Nortel Networks Corporation

Northern Telecom Limited

Bell-northern Research Ltd.

Brian Finlay Beaton

Colin Donald Smith

Francois J Blouin

Guillaume Comeau

Arthur Julian Patterson Craddock

Clifford D Read

Desmond J Ryan

Timothy Joseph Rahrer

Jeffrey L Fairless

Bruce Dale Stalkie

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.

Multitasking graphical user interface

A dynamic context filter for communication and information management filters information using dynamic parameters corresponding to a particular user. Dynamic context filters may represent user location, current time, or past preferences. Filtered information may be prioritized based on proximity, time, or past preferences. The importance of dynamic context filter parameters may be weighted.

Dynamic context filters for communication and information management

The system and method consistent with the present invention provides improved electronic business cards for a communication device. Electronic business cards may be created using CLID information, transferred among users of a telephone network, and used to initiate a call automatically.

Electronic business cards

The system and method consistent with the present invention provides a contextual gesture interface for electronic devices. The contextual gesture interface activates a function corresponding to the characteristics of an object making contact with a display. The system may determine the time period of the contact as well as the size of the contact. The functions may include a wide array of navigation tools or editing tools. The contextual gesture interface of the present invention may be especially useful in portable electronic devices with small displays.

Contextual gesture interface

An integrated message center operates on telecommunications equipment, having a display and a processor, to consolidate messages of different types for viewing and manipulation by a user. The telecommunications equipment receives notification messages corresponding to pending messages of different types and determines the message type of the pending messages. The integrated message center associates a message type indicator with each of the received notification messages based on the determined message type and displays on the display a portion of the received notification messages and the associated message type indicators as entries in a single selectable list. The user can select one of the pending messages for retrieval based on the entries in the single selectable list. In response to user selection, the integrated message center retrieves the selected pending message for viewing and manipulation by the user.

Integrated message center

The system and method consistent with the present invention provides a touch-responsive graphical user interface for electronic devices. The graphical user interface determines a pointer size of the object making contact with a display and activates a function corresponding to the pointer size. The graphical user interface may invoke a wide array of functions such as a navigation tool, draw function, an erase function, or a drag function. The graphical user interface of the present invention may be especially useful in portable electronic devices with small displays.

Intelligent touch display

The system and method consistent with the present invention provides a graphical icon identifying the caller and the location of the call for a communication device.

Calling line identification with location icon

A method and apparatus for locating a desired record amongst a plurality of records in a telephone directory involves associating a frequency field with each of the records, the frequency field being operable to store a frequency metric. A characteristic field is also associated with each of the records, the characteristic field being operable to store a characteristic representation of at least one identifying characteristic of a rendering associated with the record. An input representation of a rendering purporting to identify the desired record is produced and the input representation is compared with the contents of the characteristic fields of at least some of the records and confidence metrics are assigned to the records respectively, each of the confidence metrics representing a respective probability that a respective record is the desired record. A determination is then made as to which of the records have the first and second highest confidence metrics. The frequency fields of the records having the first and second highest confidence metrics are then read and the record with the highest frequency metric is identified as the desired record. Instruction codes stored on a computer-readable memory medium may be used to configure a general purpose computer to effect the method.

Method and apparatus for locating a desired record in a plurality of records in an input recognizing telephone directory

The system and method consistent with the present invention provides a directory with graphical icons representing characteristics of the entries for a communication device. The graphical icons are associated with additional information for the corresponding entry.

Iconized name list

The system and method consistent with the present invention provides improved graphical navigation tool for electronic devices. The graphical navigation tools may be used to navigate through documents at any direction at varying speeds. The navigation tool is preferably transparent to prevent obscuring the text of the underlying document. Accordingly, the navigational tool does not take up additional screen real estate. The GUI of the present invention may be especially useful in portable electronic devices with small displays.

Navigation tool for graphical user interface

The system and method consistent with the present invention improves searching and display features of graphical user interfaces by providing automatic compression and expansion of the display during the scroll.

Scrolling with automatic compression and expansion

A portable wireless telephone structure in which a foldable wallet carries a telephone in addition to having a pocket to house paper currency. The telephone is exposed for use with the wallet in open condition and is housed with the wallet in closed condition. The telephone has a communication mode to a user monetary function to permit telephonic transfer of monetary units. Thus, the telephone may eliminate need for carrying credit or bank cards in the wallet except for the telephone use with a 'smart' card for telephonic transfer of monetary amounts to the 'smart' card for transaction purposes.

Growing community of inventors

Orleans, CA, United States of America

Brian Finlay Beaton