IP Library Granted Patent US 8,972,904
Granted Patent B2
US 8,972,904 · App. 13/176,703 · Granted Mar 3, 2015

Portable multifunction device, method, and graphical user interface for conference calling

Inventors: Scott Forstall (Mountain View, CA); Imran Chaudhri (San Francisco, CA); Michael Matas (Palo Alto, CA); Marcel Van Os (San Francisco, CA); Stephen O. Lemay (San Francisco, CA); Patrick Lee Coffman (Menlo Park, CA); Elizabeth Caroline Furches (San Francisco, CA); Greg Christie (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
H04M1/72583G06F3/0488H04M1/27455H04M1/576H04M1/72522H04M1/72547H04M1/72552H04M1/7258H04M3/564H04M1/6008H04M1/6041H04M1/663H04M1/72558H04M2250/12H04M2250/22H04M2250/62
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,972,904
App. No.
13/176,703
Granted
Mar 3, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

In some embodiments, a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display performs a method that includes: displaying a phone call user interface on the touch screen display, wherein the phone call user interface includes: a first informational item associated with an active phone call between a user of the device and a first party, a second informational item associated with a suspended phone call between the user and a second party, and a merge call icon; upon detecting a user selection of the merge call icon, merging the active phone call and the suspended phone call into a conference call between the user, the first party, and the second party, and replacing the phone call user interface with a conference call user interface. The conference call user interface includes: a third informational item associated with the conference call, and a conference call management icon.

Claims (133)

1. A method, comprising:

at a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display:

displaying a phone call user interface on the touch screen display, the phone call user interface including a first informational item associated with an active phone call between a user of the device and a first party including first information identifying the first party, a second informational item associated with a suspended phone call between the user and a second party including second information identifying the second party, and a merge call icon;

in response to detecting a user selection of the merge call icon,

merging the active phone call and the suspended phone call into a conference call between the user, the first party, and the second party, and

replacing the phone call user interface with a conference call user interface, wherein replacing the phone call user interface with the conference call user interface includes:

ceasing to display the first information and the second information;

displaying a third informational item associated with the conference call in replacement of the first and second informational items, and

displaying a conference call management icon for redisplaying the first information and the second information; and

in response to detecting a user selection of the conference call management icon, replacing the conference call user interface with a conference call management user interface, the conference call management user interface including a first management entry corresponding to the first party, a second management entry corresponding to the second party, an end call icon, and a private call icon, wherein the end call icon and the private call icon are associated with a respective management entry when the respective management entry is highlighted in the conference call management user interface.

2. The method of claim 1 , including:

in response to detecting a user selection of the end call icon when the first management entry is highlighted, displaying a confirmation icon on the touch screen display; and

in response to detecting a user selection of the confirmation icon:

excluding the first party from the conference call, and

removing the first management entry from the touch screen display.

3. The method of claim 1 , including:

in response to detecting a user selection of the private call icon when the second management entry is highlighted:

suspending the conference call, and

replacing the conference call management user interface with the phone call user interface, the phone call user interface including a fourth informational item associated with a suspended phone call between the user and the first party, a fifth informational item associated with an active phone call between the user and the second party, and the merge call icon.

4. The method of claim 3 , including:

in response to detecting a second user selection of the merge call icon:

resuming the conference call; and

replacing the phone call user interface including the fourth and fifth informational items with the conference call user interface.

5. The method of claim 1 , including:

in response to detecting an incoming phone call from a third party, replacing the conference call management user interface with an incoming phone call user interface, the incoming phone call user interface including an ignore incoming phone call icon, a suspend current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon, and an end current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon.

6. The method of claim 5 , including:

in response to detecting a user selection of the ignore incoming phone call icon:

terminating the incoming phone call from the third party or sending the incoming phone call to voice mail,

continuing the conference call with the first and second parties, and

replacing the incoming phone call user interface with the conference call user interface or the conference call management user interface.

7. The method of claim 5 , including:

in response to detecting a user selection of the end current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon:

terminating the conference call with the first and second parties,

activating a phone call between the user and the third party, and

replacing the incoming phone call user interface with a phone call user interface, the phone call user interface including a sixth informational item associated with the phone call between the user and the third party.

8. The method of claim 5 , including:

in response to detecting a user selection of the suspend current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon:

suspending the conference call with the first and second parties,

activating a phone call between the user and the third party, and

replacing the incoming phone call user interface with a phone call user interface, the phone call user interface including a sixth informational item associated with the phone call between the user and the third party, a seventh informational item associated with the suspended conference call between the user and the first and second parties, and a merge call icon.

9. The method of claim 5 , including:

in response to detecting a user selection of the suspend current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon:

activating a phone call between the user and the third party, and

replacing the incoming phone call user interface with a phone call user interface, the phone call user interface including a sixth informational item associated with the phone call between the user and the third party, a seventh informational item associated with the conference call between the user and the first and second parties, and a merge call icon.

10. A portable multifunction device, comprising:

a touch screen display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the programs including instructions for:

displaying a phone call user interface on the touch screen display, the phone call user interface including a first informational item associated with an active phone call between a user of the device and a first party including first information identifying the first party, a second informational item associated with a suspended phone call between the user and a second party including second information identifying the second party, and a merge call icon;

in response to detecting a user selection of the merge call icon,

merging the active phone call and the suspended phone call into a conference call between the user, the first party, and the second party; and

replacing the phone call user interface with a conference call user interface, wherein replacing the phone call user interface with the conference call user interface includes:

ceasing to display the first information and the second information;

displaying a third informational item associated with the conference call in replacement of the first and second informational items, and

displaying a conference call management icon for redisplaying the first information and the second information; and

in response to detecting a user selection of the conference call management icon, replacing the conference call user interface with a conference call management user interface, the conference call management user interface including a first management entry corresponding to the first party, a second management entry corresponding to the second party, an end call icon, and a private call icon, wherein the end call icon and the private call icon are associated with a respective management entry when the respective management entry is highlighted in the conference call management user interface.

11. The portable multifunction device of claim 10 , including instructions for:

in response to detecting a user selection of the end call icon when the first management entry is highlighted, displaying a confirmation icon on the touch screen display; and

in response to detecting a user selection of the confirmation icon:

excluding the first party from the conference call, and

removing the first management entry from the touch screen display.

12. The portable multifunction device of claim 10 , including instructions for:

in response to detecting a user selection of the private call icon when the second management entry is highlighted:

suspending the conference call, and

replacing the conference call management user interface with the phone call user interface, the phone call user interface including a fourth informational item associated with a suspended phone call between the user and the first party, a fifth informational item associated with an active phone call between the user and the second party, and the merge call icon.

13. The portable multifunction device of claim 12 , including instructions for:

in response to detecting a second user selection of the merge call icon:

resuming the conference call; and

replacing the phone call user interface including the fourth and fifth informational items with the conference call user interface.

14. The portable multifunction device of claim 10 , including instructions for:

in response to detecting an incoming phone call from a third party, replacing the conference call management user interface with an incoming phone call user interface, the incoming phone call user interface including an ignore incoming phone call icon, a suspend current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon, and an end current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon.

15. The portable multifunction device of claim 14 , including instructions for:

in response to detecting a user selection of the ignore incoming phone call icon:

terminating the incoming phone call from the third party or sending the incoming phone call to voice mail,

continuing the conference call with the first and second parties, and

replacing the incoming phone call user interface with the conference call user interface or the conference call management user interface.

16. The portable multifunction device of claim 14 , including instructions for:

in response to detecting a user selection of the end current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon:

terminating the conference call with the first and second parties,

activating a phone call between the user and the third party, and

replacing the incoming phone call user interface with a phone call user interface, the phone call user interface including a sixth informational item associated with the phone call between the user and the third party.

17. The portable multifunction device of claim 14 , including instructions for:

in response to detecting a user selection of the suspend current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon:

suspending the conference call with the first and second parties,

activating a phone call between the user and the third party, and

replacing the incoming phone call user interface with a phone call user interface, the phone call user interface including a sixth informational item associated with the phone call between the user and the third party, a seventh informational item associated with the suspended conference call between the user and the first and second parties, and a merge call icon.

18. The portable multifunction device of claim 14 , including instructions for:

in response to detecting a user selection of the suspend current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon:

activating a phone call between the user and the third party, and

replacing the incoming phone call user interface with a phone call user interface, the phone call user interface including a sixth informational item associated with the phone call between the user and the third party, a seventh informational item associated with the conference call between the user and the first and second parties, and a merge call icon.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display, cause the device to:

display a phone call user interface on the touch screen display, the phone call user interface including a first informational item associated with an active phone call between a user of the device and a first party including first information identifying the first party, a second informational item associated with a suspended phone call between the user and a second party including second information identifying the second party, and a merge call icon;

in response to detecting a user selection of the merge call icon,

merging the active phone call and the suspended phone call into a conference call between the user, the first party, and the second party, and

replacing the phone call user interface with a conference call user interface, wherein replacing the phone call user interface with the conference call user interface includes:

ceasing to display the first information and the second information;

displaying a third informational item associated with the conferencecall in replacement of the first and second informational items, and

displaying a conference call management icon for redisplaying the first information and the second information; and

in response to detecting a user selection of the conference call management icon, replace the conference call user interface with a conference call management user interface, the conference call management user interface including a first management entry corresponding to the first party, a second management entry corresponding to the second party, an end call icon, and a private call icon, wherein the end call icon and the private call icon are associated with a respective management entry when the respective management entry is highlighted in the conference call management user interface.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19 , including instructions which cause the device to:

in response to detecting a user selection of the end call icon when the first management entry is highlighted, display a confirmation icon on the touch screen display; and

in response to detecting a user selection of the confirmation icon:

exclude the first party from the conference call, and

remove the first management entry from the touch screen display.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19 , including instructions which cause the device to:

in response to detecting a user selection of the private call icon when the second management entry is highlighted:

suspend the conference call, and

replace the conference call management user interface with the phone call user interface, the phone call user interface including a fourth informational item associated with a suspended phone call between the user and the first party, a fifth informational item associated with an active phone call between the user and the second party, and the merge call icon.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21 , including instructions which cause the device to:

in response to detecting a second user selection of the merge call icon:

resume the conference call; and

replace the phone call user interface including the fourth and fifth informational items with the conference call user interface.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19 , including instructions which cause the device to:

in response to detecting an incoming phone call from a third party, replace the conference call management user interface with an incoming phone call user interface, the incoming phone call user interface including an ignore incoming phone call icon, a suspend current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon, and an end current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , including instructions which cause the device to:

in response to detecting a user selection of the ignore incoming phone call icon:

terminate the incoming phone call from the third party or sending the incoming phone call to voice mail,

continue the conference call with the first and second parties, and

replace the incoming phone call user interface with the conference call user interface or the conference call management user interface.

25. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , including instructions which cause the device to:

in response to detecting a user selection of the end current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon:

terminate the conference call with the first and second parties,

activate a phone call between the user and the third party, and

replace the incoming phone call user interface with a phone call user interface, the phone call user interface including a sixth informational item associated with the phone call between the user and the third party.

26. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , including instructions which cause the device to:

in response to detecting a user selection of the suspend current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon:

suspend the conference call with the first and second parties,

activate a phone call between the user and the third party, and

replace the incoming phone call user interface with a phone call user interface, the phone call user interface including a sixth informational item associated with the phone call between the user and the third party, a seventh informational item associated with the suspended conference call between the user and the first and second parties, and a merge call icon.

27. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , including instructions which cause the device to:

in response to detecting a user selection of the suspend current phone call and answer incoming phone call icon:

activate a phone call between the user and the third party, and replace the incoming phone call user interface with a phone call user interface, the phone call user interface including a sixth informational item associated with the phone call between the user and the third party, a seventh informational item associated with the conference call between the user and the first and second parties, and a merge call icon.

Continuity (6)
Continuation 11960673 · Dec 19, 2007
Provisional Application 60937993 · Jun 29, 2007
Provisional Application 60947133 · Jun 29, 2007
Provisional Application 60879469 · Jan 8, 2007
Provisional Application 60879253 · Jan 7, 2007
Related Publication 20110275418A1 · Nov 10, 2011