Establishing a video conference during a phone call

Abstract

Some embodiments provide a method for initiating a video conference using a first mobile device. The method presents, during an audio call through a wireless communication network with a second device, a selectable user-interface (UI) item on the first mobile device for switching from the audio call to the video conference. The method receives a selection of the selectable UI item. The method initiates the video conference without terminating the audio call. The method terminates the audio call before allowing the first and second devices to present audio and video data exchanged through the video conference.

1 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:
 display, on a display of a first electronic device, a selectable user interface (UI) item within a contact information page for a contact;   receive user input indicative of a selection of the selectable UI item; and   in response to receiving the user input, initiate a video conference between the first electronic device and a second electronic device.   
     
     
         2 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the display comprises a touchscreen; and   the user input comprises a user touching the touchscreen.   
     
     
         3 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
 display, via the display of the first electronic device, a contacts list;   receive a second user input indicative of a selection to view the contact information page for the contact; and   in response to receiving the second user input, display the contact information page.   
     
     
         4 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
 display, via the display of the first electronic device, a call history list comprising a plurality of contacts, wherein the plurality of contacts comprises the contact;   receive a second user input indicative of a selection the contact in the call history list; and   in response to receiving the second user input, display the contact information page.   
     
     
         5 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of contacts corresponds to users of electronic devices with which the first electronic device has had a prior video conference, audio call, or both. 
     
     
         6 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
 display, via the display of the first electronic device, a second selectable UI item in the contact information page;   receive a second user input indicative of a selection of the second selectable UI item; and   in response to receiving the second user input, initiate an audio call between the first electronic device and the second electronic device.   
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the first electronic device comprises a mobile phone, a tablet, a laptop computer, or a personal digital assistant. 
     
     
         8 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to initiate the video conference by:
 displaying content corresponding to a hold stage; and   after a user of the second electronic device accepts the video conference, displaying an animation to visually indicate initiation of the video conference.   
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the content corresponding to the hold stage comprises a first video captured by a camera of the first electronic device; and   the animation starts with reducing a size of the first video while displaying the first video and ends with displaying the first video overlapping at least a portion of a second video captured by the second electronic device.   
     
     
         10 . An electronic device comprising:
 a display; and   one or more processors communicatively coupled to the display, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
 cause a contact information page for a contact to be displayed via the display, wherein the contact information page comprises a selectable user interface (UI) item for initiating a video conference; 
 receive user input indicative of a selection of the selectable UI item; and 
 in response to receiving the user input, initiate the video conference between the electronic device and a second electronic device. 
   
     
     
         11 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the display comprises a touchscreen; and   the user input indicative of the selection of the selectable UI item comprises tapping or pressing the selectable UI item.   
     
     
         12 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to cause the selectable UI item to highlighting at least a portion of the selectable UI item in response to receiving the user input. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the contact information page is accessible from a contacts list. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the contact information page is accessible from a call history list. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the electronic device comprises a mobile phone, a tablet, a laptop computer, or a personal digital assistant. 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 displaying, on a display of a first electronic device, a selectable user interface (UI) item within a contact information page for a contact;   receiving, via the first electronic device, user input indicative of a selection of the selectable UI item; and   in response to receiving the user input, initiating, via the first electronic device, a video conference between the first electronic device and a second electronic device.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the display comprises a touchscreen; and   the user input indicative of the selection of the selectable UI item comprises tapping or pressing the selectable UI item.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising:
 displaying, via the display of the first electronic device, a contacts list;   receiving a second user input indicative of a selection to view the contact information page for the contact; and   displaying the contact information page in response to receiving the second user input.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein initiating the video conference comprises:
 displaying, via the display of the first electronic device, content corresponding to a hold stage; and   after a user of the second electronic device accepts the video conference, displaying, via the display of the first electronic device, an animation to visually indicate initiation of the video conference.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the content corresponding to the hold stage comprises a first video captured by a camera of the first electronic device; and   the animation starts with reducing a size of the first video while displaying the first video and ends with displaying the first video overlapping at least a portion of a second video captured by the second electronic device.