Patent Application
20090149218
Mobile telephones are no longer simply communication devices. For example, in addition to placing and receiving telephone calls, mobile telephones can provide some computing functionality, obtain and output media files (e.g., photographs, music, or video), and perform other operations such as providing email and internet access.
Mobile telephones are thus becoming more like hybrids of communication, computing and other electronic devices. However, mobile telephones with such computing functionality are generally designed like business-centric computers, with the central focus of the interface design and like features being to provide access to computer programs. This is true even though many mobile telephone users primarily use their telephones for personal communication based on personal relationships.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of representative concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in any way that would limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Briefly, various aspects of the subject matter described herein are directed towards a technology by which mobile telephones are organized and/or operate based upon special relationships with other users and/or other mobile telephones. In one aspect, two or more mobile computing devices may be configured to have a special relationship, such that when thereafter coupled together, operate differently relative to other (non-related) mobile telephones. A special coupling means may create the special relationship. For example, when in the specially-coupled mode, the devices may automatically transfer data to one another, automatically changes a display or audible output, and change a response when it detects a communication from a related device.
In one aspect, a single user interface screen outputs an identifier (e.g., an image) of a potential recipient in association with a set of communication options with respect to that recipient. For specially coupled telephones, an identifier for each other user or users may be automatically included in such a user interface. Upon selection of a communication option, the device automatically selects that recipient and takes a communication-related action to with respect to the selected recipient. For example, the communication options may include an option for sending a text message, for placing a call, for sending a special type of predefined message and/or an option to share data. Another option that may be provided is an option to view information related to communications with that recipient (e.g., prior calls, missed calls, prior messages and so forth).
Other advantages may become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limited in the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements and in which:
Various aspects of the technology described herein are generally directed towards mobile telephones that are organized and operate based upon special relationships with other users and/or other mobile telephones. In general, examples of relationship-based organization and operation include a person-centric user interface for communicating with one or more persons identified as having a relationship, special messaging between related telephone users, and a special coupling relationship for two or more particular telephones.
As will be understood, various examples set forth herein are primarily described with respect to a relationship between two or three mobile telephones, however it is understood that any practical number of mobile telephones or like communication-capable devices may operate, share information and/or output information in the manner described herein. Further, while the concept of a related “person” or individual persons is generally described herein, it can be readily appreciated that it is feasible to have special relationships with a “group” of more than one person. For example, a mother may send a text message to a group comprising her children; the mobile telephone may then send out a series of such messages to each member in the group, for example.
As such, the present invention is not limited to any particular embodiments, aspects, concepts, structures, functionalities or examples described herein. Rather, any of the embodiments, aspects, concepts, structures, functionalities or examples described herein are non-limiting, and the present invention may be used various ways that provide benefits and advantages in mobile devices and communication in general.
Turning to
By way of example,
In the example of
As can be seen, the user may initiate an action with respect to the currently displayed person. For example, an action in the form of a text message operation may be performed simply by selecting a recipient (if one is not already selected) and interacting with the SMS icon 223, or with the icon in focus (as indicated by its larger size). If the user chooses SMS, for example, a displayed screen 330 such as that shown in
Returning to
A user can also access information related to a specific person from the device screen.
In this manner, rather than provide an application-centric home screen for mobile telephone users directed towards dealing with email, applications, and other enterprise-related tasks, a person-centric home screen and/or operating mode is provided by which users can easily send text messages and make phone calls to one or more important persons in their lives, as well as access information specific to those persons. These aspects thus match a real world user communication model, in which users often think about communicating with a person rather than running an application.
Turning to another aspect of mobile telephone relationships, two (or more) mobile telephones may be configured to have a special relationship with one another. The special relationship may be user defined, or may be defined in advance, e.g., as a pair of telephones purchased together and programmed by the manufacturer or service provider to have such a relationship.
In general, two or more mobile telephones with such a defined relationship enhance the ease of communication between related mobile phone users, and facilitate special communication between the two people. For example, specially paired telephones may leverage the person-centric aspects described above with reference to
As generally represented in
The other mobile telephone 606 may have an identical set of components, but does not need to be identical, e.g., one telephone can act as a master with respect to coupling. However, both telephones need to have coupling logic 118 that recognizes when they are each coupled, and a suitable coupling interface 116. Any interface is feasible, such as physical (wired) or wireless (e.g., Bluetooth® or Wi-Fi, or even cellular).
Such mobile telephones may thus operate differently when coupled together, whether physically coupled as in
Examples of different operations when coupled or after the special relationship has been set up include sharing lifestyle information with another, sharing photos and songs directly, playing games together, sharing calendar/contact/task list data, easy location of the other (e.g., via GPS coordinates), one click dialing/messaging/sharing. A special button (e.g., an icon) may provide a way for one to easily access the other coupled telephone or phones.
Other examples include automatically detecting a related phone when the two phones are close to each other, and enabling special features such as a personalized ring tone, custom home screen or background, an SMS signature, and an automatic response for playing a personalized message only to the related telephone.
With reference to
Components of the mobile device 1000 may include, but are not limited to, a processing unit 1005, system memory 1010, and a bus 1015 that couples various system components including the system memory 1010 to the processing unit 1005. The bus 1015 may include any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus, memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures, and the like. The bus 1015 allows data to be transmitted between various components of the mobile device 1000.
The mobile device 1000 may include a variety of computer-readable media. Computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by the mobile device 1000 and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, and removable and non-removable media. By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable media may comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by the mobile device 1000.
Communication media typically embodies computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, and other wireless media. Combinations of any of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.
The system memory 1010 includes computer storage media in the form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory and may include read only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM). On a mobile device such as a cell phone, operating system code 1020 is sometimes included in ROM although, in other embodiments, this is not required. Similarly, application programs 1025 are often placed in RAM although again, in other embodiments, application programs may be placed in ROM or in other computer-readable memory. The heap 1030 provides memory for state associated with the operating system 1020 and the application programs 1025. For example, the operating system 1020 and application programs 1025 may store variables and data structures in the heap 1030 during their operations.
The mobile device 1000 may also include other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile memory. By way of example,
In some embodiments, the hard disk drive 1036 may be connected in such a way as to be more permanently attached to the mobile device 1000. For example, the hard disk drive 1036 may be connected to an interface such as parallel advanced technology attachment (PATA), serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) or otherwise, which may be connected to the bus 1015. In such embodiments, removing the hard drive may involve removing a cover of the mobile device 1000 and removing screws or other fasteners that connect the hard drive 1036 to support structures within the mobile device 1000.
The removable memory devices 1035-1037 and their associated computer storage media, discussed above and illustrated in
A user may enter commands and information into the mobile device 1000 through input devices such as a key pad 1041 and the microphone 1042. In some embodiments, the display 1043 may be touch-sensitive screen and may allow a user to enter commands and information thereon. The key pad 1041 and display 1043 may be connected to the processing unit 1005 through a user input interface 1050 that is coupled to the bus 1015, but may also be connected by other interface and bus structures, such as the communications module(s) 1032 and wired port(s) 1040.
A user may communicate with other users via speaking into the microphone 1042 and via text messages that are entered on the key pad 1041 or a touch sensitive display 1043, for example. The audio unit 1055 may provide electrical signals to drive the speaker 1044 as well as receive and digitize audio signals received from the microphone 1042.
The mobile device 1000 may include a video unit 1060 that provides signals to drive a camera 1061. The video unit 1060 may also receive images obtained by the camera 1061 and provide these images to the processing unit 1005 and/or memory included on the mobile device 1000. The images obtained by the camera 1061 may comprise video, one or more images that do not form a video, or some combination thereof.
The communication module(s) 1032 may provide signals to and receive signals from one or more antenna(s) 1065. One of the antenna(s) 1065 may transmit and receive messages for a cell phone network. Another antenna may transmit and receive Bluetooth® messages. Yet another antenna (or a shared antenna) may transmit and receive network messages via a wireless Ethernet network standard.
In some embodiments, a single antenna may be used to transmit and/or receive messages for more than one type of network. For example, a single antenna may transmit and receive voice and packet messages.
When operated in a networked environment, the mobile device 1000 may connect to one or more remote devices. The remote devices may include a personal computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a cell phone, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described above relative to the mobile device 1000.
Aspects of the subject matter described herein are operational with numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with aspects of the subject matter described herein include, but are not limited to, personal computers, server computers, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microcontroller-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like.
Aspects of the subject matter described herein may be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a mobile device. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, and so forth, which perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Aspects of the subject matter described herein may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices.
Furthermore, although the term server is often used herein, it will be recognized that this term may also encompass a client, a set of one or more processes distributed on one or more computers, one or more stand-alone storage devices, a set of one or more other devices, a combination of one or more of the above, and the like.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and have been described above in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.
