Learned speed dialing

• US 6,295,355 B1
• Filed: 03/31/1999
• Issued: 09/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lim, Kang S., OʼNeal, Stephen C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US09/282,287
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 379/355, 379/356, 379/354, 379/357, 379/100.14
• US Class Current: 379/355.05
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2478 Telephone terminals specially adapted for non-voice services, e.g. email, internet access centralized arrangements where telephones services are combined H04M7/0024; for recording text messages H04M3/5322; for accessing Internet H04M3/4938
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27457 Management thereof, e.g. manual editing of data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2746 Sorting, e.g. according to history or frequency of use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27463 Predictive input, predictive dialling by comparing the dialled sequence with the content of a telephone directory
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/56 Arrangements for indicating or recording the called number at the calling subscriber's set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/60 logging of communication history, e.g. outgoing or incoming calls, missed calls, messages or URLs

Abstract

A learned speed dial system (LSDS) for use in a telecommunication device monitors the telephone numbers dialed by the user. When the number of times a particular telephone number is used reaches a predetermined threshold, the LSDS determines whether the telephone number is in the speed dial directory. If this telephone number is not in the speed dial directory, the LSDS prompts the user to update the speed dial directory with this telephone number. The user can then elect to update the speed dial directory with this new telephone number, as desired. The learned speed dial system may be configured to automatically add this telephone number to the speed dial directory if the directory is not full. If the speed dial directory is full, the LSDS prompts the user to select a telephone number to delete from the speed dial directory. The LSDS keeps track of the usage of the currently stored speed dial telephone numbers. The LSDS can then automatically select the least-used telephone number in the speed dial directory, which the user can then confirm. Still further, the user may configure the LSDS to automatically replace the least-used telephone number with the “new” telephone number. The LSDS may store deleted telephone numbers in a back-up directory so that the user can correct mistakes in removing a telephone number for the directory. The threshold and criteria can be user configurable.

Claims

1. A method for automatically maintaining a speed dial directory used by a telecommunication device in conjunction with a first database, the first database being configured to store data corresponding to telephone numbers previously dialed with the telecommunication device, the data for each previously dialed telephone number including the telephone number and information corresponding to the previously dialed telephone number, the method comprising:

accessing a first database with data corresponding to a current dialed telephone number;

comparing data of the current dialed telephone number with a predetermined threshold;

updating the first database with data corresponding to the current dialed telephone number; and

when the data of the current dialed number meets the predetermined threshold, providing a first prompt to a user, the first prompt indicating that the user can add the current dialed telephone number to the speed dial directory, wherein the predetermined threshold is user-configurable.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first database and the speed dial directory reside in the telecommunication device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a response to the first prompt;

adding the current dialed telephone number to the speed dial directory when the response to the first prompt indicates that the user desires to add the current dialed telephone number to the speed dial directory; and

leaving the speed dial directory unchanged when the response to the first prompt indicates that the user does not desire to add the current dialed number to the speed dial directory.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a prompt to add the current dialed telephone number to a second database, the second database configured to store data regarding an entity corresponding to the current dialed telephone number.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether the speed dial directory is full; and

when the speed dial directory is full, providing a second prompt to the user, the second prompt indicating that the user can delete a telephone number from the speed dial directory.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving a response to the second prompt; and

deleting a telephone number from the speed dial directory when the response to the second prompt indicates a telephone number to be deleted.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising storing the deleted telephone number and a related name in a back-up directory.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising determining whether the telephone number deleted from the speed dial directory is stored in a telephone book that is accessible by the telecommunication device.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein providing the second prompt further comprises:

comparing data of the telephone numbers of the speed dial directory with a predetermined deletion rule; and

providing in the second prompt the telephone number in the speed dial directory that most closely meets the predetermined deletion rule.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the predetermined deletion rule is user-configurable.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the predetermined deletion rule includes selecting the least recently dialed telephone number.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the predetermined deletion rule includes selecting the least dialed telephone number in the speed dial directory.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the predetermined deletion rule includes selecting the telephone number least dialed within a selected time period.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the first database and the speed dial directory reside in a point of presence.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the telecommunication device includes a computer coupled to a data-centric network.

16. A speed dial system used by a telecommunication device, the system comprising:

a user interface;

a first database configured to store data corresponding to telephone numbers previously dialed using the telecommunication device, the data for each previously dialed telephone number including the telephone number and information corresponding to the previously dialed telephone number;

a speed dial directory; and

a controller coupled to the user interface, the first database and the speed dial directory, wherein the controller is configured to update the first database with data corresponding to a current dialed telephone number received at the user interface from a user, wherein the controller is further configured to provide a first prompt to the user via the user interface when the data of the current dialed number meets a predetermined threshold, the first prompt indicating that the user can add the current dialed telephone number to the speed dial directory wherein the predetermined threshold is user-configurable.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the first database and the speed dial directory reside in a point of presence.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the telecommunication device includes a computer coupled to a data-centric network.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the first database and the speed dial directory reside in the telecommunication device.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the controller is further configured to selectively add the current dialed telephone number to the speed dial directory according to the user'"'"'s response to the first prompt.

21. The system of claim 16 wherein the controller is further configured to cause the user interface to provide a prompt to the user to add the current dialed telephone number to a second database, the second database being configured to store data regarding an entity corresponding to the current dialed telephone number.

22. The system of claim 16 wherein the controller is further configured to provide a second prompt via the user interface when the speed dial directory is full, the second prompt indicating that the user can delete a telephone number from the speed dial directory.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the controller is further configured to selectively delete a telephone number from the speed dial directory according to the user'"'"'s response to the second prompt.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the controller is further configured to store the deleted telephone number in a back-up directory.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether the telephone number deleted from the speed dial directory is stored in a telephone book that is accessible by the telecommunication device, the deleted telephone number not being stored in the back-up directory when the telephone number is stored in the telephone book.

26. The system of claim 22 wherein, in providing the second prompt, the controller is further configured to provide in the second prompt the telephone number in the speed dial directory that most closely meets a predetermined deletion rule.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the predetermined deletion rule is user-configurable.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein the predetermined deletion rule includes selecting the least recently dialed telephone number.

29. The system of claim 26 wherein the predetermined deletion rule includes selecting the least dialed telephone number in the speed dial directory.

30. The system of claim 26 wherein the predetermined deletion rule includes selecting the telephone number least dialed within a selected time period.

31. An apparatus for maintaining a speed dial directory used by a telecommunication device, the apparatus comprising:

means for accessing a first database, the first database being configured to store data corresponding to telephone numbers previously dialed using the telecommunication device, the data for each previously dialed telephone number including the telephone number and information corresponding to the previously dialed telephone number;

means for comparing data of the current dialed number with a predetermined threshold;

means for updating the first database with data corresponding to a current dialed telephone number; and

means for providing a first prompt to a user when the data of the current dialed number meets the predetermined threshold, the first prompt indicating that the user can add only the current dialed telephone number to the speed dial directory and wherein the first prompt is not provided when the data of the current dialed number does not meet the predetermined threshold.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising means for providing a second prompt to the user when the speed dial directory is full, the second prompt indicating that the user can delete a telephone number from the speed dial directory.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 further comprising means for selectively deleting a telephone number from the speed dial directory according to the user'"'"'s response to the second prompt.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the means for selectively deleting is further configured to store the deleted telephone number in a back-up directory.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the means for selectively deleting is further configured to determine whether the telephone number deleted from the speed dial directory is stored in a telephone book that is accessible by the telecommunication device, the deleted telephone number not being stored in the back-up directory when the telephone number is stored in the telephone book.

36. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein, in providing the second prompt, the controller is further configured to provide in the second prompt the telephone number in the speed dial directory that most closely meets a predetermined deletion rule.

37. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising means for selectively updating the speed dial directory with the currently dialed telephone number according to the user'"'"'s response to the first prompt.

38. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the telecommunication device includes a computer coupled to a data-centric network.

39. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the first database and the speed dial directory reside in the telecommunication device.

40. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising means for providing a prompt to the user to add the current dialed telephone number to a second database, the second database being configured to store data regarding an entity corresponding to the current dialed telephone number.