IP Library Granted Patent US 8,406,818
Granted Patent B2
US 8,406,818 · App. 13/555,369 · Granted Mar 26, 2013

System and method for providing a visual indicator on a communication device

Inventors: Mike Roberts (Overland Park, KS); Shekhar Gupta (Overland Park, KS); Krishna Kolothuparambil Bhaskarankutty Nair (Olathe, KS)
Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,406,818
App. No.
13/555,369
Granted
Mar 26, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosed invention include an apparatus, method, and computer program product for providing a larger display area for viewing pictures and/or videos on a communication device. For example, in one embodiment, a communication device is disclosed comprising a plurality of display components for displaying an image that covers a plurality of sides of the communication device. In certain embodiments, a user first image is displayed in response to receiving an incoming call for providing a visible indicator for alerting the user of an incoming call.

Claims (30)

1. A communication device comprising:

one or more displays covering two or more surfaces of the communication device; and

circuitry for connecting the one or more displays to a processing component;

wherein the processing component is configured to display images on the one or more displays to generate a first image that covers the two or more surfaces of the communication device in response to receiving an incoming call; and

wherein the processing component is further configured to display a second image on the one or more displays in response to forwarding the incoming call to voicemail.

2. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more displays covers an entire exterior portion of the communication device; and

wherein the first image covers the entire exterior portion of the communication device.

3. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the first image covers all non-downward facing surfaces of the communication device.

4. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the first image is selected based on a caller identification associated with the incoming call, and wherein the first image is a current profile image of a caller retrieved from a social networking website.

5. The communication device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a motion sensor for detecting movement of the communication device; and

logic for turning off the one or more displays in response to the motion sensor detecting movement of the communication device.

6. The communication device of claim 1 , further comprising touch screen logic for turning off the one or more displays in response to detecting a user's touch.

7. The communication device of claim 1 , further comprising display logic for displaying a set of control keys associated with the communication device in response to a determination that a user is handling the communication device.

8. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the two or more surfaces of the communication device includes a set of raised keys.

9. The communication device of claim 8 , wherein each individual key within the set of raised keys is layered with a separate display component.

10. The communication device of claim 1 , further comprising communication logic for receiving the images from a network device in communication with the communication device.

11. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more displays are transparent when not displaying an image.

12. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the images include video images or a sequence of images.

13. A method for providing a visual indicator of an incoming call on a mobile communication device, the method comprising:

receiving the incoming call at the mobile communication device;

displaying, using a processor of the mobile communication device, a first image on two or more displays in response to receiving the incoming call; and

displaying a second image on the one or more displays in response to forwarding the incoming call to voicemail.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising selecting the first image based on a caller identification associated with the incoming call.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising retrieving the first image from a network device.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising turning off the one or more displays in response to detecting movement of the mobile communication device.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising displaying a set of control keys on the one or more displays in response to detecting movement of the mobile communication device.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising configuring the mobile communication device to automatically answer the incoming call in response to detecting a user picking up the mobile communication device.

19. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code comprising instructions to display a first image on one or more displays covering an entire exterior portion of a mobile communication device in response to receiving an incoming call to the mobile communication device, wherein the first image is a current profile image of a caller retrieved from a social networking website.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the computer readable program code further comprises instructions to automatically answer the incoming call in response to detecting a user picking up the mobile communication device.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 2, 2013
From: ROBERTS, MIKE A.; GUPTA, SHEKHAR; NAIR, KRISHNA BHASKARANKUTTY
To: EMBARQ HOLDINGS COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 030931/0107 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 2, 2013
From: EMBARQ HOLDINGS COMPANY, LLC
To: CENTURYLINK INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LLC
Reel/Frame 030945/0850 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 12491912 · Jun 25, 2009
Related Publication 20120288073A1 · Nov 15, 2012