Telephone and key telephone system having electronic directory function

• US 5,835,180 A
• Filed: 04/20/1995
• Issued: 11/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kakizawa, Katsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US08/427,651
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: 379/157, 379/163, 379/165, 379/354, 379/355, 379/356
• US Class Current: 379/165
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2746 Sorting, e.g. according to history or frequency of use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27467 Methods of retrieving data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/44 Additional connecting arrangements for providing access to frequently-wanted subscribers, e.g. abbreviated dialling at the subscriber's set H04M1/27; automatic redialling H04M3/424

Abstract

A key telephone system having user-friendly electronic directory function in which dialling numbers more than the number of abbreviated dialling numbers can be registered and the number of digits of abbreviated dialling number is maintained to a small number by treating separately an abbreviated dialling data and other directory data upon registration of data. Further, the content of a retrieved directory data can be registered as an abbreviated dialling number. In the system, a necessary number of data can be registered in the directory, and calling operation using an abbreviated dialling number can be made with a fixed number of digits of abbreviated dialling number regardless of the number of abbreviated dialling numbers. Further, registration of abbreviated dialling number can be performed effectively.

Claims

1. A telephone having an electronic directory function comprising:

first memory means for storing names and dialing numbers so that the names correspond to the dialing numbers;

second memory means for storing correspondences, each between an abbreviated number and one of the dialing numbers;

retrieval means for retrieving a dialing number stored in said first memory means based on a name and for holding information indicating the retrieved dialing number;

input means for inputting an abbreviated number; and

registration means for registering the held information, in correspondence with the abbreviated number inputted by said inputting means, into said second memory means, as correspondence between the inputted abbreviated number and the retrieved dialing number according to the held information.

2. A key telephone system having an electronic directory function comprising:

first memory means for storing names and dialing numbers so that the names correspond to the dialing numbers;

second memory means for storing correspondences, each between an abbreviated number and one of the dialing numbers;

retrieval means for retrieving a dialing number stored in said first memory means based on a name and for displaying information according to the retrieved dialing number;

input means for inputting an abbreviated number; and

registration means for registering, based on an abbreviated number inputted when the information is displayed, correspondence between the inputted abbreviated number and the retrieved dialing number according to the displayed information into said second memory means.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said second memory means includes a common abbreviated number index area and an individual abbreviated number index area, and the contents of the common abbreviated number index area are registered from a specific extension, while the contents of the individual abbreviated number index area are registered from each extension.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said registration means performs registration to a selected one of the common abbreviated number index area and the individual abbreviated number index area.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein said registration means prohibits updating of dialing data registered in the common abbreviated number index area by extensions other than the specific extension.

6. A telephone system to which a plurality of extensions are connected, comprising:

first memory means for storing dialing numbers; and

second memory means for storing information indicating a position within said first memory means at which a desired dialing number is stored, in accordance with an abbreviated number and an extension number of one of the plurality of extensions from which the abbreviated number is input.

7. A method for retrieving a dialing number from a directory memory for common use by subscribers comprising the steps of:

detecting an input of a name to be called;

discriminating a subscriber from which the name is input; and

retrieving a dialing number from the directory memory based on the name and the discriminated subscriber.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said retrieving step includes a step of determining whether a type of the dialing number is common or individual.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein a dialing number is retrieved from the directory memory in consideration of the subscriber when the type of the dialing number is determined to be individual.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein in said retrieving step, a dialing number is retrieved from the directory memory which is provided in an exchange unit.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein in said retrieving step, a dialing number is retrieved from the directory memory in consideration of subscriber data which is stored corresponding to the dialing number in the directory memory.

12. An apparatus for retrieving a dialing number comprising:

memory means for storing dialing numbers in accordance with names and subscribers;

input means for inputting a name to be called;

discriminating means for discriminating a subscriber from which the name is input; and

retrieving means for retrieving one of the dialing numbers based on the name and the subscriber.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said retrieving means further determines whether a type of each of the dialing numbers is common or individual.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said retrieving means takes the subscriber into consideration when the dialing number is determined to be individual.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said discriminating means discriminates an extension from which the name is input.

16. An apparatus for retrieving a dialing number, comprising:

memory means for storing dialing numbers of destinations in accordance with the destinations'"'"' names and user identifications;

input means for inputting a name to be called; and

retrieving means for retrieving one of the dialing numbers based on the name inputted by said input means and an identification of a user who inputs the name.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the identification of the user is identified based on an extension number of a terminal by which the name is inputted.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said memory means stores the dialing numbers in accordance with the destinations'"'"' names, the user identifications and access right information, and said retrieving means retrieves the one of the dialing numbers, which has a user identification corresponding to the identification of the user, or whose access is not limited by the access right information.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said memory means stores the dialing numbers in accordance with the identifications of users who registers the dialing numbers.

20. A method for retrieving a dialing number, comprising the steps of:

inputting a name to be called;

detecting an identification of a user who inputs the name; and

retrieving one of a plurality of dialing numbers in accordance with the name and the identification.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the name of a destination whose dialing number should be retrieved is inputted in said inputting step.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein the identification of a user is detected based on an extension number of a terminal by which the name is inputted.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein the one of the plurality of dialing numbers is retrieved in accordance with the name, the identification and access rights information for limiting users who can retrieve the dialing numbers.

24. The method according to claim 20, wherein the one of the plurality of dialing numbers, which is registered by the user, is retrieved in said retrieving step.