Touch gestures related to interaction with contacts in a business data system

Abstract

A business data system generates a user interface display showing a business data record. The business data system receives a touch gesture user input manipulating a contact within the business data system. The business data system manipulates the contact based on the touch gesture user input.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method of manipulating contact information in a business data system, comprising:
 displaying a user interface display showing business information, from the business data system;   receiving a user touch gesture on the user interface display, to manipulate contact information in the business data system; and   manipulating the contact information in the business data system based on the user touch gesture.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein displaying a user interface display comprises:
 displaying a user actuatable contact user input mechanism showing a contact in the business data system. 
 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2  wherein receiving the user touch gesture comprises:
 receiving a user touch on the contact user input mechanism. 
 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3  wherein manipulating the contact information comprises:
 accessing additional contact information corresponding to the contact; and 
 displaying the additional contact information. 
 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4  wherein the additional contact information comprises a plurality of contact options for the contact and wherein displaying the additional contact information comprises:
 displaying a user actuatable input mechanism corresponding to each of the contact options. 
 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5  and further comprising:
 receiving a user touch gesture on a given one of the input mechanisms corresponding to a given contact option; and 
 initiating communication with the contact using the given contact option. 
 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein receiving a user touch gesture to manipulate contact information comprises:
 receiving a user touch gesture requesting a business data record from the business data system; and 
 displaying the business data record with a contact user input mechanism for a contact corresponding to the business data record. 
 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7  wherein receiving a user touch gesture to manipulate contact information further comprises:
 receiving a user touch gesture actuating the contact user input mechanism on the business data record. 
 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8  wherein displaying the business data record with the contact user-input mechanism for the contact, comprises:
 displaying a contact menu with an input mechanism corresponding to a contact search mechanism, and wherein receiving the user touch gesture actuating the contact user input mechanism comprises receiving a touch gesture initiating a search for a specific contact. 
 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8  wherein receiving a user touch gesture to manipulate contact information further comprises:
 receiving the user touch gesture to perform one of adding, deleting or editing the contact information. 
 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8  wherein receiving a user touch gesture to manipulate contact information further comprises:
 receiving the user touch gesture to initiate communication with an entity represented by the contact information. 
 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8  wherein receiving a user touch gesture to manipulate contact information further comprises:
 receiving the user touch gesture to schedule a meeting with an entity represented by the contact information. 
 
     
     
         13 . A business data system, comprising:
 a user interface component;   a business data component generating a user interface display, using the user interface component, showing a business data record with a user input mechanism showing a contact corresponding to the business data record, receiving a user touch gesture through the user input mechanism to manipulate contact information for the contact and manipulating the contact information in the business data system based on the touch gesture; and   a computer processor being a functional part of the business data system and activated by the user interface component and the business data component to facilitate generating the user interface display, receiving the touch gesture and manipulating the contact information.   
     
     
         14 . The business data system of  claim 13  and further comprising:
 a communication component, the touch gesture initiating communication with the contact, using the communication component. 
 
     
     
         15 . The business data system of  claim 14  wherein the business data component displays a communication input mechanism representing a communication option for communicating with the contact, and wherein the touch gesture actuates the communication input mechanism, the communication component initiating communication with the contact using the communication option represented by the communication input mechanism. 
     
     
         16 . The business data system of  claim 15  wherein the communication option comprises a selected one of electronic mail, telephone, cellular telephone, and instant messaging. 
     
     
         17 . The business data system of  claim 13  wherein the business data component manipulates the contact information, based on the user touch gesture by performing one of adding contact information, deleting contact information, editing contact information and displaying additional contact information. 
     
     
         18 . A mobile device, comprising:
 a touch sensitive display screen;   a user interface component displaying a user interface display from a business data system on the touch sensitive display screen and receiving a user touch gesture through the user interface display;   a business data component manipulating contact information in the business data system based on the touch gesture; and   a computer processor being a functional component of the mobile device and activated by the user interface component and the business data component to facilitate displaying, receiving the user touch gesture, and manipulating the contact information.   
     
     
         19 . The mobile device of  claim 18  wherein the user interface component receives a touch gesture requesting display of a business data record from the business data system, the business data record including contact information for a contact corresponding to the business data record. 
     
     
         20 . The mobile device of  claim 19  wherein the business data component manipulates the contact information by at least one of initiating communication with the contact or scheduling a meeting with the contact.