Simultaneous nationwide update of database information on mobile communications devices

Abstract

A system and method for supporting updates of database contact information to mobile communications devices includes a system having a data entry computer for compiling database contact information for a group of mobile communications devices, a service provider computer server in signal communication with the data entry computer for uploading the database contact information into the service provider computer server and for downloading the database contact information substantially simultaneously to the group of mobile communications devices, and a mobile communications device in signal communication with the service provider computer server for receiving the database contact information and for updating its own global logical database; wherein the method for supporting updates of database contact information to mobile communications devices includes the steps of compiling database contact information for a group of mobile communications devices, uploading the database contact information to a service provider computer server, and downloading the database contact information to the group of mobile communications devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for supporting updates of database contact information to containing at least one contact name with an associated contact number on a mobile communications devices, the method comprising:
 compiling database contact information for a group of mobile communications devices, each mobile communications device including a local database and a global database; 
 uploading the database contact information to a master database of a service provider computer server; 
 downloading the database contact information to and updating each global database of the group of mobile communications devices, wherein the database contact information comprises a plurality of contact names and an associated telephone number for each contact name; 
 entering database contact information directly into a mobile communications device, said mobile communications device including a local database and a global database; and 
 enabling a user to indicate whether the entered information is to remain local or global, wherein local information is stored in the local database to be stored only on that mobile communications device and global information is stored in the global database, said global information being sent to the service provider computer server to update the master database. 
 downloading via a wireless interface of the mobile communications device database contact information contained in a master database of a service provider computer server to a global database of the mobile communications device to update the global database; 
 providing a signal path that excludes the wireless interface to enable a user to enter database contact information into the mobile communications device; and 
 providing a selectable option for entering the database contact information on the mobile communications device, the selectable option controlling whether the user entered contact information is to remain local or global, wherein local contact information is stored in a local database of the mobile communications device and global contact information is stored in the global database, the global contact information contained in the global database being responsive to a command for uploading the global contact information to the service provider computer server to update the master database. 
 
     
     
       2. A method as defined in  claim 1  wherein said compiling is performed on a data entry computer having a full alphanumeric keyboard. 
     
     
       3. A method as defined in  claim 1  wherein said the uploading is performed over an internet a wide area network. 
     
     
       4. A method as defined in  claim 1  wherein said the downloading is performed substantially simultaneously to each member of the a group of mobile communications devices. 
     
     
       5. A method as defined in  claim 1  wherein said downloading is performed via a wireless links interface to each member of the a group of mobile communications devices. 
     
     
       6. A method as defined in claim  1  5 wherein the group of mobile communications devices is a subset of the mobile communications devices serviced by the service provider computer server. 
     
     
       7. A method as defined in claim  1  5 wherein the group of mobile communications devices is one of a plurality of groups serviced by the service provider computer server. 
     
     
       8. A method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the database contact information further comprises a Database Number Type parameter. 
     
     
       9. A method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 locally storing the entered contact information in a local logical database if the information is to be kept private; 
 globally storing the entered contact information in a global logical database if the information is to be shared with a group; 
 uploading information to be shared to the service provider computer server; and 
 updating the database contact information for the group to reflect the uploaded information to be shared. 
 
     
     
       10. A method as defined in  claim 9  wherein said entering is performed manually via a keypad. 
     
     
       11. A method as defined in  claim 9  wherein said entering is performed automatically in response to Caller ID information. 
     
     
       12. A method as defined in  claim 9  wherein said globally storing requires an affirmative decision by a user. 
     
     
       13. A method as defined in  claim 9  wherein said uploading is performed via a wireless link interface. 
     
     
       14. A method as defined in  claim 9  wherein said uploading is performed via a cellular network. 
     
     
       15. A method as defined in  claim 1  wherein said downloading comprises downloading a Mobile Database Update message. 
     
     
       16. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for supporting updates of database contact information to mobile communications devices, the method steps comprising:
 compiling database contact information for a group of mobile communications devices, each mobile communications device including a local database and a global database; 
 uploading the database contact information to a master database of a service provider computer server; 
 downloading via a wireless interface of a mobile communications device the database contact information to and updating each global database of the group of mobile communications devices, wherein the database contact information comprises a plurality of contact names and an associated telephone number for each contact name; 
 entering database contact information directly into a the mobile communications device, said the mobile communications device including a local database and a global database; and 
 determining whether the entered information is to remain local or global, wherein local information is stored in the local database to be stored only on that mobile communications device and global information is stored in the global database, said the global information being sent to the service provider computer server to update the master database. 
 
     
     
       17. A program storage device as defined in  claim 16 , the method steps further comprising:
 locally storing the entered contact information in a local logical database if the information is to be kept private; 
 globally storing the entered contact information in a global logical database if the information is to be shared with a group; 
 uploading information to be shared to the service provider computer server; and 
 updating the database contact information for the group to reflect the uploaded information to be shared. 
 
     
     
       18. A system for supporting updates of database contact information to mobile communications devices, the system comprising:
 compiling means for compiling database contact information for a group of mobile communications devices, each mobile communications device including a local database and a global database; 
 uploading means for uploading the database contact information to a master database of a service provider computer server; 
 downloading and updating means for downloading the database contact information to and updating each global database of the group of mobile communications devices via a wireless interface of a mobile communications device, wherein the database contact information comprises a plurality of at least one contact names and name with an associated telephone number for each contact name; 
 entering means for entering database contact information directly into a the mobile communications device, said the mobile communications device including a local database and a global database; and 
 determining means for determining whether the entered information is to remain local or global, wherein local information is stored in the local database to be stored only on that mobile communications device and global information is stored in the global database, said the global information being sent to the service provider computer server to update the master database. 
 
     
     
       19. A system as defined in  claim 18 , further comprising:
 locally storing means for locally storing the entered contact information in a local logical database if the information is to be kept private; 
 globally storing means for globally storing the entered contact information in a global logical database if the information is to be shared with a group; 
 uploading means for uploading information to be shared to the service provider computer server; and 
 updating means for updating the database contact information for the group to reflect the uploaded information to be shared. 
 
     
     
       20. A system for supporting updates of database contact information to mobile communications devices comprising:
 a data entry computer for compiling database contact information for a group of mobile communications devices, each mobile communications device including a local database and a global database; 
 a service provider computer server in signal communication with the data entry computer for uploading the database contact information into a master database of the service provider computer server and for downloading the database contact information substantially simultaneously to each global database of the group of mobile communications devices; and 
 a mobile communications device in signal communication with the a service provider computer server for receiving the database contact information and for updating its own global logical database, wherein the mobile device further comprises:
 entering means for entering database contact information directly into said the mobile communications device; 
 determining means for enabling a user to determine whether the entered information is to remain local or global; 
 
 a local database for locally storing the entered contact information in a local logical database if the information is to be stored only on that mobile communications device; and 
 a global database for globally storing the entered contact information in a global logical database if the information is to be shared with a group, wherein global information is sent to the service provider computer server to update the master database. 
 
     
     
       21. A system as defined in  claim 20 , further comprising:
 an interneta wide area network coupled in signal communication between the data entry computer and the service provider computer server; and 
 a cellular network coupled in signal communication between the service provider computer server and the mobile communications device. 
 
     
     
       22. A system as defined in  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a base station coupled in signal communication between the cellular network and the mobile communications device. 
 
     
     
       23. A system as defined in  claim 22 , further comprising:
 a wireless link interface coupled in signal communication between the base station and the mobile communications device. 
 
     
     
       24. A system as defined in  claim 20 , further comprising:
 a plurality of mobile communications devices, each in signal communication with the service provider computer server for receiving the database contact information. 
 
     
     
       25. A mobile communications device for supporting updates of database contact information containing at least one contact name with an associated contact number, comprising: a global database; a wireless interface for downloading database contact information contained in a master database of a service provider computer server to the global database to update contact information contained in the global database; an input for enabling a user to enter database contact information into the mobile communications device via a signal path that excludes the wireless interface; and a local database responsive to a command for selecting whether the user entered contact information is to remain local or global, wherein local contact information is stored in the local database and global contact information is stored in the global database, the global database being responsive to a command for uploading the global contact information contained in the global database to the service provider computer server to update the master database in a manner to exclude the local contact information of the local database, wherein the uploaded global contact information becomes available for downloading by a mobile communications device having similar downloading capability.