Method and system for managing changes to a contact database

• US 8,676,178 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2005
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Pappalardo, Susan Elizabeth, Fuller, Jason William, Chin, Peter G., Tenenbaum, Jessica Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tu X
• Application Number:
  US11/115,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20050208970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,248 Days
• Field of Search: 455/415, 455/425, 455/556.2, 455/566, 455/551
• US Class Current: 455/415
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/275 Synchronous replication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27457 Management thereof, e.g. manual editing of data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2747 Scrolling on a display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/56 Arrangements for indicating or recording the called number at the calling subscriber's set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/60 logging of communication history, e.g. outgoing or incoming calls, missed calls, messages or URLs logging of telephone numbers H04M1/56, H04M1/57
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Described is a system and method for updating a contact and adding a new contact from a call log in a communications device. The system includes a contact manager that is directed towards creating and updating call contact cards in a contact database with information retrieved from call logs of phone calls made to or from the communications device. In one embodiment, information is pre-populated into a predetermined data field of the contact card, thereby reducing workload to a user. The method includes determining if a request is for updating an existing contact card or for adding a new contact card to the contact database. The update or addition is made with information retrieved from call logs. Call information is pre-populated into a predetermined data field of the contact card, when it is determined that the request is to add a new contact card to the contact database.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method executing on a processor of a computing device for managing changes to a contact database, the method comprising:

receiving a selection of a call log entry from a displayed call log that displays call log entries comprising at least one of;

an incoming phone call entry; and

an outgoing phone call entry;

after receiving the selection of the call log entry, receiving a request from a user to save call information obtained during a phone call that is associated with the call log entry;

wherein the call information is obtained from a computer-readable medium;

in response to receiving the request from the user after the phone call has ended to save the call information obtained during the phone call, performing actions comprising;

determining if the request to save the call information is an update to existing information that is already stored in a contact card previously stored in the contact database;

retrieving and displaying a contact list of contact cards stored in the contact database;

receiving a selection from the user of a contact card to be updated within the contact list;

after receiving the selection from the user, updating the selected contact card with the call information related to the phone call, wherein updating the selected contact card comprises modifying a data field of the contact card; and

replacing the existing selected contact card in the contact database with the updated contact card.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the contact list comprises a list of contact names associated with contact cards stored in the contact database.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the call information comprises a phone number.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the call information further comprises a name of a caller.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the call information comprises a date of the phone call.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the call information comprises a time of the phone call.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the call information comprises a duration of the phone call.

8. A computer-implemented method executing on a processor of a computing device for managing changes to a contact database, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection of a displayed call log entry from a displayed call log that displays call log entries comprising at least one of;

an incoming phone call entry; and

an outgoing phone call entry;

after receiving the user selection of the displayed call log entry, receiving a request after a phone call has ended to save call information that is associated with the call log entry and is obtained and stored during the phone call;

when the request to save the call information is an update to existing information that is already stored in a contact card previously stored in the contact database, performing the steps comprising;

retrieving and displaying a contact list of contact cards stored in the contact database; and

updating at least one data field in the contact card selected from the contact list of contact cards stored in the contact database with call information from the selected call log entry in the call log in response to a user instruction;

otherwise;

pre-populating a predetermined data field of a new contact card with call information;

receiving contact data to be associated with the call information;

modifying data fields in the new contact card with the received contact data; and

updating the contact database with the modified contact card.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined data field includes at least one of a home phone number, a work phone number, a pager phone number, a car phone number, a radio phone number, an assistant phone number, and a mobile phone number.

10. A computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable components, comprising:

a contact database configured to store contact cards, wherein contact cards include data fields configured to contain contact information;

a call log configured to record incoming and outgoing phone calls, wherein each phone call corresponds to a call entry in the call log, and each call entry includes call information; and

a contact manager coupled to the contact database and the call log, wherein the contact manager is arranged to;

display at least a portion of the call information from a displayed call log that displays call log entries comprising at least one of an incoming phone call entry and an outgoing phone call entry, receive a user selection of a displayed call log entry, and after receiving the user selection of the displayed call log entry;

receive a request to save the call information obtained during a phone call that is associated with the call log entry and already stored in the call log;

when the request to save the call information is an update to existing information that is already stored in a contact card previously stored in the contact database, then retrieve and display a contact list of contact cards stored in the contact database and update at least one data field in a selected contact card from the contact list of contact cards stored in the contact database with call information from the selected call log entry in the call log in response to a user instruction.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the call information comprises a phone number.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the call information comprises a name of a caller.

13. A mobile communications device for creating a new contact card in a contact database, comprising:

a contact database configured to store contact cards, wherein the contact cards include a data field for containing contact information;

a call log configured to log incoming and outgoing phone calls, wherein each phone call has a corresponding entry in the call log, and wherein each call entry includes call information; and

a contact manager coupled to the contact database and the call log, wherein the contact manager is arranged to;

display at least a portion of the call information from a displayed call log that displays call log entries comprising at least one of an incoming phone call entry and an outgoing phone call entry, receive a user selection of a displayed call log entry, and after receiving the user selection of the displayed call log entry;

receive a request to save the call information obtained during a phone call and is already stored in the call log;

when the request to save the call information is an update to existing information that is already stored in a contact card previously stored in the contact database then retrieve and display a contact list of contact cards stored in the contact database and update at least one data field in the previously stored contact card selected from the contact list of contact cards stored in the contact database with call information from the selected call log entry in the call log in response to a user instruction; and

create the new contact card in the contact database with call information from a call entry in the call log in response to a user instruction.

14. The mobile communications device of claim 13, wherein creating the new contact card in the contact database further comprises pre-populating a data field within the new contact card with call information.

15. The mobile communications device of claim 13, wherein the pre-populated data field comprises at least one of a home phone number, a work phone number, a pager phone number, a car phone number, a radio phone number, an assistant phone number, and a mobile phone number.