Destination retrieval apparatus, communication apparatus and method for retrieving destination

• US 8,141,000 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2005
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hirosawa, Takayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amin, Bhavesh V
• Application Number:
  US11/183,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20060050325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,436 Days
• Field of Search: 701200-224, 340988-996
• US Class Current: 715/829
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00384 Key input means, e.g. buttons or keypads electromechanical details of key input means in general H01H13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00397 Switches, knobs or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00408 Display of information to the user, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3207 of an address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3209 of a telephone number
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3273 Display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

When an initial character is specified by striking a character input key, the first destination candidate, according to the alphabetical order, is displayed. After this, in response to each striking of the same character input key, the display screen is switched to displaying the next destination candidate. In particular, when there is no more next destination candidate having the character specified by the character input key as its initial character, the turn returns to the first destination candidate having the same character as its initial character and this destination candidate is displayed.

Claims

1. A multifunctional apparatus including a facsimile function, comprising:

a memory configured to store a plurality of information each utilized for connecting to a destination and a plurality of destination names respectively corresponding to the plurality of the information;

a panel that has a plurality of input keys for inputting a name of a destination and a search key including at least one of an UP key and a DOWN key;

a display configured to display the name of the destination; and

a controller configured, when a first character of the destination name is input by one of the plurality of the input keys, to retrieve, from the memory, one destination name having, as a first character, the character input by the one of the plurality of the input keys, and to display the retrieved one destination name on the display,

the controller further configured, when the search key is actuated after a first character of the destination name is input by one of the plurality of the input keys, to retrieve, from the memory, another destination name having, as a first character, the character input by the one of the plurality of the input keys based on an instruction by the search key, and to display the retrieved another destination name on the display, and

when, instead of the search key, after the first character is input, a same input key as the input key utilized for inputting the first character of the destination name is again actuated, the controller is further configured to retrieve, from the memory, the another destination name having, as a first character, the character input by the one of the plurality of the input keys based on an instruction by the same input key, and to display the retrieved another destination name on the display,

wherein the retrieved one destination name or the another destination name and the plurality of information are used by the facsimile function to connect to a destination that corresponds to the retrieved one destination name, or the retrieved another destination name,

wherein the controller retrieves one destination name having an other first character from the memory, based on a predetermined order, when the same input key as the input key utilized for inputting the first character of the destination name is again actuated and when the one destination name having the same first character is not stored in the memory.

2. The multifunctional apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of the input keys comprise alphabet keys.

3. The multifunctional apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display is configured to display a single destination name.

4. The multifunctional apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller retrieves the one destination name and the another destination name from the memory, based on the predetermined order.

5. The multifunctional apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined order comprises alphabetical order.

6. The multifunctional apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined order comprises alphabetical order.

7. The multifunctional apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of information utilized for connecting to the destination comprises a telephone number of the destination.

8. The destination retrieving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of information utilized for connecting to the destination comprises an electronic mail address of the destination.

9. The multifunctional apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of information utilized for connecting to the destination include at least one of a telephone number and an electronic mail address for each of the plurality of destination names stored in the memory.

10. The multifunctional apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the telephone number is used for a digital facsimile communication, and the electronic mail address is used for an Internet facsimile communication in which image data is transmitted via electronic mail.

11. The multifunctional apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the multifunctional apparatus includes two user-selectable destination retrieval modes.

13. The multifunction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, after the first character is input, instead of the actuation of the search key, an other character is input by actuating an input key, which is different from the input key utilized for inputting the first character, the controller is further configured to retrieve a destination name having the other character as a first character from the memory, and to display the retrieved destination name having the other character as the first character on the display.

14. The multi-function apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the same input key as the input key utilized for inputting the first character of the destination name is again actuated, the another destination name is retrieved, regardless of whether or not the second character of the other destination name corresponds to the character input by the same input key.

12. A multifunctional apparatus including a facsimile function, comprising:

a memory configured to store a plurality of information each utilized for connecting to a destination and a plurality of destination names corresponding to the plurality of the information;

a panel that has a plurality of input keys for inputting a name of a destination;

a display configured to display the name of the destination; and

a controller configured, when a first character of the destination name is input by one of the plurality of the input keys, to retrieve, from the memory, one destination name having, as a first character, the character input by the one of the plurality of the input keys, and to display the retrieved one destination name on the display,

the controller, when the same input key as the input key utilized for inputting the first character of the destination name is again actuated, being further configured to retrieve an other destination name having the same first character from the memory, and to display the retrieved other destination name on the display,

wherein at least one retrieved destination name and the plurality of information are used by the facsimile function to connect to a destination that corresponds to the at least one retrieved destination name,

wherein the multifunctional apparatus includes two user-selectable destination retrieval modes,

wherein the two user-selectable destination retrieval modes includes a repetitive retrieval mode, in which when there are no more destination names as the other destination name, the retrieval returns to the one destination name, and

a condition-change retrieval mode, in which when there are no more destination names as the other destination name, a search condition is changed to a next character, and the retrieval of destination names continues.