User-initiated communications during multimedia content playback on a mobile communications device
A multimedia display process executing in a mobile device traps user input signals to allow switching from display of multimedia to another task without requiring manual termination of the multimedia display process by the user.
1. A method comprising:
receiving data and playing multimedia content included therein;
obtain multimedia metadata from the received data, the multimedia metadata specifying an interface element, a beginning offset, and an ending offset;
wherein the multimedia metadata specifies a contact type configured to define a type of contact associated with the interface element, a contact address configured to specify a parameter to establish a connection with the contact type, or a contact description configured to provide descriptive information associated with the interface element;
displaying a prompt associated with the interface element, of the multimedia metadata during the playing of the multimedia content, wherein the prompt is displayed within a visual display of the multimedia content at a position between the beginning offset and the ending offset; and
establishing a communications channel associated with the interface element responsive to actuation of the prompt.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein establishing the communications channel comprises establishing voice communications.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein establishing the communications channel comprises establishing a data channel to send a data message.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein establishing the data channel comprises decoding, from the multimedia metadata, one of a telephone number or an email address to send the data message.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the prompt comprises a textual message.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically stopping the playing of the multimedia content responsive to actuation of the prompt.
7. An apparatus, comprising:
a processing device configured to:
play multimedia content included in received data;
obtain multimedia metadata from the received data, the multimedia metadata specifying an interface element, a beginning offset, and an ending offset;
wherein the multimedia metadata specifies a contact type configured to define a type of contact associated with the interface element, a contact address configured to specify a parameter to establish a connection with the contact type, or a contact description configured to provide descriptive information associated with the interface element;
displaying a prompt associated with the interface element, of the multimedia metadata during the playing of the multimedia content, wherein the prompt is displayed within an image of the multimedia content at a position between the beginning offset and the ending offset; and
establishing a communications channel associated with the interface element responsive to actuation of the prompt.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the processing device is configured to establish voice communications responsive to actuation of the prompt.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the processing device is configured to establish a data channel responsive to actuation of the prompt.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processing device is configured to decode, from the multimedia metadata, one of a telephone number or an email address to send a data message, the decoding responsive to actuation of the prompt.
11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the prompt comprises a textual message.
12. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the processing device is configured to automatically stop the playing of the multimedia content responsive to actuation of the prompt.
13. An apparatus, comprising:
means for playing multimedia content included in received data;
means for receiving multimedia metadata from the received data, the multimedia metadata specifying an interface element, a beginning offset, and an ending offset;
wherein the multimedia metadata specifies a contact type configured to define a type of contact associated with the interface element, a contact address configured to specify a parameter to establish a connection with the contact type, or a contact description configured to provide descriptive information associated with the interface element;
means for displaying a prompt associated with the interface element, of the multimedia metadata during the playing of the multimedia content, wherein the prompt is displayed within a visual display of the multimedia content at a position between the beginning offset and the ending offset; and
means for establishing a communications channel associated with the interface element responsive to actuation of the prompt.
14. A memory device having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:
receiving data and playing multimedia content included therein;
obtaining multimedia metadata from the received data, the multimedia metadata specifying an interface element, a beginning offset, and an ending offset;
wherein the multimedia metadata specifies a contact type configured to define a type of contact associated with the interface element, a contact address configured to specify a parameter to establish a connection with the contact type, or a contact description configured to provide descriptive information associated with the interface element;
displaying a prompt associated with the interface element of the multimedia metadata during the playing of the multimedia content, wherein the prompt is displayed within an image of the multimedia content at a position between the beginning offset and the ending offset; and
establishing a communications channel associated with the interface element responsive to actuation of the prompt.
15. The memory device of claim 14 , wherein establishing the communications channel comprises establishing voice communications or establishing a data channel to send a data message.
16. The memory device of claim 15 , wherein establishing the data channel comprises decoding, from the multimedia metadata, one of a telephone number or an email address to send the data message.
17. The memory device of claim 14 , wherein the prompt comprises a textual message.
18. The memory device of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise automatically stopping the playing of the multimedia content responsive to actuation of the prompt.