GB2358071A

GB2358071A - Communications device

Info

Publication number: GB2358071A
Application number: GB0000086A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Malin Andersson; Bjorn Johansson; Goran Magnusson
Original assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB
Current assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB
Priority date: 2000-01-05
Filing date: 2000-01-05
Publication date: 2001-07-11
Anticipated expiration: 2020-01-05
Also published as: GB0000086D0; GB2358071B

Abstract

A communications device (e.g. phone) has a keypad, including a plurality of numerical keys, a first group of said keys (for example the keys "2" - "9") having letters associated therewith and a second group of said keys (for example the keys "0" and "1") not having letters associated therewith. When a user presses a key of said first group, the device enters a letter entry mode, and, when a user presses a key of said second group, the device enters a digit entry mode. The user can therefore access entered numbers, and stored numbers associated with names, equally easily.

Description

2358071 TELECON=ICATIONS DEVICE

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a telecommunications device, and in particular to a device which allows easy access to stored numbers of parties whom the user may wish to call.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When a phone user wishes to make a call, it is obviously necessary to enter the number of the party whom the user wishes to call. The user may be able to remember some frequently used numbers, and can store others by writing them down. However, it is not sensible to require a user of a small portable phone to carry around a written list of telephone numbers.

is Mobile phones therefore typically offer the user the chance to store phone numbers within the phone, either on a SIM-card, or in internal memory. Numbers may be entered manually by the user, or may be the numbers of parties who have called the user.

Stored numbers can be recalled by the user, but the methods used to access and recall the stored numbers are often inconvenient or unnecessarily time consuming.

As one example, US-5,491,745 describes one stored number being associated with each digit key of the keypad, and recalled and automatically dialled by means of a long duration keypress on that key. However, this requires the user to remember which called party's number is associated with each key. Alternatively, a stored number may be associated with each digit key of the keypad, and recalled by means of a short duration keypress on that key, followed by pressing a "SEND',' or "YES" key.

As another example, a phone usually has a menu structure, allowing a user to access different functions of the phone. One of these functions is the phonebook of stored numbers. The user must make appropriate keypresses to enter the menu structure, to find the phonebook function within the menu structure, and to find the required name within the phonebook function. The name is found using a letter entry mode, in which, at the appropriate point in the menu structure, a keypress on a key which represents a group of letters inputs one of those letters.

1.0 In one such prior art phone, a long keypress on a key which represents a group of letters can be used as a short cut to access the first stored name beginning with any letter of the group. Further stored names beginning with that letter, or with other letters of is the group, can be accessed by scrolling down the list.

However, this does not access a letter entry mode.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a communications device, and to a method of operation thereof, in which a user is able to access stored numbers easily, while also being able to enter numbers through a numerical keypad.

According to the invention, a communications device has a keypad, including a plurality of numerical keys, a first group of said keys having letters associated therewith and a second group of keys not having letters associated therewith. when a user presses a key of said first group, the phone enters a letter entry mode, and, when a user presses a key of said second group, the phone enters a digit entry mode.

Further, according to the invention, a method of operation of a communications device comprises, if a pressed key has a letter associated therewith, entering a letter entry mode, and registering letters associated with pressed keys, and, if a pressed key does not have a letter associated therewith, entering a digit entry mode, and registering digits associated with pressed keys.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a mobile phone in accordance with one aspect of the invention.

Figure 2 is a block diagram of the mobile phone of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method in accordance with another aspect of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 shows a mobile phone 100, having a numerical keypad 102. As is conventional, the numerical keypad 102 has ten keys, representing the digits 0-9. As is also conventional, the keys representing the digits 2-9 can also represent those letters which appear on the keys. Thus the "2" key can also represent the letters A, B and C in some contexts.

The phone 100 also has a display 104, and a "SENW or "YES" key 106, which is used to initiate a call, as described further below. other external features of the phone are conventional, and will not be described further.

Figure 2 shows the internal functional features of the phone 100. The phone can communicate with a radio network by means of radio transceiver circuitry 202 and an antenna 204. The transceiver circuitry 202 is controlled by control circuitry 206, on the basis of inputs received from the keypad 102 and "SENW key 106, and controls messages supplied to a user by means of the display 104. Associated with control circuitry 206 is a memory 208 which, amongst other things, stores telephone numbers which have been entered by the user.

The stored numbers may have been entered directly by the user, or may be the numbers of parties who have called the user. Associated with each stored number in the phone is a name which, again, may have been entered directly by the user. This describes the storage of numbers in memory within the phone 100, but it will be appreciated that numbers may also be stored in a removable SIM card 210, or other storage device, in which case the techniques described herein can be used to recall the stored numbers from that device.

Figure 3 is a flow chart of a method used by the control circuitry 206. According to the invention, the phone user can use either a "letter entry" mode or a "digit entry" mode, direct from the "standby" mode of the phone. Thus, in the start step 300, the phone is in standby mode. In step 302, the user presses one of the digit keys, and the phone then makes a decision as is to whether to enter letter entry mode or digit entry mode.

Specifically, if the pressed key is either 11011 or "1", that is, a key which does not have a letter of the alphabet associated therewith, the phone enters digit entry mode, and the method proceeds to step 304. if, on the other hand, the pressed key is any of the digits 12"-"9", that is, a key which does have a letter of the alphabet associated therewith, the phone enters letter entry mode, and the method proceeds to step 310.

The digit entry mode is conventional. The phone receives a series of digits at step 308, and these are stored in the memory 208, and displayed on the display 104. It will be appreciated that, although a display is described herein, any output interface may be provided. when the user is satisfied that he has entered the complete phone number of the person he intends to call, he presses the SEND key 106, and the controller 206 initiates a call.

In letter entry mode, each keypress by the user forms part of a letter entry. Thus, the key representing digit "2" also represents letters A, B and C. Similarly, the key representing digit "6" also represents letters M, N and 0. If the "2" key is pressed once, the phone displays the letter A. If that key is pressed again, the phone displays the letter B, and, if that key is pressed a third time, the phone displays the letter C. If, on the other hand, after the 112m key has been pressed once, the "6" key is pressed, the phone displays the letters AM. If the "C key is then pressed again within a certain preset time period, the phone displays the letters AN.

At each stage, the phone provides immediate feedback in the form of suggested matches. That is, following entry of the first keypress, and each is subsequent keypress, the phone displays a suggested name and phone number matching the entries stored to date, as shown at step 312 of Figure 3. Thus, taking the examples given above, while the phone is displaying the letter A, it will also display the first listed name beginning with the letter A, and the associated number. While the phone is displaying the letter B, it will also display the first listed name beginning with the letter B, and the associated number. While the phone is displaying the letters AN, it will also display the first listed name beginning with the letters AN, and the associated number.

The user can scroll through other listed names, and associated numbers, beginning with the displayed letter or letters, in a conventional way.

Also, a wildcard search can be carried out, by pressing the "" key, to represent any letter or string of letters. For example, if the user enters AN, the phone will display the first listed name having the first letter A, and having a third or subsequent letter N, irrespective of the intervening letter or letters, and the number associated therewith. The "" key can be entered more than once.

Again the user can scroll through other listed names, and associated numbers, meeting the entered search criteria.

At any point, the user can initiate a call to a suggested number, by pressing the SEND key.

The invention has been described herein with reference to the entry of telephone numbers. However, it will be appreciated that it is equally applicable in a mobile communications device to the entry of any WAP address, and the term "telephone number" as used herein encompasses a WAP address.

It will be appreciated that the method as described herein, of switching between digit entry mode and letter entry mode, may be provided as one of several options on a phone. That is, the user may be able to switch between the method as described herein and another method of entering numbers.

The phone may advantageously also be provided with means for ensuring that emergency calls are correctly routed. For example, in the United Kingdom, emergency services can be accessed by dialling 999. Where the 119" key is pressed three times, but, in accordance with the invention, the phone would usually interpret these three keypresses as letter entries, the phone might nevertheless interpret them as digit entries to avoid misrouting an intended emergency call.

There is thus described one possible way of determining whether to enter letter entry mode or digit entry mode, but other ways are possible. For example, the mode be determined by the length of an initial keypress, or may be determined through a user setting in the phone.

Claims

1. A communications device, comprising:

a keypad, including a plurality of numerical keys, a first group of said keys having letters associated therewith and a second group of keys not having letters associated therewith; a memory, for storing names and telephone numbers associated therewith; wherein, when a user presses a key of said f irst group, the phone enters a letter entry mode, and registers letters associated with pressed keys; and wherein, when a user presses a key of said second group, the phone enters a digit entry mode, and registers digits associated with pressed keys.

2. A communications device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in letter entry mode, the device suggests a stored name corresponding to registered letters associated with pressed keys, and the user can initiate a call to a suggested stored name.

3. A communications device as claimed in claim 2, wherein, in letter entry mode, following entry of each keypress, the device displays a suggested stored name corresponding to registered letters associated with pressed keys, and the user can initiate a call to a suggested stored name.

4. A communications device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in digit entry mode, the user can initiate a call to a number made up of said registered digits.

5. A communications device as claimed in claim 1, having an alternative mode of operation, selectable by a user, for switching between a letter entry mode and a digit entry mode.

6. A method of operation of a communications device, the method comprising:

if a pressed key has a letter associated therewith, entering a letter entry mode, and registering letters associated with pressed keys, and, if a pressed key does not have a letter associated therewith, entering a digit entry mode, and registering digits associated with pressed keys.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, comprising, in letter entry mode, following entry of each keypress, providing a suggested stored name corresponding to letters associated with pressed keys.