Patent Publication Number: US-2007116247-A1

Title: Method and an apparatus for saving speed dial number in mobile communication terminal

Description:
PRIORITY  
      This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to an application filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Nov. 12, 2005 and allocated Serial No. 2005-108296, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates generally to a mobile communication terminal, and in particular, to a method and an apparatus for saving a speed dial number in a mobile communication terminal.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      The use of mobile communication terminals is widespread because of their portability, and service providers and terminal manufacturers have made an effort to develop mobile communication terminals with more convenient functions for the purpose of attracting potential users. For example, mobile communication terminals provide a variety of additional functions and services, such as a phone book function, a game function, a short message service, an Internet service, an e-mail service, and so on.  
      When a user has stored phone numbers in a phone book, he or she can make a call simply by pressing a speed dial number, instead of dialing the phone number. Also, when a user forgets a desired phone number, he or she can easily find the phone number by searching the speed dial numbers previously stored in the phone book That is, the speed dial is a useful function that can dial a phone number simply by pressing a single button or a speed dial number.  
      In a conventional mobile communication terminal, when a user inputs a name and a phone number in a phone directory entry or edit menu, a control unit of the terminal automatically designates a speed dial number to the input phone number. Consequently, the user cannot designate a desired speed dial number to the phone number. If the user wants to change the setting, he or she has to edit the speed dial number.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      An object of the present invention is to substantially solve at least the above problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at least the advantages below. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for saving a speed dial number in a mobile communication terminal.  
      According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for saving a speed dial number in a mobile communication terminal includes: displaying a speed dial designation pop-up window having a plurality of numbers arranged in an M×N matrix; selecting one of the plurality of numbers to designate as the speed dial number; and when a setup key is input, designating the selected number as the speed dial number corresponding to a phone number.  
      According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for saving a speed dial number in a mobile communication terminal includes: an input means for selecting one of a plurality of numbers; and a controller for displaying a speed dial designation pop-up window having the plurality of numbers arranged in an M×N matrix, and designating the selected number as the speed dial number corresponding to a phone number. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a mobile communication terminal according to the present invention;  
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  illustrate a flowchart illustrating a method for saving a speed dial number in a mobile communication terminal according to the present invention;  
       FIG. 3  illustrates an example of saving a speed dial number in the mobile communication terminal according to the present invention; and  
       FIG. 4  illustrates an example of saving a speed dial number in the mobile communication terminal according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the invention with unnecessary detail.  
      Hereinafter, a method and an apparatus for saving a speed dial number in a mobile communication terminal will be described in detail.  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a mobile communication terminal according to the present invention. Examples of the mobile communication terminal include Cellular phones, Personal Communication System (PCS) phones, Personal Data Assistants (PDAs), and International Mobile Telecommunication-2000 (IMT-2000) terminals. The following descriptions will be made with reference to the structure of the above terminals.  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , the mobile communication terminal includes a control unit (e.g., a microprocessor unit (MPU))  101 , a Read Only Memory (ROM)  103 , a Random Access Memory (RAM)  105 , a flash ROM  107 , a keypad  109 , a display unit  111 , a Coder-Decoder (CODEC)  113 , a microphone  115 , a speaker  117 , a baseband processor  119 , an RF module  121 , and an antenna  123 . The control unit  101  controls an overall operation of the mobile communication terminal. For example, the control unit  101  processes and controls voice communication and data communication. In addition, the control unit  101  performs a function of saving a speed dial number corresponding to a specified phone number. A detailed description about the general control operation of the control unit  101  will be omitted for conciseness.  
      The ROM  103  stores a variety of reference data and microcodes of a program for the control and process of the control unit  101 . Specially, the ROM  103  stores a program for saving a speed dial number corresponding to a specified phone number. The RAM  105  is a working memory of the control unit  101  and temporarily stores data generated during operations. The flash ROM  107  stores a variety of updateable data such as phone numbers.  
      The keypad  109  includes 0-9 number keys and a plurality of function keys, such as a Menu key, a Cancel (Delete) key, a Confirmation (Enter) key, a Talk key, an End key, an Internet connection key, and Navigation keys (or direction keys) to provide key input data that corresponds to a key pressed by a user to control unit  101 . The display unit  111  displays status information generated during operations, numerals and characters, moving pictures and still pictures, and so on. A color TFT LCD may be used for the display unit  111 .  
      The CODEC  113  is connected to the control unit  101 , and the microphone  115  and the speaker  117  are connected to the CODEC  113 . The CODEC  113 , the microphone  115 , and the speaker  117  serve as a voice input/output block for telephone calling and voice recording. The CODEC  113  converts digital data received from the control unit  101  into an analog audio signal to output the analog audio signal through the speaker  117 , and converts an audio signal received through the microphone  115  into digital data to provide the digital data to the control unit  101 .  
      The RF module  121  down-converts an RF signal received through the antenna  123  to provide the down-converted signal to the baseband processor  119 , and up-converts a baseband signal received from the baseband processor  119  to transmit the up-converted signal through the antenna  123 . The baseband processor  119  processes a baseband signal transmitted/received between the RF module  121  and the control unit  101 . For example, during a transmission operation, the baseband processor  119  channel-codes and spreads data to be transmitted. During a reception operation, the baseband processor  119  despreads and channel-decodes a received signal.  
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  illustrate a flowchart illustrating a method for saving a speed dial number in a mobile communication terminal according to the present invention.  
      Referring to  FIG. 2A  (from start to step  209 ), the control unit  101  displays a phone directory edit window for a specified recipient on a display unit  111  in step  201 . The phone directory edit window may include an input window for inputting phone numbers, such as a mobile phone number, a home phone number, an office phone number, other phone number, and a fax number. Keys for designating speed dial numbers to the phone numbers may be displayed at the sides of the corresponding phone numbers. Referring to  FIG. 3 , a speed dial number 063 is designated to Kang A-Gom&#39;s mobile phone number, and a speed dial number 012 is designated to Kang A-Gom&#39;s home phone number. On the other hand, speed dial numbers are not designated to Kang A-Gom&#39;s office phone number, other phone number, and fax number. The non-designation of the speed dial numbers is marked with a symbol   at item  303  of  FIG. 3 .  
      In step  203 , the control unit  101  determines whether a key for designating a speed dial number to the recipient&#39;s specified phone number is pressed. The keys designated at items  301  and  303  of  FIG. 3  can indicate the designation or non-designation of the speed dial number. The keys  301  and  303  may be selected by the user.  
      When pressing of the key is detected, the control unit  101  determines whether a specific speed dial number is previously designated to the corresponding phone number in step  205 . In step  207 , when the specific speed dial number is previously designated, the control unit  101  displays a speed dial designation pop-up window on the display unit  111 , with a background color being set to the designated speed dial number. The speed dial designation pop-up window  400  displays numbers in an M×N matrix, where M and N may be equal to each other. For example in  FIG. 4 , numbers 00 to 99 are arranged in a 10×10 matrix on speed dial designation pop-up window  400 . Three-digit numbers 000 to 999 can be designated as speed dial numbers by using a number key  403  in  FIG. 4 . To differentiate a designated number from an undesignated number, they may be differently displayed. As one example, the numbers can be displayed in different text colors or background colors, and specific patterns can be inserted.  
      In  FIG. 4 , the numbers designated as speed dial numbers are underlined, for example as indicated by a reference numeral  401 . In  FIG. 3 , when the key  301  that designates the speed dial number 063 to the mobile phone number is inputted, the speed dial designation pop-up window  400  having the background color set to the designated speed dial number can be displayed. In this case, the designated number  63  can be displayed on a text input window  407  located at the right upper portion. When the specific speed dial number is not previously designated in step  205 , the control unit  101  displays the speed dial number designation pop-up window  400  on the display unit  111  in step  209 .  
      Continuing to  FIG. 2B  from the last step of  FIG. 2A  , in step  211 , the control unit  101  determines whether a non-designation key, a confirmation key, a cancel key, or a number key is selected by the user. When the non-designation key is selected, the control unit  101  cancels the speed dial number designation in step  213 . Then, the process returns to step  211 .  
      When the confirmation key is selected, the control unit  101  designates a number selected by the user to the speed dial number in step  215 . Then, the speed dial number designation pop-up window  400  is closed. In step  217 , the control unit  101  updates the phone directory window by displaying the designated speed dial number on the phone directory edit window. Then, the algorithm is terminated.  
      When the cancel key is selected, the control unit  101  closes the speed dial number designation pop-up window  400  in step  219 . Then, the algorithm is terminated.  
      When the number key is selected, the control unit  101  sets a background color to the selected number and displays it in step  221 . In step  223 , the control unit  101  determines whether the selected number is a number designated as the speed dial number of a specific phone number. When the selected number is not the number designated as the speed dial number, the process returns to step  211 . When the selected number is the number designated as the speed dial number, the control unit  101  displays the phone number information on the pop-up window in step  225 . The phone number information may be a corresponding phone number and a corresponding recipient&#39;s name. In addition, the pop-up window has a delete key. When the user selects the delete key, the control unit  101  informs the user that the speed dial number designation can be cancelled. In step  227 , the control unit  101  determines whether the delete key is selected. When the delete key is not selected, the process proceeds to step  211 . On the other hand, when the delete key is selected, the control unit  101  cancels the speed dial number designation. Then, the process returns to step  211 . In  FIG. 4 , a recipient&#39;s name “KANG A-GOM” and a phone number “010-111-2222” to which a speed dial number 26 is designated may be displayed under the selected number  409  on the pop-up window  411 . The delete key may be displayed in a wastebasket shape on the pop-up window  411 . When the user selects the delete key, the speed dial number designation can be cancelled.  
      From the above description, it is apparent that the number designated as the speed dial number, the number undesignated as the speed dial number, the selected number, and the number to which the speed dial number is previously designated can be differentiated by setting different background colors and text colors to them. Moreover, specific patterns can be inserted.  
      As described above, when the speed dial number is designated, the mobile communication terminal according to the present invention displays the speed dial number designation pop-up window on which numbers are arranged, and designates one of the numbers as the speed dial number of a specific phone number. Therefore, the user can check the designation state of the speed dial numbers and can easily designate/cancel the speed dial number.  
      While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.