Abstract:
A mobile telephone and a method of updating mobile telephone contact list entries automatically sends a new contact information notification text message to selected contact mobile phone numbers. The mobile telephone automatically updates an entry in its contact list in response to receiving a new contact information notification text message from another mobile telephone.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to the field of mobile devices, and more particularly to a mobile telephone that can broadcast new contact information, such as a new telephone number, to contacts stored in the mobile phone and, upon receipt of a new contact information notification, update its contact list with the new telephone number. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Mobile communication devices, such as cellular telephones, have become very common among the general public. With advances in technology, the costs of mobile communication equipment and services are continually being reduced. Mobile carriers offer various plans and packages and subscribers can pick among various carriers and plans so as to minimize their costs. While some mobile carriers offer telephone number portability, whereby a subscriber can keep his or her olds telephone number when changing carriers, other carriers do not offer number portability services. Also, with the rapid increase in the number of telephones, both a land line and mobile, and pagers, many calling areas are running out of numbers. Accordingly, a subscriber may be required to change his or her telephone number. 
         [0005]    One of the features offered on most mobile telephones is a contact list or address book. The contact list stores telephone numbers for the contacts listed in the subscriber&#39;s address book. The contact list enables the subscriber to call his or her contacts without having to remember and dial the contacts telephone number. 
         [0006]    Currently, when a subscriber changes gets a new mobile telephone, the subscriber can import into the new telephone his or her contacts list into the new mobile telephone. However, the subscriber cannot conveniently notify his or her contacts of a new telephone number or other new contact information. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention provides a mobile telephone and a method of updating mobile telephone contact list entries. Embodiments of mobile phones according to the present invention include a memory having a contact list stored therein. The contact list includes a plurality of entries. Each entry includes a contact name and contact information, such as a contact mobile telephone number. The mobile telephone sends a new contact information notification text message to selected contact mobile phone numbers. The mobile telephone automatically updates an entry in its contact list in response to receiving a new contact information notification text message from another mobile telephone. 
         [0008]    In embodiments of the mobile telephone according to the present invention, the mobile telephone displays a new contact information notification dialog. The new contact information notification dialog may include an old information entry field, a new information entry field, and an affirmative choice control. The mobile telephone creates the new contact information notification text message in response to actuation of the affirmative choice control. Also in response to actuation of the affirmative choice control, the mobile telephone displays the contact list including a select all control and an individual selection control. If the user actuates the select all control, the mobile telephone sends the new contact information notification text message to each contact mobile telephone number in the contact list. If the user actuates the individual selection control, the mobile telephone sends the new contact information notification text message to selected contact mobile telephone numbers in the contact list. 
         [0009]    The mobile telephone automatically updates its contact list by displaying a new contact information notification text message with an update control. If the mobile telephone user actuates the update control, the mobile phone updates an entry in its contact list based upon information in the new contact information notification text message. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further purposes and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, where: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an embodiment of a mobile telephone according to the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of an embodiment of a contacts menu according to the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is an illustration of an embodiment of a number change dialog according to the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is an illustration of an embodiment of a contact list according to the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is an illustration of an embodiment of a number change notification text message according to the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart of an embodiment of sending mobile telephone processing according to the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a flow chart of an embodiment of receiving mobile telephone processing according to the present invention; and, 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a block diagram of a typical cellular telephone system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0019]    Referring now to the drawings, and first  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a mobile telephone according to the present invention is designated generally by the numeral  100 . Mobile telephone  100  includes a controller  101  that is programmed according to the present invention, as well as to perform other mobile device functions. Mobile telephone  100  includes a keypad  103  and the display  105 , each coupled to controller  101 . As is known to those skilled the art, keypad  103  includes various keys for entering telephone numbers and performing typical mobile telephone operations as well as operations according to the present invention. Display  105  may be a liquid crystal or other display commonly used in mobile devices. Mobile telephone  100  includes a speaker  107  and a microphone  109  coupled to controller  101 . Mobile device  100  includes a radio  111  coupled to controller  101 . Mobile telephone  100  includes a memory  113  coupled to controller  101 . Mobile telephone  100  includes a subscriber identity module (SIM) card  121  coupled to controller  101 . As is known to those skilled in the art, SIM card  121  is a removable smart card that stores subscriber information. Mobile telephone  100  may preferably be housed in any number of conventional cellular telephone cases. 
         [0020]      FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of a contacts menu  200  according to the present invention. Contacts menu  200  is displayed on display  105  of mobile telephone  100 . Contacts menu  200  allows a mobile telephone user to manage his or her contact list or address book. According to the present invention, contacts menu  200  includes a new number notify menu choice  201 . New number notify menu choice  201  allows a mobile telephone user to notify contacts in his or her contact list when the mobile telephone user changes his or her mobile telephone number. While new number notification is illustrated herein, it should be recognized that embodiments on the present invention may be used to update other contact information, such as email address, secondary mobile phone number, home phone number, etc. In a manner well known to those skilled in the art, a mobile telephone user can scroll through the menu item choices of contacts menu  200  to highlight new number notify menu choice  201 . Contacts menu  201  includes an OK soft key  203  and a CANCEL soft key  205 . Soft keys  203  and  205  may be actuated by pushing buttons (not shown) on keypad  103 . 
         [0021]    Actuation of OK soft key  203  causes mobile telephone  100  to display a number change dialog  300 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . Number change dialog  300  includes an old number entry field  301  and the new number entry field  303 . In the illustrated embodiment, since the user may notify contacts of a number change it using either the mobile associated with the old number or the new number, or a mobile phone not associated with either the old number or the new number, the user enters both the old mobile telephone number and the new mobile telephone number. Number change dialog  300  includes an OK soft key  305  and a CANCEL soft key  307 . According to the present invention, mobile telephone  100  uses the numbers entered into entry field  301  and  303  to create a text message of the type illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0022]    Actuation of OK soft key  305  causes mobile telephone  100  to display a contact list  400 . Contact list  400  includes each contact in the address book of mobile telephone  100 . Contact list  400  includes a SELECT ALL soft key  401 , a CANCEL soft key  403 , and a SELECT INDIVIDUAL soft key  40  soft key  405 . Actuation of SELECT ALL soft key  401  causes mobile telephone  100  to send a telephone number change notification text message to the mobile telephone of each contact listed in contact list  400 . Actuation of SELECT INDIVIDUAL soft key  405  causes mobile telephone  100  to send a telephone number change notification text message to the mobile phones of selected contacts listed in contact list  400 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 5  illustrates a number change notification text message  500  displayed on a receiving mobile telephone. Number change notification text message  500  identifies the sender, and it includes the sender&#39;s old telephone number and the sender&#39;s new telephone number. Number change notification text message  500  includes an UPDATE soft key  501  and an IGNORE soft key  503 . As will be explained in detail hereinafter, actuation of update soft key  501  causes the mobile telephone to update its contact list with information contained in number change notification text message  500 . Actuation of ignore soft key  503  causes the mobile telephone to ignore number change notification text message  500 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart of an embodiment of sending mobile telephone processing according to the present invention. The mobile telephone waits for user input and if, as determined at decision block  601 , the user input is new number notify, the mobile telephone displays the number change dialog, as indicated at block  603 , and waits for user input. If the input is not new number notify, the mobile telephone performs other processing, as indicated at block  605 . If, as determined at decision block  607 , the user input is OK, the mobile telephone populates a number change text message shell with information in the number change dialog, as indicated at block  609 . Then, the mobile telephone displays a contacts selection list, as indicated at block  613 , and waits for user input. If, as determined at decision block  615 , the user input is SELECT ALL, the mobile telephone sends a number change notification text message to all contacts in the user&#39;s address book, as indicated at block  617 . If, as determined at decision block  615 , the user input is not SELECT ALL, the mobile telephone sends the number change notification text message to selected contacts. 
         [0025]      FIG. 7  is a flow chart of an embodiment of receiving mobile telephone processing according to the present invention. The receiving mobile telephone receives a text message, as indicated at block  701 . If, as determined at decision block  703 , the received text message is not a new number notification, the receiving mobile telephone performs other text messaging processing, as indicated at block  705 . If, as determined at decision block  703 , the received text message is a new number notification, the mobile telephone waits for user input. If, as determined at decision block  707 , the user input is not UPDATE the mobile telephone discards the text message, as indicated at block  709 . If the user input is UPDATES, the mobile telephone determines, at decision block  711  if the sender of the new number notification text message is found in the address book of the receiving mobile phone. If so, the receiving mobile telephone updates its address book for the contact with the new number, as indicated at block  713 . If, as determined at decision block  711 , the contact is not found, the receiving mobile telephone performs new contact processing by populating and displaying a new contact dialog with contact name and telephone number information contained in the new number notification text message, as indicated at block  715 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 8  is a block diagram of a typical mobile network  800 . Mobile network  800  includes a packet radio service (e.g., GPRS, EDGE, CDMA) system  801 . Packet radio service system  801  enables a mobile device, such as mobile device  100 , to access both a data network, such as the Internet  809 , and a public switched telephone network (PSTN)  807 . An originating mobile switching center (MSC-O)  803  provides an interface mobile network  800  and PSTN  807 . In one embodiment where the packet radio service is GPRS, a home location register (HLR)  805  provides MSC-O  803  subscriber and location information for the mobile devices in its home area. A gateway mobile switching center (G-MSC)  808  is connected to MSC- 0   803  and a visitor location register (VLR)  809 . VLR  809  provides location information to HLR  805 . A servicing mobile switching center (MSC-S)  811  is connected to G-MSC  808  and a VLR  813 . VLR  813  provides location information to HLR  805 . MSC-S  811  is connected to a plurality of base stations, including base stations  815  and  817 , which use digital control channels (DCCHs) for paging and registration of mobile units and their respective areas. 
         [0027]    A gateway GPRS support node print (GGSN)  819  provides an interface between Internet  809  and mobile network  803 . A GPRS HLR  821  provides GGSN  819  with location and subscriber information. GGSN  819  and GPRS HLR  821  are in communication with a servicing GPRS support node (SGSN)  823 , which communicates with mobile devices in its area through a plurality of base stations, including base stations  825  and  827 . Base stations  825  and  827  use packet control channels (PCCHs) for paging and registration of mobile units in their respective areas. 
         [0028]    From the foregoing, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that systems and methods according to the present invention are well adapted to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art. While the present invention has been described with reference to presently preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art, given the benefit of the foregoing description, will recognize alternative embodiments. Accordingly, the foregoing description is intended for purposes of illustration and not of limitation.