Method, Device, and Graphical User Interface for Location-Based Dialing

• US 20080167083A1
• Filed: 06/27/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bush, Jeffrey, Wyld, Jeremy A.
• Application Number:
  US11/769,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20080167083A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27485 Appending a prefix to or inserting a pause into a dialling sequence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/56 Arrangements for indicating or recording the called number at the calling subscriber's set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver

Abstract

A portable communications device receives from a user a first sequence of symbols that includes a phone number that corresponds to a destination number for a call. If the first sequence of symbols includes a predefined universal international access code symbol followed by the phone number, the device sends an address message corresponding to the first sequence of symbols to a communications network; and if the first sequence of symbols does not include the predefined universal international access code symbol followed by the phone number, the device determines a second sequence of symbols that correspond to the destination number, including the predefined universal international access code symbol if the portable communications device is presently located in a country other than the home country of the portable communications device, and sends an address message corresponding to the second sequence of symbols to the communications network.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a portable communications device,

receiving from a user a first sequence of symbols that includes a phone number that corresponds to a destination number for a call;

if the first sequence of symbols includes a plus sign (“

+”

) followed by the phone number, sending an address message corresponding to the first sequence of symbols to a communications network; and

if the first sequence of symbols does not include a plus sign (“

+”

) followed by the phone number;

determining a second sequence of symbols that correspond to the destination number, wherein the second sequence of symbols includes the plus sign (“

+”

);

displaying information indicating that a sequence of symbols different from the first sequence of symbols will be sent to the communications network;

sending an address message corresponding to the second sequence of symbols to the communications network; and

storing the second sequence of symbols in an electronic contact list in the portable communications device.

2. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a portable communications device,

receiving from a user a first sequence of symbols that includes a phone number that corresponds to a destination number for a call;

if the first sequence of symbols includes a predefined universal international access code symbol followed by the phone number, sending an address message corresponding to the first sequence of symbols to a communications network; and

if the first sequence of symbols does not include the predefined universal international access code symbol followed by the phone number;

determining a second sequence of symbols that correspond to the destination number, wherein the second sequence of symbols includes the predefined universal international access code symbol if the portable communications device is presently located in a country other than the home country of the portable communications device; and

sending an address message corresponding to the second sequence of symbols to the communications network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the second sequence of symbols is based on the home country of the portable communications device, and the country in which the portable communications device is presently located.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the predefined universal international access code symbol is a plus sign (“

+”

).

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising, prior to sending the address message corresponding to the second sequence of symbols, displaying information indicating that an address message that corresponds to a sequence of symbols different from the first sequence of symbols will be sent to the communications network.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising storing the second sequence of symbols in an electronic contact list in the portable communications device.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising prompting the user to clarify the destination of the call.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising prompting the user to confirm the destination of the call.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising prompting the user to clarify which country is being called.

10. The method of claim 2, further comprising prompting the user to confirm the country being called.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising displaying the second sequence of symbols.

12. The method of claim 2, further comprising prompting the user to approve the second sequence of symbols.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the second sequence of symbols comprises an international ISDN number that conforms to the E.164 international numbering plan.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the second sequence of symbols is the first sequence of symbols if the portable communications device is presently located in the home country and the first sequence of symbols is a valid destination number in the home country.

15. The method of claim 2, wherein the second sequence of symbols includes a country code for the country in which the portable communications device is presently located if the portable communications device is not presently located in the home country and the first sequence of symbols is not a valid destination number in the home country.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein the second sequence of symbols includes a country code for the home country if the portable communications device is not presently located in the home country and the first sequence of symbols is a valid destination number in the home country.

17. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the second sequence of symbols includes examining a call history of the user and/or examining address data in a contact list entry in the portable communications device that includes the first sequence of symbols.

18. The method of claim 2, wherein the call is a voice call or a video call.

19. A graphical user interface on a portable communications device, comprising:

a second sequence of symbols that corresponds to a destination number for a call;

wherein;

the second sequence of symbols is determined by the portable communications device based on a first sequence of symbols, without a predefined universal international access code symbol, that includes a phone number that corresponds to the destination number;

the second sequence of symbols includes the predefined universal international access code symbol; and

an address message corresponding to the second sequence of symbols is sent to a communications network.

20. A portable communications device, comprising:

a display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including;

instructions for receiving from a user a first sequence of symbols that includes a phone number that corresponds to a destination number for a call;

instructions, utilized when the first sequence of symbols includes a predefined universal international access code symbol followed by the phone number, for sending an address message corresponding to the first sequence of symbols to a communications network; and

instructions, utilized when the first sequence of symbols does not include the predefined universal international access code symbol followed by the phone number,

for determining a second sequence of symbols that correspond to the destination number, wherein the second sequence of symbols includes the predefined universal international access code symbol if the portable communications device is presently located in a country other than the home country of the portable communications device; and

for sending an address message corresponding to the second sequence of symbols to the communications network.

21. A computer-program product, comprising:

a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism comprising instructions, which when executed by a portable communications device, cause the device to;

receive from a user a first sequence of symbols that includes a phone number that corresponds to a destination number for a call;

if the first sequence of symbols includes a predefined universal international access code symbol followed by the phone number, send an address message corresponding to the first sequence of symbols to a communications network; and

if the first sequence of symbols does not include the predefined universal international access code symbol followed by the phone number;

determine a second sequence of symbols that correspond to the destination number, wherein the second sequence of symbols includes the predefined universal international access code symbol if the portable communications device is presently located in a country other than the home country of the portable communications device; and

send an address message corresponding to the second sequence of symbols to the communications network.

22. A portable communications device, comprising:

means for receiving from a user a first sequence of symbols that includes a phone number that corresponds to a destination number for a call;

means for sending an address message corresponding to the first sequence of symbols to a communications network if the first sequence of symbols includes a predefined universal international access code symbol followed by the phone number;

means, utilized when the first sequence of symbols does not include the predefined universal international access code symbol followed by the phone number, for determining a second sequence of symbols that correspond to the destination number, wherein the second sequence of symbols includes the predefined universal international access code symbol if the portable communications device is presently located in a country other than the home country of the portable communications device; and

means for sending an address message corresponding to the second sequence of symbols to the communications network.