Methods and apparatus for automatically grouping user-specific information in a mobile station

• US 7,974,414 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2004
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Burns, Anthony George
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand; Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAYOU, YONAS A
• Application Number:
  US10/789,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20050190918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,685 Days
• Field of Search: 380/270
• US Class Current: 380/270
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for automatically grouping user-specific information items (400) in a mobile station (102) are disclosed. In one illustrative example, a method includes the steps of reading a first user-specific information item (404, 406, 408, or 410) associated with a first file or application of the mobile station (102); storing the first user-specific information item (404, 406, 408, or 410) in a user information file or message (402) of the mobile station (102); and repeating the acts of reading and storing for at least a second user-specific information item (404, 406, 408, or 410) associated with a second file or application of the mobile station (102), so that the first and the second user-specific information items are grouped together as user information in the user information file or message (402). Examples of user-specific information items (400) include a user name (404) associated with an end user of the mobile station (102), a telephone number (406) (e.g. an IMSI) of the mobile station (102), an e-mail address (408) associated with an e-mail communication application of the mobile station (102), and a Personal Identification Number (PIN) (410) of the mobile station (102). The user information file or message (402) containing the user-specific information items (400) may easily be transmitted from the mobile station (102) to one or more recipients through a wireless communication network (104) in a message such as an e-mail or PIN message.

Claims

1. A method performed by a mobile station for automatically grouping user-specific information items in an e-mail message, the mobile station having a user interface which includes a display, the mobile station storing a first file for use with a voice call application of the mobile station, the first file including a telephone number which is utilized for identifying or contacting a user in the voice call application, the mobile station further storing a second file for use with an e-mail communication application of the mobile station, the second file including an e-mail address which is utilized for identifying or contacting the user in the e-mail communication application, the method comprising the acts of:

receiving, via the user interface, with use of the e-mail communication application, a draft e-mail message and causing the draft e-mail message to be displayed in the display;

detecting, by the mobile station, a selection of an option to add the user-specific information items to the draft e-mail message while the draft e-mail message is being displayed;

in response to detecting the selection of the option, automatically grouping, by the mobile station, the user-specific information items in the draft e-mail message by performing the following acts;

reading, by the mobile station, from the first file stored in the mobile station, the telephone number which is utilized for identifying or contacting the user in the voice call application;

storing, by the mobile station, in the draft e-mail message, the telephone number read from the first file;

reading, by the mobile station, from the second file stored in the mobile station, the e-mail address which is utilized for identifying or contacting the user in the e-mail communication application;

storing, by the mobile station, in the e-mail message, the e-mail address read from the second file, so that the telephone number and the e-mail address are automatically grouped together by the mobile station in the draft e-mail message in response to detecting the selection of the option; and

after the telephone number and the e-mail address have been automatically grouped by the mobile station in the draft e-mail message, causing the e-mail message to be transmitted from the mobile station via a wireless communication network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing a menu to be displayed in the display, the menu including the option to add the user-specific information items to the draft e-mail message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile station stores a third file for use with a PIN messaging application of the mobile station, the third file including a personal identification number (PIN) which is utilized for identifying or contacting the user in the PIN messaging application, the method comprising the further acts of:

reading, by the mobile station from the third file stored in the mobile station, the PIN which is utilized for identifying or contacting the user in the PIN messaging application of the mobile station; and

storing, by the mobile station in the draft e-mail message, the PIN, so that the telephone number, the e-mail address, and the PIN are automatically grouped together by the mobile station in the draft e-mail message in response to detecting the selection of the option.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending the e-mail message from the mobile station to one or more recipients via the wireless communication network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending the e-mail message through a wireless communication network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger signal is produced in response to a user selection of the option.

7. A mobile station, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

a processor coupled to the wireless transceiver;

a user interface coupled to the processor, the user interface comprising a display;

memory coupled to the processor;

the memory being configured to maintain storage of a first file for use with a voice call application of the mobile station, the first file including a telephone number which is utilized for identifying or contacting a user of the mobile station in the voice call application;

the memory being further configured to maintain storage of a second file for use with a electronic mail (e-mail) application of the mobile station, the second file including an e-mail address which is utilized for identifying or contacting the user of the mobile station in the e-mail communication application;

the processor being configured to receive, via the user interface, a draft e-mail message, and cause the draft e-mail message to be displayed in the display with use of the e-mail communication application;

the processor being configured to detect a selection of an option to add user-specific information items to the draft e-mail message while the draft e-mail message is being displayed;

the processor being further configured to automatically group at least the telephone number and the e-mail address in the draft e-mail message in response to detecting the selection of the option, by performing the following acts;

reading, by the processor from the first file, the telephone number which is utilized for identifying or contacting the user in the voice call application;

storing, by the processor in the draft e-mail message, the telephone number read from the first file;

reading, by the processor from the second file, the e-mail address which is utilized for identifying or contacting the user in the e-mail communication application;

storing, by the processor in the draft e-mail message, the e-mail address read from the second file, so that the telephone number and the e-mail address are automatically grouped together in the draft e-mail message in response to detecting the selection of the option; and

after the telephone number and the e-mail address have been automatically grouped by the processor in the draft e-mail message, causing the e-mail message to be transmitted, via the wireless transceiver, from the mobile station.

8. The mobile station of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to cause a menu to be displayed in the display, the menu including the option to add the user-specific information items to the draft e-mail message.

9. The mobile station of claim 7, wherein the memory is further configured to maintain storage of a third file for use with a PIN messaging application of the mobile station, the third file including a personal identification number (PIN) which is utilized for identifying or contacting the user in the PIN messaging application, and the processor is further configured to:

reading, by the processor from the third file, the PIN which is utilized for identifying or contacting the user in the PIN messaging application; and

storing, by the processor in the draft e-mail message, the PIN, so that the telephone number, the e-mail address, and the PIN are automatically grouped together by the processor in the draft e-mail message in response to detecting the selection of the option.

10. The mobile station of claim 9, wherein each one of the first, second, and third user-specific information items comprises one of the following items:

a user name associated with an end user of the mobile station;

a telephone number of the mobile station;

an e-mail address associated with an e-mail communication application of the mobile station;

a personal identification number (PIN) of the mobile station; and

an address associated with the end user of the mobile station.

11. The mobile station of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to:

cause the e-mail message to be sent through the wireless transceiver to one or more recipients via the wireless communication network.

12. The mobile station of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to:

cause the e-mail message to be sent through the wireless transceiver via the wireless communication network to one or more recipients.

13. The mobile station of claim 7, wherein the trigger signal is produced in response to a user selection of the option.

14. The mobile station of claim 7, wherein the telephone number comprises an International Mobile Subscriber Identification (IMSI) in the first file which is in a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) or Removable User Identity Module (R-UIM).

15. A method for use in a mobile station for automatically grouping user contact information for a user of the mobile station in a user information file, the mobile station having a processor, a user interface which includes a display, and memory coupled to the processor, the memory being configured to maintain storage of a first file for a voice call application of the mobile station, the first file including a telephone number which is utilized for identifying or contacting the user in the voice call application, the memory being configured to maintain storage of a second file for an e-mail application of the mobile station, the second file including an e-mail address which is utilized for identifying or contact the user in the e-mail application, the method comprising the acts of:

receiving, via the user interface, with use of the e-mail communication application, a draft e-mail message, and causing the draft e-mail message to be displayed in the display;

detecting, by the mobile station, a selection of an option to add user contact information to the draft e-mail message while the draft e-mail message is being displayed;

in response to detecting the selection of the option, automatically grouping, by the mobile station, the telephone number and the e-mail address in the user information file by performing the following acts;

reading, by the mobile station from the first file, the telephone number which is utilized for identifying or contacting the user in the voice call application;

storing, by the mobile station in the user information file, the telephone number read from the first file; and

reading, by the mobile station from the second file, the e-mail address which is utilized for identifying or contacting the user in the e-mail application;

storing, by the mobile station in the user information file, the e-mail address read from the second file, so that the telephone number and the e-mail address are automatically grouped together by the mobile station in the user information file in response to detecting the selection of the option;

inserting the user information file into the draft e-mail message; and

causing the e-mail message with the inserted user information file to be transmitted from the mobile station.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the memory is further configured to maintain storage of a third file for a Personal Identification Number (PIN) messaging application of the mobile station, the third file having a PIN which is utilized for identifying or contacting the user in the PIN messaging application, the method further comprising:

reading, by the mobile station from the third file, the PIN which is utilized for identifying or contacting the user in the PIN messaging application and

storing, by the mobile station in the user information file, the PIN read from the third file, so that the telephone number, the e-mail address, and the PIN are automatically grouped together by the mobile station as user information in the user information file.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

causing a menu to be displayed in the display, the menu including the option to add the user-specific information items to the draft e-mail message.