User interface for cellular telephone group calls

Abstract

In connection with a push-to-talk-over-cellular (PoC) function of a cellular telephone, the user interface of the cellular telephone presents certain information to the user of the cellular telephone concerning a current group call session. The information may include an indication of what proportion of the members of a group designated for the group call session are currently active. In addition, the user interface may provide a list of the members of the designated group, with icons indicating the current status of the group members. When a member of the group is currently talking, the talking member's name may be displayed by the user interface.

1 - 7 . (canceled)  
     
     
         8 . A method of operating a cellular telephone, the cellular telephone being operated by a first user and including a display, and being selectively operable in a mode in which a group call is supported among more than two parties according to a push-to-talk-over-cellular (PoC) procedure, the cellular telephone including a designation of a group of cellular telephone users other than the first user, the method comprising: 
 entering into a group call session in accordance with said PoC procedure, the designated group being selected for the group call session; and    displaying on the display, during the group call session, a listing of a respective name of each of at least some of the members of the group of cellular phone users.    
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the displaying is actuated by the first user actuating a soft key on the cellular telephone.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the displaying is actuated by the first user actuating a soft key on the cellular telephone at a time when the display is displaying a plurality of icons which includes at least one icon representing the first user, at least one other icon representing the designated group, and at least one further icon to indicate the first user is transmitting or a member of the designated group is transmitting.  
     
     
         11 . (canceled)  
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the group is designated by selecting an identifier of the group.  
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the group is designated by selecting a respective identifier for each member of the group.  
     
     
         14 - 24 . (canceled)  
     
     
         25 . A cellular telephone, comprising: 
 a processor;    communication means, operatively coupled to the processor, for receiving and transmitting information;    a display component operatively coupled to the processor; and    a memory operatively coupled to the processor and storing software adapted to control the processor to: 
 store in the memory a designation of a group of users of other cellular telephones;  
 place the cellular telephone in a mode in which a group call is supported among more than two parties according to a push-to-talk-over-cellular (PoC) procedure;  
 enter into a group call session in accordance with said PoC procedure, the designated group being selected for the group call session; and  
 display on the display component, during the group call session, a listing of a respective name of each of at least some of the members of the group of cellular phone users.  
   
     
     
         26 . A cellular telephone according to  claim 25 , wherein the displaying of the listing of group members' names is actuated by a user of the cellular telephone actuating a soft key on the cellular telephone.  
     
     
         27 . A cellular telephone according to  claim 26 , wherein the displaying of the listing of group members' names is actuated by a user of the cellular telephone actuating a soft key on the cellular telephone at a time when the display component is displaying a plurality of icons which includes at least one icon representing the user of the cellular telephone, at least one other icon representing the designated group, and at least a further icon to indicate the user of the cellular telephone is transmitting or a member of the designated group is transmitting.  
     
     
         28 . (canceled)  
     
     
         29 . A cellular telephone according to  claim 25 , wherein the group is designated by selecting an identifier of the group.  
     
     
         30 . A cellular telephone according to  claim 25 , wherein the group is designated by selecting a respective identifier for each member of the group.  
     
     
         31 - 34 . (canceled)