AU755815B2

AU755815B2 - Apparatus for retrieving telephone numbers and method of doing the same

Info

Publication number: AU755815B2
Application number: AU22330/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Masahisa Ikeda
Original assignee: NEC Corp
Current assignee: NEC Corp
Priority date: 1999-03-17
Filing date: 2000-03-17
Publication date: 2002-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 2020-03-17
Also published as: CN1270467A; GB2351631B; GB2351631A; AU2233000A; GB0006535D0; JP2000270079A

Description

S&F Ref: 501140

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

9 9.

*999 Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: NEC Corporation 7-1, Shiba Minato-ku Tokyo Japan Masahisa Ikeda Spruson Ferguson St Martins Tower 31 Market Street Sydney NSW 2000 Apparatus for Retrieving Telephone Numbers and Method of Doing the Same The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5845c 1 APPARATUS FOR RETRIEVING TELEPHONE NUMBERS

AND

METHOD OF DOING THE SAME BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to an apparatus for retrieving a target telephone number and a method of doing the same, both of which may be applied to a cellular phone, for instance, and more particularly to an apparatus and a method for 10 assisting an operator to input a target telephone number.

:DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART S"There have been suggested a lot of apparatuses of inputting a target telephone number, for instance, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications Nos.

15 2-79652, 5-95396, 7-58819, 7-95279, 8-172473, 8-321869, 9-18573, 10-243064 and 10-30810.

As an example, the apparatus suggested in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-308810 is illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 illustrates a cellular phone to which the apparatus suggested in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-308810 is applied. The illustrated apparatus is comprised of an data-input interface 1 including a plurality of keys through which data such as a telephone number is input, a display screen 2 in which data input through the data-input interface 1 is displayed, and a memory 3 storing telephone numbers therein.

The apparatus operates as follows.

First, an operator inputs a telephone number and a name associated with the telephone number into the cellular phone through the data-input interface 1.

The memory 3 extracts an initial out of the thus input name, and stores the initial in association with both the telephone number and the name.

The display screen 2 displays a plurality of initials having been stored in the memory 3. When an operator selects one of the initials displayed in the display screen 2, the telephone number and the name associated with the selected initial are read out of the memory 3, and then, are displayed in the display screen 2.

Then, if an operator carries out a call-transmitting step to the telephone number associated with the selected initial, a call is made to the telephone number.

However, the conventional apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1 is accompanied with a problem such as mentioned below.

The first problem is that an operator has to store names in advance in a memory in association with telephone numbers.

The reason is that since output data as a result of retrieval is comprised of a telephone number, whereas an operator has to retrieve a name of a call receiver, it is necessary to in advance associate the names and the telephone numbers with each other.

The second problem is that an operator has to carry out laborious steps for transmitting a call.

The reason is as follows. In the conventional apparatus illustrated in Fig.

1, an operator retrieves telephone numbers with an initial displayed in the display screen 2. Hence, an operator has to carry out a step for transferring to a retrieval e: *20 step. That is, an operator has to carry out at least three steps, namely, a step for transferring to retrieval, a step for retrieving telephone numbers, and a step for transmitting a call.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned problems of the conventional apparatus, it is an object of the preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide an apparatus for retrieving a telephone number which apparatus is capable of retrieving a telephone number without retrieving a name of a call receiver and, 0ne her, without carrying out a step for beginning retrieval.

3 In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for retrieving telephone numbers, including memory means comprising a first memory storing at least one telephone number input by an operator, and at least one other memory storing a history of earlier calls; a display screen which displays a telephone number; and, a controller which, while a telephone number is being input into said apparatus, retrieves a target telephone number among telephone numbers stored in said memory means, said target telephone number having at least one figure in said telephone number being input into said apparatus, at a header thereof, and displays said target telephone number in said display screen. Said controller selects at least one of said memories, and retrieves said target telephone number in the thus-selected memory or memories.

In accordance with the above-mentioned apparatus, when some initial figures in a certain telephone number are input into the apparatus, a telephone number having the thus-input figures at a header thereof is retrieved among telephone numbers stored in the memory. The thus-retrieved telephone number is displayed in the display screen.

If the thus-displayed telephone number is coincident with a telephone number at which an operator intends to give a call, the operator can give a call at the telephone number without further inputting figures.

If there are found a plurality of telephone numbers retrieved, all of the retrieved 20 telephone numbers are displayed in the display screen in sequence. An operator selects a desired telephone number among them, and can transmit a call at the selected telephone number.

When a telephone number not stored in the memory is to be newly input into the apparatus, a result of retrieval is not displayed in the display screen, ensuring no interference for an operator to further input figures.

The at least one other memory may comprise: (al) a second memory which stores a history of calls made; and, (a2) a third memory which stores a history of calls received.; In accordance with this apparatus, when some initial figures in a certain 4 telephone number are input into the apparatus, a telephone number having the thus-input 'figures at a header thereof is retrieved among telephone numbers sotred in the first to third memories. The thus-retrieved telephone number is displayed in the display screen.

When there are found a plurality of telephone numbers as a result of retrieval, all of the retrieved telephone numbers are displayed in the display screen in sequence.

An operator can select a desired one of the retrieved telephone numbers, and transmit a call at the selected telephone number.

In accordance with the above-mentioned apparatus, retrieval is carried out only with a telephone number. Hence, it would be possible to retrieve telephone numbers included in a history of giving a call and a history of receiving a call as well as telephone numbers having been stored in advance. Thus, it would be possible to retrieve a telephone number in a wide range.

The at least one other memory may comprise: (al) a second memory which stores a history of calls made; and, (a2) a third memory which stores a history of calls 0 received.

The controller may be designed to select at least one of the first to third S 20 memories, and retrieves the target telephone number in the thus-selected memory or memories.

Thus, it would be possible to select a group of telephone numbers in which a target telephone number is to be retrieved, and to change the group into another group of telephone numbers.

It is preferable that the controller displays the retrieved figure(s) following the input figure(s) in the display screen.

By displaying the retrieved telephone number(s) following the input figure(s), an operator would readily identify a combination of the input figure and the figure displayed as a result of retrieval, as a unit of a telephone number, and hence, readily judge whether the thus identified telephone number is coincident with a target telephone number which an operator is going to input.

It is preferable that the retrieved figure(s) is(are) displayed in the display screen in a different fashion from the input figure(s).

For instance, the retrieved figure(s) maybe displayed in an inverted form in the display screen.

By displaying the retrieved telephone number in a different form from that of a telephone number input by an operator, an operator can readily identify figures resulting form retrieval.

The apparatus may further include an additional memory in which telephone number(s) retrieved by the controller is(are) to be stored.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of retrieving telephone numbers, including the steps of: selecting at least one group of telephone numbers among a plurality of groups of telephone numbers, a target telephone number being retrieved in the thus-selected group of telephone numbers; retrieving a target telephone number among telephone numbers stored in advance, while a telephone number is being input, said target telephone number having at least one figure in said telephone number being input, at a header thereof; and, displaying said target 20 telephone number. The retrieval step involves retrieving a target telephone number in the selected group(s) of telephone numbers.

It is preferable that the retrieved figure(s) is(are) displayed following the input figure(s) in the step It is preferable that the retrieved figure(s) is(are) displayed in a different fashion from the input figure(s) in the step It is preferable that the retrieved figure(s) is(are) displayed in an inverted form in the step It is preferable that the method further includes the step of storing the target telephone number.

The advantages obtained by the aforementioned preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinbelow.

The first advantage is that it is no longer necessary to input a whole -telephone number, since it is possible to retrieve telephone numbers stored in the memory without carrying out an operation required for transferring the apparatus into a retrieval mode. this is because a target telephone number is automatically retrieved in accordance with figure or figures input while a telephone number is being input, in accordance with the apparatus and the method of the present invention.

The second advantage is that it is now possible to retrieve a telephone number in a quite wide range, because a target telephone number can be retrieved among telephone numbers stored both in a history of giving a call and a history of receiving a call, as well as telephone numbers stored in the memory in advance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS :20 Preferred features of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 illustrates a cellular phone to which a conventional apparatus for retrieving a telephone number is applied.

Fig. 2 illustrates a cellular phone to which an apparatus for retrieving a telephone number, in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, is applied.

Fig. 3 is a flow chart showing an operation of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 2.

ST Fig. 4 illustrates a cellular phone to which an apparatus for retrieving a tele zne number, in accordance with the second embodiment of the present ~zz

-AA

1-r _Ci(7 7 invention, is applied.

Fig. 5 is a flow chart showing an operation of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 4.

DESCRIPTION OFTHE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments in accordance with the present invention will be explained hereinbelow with reference to the drawings.- [First Embodiment] Fig. 2 illustrates a cellular phone to which an appimratus for retrieving a telephone number, in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, is applied.

The apparatus in accordance with the first embodiment is comprised of a first memory 110 in which telephone numbers having been input in advance are stored, a display screen 120 which displays both a telephone number input by an operator and a telephone number retrieved by a later mentioned CPU 130, a central processing unit (CPU) 130 which retrieves a telephone number being input by an operator, among telephone numbers stored in the first memory 110, and displays the thus retrieved telephone number in the display screen 120, and an additional memory 140 in which the telephone number having been retrieved by CPU 130 is :9:20 temporarily stored.

The apparatus in accordance with the first embodiment is incorporated in a cellular phone 150. The cellular phone 150 has a data-input interface 1600 including figure keys, a hang-on key 160a, scroll keys 160b, a hang-up key 1,60c, and other keys. An operator can input desired data or figures into the apparatus through the data-input interface 160.

Fig. 3 is a flow chart showing an operation of the apparatus in accordance with the first embodiment. Hereinbelow is explained an operation of the apparatus with reference to Fig. 3.

Ty' The cellular phone 150 is first in a stand-by mode, that is, waits to have any data input through the data-input interface 160, in step 310.

When a figure key or figure keys in the data-input interface 160 is(are) pushed in step 320, a figure or figures associated with the pushed figure key is(are) displayed in the display screen 120 in step 330.

At the same time, CPU 130 checks whether there is a telephone number having those input figure or figures, at a header thereof, among telephone numbers stored in the first memory 110, in step 340.

If such a telephone number or telephone numbers is(are) found (YES in step 350), CPU 130 successively stores the telephone number or telephone numbers 10 in the additional memory 140, in step 360.

If such a telephone number or telephone numbers is(are) not found (NO in step 350), CPU 130 finishes the retrieval.

Then, CPU 130 displays the telephone number or telephone numbers stored in the additional memory 140, in the display screen 120, in step 370. The 15 retrieved figures are displayed in the display screen 120, following the figures input by an operator.

o As illustrated in Fig. 2, the retrieved figures are displayed in an inverted form so that the figures input by an operator are distinguishable from the retrieved $ooo figures. For instance, in an example illustrated in Fig. 2, the figures "0901" input by an operator are displayed in an ordinary form, and the figures "2345678" are displayed in an inverted form. Specifically, the figures "0901" are displayed in black with background being white, and the figures "2345678" are displayed in white with background being black, for instance.

Then, if the hang-on key 160a in the data-input interface 160 is pushed (YES in step 380), a call is made at the telephone number displayed in the display screen 120, in step 390. When such a call is made, the retrieval carried out by CPU 130 is completed.

If a telephone number displayed first in the display screen 120 is not coincident with a target telephone number (NO in step 380), and if there are a 9 plurality of candidate telephone numbers, an operator actuates the scroll keys 160b (YES in step 400) to thereby display the next candidate telephone number in the display screen 120, in step 410.

As mentioned above, the first embodiment makes it possible to retrieve a target telephone number among all the telephone numbers stored in the first memory 110, without necessity of carrying out a step of transferring the apparatus into a retrieval mode.

In place of actuation of the scroll keys 160b, the figure key may be used for selecting a desired candidate telephone number.

10 When an operator inputs figures following figures having been already input, it is not necessary for an operator to carry out a step of clearing the retrieval Sresults, ensuring no interference for an operator to successively input figures.

As mentioned so far, in accordance with the first embodiment, retrieval is made only with telephone numbers, and hence, retrieval can be made among all the 15 telephone numbers stored in the first memory 110, without retrieval of call-receiver's names.

In addition, the first embodiment makes it no longer necessary to carry out a step of transferring the apparatus into a retrieval mode, ensuring reduction in the figure of steps to be carried out by an operator.

Hereinbelow is explained an example of the above-mentioned first embodiment.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the first memory 110 stores four telephone numbers therein.

If four figures "0901" are input into the apparatus through the figure keys of the data-input interface 160, CPU 130 retrieves telephone numbers each having a sequence of the figures "0901" at a header, among the telephone numbers stored in the first memory 110.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, since each of the first and fourth telephone numbers stored in the first memory 110 has a sequence of the figures "0901" at a header, CPU 130 stores those telephone numbers in the additional memory 140, and at the same time, displays the first telephone number "09012345678" in the display screen 120.

In the first telephone number "09012345678", the figures "0901" are displayed in an ordinary form, because they are input by an operator, and the rest "2345678" is displayed in an inverted form.

If the first telephone number "09012345678" is coincident with a target telephone number, an operator can dial the telephone number merely by pushing the hang-on key 160a, since the first telephone number "09012345678" is already displayed in the display screen 120.

If the first telephone number "09012345678" is not coincident with a target telephone number, an operator can display the next candidate telephone S" number stored in the additional memory 140, in the display screen 120, either by pushing the scroll key 160b or by pushing the figure key 15 As mentioned above, an operator can dial a target telephone number merely by pushing the hang-on key 160a when the target telephone number is S" displayed in the display screen 120.

[Second Embodiment] Fig. 4 illustrates a cellular phone to which an apparatus for retrieving a telephone number, in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention, is applied.

The apparatus in accordance with the second embodiment is comprised of a first memory 110 in which telephone numbers having been input in advance are stored, a display screen 120 which displays both a telephone number input by an operator and a telephone number retrieved by a later mentioned CPU 130, a central processing unit (CPU) 130 which retrieves a telephone number being input by an operator, among telephone numbers stored in the first memory 110, and displays the thus retrieved telephone number in the display screen 120, an additional memory 140 in which the telephone number having been retrieved by CPU 130 is temporarily

I

stored, a second memory 170 in which a history of transmitting a call is stored, and a third memory 180 in which a history of receiving a call is stored.

In brief, the apparatus in accordance with the second embodiment further includes the second and third memories 170 and 180 in comparison with the apparatus in accordance with the first embodiment.

CPU 130 in the second embodiment selects at least one of the first to third memories 110, 170 and 180 in which retrieval of a telephone number is to be carried out, in accordance with an instruction input by an operator through the data-input interface 160. That is, CPU 130 can select a memory or memories in which retrieval of a telephone number is to be carried out, in the following seven ways: 1. First memory 110; 2. Second memory 170; 3. Third memory 180; 4. First and second memories 110 and 170; 5. Second and third memories 170 and 180; 6. First and third memories 110 and 180; and 7. First, second and third memories 110, 170 and 180.

Fig. 5 is a flow chart showing an operation of the apparatus in accordance with the second embodiment. Hereinbelow is explained an operation of the apparatus with reference to Fig. The cellular phone 150 is first in a stand-by mode, that is, waits to have any data input through the data-input interface 160, in step 310.

An operator designates a memory or memories in which retrieval of a telephone number is to be carried out, by pushing a figure key or figure keys of the data-input interface 160, in step 315.

For instance, a relation between a key in the data-input interface 160 and a memory in which retrieval of a telephone number is to be carried out may be determined such that if a key and any one of figure keys to are pushed in succession, the memory or memories as defined in the above-mentioned 1st to 7th ways is(are) selected.

If no designation is made or there is no input in step 315, the abovementioned relation may be determined such that the memories defined in the above-mentioned 7th way are selected, that is, the first to third memories 110, 170 and 180 are selected. The phrase "no designation is made or there is no input in step 315" indicates a case in which a figure is input without a key being pushed.

If a figure or figures are input without being input, those figure or figures are considered as a part of a telephone number.

That is, if a figure key or figure keys in the data-input interface 160 is(are) pushed without a key being pushed, in step 320, a figure or figures associated with the pushed figure key(s) is(are) displayed in the display screen 120, in step 330.

:At the same time, CPU 130 checks whether there is a telephone number S having those input figure or figures, at a header thereof, among telephone numbers stored in the memory or memories having been designated in step 315 (for instance, 15 the first to third memories 110, 170 and 180), in step 340.

Then, the steps 350 to 410 are carried out in the same way as the first embodiment.

Since the apparatus in accordance with the second embodiment is designed to retrieve a telephone number among all the telephone numbers stored in the cellular phone 150, effective retrieval of a telephone number can be made.

Hereinbelow is explained an example of the above-mentioned second embodiment.

As illustrated in Fig. 4, each of the first to third memories 110, 170 and 180 stores four telephone numbers therein.

It is assumed that an operator designates the first to third memories 110, 170 and 180 as memories in which retrieval of a telephone number is to be carried out.

If four figures "0901" are input into the apparatus through the figure keys of the data-input interface 160, CPU 130 retrieves telephone numbers each having a sequence of the figures "0901" at a header, among the telephone numbers stored in the first to third memories 110, 170 and 180.

As illustrated in Fig. 4, since each of the first and fourth telephone numbers stored in the first memory 110, the fourth telephone number stored in the second memory 170, and the second telephone number stored in the third memory 180 has a sequence of the figures "0901" at a header, CPU 130 stores those four telephone numbers in the additional memory 140 in turn, and at the same time, displays the first telephone number stored in the first memory 110, "09012345678", in the display screen 120.

o 10 In the first telephone number "09012345678", the figures "0901" are displayed in an ordinary form, because they are input by an operator, and the rest "2345678" is displayed in an inverted form.

S"If the first telephone number "09012345678" is coincident with a target telephone number, an operator can dial the telephone number merely by pushing the 15 hang-on key 160a, since the first telephone number "09012345678" is already displayed in the display screen 120.

If the first telephone number "09012345678" is not coincident with a target telephone number, an operator can display the next candidate telephone number stored in the additional memory 140, in the display screen 120, either by pushing the scroll key 160b or by pushing the figure key As mentioned above, an operator can dial a target telephone number merely by pushing the hang-on key 160a when the target telephone number is displayed in the display screen 120.

As mentioned above, the apparatus in accordance with the second embodiment makes it possible to retrieve a target telephone number without transferring the apparatus into a retrieval mode.

In addition, the apparatus in accordance with the second embodiment can retrieve a target telephone number among a history of transmitting a call and a history of receiving a call as well as among telephone numbers input in advance, 14 ensuring that retrieval is carried out in a wide range.

While the present invention has been described in its preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the words which have been used are words of description rather than limitation, and changes may be made to the invention without departing from its scope as defined by the appended claims.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (which term includes the claims) and/or shown in the drawings may be incorporated in the invention independently of other disclosed and/or illustrated features.

The text of the abstract filed herewith is repeated here as part of the specification.

There is provided an apparatus for retrieving telephone numbers, including a first memory which stores at least one telephone number input by an operator, a second memory which stores a history of giving calls, a third memory which stores a history of receiving calls, a display screen which displays a telephone number, and a controller which, while a telephone number is being input into the apparatus, retrieves a target 5 telephone number among telephone numbers stored in the first to third memories. The target telephone number has at least one figure in the telephone number being input into the apparatus, at a header thereof. The controller also displays the target telephone number in the display screen. The apparatus makes it possible to retrieve a target S telephone number among telephone numbers stored in advance, without retrieving stored names in call receivers.

Claims

1. An apparatus for retrieving telephone numbers, comprising: memory means comprising: a first memory storing at least one telephone number input by an operator, and at least one other memory storing a history of earlier calls; a display screen which displays a telephone number; and, a controller which, while a telephone number is being input into said apparatus, retrieves a target telephone number among telephone numbers stored in said memorymeans, said target telephone number having at least one figure in said telephone number being input into said apparatus, at a header thereof, and displays said target telephone number in said display screen; wherein said controller selects at least one of said memories, and retrieves said target telephone number in the thus-selected memory or memories.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one other memory comprises: (al) a second memory which stores a history of calls made; and, (a2) a third memory which stores a history of calls received.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein said controller displays the retrieved figure(s) following the input figure(s) in said display screen.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said retrieved figure(s) is(are) displayed in said display screen in a different fashion from said input figure(s). The apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said retrieved figure(s) is(are) displayed in an inverted form in said display screen. 16

6. The apparatus as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising 'an additional memory in which telephone number(s) retrieved by said controller is(are) to be stored.

7. A method of retrieving telephone numbers, comprising the steps of: selecting at least one group of telephone numbers among a plurality of groups of telephone numbers, a target telephone number being retrieved in the thus- selected group(s) of telephone numbers; retrieving a target telephone number among telephone numbers stored in advance, while a telephone number is being input, said target telephone number having at least one figure in said telephone number being input, at a header thereof; and, S. displaying said target telephone number; wherein the retrieval step involves retrieving a target telephone number in the selected group(s) of telephone numbers.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein in said step the retrieved figure(s) is(are) displayed following the input figure(s).

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein in said step said retrieved figure(s) is(are) displayed in a different fashion from said input figure(s). The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein in said step said retrieved figure(s) is(are) displayed in an inverted form.

11. The method as set forth in any one of claims 7 to 10, further comprising the step of storing said target telephone number.

12. An apparatus for retrieving telephone numbers, substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 2 to 5 of the accompanying drawings. 17

13. A method of retrieving telephone numbers, substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 2 to 5 of the accompanying drawings. S. S S S S. S S. S S S. S S S S