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US 8,572,175 B2Granted
User interface for a communication device
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorsDuncan Lamb, Marek Laasik, Manrique Brenes, Gareth O'Loughlin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for use in a communication system the device comprising processing means arranged to execute first and second applications, and first and second interface means, the first application for detecting a communication event, the second application comprising means for controlling the second interface to allow a user to use the second application; wherein the first application is arranged to control first interface means to indicate to a user of the device that the communication event has occurred, when the second application is running.
Claims18
A device comprising:
- a processor configured to execute first and second applications;
- a user interface and a screen,
- the first application configured to detect a call, the first application comprising a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) client;
- the second application configured to control the user interface to allow a user to use the second application;
- wherein when the second application is not running, the first application is configured to control the user interface to indicate to a user of the device that the call has been detected;
- wherein when the second application is running, the user interface is dedicated to operation of the second application, the user interface thus being unavailable to indicate to the user that the call has been detected;
- and
- the first application being configured to:
- make an attempt to control the user interface to indicate the call to the user;
- responsive to the attempt being made to control the user interface, receive, from an operating system of the device, a notification that the second application is running and that the user interface is unavailable to indicate the call to the user;
- in response to receiving the notification, control the screen to indicate to the user of the device that the call has been detected;
- and
- in response to a user selection to accept the detected call, accept the call to enable performance of the call while concurrently using the second application.
10 more elements
A method comprising:
- detecting a call in a first application that is executed by a device configured to execute the first application and a second application, the first application comprising a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) client, the second application having a user interface that is displayable on a display screen of the device, the second application configured to control a display on the display screen to allow a user of the device to use the second application;
- responsive to detecting the call, making, by the first application, an attempt to control the first display screen to indicate said call to the user;
- responsive to the attempt being made by the first application to control the first display screen, receiving, at the first application and from an operating system of the device, a notification that the second application is running and the first display screen is unavailable to indicate said call to the user, the first display screen being controlled by the first application when the second application is not running and dedicated to operation of the second application when the second application is running;
- responsive to receiving the notification, controlling a display of a second display screen of the device by the first application to indicate to the user of the device that the call has been detected;
- and
- responsive to a user input, accepting the call and allowing the user to conduct the call while concurrently using the second application.
3 more elements
A computer program product in the form of a first application embodied on one or more computer-readable media devices, the computer program product comprising program code that is executable by a device to perform a method, the method comprising:
- detecting a call in a first application executed on the device, the device being configured to execute both the first application and a second application, the first application comprising a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) client, the device comprising a first display screen that is controllable by the second application;
- and
- making an attempt, by the first application, to control the first display screen to indicate to a user of the device that the call has been detected;
- responsive to the attempt being made to control the first display screen, receiving a notification from an operating system of the device that the second application is running and the first display screen is unavailable to indicate said call to the user;
- responsive to receiving the notification, controlling a second display screen of the device by the first application to indicate to the user of the device that the call has been detected, the second application having a user interface that is displayed on the first display screen when the second application is running, wherein when the second application is not running, the first application is configured to control the first display screen to indicate to the user of the device that the call has occurred;
- and
- accepting the call responsive to a user input and allowing the user to conduct the call while concurrently using the second application.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.