Patent ID: 7636082

Claim:
A dialing method used in a device comprising a keypad, the keypad comprising a plurality of dual-purpose keys and non-numerical-purpose keys, the dual-purpose key having different input definitions in a letter mode and a number mode, and the non-numerical-purpose key without numerical input definition, comprising: receiving at least one keystrokes, and generating an input sequence corresponding thereto; if any keystroke corresponds to one of the non-numerical-purpose keys, retrieving a first address record conforming to a letter input definition of the input sequence in the letter mode from an address book for dialing accordingly, in which the first address record comprises at least one letter data field, and the letter input definition matches the beginning of the letter data field of the first address record; and retrieving a second address record conforming to the letter input definition of the input sequence in the letter mode from an address book for dialing accordingly, in which the second address record comprises at least one letter data field, and the letter input definition matches any position of content from the second character to the last character of the letter data field of the second address record; and if the keystrokes correspond to the dual-purpose keys, retrieving a third address record conforming to the letter input definition of the input sequence in the letter mode from the address book for dialing accordingly; retrieving a fourth address record conforming to a numerical input definition of the input sequence in the number mode from the address book for dialing accordingly, in which the fourth address record comprises at least one number data field, and the numerical input definition matches the beginning of the number data field of the fourth address record; and excluding a fifth address record, in which the fifth address record comprises at least one letter data field, and at least one number data field, and the numerical input definition matches the letter data field, but not the number data field of the fifth address record.