Dynamically storing PIM/address book data by type

• US 7,007,149 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2001
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Chung, Ki Hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Sparks, Donald
• Assistant Examiner(s): DILLER, JESSE DAVID
• Application Number:
  US10/017,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20020077155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• Field of Search: 711/173, 711/172, 707/103.Z, 707/103.X
• US Class Current: 711/170
• 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: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

A method for using a memory area of a mobile communication terminal is disclosed. The method is directed toward managing a personal information manager (PIM) in a mobile telecommunication phone. A memory area is assigned to each field and an index number is designated according to a type of data in the memory area. For inputting data in a memory area, the user inputs data in a memory, searches for existence of a corresponding index of the entered data, and updates the relevant data based on the search result. The useable area of memory is thus expanded and more efficiently used by classifying available memory areas and designating an index number to each field.

Claims

1. A method for using a memory area in a mobile communication terminal, comprising:

assigning a memory region to each of a plurality of data fields;

designating an index number according to types of data in the memory region, and

assigning a same index number to a plurality of data items in the plurality of data fields that belong to a same class,

wherein each of the plurality of data items belonging to the class is associated with a different data field, and

wherein if data for a first field is not present for a first index, data for the first field from a second index is stored in a first data area of the first data field memory region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein data is saved in each of the plurality of field by an individual index number.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fields comprises at least one of a name field, a company name field, an e-mail address field, a telephone number field, and a fax number field.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data corresponds to information regarding an individual.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each class represents a single person.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein if data for the first field of the first index is subsequently provided, the data for the first field of the first index is saved in the first data area of the first data field memory region, and the data for the first field from the second index is moved to a second data area of the first data field memory region.

7. A method for using a memory area in a mobile communication terminal, comprising:

assigning a memory region to each of a plurality of data fields;

designating an index number according to types of data in the memory region,

assigning a same index number to a plurality of data items in the plurality of data fields that belong to a same class,

wherein a prescribed memory region is accessed by inputting the index number or a key word, and

wherein data is saved in a corresponding memory region of each field in index order, and the data can be shifted automatically from a first data area in the memory region for the field, a second data area in the memory region for the field to maintain the index order.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein if subsequently entered data has a priority index number when compared to an existing index number, the subsequently entered data is saved in a corresponding index number location, and the existing data is moved to a next data location.

9. A method for inputting data in a memory area in a mobile communication terminal, comprising:

inputting data in the memory area of the mobile communication terminal by a user;

searching for an existence of a corresponding index of the entered data;

updating the relevant data if the corresponding index is found; and

assigning a same index number to a plurality of data items respectively stored in the memory area that belong to a same class,

wherein the memory area is divided into memory regions corresponding to the plurality of data items, data is saved in a corresponding memory region of each data item in index order, and the data can be shifted automatically from a first memory region to a second memory region to maintain the index order.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising creating a new index for the entered data if the corresponding index for the entered data does not exist.

11. A method of managing a memory in a mobile communication device, comprising:

assigning a common index number to all data fields of a same class;

allocating a plurality of data fields in a memory area by field groups; and

sequentially storing data having a corresponding index number and that corresponds to a respective field group in a next available memory location in the field group.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a next available index number is assigned to all data fields of an added class.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein if data for a prescribed data field of a first class is not initially provided, and is subsequently inputted into the memory, it is assigned an index number that is common to the first class, and it is stored in a first data location for a prescribed data field group in the memory.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein if data for the prescribed data field corresponding to a second class is initially stored in the first data location for the prescribed data field group, the data for the prescribed data field corresponding to a second class is moved to a second data location for the prescribed data field in the memory.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the data fields are selected from among an address field, a telephone number field, an e-mail address field, a company name field, a fax number field, and a pager number field, and wherein the same class may include fewer than all of the data fields.

16. A method of managing a memory in a mobile communication device, comprising:

inputting a plurality of data groups into a memory, each of the plurality of data groups having a corresponding plurality of data fields and each of the corresponding plurality of data fields for a given one of a plurality of class data having a common index number; and

organizing the plurality of class data by data fields in the memory in index order, wherein if a first data group is provided without data for prescribed data field and a second data group is provided with data for the prescribed data field, the data for the prescribed data field corresponding to the second data group is stored in a first data location for the prescribed data field in the memory.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein if data for the prescribed data field of the first data group is subsequently inputted into the memory, it is assigned an index number that is common to the first data group, and it is stored in the first data location for the prescribed data field in the memory, and the data for the prescribed data field corresponding to the second data group is moved to a second data location for the prescribed data field in the memory.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein if a subsequent data group is inputted, it is assigned a next sequential index number, and data from each of the plurality of data fields of the subsequent data group is stored in a next available data location in the memory that corresponds to the field.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of data fields are selected from among an address field, a telephone number field, an e-mail address field, a company name field, a fax number field, and a pager number field.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein any of the plurality of data groups may include fewer than all of the data fields.

21. A mobile communication terminal, comprising:

means for storing a plurality of data groups into a memory, each of the plurality of data groups having a corresponding plurality of data fields and each of the corresponding plurality of data fields for a given one of a plurality of class data having a common index number; and

means for organizing the plurality of class data by data fields in the memory in index order, wherein if a first data group is provided without data for prescribed data field and a second data group is provided with data for the prescribed data field, the data for the prescribed data field corresponding to the second data group is stored in a first data location for the prescribed data field in the memory.

22. The terminal of claim 21, wherein if data for the prescribed data field of the first data group is subsequently inputted into the memory, it is assigned an index number that is common to the first data group, and it is stored in the first data location for the prescribed data field in the memory, and the data for the prescribed data field corresponding to the second data group is moved to a second data location for the prescribed data field in the memory.