Abstract:
The present disclosure is a method for providing a plurality of screens in an idle state of a mobile terminal, comprising; allocating at least one application program to each of the screens, based on a user selection; displaying a first screen among the plurality of screens in the idle state; receiving a screen switch request from a user; and turning the screens one by one based on the screen switch request so as to display the at least one application program allocated to each of the screens.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/911,277 filed on Oct. 11, 2007, which is the National Phase application of International Application No. PCT/KR2006/002302, filed Jun. 15, 2006, which designates the United States and was published in English. This application, in its entirety, is incorporated herein by reference the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for providing a spin-home function for a mobile communication terminal. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for providing a spin-home function for a mobile communication terminal so that, when a user of the mobile communication terminal, which includes a key input module, a microprocessor, a program memory, a data storage module, and an LCD display module, designates an application, which is stored in the program memory, as a spin-home and runs a spin-home program, the application, which has been designated as the spin-home, is circulated and displayed on the LCD display module every time the user operates a specific key. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     As generally known in the art, mobile communication systems have evolved from 1.sup.st generation analog AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone System) and 2.sup.nd generation cellular/PCS (Personal Communication Service) systems into 3.sup.rd generation IMT-2000 (International Mobile Telecommunication 2000), which has been recently standardized by ITU-R and commercialized in line with development in information/communication technologies. The IMT-2000 includes CDMA 2000 1X, 3X, EV-DO, and WCDMA (Wideband CDMA) and uses an IS-95SC network, which has evolved from conventional IS-95A and IS-95B networks, so that it can provide a wireless Internet service at a maximum data transmission rate of 144 Kbps, which is substantially faster than that of the IS-95A or IS-95B network (14.4 Kbps or 56 Kbps). Particularly, the IMT-2000 not only improves the quality of conventional voice communication service and WBS (Wireless Broadcasting Service), but also provides various multimedia services (e.g. AOD, VOD) at a faster speed. 
     Such evolution of mobile communication systems are followed by evolution of mobile communication terminals into multipurpose devices, which can provide various types of applications in addition to basic voice communication. Users can download various pieces of multimedia data, such as images, moving pictures, music, and games, and run the data by using mobile communication terminals. Mobile communication terminals incorporate various types of convenient functions (e.g. electronic organizer, photo editor, camera). In addition, mobile communication terminals can realize colorful graphic environment on the idle screen, as a result of improved performance of LCD drivers. 
     The idle screen is a starting point for using various applications provided by mobile communication terminals. Furthermore, each user can decorate the idle screen with his favorite photo, image, or animation and express his own personality. 
     Particularly, a user of a conventional mobile communication terminal can download a photo, image, or animation from the service provider and decorate the idle screen with it by using a WAP script. Alternatively, the user may set up the idle screen by downloading a non-interactive application (phone theme) or an interactive application (e.g. “1 mm” or “MoA” service available from SK Telecom., Inc.) and installing it. 
     Korean Registered Patent No. 10-0486516 discloses a method for using a frequently-used application (e.g. schedule management, text message, address book) for the idle screen of a mobile communication terminal so that its user can directly run the application without complicated steps of operation. This method seeks to enhance the functionality of the mobile communication terminal, in addition to enabling the user to set up the idle screen as desired in an attempt to express his personality. 
     However, conventional methods for setting up the idle screen have the following problems. 
     First, once an application is used for the idle screen, it is impossible to present another application on the same idle screen. 
     Second, when another application is to be used for the idle screen, tree-structured menu items must be searched through a number of steps, which renders it inconvenient to modify the idle screen. 
     Third, although basic applications (e.g. address book, text message) may be given shortcuts on the key input module for direct access, the limited number of key buttons on the terminal makes it impossible to assign shortcuts to all of the ever-increasing applications. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide an apparatus and a method for providing a spin-home function for a mobile communication terminal so that, when a user of the mobile communication terminal, which includes a key input module, a microprocessor, a program memory, a data storage module, and an LCD display module, designates an application, which is stored in the program memory, as a spin-home and runs a spin-home program, the application, which has been designated as the spin-home, is circulated and displayed on the LCD display module every time the user operates a specific key. 
     In order to accomplish this object, there is provided a method for providing a spin-home function for a mobile communication terminal having a key input module, a microprocessor, a program memory, a data storage module, and an LCD display module so that applications are circulated and displayed on an idle screen, the method including the steps of (a) designating at least one application as a spin-home; (b) running a spin-home program stored in the program memory, when a user operates a first key button for driving the spin-home program, and displaying a first application designated as the spin-home on the LCD display module; (c) circulating next application designated as the spin-home and displaying the application on the LCD display module every time the user operates a second key button for circulating the idle screen; and (d) setting an application currently displayed on the LCD display module as the idle screen when the user operates a confirmation key button. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus for providing a spin-home function for a mobile communication terminal, the apparatus including a program memory for storing a spin-home program adapted to circulate and display at least one application designated as a spin-home when a user operates a key; a data storage module acting as a data buffer when the spin-home program is run by the mobile communication terminal, the data storage module temporarily storing data inputted by the user or storing character or image data received by the mobile communication terminal from an outside; a key input module for inputting characters and numbers, the key input module having a special key for causing a predetermined function of the mobile communication terminal to be run; an LCD display module for displaying operating conditions of the mobile communication terminal together with date and time, the operating conditions including power utilization condition and radio wave reception strength; and a microprocessor for running the spin-home program, when the user operates a key button for driving the spin-home program, and controlling the LCD display module so as to display a first application designated as the spin-home, the microprocessor controlling the LCD display module so as to display next application in accordance with the spin-home program when the user operates a key button for circulating an idle screen. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows the construction of a mobile communication terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a flowchart showing a method for providing a spin-home for a mobile communication terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIGS. 3   a  to  3   d  show the screen of a mobile communication terminal, which has a dedicated spin-home key button, when the terminal provides a spin-home function; 
         FIGS. 4   a  to  4   f  show the screen of a mobile communication terminal, which has conventional key buttons, when the terminal provides a spin-home function; and 
         FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b  show the screen of a mobile communication terminal when a screen setup program is run. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description and drawings, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components, and so repetition of the description on the same or similar components will be omitted. 
       FIG. 1  shows the construction of a mobile communication terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     A mobile communication terminal  100  according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure includes a program memory  102 ; a key input module  104 ; an LCD display module  106 ; a data storage module  108 ; a mode state storage module  110 ; a subscriber identity module  112 ; a microprocessor  114 ; a digital signal processor  116 ; a baseband converter  118 ; a speaker  120 ; a microphone  122 ; an RF (radio frequency) signal processor  124 ; and an antenna  126 . The key input module  104  according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure has numeric keys for inputting numbers (e.g. telephone numbers), character keys for inputting characters, function keys for performing specific functions, and direction keys. When the user presses a key button, the key input module  104  generates key data, which corresponds to the pressed key button, and transmits the data to the microprocessor  114 . Particularly, the key input module  104  may separately have a dedicated spin-home key button for providing a spin-home function. 
     The program memory  102  according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure stores protocol software for processing messages transmitted/received to/from a mobile communication network, an operating system, a control program for controlling the overall operation of the mobile communication terminal, and applications. Particularly, the program memory  102  stores a spin-home program for circulating at least one application, which has been designated as a spin-home, and displaying it on the LCD display module  106  when the user operates the dedicated spin-home key button, which is separately installed on the key input module  102 , or one of existing key buttons. 
     Preferably, the program memory  102  additionally stores a screen setup program for displaying application items, which have been designated as the spin-home, on the LCD display module when the user operates a specific key button while the mobile communication terminal is in an idle mode. When the user selects one or more of the items, the spin-home setup of the selected application is toggled on/off in accordance with the users selection. 
     The program memory  102  may store a program for managing the contact addresses of persons, with whom the user of the mobile communication terminal  100  makes frequent contact, and displaying the list of a predetermined number of contact addresses in the order of frequent contact on the LCD display module  106  when the user operates a specific key. In addition, the program memory  102  may store a program for extracting contact addresses, to which shortcuts have been assigned, and displaying the list of contact addresses on the LCD display module  106  when the user operates a specific key. 
     The program memory  102  may also contain a program for creating a list of recently used applications and displaying it on the LCD display module  106 . 
     In addition, the program memory  102  preferably stores a shortcut program for implementing a function similar to that of shortcut icons on the base screen of conventional computers. Particularly, when the user assigns a shortcut to at least one application, an icon is designated for the application. When the user operates a key for selecting a shortcut icon screen in an idle mode, the LCD display module  106  displays the shortcut on the screen. When the user selects a specific icon on the shortcut icon screen, a corresponding application is driven. Although the program automatically designates an icon for the application in this case, the user may select a desired icon. 
     The program memory  120  for storing various programs may be an EEPROM (electrically erasable and programmable read only memory), for example, which can not only read, but also electrically erase recorded data and rerecord data. Each program may be implemented by using a C programming language, objected-oriented C++, or JAVA, depending on the operating system supported by the mobile communication terminal. 
     Any of the above-mentioned list of frequently used contact addresses, list of contact addresses having shortcuts assigned thereto, list of recently used application, and shortcut icon screen may be designated as the spin-home, which is displayed on the LCD display module  106  one by one every time the user operates a key button for circulating the idle screen. 
     The data storage module  108  according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure usually acts as a data buffer when the mobile communication terminal  100  runs a program. The data storage module  108  temporarily stores data inputted by the key input module  102 . In addition, the data storage module  108  stores other pieces of data, including characters and images received by the mobile communication terminal  100  from the outside. The data storage module  108  may be a RAM (random access memory), for example. 
     The LCD display module  106  according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure displays the operating conditions of the mobile communication terminal  100 , including power utilization and radio wave reception strength, together with date and time. When the user operates a key button for circulating the idle screen, the LCD display module  106  replaces the application, which has been designated as the spin-home, with a new one and displays it. 
     The microprocessor  114  according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure controls the overall operation of the mobile communication terminal  100  in accordance with a state flag stored in the mode state storage module  110 . Particularly, when the user operates a key button for running a spin-home program and generates a corresponding signal, the microprocessor  114  reads the signal and outputs a spin-home program, which is stored in the program memory  102 , to the data storage module  108 . Then, the program is run. The microprocessor  114  loads a first application, which has been designated as a spin-home, onto the data storage module in accordance with the program and controls the LCD display module so as to display the application. When the user operates a key button for circulating the idle screen, the microprocessor loads the next application, which has been designated as the spin-home, onto the data storage module in accordance with the spin-home program, which is currently run. Then, the microprocessor controls the LCD display module so as to replace the first application with the next application and display it. 
     The key button for running the spin-home program or circulating the idle screen may be a dedicated spin-home key button separately installed on the key input module  102  of the mobile communication terminal  100 , as mentioned above. Alternatively, existing key buttons may be used to implement the function of the dedicated spin-home key button. For example, when a downward movement button is operated while the mobile communication terminal  100  is in an idle mode, the spin-home program is driven. When a leftward or rightward movement button is operated in this condition, the LCD display module  106  circulates and displays each application, which has been designated as the spin-home, as will be described later in more detail. 
     The mode state storage module  110  stores the current operating mode of the mobile communication terminal  100  as a state flag ( 0 ,  1 ,  2  . . . ) in accordance with the selection made via the key input module  102 . The subscriber identity module  112  stores subscriber registration information (e.g. proper number, personal security key), which is allocated to each subscriber&#39;s terminal. 
     The digital signal processor (hereinafter, referred to as DSP)  116  acts as an equalizer for coding or decoding audio signals and removing multi-path noise, in addition to processing audio data. The DSP  116  transmits/receives audio data SPEECH to/from the baseband converter  118 . In addition, the DSP  116  receives digital data RX DATA from the baseband converter  118 . 
     The baseband converter  118  converts signals, which are transmitted/received among the RF signal processor  124 , the DSP  116 , the speaker  120 , and the microphone  122 , into baseband signals through DAC (digital to analog conversion) and ADC (analog to digital conversion). The baseband converter  118  sends transmission data TXIQ to the RF signal processor  124  and controls the power POWER of the RF signal processor  124  or automatically controls its gain AGC. In addition, the baseband signal processor  124  gets reception signal RXIQ from the RF signal processor  124 . 
     The RF signal processor  124  demodulates and amplifies RF signals received from the antenna  126 . In addition, the RF signal processor  124  modulates transmission signals from the baseband converter  118  and emits them into propagation space. The speaker  120  outputs audible sound based on the audio data from the baseband converter  118  and converts the users voice input into electric signals. 
     The antenna  126  receives signals from the RF signal processor  124  and transmits them to the outside, and vice versa. 
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart showing a method for providing a spin-home for a mobile communication terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     The user of the mobile communication terminal  100  designates at least one application as a spin-home (S 200 ). Particularly, the user selects a spin-home addition/deletion item from menu items of each application and generates a corresponding signal. Then, the microprocessor  114  reads the signal and adds/deletes spin-home number data to/from the selected application. When a spin-home program is run at a later time, each application is circulated and displayed in the order of its number. The user may drive a screen setup program and conveniently modify the spin-home on/off setup of the application, which has been designated as the spin-home. Particularly, when a specific key button (e.g. upward movement key button) is operated while the mobile communication terminal  100  is in an idle mode and a corresponding signal is generated, the microprocessor  114  reads the signal and outputs a screen setup program to the data storage module  108 , which is then run. In addition, the microprocessor  114  displays application items, which have been designated as the spin-home, on the LCD display module  106 . Then, the user selects at least one of the displayed items and generates a corresponding signal. The microprocessor  114  reads the signal and toggles on/off the spin-home setup of the selected application. If the spin-home setup of an application is toggled off, it is not displayed on the LCD display module  106  even when the spin-home program is run. 
     Applications designated as the spin-home include schedule management, address book, list of recently used applications, game, text message, and shortcut icon screen, as well as image or moving picture in a broader sense. In the case of address book, the contact address of a specific person, which has been selected by the user, may be designated as the spin-home. It is also possible to designate the contact addresses of persons, which have shortcuts assigned thereto, or a number of frequently used contact addresses, which have been automatically selected by the microprocessor, as the spin-home. 
     The microprocessor  114  monitors if the key button for driving the spin-home program is operated (S 210 ). When the key button is operated, the microprocessor  114  drives the spin-home program and displays the first application (i.e. application having the smallest spin-home number) of the applications, which have been designated as the spin-home, on the LCD display module  106  (S 220 ). 
     When the user operates the key button for circulating the idle screen and generates a corresponding signal, the microprocessor  114  reads the signal (S 230 ). Then, the microprocessor  114  replaces the first application with the next application, which has been designated as the spin-home, and displays it on the LCD display module  106  (S 240 ). 
     When the user operates the confirmation key button OK, the microprocessor  114  sets up the idle screen by using the application, which is currently displayed on the LCD display module  106  (S 250 , S 260 ). Otherwise, the microprocessor  114  returns to step S 230 . 
       FIGS. 3   a  to  3   d  show the screen of a mobile communication terminal, which has a dedicated spin-home key button, when the terminal provides a spin-home function. 
       FIG. 3   a  shows the screen in an idle mode before the spin-home program is run. When the dedicated spin-home key button is operated, the spin-home program is run. At the same time, the screen is switched to a shortcut icon screen, which has a spin-home number of 1, as shown in  FIG. 3   b . Every time the dedicated spin-home button is operated, the schedule management ( FIG. 3   c ), which has a spin-home number of 2, and the list of contact addresses of friends ( FIG. 3   d ), which has a spin-home number of 3, are circulated and displayed. 
       FIGS. 4   a  to  4   f  show the screen of a mobile communication terminal, which has conventional key buttons, when the terminal provides a spin-home function. 
       FIG. 4   a  shows the screen in an idle mode before the spin-home program is run. When the confirmation key button is operated in the idle mode, the terminal accesses a wireless Internet service (e.g. Nate®). When the downward movement key button is operated in the idle mode, the spin-home program is run and switches the screen to a spin-home screen, as shown in  FIG. 4   b . Every time the leftward movement key button is operated, applications having a spin-home number of 2 and 1, respectively, are circulated and displayed ( FIGS. 4   c  and  4   d ). Similarly, every time the rightward movement key button is operated, applications having a spin-home number of 4 and 5, respectively, are circulated and displayed ( FIGS. 4   e  and  4   f ). 
     Although the leftward or rightward movement key button is operated to circulate and display the applications, which have been designated as the spin-home, in  FIGS. 4   a  to  4   f , the role of each key button is not limited to that in the present disclosure. For example, the downward movement key button may be operated to run the spin-home program and display the application, which has the smallest spin-home number. In addition, the left or rightward movement key button may be operated to circulate and display the applications in the ascending or descending order of spin-home number. 
       FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b  show the screen of a mobile communication terminal when a screen setup program is run. 
     When a specific key button (e.g. upward movement key button) is operated in an idle mode ( FIG. 5   a ), the screen setup program is run and displays application items, which have been designated as the spin-home, as shown in  FIG. 5   b . By selecting desired items, the spin-home setup of selected applications is toggled on/off in a convenient manner. 
     Although a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure has been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and idea of the disclosure as disclosed in the accompanying claims. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     As mentioned above, the present disclosure is advantageous in that, even when an application is currently used for the idle screen, it can be easily replaced with another application by single key input. The idle screen setup can also be easily modified. 
     In addition, various applications (e.g. image, animation, address book, schedule management) can be conveniently circulated and displayed on the idle screen without using shortcuts to run the applications.