Mobile Terminal Contact Management via Social Network Grouping

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current mobile terminals lack an efficient and user-friendly contact management system that allows for convenient grouping and operation of multiple contacts, limiting the functionality and usability of contact-related services.

Innovation Solution

A mobile terminal with a user interface that enables users to designate and connect multiple contacts, allowing for different operations to be performed on main and auxiliary contacts, such as linking contacts, configuring storage areas, and performing specific operations like messaging or calling, enhancing contact management and user convenience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a mobile terminal provides basic contact management functions, then contact storage and retrieval are achieved, but the system lacks efficient grouping and multi-contact operation capabilities

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact management functionalityVSAvoiduser convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments contact management into hierarchical groups (main contacts, auxiliary contacts, and group contacts) where each segment can be independently managed. Users can create multiple groups with different purposes and manage contacts within each group separately, enabling efficient organization without overwhelming the user interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a universal contact management system that can perform multiple operations (messaging, calling, data sharing) across different contact types (individual contacts, auxiliary contacts, and groups) through a unified interface. The same operational commands work regardless of whether the user is interacting with a single contact or a group of contacts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the contact management system supports multiple contact types and operations, then functionality is enhanced, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact management functionalityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a nested structure where auxiliary contacts are nested within main contacts, and both are nested within group contacts. This hierarchical nesting allows the system to manage complex relationships between multiple contacts while presenting a simplified view to users through the group contact interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges multiple contact types (main contacts, auxiliary contacts) and multiple operations (messaging, calling, data sharing) into a unified group contact interface. This consolidation allows the system to handle diverse contact management needs through a single, simplified interface rather than requiring separate interfaces for each contact type and operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS8954031B2Mobile terminal using contact information from a social network service and method thereof

Publication Date: 2015.02.10 LG ELECTRONICS INC

AI summary

There is disclosed a mobile terminal for providing a convenient and effective contact management function by providing differentiated services for two or more connected contacts, respectively. To this end, there is provided an operation control method of a mobile terminal, and the method may include displaying a contact list containing a plurality of contacts; designating a first contact in the contact list as a first recipient according to a user's input; designating at least one second contact as a second recipient when there exists the at least one second contact connected to the first contact; and performing a first operation for the first recipient, and performing a second operation subordinate to the first operation for the second recipient.