Graphical communication user interface

Abstract

New devices, systems and methods are hereby provided that enable a user to open a communication channel by selecting an image on a monitor. A device that includes a monitor and a graphical position user input mechanism is configured to display one or more images on the monitor, to receive a graphical position user input selecting one of the images, and to open a communication channel directed to a contact information element associated with the selected image. For example, this may include placing a phone call to a selected recipient, or opening an email, instant messaging, or text message composition panel addressed to a selected recipient, by touching, clicking on, or otherwise selecting an image of the recipient, or an image that is associated with the recipient.

1 . A computer readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computer, perform a method comprising:
 obtaining an image that represents a plurality of potential communication recipients, the image having a plurality of image portions that each represent a different one of the plurality of potential communication recipients;   storing information that, for each image portion, associates the image portion with a contact information element for the potential communication recipient represented by the image portion;   displaying the image;   receiving a user input that selects one of the image portions; and   using the stored information to identify the contact information element associated with the selected image portion.   
     
     
         2 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the contact information element comprises at least one of a phone number, an email address, an instant messaging username, or a text message number, the method further comprising initiating a communication via a communication channel identified by the contact information element associated with the selected image portion, wherein the communication channel comprises at least one of a telephone call, an email, an instant messaging panel, or a text message. 
     
     
         3 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the image comprises a pictorial representation of the plurality of potential communication recipients. 
     
     
         4 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 3 , wherein the image comprises a single photograph. 
     
     
         5 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:
 defining a boundary of each image portion within the image; and   identifying a particular one of the image portions as the selected image portion based on a location of the user input relative to the defined boundaries.   
     
     
         6 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 5 , wherein storing information comprises mapping the plurality of potential communication recipients represented in the image to a corresponding coordinate frame associated with the image. 
     
     
         7 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 6 , wherein mapping comprises at least one of:
 receiving user input that manually maps one or more of the image portions to one or more of the potential communication recipients; or   performing pattern recognition to automatically map one or more of the image portions to one or more of the potential communication recipients.   
     
     
         8 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 6 , wherein the image portions are mapped to sections of the coordinate frame, and the coordinate frame sections are associated with the contact information elements for the potential communication recipients. 
     
     
         9 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 displaying the image in a plurality of different modes based on changing aspects of status related to at least one of the potential communication recipients.   
     
     
         10 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein displaying the image in a plurality of different modes comprises:
 obtaining status information related to communication availability of the at least one potential communication recipient; and   visually modifying the image based on the status information.   
     
     
         11 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 10 , wherein visually modifying the image comprises providing a visual indication relative to one or more of the image portions that represent the at least one potential communication recipient, the visual indication indicating whether the at least one potential communication recipient is considered available for communication. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 determining that an image comprising a pictorial representation of a potential communication recipient is associated with a contact information element that identifies a communication channel to the potential communication recipient;   identifying status information related to communication availability with the potential communication recipient;   displaying the image for user selection, wherein the image is visually modified based on the status information using a computer processor; and   receiving a user selection of the image.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , and further comprising initiating a communication via the communication channel, wherein the contact information element comprises at least one of a phone number, an email address, an instant messaging username, or a text message number, and the communication channel comprises at least one of a telephone call, an email, an instant messaging panel, or a text message. 
     
     
         14 . The method hod of  claim 12 , wherein the image comprises a single photograph. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the image is visually modified to highlight the potential communication recipient based on the status information. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the pictorial representation of the potential communication recipient is displayed within a flashing boundary based on the status information. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , and further comprising determining whether the potential communication recipient is considered available for communication, and, based on the determination, displaying at least a portion of the image in either color or black and white. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the image is visually modified to visually distinguish the pictorial representation of the potential communication recipient from a pictorial representation of a second potential communication in the image. 
     
     
         19 . A device comprising:
 at least one processor;   a plurality of images, each image comprising a pictorial representation of a different potential communication recipient and being associated with contact information elements that identify different communication channels to the potential communication recipient; and   instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, configure the device to:
 display the plurality of images; 
 receive a user input that selects one of the plurality of images;
 if the user input comprises a first input mode, initiating a communication via a default communication channel identified by a contact information element associated with the selected image; and 
 if the user input comprises a second input mode, rendering a plurality of selectable options for initiating a communication via one or more other communication channels identified by a contact information element associated with the selected image. 
 
   
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the first input mode comprises a single touch input and the second input mode comprises at least one of: a double touch input or a press and hold input.