Cingular's patent application involving emoticon
Claim 1 of published application 20060015812 (based on app. 11/092511) recites:
At a mobile device, a method for generating a displayable icon that indicates the mood or emotion of a user of the mobile station, the method comprising:
providing an emoticon key that is to be selected by a user of the mobile station in generating the displayable icon, wherein the emoticon key is provided on a physical keypad of the mobile device, and wherein the emoticon key is labeled with a known emoticon;
in response to the emoticon key being selected, displaying a collection of graphical displayable icons that the user may select from, wherein at least some of the graphical displayable icons from the collection of graphical displayable icons indicates a mood or emotion; and
in response to a selection of one of the graphical displayable icons from the collection of graphical displayable icons, generating the one of the displayable icons for display on a display component of the mobile station, wherein the selection of the one of the graphical displayable icons is made using one or more navigation keys and selection keys on the physical keypad, and wherein the one of the graphical displayable icons is displayed in association with a textual message to be sent by the user using the mobile station.
Really clumsy drafting!
Claim 3:
At an electronic device, a method for generating a displayable icon that indicates the mood or emotion of a user of the electronic device, the method comprising: providing a single-stroke keypad option that is to be selected to generate the displayable icon that indicates the mood or emotion, wherein the single-stroke keypad option includes a key having the displayable icon depicted thereon; and in response to the single-stroke keypad option being selected, generating the displayable icon for display on a display component of the electronic device, wherein the displayable icon is displayed in association with a message to be sent using the electronic device.
Claim 13:
A computer-readable medium whose contents perform a method to cause a portable device to provide enhanced communication capabilities, the method comprising: providing at least one set of graphics to represent various human emotions or events, wherein the set of graphics includes at least one emoticon; providing, as default and without prior user input, a mapping between a single user-selectable key on the portable device and the set of graphics; in response to user-selection of the user-selectable key, displaying the set of graphics; and in response to user input selecting one of the graphics in the set of graphics, inserting the selected graphic into a text message.
Claim 22 actually uses the word "emoticon":
An apparatus for use in a wireless network by a user, the apparatus comprising: wireless transceiver means for enabling wireless communications; user input means for receiving user input; display means for displaying information to a user; memory means for storing data and instructions; and processor means coupled to the wireless transceiver means, user input means, display means and memory means; wherein the processor means, executing at least some instructions in the memory, permits the user to compose a text-based message; and wherein the user input means includes a button or button combination that, when actuated by the user, permits the user to include at least one emoticon in the text-based message, wherein the user actuation of the button or button combination is not a selection of a series of punctuation or alphanumeric characters, or a user-defined mapping of a button or button combination to an emoticon.
***
Recall also 20050156873.
At a mobile device, a method for generating a displayable icon that indicates the mood or emotion of a user of the mobile station, the method comprising:
providing an emoticon key that is to be selected by a user of the mobile station in generating the displayable icon, wherein the emoticon key is provided on a physical keypad of the mobile device, and wherein the emoticon key is labeled with a known emoticon;
in response to the emoticon key being selected, displaying a collection of graphical displayable icons that the user may select from, wherein at least some of the graphical displayable icons from the collection of graphical displayable icons indicates a mood or emotion; and
in response to a selection of one of the graphical displayable icons from the collection of graphical displayable icons, generating the one of the displayable icons for display on a display component of the mobile station, wherein the selection of the one of the graphical displayable icons is made using one or more navigation keys and selection keys on the physical keypad, and wherein the one of the graphical displayable icons is displayed in association with a textual message to be sent by the user using the mobile station.
Really clumsy drafting!
Claim 3:
At an electronic device, a method for generating a displayable icon that indicates the mood or emotion of a user of the electronic device, the method comprising: providing a single-stroke keypad option that is to be selected to generate the displayable icon that indicates the mood or emotion, wherein the single-stroke keypad option includes a key having the displayable icon depicted thereon; and in response to the single-stroke keypad option being selected, generating the displayable icon for display on a display component of the electronic device, wherein the displayable icon is displayed in association with a message to be sent using the electronic device.
Claim 13:
A computer-readable medium whose contents perform a method to cause a portable device to provide enhanced communication capabilities, the method comprising: providing at least one set of graphics to represent various human emotions or events, wherein the set of graphics includes at least one emoticon; providing, as default and without prior user input, a mapping between a single user-selectable key on the portable device and the set of graphics; in response to user-selection of the user-selectable key, displaying the set of graphics; and in response to user input selecting one of the graphics in the set of graphics, inserting the selected graphic into a text message.
Claim 22 actually uses the word "emoticon":
An apparatus for use in a wireless network by a user, the apparatus comprising: wireless transceiver means for enabling wireless communications; user input means for receiving user input; display means for displaying information to a user; memory means for storing data and instructions; and processor means coupled to the wireless transceiver means, user input means, display means and memory means; wherein the processor means, executing at least some instructions in the memory, permits the user to compose a text-based message; and wherein the user input means includes a button or button combination that, when actuated by the user, permits the user to include at least one emoticon in the text-based message, wherein the user actuation of the button or button combination is not a selection of a series of punctuation or alphanumeric characters, or a user-defined mapping of a button or button combination to an emoticon.
***
Recall also 20050156873.
posted by Lawrence B. Ebert at 8:20 PM
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