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Mobile Phone Patent Abstract
A method of storing data in an electronic phone data book for a
digital mobile phone, which includes a key input part, display,
touch screen for inputting characters, character code storage for
storing character and number codes, character database for storing
feature data corresponding to character and number codes, and character
recognition device. A method of searching through the electronic
phone data book includes setting the mobile phone in a search mode,
generating a search mode character code corresponding to touch screen
data input, determining whether the search mode character code is
registered in said phone book storage and displaying a corresponding
phone number if it is.
Mobile Phone Patent Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of storing data in an electronic phone number data
book (phone book) in a digital mobile phone with a character recognition
device, which includes a display, a touch screen for inputting characters
and a phone book storage, comprising the steps of: setting said
mobile phone to a phone book storage mode; generating a character
code corresponding to touch screen data inputted through said touch
screen; generating a number code corresponding to touch screen data
inputted through said touch screen, said character code representing
a name associated with said number code; and storing said character
and number codes into said phone book storage upon detecting no
further touch screen data, wherein said touch screen data comprises
coordinate data representing the X/Y coordinates of a point pressed
on said touch screen to input a character or number, and state data
identifying said character or number by calculating the number of
successive impulses pressed on said touch screen.
2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said state data represents
the number of corresponding strokes of said character or number.
3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of generating
the character code is repeated if there is a further touch screen
input within a predetermined time.
4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of generating
the number code is repeated if there is a further touch screen input
within a predetermined time.
5. The method of storing data in an electronic phone number data
book (phone book) in a digital mobile phone with a character recognition
device, which includes a display, a touch screen for inputting characters
and a phone book storage, comprising the steps of: setting said
mobile phone to a phone book storage mode; generating a character
code corresponding to touch screen data inputted through said touch
screen; generating a number code corresponding to touch screen data
inputted through said touch screen, said character code representing
a name associated with said number code; storing said character
and number codes into said phone book storage upon detecting no
further touch screen data; setting said mobile phone in a search
mode; generating a search mode character code corresponding to search
mode touch screen data inputted through said touch screen; determining
whether the search mode character code is registered in said phone
book storage; and displaying a corresponding phone number on said
display when the search mode character code is registered in said
phone book storage.
6. The method recited in claim 5, comprising the further step of
displaying a message on said display indicating that said search
mode character code is not registered in said phone book storage,
when same is true.
7. In a digital mobile phone, which includes a key input part,
a display, a touch screen for inputting characters, a phone book
storage area, a character code storage; for storing character and
number codes, a character database for storing feature data corresponding
to character and number codes, and a character recognition device,
a method of storing data in an electronic phone book in said digital
mobile phone, comprising the steps of: setting said mobile phone
to phone number registration mode; transferring touch screen data
generated by pressing said touch screen to said character recognition
device; generating feature data corresponding to said touch screen
data by said recognition device; identifying matching feature data
stored in said character database; retrieving a number code corresponding
to said matching feature data from said character code storage;
displaying a number corresponding to said number code and storing
said number code into a phone number storage region of said phone
book storage; repeating the first to fourth steps in response to
a key input representing a character code mode upon detecting no
further touch screen data; retrieving the character code corresponding
to the feature data from said character code storage; and displaying
the character corresponding to said character code and storing said
character code into the name storage region of said phone book storage,
said character code being associated with said number code.
8. The method recited in claim 7, wherein said touch screen data
comprises coordinate data representing the X/Y coordinates of a
point pressed on said touch screen to input a character or number,
and state data identifying said character or number by calculating
the number of successive impulses pressed on said touch screen.
9. The method recited in claim 7, comprising the further steps
of: setting said mobile phone in a search mode; generating a search
mode character code corresponding to search mode touch screen data
inputted through said touch screen; determining whether the search
mode character code is registered in said phone book storage; and
displaying a corresponding phone number on said display when the
search mode character code is registered in said phone book storage.
10. The method recited in claim 8, comprising the further step
of displaying a message on said display indicating that said search
mode character code is not registered in said phone book storage,
when same is true.
11. The method recited in claim 7, wherein said feature data comprises
a coordinate data representing the coordinates of the character
or number inputted by pressing said touch screen, and stroke data
representing the number of corresponding strokes of said character
or number.
12. The method recited in claim 7, further including the step of
displaying a message asking re-input of said touch screen if the
generated feature data is not registered in said character database.
13. The method recited in claim 7, further including the step of
repeating the first to sixth steps upon detecting another touch
screen input after performing the sixth step.
Mobile Phone Patent Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital mobile phone with a
character recognition function, and more particularly to a method
of storing data in and searching an electronic phone number data
book in such a digital mobile phone.
2. Description of the Related Art
A digital mobile phone typically has an auxiliary function to enable
the user to store and retrieve phone numbers into and from a memory
device provided therein. An electronic phone number data book (hereinafter
referred to simply as "phone book") is a term representing
the memory used for this purpose. Hence, once the user has stored
the phone numbers into the memory device of such a digital phone,
he may retrieve a desired one of the phone numbers stored in the
phone book from the memory device instead of inputting the phone
number called. To this end, the input keys provided in the mobile
phone have been conventionally used to input the names of persons
and their respective phone numbers (user data) into the memory device.
However, the number of input keys is limited due to the compactness
of the mobile phone, making it difficult to quickly and easily input
the information.
Therefore, a need exists for a method of quickly and easily storing
and retrieving the names and phone numbers of persons stored in
the memory of a mobile phone.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an
improved method of storing data in and searching through a phone
book in a digital mobile phone with a character recognition function,
which enables the user to quickly and easily store and retrieve
the names and phone numbers of persons.
According to the present invention, a method of storing user data
in a phone book in a digital mobile phone, which includes a key
input part, display, touch screen for inputting characters, character
code storage for storing character and number codes, character database
for storing feature data corresponding to character and number codes,
and character recognition device, comprises the steps of setting
the mobile phone to a phone number registration mode, transferring
touch screen data, generated by pressing the touch screen, to the
character recognition device, generating the feature data corresponding
to the touch screen data using the recognition device, identifying
the feature data stored in the character database, retrieving the
number code corresponding to the feature data from the character
code storage, displaying the number corresponding to said number
code and storing the number code in the phone number storage region
of the phone book storage, repeating the first to fourth steps in
response to a key input representing character code mode upon detecting
no further touch screen data, retrieving the character code corresponding
to the feature data from the character code storage, and displaying
the character corresponding to said character code and storing the
character code in the name storage region of the phone book storage,
the character code being associated with the number code.
A method of retrieving said stored user data includes the steps
of setting said mobile phone in a search mode, generating a search
mode character code corresponding to search mode touch screen data
inputted through said touch screen, determining whether the search
mode character code is registered in said phone book storage, and
displaying a corresponding phone number on said display when the
search mode character code is registered in said phone book storage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present
invention will become more apparent in light of the following detailed
description of an exemplary embodiment thereof taken in conjunction
with the attached drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the structure of a conventional
digital mobile phone with a character recognition function;
FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C are flow charts for illustrating the process
of storing data in the phone book in a digital mobile phone according
to the present invention;
FIGS. 3A and 3B are flow charts illustrating the process of searching
through the electronic phone book in accordance with the present
invention; and
FIG. 4 illustrates the memory table for storing data in the electronic
phone book.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, a digital mobile phone includes a CPU 10 for
controlling the functions of the phone, a key input part 20 for
generating key data applied to the CPU 10, and a touch screen 40
for generating the touch screen data representing the positions
of the points pressed. The radio frequency part and dual tone multi-frequency
part are commonly known in the art and are therefore omitted from
the drawing for descriptive clarity. The touch screen 40 is an input
means for inputting character data, and is made of a resistance
panel or a capacitance panel, with characters being represented
by a point pressed on the touch screen and detected by variations
of resistance or capacitance, respectively. When a point is pressed
on the touch screen 40, it generates a signal representing the X
and Y coordinates of the point and a signal representing the number
of strokes forming the character. The signal representing the X
and Y coordinates produces coordinate data, and the signal representing
the number of strokes produces state data to detect the number of
impulses generated by pressing the touch screen. Hereinafter, the
coordinate data and state data will be cumulatively referred to
as touch screen data.
Also provided is a touch screen driver 50 including an analog/digital
(A/D) converter to convert the analog coordinate and state signals
into the digital touch screen data. The touch screen data is also
called character feature data to determine a specific character.
Hence, the state data of the character feature data represents the
number of the strokes forming a character. For example, in order
to recognize the character `A`, the state data is required to calculate
the 3 strokes constituting the character `A`. Of course, the recognition
of a number may be achieved in the same way. The touch screen data
is processed by the character recognition device 90 under the control
of CPU 10 to generate the character feature data. The character
recognition device 90 compares the feature data of the input character
with the feature data stored in a character database 95, which comprises
the coordinate data and state data of various characters, such as
the Korean and English alphabets and numbers. If similar feature
data is found in the character database 95 within a given error
range, its address is transferred to CPU 10 to retrieve the corresponding
character code stored in a character code storage 80, which stores
the character codes corresponding to the feature data of the character
database 95. The retrieved character code representing the character
inputted through the touch screen 40 is displayed on the display
30.
Also provided is a memory device 60 comprising a volatile memory
such as RAM and a non-volatile memory such as flash memory or EEPROM
to store the control program for controlling the functions of the
digital mobile phone, initial service data, and temporarily generated
data. The display 30, preferably an LCD, is used to display the
functional state of the phone and the characters and numbers inputted
and retrieved through the touch screen 40 and character recognition
device 90, under the control of CPU 10. The names of persons and
their respective phone numbers are stored in a phone book storage
70, which comprises a phone number storage region for storing the
phone numbers and a name storage region for storing the persons'
names, as shown in FIG. 4. The phone number region consists of a
plurality of number code elements each storing a number, and likewise,
the name storage region consists of a plurality of character code
elements each storing a character.
The process of storing data in the phone book in the digital mobile
phone is shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C. If there is a key input to start
the phone number registering mode in step 212, the display 30 displays
a message for asking for the registering of a desired phone number
in step 214. Then the user inputs the desired phone number by means
of the numeric keys of the key input part 20 or the touch screen
40. In this case, the numeric key input is detected in step 216,
and the touch screen input in step 218. When the numeric key input
is not detected in step 216, CPU 10 determines whether a pressure
variation is generated which is caused by 10 pressing the touch
screen 40 in step 218. Detecting the pressure variation in step
218, it is determined in step 220 whether a predetermined time is
exceeded. The predetermined time is to determine the completion
of inputting an individual number. If the predetermined time is
exceeded, the touch screen data of the input number is transferred
to the character recognition device 90 in step 222. Then the character
recognition device 90 generates the feature data of the touch screen
data in step 226.
As described above, the feature data includes the X/Y coordinate
data and the number of strokes to identify the inputted number.
The character database 95 is searched in step 230 to compare the
feature data generated in step 226 with the feature data stored
in the character database 95. If the feature data of the touch screen
data is found in the character database in step 230, a number code
corresponding to the input feature data is retrieved from the character
code storage 80 in step 232. The number corresponding to the retrieved
number code is displayed on the display 30 in step 234 and stored
in the first number code element of the number storage region of
the phone book storage 70 in step 236. Thereafter, the process returns
to step 218 to detect another touch screen input for the next number
of the phone number. However, in step 230, if the feature data of
the touch screen data is not found in the character database 95,
the process goes to step 231 to display a message asking for a re-input
of the number on the display 30, then repeating step 216. This may
be caused by user error when inputting the number. On the other
hand, if a numeric key is inputted in step 216, the process goes
to step 217 to display the corresponding number code, directly storing
the number code into the number storage region of the phone book
storage in step 219, thus, completing the input of the phone number.
Turning now to FIG. 2B, the process of registering the phone number
is ended by pressing the storage key in step 238, in lieu of entering
touch screen data in step 216.
Subsequently, in step 240, a message is displayed on the display
30 asking for input of the name corresponding to the registered
phone number. In step 242, it is determined whether the touch screen
40 is pressed to input the name. If there is a touch screen input,
it is determined in step 244 whether a predetermined time is exceeded.
This is to determine the completion of a character input. Exceeding
the predetermined time, the touch screen data is transferred to
the character recognition device 90 in step 246. Then, the character
recognition device 90 generates the corresponding feature data in
step 250. In this case, the feature data identifies the input character.
The character database 95 is searched in step 254 to find the generated
feature data therefrom. If the feature data is found, the character
code corresponding to the input feature data is retrieved from the
character code storage 80 in step 256. Finally, the character corresponding
to said character code is displayed on the display 30 in step 258
and stored into a buffer Name_Temp_Buffer of the phone book storage
70 in step 260.
Then, the process returns to step 242 to detect another character
input through the touch screen 40. However, in step 254 if the feature
data is not found in the character database 95, a message is displayed
on the display 30 asking for re-input of the character in step 255,
returning to step 242. This may be caused by user error during the
input operation. However, if no further character input is detected
through the touch screen 40 in step 242, and the storage key is
inputted in step 262 of FIG. 2C, the process goes to step 264 to
search the buffer Name_Temp_Buffer of the phone book storage 70.
Then, in step 266, it is determined whether the value in Name_Temp_Buffer
matches a name in the name storage region. If the value does not
match a name in the name storage region, an empty storage region
is provided into where the name and phone number may be stored in
step 268. However, upon detecting a match in step 266, a revision
of the phone, number is presumed, thus registering only the phone
number in step 267.
Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the process of retrieving a phone
number from the phone book is described. If it is determined that
a key is input to perform the search mode in step 312, a message
is displayed on the display 30 asking for input of a character to
search in step 314. Then, CPU 10 determines in step 316 whether
there is a pressure variation inputted through the touch screen
40. Detecting the pressure variation, it is determined in step 318
whether a predetermined time is exceeded. The predetermined time
is to determine the completion of a character input. After the predetermined
time expires, the touch screen data is transferred to the character
recognition device 90 in step 320. Then, the character recognition
device 90 generates the feature data of the screen data in step
324. It is determined in step 328 whether the feature data generated
in step 324 matches the feature data registered in the character
database 95. If the corresponding feature data is registered in
the character database 95, the character code corresponding to the
feature data is retrieved from the character code storage 80 in
step 330. The character corresponding to said retrieved character
code is displayed on the display 30 in step 332, and stored into
a buffer in step 334. The buffer is included in the memory device
60.
Then, the process returns to step 316 to detect another character
inputted through the touch screen 40. However, if the corresponding
feature data is not registered in the character database 95 in step
328, a message is displayed on the display asking re-input of the
character in step 329, thereby returning to step 316. Meanwhile,
if there is no further input through the touch screen 40 in step
316, and the search key is inputted in step 336 of FIG. 3B, it is
determined in step 340 whether the character code stored in the
buffer in step 334 is registered in the name storage region of the
phone book storage 70. If so, the phone number corresponding to
the character code is displayed in step 342, then returning to step
310. However, if the character code is not registered in the name
storage region, a message is displayed indicating lack of registration
in step 341, then repeating step 310. Of course, the phone book
may be programmed so that input of a single character suffices for
retrieving a desired phone number or name.
Although the present embodiment describes the phone number inputted
prior to the name, the converse is also possible.
As described above, the present invention provides a digital mobile
phone with means of easily storing data in the electronic phone
book by employing the touch screen. While the present invention
has been described with specific embodiments as accompanied by the
attached drawings, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the
art that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without
departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by
the appended claims.
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