System and method for the automatic prepending of digits in a wireless communication device

• US 6,360,108 B1
• Filed: 03/23/1998
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Rogers, John G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gesesse, Tilahun
• Application Number:
  US09/046,319
• Time in Patent Office: 1,457 Days
• Field of Search: 455/500, 455/501, 455/566, 455/90, 455/575, 455/564, 455/460, 455/550, 455/565
• US Class Current: 455/564
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2746 Sorting, e.g. according to history or frequency of use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27485 Appending a prefix to or inserting a pause into a dialling sequence

Abstract

A wireless communication device contains a prefix storage area containing one or more prefixes that may be automatically pre-pended to a destination telephone number. The destination telephone number may be entered manually by the user using a keypad or automatically entered from a telephone number storage area. The system analyzes the destination telephone number and determines whether one or more prefix pre-pending levels have been enabled. If enabled, the system automatically pre-pends the selected prefixes to the user-entered destination telephone number to generate a complete destination telephone number. The automatic pre-pending can extend to all telephone numbers entered by the user, or may be limited to telephone numbers in the telephone number storage area. Similarly, the system can be enabled continuously, or may be disabled when the user turns off the wireless communication device.

Claims

1. A method for pre-pending a prefix to a partial telephone number, comprising the steps of:

(a) entering the partial telephone number into a wireless telephone;

(b) counting the number of digits in the partial telephone number;

(c) determining, from the number of digits, a prefix level which has been supplied to the wireless telephone;

(d) determining the location of the wireless telephone;

(e) determining, from the location of the wireless telephone, a prefix level which is required to operate the wireless telephone at the location of the wireless telephone;

(f) determining, from;

(1) the prefix level which has been supplied; and

(2) the prefix level which is required;

the number of digits in the prefix to be pre-pended;

(g) determining, from;

(1) the number of digits in the prefix to be pre-pended;

(2) the partial telephone number;

the prefix to be pre-pended; and

(h) pre-pending the prefix to the partial telephone number.

2. Apparatus for pre-pending a prefix to a partial telephone number, comprising the steps of:

(a) means for entering the partial telephone number into a wireless telephone;

(b) means for counting the number of digits in the partial telephone number;

(c) means for determining, from the number of digits, a prefix level which has been supplied to the wireless telephone;

(d) means for determining the location of the wireless telephone;

(e) means for determining, from the location of the wireless telephone, a prefix level which is required to operate the wireless telephone at the location of the wireless telephone;

(f) means for determining, from;

(1) the prefix level which has been supplied; and

(2) the prefix level which is required;

the number of digits in the prefix to be pre-pended;

(g) means for determining, from;

(1) the number of digits in the prefix to be pre-pended;

(2) the partial telephone number;

the prefix to be pre-pended; and

(h) means for pre-pending the prefix to the partial telephone number.