Dialing method in mobile telephone

• US 6,766,017 B1
• Filed: 04/14/1999
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yang, Jae-Duk
• Primary Examiner(s): Isen, F. W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Swerdlow, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US09/291,552
• Time in Patent Office: 1,924 Days
• Field of Search: 379/355, 455/564
• US Class Current: 379/355.02
• 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 1/2748 by matching character strings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Abstract

A dialing method in a mobile phone in which frequently used telephone numbers are stored in a first memory of the phone and less frequently used telephone numbers are stored in a second memory. Upon reception of input data comprising one or more digits from the phone keypad, the method searches the first memory for a stored telephone number that has a portion matching the input data. If a matching telephone number is found, it is displayed on the telephone display. If no matches are found in the first memory, a search of the second memory is performed to determine if a matching telephone number is stored therein. Whenever a matching telephone number from the first or second memory is displayed, the displayed number is automatically dialed upon reception of a command from the user, e.g., upon detection of a SEND key input.

Claims

1. A dialing method in a mobile telephone having a keypad and a display, the method comprising the steps of:

a) storing frequently used telephone numbers in a first memory oft he mobile telephone and less frequently used telephone numbers in a second memory of the mobile telephone;

b) upon reception of numeric data input from the keypad, searching all numeric data included in every telephone number stored in the first memory for a telephone number having a portion matching the input numeric data;

c) if the first memory has a telephone number matching the input numeric data, reading the matching telephone number from the first memory and outputting the read telephone number to the display;

d) searching all numeric data included in every telephone number stored in the second memory for a telephone number matching the input numeric data when the first memory does not have a matching telephone number;

e) if the second memory has a telephone number matching the input numeric data, reading the matching telephone number from the second memory and outputting the read telephone number to the display; and

f) upon detection of a send key input, dialing the telephone number currently displayed on the display.

2. The dialing method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of outputting the input numeric data to the display if the second memory does not have a telephone number matching the input numeric data.

3. The dialing method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving second numeric data input by the user if the send key input is not received, and repeating steps b) to f) for the second numeric data appended to the first numeric data.

4. The dialing method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first numeric data is a single digit and the second numeric data is a single digit.

5. The dialing method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first numeric data is at least two digits and the second numeric data is a single digit.

6. The dialing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step (b) of searching the first memory is performed by searching the first memory for a telephone number having a beginning portion matching the input data.

7. The dialing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step (b) is performed by searching the first memory for a telephone number having a beginning portion matching the input data and also searching the first memory for a telephone number having an end portion matching the input data.

8. The dialing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein if a plurality of telephone numbers in said first memory are determined to have a portion matching the input data, a matching telephone number having the highest priority among the plurality of matching telephone numbers is output to the display.

9. The dialing method as claimed in claim 8, wherein a matching telephone number with a next highest priority is displayed upon reception of a scroll key input.

10. The dialing method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said plurality of matching telephone numbers are displayed on said display in an order based on a dynamically determined frequency of usage of the plurality of matching telephone numbers.

11. The dialing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said frequently used telephone numbers are stored in the first memory during a set-up mode.

12. The dialing method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising determining whether a new telephone number which is not currently stored within said first memory has been dialed by a user during a calling mode more than a predetermined number of times, and if so, storing said new telephone number as a new frequently used number in said first memory.

13. The dialing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said less frequently used numbers are stored in the second memory during a set-up mode.

14. The dialing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein when a new telephone number is dialed by a user during a calling mode, it is stored as a said less frequently used number in said second memory.

15. A dialing method in a mobile telephone including a nonvolatile memory for storing frequently used telephone numbers and a volatile memory for storing less frequently used telephone numbers, the method comprising the steps of:

a) upon reception of first numeric data input by a user, searching all numeric data included in every telephone number stored in the nonvolatile memory for a telephone number including numeric data that is identical to the first numeric data;

b) if the nonvolatile memory has a telephone number whose first digit'"'"'s numeric data is identical to the first numeric data, reading the telephone number with a top priority among the telephone numbers including numeric data is identical to the first numeric data from the nonvolatile memory and outputting the read telephone number to the display;

c) if the nonvolatile memory does not have a telephone number whose first digit'"'"'s numeric data is identical to the first numeric data, searching all numeric data included in every telephone number stored in the volatile memory for a telephone number including numeric data that is identical to the first numeric data;

d) if the volatile memory has a telephone number whose first digit'"'"'s numeric data is identical to the first numeric data, reading the telephone number with a top priority among the telephone numbers including numeric data that is identical to the first numeric data from the volatile memory and outputting the read telephone number to the display; and

e) upon detection of a send key input in said step b) or d), dialing the telephone number displayed on the display.

16. The dialing method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising the step of receiving second numeric data input by the user if the send key input is not received, and repeating steps a) to e) for the second numeric data in combination with the first numeric data.

17. A dialing method in a mobile telephone having a keypad and a display, the method comprising the steps of:

a) storing frequently used telephone numbers in a first memory of the mobile telephone and storing less frequently used numbers in a second memory of the mobile telephone;

b) upon reception of numeric data input from the keypad, searching all numeric data included in every telephone number stored in the memory for a telephone number having a portion matching the input numeric data;

c) if the first memory has a telephone number matching the input numeric data, displaying the matching telephone number on said display;

d) searching all numeric data included in every telephone number stored in the second memory for a less frequently used number having a portion matching said input numeric data if no match was found for a frequently used number in step (b);

e) displaying a matching less frequently used number; and

f) dialing the matching telephone number displayed upon reception of a specific command by the user.

18. The dialing method as claimed in claim 17, wherein said specific command is a send key input of the user.