System and method for automatically downloading and storing contact information to a personal communication device based on a geographical position of the personal communication device

• US 8,254,893 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2005
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nitesh Ratnakar
• Original Assignee: Nitesh Ratnakar
• Inventors: Ratnakar, Nitesh
• Primary Examiner(s): BALAOING, ARIEL A
• Application Number:
  US11/164,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20070111711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,476 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.2, 455/456.1, 701/208, 705/14, 707/2
• US Class Current: 455/414.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system of saving contact information of local businesses into the contact list of a communication device. Contact information is downloaded from a web server into contact list of communication device. Upon input of a search query into communication device, user is able to search contact information of local businesses from within the contact information saved in the communication device without having to rely on communication link with the web server. According to another aspect user is provided means to define geographic restriction criteria relative to current location of communication device for display of contact list in response to search query.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

downloading data from a remote server to create a central contact database in a communication device, wherein the central contact database includes contact information for a plurality of entities, the plurality of entities associated with multiple geographical locations;

determining a current geographical location of the communication device by using a communication device having location determining module;

receiving a user input identifying a desired physical geographical area relative to a current location of the communication device, wherein the physical geographical area includes a limitation of distance;

determining a current geographical region containing the geographical location of the communication device and limited in expanse by the physical geographical area;

downloading to the communication device a first plurality of contact list entries based on a first geographical location of the communication device with contact information corresponding to the first location of the communication device;

downloading to the communication device a second plurality of contact list entries based on a second geographical location of the communication device with second contact information corresponding to the second location of the communication device, wherein the second plurality of contact list entries is not identical to the first plurality of contact list entries; and

inputting from a communication device user a first user search query input and a first geographic boundary limit relative to the first location of the communication device; and

generating a first search result list for displaying on the communication device, wherein the first search result list includes only data that is a portion of the downloadable data associated with the first geographical location.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein downloading data includes forming a communication link between the communication device and the remote server having a centralized database, the centralized database having data fields substantially similar to data fields of the database contained on the communication device, and transmitting the contact information from centralized database to the database contained on the communication device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the centralized database is a third-party database.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising permitting a plurality of contacts to enter contact information into the centralized database wherein the contacts desire to make their contact information available for downloading to the communication device.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein determining the geographical location of the communication device includes receiving an input from the user of the communication device identifying a postal code associated with the geographical location of the communication device and wherein generating the contact list includes determining contacts having contact information associated with the postal code contained in the input.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the search criteria includes a user-identified category of interest.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication device has telephony components that include circuitry that supports quick-dialing functionality and a dialing pad.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the contact information includes phone numbers and wherein the contact information is stored in memory of the communication device in such a manner that allows an operator to use the quick-dialing functionality of the communication device to dial a phone number of a given contact without requiring the operator to manually input the phone number into the dialing pad of the communication device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the contacts are businesses offering services in the geographical region.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising determining a list of frequently contacted contacts and automatically downloading contact information for similarly-named contacts when the communication device moves to a new geographical location.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the geographical location of the communication device is determined using one of GPS, nearest cellular tower location, landline location, internet protocol address, or nearest wireless access point.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the contact information includes business hours and a web address.

12. A system to provide location-based contact information to a communication device, the system comprising:

a remote database containing downloadable data including contact information for a plurality of contacts associated with a plurality of geographical locations;

a communication device having a location determining module for determining a current geographical location of the communication device, the communication device having an internal memory sized to store the contact information for a number of contacts;

a communications network that facilitates downloading information representative of contacts, and associated contact information, from the remote database to a local database contained in the internal memory of the communication device;

wherein the communication device will download a first plurality of contact list entries based on a first geographical location of the communication device with contact information corresponding to the first location of the communication device, wherein the communication device will selectively download a second plurality of contact list entries based on a second geographical location of the communication device with second contact information corresponding to the second location of the communication device, wherein the second plurality of contact list entries is not identical to the first plurality of contact list entries; and

wherein the communication device will selectively receive from a communication device user a first user search query input and a first geographic boundary limit relative to the first location of the communication device and generate a first search result list for displaying on the communication device, wherein the first search result list includes only data that is a portion of the downloadable data associated with the first geographical location.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising a portal linked to the remote database and configured to allow a contact to add their contact information to the remote database.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the communication device is one of a cellular (mobile) phone, a PDA, a computer, and a landline telephone.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the contacts are businesses and the contact information includes one of name, address, telephone number, hours of operation, directions, and business category.

16. A system to provide location-based contact information to a communication device, the system comprising:

a remote database containing downloadable data including contact information for a plurality of contacts associated with a plurality of geographical locations;

a communication device having a location determining module for determining a current geographical location of the communication device, the communication device having an internal memory sized to store the contact information for a number of contacts;

a communications network that facilitates downloading information representative of contacts, and associated contact information, from the remote database to a local database contained in the internal memory of the communication device;

wherein the communication device will download a first plurality of contact list entries based on a first geographical location of the communication device with contact information corresponding to the first location of the communication device, wherein the communication device will selectively download a second plurality of contact list entries based on a second geographical location of the communication device with second contact information corresponding to the second location of the communication device, wherein the second plurality of contact list entries is not identical to the first plurality of contact list entries; and

wherein the communication device will selectively receive from a communication device user a first user search query input and a first geographic boundary limit relative to the first location of the communication device and generate a first search result list for displaying on the communication device, wherein the first search result list includes only data that is a portion of the downloadable data associated with the first geographical location.