Method and communication terminal for searching phone book for desired contacts

• US 8,265,383 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2009
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Wu, Guo-Qiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi, Amir
• Application Number:
  US12/464,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20090285477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 382/162, 382/164, 382/165, 382/167, 382218-220, 382/272, 345/150, 345/431, 345/589, 345/593, 345/597, 345/835, 358/1.9, 358/515, 358/517, 358/518, 358/530
• US Class Current: 382/165
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2753 providing data content
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera

Abstract

A method for searching a phone book for desired contacts and a communication terminal using the method are provided. The method includes the steps of: enabling an image acquisition device to capture a present image, calculating a color value of the present image, comparing a reference color value for each contact in the phone book with the color value of the present image, selecting the desired contacts for which the reference color value matches the color value of the present image and displaying the desired contacts.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

enabling an image acquisition device to capture a present image;

calculating a color value of the present image;

comparing a reference color value for each contact in a phone book with the color value of the present image;

selecting one of the desired contacts comprises;

calculating a difference between the reference color value for the one of the desired contacts and the color value of the present image;

selecting the one of the desired contacts if the numerical value of the difference is not larger than a predetermined threshold; and

displaying the desired ones of the contacts.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of calculating the color value of the present image comprises:

extracting color values of characteristic points of the present image to calculate an average color value as the color value of the present image.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising of selecting a choice in the phone book for adding the reference color value for a selected contact;

enabling the image acquisition device to capture a reference image of a reference object;

calculating a color value of the reference image, storing the color value of the reference image into the phone book; and

defining the color value of the reference image as the reference color value for the selected contact.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting one of the desired contacts, and communicating with the one of the desired contacts.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the communicating step is one selected from a group of steps consisting of:

transmitting the present image to the communication address of the one of the desired contacts;

transmitting a short message to the communication address of the one of the desired contacts; and

dialing the one of the desired contacts.

6. A communication terminal comprising:

a storage medium for storing a phone book;

an image acquisition device for capturing images;

a processor executing a recognition module and a searching module, for searching the phone book for desired contacts; and

a display device for displaying the desired contacts;

wherein the recognition module is configured for enabling the image acquisition device to capture a present image and calculating a color value of the present image; and

the searching module is configured for comparing a reference color value of each contact in the phone book with the color value of the present image, and selecting the desired contacts for which the reference color value matches the color value of the present image;

wherein the processor further executes a defining module configured for selecting a choice for adding the reference color value for a selected contact;

enabling the image acquisition device to capture a reference image;

calculating a color value of the reference image;

storing the color value of the reference image into the phone book; and

defining the color value of the reference image as the reference color value for the selected contact.

7. The communication terminal of claim 6, wherein the action of calculating the color value of the present image comprises:

extracting color values of characteristic points of the present image to calculate an average color value as the color value of the present image.

8. The communication terminal of claim 6, wherein the action of selecting one of the desired contacts comprises:

calculating a difference between the reference color value for the one of the desired contacts and the color value of the present image; and

selecting the one of the desired contacts if the numerical value of the difference is not larger than a predetermined threshold.

9. The communication terminal of claim 6, further comprising a communicating module configured for communicating with one of the desired contacts.

10. The communication terminal of claim 9, wherein the communicating action is one selected from a group consisting of:

transmitting the present image to the communication address of the one of the desired contacts;

transmitting a short message to the communication address of the one of the desired contacts; and

dialing the one of the desired contacts.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a computerized device, cause the computerized device to execute a computer-implemented method comprising:

enabling an image acquisition device to capture a present image;

calculating a color value of the present image;

comparing a reference color value for each contact in a phone book with the color value of the present image;

calculating a difference between the reference color value for the one of the desired contacts and the color value of the present image;

selecting the one of the desired contacts if the numerical value of the difference is not larger than a predetermined threshold; and

displaying the desired ones of the contacts.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the step of calculating the color value of the present image comprises:

extracting color values of characteristic points of the present image to calculate an average color value as the color value of the present image.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising the step of selecting a choice in the phone book for adding the reference color value for a selected contact;

enabling the image acquisition device to capture a reference image of a reference object;

calculating a color value of the reference image, storing the color value of the reference image into the phone book; and

defining the color value of the reference image as the reference color value for the selected contact.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising the step of selecting one of the desired contacts, and communicating with the one of the desired contacts.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the communicating step is one selected from a group of steps consisting of:

transmitting the present image to the communication address of the one of the desired contacts;

transmitting a short message to the communication address of the one of the desired contacts; and

dialing the one of the desired contacts.