Handy phone

• US 6,580,928 B1
• Filed: 03/09/2000
• Issued: 06/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Aoki, Eriko
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Thang Q
• Application Number:
  US09/521,543
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 455/462, 455/465, 455/414, 455/419, 455/550, 455/556, 455/566, 455/575
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

A handy phone of the present invention includes a menu picture displaying device for displaying a plurality of function names representative of a particular function each in the form of a menu. An inputting device inputs information designated by the user of the phone. A function name entering device allows the user to select one of the function names appearing on the menu picture and enter it on the inputting device. A function setting picture calling device calls a function setting picture corresponding to the function name selected and entered by the user. A function history storing device stores in a memory the function names attached to functions used by the user in the past and a function setting picture corresponding to the function names. A function history displaying device displays in the menu picture the function names of the functions stored in the memory as function history data. When the user selects and enters one of the function names of the function history data appearing in the menu picture on the inputting device, a function history setting picture calling device displays a function setting picture corresponding to the function name selected and set. The phone successfully reduces the number of times that the user should press buttons, and allows the user to be easily accustomed to the operation of the phone.

Claims

1. A handy phone comprising:

menu picture displaying means for displaying a plurality of function names representative of a particular function each in a form of a menu;

inputting means for inputting information designated by a user of said handy phone;

function name setting entering means for allowing the user to select one of the function names appearing on the menu picture and enter one function name on said inputting means;

function setting picture calling means for calling a function setting picture corresponding to the function name selected and entered by the user;

function history storing means for storing in a memory the function names attached to functions used by the user in the past and a function setting picture corresponding to said function names;

function history displaying means for displaying in the menu picture the function names of the functions stored in the memory as function history data;

function history setting picture calling means for displaying, when the user selects and enters one of the function names of the function history data appearing in the menu picture on said inputting means, a function setting picture corresponding to said one function name, said function history storing means stores the function history data in a form of a table and comprises;

recording means for recording how many times an individual function corresponding to one of the function names registered at said table is used in an entry corresponding to said one function name, a count being “

1”

when said individual function is registered for the first time;

updating means for incrementing the count of the individual function by 1; and

classifying means for rearranging, after said updating means has updated the count, the entries in a decrementing order of the count and

when the count of the entry updated by said updating means is coincident with a count of an entry or entries existing in said table, said classifying means rearranges the entries such that said entry updated is positioned at a head of said entry or said entries existing in said table.

2. A handy phone as claimed in claim 1, wherein when a new entry is to be registered at said table and if a number of entries existing in said table has reached a preselected upper limit, said function history displaying means replaces the entry positioned at a bottom of said table with said new entry if the count of said entry positioned at the bottom of said table. is “

1”

or discards said new entry if the count of said entry positioned at the bottom of said table is “

2”

or above.

3. A handy phone as claimed in claim 2, wherein said function history storing means stores the function history data in a preselected hierarchical structure derived from significance of functions, said function history displaying means displaying said function history data in said preselected hierarchical structure.

4. A handy phone as claimed in claim 2, wherein said function history displaying means displays the function history data by arranging the function names in the decrementing order of the count.

5. A handy phone as claimed in claim 4, wherein said function history storing means stores the function history data in a preselected hierarchical structure derived from significance of functions, said function history displaying means displaying said function history data in said preselected hierarchical structure.

6. A handy phone as claimed in claim 1, wherein said function history displaying means displays the function history data by arranging the function names in the decrementing order of the count.

7. A handy phone as claimed in claim 6, wherein said function history storing means stores the function history data in a preselected hierarchical structure derived from significance of functions, said function history displaying means displaying said function history data in said preselected hierarchical structure.

8. A handy phone as claimed in claim 1, wherein said function history storing means stores the function history data in a preselected hierarchical structure derived from significance of functions, said function history displaying means displaying said function history data in said preselected hierarchical structure.

9. A handy phone as claimed in claim 1, wherein when a new entry is to be registered at said table and if a number of entries existing in said table has reached a preselected upper limit, said function history displaying means replaces the entry positioned at a bottom of said table with said new entry if the count of said entry positioned at the bottom of said table is “

1”

or discards said new entry if the count of said entry positioned at the bottom of said table is “

2”

or above.

10. A handy phone as claimed in claim 9, wherein said function history storing means stores the function history data in a preselected hierarchical structure derived from significance of functions, said function history displaying means displaying said function history data in said preselected hierarchical structure.

11. A handy phone as claimed in claim 9, wherein said function history displaying means displays the function history data by arranging the function names in the decrementing order of the count.

12. A handy phone as claimed in claim 11, wherein said function history displaying means displays the function history data by arranging the function names in the decrementing order of the count.

13. A handy phone as claimed in claim 12, wherein said function history storing means stores the function history data in a preselected hierarchical structure derived from significance of functions, said function history displaying means displaying said function history data in said preselected hierarchical structure.

14. A handy phone as claimed in claim 11, wherein said function history storing means stores the function history data in a preselected hierarchical structure derived from significance of functions, said function history displaying means displaying said function history data in said preselected hierarchical structure.

15. A handy phone as claimed in claim 1, wherein said function history storing means stores the function history data in a preselected hierarchical structure derived from significance of functions, said function history displaying means displaying said function history data in said preselected hierarchical structure.

16. A handy phone as claimed in claim 1, wherein said function history storing means stores the function history data in a form of a table and shifts, when a new function is to be registered, entries listed in said table by one entry downward, discards an entry shifted below a lower limit of said table, and registers an centry corresponding to said new function at a head of said table, said function history displaying means displaying the function names in the menu picture in an order in which the entries are listed in said table.

17. A handy phone as claimed in claim 16, wherein said function history storing means stores the function history data in a preselected hierarchical structure derived from significance of functions, said function history displaying means displaying said function history data in said preselected hierarchical structure.