Handheld electronic device providing assisted entry of contact information, and associated method

• US 20070029373A1
• Filed: 08/03/2005
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Bumiller, George
• Granted Patent: US 8,010,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27457 Management thereof, e.g. manual editing of data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2753 providing data content

Abstract

A method of facilitating the entry of information for a contact to be stored by an address book application of a handheld electronic device, wherein the information is entered into a plurality of fields. The method includes receiving first information in a first one of the fields, and determining whether the first information can be used to determine second information for entry in one of the fields. If it is determined that the first information can be used to determine the second information, the method includes entering the second information in either the first one of the fields or another one of the fields. Also, a handheld electronic device having one or more routines that are adapted to implement the method described above.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating the entry of information for a contact to be stored by an address book application of a handheld electronic device, said information being entered into a plurality of fields, the method comprising:

receiving first information in a first one of said fields;

determining whether said first information can be used to determine second information for entry in a selected one of said fields; and

if it is determined that said first information can be used to determine said second information, entering said second information in either said first one of said fields or another one of said fields.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining whether said second information is to be entered in either said first one of said fields or another one of said fields, wherein said entering step comprises entering said second information in either said first one of said fields or another one of said fields upon a confirmation to enter said second information in either said first one of said fields or another one of said fields.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first information is a name or abbreviation of a state/province, and said second information is a name or abbreviation of a country in which said state/province is located.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said second information is entered in said another of said fields.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first information is a country code, and said second information is a name or abbreviation of a country that corresponds to said country code.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said second information is entered in said another of said fields.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first information is a name or abbreviation of a country, and said second information is a country code that corresponds to said country.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said entering step comprises entering said country code in said another one of said fields when a user of said handheld electronic device initiates the entry of information in said another one of said fields, said another one of said fields being a field for entering a phone number.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first information includes a “

P” and

an “

O”

character, wherein said second information comprises text relating to a post office box, said second information being entered in said first one of said fields, and wherein said handheld electronic device enters a numeric entry mode following entry of said second information in said first one of said fields.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining whether an override feature has or has not been triggered, and performing said steps of determining whether said first information can be used to determine second information and of entering said second information only if it is determined that said override feature has not been triggered.

12. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said routines are further adapted to determine whether a user of said handheld electronic device wishes to enter said second information in either said first one of said fields or another one of said fields, and to enter said second information in either said first one of said fields or another one of said fields only if it is determined that said user wishes to enter said second information in either said first one of said fields or another one of said fields.

11. A handheld electronic device having an address book application, comprising:

a display;

a processor; and

a memory in electronic communication with said processor, said memory storing one or more routines executable by said processor for facilitating the entry of information for a contact to be stored by said address book application, said information being entered into a plurality of fields displayed on said display, said one or more routines being adapted to;

receive first information in a first one of said fields;

determine whether said first information can be used to determine second information for entry in a selected one of said fields; and

if it is determined that said first information can be used to determine said second information, enter said second information in either said first one of said fields or another one of said fields.

13. The handheld electronic device according to claim 11, wherein said first information is a name or abbreviation of a state/province, and said second information is a name or abbreviation of a country in which said state/province is located.

14. The handheld electronic device according to claim 13, wherein said second information is entered in said another of said fields.

15. The handheld electronic device according to claim 11, wherein said first information is a country code, and said second information is a name or abbreviation of a country that corresponds to said country code.

16. The handheld electronic device according to claim 15, wherein said second information is entered in said another of said fields.

17. The handheld electronic device according to claim 11, wherein said first information is a name or abbreviation of a country, and said second information is a country code that corresponds to said country.

18. The handheld electronic device according to claim 17, wherein said routines are further adapted to enter said country code in said another one of said fields when a user of said handheld electronic device initiates the entry of information in said another one of said fields, said another one of said field being a field for entering a phone number.

19. The handheld electronic device according to claim 11, wherein said first information includes a “

P” and

an “

O”

character, wherein said second information comprises text relating to a post office box, said second information being entered in said first one of said fields, and wherein said routines are further adapted to place said handheld electronic device into a numeric entry mode following entry of said second information in said first one of said fields.

20. The handheld electronic device according to claim 11, wherein said routines are further adapted to determine whether an override feature has or has not been triggered, and wherein said routines determine whether said first information can be used to determine second information and enter said second information only if it is determined that said override feature has not been triggered.