Patent EP0876036A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0876036A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for searching in a telephone directory
Assignee: Nokia Oyj
•
Filing: 1998-03-04
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2018-03-04
Abstract
Abstract A mobile communications device has a display screen (1), Down-Scroll and Up-Scroll switches (3,4), left and right soil switches (5,6), and a memory (9) for storing a directory of names and respective telephone numbers. In a search mode operation mode, one of the stored names is displayed on the display screen (1) and a Search Key is defined as the first character of that name. Using the right soft switch (6), the Search Key can be extended to include one or more subsequent characters of the displayed name. Using the left soft switch (5), the Search Key can be shortened to remove characters from the key. The stored directory can then be searched in alphabetical order to identify a first subsequent entry not commencing with the extended search key and the identified entry displayed if one exists.
Inventors
- 👤 Harri Räisänen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 22:28
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M1/00; H04M1/26; H04M1/27; H04M1/274; H04M1/2745; H04M1/27467; H04M1/2748; H04M1/2747; H04M1/72; H04M1/724; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99943
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of selecting an entry from a directory of alphanumeric entries
stored in electronic form in the memory of an electronic device having a display
and at least one user actuatable search switch, the method comprising the steps
of: (1) displaying one of said entries on the display and defining as a search
key the first character of that entry; (2) using said search switch to extend the search key to include one or
more subsequent characters of the displayed entry; and (3) searching the directory of entries in alphabetical order to identify a first
subsequent entry not commencing with the extended search key, and displaying
the identified entry if one exists.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 1 and comprising in step (2) initially defining
the search key as a null string and, upon activation of the search switch,
redefining the search key as the first character of the displayed entry.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 1 or 2 and comprising extending the search
key by one character each time the search switch is actuated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 1 and comprising responding to actuation of a
second search switch to shorten the extended search key by removing one or
more of said subsequent characters from the search key.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 4 and comprising shortening the search key
by one character each time the second search switch is actuated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 1 and comprising redefining, following the
search, the search key as the first character or characters of the identified entry,
sufficient to distinguish the search key by one character from the beginning of the
previously displayed name.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 6 and comprising repeating steps (2) and (3)
based upon the new extended search key and the newly displayed entry.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 1 and comprising commencing searching of
the directory of entries using the search key following actuation of the first
mentioned search switch for a period of time greater than a predetermined initial
time period.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 8 when appended to claim 7 and comprising,
following the elapse of each further predetermined time period after the initial time
period, repeating step (3) using the new extended search key.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
74 words
A method according to claim 8 or 9 and comprising, in response to
actuation and subsequent deactuation of the search switch before elapse of the
initial time period, determining if the next entry in alphabetical order commences
with the extended search key and, If yes, then stopping the search and continuing
to display the currently displayed entry and, If no, then defining the next entry as
said identified entry and displaying that next entry.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 1 and comprising restricting the search in step
3) to those entries which differ from the Search Key only by the final character of
the Search Key.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein the search continues cyclically for
the entries searched.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
135 words
Apparatus having an electronic memory (9) for storing a directory of
alphanumeric entries, the apparatus further comprising; a display (1); at least one user actuatable search switch (6); and signal processing means (10) coupled to said user actuatable switch (6), for
detecting actuation thereof, and to said display (1), the signal processing means
(10) being arranged to display one of said entries on the display (1) and to define
as a search key the first character of that entry, to respond to actuation of the
search switch (6) by extending the search key to include one or more subsequent
characters of the displayed entry, to search the directory of entries in alphabetical
order to identify a first subsequent entry not commencing with the extended
search key, and to display the identified entry if one exists.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
123 words
A mobile communications device comprising : a display(1); at least one user actuatable search switch (6); and signal processing means (10) coupled to said user actuatable switch (6), for
detecting actuation thereof, and to said display (1), the signal processing means
(10) being arranged to display one of said entries on the display (1) and to define
as a search key the first character of that entry, to respond to actuation of the
search switch (6) by extending the search key to include one or more subsequent
characters of the displayed entry, to search the directory of entries in alphabetical
order to identify a first subsequent entry not commencing with the extended
search key, and to display the identified entry if one exists.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.