Apparatus, methods, and computer program products for dialing telephone numbers using alphabetic selections

• US 7,065,385 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2002
• Issued: 06/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Dunko, Greg, Jarrad, Bassam
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Application Number:
  US10/241,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20040198244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/566, 455/567, 455/90.1, 455/412.1, 455/414.1, 455/415, 455563-565, 455/414.4, 379/355.01, 379/355.02, 379/88.01, 379/88.03, 379/88.2, 379/88.07, 379/88.09, 379/354, 379/88.04, 710/58, 710/67, 710/73, 341/106, 340/202, 340/200, 340/73, 178/22.1
• US Class Current: 455/564
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation methods for entering alphabetical characters per se G06F3/0237

Abstract

A method is provided for dialing a telephone number from a communication device that includes an alphanumeric input device. The alphanumeric input device allows selection of a plurality of alphabetic characters and selection of a plurality of numeric characters. An alphabetic character that is selected among the plurality of alphabetic characters is sensed. The sensed alphabetic character is translated into a number. A numeric character, that is selected separately from the selection of the alphabetic character, is sensed. A telephone number that includes the translated number and the sensed numeric character is dialed.

Claims

1. A method of dialing a telephone number from a communication device that includes an alphabetic input device that allows selection of a plurality of alphabetic characters, the method comprising:

sensing a duration of a user'"'"'s selection of an alphabetic character that is selected among the plurality of alphabetic characters of the alphabetic input device;

selectively translating the sensed alphabetic character into a number based on the duration of selection of the alphabetic character; and

dialing a telephone number that includes the translated number, wherein;

the sensing a duration of a user'"'"'s selection of an alphabetic character senses a sequence of a plurality of selected alphabetic characters;

the translating translates the sequence of the plurality of selected alphabetic characters to a sequence of numbers; and

the dialing dials a telephone number that includes the translated sequence of numbers and the sensed numeric character.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the translating comprises:

providing a correspondence between the plurality of alphabetic characters and a plurality of numbers; and

identifying as the translated number, one of the plurality of numbers that corresponds to the sensed alphabetic character.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein more than one of the plurality of alphabetic characters corresponds to the same one of the plurality of numbers.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein:

alphabetic characters “

A”

, “

B”

, and “

C”

each correspond to the number “

2”

.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein:

alphabetic characters “

A”

, “

B”

, and “

C”

each correspond to the number “

2”

;

alphabetic characters “

D”

, “

E”

, and “

F”

each correspond to the number “

3”

;

alphabetic characters “

G”

, “

H”

, and “

I”

each correspond to the number “

4”

;

alphabetic characters “

J”

, “

K”

, and “

L”

each correspond to the number “

5”

;

alphabetic characters “

M”

, “

N”

, and “

O”

each correspond to the number “

6”

;

alphabetic characters “

P”

, “

Q”

, “

R”

, and “

S”

each correspond to the number “

7”

;

alphabetic characters “

T”

, “

U”

, and “

V”

each correspond to the number “

8”

; and

alphabetic characters “

W”

, “

X”

, “

Y”

, and “

Z”

each correspond to the number “

9”

.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the dialing occurs after sensing an indication from a user that entry of the phone number is complete.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

selectively searching a phone book in the communication device to identify a name that corresponds to a selected alphabetic character based on the duration of selection of the alphabetic character;

displaying the identified name from the phone book for viewing by a user;

retrieving a telephone number from the phone book that corresponds to the identified name; and

dialing the retrieved telephone number in response to a name selection signal that is received from a user.

8. A method of dialing a telephone number from a communication device that includes an alphanumeric input device that allows selection of a plurality of alphabetic characters and separate selection of a plurality of numeric characters, the method comprising:

sensing a duration of a user'"'"'s selection of an alphabetic character that is selected among the plurality of alphabetic characters of the alphanumeric input device;

selectively translating the sensed alphabetic character into a number based on the duration of selection of the alphabetic character;

sensing a numeric character that is selected among the plurality of numeric characters separately from the selection of the plurality of alphabetic characters; and

dialing a telephone number that includes the translated number and the sensed numeric character, wherein the communication device includes a keyboard with a plurality of alphabetic keys and a separate plurality of numeric keys, and the sensing a duration of a user'"'"'s selection of an alphabetic character is in response to a user selecting one of the plurality of alphabetic keys, and the sensing a numeric character is in response to a user separately selecting one of the separate plurality of numeric keys.

9. A communication device, comprising:

an alphabetic input device that provides a plurality of alphabetic characters for selection, and that is configured to sense a selection of an alphabetic character;

a translation circuit that is operative to selectively translate a selected alphabetic character into a number based on a duration of a user'"'"'s selection of the alphabetic character; and

a dialing circuit that is operative to dial a telephone number that includes the translated number, wherein;

the alphabetic input device is operative to sense a sequence of a plurality of selected alphabetic characters;

the translation circuit is operative to translate the sequence of the plurality of selected alphabetic characters into a sequence of numbers; and

the dialing circuit is operative to dial a number that includes the translated sequence of numbers and the selected numeric character.

10. A communication device according to claim 9, wherein the translation circuit is operative to provide a correspondence between the plurality of alphabetic characters and a plurality of numbers, and is operative to identify as the translated number, one of the plurality of numbers that corresponds to the selected alphabetic character.

11. A communication device according to claim 10, wherein more than one of the plurality of alphabetic characters correspond to the same one of the plurality of number.

12. A communication device according to claim 11, wherein:

alphabetic characters “

A”

, “

B”

, and “

C”

each correspond to the number “

2”

.

13. A communication device according to claim 11, wherein:

alphabetic characters “

A”

, “

B”

, and “

C”

each correspond to the number “

2”

;

alphabetic characters “

D”

, “

E”

, and “

F”

each correspond to the number “

3”

;

alphabetic characters “

G”

, “

H”

, and “

I”

each correspond to the number “

4”

;

alphabetic characters “

J”

, “

K”

, and “

L”

each correspond to the number “

5”

;

alphabetic characters “

M”

, “

N”

, and “

O”

each correspond to the number “

6”

;

alphabetic characters “

P”

, “

Q”

, “

R”

, and “

S”

each correspond to the number “

7”

;

alphabetic characters “

T”

, “

U”

, and “

V”

each correspond to the number “

8”

; and

alphabetic characters “

W”

, “

X”

, “

Y”

, and “

Z”

each correspond to the number “

9”

.

14. A communication device according to claim 9, wherein:

the dialing circuit is operative to dial the telephone number is response to receiving an indication signal from a user that entry of the phone number is complete.

15. A computer program product for dialing a telephone number from a communication device that includes an alphabetic input device that allows selection of a plurality of alphabetic characters, the computer program product comprising program code embodied in a computer-readable storage medium, the computer program code comprising:

program code for sensing an alphabetic character that is selected among the plurality of alphabetic characters of the alphabetic input device;

program code for selectively translating the sensed alphabetic character into a number based on a duration of a user'"'"'s selection of the alphabetic character; and

program code for dialing a telephone number that includes the translated number, wherein the program code for translating the sensed alphabetic character comprises;

program code for providing a correspondence between the plurality of alphabetic characters and a plurality of numbers; and

program code for identifying as the translated number, one of the plurality of numbers that corresponds to the sensed alphabetic character.

16. A computer program product according to claim 15, wherein more than one of the plurality of alphabetic characters corresponds to the same one of the plurality of numbers.