Patent ID: 6757388
Filing Date: 2004-06-29
Classification: G06F,H04M

Abstract:
A telephone, intended to enable alphabetic character generation in addition to numeric input in facilitation of repertory dialing and the creation of messages for transmission, said telephone comprising:a twelve key keypad, a visual display screen, function keys, dynamic memory, and microprocessor based control operatively connecting said keypad, screen, and memory; said keypad possessing a conventional configuration of ten numeric and two function keys and being operable in a conventional manner, wherein single strokes of each of said ten numeric keys obtains one of the numerics â€˜0â€™-â€˜9â€™ in generation of a telephone number, and being operable in another manner wherein dual keystrokes of said numeric keys obtain alphabetic characters; said microprocessor based control including an algorithm setting a time threshold compared with the time interval between successive keystrokes and distinguishing single keystrokes over dual keystrokes by recognizing that said time interval exceeds said time threshold; said screen being operably connected through said microprocessor based control to said keypad to visually display, in response to generation of at least one alphabetic character with said keypad, an alphabetically related portion of an address directory stored in said dynamic memory comprised of alphabetic character names each associated with a telephone number; at least one said function key being operatively connected to said microprocessor based control to enable selection of one said alphabetic character name displayed upon said screen for initiation of telephonic transmission utilizing the associated telephone number at least one said function key being operatively connected to said microprocessor based control to enable addition of alphabetic character names each in association with a telephone number to said address directory with generation of alphabetic characters utilizing said keypad; whereby an address directory including alphabetic character names each associated with a telephone number can be stored in memory and a specific telephone number can be selected for automatic dialing with generation of alphabetic characters relating to a name generated with a twelve key keypad of conventional configuration without using more than two keystrokes for the generation of any given alphabetic character.