Method and device for selecting a destination telephone number using a mobile station

• US 6,430,411 B1
• Filed: 10/20/1999
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à.r.l. (f/k/a Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.) (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Lempiö, Jarkko, Säntti, Virpi
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US09/421,981
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432-435, 455/456, 455/457, 455/422, 455/425, 455/460, 455/461, 455/517, 455/564, 455/575, 455/550, 455/556
• US Class Current: 455/432.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27467 Methods of retrieving data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

To facilitate calling from a mobile station, a method and a device have been invented by means of which the selection of the phone number of a subscriber B has been made easier. When using a mobile station as a navigation device or in connection with one, a connection for one or more records to phone numbers in an abbreviated dialling memory of the mobile station is defined in a geographical point of interest (POI) database of the navigation device. In this way, after the user has first selected his navigation POI, he can make a call to the POI by using a specific ‘call POI’ switch without having to search the abbreviated dialling memory for a phone number corresponding to the navigation POI at hand and without himself having to dial the phone number. The connection of the navigation POI database to elements of the intercom dialling memory, according to the invention, is preferably implemented by including, in the navigation POI database, a field for the records for an intercom dialling element index.

Claims

1. A method for retrieving a phone number with a mobile station of a mobile communication network, comprising the steps of:

providing a user with a group of identifiers each corresponding to a geographical point of interest (POI),

allowing a user to select a (POI) and its corresponding identifier with the mobile station,

corresponding to the selected identifier, retrieving from a memory data on the selected POI, the data comprising at least the POI'"'"'s position and phone number, and

allowing the user to initiate a call to the selected POI using said phone number stored in the memory of the mobile station;

wherein if the data in the memory does not include the phone number for the POI, the method further comprising the steps of,

automatically contacting a server over the mobile communication network to obtain said phone number from the server,

sending from the server to the mobile station the phone number over the mobile communication network,

receiving the phone number at the mobile station, and storing the received phone number in the memory.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein

the selected POI is the place of destination at the time in question.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein

the selected POI is some other geographical target different from the place of destination or an intermediate stopping point of travel at the time in question.

4. A method according to claim 1, comprising

allowing the user to add and change said data.

5. A method according to claim 1, comprising

receiving data transmitted wirelessly to said mobile station on a geographical target, and

storing received data in the mobile station'"'"'s memory.

6. A method according to claim 1, comprising

checking (35) whether there are several phone numbers of the selected POI available, and

providing the user with an opportunity to select one of them.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein

after the user has selected one of several phone numbers of the selected POI, a call will be made to it after a specific period of time from the moment the user selected said phone number.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein

after the user has selected one of many phone numbers of a geographical target, a call will be made to it when the user confirms his choice.

9. The use of a method, according to claim 1, in a mobile station.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of transferring said POI'"'"'s position between the mobile station and a navigation device, and using said POI'"'"'s position by the navigation device for locating the POI.

11. A mobile station comprising a memory for storing phone numbers and means for connecting a name to a phone number to be stored in the memory, comprising

means for storing the data on at least one geographical target,

means for connecting the data on said geographical target to a stored phone number, the mobile station further comprising means for:

automatically contacting a server over a mobile communications network to obtain a phone number associated with the geographical target when the data on the geographical target does not include the phone number;

means for receiving said phone number at the mobile station over the mobile communication network, and storing the received phone number in the memory as the stored phone number;

means for browsing the data on at least one geographical target, and

means for calling the number connected to the data on the geographical target presented at any given time.

12. A mobile station according to claim 11, wherein

said data on a geographical target comprise the name of said target,

said mobile station comprises means for comparing the name of said target to the names connected to the phone numbers stored in the mobile station'"'"'s memory, and

the mobile station comprises means for connecting the data on a geographical target to the phone number stored in said memory, said names corresponding to one another with a specific accuracy.

13. A mobile station according to claim 11 further comprising means for transferring the position of a point of interest (POI) between the mobile station and a navigation device, said position transferring means being operative further for enabling a locating of the POI.

14. A system for employing geographical data of a point of interest (POI) with a mobile phone, comprising:

a mobile station comprising a memory for storing the phone numbers and means for connecting a name to any phone number to be stored in the memory,

the mobile station further comprising means for storing the data on at least one geographical target,

means for connecting the data on said geographical target to a stored phone number,

means for automatically contacting a server over a mobile communication network to obtain a phone number associated with the geographical target when the data on the geographical target does not include the phone number;

means for sending from the server to the mobile station said phone number over the mobile communication network; and

means for receiving said phone number at the mobile station, and storing the received phone number in the memory as the stored phone number;

means for browsing the data on at least one geographical target,

means for calling the number connected to the data on the geographical target presented at any given time,

navigation means providing location data out a POI to the memory, and

a user interface enabling a user to operate the mobile station while driving a vehicle.