One hand quick dialer for communications devices
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of relating a database structure to keys of a keypad, comprising:
- placing identifiers of records in the database structure into lists;
assigning a key of the keypad to each list; and
assigning a key of the keypad to each record within each list, wherein a first actuation of the key of the keypad assigned to a given list selects the given list and a subsequent actuation of a key of the keypad selects a record within the given list.
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Abstract
Quick dialing methods and systems for use with communications devices are described. Such communications devices are often characterized by a limited keypad to enter contact numbers. The quick dialing technique reduces the number of keys used to dial a number, and thus a device using the technique may be operated blindly or with one hand. Exemplary methods relate the keypad and other user interfaces of the communications device with an exemplary data structure for a database of contact records. Related subject matter also facilitates quick recognition of contacts when dialing or receiving an incoming call.
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Citations
82 Claims
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1. A method of relating a database structure to keys of a keypad, comprising:
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placing identifiers of records in the database structure into lists;
assigning a key of the keypad to each list; and
assigning a key of the keypad to each record within each list, wherein a first actuation of the key of the keypad assigned to a given list selects the given list and a subsequent actuation of a key of the keypad selects a record within the given list. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of accessing a database structure using the keys of a dialer, wherein contacts stored in the database structure are placed into lists and a contact can be accessed after the list containing the contact has been accessed, comprising:
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selecting a list by actuating a key of the dialer; and
dialing a contact within the list by actuating a key of the dialer. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of using a communications device, comprising:
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performing a first key actuation on the keypad of the communications device to select a list from a menu of lists, wherein the list comprises a set of contact records; and
performing a second key actuation on the keypad of the communications device to select a contact record in the list, wherein the contact record cannot be selected until the list containing the contact record is selected. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A communications device, comprising:
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a keypad having keys;
a database of lists addressable by the keys, wherein each list comprises a set of contact records; and
a quick dial module to allow a user to access a list by actuating a key of the keypad and to access a contact record in the list by actuating a key of the keypad, wherein a key cannot access the contact record until a key accesses the list containing the contact record. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A data structure for a directory database accessible by a phone, comprising:
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a root directory containing multiple lists, wherein each list is assigned a respective key on a keypad of the phone and each list is accessible by actuating its assigned key; and
contact records in the multiple lists, wherein the contact records are assigned keys on the keypad and each contact record is accessible by pressing its assigned key, further wherein the contact record is accessible only after a list containing the contact record has been accessed. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A phone dialing system, comprising:
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a dialer having keys;
a database of contact information organized into records having contacts and addressable by the keys;
a list organizer to place at least a name of each of at least some of the records into multiple lists;
a list selector to invoke one of the multiple lists by actuating one of the keys;
anda record selector to invoke a record in the list by actuating one of the keys, wherein the record selector cannot invoke the record until the list is invoked. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
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71. A mobile telephone device, comprising:
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a handheld dialer wherein each key of the dialer can be actuated by a part of a hand holding the handheld dialer; and
a database of contact information accessible by the handheld dialer, wherein the contact information is grouped into categories traversable by the keys of the dialer, and wherein a first actuation of one or more keys of the dialer selects a category and a subsequent actuation of one or more keys of the dialer dials a phone number from the category. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73, 74, 75)
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76. One or more computer readable media containing instructions that are executable by a computer to perform actions comprising:
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selecting preferred contact records from a database of contact records to be accessed by the dialer of a communications device;
placing names of the preferred contact records into categories;
accessing a category by actuating a key of the dialer; and
accessing a preferred contact record in a category by actuating a key of the dialer, wherein the preferred contact record cannot be accessed until a category containing the preferred contact record is accessed. - View Dependent Claims (77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82)
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Specification