbols. Such screen display symbols include a battery level symbol 211, an on-calllno-servicesymbol 212, a system indicator 213, a signal strength symbol 214, and a voice mail 15 waiting symbol 216.
The battery level symbol 211 consists of five battery icons or symbols for showing the battery power level. At full charge, all symbols are filled in. As the battery loses power, the filled-in part of each one of the symbols is removed leaving the symbol outline. When only one filled-in symbol remains, it is an indication to 20 the user to recharge the battery. The on-call/no-service symbol 212 is displayed when a telephone call is in progress. The handset with a diagonal slash appears in this service symbol when telephone service is not available. The system indicator 213 identifies the type of system in which the telephone terminal 100 is being used. For example, in a cellular system, an "A" or "B" symbol is displayed.
25 The signal strength symbol 214 provides an indication of the received signal strength. This symbol is largest when the received signal is strong and becomes smaller as the received signal becomes weaker. The voice mail waiting symbol 216appears when the user has a voice mail message waiting.
The user interactive display 210 also includes a menu level indicator 30 215. This menu level indicator includes a number of symbols comprising rectangularly outlined boxes aligned in a column on a side of the screen display.
Menu options or selectable features accessible for display and other information, to be described later herein, are provided by the one or more filled-in rectangular boxes.
When a menu option is being displayed on the menu screen, only one rectangular 35 box is filled in for reflecting that option. The menu level indicator 215 informs a user as to how many menu options are available by displaying a colTesponding number of vertically aligned rectangular boxes. The menu level indicator 215 also informs a user just which one of the menu options is currently active by darkening or filling in the one rectangular box associated with that menu screen option.
Also shown in the user interface 200 is a set of menu keys or buttons which provides, in accordance with the disclosed embodiment, quick access to all of 5 the features of the telephone terminal with just a few key presses of these menu keys.
The menu keys include a "Back" key 221, a "Select" key 222, a "Next" key 223 anda "Home" key 225. Other well-known keys or buttons: a "Send" key 224, an "End"
key 226 and a "Power" key 227, as well as others illustrated in the form of a dial pad, are also part of the telephone terminal shown in FIG. 2 but are conventional keys and 10 need not be described in detail herein.
The Back key 221 allows a user to back up menu screen by menu screen. The Select key 222 selects the feature which is being displayed on the bottom line of the screen. The Next key 223 allows a user to go forward menu screen by menu screen. The Send key 224 and the End key 226 are conventional keys 15 which, in a cellular system, are used to respectively send a just-entered or stored telephone number to a base unit and to terminate an established conversation. The Home key 225 is used to return a user to the original starting screen in the plurality of display screens. The Power key 227 provides operating power to the telephone terminal in a conventional manner.
The screen display changes dynamically as the user performs functions and makes selections via the Select key 222. Shown in the display 210 is just one menu screen in the hierarchically arranged menu. The illustrated entry is that of the original starting screen or the "Last Number" dialed which is conveniently provided for a user whenever the telephone terminal is turned ON from an OFF state or 25 returned to its standby state after the user presses the End key 226, terminating a telephone call.
With reference next to FIG. 3, there is shown portions of the user interface 200, shown in FIG. 1, including screen display symbols 211 through 215provided in a screen display 310. This "Text Msg." screen shown in display 310 of 30 FIG. 4 and in modified form in display 540 of FIG. 5 is described in detail later herein.
While the embodiment of the present invention is illustratively described as incorporated into a wireless telephone terminal, it should be recognized that the present command-operated terminal could be utilized in other program-35 controlled systems such as wired telephone terminals. Since such systems utilize avariety of hardware and programming techniques, no attempt is made to describe the details of the program used to control the telephone terminal. However, the present invention must be blended into the overall structure of the system in which it is used and must be tailored to mesh with other features and operations of the system. Thus, in order to avoid confusion and in order to enable those skilled in the art to practice the claimed invention, this specification will describe the operation of the present 5 invention using the telephone terminal 100 shown in both FIGs.l and 2; the display screens shown in FIGs. 2 and 3; and the display screen flow diagrams of FIGs.4 through 8 which, taken together, describe the logical steps and the various parameters required to implement the present invention.
Referring next to FIG.4, there is shown a flow chart for illustrating 10 some of the display screens provided by the circuitry in FIG.l and produced in the interactive display in the same manner as illustratively shown in display 210 inFIG. 2 and display 310 in FIG. 3. These display screens, along with those shown in FIGs.S and 6, are illustratively embodied in a 2-line by 10 character LCD display.
The sequence in which these display screens are provided is indicated by the flow 15 chart, and is shown in sufficient detail to permit one skilled in the art to duplicate the circuitry of FIG.l, either by programming a microprocessor or by special purposelogic circuitry such as is available in a digital signal processor.
The simplicity of the user interface is that all features illustrated by the display screens of FIG. 4 are accessible through the use of three keys--Select, Back, 20 and Next. When the telephone terminal 100 is turned ON from an OFF state, themenu feature option, i.e., screen label Last Number, as shown in display 210 in both FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, appears in the display on the bottom line and the menu level indicator shows the outlines of five vertically aligned symbols or rectangular boxes with the outline of the top box being shaded or filled in. The user of the telephone 25 terminal is thus informed when viewing the menu level indicator that the current display in the terminal is the top choice of a 5-choice menu.
The flow chart in FIG. 4 shows how an incoming message arrives in the telephone terminal while the terminal is in the idle state. As the message arrives in the terminal, the terminal alerts the user with a series of two beeps and the words 30 "Text Message" appears in screen display 420. Also, the display alternates between displaying the screen display 420 and the screen display 430 while the message is being received. Once the alerting is complete and in accordance with the disclosed embodiment, the menu grows or increases by one from the 5-choice menu to a 6-choice menu and the words "Text Msg" appears in screen display 310. Also an "M"
35 Icon light flashes in the screen display 310.
_ 9 _ Once a message has arrived and the user desires to access this message, the user simply presses the Select key 222 to view a message log which contains not only the recently received message but also any previously stored and not deleted messages, typically up to ten. By pressing the select key 222, the user is taken5 directly to the message screen display 654 which shows the most recently received message. The user, at this point, is also able to view other messages in the message log, as desired. Once the user has completed viewing the desired portion of the message log, such process being described later herein with reference to FIG. 6, the user is automatically returned to the home screen or Last Number display 210. Such 10 a process also is described in US Patent Number 5,371,788 which issued on December 6, 1994. When the user is returned to the home screen, the temporary "Text Msg" option is removed until another new message arrives.
Referring next to FIG. 5, there is shown a flow chart for illustrating some of the display screens provided by the circuitry in FIG. 1 and produced in the 15 interactive display in the same manner as illustratively shown in display 210 in FIG. 2 and display 310 in FIG. 3. The flow chart of FIG. 5 is of display screenswhich are displayed when an incoming message is received and the telephone terminal is in the on-call state.
Before the message arrives in the terminal, the "Directory" screen shown 20 in display 510 along with a timer, whose digits reflect elapsed minutes and seconds on a call, is provided to the user. Once 60 minutes have elapsed, the timer is configured to also show the hours spent on a call. As the message arrives in theterminal, the terminal alerts the user with a series of two beeps and the words "Text Message" appears in screen display 520. Also, the display alternates between 25 displaying the screen display 520 and the screen display 530 while the message is being received. Once the alerting is complete and in accordance with the disclosed embodiment, the menu level indicator grows or increases by one from the 5-choicemenu to a 6-choice menu and the words "Text Msg" appears in screen display 540.
Also an "M" Icon light flashes in the screen display 540 and the time for which a 30 user has been on a call is again shown in this screen display.
Once a message has arrived and the user desires to access this message, the user simply presses the Select key 222 to view the message log. By pressing the select key 222, the user is taken directly to the message screen display 654 which shows the most recently received message. The "Text Msg." option is provided as 35 the top or first menu choice until the user views the new message. Once the "Text Msg." section of the terminal is entered through the menu, the menu returns to five choices and the "M" icon is turned off. Such operation is applicable while the terminal is in both the idle state and the on-call state.
The user may also navigate into the message log via the normal menu at any time. With reference next to FIG. 6, there is shown a flow chart for illustrating some of the display screens provided by the circuitry in FIG. 1 and produced in the 5 interactive display in the same manner as illustratively shown in display 210 in FIG. 2 and display 310 in FIG. 3. The sequence in which these display screens are provided is indicated by the flow chart, and is shown in sufficient detail to permit one skilled in the art to duplicate the circuitry of FIG. 1, either by programming a microprocessor or by special purpose logic circuitry such as is available in a digital 10 signal processor.
Referring next to FIG. 6, there is shown the simple steps that a user of the telephone terminal 100 takes in moving from the Last Number display 210 to the Call Log display 640, selecting this display and then moving among the sub-displays 641 through 644 in this menu choice. To move to the Call Log feature from 15 the display screen 210, as well as to other features within the telephone terminal, the user uses the Next key and combinations of the Next key and the Select key to access each of the telephone features illustrated in the multiple display screens.
As easily understood and with reference to FIG. 6, the Next key allows the user to move through equal-level menu choices, and the menu level indicator 20 allows the user to determine which one of the menu choices is currently beingviewed. As the user repeatedly presses the Next key 223, shown in FIG. 2, the menu choice changes from Last number as shown in display 210 to "Directory" as shown in display 620; then to "Locks" as shown in display 630; next to "Call Log" as shown in display 640; and finally to "Setup" as shown in display 660. As each choice is 25 viewed, a corresponding one of the vertically aligned array of rectangular boxes is filled in to allow the user to determine just where he or she is while navigating within the menu. By way of illustrative examples, for the Directory display 620, the second rectangular box from the top is filled in; for the Locks display 630, the third rectangular box from the top is filled in; for the Call Log display 640, the fourth 30 rectangular box from the top is filled in; and finally, for the Setup display 660, the fifth rectangular box from the top is filled in. An additional press of the Nextkey 223 returns the user to the top Last Number display 210, and once again the top rectangular box in the vertical aligned array of rectangular boxes is filled in.Although all are not shown, each one of the equal level menu choices 35 represented by menu screen displays 210, 620, 630, 640 and 660 provide a number of selectable optional screens that may be selected by the user of the telephoneterminal 100. Once the user of the telephone terminal has decided which menu choice he or she wishes to explore, the Next key 223 is used to place that choice on the bottom line of the display and the Select key 222 is pressed.
By way of illustrative example and by using the selectable option screens shown in FIG. 6, by pressing the Select key 222 while at the display 640, 5 which represents the call log option as a menu choice, the Call Log displays 641 through 644 are selected for display. Thus, when the call log option is specifically selected as a menu choice, the display is configured at the top choice of a 4-choice menu, which includes displays 641, 642, 643, and 644. In this operative example, as the user repeatedly presses the Next key 223, the display moves downward through10 these equal-level menu choices and the viewed menu choice changes from "Call Log Outgoing" as shown in display 641 to "Call Log Incoming" as shown in display 642;
then to "Call Log Timer" as shown in display 643; and finally to "Call Log ScratchPad" as shown in display 644. Sequentially pressing the Next key while ateither of displays 641 through 644 causes the terminal to cycle between these four 15 displays and the display level indicator informs the user which one of the menu choices is being viewed by displaying a filled-in one of four vertically alignedrectangular boxes that are respectively associated with these menu choices.
A group of submenu choices are available from the Call Log Incoming display 642. By pressing the Select key 222 while at the display 642, which 20 represents the incoming call log as a menu choice, the Call Log Incoming displays 650 through 652 are selected for display. When the Incoming Text Msg.
log option is specifically selected as a menu choice, the display is configured as the top choice of a three choice menu, which includes displays 650, 551 and 652. Andthe menu level indicator allows the user to determine which one of the menu choices 25 is currently being viewed. In this operative example, as the user repeatedly presses the Next key 223, the display moves across through these equal-level menu choices and the viewed menu choice changes from "Incoming Text Msg." as shown in display 650 to "Incoming Receive Call" as shown in display 661; and finally to "Incoming Unanswered" as shown in display 652. As each choice is entered, the 30 menu level indicator allows the user to determine which one of the menu choices is currently being viewed by displaying a filled-in one of three vertically alignedrectangular boxes.
From the incoming Text Msg. screen 650, a user is able to view each one of the last ten messages received in the order of last received, first viewed. Thus 35 a user may press the select key 222 and view the most recently received message in, for example, display screen 654. While at this screen, the user may either go to and view the next received message which is available at display screen 655 by pressing the Next key 223 or store the number being provided in this message by pressing the Select key 222 and advancing to the store number screen 655. Each of the Incoming Text Msg. display screens 654 and 656 through 659 are accessed in the same manner through pressing the Next key 223. By pressing "Select" the user is provided the5 options of Storing the number, Seeing a long number and Sending DTMF tones to the far end. Such operation is described in copending US application serial No.
08/559516.
If a user presses "Send" while viewing, or attempts to store a number from a message, the phone will look for the longest digit string possibly starting with 10 a "(", containing only digits, ")", or "-", whose length is a minimum of 1 up to the greatest number of contiguous digits. A number string will not be dialed or stored if there is other punctuation such as a ":" or less than 1 digit available. If there are two strings of equal length, the first string will be dialed/stored.
FIG. 6 also shows the use of the Back key 221 and how a user, while at 15 either of displays 654 through 659, is able to back up from each of these displays, to the Incoming Text Msg. display 650. Although not specifically illustrated in FIG. 6, the Back Key 221 similarly allows a user to back up from each one of the illustrated displays and on to the Last Number display 210 and such operation is specifically intended. Moreover, just as the operation invoked by a user in pressing the Next20 key 223 is reflected in one of the vertically aligned rectangular boxes being filled in, the operation of the display through the Back key 221 also causes the appropliate one of of the vertically aligned rectangular boxes to be filled in.
Referring next to FIGs. 7 through 9, there are shown flow charts of an alternative embodiment of the invention which is embodied in a 3-line by 12-25 character LCD character display. The sequence in which these display screens are provided is indicated by the flow charts, and is shown in sufficient detail to permit one skilled in the art to duplicate the circuitry of FIG. 1, either by programming a microprocessor or by special purpose logic circuitry such as is available in a digital s1gnal processor.
The flow chart depicted in FIG. 7 shows how an incoming message arrives in the telephone terminal while the terminal is in the idle state, in which the "Last Number" appears in screen display 710 is being displayed. As the message arrives, the terminal alerts the user with a series of two beeps and the words "New Message", "Text Message", and a local mail envelope all appear in screen display 720. Also, the display alternates between displaying the screen display 720 and the screen display 730 while the message is being received. The effect of alternating between these two screens is that the words "New Message" appear to flash on the top line of the display screen, alerting the user of the presence of an incoming text message.
During the alerting and after the alerting is complete and in accordance with the disclosed embodiment, the menu level indicator grows or increases by one 5 from the 6-choice menu to a 7-choice menu. Also, the words "Text Message" and the local mail envelope are shown in screen display 740. Finally, an "M" Icon orlocal mail indicator also appears in screen display 740.
Once a message has arrived and the user desires to access this message, the user simply presses the Select key 222 to view a message log which contains not 10 only the recently received message but also any previously stored and not deleted messages, typically up to ten. By pressing the select key 222, the user is takendirectly to the message header screen display 954 which shows the first two lines of the most recently received message, as described in greater detail later herein with reference to FIG. 9.
Once the user has completed viewing the desired portion of the message log, the user is automatically returned to the home screen or "Last Number" screen display 710. When the user is returned to the home screen, the temporary "Text Message" option is removed until another new message arrives.
The flow chart depicted in FIG. 8 shows how an incoming message 20 arrives in the telephone terminal while the terminal is in the on-call state. Before the message arrives in the terminal, the "Scratch Pad" screen shown in display 810 along with a timer, whose digits reflect elapsed minutes and seconds on a call, is provided to the user. Once 60 minutes have elapsed, the timer is configured to also show the hours along with the minutes and seconds spent on a call.
As the message arrives, the terminal alerts the user with a series of two beeps and the words "New Message", "Text Message", and a local mail envelope allappear in screen display 820, along with the timer. Also, the display alternatesbetween displaying the screen display 820 and the screen display 830 while the message is being received. The effect of alternating between these two screens is 30 that the words "New Message" appear to flash on the top line of the display screen, alerting the user of the presence of an incoming text message.
During the alerting and after the alerting is complete and in accordance with the disclosed embodiment, the menu level indicator grows or increases by one from the 6-choice menu to a 7-choice menu. Also, the words "Text Message" and 35 the local mail envelope are shown in screen display 840. Finally, an "M" Icon or local mail indicator also appears in screen display 840.
Once a message has arrived and the user desires to access this message, the user simply presses the Select key 222 to view the message log. By pressing the select key 222, the user is taken directly to the message header screen display 954 which shows the first two lines of the most recently received message. The "Text5 Message" option is provided as the first or top menu choice until the user views the new message. Once the "Text Message" section of the menu is entered, the menu level indicator returns to six choices and the "M" icon and envelope are turned off.
Such operation is applicable while the terminal is in both the idle state and the on-call state.
In FIG. 9, some of the details of the message log provided in the 3-line by 12-character LCD character display are depicted. The flow chart depicted in FIG. 9 is similar in operation to the flow chart depicted in FIG. 6. This flow chart details those operational differences, in accordance with the disclosed embodiment, that are believed necessary to provide the desired clarity of operation.
The "Call Log Incoming" display 942, which is itself a sub-display, has a number of sub-displays. Thus, a user of the terminal may navigate to and select the Call Log Incoming display 942 and then move among sub-displays 950 through 952 in this menu choice. Sub-display 950 is an "Incoming Text Messages"
screen from which the screens 954, 959 and 960 are accessed. These screens, 20 screen 954, 959 and 960, are message header screens, each showing the first two lines of each message, with text which describe the message number.
As earlier indicated herein, by pressing the select key 222, the user is taken directly from the screen display 740, shown in FIG. 7, or the screen display 840, shown in FIG. 8, to the message header screen display 954 which shows 25 the first two lines of the most recently received message. The user, by simply going to specific message header screens, is able to view the first two lines of each of the messages in the message log, as desired. If the user chooses to view the contents of a message, he or she must press the "Select" key at a message header screen display, for example, display 954 to view screens 955 through 958 or display 960 to view 30 screens 961 through 963, which screens illustratively show the entire message for their respective message header screens.
While viewing the message header screens, the menu level indicator indicates, in accordance with the disclosed embodiment, the number of messages that are viewable and also provided in the display is a message which reflects the 35 number of the message being viewed. By way of example, if the user is viewing the header of message 1, the first or top-most symbol in the linear array comprising the menu level indicator is filled in or shaded and a message on the screen indicates that message I is being viewed. If the user presses the "Next" key while at this first message header screen, the second symbol from the top in the menu level indicator is filled in to reflect that the user is now viewing the header of message 2. And amessage appears on the screen indicating that the viewer is viewing the second 5 message. As many as ten menu level indicator symbols and message number indications may be shown in the display in this manner for reflecting a similar number of received messages and the particular message being viewed.
Once the user presses the "Select" key at, for example, screens 954 and 960, he or she is presented additional screens which show the entire contents of the 10 message and give the viewer of the message a choice to execute certain options (e.g., store or dial number presented in message). While reading the message screens, the menu level indicator depicts the number of pages for each message and the user uses the "Next" key to move through the pages of the message.
FIG. 9 also shows the use of the Back key 221 and how a user, while at 15 either of displays 950 through 953, is able to back up from each of these displays, to the Incoming Text Message display 950. Although all displays in the telephone terminal are not specifically illustrated in FIG. 9, the Back Key 221 allows a user to back up from each one of the illustrated displays as well as non-illustrated displays and on to a Last Number display such as display 210, shown in FIG. 6, or through a 20 similar path (not shown) on to the last number display 710, shown in FIG. 7, and such operation is specifically intended. Moreover, just as the operation invoked by a user in pressing the Next key 223 is reflected in one of the symbols or vertically aligned rectangular boxes being filled in, the operation of the display through the Back key 221 also causes the applopliate one of these symbols to be filled in.
What has been described is merely illustrative of the present invention.
Other applications to telephone, computer or other user-interactive systems other than the disclosed system are contemplated as being within the know!edge of one skilled in the art. By way of example, a 4 line by 12 character display also may be configured to be operable in accordance with the principles of the invention. Thus it 30 is to be understood that the disclosed user interface may be utilized in displays and applications, other than those specifically described herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Beep tones are provided to the SMS subscriber, thus bringing attention to this delivery.
l l. While the telephone terminal is in either the idle or talk state, the subscriber is able to view the SMS/Paging message.
With reference now to FIG. 2, the user interface 200 comprises a user interactive display 210 which includes a number of screen display symbols. Such screen display symbols include a battery level symbol 211, an on-calllno-servicesymbol 212, a system indicator 213, a signal strength symbol 214, and a voice mail 15 waiting symbol 216.
The battery level symbol 211 consists of five battery icons or symbols for showing the battery power level. At full charge, all symbols are filled in. As the battery loses power, the filled-in part of each one of the symbols is removed leaving the symbol outline. When only one filled-in symbol remains, it is an indication to 20 the user to recharge the battery. The on-call/no-service symbol 212 is displayed when a telephone call is in progress. The handset with a diagonal slash appears in this service symbol when telephone service is not available. The system indicator 213 identifies the type of system in which the telephone terminal 100 is being used. For example, in a cellular system, an "A" or "B" symbol is displayed.
25 The signal strength symbol 214 provides an indication of the received signal strength. This symbol is largest when the received signal is strong and becomes smaller as the received signal becomes weaker. The voice mail waiting symbol 216appears when the user has a voice mail message waiting.
The user interactive display 210 also includes a menu level indicator 30 215. This menu level indicator includes a number of symbols comprising rectangularly outlined boxes aligned in a column on a side of the screen display.
Menu options or selectable features accessible for display and other information, to be described later herein, are provided by the one or more filled-in rectangular boxes.
When a menu option is being displayed on the menu screen, only one rectangular 35 box is filled in for reflecting that option. The menu level indicator 215 informs a user as to how many menu options are available by displaying a colTesponding number of vertically aligned rectangular boxes. The menu level indicator 215 also informs a user just which one of the menu options is currently active by darkening or filling in the one rectangular box associated with that menu screen option.
Also shown in the user interface 200 is a set of menu keys or buttons which provides, in accordance with the disclosed embodiment, quick access to all of 5 the features of the telephone terminal with just a few key presses of these menu keys.
The menu keys include a "Back" key 221, a "Select" key 222, a "Next" key 223 anda "Home" key 225. Other well-known keys or buttons: a "Send" key 224, an "End"
key 226 and a "Power" key 227, as well as others illustrated in the form of a dial pad, are also part of the telephone terminal shown in FIG. 2 but are conventional keys and 10 need not be described in detail herein.
The Back key 221 allows a user to back up menu screen by menu screen. The Select key 222 selects the feature which is being displayed on the bottom line of the screen. The Next key 223 allows a user to go forward menu screen by menu screen. The Send key 224 and the End key 226 are conventional keys 15 which, in a cellular system, are used to respectively send a just-entered or stored telephone number to a base unit and to terminate an established conversation. The Home key 225 is used to return a user to the original starting screen in the plurality of display screens. The Power key 227 provides operating power to the telephone terminal in a conventional manner.
The screen display changes dynamically as the user performs functions and makes selections via the Select key 222. Shown in the display 210 is just one menu screen in the hierarchically arranged menu. The illustrated entry is that of the original starting screen or the "Last Number" dialed which is conveniently provided for a user whenever the telephone terminal is turned ON from an OFF state or 25 returned to its standby state after the user presses the End key 226, terminating a telephone call.
With reference next to FIG. 3, there is shown portions of the user interface 200, shown in FIG. 1, including screen display symbols 211 through 215provided in a screen display 310. This "Text Msg." screen shown in display 310 of 30 FIG. 4 and in modified form in display 540 of FIG. 5 is described in detail later herein.
While the embodiment of the present invention is illustratively described as incorporated into a wireless telephone terminal, it should be recognized that the present command-operated terminal could be utilized in other program-35 controlled systems such as wired telephone terminals. Since such systems utilize avariety of hardware and programming techniques, no attempt is made to describe the details of the program used to control the telephone terminal. However, the present invention must be blended into the overall structure of the system in which it is used and must be tailored to mesh with other features and operations of the system. Thus, in order to avoid confusion and in order to enable those skilled in the art to practice the claimed invention, this specification will describe the operation of the present 5 invention using the telephone terminal 100 shown in both FIGs.l and 2; the display screens shown in FIGs. 2 and 3; and the display screen flow diagrams of FIGs.4 through 8 which, taken together, describe the logical steps and the various parameters required to implement the present invention.
Referring next to FIG.4, there is shown a flow chart for illustrating 10 some of the display screens provided by the circuitry in FIG.l and produced in the interactive display in the same manner as illustratively shown in display 210 inFIG. 2 and display 310 in FIG. 3. These display screens, along with those shown in FIGs.S and 6, are illustratively embodied in a 2-line by 10 character LCD display.
The sequence in which these display screens are provided is indicated by the flow 15 chart, and is shown in sufficient detail to permit one skilled in the art to duplicate the circuitry of FIG.l, either by programming a microprocessor or by special purposelogic circuitry such as is available in a digital signal processor.
The simplicity of the user interface is that all features illustrated by the display screens of FIG. 4 are accessible through the use of three keys--Select, Back, 20 and Next. When the telephone terminal 100 is turned ON from an OFF state, themenu feature option, i.e., screen label Last Number, as shown in display 210 in both FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, appears in the display on the bottom line and the menu level indicator shows the outlines of five vertically aligned symbols or rectangular boxes with the outline of the top box being shaded or filled in. The user of the telephone 25 terminal is thus informed when viewing the menu level indicator that the current display in the terminal is the top choice of a 5-choice menu.
The flow chart in FIG. 4 shows how an incoming message arrives in the telephone terminal while the terminal is in the idle state. As the message arrives in the terminal, the terminal alerts the user with a series of two beeps and the words 30 "Text Message" appears in screen display 420. Also, the display alternates between displaying the screen display 420 and the screen display 430 while the message is being received. Once the alerting is complete and in accordance with the disclosed embodiment, the menu grows or increases by one from the 5-choice menu to a 6-choice menu and the words "Text Msg" appears in screen display 310. Also an "M"
35 Icon light flashes in the screen display 310.
_ 9 _ Once a message has arrived and the user desires to access this message, the user simply presses the Select key 222 to view a message log which contains not only the recently received message but also any previously stored and not deleted messages, typically up to ten. By pressing the select key 222, the user is taken5 directly to the message screen display 654 which shows the most recently received message. The user, at this point, is also able to view other messages in the message log, as desired. Once the user has completed viewing the desired portion of the message log, such process being described later herein with reference to FIG. 6, the user is automatically returned to the home screen or Last Number display 210. Such 10 a process also is described in US Patent Number 5,371,788 which issued on December 6, 1994. When the user is returned to the home screen, the temporary "Text Msg" option is removed until another new message arrives.
Referring next to FIG. 5, there is shown a flow chart for illustrating some of the display screens provided by the circuitry in FIG. 1 and produced in the 15 interactive display in the same manner as illustratively shown in display 210 in FIG. 2 and display 310 in FIG. 3. The flow chart of FIG. 5 is of display screenswhich are displayed when an incoming message is received and the telephone terminal is in the on-call state.
Before the message arrives in the terminal, the "Directory" screen shown 20 in display 510 along with a timer, whose digits reflect elapsed minutes and seconds on a call, is provided to the user. Once 60 minutes have elapsed, the timer is configured to also show the hours spent on a call. As the message arrives in theterminal, the terminal alerts the user with a series of two beeps and the words "Text Message" appears in screen display 520. Also, the display alternates between 25 displaying the screen display 520 and the screen display 530 while the message is being received. Once the alerting is complete and in accordance with the disclosed embodiment, the menu level indicator grows or increases by one from the 5-choicemenu to a 6-choice menu and the words "Text Msg" appears in screen display 540.
Also an "M" Icon light flashes in the screen display 540 and the time for which a 30 user has been on a call is again shown in this screen display.
Once a message has arrived and the user desires to access this message, the user simply presses the Select key 222 to view the message log. By pressing the select key 222, the user is taken directly to the message screen display 654 which shows the most recently received message. The "Text Msg." option is provided as 35 the top or first menu choice until the user views the new message. Once the "Text Msg." section of the terminal is entered through the menu, the menu returns to five choices and the "M" icon is turned off. Such operation is applicable while the terminal is in both the idle state and the on-call state.
The user may also navigate into the message log via the normal menu at any time. With reference next to FIG. 6, there is shown a flow chart for illustrating some of the display screens provided by the circuitry in FIG. 1 and produced in the 5 interactive display in the same manner as illustratively shown in display 210 in FIG. 2 and display 310 in FIG. 3. The sequence in which these display screens are provided is indicated by the flow chart, and is shown in sufficient detail to permit one skilled in the art to duplicate the circuitry of FIG. 1, either by programming a microprocessor or by special purpose logic circuitry such as is available in a digital 10 signal processor.
Referring next to FIG. 6, there is shown the simple steps that a user of the telephone terminal 100 takes in moving from the Last Number display 210 to the Call Log display 640, selecting this display and then moving among the sub-displays 641 through 644 in this menu choice. To move to the Call Log feature from 15 the display screen 210, as well as to other features within the telephone terminal, the user uses the Next key and combinations of the Next key and the Select key to access each of the telephone features illustrated in the multiple display screens.
As easily understood and with reference to FIG. 6, the Next key allows the user to move through equal-level menu choices, and the menu level indicator 20 allows the user to determine which one of the menu choices is currently beingviewed. As the user repeatedly presses the Next key 223, shown in FIG. 2, the menu choice changes from Last number as shown in display 210 to "Directory" as shown in display 620; then to "Locks" as shown in display 630; next to "Call Log" as shown in display 640; and finally to "Setup" as shown in display 660. As each choice is 25 viewed, a corresponding one of the vertically aligned array of rectangular boxes is filled in to allow the user to determine just where he or she is while navigating within the menu. By way of illustrative examples, for the Directory display 620, the second rectangular box from the top is filled in; for the Locks display 630, the third rectangular box from the top is filled in; for the Call Log display 640, the fourth 30 rectangular box from the top is filled in; and finally, for the Setup display 660, the fifth rectangular box from the top is filled in. An additional press of the Nextkey 223 returns the user to the top Last Number display 210, and once again the top rectangular box in the vertical aligned array of rectangular boxes is filled in.Although all are not shown, each one of the equal level menu choices 35 represented by menu screen displays 210, 620, 630, 640 and 660 provide a number of selectable optional screens that may be selected by the user of the telephoneterminal 100. Once the user of the telephone terminal has decided which menu choice he or she wishes to explore, the Next key 223 is used to place that choice on the bottom line of the display and the Select key 222 is pressed.
By way of illustrative example and by using the selectable option screens shown in FIG. 6, by pressing the Select key 222 while at the display 640, 5 which represents the call log option as a menu choice, the Call Log displays 641 through 644 are selected for display. Thus, when the call log option is specifically selected as a menu choice, the display is configured at the top choice of a 4-choice menu, which includes displays 641, 642, 643, and 644. In this operative example, as the user repeatedly presses the Next key 223, the display moves downward through10 these equal-level menu choices and the viewed menu choice changes from "Call Log Outgoing" as shown in display 641 to "Call Log Incoming" as shown in display 642;
then to "Call Log Timer" as shown in display 643; and finally to "Call Log ScratchPad" as shown in display 644. Sequentially pressing the Next key while ateither of displays 641 through 644 causes the terminal to cycle between these four 15 displays and the display level indicator informs the user which one of the menu choices is being viewed by displaying a filled-in one of four vertically alignedrectangular boxes that are respectively associated with these menu choices.
A group of submenu choices are available from the Call Log Incoming display 642. By pressing the Select key 222 while at the display 642, which 20 represents the incoming call log as a menu choice, the Call Log Incoming displays 650 through 652 are selected for display. When the Incoming Text Msg.
log option is specifically selected as a menu choice, the display is configured as the top choice of a three choice menu, which includes displays 650, 551 and 652. Andthe menu level indicator allows the user to determine which one of the menu choices 25 is currently being viewed. In this operative example, as the user repeatedly presses the Next key 223, the display moves across through these equal-level menu choices and the viewed menu choice changes from "Incoming Text Msg." as shown in display 650 to "Incoming Receive Call" as shown in display 661; and finally to "Incoming Unanswered" as shown in display 652. As each choice is entered, the 30 menu level indicator allows the user to determine which one of the menu choices is currently being viewed by displaying a filled-in one of three vertically alignedrectangular boxes.
From the incoming Text Msg. screen 650, a user is able to view each one of the last ten messages received in the order of last received, first viewed. Thus 35 a user may press the select key 222 and view the most recently received message in, for example, display screen 654. While at this screen, the user may either go to and view the next received message which is available at display screen 655 by pressing the Next key 223 or store the number being provided in this message by pressing the Select key 222 and advancing to the store number screen 655. Each of the Incoming Text Msg. display screens 654 and 656 through 659 are accessed in the same manner through pressing the Next key 223. By pressing "Select" the user is provided the5 options of Storing the number, Seeing a long number and Sending DTMF tones to the far end. Such operation is described in copending US application serial No.
08/559516.
If a user presses "Send" while viewing, or attempts to store a number from a message, the phone will look for the longest digit string possibly starting with 10 a "(", containing only digits, ")", or "-", whose length is a minimum of 1 up to the greatest number of contiguous digits. A number string will not be dialed or stored if there is other punctuation such as a ":" or less than 1 digit available. If there are two strings of equal length, the first string will be dialed/stored.
FIG. 6 also shows the use of the Back key 221 and how a user, while at 15 either of displays 654 through 659, is able to back up from each of these displays, to the Incoming Text Msg. display 650. Although not specifically illustrated in FIG. 6, the Back Key 221 similarly allows a user to back up from each one of the illustrated displays and on to the Last Number display 210 and such operation is specifically intended. Moreover, just as the operation invoked by a user in pressing the Next20 key 223 is reflected in one of the vertically aligned rectangular boxes being filled in, the operation of the display through the Back key 221 also causes the appropliate one of of the vertically aligned rectangular boxes to be filled in.
Referring next to FIGs. 7 through 9, there are shown flow charts of an alternative embodiment of the invention which is embodied in a 3-line by 12-25 character LCD character display. The sequence in which these display screens are provided is indicated by the flow charts, and is shown in sufficient detail to permit one skilled in the art to duplicate the circuitry of FIG. 1, either by programming a microprocessor or by special purpose logic circuitry such as is available in a digital s1gnal processor.
The flow chart depicted in FIG. 7 shows how an incoming message arrives in the telephone terminal while the terminal is in the idle state, in which the "Last Number" appears in screen display 710 is being displayed. As the message arrives, the terminal alerts the user with a series of two beeps and the words "New Message", "Text Message", and a local mail envelope all appear in screen display 720. Also, the display alternates between displaying the screen display 720 and the screen display 730 while the message is being received. The effect of alternating between these two screens is that the words "New Message" appear to flash on the top line of the display screen, alerting the user of the presence of an incoming text message.
During the alerting and after the alerting is complete and in accordance with the disclosed embodiment, the menu level indicator grows or increases by one 5 from the 6-choice menu to a 7-choice menu. Also, the words "Text Message" and the local mail envelope are shown in screen display 740. Finally, an "M" Icon orlocal mail indicator also appears in screen display 740.
Once a message has arrived and the user desires to access this message, the user simply presses the Select key 222 to view a message log which contains not 10 only the recently received message but also any previously stored and not deleted messages, typically up to ten. By pressing the select key 222, the user is takendirectly to the message header screen display 954 which shows the first two lines of the most recently received message, as described in greater detail later herein with reference to FIG. 9.
Once the user has completed viewing the desired portion of the message log, the user is automatically returned to the home screen or "Last Number" screen display 710. When the user is returned to the home screen, the temporary "Text Message" option is removed until another new message arrives.
The flow chart depicted in FIG. 8 shows how an incoming message 20 arrives in the telephone terminal while the terminal is in the on-call state. Before the message arrives in the terminal, the "Scratch Pad" screen shown in display 810 along with a timer, whose digits reflect elapsed minutes and seconds on a call, is provided to the user. Once 60 minutes have elapsed, the timer is configured to also show the hours along with the minutes and seconds spent on a call.
As the message arrives, the terminal alerts the user with a series of two beeps and the words "New Message", "Text Message", and a local mail envelope allappear in screen display 820, along with the timer. Also, the display alternatesbetween displaying the screen display 820 and the screen display 830 while the message is being received. The effect of alternating between these two screens is 30 that the words "New Message" appear to flash on the top line of the display screen, alerting the user of the presence of an incoming text message.
During the alerting and after the alerting is complete and in accordance with the disclosed embodiment, the menu level indicator grows or increases by one from the 6-choice menu to a 7-choice menu. Also, the words "Text Message" and 35 the local mail envelope are shown in screen display 840. Finally, an "M" Icon or local mail indicator also appears in screen display 840.
Once a message has arrived and the user desires to access this message, the user simply presses the Select key 222 to view the message log. By pressing the select key 222, the user is taken directly to the message header screen display 954 which shows the first two lines of the most recently received message. The "Text5 Message" option is provided as the first or top menu choice until the user views the new message. Once the "Text Message" section of the menu is entered, the menu level indicator returns to six choices and the "M" icon and envelope are turned off.
Such operation is applicable while the terminal is in both the idle state and the on-call state.
In FIG. 9, some of the details of the message log provided in the 3-line by 12-character LCD character display are depicted. The flow chart depicted in FIG. 9 is similar in operation to the flow chart depicted in FIG. 6. This flow chart details those operational differences, in accordance with the disclosed embodiment, that are believed necessary to provide the desired clarity of operation.
The "Call Log Incoming" display 942, which is itself a sub-display, has a number of sub-displays. Thus, a user of the terminal may navigate to and select the Call Log Incoming display 942 and then move among sub-displays 950 through 952 in this menu choice. Sub-display 950 is an "Incoming Text Messages"
screen from which the screens 954, 959 and 960 are accessed. These screens, 20 screen 954, 959 and 960, are message header screens, each showing the first two lines of each message, with text which describe the message number.
As earlier indicated herein, by pressing the select key 222, the user is taken directly from the screen display 740, shown in FIG. 7, or the screen display 840, shown in FIG. 8, to the message header screen display 954 which shows 25 the first two lines of the most recently received message. The user, by simply going to specific message header screens, is able to view the first two lines of each of the messages in the message log, as desired. If the user chooses to view the contents of a message, he or she must press the "Select" key at a message header screen display, for example, display 954 to view screens 955 through 958 or display 960 to view 30 screens 961 through 963, which screens illustratively show the entire message for their respective message header screens.
While viewing the message header screens, the menu level indicator indicates, in accordance with the disclosed embodiment, the number of messages that are viewable and also provided in the display is a message which reflects the 35 number of the message being viewed. By way of example, if the user is viewing the header of message 1, the first or top-most symbol in the linear array comprising the menu level indicator is filled in or shaded and a message on the screen indicates that message I is being viewed. If the user presses the "Next" key while at this first message header screen, the second symbol from the top in the menu level indicator is filled in to reflect that the user is now viewing the header of message 2. And amessage appears on the screen indicating that the viewer is viewing the second 5 message. As many as ten menu level indicator symbols and message number indications may be shown in the display in this manner for reflecting a similar number of received messages and the particular message being viewed.
Once the user presses the "Select" key at, for example, screens 954 and 960, he or she is presented additional screens which show the entire contents of the 10 message and give the viewer of the message a choice to execute certain options (e.g., store or dial number presented in message). While reading the message screens, the menu level indicator depicts the number of pages for each message and the user uses the "Next" key to move through the pages of the message.
FIG. 9 also shows the use of the Back key 221 and how a user, while at 15 either of displays 950 through 953, is able to back up from each of these displays, to the Incoming Text Message display 950. Although all displays in the telephone terminal are not specifically illustrated in FIG. 9, the Back Key 221 allows a user to back up from each one of the illustrated displays as well as non-illustrated displays and on to a Last Number display such as display 210, shown in FIG. 6, or through a 20 similar path (not shown) on to the last number display 710, shown in FIG. 7, and such operation is specifically intended. Moreover, just as the operation invoked by a user in pressing the Next key 223 is reflected in one of the symbols or vertically aligned rectangular boxes being filled in, the operation of the display through the Back key 221 also causes the applopliate one of these symbols to be filled in.
What has been described is merely illustrative of the present invention.
Other applications to telephone, computer or other user-interactive systems other than the disclosed system are contemplated as being within the know!edge of one skilled in the art. By way of example, a 4 line by 12 character display also may be configured to be operable in accordance with the principles of the invention. Thus it 30 is to be understood that the disclosed user interface may be utilized in displays and applications, other than those specifically described herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Claims (25)
1. An arrangement for configuring a telephone terminal for accessing a text message displayable at the terminal, the arrangement comprising:
means for receiving in said telephone terminal a text message from a base station;
means for providing in a display screen in said telephone terminal a plurality of symbols indicative of a number of selectable features accessible for display at a first one of a plurality of selectable levels; and configuring means responsive to receipt of the text message for increasing by one said plurality of symbols for including the received text message among said selectable features at said first one of the plurality of selectable levels.
means for receiving in said telephone terminal a text message from a base station;
means for providing in a display screen in said telephone terminal a plurality of symbols indicative of a number of selectable features accessible for display at a first one of a plurality of selectable levels; and configuring means responsive to receipt of the text message for increasing by one said plurality of symbols for including the received text message among said selectable features at said first one of the plurality of selectable levels.
2. The arrangement of claim 1 further including button means for accessing said received text message for viewing by a user of the telephone terminal, said received text message being accessed by a single button depression by said user.
3. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the plurality of symbols includes a linear array of like symbols for displaying in said display screen.
4. The arrangement of claim 3 wherein each one in the linear array of like symbols represents one within the number of selectable features accessible for display at each one of said plurality of selectable levels in the telephone terminal.
5. The arrangement of claim 3 wherein said linear array of like symbols comprises a vertically aligned array of boxes.
6. The arrangement of claim 4 wherein the configuring means distinctively configures one in the linear array of like symbols for associating said received text message with a displayed one of the selectable features.
7. The arrangement of claim 6 wherein the configuring means further includes means for positioning said distinctively configured one in the linear array of like symbols for representing the first selectable one of said plurality of selectable features.
8. The arrangement of claim 7 wherein said linear array of like symbols includes outlines of an array of boxes and said distinctively configured symbol is a shaded-in box within the array of boxes.
9. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein said array of boxes are vertically aligned.
10. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein said array of boxes are rectangular in shape.
11. The arrangement of claim 1 further including text message alerting means in said display for determining the receipt of said text message.
12. The arrangement of claim 11 wherein said text message alerting means includes providing an audible alerting signal.
13. The arrangement of claim 11 wherein said audible alerting signal includes generating a plurality of audible beeps.
14. The arrangement of claim 11 wherein said text message alerting means includes providing a visual alerting signal.
15. The arrangement of claim 14 wherein said visual alerting signal includes generating alphanumeric characters in said display screen, said alphanumeric characters reflecting the receipt of a text message in the telephone terminal.
16. A method of configuring a telephone terminal for accessing a text message displayable at the terminal, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving in said telephone terminal a text message from a base station;
providing in a display screen in said telephone terminal a plurality of symbols indicative of a number of selectable features accessible for display at a first one of a plurality of selectable levels; and increasing by one said plurality of symbols in response to said receiving step for including the received text message among said selectable features at said first one of the plurality of selectable levels.
receiving in said telephone terminal a text message from a base station;
providing in a display screen in said telephone terminal a plurality of symbols indicative of a number of selectable features accessible for display at a first one of a plurality of selectable levels; and increasing by one said plurality of symbols in response to said receiving step for including the received text message among said selectable features at said first one of the plurality of selectable levels.
17. The method of claim 16 further including the step of accessing said received text message for viewing by a user of the telephone terminal, said received text message being accessed by a single button depression by said user.
18. The method of claim 16 further including the step of arranging the plurality of symbols into a linear array of like symbols for displaying in said display screen.
19. A method of configuring a telephone terminal for accessing a text message displayable at the terminal, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving in said telephone terminal a text message from a base station;
providing in a display screen in said telephone terminal a plurality of symbols indicative of a number of selectable features accessible for display;
increasing by one said plurality of symbols in response to said receiving step for including the received text message among said selectable features; andaccessing said received text message by a single button depression of a button on the telephone terminal by a user of said telephone terminal.
receiving in said telephone terminal a text message from a base station;
providing in a display screen in said telephone terminal a plurality of symbols indicative of a number of selectable features accessible for display;
increasing by one said plurality of symbols in response to said receiving step for including the received text message among said selectable features; andaccessing said received text message by a single button depression of a button on the telephone terminal by a user of said telephone terminal.
20. The method of claim 31 further including, responsive to the accessing step, the step of configuring a portion of the received text message in said display screen in the telephone terminal.
21. The method of claim 31 further including the steps of providing said plurality of symbols for indicating a number of selectable features accessible for display at each one of a plurality of selectable levels while at each selectable level;
and increasing or decreasing said plurality of symbols in response to the number of available selectable features at each one of the plurality of selectable levels.
and increasing or decreasing said plurality of symbols in response to the number of available selectable features at each one of the plurality of selectable levels.
22. The method of claim 33 further including the step of distinctively configuring one of said plurality of symbols for associating said configured symbol with a next selectable one of the selectable features while at one of said selectable levels.
23. The method of claim 31 wherein the accessing step further includes the step of distinctively configuring one of said plurality of symbols for associating said received text message with a displayed one of the selectable features.
24. The method of claim 35 wherein the accessing step further includes the step of configuring said distinctively configured one in the linear array of like symbols for representing the first selectable one of said plurality of selectable features.
25. The method of claim 36 further including the step of configuring said displayed one of the selectable features in said display screen for reflecting the receipt of the text message in the telephone terminal and for facilitating ease of access by a user of the telephone terminal.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US67839296A | 1996-06-30 | 1996-06-30 | |
| US678,392 | 1996-06-30 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2203473A1 true CA2203473A1 (en) | 1997-12-30 |
Family
ID=24722591
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002203473A Abandoned CA2203473A1 (en) | 1996-06-30 | 1997-04-23 | User interface for accessing messages received by a telephone terminal |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2203473A1 (en) |
| MX (1) | MX9704818A (en) |
-
1997
- 1997-04-23 CA CA002203473A patent/CA2203473A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1997-06-26 MX MX9704818A patent/MX9704818A/en unknown
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| MX9704818A (en) | 1997-12-31 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| US6408191B1 (en) | Arrangement for displaying message screens on a telephone terminal | |
| US5774540A (en) | Hierarchical menu screen interface for displaying and accessing telephone terminal features | |
| US5841855A (en) | Menu level indicator for a telephone terminal | |
| US6415164B1 (en) | Arrangement for dynamic allocation of space on a small display of a telephone terminal | |
| US7221933B2 (en) | Messaging system for mobile communication | |
| EP0529798B1 (en) | Wireless device | |
| US5579535A (en) | Personal communication system providing supplemental information mode | |
| AU715497B2 (en) | A radio telephone | |
| FI111784B (en) | Device with which messages are recorded in a mobile telephony | |
| US6865625B2 (en) | Communication device with multi-line message memory access and method therefore | |
| US20010022839A1 (en) | Method for changing scroll mode in portable telephone and portable telephone using said method | |
| US6574486B1 (en) | Method and apparatus for selecting among calling options in a wireless communication device | |
| US6363264B1 (en) | Radio telephone | |
| EP1231798A2 (en) | Language selecting method and mobile communication system | |
| WO1996033570A2 (en) | Transmission of alphanumeric caller id information using dtmf signalling | |
| EP1028576A2 (en) | Message transmission method for digital portable terminal | |
| KR100713428B1 (en) | Phone and method for displaying selectable function during the call | |
| CA2203473A1 (en) | User interface for accessing messages received by a telephone terminal | |
| WO1997048236A2 (en) | Data entry apparatus and method | |
| EP1154619B1 (en) | Portable communication device with a displayed, double used status line | |
| KR100303789B1 (en) | Caller Information Processing System | |
| KR100749184B1 (en) | Method of management sending in communication device having phonebook function | |
| KR100303300B1 (en) | Method for displaying big dial number of mobile wireless phone | |
| US7295835B2 (en) | Wireless telephone device and computer readable medium storing program for controlling the same | |
| JPH06209276A (en) | Electronic equipment and data communication system |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| FZDE | Discontinued |