Apparatus, methods, and computer program products for dialing telephone numbers using alphabetic selections

A method of dialing a telephone number from a communication device that includes an alphanumeric input device that allows selection of a plurality of alphabetic characters and separate selection of a plurality of numeric characters, the method comprising:

• sensing a duration of a user's selection of an alphabetic character that is selected among the plurality of alphabetic characters of the alphanumeric input device;
• selectively translating the sensed alphabetic character into a number based on the duration of selection of the alphabetic character;
• sensing a numeric character that is selected among the plurality of numeric characters separately from the selection of the plurality of alphabetic characters;
• and
• dialing a telephone number that includes the translated number and the sensed numeric character, wherein the communication device includes a keyboard with a plurality of alphabetic keys and a separate plurality of numeric keys, and the sensing a duration of a user's selection of an alphabetic character is in response to a user selecting one of the plurality of alphabetic keys, and the sensing a numeric character is in response to a user separately selecting one of the separate plurality of numeric keys.

A communication device, comprising:

• an alphabetic input device that provides a plurality of alphabetic characters for selection, and that is configured to sense a selection of an alphabetic character;
• a translation circuit that is operative to selectively translate a selected alphabetic character into a number based on a duration of a user's selection of the alphabetic character;
• and
• a dialing circuit that is operative to dial a telephone number that includes the translated number, wherein:
• the alphabetic input device is operative to sense a sequence of a plurality of selected alphabetic characters;
• the translation circuit is operative to translate the sequence of the plurality of selected alphabetic characters into a sequence of numbers;
• and
• the dialing circuit is operative to dial a number that includes the translated sequence of numbers and the selected numeric character.

A computer program product for dialing a telephone number from a communication device that includes an alphabetic input device that allows selection of a plurality of alphabetic characters, the computer program product comprising program code embodied in a computer-readable storage medium, the computer program code comprising:

• program code for sensing an alphabetic character that is selected among the plurality of alphabetic characters of the alphabetic input device;
• program code for selectively translating the sensed alphabetic character into a number based on a duration of a user's selection of the alphabetic character;
• and
• program code for dialing a telephone number that includes the translated number, wherein the program code for translating the sensed alphabetic character comprises:
• program code for providing a correspondence between the plurality of alphabetic characters and a plurality of numbers;
• and
• program code for identifying as the translated number, one of the plurality of numbers that corresponds to the sensed alphabetic character.