Abstract:
A mobile terminal and a method for retrieving a phone number using identification names corresponding to stored phone numbers are provided. The method includes: displaying a first letter of identification names in a phone number retrieval mode, wherein each identification name corresponds to a phone number stored in the mobile terminal; selecting one of the displayed first letters; extracting at least one search keyword having the selected first letter as the first letter of the search keyword; and displaying the identification names corresponding to the search keyword. Retrieval of a phone number is thereby simplified, and the retrieval speed of the phone number is improved.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) AND CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority to an application entitled “MOBILE TERMINAL AND METHOD FOR RETRIEVING PHONE NUMBER THEREIN” filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Aug. 31, 2007 and assigned Serial No. 2007-0088586, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
       TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a mobile terminal and a method for retrieving a phone number in a contact list therein and, more particularly, to a mobile terminal and a method for retrieving a phone number using identification names corresponding to stored phone numbers. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The number of users relying on a mobile terminal has increased with technical developments in the mobile terminal, and thus, a variety of information is nowadays stored in the mobile phone. In particular, phone numbers are mapped to corresponding identification names for storage in the mobile terminal. When retrieving a stored phone number, an identification name corresponding to the stored phone number is retrieved. 
         [0004]    However, in the case of retrieving phone numbers in the mobile terminal, the stored identification names or phone numbers are displayed as a list. Thus, a user should perform a key input for scrolling the list so as to retrieve a desired phone number. Alternatively, an identification name created by a user may be used as a search keyword when retrieving a phone number in the mobile terminal. Thus, the user should perform a key input for inputting the identification name as the search keyword to retrieve the desired phone number. Accordingly, the number of keys required to be input for retrieving the phone number in the mobile terminal is increased, thereby causing inconvenience. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, it is a primary object to provide a mobile terminal and a method for retrieving an identification name corresponding to a phone number to retrieve the phone number easily. 
         [0006]    In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method for retrieving a phone number stored in a mobile terminal includes: displaying a first letter of identification names in a phone number retrieval mode, wherein each identification name corresponds to a phone number stored in the mobile terminal; selecting one of the displayed first letters; extracting at least one search keyword having the selected first letter as the first letter of the search keyword; and displaying the identification names corresponding to the search keyword. 
         [0007]    In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a mobile terminal includes: a memory unit for storing phone numbers and identification names corresponding to the phone numbers; a display unit for displaying a first letter of the stored identification names in a phone number retrieval mode; an input unit for selecting a displayed first letter; and a controller for extracting at least one search keyword having the selected first letter as the first letter of the search keyword, and displaying the identification names corresponding to the search keywords. 
         [0008]    According to the present invention, the speed of retrieving a phone number may be improved by subdividing a search keyword used to retrieve the phone number. 
         [0009]    Further, the search keyword used to retrieve the phone number may be previously set and subdivided, thereby reducing the number of search keywords to be selected by a user. 
         [0010]    Before undertaking the DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION below, it may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document: the terms “include” and “comprise,” as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation; the term “or,” is inclusive, meaning and/or; the phrases “associated with” and “associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like; and the term “controller” means any device, system or part thereof that controls at least one operation, such a device may be implemented in hardware, firmware or software, or some combination of at least two of the same. It should be noted that the functionality associated with any particular controller may be centralized or distributed, whether locally or remotely. Definitions for certain words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that in many, if not most instances, such definitions apply to prior, as well as future uses of such defined words and phrases. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a method for retrieving a phone number in a mobile terminal according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0014]      FIGS. 3A ,  3 B and  3 C illustrate examples of a screen displayed when retrieving a phone number in the method of  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]      FIGS. 1 through 3C , discussed below, and the various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present disclosure in this patent document are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented in any suitably arranged mobile terminal. 
         [0016]    A mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be a mobile communication terminal, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA) or a smart phone that includes a phone number storage unit for retrieving a phone number. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the mobile terminal includes a radio frequency (RF) unit  101 , an audio unit  103 , an input unit  105 , a display unit  107 , a memory unit  109  and a controller  115 . The memory unit  109  includes a phone number storage unit  111  and a search keyword storage unit  113 ; and the controller  115  includes a setting unit  117 . 
         [0019]    The RF unit  101  performs wireless communication with a mobile communication network. For example, the RF unit  101  transmits and receives voice data and text messages through the mobile communication network. 
         [0020]    The audio unit  103  converts an analog audio signal input through a microphone (MIC) into a digital audio signal and outputs the digital audio signal to the controller  115 . The audio unit  103  converts the digital audio signal received from the RF unit  101  through the controller  115  into an analog audio signal and outputs the analog audio signal through a speaker (SPK). 
         [0021]    The input unit  105  outputs a signal corresponding to a key input by a user to control operations of the mobile terminal to the controller  115 . The input unit  105  may be provided with a key pad or another input means, such as a touch screen, a touch pad and a scroll wheel. The input unit  105  may include a key for retrieving an identification name. 
         [0022]    The display unit  107  displays a series of operation of the mobile terminal, operation results and a variety of information under the control of the controller  115 . The display unit  107  may be provided as a display apparatus such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic light emitting diode (OLED). If the display unit  107  is provided as a touch screen in the present embodiment, the touch screen executes functions of the input unit  105  and the display unit  107 . Information is input through the touch screen by a user&#39;s hand or a stylus. The touch screen detects position information for a touch position input by the user and transmits the position information to the controller  115 . 
         [0023]    The memory unit  109  stores information on an operation of a program for controlling the mobile terminal and a program for retrieving phone numbers through identification names mapped to corresponding phone numbers under the control of the controller  115 . The information may include a setting state and menu information. 
         [0024]    The memory unit  109  includes the phone number storage unit  111  and the search keyword storage unit  113  for performing phone number retrieval. The phone number storage unit  111  stores identification names such as ‘Jack’, ‘Jill’, ‘best friend,’ etc., to correspond to the respective phone numbers. The identification names include at least one letter. The phone number storage unit  111  may include further information about the corresponding telephone contact (for example, a birthday and an e-mail address). The search keyword storage unit  113  stores a search keyword that is set by the setting unit  117 . The search keyword is set in the form of a combination of at least two consecutive letters in the corresponding identification name. That is, the search keyword is set in the form of a combination of a first letter and an adjacent second letter. The first letter is the first letter in the identification name and the second letter is the second letter in the identification name. For example, the search keyword storage unit  113  may store ‘Ja’, ‘Jac’ or ‘Jack’ as the search keyword in the identification name ‘Jack’. 
         [0025]    The controller  115  controls an overall operation in the mobile terminal. The controller  115  includes a transmitter for encoding and modulating a signal to be transmitted from the RF unit  101  and a receiver for demodulating and decoding a received signal. The controller  115  includes a modem and a codec. Also, the controller  115  includes a setting unit  117  for setting a search keyword. The setting unit  117  generates and sets a search keyword that is a combination of the first and second letters in the corresponding identification name input by a user through the input unit  105 . Then, the setting unit  117  controls the storage of the search keyword in the search keyword storage unit  113 . 
         [0026]    The controller  115  controls the display of a first letter of identification names in a phone number retrieval mode. When the user selects a first letter, the controller  115  determines whether a search keyword having the selected first letter is previously set. If a search keyword having the selected first letter is not previously set, the controller  115  extracts the second letter next to the first letter from the identification name having the selected first letter. If the number of the identification names having the selected first letter is greater than a predetermined threshold value, the controller  115  extracts the second letter. The controller  115  then combines the selected first letter and the extracted second letter to generate a search keyword. 
         [0027]    For example, if the number of the identification names having a first letter ‘A’ is greater than a threshold value( for example, 30), the controller  115  may extract a second letter next to the ‘A’. Alternatively, if the number of the identification names having the first letter ‘A’ is greater than a threshold value (for example, a number equal to 40% of the identification names stored in the phone number storage unit  111 ), the controller  115  may extract a second letter next to the ‘A’. 
         [0028]    If at least one search keyword having the selected first letter is previously set, the controller  115  extracts the set search keywords having the selected first letter. The controller  115  then controls the display of the identification names corresponding to the search keywords. 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a method for retrieving a phone number in a mobile terminal according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B and  3 C illustrate examples of a screen displayed when retrieving a phone number in the method of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , upon entering a phone number retrieval mode (S 201 ), the controller  115  extracts first letters of all identification names stored in the phone number storage unit  111  (S 205 ). For example, the controller  115  extracts the first letter ‘A’ from a stored identification name ‘ABC’. The controller  115  then displays the identification names corresponding to each extracted first letter (S 209 ). In the example shown in  FIG. 3A , identification names  311 ,  313 ,  315  and  317  corresponding to a first letter  301  are displayed. Although not shown, the controller  115  may allocate pages according to each first letter and arrange the corresponding identification names therein. For example, pages may be allocated to the first letter  301 , and the identification names  311 ,  313 ,  315  and  317  having the first letter  301  may be arranged in respective pages. Thereafter, the controller  115  may use separate pages to display the identification names  311 ,  313 ,  315  and  317  corresponding to the first letter  301 . 
         [0031]    Next, if the user selects a first letter (S 213 ), the controller  115  determines whether a search keyword having the selected first letter is set (S 217 ). The controller  115  determines whether a search keyword having the selected first letter is set by searching for the search keyword in the search keyword storage unit  113 . For example, if the user selects the first letter ‘A’, the controller  115  determines whether a search keyword having the first letter ‘A’ is stored in the search keyword storage unit  113 . 
         [0032]    If the controller  115  determines that a search keyword having the selected first letter  301  is set at step S 217 , the controller  115  extracts the set search keyword (S 221 ). The controller  115  then displays the identification names corresponding to the extracted search keyword on the display unit  107  (S 225 ). In the example shown in  FIG. 3B , the user selects first letter  301  ‘A’ at step S 213 . The controller  115  then determines that ‘AB’ and ‘AC’ are set as search keywords having the first letter  301  ‘A’ at step  217 , and extracts ‘AB’ and ‘AC’ at step S 221  and displays the identification names  313 ,  315  and  317  corresponding to the displayed keywords at step S 225 . Although not shown, the controller  115  may allocate pages according to the search keyword  303  and arrange the identification names  313 ,  315  and  317  having the search keyword  303  in the respective pages. Then, the controller  115  may use separate pages to display the identification names  313 ,  315  and  317  corresponding to the search keyword  303 . 
         [0033]    If the controller  115  determines that no search keyword having the selected first letter is set at step S 217 , the controller  115  extracts second letters from the identification names ( 311 ,  313 ,  315  and  317  in  FIG. 3A ) having the selected first letter (S 229 ). For example, the controller  115  extracts the second letter ‘B’ from the identification name  313  ‘ABC’. Then, the controller  115  combines the selected first letter and the extracted second letter and generates a search keyword (S 233 ). Thereafter, the controller  115  displays the identification names corresponding to the generated search keyword on the display unit  107  (S 237 ), as shown in  FIG. 3C . In the example shown in  FIG. 3C , if the selected first letter  301  is ‘A’ and no search keyword having the first letter ‘A’ is set, the controller  115  extracts the second letters ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ from the identification names  311 ,  313 ,  315  and  317  having the first letter ‘A’. The controller  115  then generates ‘AA’, ‘AB’ and ‘AC’ as the search keywords  305 , and displays the corresponding identification names of the search keywords  305  ‘AA’, ‘AB’ and ‘AC’. Here, the controller  115  may allocate pages according to the search keyword  305  and arrange the identification names  311 ,  313 ,  315  and  317  having the search keyword  305  in the respective pages. Then, the controller  115  may use separate pages to display the identification names  311 ,  313 ,  315  and  317  corresponding to the search keyword  305 . 
         [0034]    In the present embodiment, the controller  115  determines that no search keyword having the selected first letter is set at step S 217 , the controller  115  extracts the second letter at step S 229 , but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, if the controller  115  determines that no search keyword having the selected first letter  301  is set at step S 217 , the controller  115  may determine whether the number of the identification names  311 ,  313 ,  315  and  317  having the selected first letter  301  exceeds a threshold value. Then, if the controller  115  determines that the number of the identification names  311 ,  313 ,  315  and  317  exceeds the threshold value, the controller  115  may extract the second letter. 
         [0035]    For example, if the threshold value is set at 30 identification names, and the number of the identification names having the selected first letter  301  ‘A’ exceeds 30, the controller  115  may extract the second letter. Alternatively, if, for example, the threshold value is set at 40% of the number of the identification names stored in the phone number storage unit  111 , and the number of identification names having the selected first letter  301  ‘A’ exceeds the threshold value, the controller  115  may extract the second letter. 
         [0036]    Finally, if the user selects a displayed identification name (S 241 ), the controller  115  performs a corresponding function using a phone number corresponding to the selected identification name (S 251 ). The function may be, for example, a text message transmission or a telephone call. 
         [0037]    If the user does not select a displayed identification name at step S 241 , the controller  115  repeatedly performs steps S 213  to S 241  until the user selects a displayed identification name. 
         [0038]    Although the present disclosure has been described with an exemplary embodiment, various changes and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art. It is intended that the present disclosure encompass such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.