Method for accessing a country code or an area code stored in a telephone to dial a telephone number

• US 6,192,124 B1
• Filed: 12/16/1997
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yim, Do-Hyon
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US08/991,348
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 379/352, 379/356, 379/355, 379/357, 379/216, 379/207, 379/265, 455/564
• US Class Current: 379/355.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27485 Appending a prefix to or inserting a pause into a dialling sequence

Abstract

A method for dialing a country code and area code of a telephone number in a telephone having a memory for storing country codes, area codes and various indication data, a key input part having a common number selecting key and a selection key for the various indication data, and a display, the method comprising the steps of: displaying first indication data on the display when data of the common number selecting key is input through the key input part while the telephone is in a hook-on state; and finding a desired country code or area code by using the selection key and the indication data, and displaying the desired country code or the desired area code on the display. Once the desired country code or area code is found, the user may then enter a telephone number and the telephone call will be made using the desired country code or area code together with the telephone number entered by the user.

Claims

1. A method for dialing a country code, an area code, or both of a telephone number in a telephone having a memory for storing country codes, area codes and various indication data, a key input part having a common number selecting key and a selection key for the various indication data, and a display, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying first indication data on said display when said common number selecting key is pressed by a user while said telephone is in an on-hook state;

selecting, by the user, a desired country code or area code using said selection key to select from items displayed in said first indication data; and

displaying a selected desired country code or a selected desired area code on said display.

2. The method of claim 1, the selecting step comprising the substeps of:

a first step of receiving data input by said selection key operated in accordance with the guidance of said first indication data, and finding said desired country code using said indication data and said selection key when the data of said selection key is international telephone selecting key data; and

a second step of finding said desired area code using said indication data and said selection key when the data of said selection key is domestic telephone selecting key data.

3. The method of claim 2, said first step comprising the substeps of:

displaying fourth indication data for selecting an international telephone identification code when said international telephone selecting key data is input;

displaying fifth indication data for selecting a continent to which a desired country belongs when the data of said selection key which selects said international telephone identification code is input; and

displaying sixth indication data for selecting said desired country code corresponding to said continent when the data of said selection key which selects said continent is input.

4. The method of claim 2, said second step comprising the substeps of:

displaying second indication data for selecting a city or a province corresponding to said desired area code when said domestic telephone selecting key data is input; and

displaying third indication data for selecting said desired area code corresponding to said selected city or province when the data of said selection key which selects said city or province is input.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a number of a party to be called;

storing an entire telephone number in a buffer of said memory after said selecting step, said entire telephone number comprising said number of the party to be called and one of said selected country code or selected area code;

determining if said entire telephone number is stored in said buffer when the telephone is in a off-hook state; and

transmitting said entire telephone number stored in said buffer if said entire telephone number is stored in said buffer.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of performing a conventional dialing mode when no telephone number is stored in said buffer.

7. A method for accessing a desired country code or an area code in a memory of a telephone, said telephone having a telephone number selecting key and a display, the method comprising the steps of:

pressing, by a user, said telephone number selecting key while said telephone is in a state capable of receiving incoming calls;

displaying first indication data on said display in response to said pressing of said telephone number selecting key;

selecting, by the user, one of said desired country code or area code by using said telephone number selecting key to select from said first indication data and additional indication data, and

displaying the selected one of said desired country code or area code on said display of said telephone.

8. The method of claim 7, the step of selecting one of said desired country code or area code further comprising the steps of:

processing data generated by pressing said telephone number selecting key in accordance with guidance from said first indication data; and

finding said desired country code using said additional indication data and said telephone number selecting key when said processed data corresponds to international telephone key data.

9. The method of claim 7, the step of selecting one of said desired country code or area code further comprising the steps of:

processing data generated by pressing said telephone number selecting key in accordance with guidance from said first indication data; and

finding said desired area code using said additional indication data and said telephone number selecting key when said processed data corresponds to domestic telephone key data.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said additional indication data includes fourth indication data, fifth indication data and sixth indication data, and the step of selecting said desired country code further comprises the steps of:

displaying said fourth indication data on said display;

selecting a desired international telephone identification code in accordance with said displayed fourth indication data;

displaying said fifth indication data on said display after said selection of said international telephone identification code is performed;

selecting a continent to which a desired country code belongs in accordance with said displayed fifth indication data;

displaying said sixth indication data on said display after said selection of said continent is performed; and

selecting said desired country code which corresponds to said selected continent in accordance with said sixth indication data.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said additional indication data includes second indication data and third indication data, and the step of selecting said desired area code further comprises the steps of:

displaying said second indication on said display;

selecting a city or province corresponding to said desired area code in accordance with said second indication data;

displaying said third indication data on said display after said selection of said city or province is performed; and

selecting said desired area code in accordance with said third indication data.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

entering a telephone number into said telephone when said telephone is in a state in which a telephone number may be dialed;

storing a complete telephone number in a buffer of said memory, said complete telephone number comprising one of said selected country code or selected area code together with said entered telephone number;

determining if said complete telephone number is stored in said buffer when said telephone is in said state in which a telephone number may be dialed; and

transmitting said complete telephone number to make call if it is determined that said complete telephone number is stored in said buffer.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of performing a conventional dialing operation when it is determined that said buffer does not contain a telephone number.