Abstract:
A system for managing contacts in a communication device and related method can classify all contact information in the communication device, store the classified contact information to corresponding menus, and select a choice from the menus to acquire information of a contact. The system and method further permits users operating multiple menus to search all contact information in the communication device.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to database management, and more particularly to a system and method for managing contact information. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Electronic systems and method for managing contact information are often searchable by entry. Often, users input the one or two letters from the alphabet to generate a list of candidates from the contact database, such as searching by the first alphabet in a contact database of the mobile phone. However, locating entries in a large number of candidates can be inconvenient. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of one embodiment of a communication device comprising a contact information management system. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of one embodiment of the contact information management system of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of a method of managing contact information using a communication device. 
           [0008]      FIG. 4   a  and  FIG. 4   b  are schematic diagrams of the method of inquiring contact information using a communication device by one and two level classifications. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]    The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
         [0010]    In general, the word “module” as used herein, refers to logic embodied in hardware or firmware, or to a collection of software instructions, written in a programming language, such as, for example, Java, C, or assembly. One or more software instructions in the module may be embedded in firmware, such as an EPROM. It will be appreciated that module may comprise connected logic units, such as gates and flip-flops, and may comprise programmable units, such as programmable gate arrays or processors. The module described herein may be implemented as either software and/or hardware module and may be stored in any type of computer-readable medium or other computer storage device. 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of one embodiment of a communication device  1  comprising a contact information management system  10 . The contact information includes names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, fax numbers, a priority information, groups and other contact information. There are often multiple pieces of information for each category of information. For example, phone numbers can include one or more home phone numbers, one or more business numbers and other phone numbers. Likewise, email addresses can include a plurality of email addresses. The contact management system  10  can manage contact information using the communication device  1  by multiple menus of a user interface of the communication device  1 . For example, the contact management system  10  provides a group menu, a address menu, or a priority information menu for searching the contact information. In one embodiment, the communication device  1  further comprises a storage unit  11 , an input unit  12 , an output unit  13  and at least one processor  14 . Depending on the embodiment, the communication device  1  may include electronic devices such as mobile phones, notebook computers, handheld game consoles, digital cameras, handheld computers or personal digital assistants (PDAs), for example. 
         [0012]    The communication device  1  is generally controlled and coordinated by operating system software, such as UNIX, Linux, Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, XP, Vista, Mac OS X, an embedded operating system, or any other compatible operating systems. In other embodiments, the electronic device  1  may be controlled by a proprietary operating system. Conventional operating systems control and schedule computer processes for execution, perform memory management, provide file system, networking, and I/O services, and provide a user interface, such as a graphical user interface (GUI), among other things. 
         [0013]    The storage unit  11  is connected to the contact management system  10 , the input unit  12 , the output unit  13  and the processor  14 . The storage unit  11  is operable to save the contact information. The contact information can include parameters such as names, phone numbers, groups and priority information. The storage unit  12  may include a hard disk drive, flash memory, RAM, ROM, cache, or external storage mediums. 
         [0014]    The input unit  12  is operable to input by key selection or menu selection. For example, the input unit  12  can be a conversional keypad or a touch panel of a mobile phone. 
         [0015]    The output unit  13  is a display listing of information, for example the contact information, as well as a graphic user interface (GUI) for providing input capability to the input unit  12 . For example, the output unit  13  may be a display screen, a resistive touch screen, or a capacitive touch screen. 
         [0016]    The processor  14  is operable to execute one or more computerized codes of the contact management system  10  may be stored in the storage unit  11  and executed by the processor  10 . The processor, as an example, may include a CPU, math coprocessor, or shift register. 
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of one embodiment of the contact information management system  10 . The contact management system  10  includes a setup module  100 , a classification module  101 , a determination module  102  and an inquiry module  103 . The setup module  100  is operable to set menu parameters of menus of a user interface of the communication device and generate at least one corresponding menu. The menu parameters include a level parameter for setting a level of the corresponding menu. In one embodiment, the corresponding menu is set to a one-level menu upon detecting the level parameter is set to 1. In other embodiments, the corresponding menus are set to two-level menus upon detecting the level parameter is set to 2. For example, the setup module  100  sets a level parameter  2  of the menu by the user inputting on the input unit  12 , then the setup module  100  generates a two levels corresponding menus. Continually, the output unit  13  displays the contact information by the two levels corresponding menus, such as a name menu and a group menu. 
         [0018]    In addition, the setup module  100  is operable to set corresponding classifications to the corresponding menus, such as classification by group, contact priority, and alphabetization. In one embodiment, if the corresponding menu is set to the one-level menu and the corresponding classification is set to the group classification, the corresponding one-level menu may be set to a family menu, a colleague menu, or classmate menu. In one embodiment, if the corresponding menu is set to the one-level menu and the corresponding classification is set to the classification in contact priority, the corresponding one-level menu may be set to a contact menu in the first priority, a contact menu in the second priority, or a contact menu in the third priority. 
         [0019]    In other embodiments, if the corresponding menu is set to the one-level menu and the corresponding classification is set to the order classification in the first letter of the name, the corresponding one-level menu may be set to a first letter menu. For example, the first letter menu may be set to an A-letter menu including the contacts which names have the first letter A. Furthermore, if the corresponding menu is set to the multiple levels menus, the first corresponding classification is set to the first level menu at first. Then, the other corresponding classifications are set to the other corresponding menus in different levels menus.  FIG. 4   a  shows a one-level menu set to group classification, such as family, colleagues, or classmates.  FIG. 4   b  shows a two-level menu generated by setting the level parameter to 2. The group classification is set to the first level menu, and the order classification in the first character of the name is set to the second level menu. 
         [0020]    The classification module  101  is operable to classify the contact information by the corresponding classifications and save the classified contact information to the corresponding menus. The contact information may include names, phone numbers, groups and priority information. In one embodiment, if the corresponding menu is set to the one-level menu and the corresponding classification is set to the group classification, the classification module  101  classifies the contacts which have a column value of the group equal to “family” to the family menu. In other embodiments, the corresponding menus are set to the two-level menus. Accordingly, the first level corresponding classification is set to the group classification and the second level corresponding classification is set to an order classification in the first letter of the name. The classification module  101  starts to classify contacts by the first level corresponding classification, then continues to classify each menu in the first level by the second level corresponding classification. For example, the classification module  101  starts to classify contacts by the family classification in first level corresponding classification, then continues to classify the first level classified contacts in the family menu by the order classification in the first letter of the name. As shown in  FIG. 4   b , the contact names of “Jane Doe” and “June Doe” are saved to the J menu in the second level menu respecting to the family menu between the first level menus. 
         [0021]    The determination module  102  is operable to determine whether the contact management system  10  is currently conducting a search on the contact information. For example, The determination module  102  determines whether the inquiry module  103  is executed by the contact information management system  10 . 
         [0022]    The inquiry module  103  is operable to locate the contact information in the corresponding menu by the corresponding classification. In one embodiment, if the corresponding menu is set to the one-level menu in the communication device  1 , the contact information is sought in the corresponding menu by the inquiry module  103 . As shown in  FIG. 4   a , the contact information is sought in the family menu in the one-level menu by the inquiry module  103 . The output unit  13  displays the contact information located in the family menu. As shown in  FIG. 4   b , when the corresponding menus are set to the two-level menus, if the user wishes to locate a contact who is a family member with a name beginning with “J”, the family menu is selected in the first level menu by the inquiry module  103 , and the second level menu is accessed to select a “J” menu from the first level menu. The output unit  13  displays the contact information acquired from the family menu having a name beginning with “J”. 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method for managing contact information using a communication device  1 . Depending on the embodiment, additional blocks may be added, others deleted, and the ordering of the blocks may be changed. 
         [0024]    In block S 10 , the setup module  100  sets menu parameters of the menus of a user interface of the communication device, then generates at least one corresponding menu. The menu parameters include a level parameter for setting a level of the corresponding menus. For example, the setup module  100  sets a level parameter  2  of the menu by the user inputting on the input unit  12 , then the setup module  100  generates a two levels corresponding menus. Continually, the output unit  13  displays the contact information by the two levels corresponding menus, such as a name menu and a group menu. 
         [0025]    In block S 11 , the setup module  100  sets corresponding classifications to the corresponding menus. The corresponding classifications include a group classification, a classification in contact priority, and an order classification in the first letter of the name. For example, if the corresponding menu is set to the one-level menu and the corresponding classification is set to the group classification, the corresponding one-level menu may be a family menu, a colleague menu, or classmate menu. 
         [0026]    In block S 12 , the classification module  101  classifies the contact information by the corresponding classifications. In addition, the classification module  101  saves the classified contact information to the corresponding menus. 
         [0027]    In block S 13 , the determination module  102  determines whether the contact management system  10  is currently conducting an inquiry. If not, block S 14  is implemented and the inquiry module  103  seeks the contact information in the corresponding menu by the corresponding classification. If so, the process is ended. 
         [0028]    Although certain inventive embodiments of the present disclosure have been specifically described, the present disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the present disclosure without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.