Portable communication apparatus

• US 5,905,964 A
• Filed: 02/21/1997
• Issued: 05/18/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sudo, Fukuharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US08/803,750
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/170.1, 455/171.1, 455/154.2, 455/403, 379/93.23, 379/93.27, 379/201, 379/207, 345/145, 345/352, 345/353, 345/354, 345/146, 345/348, 345/349
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2747 Scrolling on a display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Abstract

A portable communication apparatus which can provide a short cut function with improved useability is provided. When numerical or literal information is input to cause a cursor to move at a jump, a display displays the input numerical or literal information, thereby enabling the user to confirm whether or not the input information has been accepted and to determine that the apparatus is in a short cut mode in which the cursor is moved at a jump. Therefore, a portable communication apparatus providing a short cut function with improved useability can be obtained.

Claims

1. A portable communication apparatus having display means for displaying a telephone directory having a plurality of items and a cursor indicating which of said items is currently selected when said apparatus is in a telephone directory mode, said apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting alphanumerical information and for selecting said telephone directory mode in response to operations by a user; and

control means for controlling said display means and for switching said apparatus to a short-cut mode from said telephone directory mode when an alphanumerical symbol is input by said user of said input means while said apparatus is in said telephone directory mode, said short-cut mode displaying said alphanumeric symbol indicating a location where said cursor will jump after a pre-determined period of time, and after said predetermined period of time has lapsed displaying an item corresponding to said location indicated by said alphanumeric symbol and displaying said cursor on said location.

2. The portable communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a timer, wherein said control means activates said timer when said alphanumerical symbol is input by said user of said input means, accepts a subsequent alphanumerical symbol input while said timer is operating, and causes said display means to display said item corresponding to said alphanumerical symbol when said subsequent alphanumerical symbol is not input until after a timeout of said timer.

3. The portable communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control means causes said display means to display information indicating that said apparatus is ready to accept said subsequent alphanumerical symbol.

4. The portable communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said portable communication apparatus is a portable telephone apparatus for communicating with a base station unit.

5. A communicating method using display means for displaying a telephone directory having a plurality of items and a cursor indicating which of said items is currently selected when in a telephone directory mode, said method comprising the steps of:

inputting alphanumerical information and selecting said telephone directory mode in response to operations by a user using input means; and

controlling said display means and switching to a short-cut mode from said telephone directory mode when an alphanumerical symbol is input by said user of said input means while in said telephone directory mode, said short-cut mode displaying said alphanumeric symbol indicating a location where said cursor will jump after a pre-determined period of time, and after said predetermined period of time has elapsed displaying an item corresponding to said location indicated by said alphanumeric symbol and displaying said cursor on said location using control means.

6. The communicating method according to claim 5, wherein said control means activates a timer when said alphanumerical symbol is input by said user of said input means, accepts a subsequent alphanumerical symbol input while said timer is operating, and causes said display means to display said item corresponding to said alphanumerical symbol when said subsequent alphanumerical symbol is not input until after a timeout of said timer.

7. The communicating method according to claim 6, wherein said control means causes said display means to display information indicating a readiness to accept said subsequent alphanumerical symbol.