System and method for an extendable mobile communications device user interface

Abstract

A system and method for an extendable software interface includes software architecture for use in a mobile device having a processor and a memory device. The software architecture includes a set of first-order controller software instructions configured to interface the application program with a first-order data model, and a first-order data object stored in the memory device in the form of the first-order data model. The first-order data object includes a second-order data object. A second-order set of controller software instructions configured to interact with the second-order data object is also included in the software architecture.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A method of operating a mobile device having a display, comprising:
 receiving at the mobile device an electronic a short message service (SMS) message having a body, with an e-mail address within the body; 
 displaying on the display at least a portion of the electronic SMS message including the e-mail address, wherein the portion of the SMS message is displayed in a first application operating on the mobile device; and 
 determining, by a message controller at the mobile device, that the SMS message includes the e-mail address, wherein the message controller is associated with an SMS data model, and the SMS data model includes a retrieving function for retrieving the e-mail address from the SMS message; 
 after determining that the SMS message includes the e-mail address, determining that a cursor is effected near the displayed e-mail address; 
 in response to a selection of the displayed e-mail address, determining that the cursor is effected near the displayed e-mail address, activating, by the message controller, an e-mail address controller, wherein the e-mail address controller is different than the message controller, the e-mail address controller is associated with an e-mail address data model, wherein the e-mail address data model is associated with at least two functions to be performed on the e-mail address, and the e-mail address controller is configured to display the at least two functions; 
 displaying, by the e-mail address controller at the mobile device, on the display an a first interface for selecting one of including the at least adding the e-mail address to an address book and creating an e-mail message addressed to the e-mail address two functions to be performed on the e-mail address, wherein the at least two functions include a first function executed by a second application and a second function executed by a third application different than the first and second applications; 
 receiving, from the first interface, a selection of the first function executed by the second application; 
 launching, by the e-mail address controller, the second application; 
 retrieving, by the message controller using the SMS data model, the e-mail address from the SMS message; and 
 providing, by the message controller, the retrieved e-mail address to the second application. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic message is an e-mail message. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic message is an SMS message. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving at the mobile device the selection of the e-mail address comprises receiving a cursor positioning over the e-mail address. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving selection of one of the at least adding the e-mail address to the address book and creating the e-mail message addressed to the e-mail address. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim  5  1, further comprising:
 after launching an the second application associated with the selection; and 
 displaying a second interface different than the first interface. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first interface comprises a menu list. 
     
     
       8. A mobile communication device, comprising:
 a display; 
 an input device; and 
 a processor, connected to the display and the input device, and configured to: 
 receive an electronic a short message service (SMS) message having a body, with an e-mail address within the body, 
 display on the display at least a portion of the electronic SMS message including the e-mail address, wherein the portion of the SMS message is displayed in a first application operating on the mobile communication device, and 
 determine, by a message controller at the mobile communication device, that the SMS message includes the e-mail address, wherein the message controller is associated with an SMS data model, and the SMS data model includes a retrieving function for retrieving the e-mail address from the SMS message; 
 after determining that the SMS message includes the e-mail address, determine that a cursor is effected near the displayed e-mail address; 
 in response to a selection of the displayed e-mail address at the input device determining that the cursor is near the displayed e-mail address, activate, by the message controller, an e-mail address controller, wherein the e-mail address controller is different than the message controller, the e-mail address controller is associated with an e-mail address data model, wherein the e-mail address data model is associated with at least two functions to be performed on the e-mail address, and the e-mail address controller is configured to display the at least two functions; 
 display, by the e-mail address controller at the mobile communication device, on the display an a first interface for selecting from including the at least two functions that can be performed with the e-mail address, the at least two functions including adding the e-mail address to an address book and creating an e-mail message addressed to the e-mail address to be performed on the e-mail address, wherein the at least two functions include a first function executed by a second application and a second function executed by a third application different than the first and second applications; 
 receive, from the first interface, a selection of the first function executed by the second application; 
 launch, by the e-mail address controller, the second application; 
 retrieve, by the message controller using the SMS data model, the e-mail address from the SMS message; and 
 provide, by the message controller, the retrieved e-mail address to the second application. 
 
     
     
       9. The mobile communication device of  claim 8 , wherein the electronic message is an e-mail message. 
     
     
       10. The mobile communication device of  claim 8 , wherein the electronic message is an SMS message. 
     
     
       11. The mobile communication device of  claim 8 , wherein the at least two functions comprise an operation involving an application other than a message application. 
     
     
       12. The mobile communication device of  claim 8 , wherein the at least two functions comprise an operation involving an address book application. 
     
     
       13. The mobile communication device of  claim 8 , wherein the receiving the selection of the displayed e-mail address comprises receiving a cursor positioning over the e-mail address. 
     
     
       14. The mobile communication device of  claim 8 , further comprising the processor configured to receive selection of one of the at least two functions. 
     
     
       15. The mobile communication device of  claim 14 , further comprising the processor configured to launch an application associated with the selected function. 
     
     
       16. The method mobile communication device of  claim 8 , wherein the first interface comprises a menu list. 
     
     
       17. A method of providing functionality on a mobile device having a display, comprising:
 receiving at the mobile device an e-mail message with an e-mail address within a body of the e-mail message;   displaying on the display at least a portion of the e-mail message including the e-mail address;   in response to a selection of the displayed e-mail address, displaying on the display a list of at least two functions that can be performed with the e-mail address, the at least two functions including adding the e-mail address to an address book on the mobile device and creating an e-mail message addressed to the e-mail address; and   receiving a selection of at least one of the at least two functions, and then performing the selected function.   
     
     
       18. A mobile communication device, comprising:
 a display;   a transceiver; and   a processor connected with the display and the transceiver, the processor configured for:   receiving with the transceiver an e-mail message having an e-mail address within a body of the e-mail message;   displaying on the display at least a portion of the e-mail message including the e-mail address;   in response to a selection of the displayed e-mail address, displaying on the display a list of at least two functions that can be performed with the e-mail address, the at least two functions including adding the e-mail address to an address book on the mobile device and creating an e-mail message addressed to the e-mail address; and   receiving a selection of at least one of the at least two functions, and then performing the selected function.   
     
     
       19. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions to cause a processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, at a mobile device, a short message service (SMS) message having a body, with an e-mail address within the body;   displaying at least a portion of the SMS message including the e-mail address, wherein the portion of the SMS message is displayed in a first application;   determining, by a message controller at the mobile device, that the SMS message includes the e-mail address, wherein the message controller is associated with an SMS data model, and the SMS data model includes a retrieving function for retrieving the e-mail address from the SMS message;   after determining that the SMS message includes the e-mail address, determining that a cursor is effected near the displayed e-mail address; and   in response to determining that the cursor is effected near the displayed e-mail address, activating, by the message controller, an e-mail address controller, wherein the e-mail address controller is different than the message controller, the e-mail address controller is associated with an e-mail address data model, wherein the e-mail address data model is associated with at least two functions to be performed on the e-mail address, and the e-mail address controller is configured to display the at least two functions;   displaying, by the e-mail address controller at the mobile device, an interface including the at least two functions to be performed on the e-mail address, wherein the at least two functions include a first function executed by a second application and a second function executed by a third application different than the first and second applications;   receiving, from the interface, a selection of the first function executed by the second application;   launching, by the e-mail address controller, the second application;   retrieving, by the message controller using the SMS data model, the e-mail address from the SMS message; and   providing, by the message controller, the retrieved e-mail address to the second application.   
     
     
       20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the interface comprises a menu list.