United States Patent [19]
`Keyworth, II et al.
`
`111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111
`US005579472A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`5,579,472
`Nov. 26, 1996
`
`[54] GROUP-ORIENTED COMMUNICATIONS
`USER INTERFACE
`
`[75]
`
`Inventors: George A. Keyworth, II, Santa Fe,
`N.M.; Baldev Krishan; Kalyan V.
`Krishnan, both of Fremont, Calif.
`
`[73] Assignee: Novalink Technologies, Inc., Fremont,
`Calif.
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 337,100
`
`[22] Filed:
`
`Nov. 9, 1994
`
`Int. Cl.6
`..•.•...•••.••••.•••..•••••...•.••••.••••...•••••.•..... G06F 3/14
`[51]
`[52] U.S. Cl. .............................................................. 395/326
`[58] Field of Search ..................................... 3951160, 161,
`395/490, 650, 700, 155, 156, 157, 158,
`159, 600
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5,339,392
`5,481,715
`
`811994 Risberg et al .......................... 395/161
`1/1996 Hamilton et al ........................ 3951700
`
`Primary Examiner-Raymond J. Bayerl
`Assistant Examiner-Ruay Lian Ho
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Nicola A. Pisano; Fish & Neave
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A system and methods are provided for displaying and
`processing communications via a variety of communications
`media using a personal computer. Messages received either
`wirelessly, for example, wireless e-mail, or over telephone
`wireline, such as voice mail or facsimile, are segregated and
`presented for review by the subscriber according to whether
`the originator is within a select group of routinely contacted
`individuals and also by type of media. The system includes
`a graphical user interface to provide an intuitive and efficient
`message processing capability. In alternative embodiments
`the apparatus and methods are self-documenting and facili(cid:173)
`tate communication to the system manufacturer.
`
`5,335,346
`
`8/1994 Fabbio .................................... 395/490
`
`30 Claims, 17 Drawing Sheets
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`Google Ex. 1008, pg. 1
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 26, 1996
`
`Sheet 1 of 17
`
`5,579,472
`
`DATA
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`41
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`Google Ex. 1008, pg. 2
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`Google Ex. 1008, pg. 5
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`Google Ex. 1008, pg. 9
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`Google Ex. 1008, pg. 10
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`Google Ex. 1008, pg. 11
`
`

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`Google Ex. 1008, pg. 12
`
`

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`Google Ex. 1008, pg. 13
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`

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`Google Ex. 1008, pg. 14
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 26, 1996
`
`Sheet 14 of 17
`
`5,579,472
`
`151
`
`152
`
`RECEIVE AND STORE
`WIRELESS
`MESSAGE
`
`SCAN MESSAGE FOR
`HEADER INFORMATION
`
`NO
`
`NO
`
`158
`
`PUT MESSAGE IN
`WIRELESS MESSAGE MAILBOX
`
`UPDATE WIRELESS
`MESSAGE STATUS INDICATOR
`
`PUT MESSAGE IN
`VIP MAILBOX
`
`UPDATE VIP
`STATUS INDICATOR
`
`159
`
`160
`
`EXIT
`
`156
`
`157
`
`FIG. 15
`
`Google Ex. 1008, pg. 15
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`. Nov. 26, 1996
`
`Sheet 15 of 17
`
`5,579,472
`
`165
`
`YES
`>----~A
`
`0
`
`INVALID
`
`173
`
`171
`
`RECORD
`MESSAGE
`IN GENERAL
`MAILBOX
`
`RECORD
`MESSAGE
`IN VIP
`MAILBOX
`
`UPDATE
`VOICEMAIL
`STATUS
`INDICATOR
`
`UPDATE VIP
`VOICEMAIL
`STATUS
`INDICATOR
`
`2
`
`c
`
`172
`
`175
`
`FIG. 16
`
`Google Ex. 1008, pg. 16
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 26, 1996
`
`Sheet 16 of 17
`
`5,579,472
`
`DECODE
`TRANSMIT ID
`
`180
`
`181
`
`NO
`
`184
`
`YES
`
`182
`
`RECEIVE AND STORE
`FACSIMILE MESSAGE
`IN GENERAL MAILBOX
`
`RECEIVE AND STORE
`FACSIMILE MESSAGE 14--------'
`IN VIP MAILBOX
`
`185
`
`UPDATE FAXMAIL
`STATUS INDICATOR
`
`UPDATE VIP FAXMAIL
`STATUS INDICATOR
`
`183
`'--------+~ DISCONNECT
`
`186
`
`FIG. 17
`
`Google Ex. 1008, pg. 17
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 26, 1996
`
`Sheet 17 of 17
`
`5,579,472
`
`FROM 167
`
`NO
`
`TO 173
`
`TO 169
`
`FIG. 18
`
`FROM 166
`
`RECEIVE AND
`STORE IN GENERAL
`MAILBOX
`
`SCAN TEXT
`USING OCR
`CAPABILITY
`
`191
`
`192
`
`NO
`
`TO 183 ._______.
`
`TRANSFER
`MESSAGE TO VIP
`MAILBOX
`
`194
`
`TO 185 .----------J
`
`FIG. 19
`
`Google Ex. 1008, pg. 18
`
`

`

`5,579,472
`
`1
`GROUP-ORIENTED COMMUNICATIONS
`USER INTERFACE
`
`A portion of the disclosure of this patent document
`contains material which is subject to copyright protection. 5
`The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile
`reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent
`disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office
`patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright
`rights whatsoever.
`
`10
`
`2
`group of individuals) for special treatment, including the
`display of directional indication and status indicators for
`those communications.
`It would also be desirable to provide enhancements to a
`communications user interface as suggested above to make
`the interface intuitive and user-friendly, for example, such as
`by providing a self-documenting feature and a feature that
`enables streamlined communication with the interface
`manufacturer.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`This invention relates to methods and apparatus for com(cid:173)
`puter-based communications systems that enhance and sim(cid:173)
`plify a subscriber's interactions with a variety of commu(cid:173)
`nications media. The present invention has particular
`application for subscribers who communicate with a select
`group of individuals on an ongoing basis, by enabling the
`subscriber to specify a preferred group of individuals for 20
`simplified communications interactions.
`In previously known information messaging systems, it is
`typical for the communications to be stored in a "mailbox,"
`i.e., a data storage location, chronologically in the sequence
`in which the messages are received. For example, in voice 25
`mail systems, the recipient is typically notified when he or
`she logs onto the voice mail system that a number of voice
`messages have arrived. The user then progresses through the
`messages in a serial manner, and typically has little infor(cid:173)
`mation concerning the origin of any particular message until 30
`playback of that message has begun.
`Likewise, in e-mail systems, received messages are kept
`in an incoming message queue, while outgoing messages are
`stored in a second separate queue. As in voice mail, an
`e-mail subscriber can determine which messages have been 35
`received from or sent to a particular sender or addressee only
`by examining the header information for all of the messages
`in the incoming or outgoing queue.
`While the above-noted drawbacks associated with previ(cid:173)
`ously known voice mail systems and e-mail systems are not 40
`insurmountable for a subscriber who only occasionally uses
`such systems for communicating with others, these methods
`can become excessively cumbersome for a subscriber who
`interacts with a select group of individuals, among numer(cid:173)
`ous other individuals, on a routine basis.
`It would therefore be desirable to provide a system and
`method having a communications user interface that dis(cid:173)
`plays queue and message information particular not only to
`a specific communications medium, but that actually segre-
`gates and displays the information for individual members
`within a select group.
`It also would be desirable to provide a system and method
`having a communications user interface and methods for use
`on personal computers for processing communications
`received over a variety of media in an efficient, ergonomic
`and intuitive manner.
`It further would be desirable to provide a communications
`user interface for use on personal computers that enables a
`subscriber to interact with a variety of communications 60
`media, including for example, wireline (facsimile and
`modem) communications and wireless communications
`(pager and wireless e-mail).
`It still further would be desirable to provide a communi(cid:173)
`cations user interface for use on personal computers that 65
`provides the ability to designate communications to and
`from a select group of individuals (from among a larger
`
`In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present
`invention to provide a communications user interface system
`15 and method that not only displays queue and message
`information particular
`to a specific communications
`medium, but that segregates and displays the information for
`individual members of a selected group.
`It is another object of this system to provide a commu(cid:173)
`nications user interface and method for use on personal
`computers for processing communications received over a
`variety of media in an efficient, ergonomic and intuitive
`manner.
`It is yet another object of the present invention to provide
`a communications user interface system and method for use
`on personal computers that enable a subscriber to interact
`with a variety of communications media including for
`example, wireline and wireless communications.
`It is a still further object of this invention to provide a
`communications user interface system and method for use
`on personal computers that provides the ability to designate
`communications to and from a select group of individuals
`for special treatment, including the display of directional
`indication and status indicators for those communications.
`It is still another object of this invention to provide
`enhancements to a communications user interface as sug(cid:173)
`gested above that make the interface intuitive and user(cid:173)
`friendly, including the provision of a self-documenting fea(cid:173)
`ture and a feature that enables streamlined communication
`with the interface manufacturer.
`These and other objects of the invention are accomplished
`in accordance with the principles of the invention by pro(cid:173)
`viding a communications user interface system and methods
`45 of displaying a gallery of icons, with each icon representa(cid:173)
`tive of a member of a select group of individuals. Each icon
`representative of a member of the select group is associated
`with directional icons showing the number of messages
`received from or sent to that member of the group. The
`current status of these messages (for example, whether
`successfully or delivered or played back) is also displayed.
`In accordance with the present invention, the gallery
`displayed by a subscriber may be particular to that sub(cid:173)
`scriber and may be individually configured by that sub(cid:173)
`scriber. For example, if a subscriber routinely communicates
`by fax, e-mail or voice mail with a small group of colleagues
`or co-workers, the subscriber may choose to designate those
`colleagues or co-workers as members of a "VIP gallery" on
`his or her computer display. Communications to or from
`members of that group are then separately displayed in a
`portion of the main screen display, so that the subscriber is
`provided with the real-time status of communications with
`members of the group on a real-time basis.
`Further features of the invention, its nature and various
`advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying
`drawings and the following detailed description of the
`preferred embodiments.
`
`50
`
`55
`
`Google Ex. 1008, pg. 19
`
`

`

`3
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`5,579,472
`
`5
`
`FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary appa(cid:173)
`ratus suitable for implementing the methods of the present
`invention;
`FIG. 2 is a diagram showing illustrative interrelations of
`the user interface displays employed in the system of the
`present invention;
`FIG. 3 is an illustrative main display produced by a
`system in accordance with the present invention;
`FIG. 4 is an exemplary display, produced by the system of
`the present invention, for adding a new member to the VIP
`gallery;
`FIG. 5 is an exemplary display, produced by the system of
`the present invention, for accessing and editing communi(cid:173)
`cations parameters for a selected member of the VIP gallery;
`FIGS. 6-9 are exemplary displays, produced by the
`system of the present invention, for accessing communica(cid:173)
`tions to and from members of the VIP gallery via status
`indicators associated with the directional icons for gallery
`members;
`FIGS. 10-14 arc exemplary displays, produced by the
`system of the present invention, for accessing all commu(cid:173)
`nications received by the subscriber, whether or not the 25
`originator was selected for inclusion in the VIP gallery;
`FIGS. 15-19 are flow diagrams illustrating the methods of
`segregating incoming communications in accordance with
`the present invention.
`
`15
`
`20
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
`
`30
`
`4
`Irt accordance with the present invention, data storage unit
`22 includes software that enables the computer user, here(cid:173)
`inafter referred to as the subscriber, to designate a select
`group of individuals from among those with whom he or she
`routinely communicates, for inclusion in a "VIP gallery."
`Individuals selected for inclusion in the VIP gallery will
`have communications to and from the subscriber handled in
`a preferred manner, as described below. The present inven(cid:173)
`tion may be implemented in apparatus 20 using Visual Basic
`10 or C++ programming languages, as is conventional for
`Windows-based graphical interfaces, and as would be
`readily understood by one skilled in the art of Windows(cid:173)
`based programming.
`Referring now to FIG. 2, illustrative diagram 30 showing
`the functional interrelation of the displays employed in
`accordance with the present invention are described. The
`basic components of the system are described with respect
`to FIGS. 2 and 3, and the operation of the system is then
`described in greater detail below in conjunction with the
`individual functional blocks of FIG. 2.
`Central to the apparatus and methods of the present
`invention is VIP gallery, block 31. As shown in FIG. 3, the
`information contained in VIP gallery block 31 is presented
`in upper portion 50 of main display 45. VIP gallery includes
`in this illustrative embodiment six individuals, with each
`individual member of the VIP gallery having a specific
`image 50a representative of that person and associated title
`SOb. In one preferred embodiment, the image may include a
`digitized likeness of that individual's face.
`As shown in portion 50 of FIG. 3, each member ofthe VIP
`gallery also has associated with it two directional icons,
`represented in the preferred embodiment by downward
`facing arrow SOc and upward facing arrow SOd. Directional
`icons SOc, SOd may include one or more status indicator
`boxes 50e. Messages sent by, or received by, the subscriber
`are stored in data storage device 22 and are monitored by
`processor 21. Status indicator boxes 50e are updated from
`time to time, as appropriate, by processor 21 to alert the
`subscriber concerning the current status of messages of the
`type represented by that directional icon.
`In the preferred implementation of the present invention,
`the display for indicator boxes 50e employs color coding to
`alert the subscriber, at a glance, of the current status of
`incoming and outgoing messages. Thus, for example, the
`number of new incoming messages from a given member of
`the VIP gallery may be displayed before the word "NEW"
`in a box having a pink background under the incoming
`directional icon, while the number of old messages from that
`50 person might appear before the word "OLD" in a box having
`a light blue background. The number of messages success(cid:173)
`fully sent to that person may appear in a box having a green
`background, while the number of those unsuccessfully sent
`might be displayed in a box having a red background. Also,
`55 pending messages to be sent to a member of the VIP gallery
`may be displayed in a box having a yellow background.
`Functional gallery, shown as block 32 in diagram 30 of
`FIG. 2, comprises the informational display shown as lower
`portion 51 of display 45 of FIG. 3, and may include images
`representative of the various communications modes that
`can be accessed via the present invention. As shown in FIG.
`3, functional gallery 51 includes a new message box 51a that
`displays the total number of new messages received by the
`subscriber's system, including the new messages otherwise
`indicated in the VIP gallery. Functional gallery 51 also
`displays image boxes 51b, 51c, and Sld representative of
`various modes of communication. For example, an antenna
`
`40
`
`35
`
`Referring to FIG. 1, exemplary apparatus 20 suitable for
`use in implementing the present invention and methods is
`described. Apparatus 20 includes main processor 21 and
`data storage device 22, and may comprise a personal com(cid:173)
`puter, either portable or desktop, or a personal digital
`assistant such as the NewtonTM made by Apple Computers,
`Cupertino, Calif. Apparatus 20 further includes keyboard 23,
`pointing device 24 (e.g., mouse or track ball) and display
`screen 25. As is conventional, pointing device 24 has means
`for positioning the cursor of display 25, and one or more
`command keys for operating upon icons targeted by the
`cursor.
`Communications device 26, which may be, for example,
`a modem, external facsimile card, or telephone line inter(cid:173)
`face, is coupled to computer 20 through a communications
`port, such as an RS232 port or PCMCIA port. Communi(cid:173)
`cations device 26, which may also comprise a combination
`fax/modem and wireless receiver as described in copending
`and commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No.
`081174,797, filed Dec. 29, 1993, connects to telephone line
`27 using a conventional connector.
`Data storage unit 22 (e.g., a hard disk drive) stores
`software that enables main processor 21 to send and receive
`facsimile messages and e-mail messages, and optionally, to
`serve as a digital telephone answering machine, as explained
`herein below. If communications device 26 comprises a
`combination fax/modem and wireless receiver as described 60
`in the above-mentioned application, then data storage unit
`22 may also store software that enables main processor 21
`to receive wireless pager or e-mail messages. For the pur(cid:173)
`poses of explaining the present invention, computer 20
`operates using a DOS operating environment and software
`such as Windows Version 3.1 or higher, available from
`Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash.
`
`45
`
`65
`
`Google Ex. 1008, pg. 20
`
`

`

`5,579,472
`
`5
`represents wireless communications in box 51b, a facsimile
`machine represents facsimile communications in box 51c,
`and a telephone represents voice mail in box 51d. The
`number of each type of new messages is displayed before the
`word "NEW" in the image boxes 51b-51d for each of the 5
`communications modes.
`Still referring to FIG. 3, functional gallery 51 also
`includes display box 51e, entitled ANSWER PHONE,
`which enables the subscriber to put the system into a
`telephone answering/voice mail mode of operation. In tele- 10
`phone answering/voice mail mode, processor 21 and data
`storage device 22, in conjunction with communications
`device 26 (for example, as described in the above-mentioned
`U.S. application Ser. No. 08/174,797), answers an incoming
`call, plays out a prerecorded greeting to the caller, and 15
`records a message from the caller. In addition, EXIT box 52
`provides for exiting the implementation of the present
`invention, for example, to return to Windows, DOS, or
`another program operating on apparatus 20.
`Referring again to FIG. 3, diagram 45 illustrates the other 20
`functions and displays that may be accessed through VIP
`gallery 50 and functional gallery 51 in accordance with
`aspects of the present invention. In the described implemen(cid:173)
`tation of the present invention, processor 21 is commanded
`to execute programmed instructions stored in data storage 25
`device 22 in response to inputs received from pointing
`device 24. Those inputs comprise signals generated by
`pointing device 24 while operating upon icons and com(cid:173)
`mand boxes in VIP gallery 50, as is well known to those
`skilled in the art of Windows-based computer programming. 30
`From VIP gallery 31, a subscriber may access the func(cid:173)
`tions of: display 33 for editing communications parameters
`for a member of the VIP gallery; display 34 for reading or
`listening to messages from a member of the VIP gallery;
`display 35 for reading or listening to messages sent to a 35
`member of the VIP gallery; and display 36 for adding a
`member to the VIP gallery.
`For example, with reference to FIG. 3, the subscriber may
`move from main display 45 by operating the pointing device
`upon the icon for a selected member of the VIP gallery.
`Processor 21 in response executes programmed instructions
`stored in data storage device 22 to cause display of block 34,
`"Inbox From VIP," thereby making the information and
`functions pertaining to that display available to the sub-
`scriber.
`Likewise, as shown in diagram 45 of FIG. 2, the sub(cid:173)
`scriber may access through functional gallery 32 the func(cid:173)
`tions of: display 37 for reading wireless messages; display
`38 for reading or otherwise disposing of facsimile messages 50
`(referred to as "Fax Mail"); display 39 for listening to voice
`mail messages; command box 40 for activating the tele(cid:173)
`phone answering/voice mail mode of system operation; and
`display 41 for reviewing new messages.
`Operation of the features of VIP gallery 50 of the present 55
`invention are described with reference to FIGS. 4-9 in
`conjunction with FIGS. 2 and 3. A subscriber activates the
`"ADD VIP" function of VIP gallery 50 by moving the cursor
`to the box labelled "ADD VIP" (FIG. 3, box 50j) and
`operating the command key of pointing device 24. Processor 60
`21 interprets this command as a request to load and execute
`the programmed instructions associated with the "Add A
`New VIP" display 70, FIG. 4.
`Once display 70 of FIG. 4 is made available to the
`subscriber, the subscriber moves the cursor to command box 65
`71 and operates the pointing device command key to select
`an image representative of the intended new member of the
`
`40
`
`45
`
`6
`VIP gallery from a stored library offacial images. The stored
`library of facial images or portraits may include, for
`example, several dozen generic pictures of people of various
`sex, age, and race. Alternatively, the subscriber may choose
`to scan in an actual picture of a person to be added to the VIP
`group, using conventional image scanning software. The
`subscriber may also append a title or nickname to the image
`which is displayed along with the selected image in VIP
`gallery 50 by typing in the name at command line 11a.
`While still in Add A New VIP display 70, the subscriber
`may also enter the VIP member's full name at command line
`72. The subscriber may then input the communications
`parameters for that person's pager, facsimile and telephone
`by moving the cursor to, and operating upon, command
`boxes 73, 74, and 75, respectively. When the subscriber
`actuates the command key of the pointing device while
`positioned on the command boxes 73-75, a display is
`obtained such as shown in FIG. 5. While in the display of
`FIG. 5, processor 21 and data storage device 22 accept entry
`of telephone numbers, passwords and identification numbers
`into predefined data entry fields 83-85.
`Referring still to FIG. 4, command box 76 enables the
`subscriber to set up a mailbox (i.e., create a data structure on
`data storage device 22) in which messages received from the
`VIP member are deposited and in which the subscriber may
`record a message or greeting for that VIP member. Thus, for
`example, MAILBOX CONFIG command box 76 permits
`the subscriber to set up a specific mailbox for that VIP
`member, and to specify the configuration of that person's
`mailbox, for example, maximum disk space to be allocated
`to that mailbox, message retention limits, passwords, etc.
`Moving the cursor to, and operating upon, command box
`77, labelled "DELETE VIP," deletes information stored for
`that member of the VIP gallery and removes the title and
`image for that person from VIP gallery 50. EXIT command
`box 78 enables the subscriber to exit display 70 and return
`to main display 45.
`FIG. 5 illustrates the "Access/Edit VIP Information"
`display 80 that is loaded and displayed by apparatus 20 in
`response to the subscriber's positioning the computer cursor
`on, and actuating the pointing device command key upon,
`image 50a of a VIP member in VIP gallery 50. Display 80
`presents the same types of information as display 70, except
`that the information in command boxes 81, 82, 83, 84 and
`85 is already present from having been previously entered
`via display 70, and permits this information to be edited as
`desired by the subscriber. This display also provides com(cid:173)
`mand boxes 86, 87 and 88 ha