Mobile device with enhanced telephone call information and a method of using same

• US 8,135,391 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2009
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Scott, Sherryl Lee Lorraine, Kuhl, Lawrence Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, KIET M
• Application Number:
  US12/366,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20100203874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/445, 455/414, 455/415, 455/412.1, 455/514, 455/566, 455/457, 379/354, 707/3, 370/352
• US Class Current: 455/415
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2748 by matching character strings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/56 Arrangements for indicating or recording the called number at the calling subscriber's set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/354 Reverse directory service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems

Abstract

A mobile device with enhanced telephone call information and a method of using same are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, there is provided a method of providing enhanced phone call information on a mobile communication device, comprising: receiving an incoming call on the device; identifying a contact name in an address book stored in a memory of the device in accordance with a phone number associated with the incoming call when the contact name is not provided with the incoming call; identifying a contact name in a remote contact source in accordance with a phone number associated with the incoming call when the contact name is not provided with the incoming call and not found in the address book stored in a memory of the device; and displaying the identified contact name in a user interface screen on a display screen of the device.

Claims

1. A method of providing enhanced phone call information on a mobile communication device configured for voice and data communications, comprising:

receiving an incoming call on the device;

identifying a contact name in an address book stored in a memory of the device in accordance with a phone number associated with the incoming call when the contact name is not provided with the incoming call;

identifying a contact name in a remote contact source over a wireless data network in accordance with a phone number associated with the incoming call when the contact name is not provided with the incoming call and not found in the address book stored in a memory of the device; and

displaying the identified contact name in a user interface screen on a display screen of the device;

wherein two or more remote contact sources are searched when identifying a contact name not provided with the incoming call and not found in the address book stored in the memory of the device, the remote contact sources comprising (i) a global address book of a messaging server associated with the device and (ii) a reverse lookup directory service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when multiple contact names are identified in the remote contact source, the displayed contact name is selected from the multiple contact names in accordance with a predetermined rule.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the phone number associated with the incoming call is displayed in the user interface screen on the display screen with the contact name.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface screen is an incoming call screen.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

answering the incoming call in response to respective input; and

displaying the contact name in a call-in-progress user interface screen on the display screen of the device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the phone number associated with the incoming call is displayed in the call-in-progress user interface screen on the display screen with the contact name.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote contact source is a reverse lookup directory service.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact name is identified when use of the phone number associated with the incoming phone call is not restricted.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein when contact names are available from more than one contact source, the displayed contact name is selected in accordance with a predetermined rule for resolving conflicts.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined rule defines a preference associated with the more than one contact source.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined rule is to select the contact name from the contact source having the most recent contact information.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined rule is to select the contact name from the contact source having the most contact information.

13. A method of providing enhanced phone call information on a mobile communication device configured for voice and data communications, comprising:

displaying a dialing user interface screen on a display screen of the device, the dialing screen including a dialing field;

receiving input via the dialing field;

determining if a contact name in an address book stored in a memory of the device matches the input in the dialing field;

determining over a wireless data network if a contact name in a remote contact source matches the input in the dialing field in response to respective input; and

displaying one or more contact names which match the input in the dialing user interface screen.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the contact names are displayed together in a contact window of the dialing user interface screen.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the remote contact source is a directory service.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein two or more remote contact sources are searched, the remote contact sources comprising (i) a global address book of a messaging server of a wireless connector system associated with the device and (ii) a directory service.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

selecting a contact from the dialing user interface screen in response to respective input;

initiating an outbound call to a telephone number associated with the selected contact name from the dialing user interface screen in response to respective input; and

displaying the contact name in a calling user interface screen on the display screen of the device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the phone number associated with the incoming call is displayed in the calling interface screen on the display screen with the contact name.

19. A method of providing enhanced contact information on a mobile communication device, comprising:

displaying a user interface screen of a text messaging application or emailing application on a display screen of the electronic device, the user interface screen including a contact input field;

receiving input via the contact input field;

determining if a contact name in an address book stored in a memory of the device matches the input in the contact input field;

determining over a wireless data network if a contact name in a remote contact source matches the input in the contact input field; and

displaying one or more contact names which match the input in the user interface screen;

wherein two or more remote contact sources are searched when identifying a contact name not provided with the incoming call and not found in the address book stored in the memory of the device, the remote contact sources comprising (i) a global address book of a messaging server associated with the device and (ii) a reverse lookup directory service.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the application is an email messaging application, the user interface screen being an email composition user interface screen and the contact input field being an address field of the email composition user interface screen, wherein the remote contact source is only checked to determine if any contact names match the input in the contact input field in response to respective input.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the contact names are displayed together in a pop-up window which overlays at least a portion of the email composition user interface.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the remote contact source is a directory service.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein two or more remote contact sources are searched, the remote contact sources comprising (i) a global address book of a messaging server of a wireless connector system associated with the device and (ii) a directory service.

24. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a controller for controlling the operation of the device;

a display screen connected to the controller;

a communication subsystem connected to the controller configured for data and voice communication with a wireless network;

one or more input devices connected to the controller;

the controller being configured to;

receive an incoming call on the device;

identify accordance with a phone number associated with the incoming call when the contact name is not provided with the incoming call;

identify a contact name in a remote contact source over a wireless data network in accordance with a phone number associated with the incoming call when the contact name is not provided with the incoming call and not found in the address book stored in a memory of the device; and

display the identified contact name in a user interface screen on the display screen of the device;

wherein two or more remote contact sources are searched when identifying a contact name not provided with the incoming call and not found in the address book stored in the memory of the device, the remote contact sources comprising (i) a global address book of a messaging server associated with the device and (ii) a reverse lookup directory service.