Abstract: According to the present invention, methods, data structures, and computer-readable media for processing input to a telephone having an interactive user interlace are disclosed. A telephone user inputs commands through buttons and keys on an interactive user interface. A selection made from a menu on the telephone is detected. The menu can be a collection of options, features or commands corresponding to physical context-sensitive soft keys or a line keys. A message based on the menu selection is created and passed to a menu processing object. If a soft key is pressed, the menu processing object is a soft key processing object. An event based on the menu selection is also created. It is then determined which mode from the numerous modes available on the phone is presently active or has focus. Once the active mode that presently has focus is determined, an appropriate menu label set and segment display is displayed on the display monitor.

Abstract: An interactive user interface displayed on a monitor as part of a telephone is disclosed. The interactive user interface allows a user to easily use basic and advanced telephony functions, telephony-related services, such as accessing phone directories and voice mail, and non-telephony services. These non-telephony services can include any information deliverable over, for example, TCP/IP or DHCP, and can include information such as stock prices, weather, sports data, and so on, typically from third-party services. It can also include intra-company information such as meeting schedules, conference room bookings, cafeteria menus, and so on. A user can also pull up context-sensitive “help” information on the display at any time to learn more about a particular mode, option, or feature.