Mobile Phone Call Information Lookup via Directory Services
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices lack mechanisms to enhance telephone call information, such as identifying unknown callers and simplifying the process of entering phone numbers for outgoing calls, relying on user input and local address books without integrated lookup services.
Innovation Solution
Integration of reverse telephone number lookup for incoming calls and forward lookup for outgoing calls, utilizing a mobile device's phone application to access local and remote contact sources, including a directory service, to provide enhanced call information and email address lookups.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If mobile telephones provide greater onboard information and access to wireless services, then the device functionality and information availability are improved, but the ability to enhance telephone call information remains insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the phone application with integrated lookup services (both local address book and remote directory services) to create a unified system that enhances telephone call information. This merging allows the device to leverage existing information resources to identify callers and provide call details without requiring separate standalone applications or services.
2Ease of operation
If mobile telephones provide no mechanism to identify unknown callers, then the device simplicity is maintained, but the caller identification capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary lookup service that acts as a bridge between the incoming call and the user. When a call is received, the system automatically queries local and remote directory services to resolve the caller's identity, then presents this information to the user. This intermediary process occurs transparently in the background, maintaining ease of operation while enabling caller identification.
3Reliability
If mobile telephones require user input of telephone number or presence in local address book, then the device security and data privacy are maintained, but the ease of making outgoing calls is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary lookup actions by querying directory services before the user initiates a call. The system proactively retrieves contact information from both local and remote sources, preparing the call interface with available contact details in advance. This preliminary action reduces the user's input burden while maintaining data privacy through controlled access to directory services.
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile device with enhanced telephone call information and a method of using same are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, there is provided a method of providing enhanced phone call information on a mobile communication device, comprising: receiving an incoming call on the device; identifying a contact name in an address book stored in a memory of the device in accordance with a phone number associated with the incoming call when the contact name is not provided with the incoming call; identifying a contact name in a remote contact source in accordance with a phone number associated with the incoming call when the contact name is not provided with the incoming call and not found in the address book stored in a memory of the device; and displaying the identified contact name in a user interface screen on a display screen of the device.