Search and replace features for handset phonebook

• US 6,418,311 B1
• Filed: 10/27/1999
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Khazaka, Samir, Chmaytelli, Mazen, Kirbas, Bilhan
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ GUTIERREZ, RAFAEL
• Application Number:
  US09/428,670
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 455/419, 455/466, 455/414, 455/458, 455/556, 455/517, 455/418, 455/412, 370/389, 370/349, 370/259, 340/7.52
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27485 Appending a prefix to or inserting a pause into a dialling sequence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

The system accepts a Short Message System data packet transmitted from a cell site to a mobile station and updates the contents of an address book located in a non-volatile RAM within the mobile station. Upon the occurrence of an event, such as a change in the area code, the system automatically updates the phone book so that a person does not have to perform the tedious task of determining which exchange prefixes within an area code have been affected and then manually updating large numbers of address book entries.

Claims

1. A method of updating data stored in a mobile telecommunications device comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a downloaded update command from an external source;

b) entering a first variable contained within the update command;

c) searching for the presence of the first variable stored in a memory within the mobile telecommunication device;

d) entering a second variable contained within the update command;

e) repeatedly replacing the first variable with the second variable in the memory;

f) automatically sending the update commands from the external source to the mobile communication device when the first variable is changed to the second variable.

2. The method of claim 1 further including:

f) optionally confirming a global replacement of all occurrences of the first variable with the second variable and;

g) writing the confirmed replacement to memory.

3. The method as in claim 1 wherein step a) further includes:

a1) receiving a downloaded SMS update command from an external cell site and;

a2) optionally checking a flag to see if updating has already occurred, and if so, discontinuing the updating.

4. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

f) optionally confirming a single successful replacement and;

g) writing the confirmed replacement to memory.

5. A system for receiving downloadable update commands from an external source comprising:

means for receiving a downloaded update command from an external source;

means for entering a first variable contained within the update command;

means for searching for the presence of the first variable stored in a memory within a mobile telecommunication device;

means for entering a second variable contained within the update command;

means for repeatedly replacing the first variable with the second variable in the memory;

means for automatically sending the update commands from the external source to the mobile telecommunication device when the first variable is changed to the second variable.

6. A system as in claim 5 further comprising:

means for receiving a downloaded SMS update command from an external cell site and;

means for optionally checking a flag to see if updating has already occurred, and if so, discontinuing the updating.

7. A system as in claim 6 further comprising:

means for optionally confirming one of a global and a single successful replacement and;

means for writing the confirmed replacements to memory.

8. A system for receiving downloadable update commands from an external source comprising:

an input device for accepting the update commands;

memory for storing data, the data including variable strings and;

a processor operably connected to said memory and said input device for processing an update command in order to update a first predetermined variable string with a second predetermined variable string identified by the update command,

wherein the external source automatically sends the update commands when the first predetermined variable string is changed to the second predetermined variable string.

9. A system as in claim 8 wherein said first and second predetermined variable strings are numeric.

10. A system as in claim 9 wherein said first and second predetermined variable strings define a terminus.

11. A system as in claim 10 wherein said terminus is defined by a telephone number.

12. A system as in claim 11 wherein said terminus is defined by a terminating address.

13. A system as in claim 8 wherein said memory is an updateable address book.

14. A system as in claim 13 wherein said processor repeatedly performs a search for the first predetermined variable string and thereupon replaces the first variable string with the second variable string.

15. A system as in claim 14 wherein the downloadable update command is of the form found in a Short Messaging System.