User interface methods and apparatus for use in communicating messages

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for use in communicating messages from a communication device are described. The device receives, via its user interface, an input request for creating a new message. The device also receives, via its user interface, one or more input requests for selecting one or more message recipient identifiers for the new message. In response to receiving the one or more input requests, the device identifies whether a stored conversation thread is associated with conversation participant identifiers that match the conversation participant identifiers for the new message. If so, the device displays the identified conversation thread together with a message body input field of the new message, prior to entry of message body contents in the message body input field. The device then receives, via the user interface, the message body contents in the message body input field, and causes the new message to be transmitted to one or more communication devices identified by the one or more message recipient identifiers.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method in a communication device which includes a user interface for use in communicating messages via a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
 receiving, via the user interface, an input request for initiating the a creation of a new group message; 
 in response to receiving the input request for initiating the creation of the new group message, displaying in the user interface one or more message recipient input fields for the new group message; 
 receiving, via the user interface, one two or more input requests for selecting one two or more message recipient identifiers in the one or more message recipient input fields; 
 upon receiving the one two or more message recipient identifiers;:
 identifying whether conversation participant identifiers for the new group message match the conversation participant identifiers of one or more stored conversation threads, the conversation participant identifiers for the new group message including the one two or more message recipient identifiers received in the one or more message recipient input fields; 
 selecting one of the stored conversation threads associated with the conversation participant identifiers that match the conversation participant identifiers for the new group message; and 
 prior to the new group message being sent from the communication device, displaying in the user interface the selected conversation thread together with a blank message body input field of the new group message, prior to the new message being sent from the communication device. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, via the user interface, message body contents in the blank message body input field to generate a populated message body input field; and 
 causing the new group message which includes the message body contents to be sent, via the wireless communication network, to one two or more communication devices identified by the one two or more message recipient identifiers. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying, selecting, and displaying the stored conversation thread are performed in response to detecting an input signal to enter the message body contents into the blank message body input field, wherein the selected conversation thread is a previous conversation involving common participants of the new group message, wherein the selected conversation thread is displayed in a conversation thread field of the new group message in response to identifying a match between the participant identifiers for the new group message and the conversation participant identifiers of the stored conversation thread, and wherein the conversation thread field is separate from the blank message body input field. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communication device is associated with a message sender identifier for of a sender of the new group message, and wherein the conversation participant identifiers for the new group message comprise the message sender identifier and the one two or more message recipient identifiers. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 otherwise, when the conversation participant identifiers for the new group message and the conversation participant identifiers of the one or more stored conversation threads do not match, displaying a new message which includes a message body input field but no conversation thread in the new message. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 upon receiving the one two or more message recipient identifiers:
 producing a conversation identifier for the new group message; and 
 comparing the conversation identifier with one or more stored conversation identifiers associated with the one or more stored conversation threads; and 
 if a match between the conversation identifier and one of the stored conversation identifiers is identified, then identifying that the conversation participant identifiers for the new group message match the conversation participant identifiers of one or more stored conversation threads. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein each one of the stored conversation threads is associated with a hash result value derived from a hashing function using the conversation participant identifiers of the conversation thread as inputs, the method further comprising:
 upon receiving the one two or more message recipient identifiers:
 performing the hashing function using the message sender identifier and the one two or more message recipient identifiers of the new group message as inputs; 
 comparing a hash result value from the hashing function with hash result values of the different conversation threads; and 
 when a match between the hash result value of the new group message and one of the stored hash result values of the stored conversation threads is identified, then identifying that the conversation participant identifiers for the new group message match the conversation participant identifiers of the one or more stored conversation threads. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the conversation identifiers comprise hash values. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the new group message comprises one of a Short Message Service (SMS) message and or a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message. 
     
     
       10. A computer program product, comprising:
 a non-transitory computer readable medium; 
 computer instructions stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium; 
 the computer instructions being executable by one or more processors of a communication device to perform the actions of:
 receiving an input request for initiating the a creation of a new group message; 
 in response to receiving the input request for initiating the creation of the new group message, displaying in the user interface one or more message recipient input fields for the new group message; 
 receiving one two or more inputs input requests for selecting one two or more message recipient identifiers in the one or more message recipient input fields; 
 upon receiving the one two or ore more message recipient identifiers:
 identifying whether conversation participant identifiers for the new group message match the conversation participant identifiers of one or more stored conversation threads, the conversation participant identifiers for the new group message including the one two or more message recipient identifiers received in the one or more message recipient input fields; 
 selecting one of the stored conversation threads associated with the conversation participant identifiers that match the conversation participant identifiers for the new group message; and 
 prior to the new group message being sent from the communication device, displaying the selected conversation thread together with a blank message body input field of the new group message, prior to the new message being sent from the communication device. 
 
 
 
     
     
       11. A wireless communication device, comprising:
 one or more processors; 
 a wireless transceiver coupled to the one or more processors; 
 a user interface coupled to the one or more processors, the user interface comprising a display; 
 memory coupled to the one or more processors; 
 the one or more processors being configured to:
 receive, via the user interface, an input request for initiating the a creation of a new group message; 
 in response to receiving the input request for initiating the creation of the new group message, display in the display one or more message recipient input fields for the new group message; 
 receive, via the user interface, one two or more input requests for selecting one two or more message recipient identifiers in the one or more message recipient input fields; 
 upon receiving the one two or more message recipient identifiers:
 identify whether conversation participant identifiers for the new group message match the conversation participant identifiers of one or more stored conversation threads, the conversation participant identifiers for the new group message including the one two or more message recipient identifiers received in the one or more message recipient input fields; 
 select one of the stored conversation threads associated with the conversation participant identifiers that match the conversation participant identifiers for the new group message; and 
 prior to the new group message being sent from the wireless communication device, display, in the display, the selected conversation thread together with a blank message body input field of the new group message, prior to the new message being sent from the wireless communication device. 
 
 
 
     
     
       12. The wireless communication device of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 receive, via the user interface, the message body contents in the blank message body input field to generate a populated message body input field; and 
 cause the new group message which includes the message body contents to be sent, via the wireless transceiver, to one two or more communication devices identified by the one two or more message recipient identifiers. 
 
     
     
       13. The wireless communication device of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to perform the identifying identify, selecting select, and displaying display the stored conversation thread in response to detecting an input request to enter message body contents into the blank message body input field. 
     
     
       14. The wireless communication device of  claim 11 , which wherein the wireless communication device is associated with a message sender identifier for of a sender of the new group message, and wherein the conversation participant identifiers for the new group message comprise the message sender identifier and the one two or more message recipient identifiers. 
     
     
       15. The wireless communication device of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 otherwise, when the conversation participant identifiers for the new group message and the conversation participant identifiers of the one or more stored conversation threads do not match, display in the display a new message which includes a message body input field but no without a conversation thread. 
 
     
     
       16. The wireless communication device of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 upon receiving the one two or more message recipient identifiers:
 produce a conversation identifier for the new group message; and 
 compare the conversation identifier with one or more stored conversation identifiers associated with one or more stored conversation threads; and 
 when a match between the conversation identifier and one of the stored conversation identifiers is identified, then identify that the conversation participant identifiers for the new group message match the conversation participant identifiers of the one or more stored conversation threads. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The wireless communication device of  claim 11 , wherein each one of the stored conversation threads is associated with a hash result value derived from a hashing function using the conversation participant identifiers of the conversation thread as inputs, the one or more processors being further configured to:
 upon receiving the one two or more message recipient identifiers:
 perform the hashing function using the message sender identifier and the one two or more message recipient identifiers of the new group message as inputs; and 
 compare a hash result value from the hashing function with hash result values of the different conversation threads; and 
 when a match between the hash result value of the new group message and one of the stored hash result values of the stored conversation threads is identified, then identify that the conversation participant identifiers for the new group message match the conversation participant identifiers of the one or more stored conversation threads. 
 
 
     
     
       18. The wireless communication device of  claim 11 , wherein the conversation identifiers comprise hash values. 
     
     
       19. The wireless communication device of  claim 11 , wherein the new group message comprises one of a Short Message Service (SMS) message and or a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message. 
     
     
       20. The wireless communication device of  claim 11 , which wherein the wireless communication device comprises a handheld telephony device operative in a cellular telecommunications network, and wherein the new group message comprises one of a Short Message Service (SMS) message and or a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message.