Quick directory search system on a touch screen device and methods thereof

• US 20120287052A1
• Filed: 05/11/2011
• Published: 11/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitel Networks Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitel Networks Corporation
• Inventors: Couse, Peter Francis, Fera, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,317,625 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90339 by using parallel associative memories or content-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90344 by using string matching techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2747 Scrolling on a display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a directory search system. Searching can be provided in a very intuitive manner through a graphical user interface that is part of a search application provided on an electronic device. The search system can employ a first letter of a first name combined with a first letter of a last name to quickly find contacts to dial without the use of a keyboard. Each letter can be associated with a pointer that is slidable along alphabet identifiers. By filtering contacts within the directory using the first letter of the first name and first letter of the last names, the user can retrieve a short list of potential contacts that the user wishes to retrieve information about. With thousands of possible entries, filtering using the first letter of the first name and the first letter of the last name often returns a short list of matches.

Claims

1. In a user computer system having a touch display providing a graphical user interface, a method for searching through a plurality of items having two or more characteristics through said graphical user interface using said touch display, said method comprising:

displaying a set of identifiers corresponding to said two or more characteristics of said plurality of items on said graphical user interface;

displaying at least two pointers each associated with a characteristic of said two or more characteristics of said plurality of items on said graphical user interface each actuated through said touch display to reference identifiers within said set of identifiers;

receiving said identifiers based on positions of said at least two pointers within said set of identifiers actuated through said touch display;

determining items within said plurality of items corresponding to said identifiers; and

displaying said items on said graphical user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying said set of identifiers corresponding to said plurality of items comprises displaying a standard set of letters positioned alphabetically on said graphical user interface.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein displaying said standard set of letters positioned alphabetically on said graphical user interface comprises providing characters “

A”

up to “

Z”

on said graphical user interface horizontally.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein displaying said standard set of letters positioned alphabetically on said graphical user interface comprises providing characters “

A”

up to “

Z”

on said graphical user interface vertically.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying said items on said graphical user interface comprises listing said items alphabetically by a first identifier of said identifiers or a second identifier of said identifiers.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising sliding said at least two pointers on said graphical user interface through said touch display to actuate said at least two pointers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining items within said plurality of items associated with said identifiers comprises restricting said determination into a category of items.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a touch display;

at least one processor; and

a memory operatively coupled to said processor, said memory storing program instructions that when executed by said processor, causes said processor to;

display a graphical user interface on said touch display;

display a set of letters on said graphical user interface;

provide a first pointer and a second pointer on said graphical user interface;

receive a first letter of a first name when said first pointer is actuated through said touch display to point to a letter within said set of letters on said graphical user interface;

receive a first letter of a last name when said second pointer is actuated through said touch display to point to a letter within said set of letters on said graphical user interface;

determine contacts having said first letter of said first name and said first letter of said last name;

display said contacts on said graphical user interface.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein displaying said set of letters on said graphical user interface comprises listing only letters corresponding to said first letter of said first name and said first letter of said last name that have contacts.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein determining said contacts having said first letter of said first name and said first letter of said last name comprises searching through a corporate directory.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein determining said contacts having said first letter of said first name and said first letter of said last name comprises searching through linked profiles in a social network.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said memory storing program instructions, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to:

provide a third pointer on said graphical user interface;

receive a second letter of said first name or said last name when said third pointer is actuated through said touch display to point to a letter within said set of letters on said graphical user interface;

determine contacts having said first letter of said first name, said first letter of said last name and said second letter of said first name or said last name; and

display said contacts on said graphical user interface.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein displaying said contacts on said graphical user interface comprises presenting said contacts on said graphical user interface alphabetically by said first name.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein displaying said contacts on said graphical user interface comprises presenting said contacts on said graphical user interface alphabetically by said last name.

15. A method for narrowing down a plurality of contacts through a touch display displaying a graphical user interface, said method comprising:

displaying an alphabet on said graphical user interface;

displaying a first indicator and a second indicator on said graphical user interface;

receiving a first letter of a first name based on a position of said first indicator along said alphabet displayed on said graphical user interface actuated through said touch display;

receiving a first letter of a last name based on a position of said second indicator along said alphabet displayed on said graphical user interface actuated through said touch display;

determining contacts from said plurality of contacts having said first letter of said first name and said first letter of said last name; and

displaying said contacts on said graphical user interface.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising removing accents from said first letter of said first name and said first letter of said last name for determining said contacts from said plurality of contacts having said first letter of said first name and said first letter of said last name.

17. The method of claim 15, comprising opening a new window on said graphical user interface displaying information for a contact within said contacts.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising calling said contact.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving said first letter of said first name and said first letter of said last name comprises timing out after a predetermined period of time.

20. The method of claim 15, comprising receiving a second letter of said first name or said last name and determining contacts within said plurality of contacts having said first letter of said first name, said first letter of said last name and said second letter of said first name or said last name.