Multitasking graphical user interface
AssigneeNortel Networks Limited
InventorsBrian Finlay Beaton, Colin Donald Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A telecommunications device permits a user to perform several communication related tasks concurrently. The telecommunications device includes a user input device, a display having a tools portion and a windows portion, and a processing element. The processing element includes an element configured to represent the communication related tasks as objects in the tools portion, an element configured to launch different ones of the communication related tasks based upon selection of corresponding ones of the communication related task objects by the user via the user input device, and an element configured to change the window portion based on the user selection without changing the tools portion.
Claims31
A mobile telephone configured to communicate with a wireless voice network, for permitting a user to perform a plurality of communication related tasks concurrently, the mobile telephone comprising:
- a user input device;
- a display having a tools portion and a window portion;
- and
- a processing element connected to the user input device and the display and configured to communicate with the wireless voice network including
- means for representing the communication related tasks as objects in the tools portion and for providing the user with simultaneous access to the plurality of communications related tasks,
- means for launching different ones of the communication related tasks based upon selection of corresponding ones of the communication related task objects by the user via the user input device,
- means for communicating with the wireless voice network based on launching the different ones of the communication related tasks, and
- means for changing the window portion based on the user selection without changing the tools portion.
A graphical user interface manager for controlling a mobile telephone configured to communicate with a wireless voice network, wherein the mobile telephone includes a display, having a window portion and a tools portion, to permit a user to perform a plurality of communication related tasks concurrently, the graphical user interface manager comprising:
- means for representing the communication related tasks as objects in the tools portion and for providing the user with simultaneous access to the plurality of communications related tasks;
- means for launching different ones of the communication related tasks to communicate with the wireless voice network based upon selection of corresponding ones of the communication related task objects by the user;
- and
- means for changing the window portion based on the user selection without changing the tools portion.
A method of controlling a mobile telephone configured to communicate with a wireless voice network, wherein the mobile telephone includes a display, having a window portion and a display portion, to permit a user to perform a plurality of communication related tasks concurrently, the method comprising the steps of:
- representing the communication related tasks as objects in the tools portion;
- providing the user with simultaneous access to the plurality of communications related tasks;
- launching different ones of the communication related tasks based upon selection of corresponding ones of the communication related task objects by the user;
- communicating with the wireless voice network based on launching the different ones of the communication related tasks;
- changing the window portion based on the user selection;
- and
- maintaining the tools portion unchanged regardless of the user selection.
A method of concurrently performing a plurality of communication tasks on a mobile telephone configured to communicate with a wireless voice network, wherein the mobile telephone includes a display screen displaying a plurality of communication task objects corresponding to the plurality of communication tasks, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a first user selection signal, the first user selection signal representing a selection of a first one of the plurality of communication task objects by a user;
- executing a first one of the plurality of communication tasks corresponding to the selected first communication task object;
- communicating with the wireless voice network based on executing the first one of the plurality of the communication tasks;
- providing the user with simultaneous access to the plurality of communication task objects;
- receiving a second user selection signal while executing the first communication task, the second user selection signal representing a selection of a second one of the plurality of communication task objects by the user;
- executing a second one of the plurality of communication tasks corresponding to the selected second communication task object while continuing to execute the first communication task;
- and
- communicating with the wireless voice network based on the second one of the plurality of communication tasks.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.