Method for using memory area in mobile communication terminal

• US 20020077155A1
• Filed: 12/18/2001
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Chung, Ki Hyun
• Granted Patent: US 7,007,149 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/564
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

A method for using a memory area of a mobile communication terminal is disclosed. The method is directed toward managing a personal information manager (PIM) in a mobile telecommunication phone. A memory area is assigned to each field and an index number is designated according to a type of data in the memory area. For inputting data in a memory area, the user inputs data in a memory, searches for existence of a corresponding index of the entered data, and updates the relevant data based on the search result. The useable area of memory is thus expanded and more efficiently used by classifying available memory areas and designating an index number to each field.

Claims

1. A method for using a memory area in a mobile communication terminal, comprising:

assigning a memory region to each of a plurality of data fields; and

designating an index number according to types of data in the memory region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein data is saved in each of the plurality of field by an individual index number.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fields comprises at least one of a name field, a company name field, an e-mail address field, a telephone number field, and a fax number field.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein data are individual information saved in the field.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a common index number is assigned to a plurality of data items belonging to a same class, wherein each of the plurality of data items belonging to the class is associated with a different data field.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein each class represents a single person.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein if data for a first field is not present for a first index, data for the first field from a second index is stored in a first data area of the first data field memory region.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein if data for the first field of the first index is subsequently provided, the data for the first field of the first index is saved in the first data area of the first data field memory region, and the data for the first field from the second index is moved to a second data area of the first data field memory region.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a prescribed memory region is accessed by inputting the index number or a key word.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein data is saved in a corresponding memory region of each field in index order, and the data can be shifted automatically from a first data area in the memory region for the field, a second data area in the memory region for the field to maintain the index order.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein if subsequently entered data has a priority index number when compared to an existing index number, the subsequently entered data is saved in a corresponding index number location, and the existing data is moved to a next data location.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising creating a new index for the entered data if the corresponding index for the entered data does not exist.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the memory area is divided into memory regions corresponding to data fields, and wherein data is saved in a corresponding memory region of each field in index order, and the data can be shifted automatically from a first data area in the memory region for the field, a second data area in the memory region for the field to maintain the index order.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein a next available index number is assigned to all data fields of an added data group.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein if data for a prescribed data field of a first data group is not initially provided, and is subsequently inputted into the memory, it is assigned an index number that is common to the first data group, and it is stored in a first data location for the prescribed data field category in the memory.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein if data for the prescribed data field corresponding to a second data group is initially stored in the first data location for the prescribed data field category, the data for the prescribed data field corresponding to a second data group is moved to a second data location for the prescribed data field in the memory.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the data fields are selected from among an address field, a telephone number field, an e-mail address field, a company name field, a fax number field, and a pager number field, and wherein the data group may include fewer than all of the data fields.

12. A method for inputting data in a memory area in a mobile communication terminal, comprising:

inputting data in a memory area of the mobile communication terminal by a user;

searching for an existence of a corresponding index of the entered data; and

updating the relevant data if the corresponding index is found.

15. A method of managing a memory in a mobile communication device, comprising:

assigning a single index number to all data fields of a data group;

allocating a plurality of data fields in a memory area by field category; and

sequentially storing data with the corresponding index number in a next available memory location that corresponds to the data field category.

20. A method of managing a memory in a mobile communication device, comprising:

inputting a plurality of data groups into a memory, each of the plurality of data having a corresponding plurality of data fields and each of the corresponding plurality of data fields for a given one of the plurality of data groups having a common index number; and

organizing the plurality of inputted data groups by data fields in the memory in index order, wherein if a first data group is provided without data for prescribed data field and a second data group is provided with data for the prescribed data field, the data for the prescribed data field corresponding to the second data group is stored in a first data location for the prescribed data field in the memory.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein if data for the prescribed data field of the first data group is subsequently inputted into the memory, it is assigned an index number that is common to the first data group, and it is stored in the first data location for the prescribed data field in the memory, and the data for the prescribed data field corresponding to the second data group is moved to a second data location for the prescribed data field in the memory.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein if a subsequent data group is inputted, it is assigned a next sequential index number, and data from each of the plurality of data fields of the subsequent data group is stored in a next available data location in the memory that corresponds to the field.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the plurality of data fields are selected from among an address field, a telephone number field, an e-mail address field, a company name field, a fax number field, and a pager number field.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein any of the plurality of data groups may include fewer than all of the data fields.

26. The terminal of claim 21, wherein if data for the prescribed data field of the first data group is subsequently inputted into the memory, it is assigned an index number that is common to the first data group, and it is stored in the first data location for the prescribed data field in the memory, and the data for the prescribed data field corresponding to the second data group is moved to a second data location for the prescribed data field in the memory.

25. A mobile communication terminal, comprising:

means for storing a plurality of data groups into a memory, each of the plurality of data having a corresponding plurality of data fields and each of the corresponding plurality of data fields for a given one of the plurality of data groups having a common index number; and

means for organizing the plurality of stored data groups by data fields in the memory in index order, wherein if a first data group is provided without data for prescribed data field and a second data group is provided with data for the prescribed data field, the data for the prescribed data field corresponding to the second data group is stored in a first data location for the prescribed data field in the memory.