Terminal and display method used in the terminal

Provided is a terminal and a display method used in the terminal capable of analyzing images that are mainly selected by a user from among images to be displayed by the terminal and firstly displaying the selected images, although the terminal needs to display more images than the maximum number of images that the terminal can simultaneously display, so that it is possible to reduce the inconvenience of performing a scrolling operation to select an image.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0097411, filed on Oct. 2, 2006, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a terminal such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), and more particularly, to a terminal having buttons for displaying images and a display method for the terminal.

2. Description of the Related Art

A terminal may be instructed to display more images than the terminal can simultaneously display by default. For example, a user using a terminal having a music reproduction function may want to check music files stored in the terminal, and in this case, the terminal may display the titles of the music files stored therein. If it is assumed, for example, that 20 music files are stored in the terminal and the maximum number of titles that the terminal can simultaneously display is 5, the user manipulates buttons such as direction keys of the terminal to scroll the 20 titles. Similarly, a user using a terminal having various functions such as a call function, a short message service function, a music reproduction function, and a motion picture file reproduction function, may want to check what functions the terminal can perform, and in this case, the terminal displays the functions that can be performed. If it is assumed, for example, that the terminal can perform 6 functions and the number of images that the terminal can simultaneously display is 3, the user manipulates buttons such as the direction keys of the terminal to scroll the 6 functions.

Consequently, if the number of images that the terminal user wants to display increases, and the maximum number of images that the terminal can simultaneously display decreases due to size reduction of the terminal, the user has to perform a scrolling operation that takes longer time. As functions of a plurality of terminals are provided to a single terminal, details of a function become more complex, the user can store more files in the terminal, and the number of images to be displayed on the terminal increases. However, as the size of the terminal becomes smaller, the maximum number of images that the terminal can simultaneously display decreases. Therefore, in view of the current trend for integration of the terminal with high-capacity memory and miniaturization of the terminal, user inconvenience further increases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a terminal capable of analyzing images that are mainly selected by a user from among images to be displayed by the terminal and firstly displaying the selected images, although the terminal needs to display more images than the maximum number of images which the terminal can simultaneously display, thereby reducing the user's inconvenience of performing a scrolling operation to select an image.

The present invention also provides a display method capable of analyzing images that are mainly selected by a user from among images to be displayed by a terminal and firstly displaying the selected images, although the terminal needs to display more images than the maximum number of images which the terminal can simultaneously display, thereby reducing the user's inconvenience of performing a scrolling operation to select an image.

The present invention also provides a computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program for performing a display method capable of analyzing images that are mainly selected by a user from among images to be displayed by a terminal and firstly displaying the selected images, although the terminal needs to display more images than the maximum number of images which the terminal can simultaneously display, thereby reducing the user's inconvenience of performing a scrolling operation to select an image.

The attached drawings for illustrating exemplary embodiments of the present invention are referred to in order to gain a sufficient understanding of the present invention, the merits thereof, and the objectives accomplished by the implementation of the present invention.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal including a display unit arranging a plurality of selectable images in response to an arrangement control signal and displaying at least a part of the plurality of images; and a controller generating the arrangement control signal for arranging the plurality of images according to the analyzed number of repeated selections of each of the plurality of images.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display method performed in a terminal, the display method including (a) analyzing the number of repeated selections of each of a plurality of selectable images; and (b) displaying at least a part of the plurality of images to the plurality of the buttons while arranging the plurality of images according to the result of the analyzing.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program performing (a) analyzing the number of repeated selections of each of a plurality of selectable images; and (b) displaying at least a part of the plurality of images to the plurality of the buttons while arranging the plurality of images according to the result of the analyzing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, a terminal and a display method used in the terminal according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1is a block diagram for explaining a terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. The terminal may include a display unit110, a controller140, an image storage unit150, and an arrangement information storage unit160. The image storage unit150may be included in the terminal or provided in a device externally connected to the terminal though a network.

The display unit110may be implemented as one or more display panels (for example, liquid crystal displays (LCDs)) and displays images through the display panels. For the convenience of description, the display unit110is assumed to be implemented as a single display panel.

For the convenience of description, it is assumed that the terminal has a plurality of buttons130-1, . . . ,130-n, . . . ,130-N (hereinafter, referred to as display buttons) and buttons without a display function (hereinafter, referred to as non-display buttons). Here, n and N are integers and satisfy the condition1<n<N (where, N is an integer equal to or greater than 2).

In this case, the sub display unit130may be integrated with the plurality of the display buttons130-1, . . . ,130-n, . . . ,130-N, that is, the first to N-th display buttons130-1to130-N. Each of the display buttons130-1to130-N has an image display function, and the plurality of the display buttons can display maximum N images.

The display unit110may display a plurality of selectable images. For the convenience of description, it is assumed that a plurality of images to be displayed by the display unit110are all selectable images.

Image selection is performed by a terminal user.

The user may want to select an image displayed on the main display unit120. In this case, the user may instruct the selection to the terminal by touching a part of the selected image or manipulating one of the display buttons130-1to130-N. In the present invention, manipulation of a button may mean pressing the button or touching the button.

Hereinafter, for the convenience of description, it is assumed that the image to be selected by the user is one image from among the images displayed by the display buttons130-1to130-N. In this case, the user may instruct the selection to the terminal by manipulating one of the display buttons130-1to130-N on which the selected image is displayed.

The maximum number of images that the display unit110can simultaneously display (hereinafter, referred to as the number of simultaneously displayable images) is determined according to the hardware characteristics of the display110. For example, the number of simultaneously displayable images is N+1. It is already assumed that the main display unit120displays a single image at a time.

The number M (M is an integer and M>N) of images to be displayed by the display unit110may exceed the number of simultaneously displayable images. This situation may occur frequently due to the high-integration of the terminal with a large capacity memory and the miniaturization of the terminal.

When the number of images to be displayed exceeds the number of simultaneously displayable images, the user may scroll a plurality of the displayable images by manipulating the display buttons130-1to130-N. More specifically, when the display buttons130-1to130-N are arranged in a row, the user slides a finger on the display buttons in one direction (for example, the right direction) or in the opposite direction (for example, the left direction) to scroll all of the plurality of the images to be displayed. To do this, the display buttons130-1to130-N may be include one or more touch sensors.

When the number of the images to be displayed exceeds the number of simultaneously displayable images, the user manipulates the display buttons130-1to130-N to scroll all of the images to be displayed as described above, or manipulates scroll buttons such as direction keys to scroll all of the images to be displayed. The scroll buttons may be non-display buttons (for example, non-display buttons on which arrows are marked) or display buttons (for example, display buttons displaying arrows). Hereinafter, for the convenience of description, it is assumed that the user manipulates scroll buttons to scroll all of the images to be displayed.

The controller140generates a display control signal, and the image storage unit150stores image data including all images that the display unit110can display.

The controller140reads image data corresponding to the selected image from the image data stored in the image storage unit150and generates the display control signal.

In the current embodiment, the display control signal means a signal for displaying the image(s) corresponding to the read image data. More specifically, the display control signal is a signal for displaying the image(s) corresponding to image data corresponding to the result of manipulating a button with respect to the image data stored in the image storage unit150. The button may mean one of the display buttons130-1to130-N that is manipulated to select a specific image, or the scroll button.

The result of manipulating the button may mean answers to questions such as which button is manipulated from among the display buttons130-1to130-N and the non-display buttons (particularly, the scroll buttons) and which button was manipulated before a current manipulation. Examples of the result of manipulating the button include ‘the third display button130-3has been pressed once and the button pressed right before the third display button130-3is the second display button130-2’, ‘the seventh display button130-7has been pressed for more than a second and a button pressed right before the seventh display button130-7is the first display button130-1’, and ‘an up (↑) direction key has been pressed once and a button pressed right before the up (↑) direction key is also the up (↑) direction key’.

The controller140provides the read image data and the generated display control signal to the display unit110. Correspondingly, the display unit110displays a plurality of images corresponding to the read image data in response to the display control signal. Specifically, the main display unit120displays one or more images in response to the display control signal, and the display buttons130-1to130-N display a plurality of images (i.e., M images in total) in response to the display control signal. The aforementioned ‘a plurality of images to be displayed by the display unit110’ means the plurality of the images to be displayed by the display unit110in response to the display control signal.

The plurality of the images to be displayed by the display unit110are renewed according to a result of manipulating the buttons whenever the display buttons or the non-display buttons are manipulated.

The display control signal may have information on how the images to be displayed are arranged (hereinafter, referred to as arrangement information). The arrangement information of the display control signal is arrangement information set as default information when the terminal is released on the market.

Therefore, the display unit110which operates in response only to the display control signal sequentially arranges the plurality of the images to be displayed. For example, when the number of simultaneously displayable images is 3, and the display control signal instructs 9 images (images a to i) to be arranged in the order of a to i, the display unit110always firstly displays the images a, b, and c. In this case, when the user momentarily presses a scroll button (for example, a down (↓) direction key), the display unit110displays the images b, c, and d, and when the user momentarily presses the scroll button once again, the display unit110displays the images c, d, and e. In this manner, the display unit110also can display the images g, h, and i. As described above, the display unit110which sequentially arranges a plurality of images to be displayed and displays a part of the images (precisely, images corresponding to the number of sequentially displayable images), requires the user scrolling (for example, in the case of a user who mainly selects the image h).

In order to solve this inconvenience, a construction as follows is provided.

The controller140generates an arrangement control signal in addition to the aforementioned display control signal. In the current embodiment, the arrangement control signal is a signal for arranging the images to be displayed by the display unit110according to the analyzed number of repeated selections of each of the images. Therefore, the arrangement information is also included in the arrangement control signal. However, the arrangement information included in the arrangement control signal may be different from the arrangement information of the display control signal.

Operations of generating the arrangement control signal by the controller140are as follows.

The controller140analyzes the number of repeated selections of each of the images to be displayed by the display unit110. The start and end of the analysis may be ordered by manipulating an analysis order button (not shown) provided in the terminal. For example, the user manipulates the analysis order button (not shown) to instruct the controller140to start the analysis, and the user uses the terminal for a week. Thereafter, the user manipulates the analysis order button again to instruct the controller140to end the analysis. In this case, the controller140analyzes the average number of repeated selections of each of the images to be displayed by the display unit110for a week. An analysis period is not limited to one week, and as the analysis period increases, the reliability of the analyzed number of repeated selections also increases. The analysis order button (not shown) may be a kind of a non-display button.

The controller140generates an arrangement control signal for arranging the images to be displayed by the display unit110according to the analyzed numbers of repeated selections. More specifically, the arrangement control signal arranges the images to be displayed according to the analyzed numbers of repeated selections. In the aforementioned example, when it is analyzed that the numbers of repeated selections of the images a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, and i are (3/week), (1/week), (2/week), (4/week), (0/week), (0/week), (10/week), (60/week), and (40/week), respectively, the arrangement control signal instructs the images a to i to be arranged in order of h, i, g, d, a, c, b, e, and f.

The controller140which generates the arrangement control signal outputs the generated arrangement control signal along with the display control signal and the read image data to the display unit110.

Accordingly, the display unit110operates in response to both the display control signal and the arrangement control signal. Arrangement information is included in both the display control signal and the arrangement control signal. However, the display unit110may use the arrangement information included in the arrangement control signal and ignore the arrangement information included in the display control signal.

More specifically, the display unit110displays the plurality of the images to be displayed according to the display control signal while arranging a plurality of the images corresponding to the read image data, that is, a plurality of the images to be displayed by the display unit110according to the arrangement control signal.

When the controller140generates the arrangement control signal, the generated arrangement control signal may be stored in or outside the terminal. For this, the terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention may include an arrangement information storage unit160.

The arrangement information storage unit160stores information on the generated arrangement control signal. In this case, the controller140may read information stored in the arrangement information storage unit160and output an arrangement control signal in the read information to the display unit110.

FIGS. 2A to 2Care reference views for explaining a terminal and a display method used in the terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring toFIGS. 2A to 2C, a reference numeral220denotes an example of the main display unit120shown inFIG. 1, and reference numerals230to236denote an example of the sub display unit130shown inFIG. 1. In addition, N=4, and the number of simultaneously displayable images is 5.

In addition, reference numerals260to267denote a plurality of images to be displayed by the sub display units230to236. Hereinafter, contents of the images denoted by the reference numerals260to267may vary. However, it is assumed that the number of images to be displayed is 8 for the convenience of description.

FIG. 2Bshows the plurality of images to be displayed by the sub display units230to236arranged according to the arrangement information included in the display control signal.FIG. 2Cshows the plurality of images to be displayed by the sub display units230to236arranged according to the arrangement information included in the arrangement control signal.

For the convenience of description, it is assumed that the terminal210has a call function, a short message service function, a record function, a music reproduction function, a picture taking function, a picture reproduction function, a motion picture taking function, a motion picture reproducing function, and an Internet function. The terminal210can simultaneously perform a plurality of functions.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the main display unit220and the sub display units230to236display a plurality of images included in the same level.

More specifically, when the terminal210is performing a function, the main display unit220may display images showing the function which is being performed, and the sub display unit230to236may display images showing ‘functions that can be performed’, that is, ‘functions that can be performed simultaneously with the function which is being performed’.

For example, when the terminal210performs the music reproduction function, the main display unit220needs to display information on a music file which is currently played, and the first to fourth display buttons230to236need to display 8 images including an image260showing the call function, an image261showing the short message service function, an image262showing the record function, an image263showing the picture taking function, an image264showing the picture reproduction function, an image265showing the motion picture taking function, an image266showing the motion picture reproduction function, and an image267showing the Internal retrieval function.

In this case, the main display unit220displays the information on the music file that is currently played, and since the maximum number of images which can be simultaneously displayed is 4, the first to fourth display buttons230to236displays four images of the 8 images260to267arranged according to the arrangement information. Specifically, the first to fourth display buttons230to236firstly display the image260showing the call function, the image261showing the short message service function, the image262showing the record function, and the image263showing the picture taking function. Here, when the user momentarily presses a down direction key250once, the first to fourth display buttons230to236displays the image261showing the short message service function, the image262showing the record function, the image263showing the picture taking function, and the image264showing the picture reproduction function. When the user momentarily presses the down direction key250once more, the first to fourth display buttons230to236display the image262showing the record function, the image263showing the picture taking function, and the image264showing the picture reproduction function, and the image265showing the motion picture taking function. According to this manner, in order for the first to fourth display buttons230to236which currently display the image260showing the call function, the image261showing the short message service function, the image262showing the record function, and the image263showing the picture taking function, to display the image264showing the picture reproduction function, the image265showing the motion picture taking function, the image266showing the motion picture reproduction function, and the image267showing the Internal retrieval function, the user have to momentarily press the down direction key250four times. This button input system is based on the arrangement information included in the display control signal.

A user who mainly makes a call or uses a short message service by using the terminal210may not feel inconvenience due to the button input system. However, a user who mainly sees motion pictures and connects to the Internet by using the terminal210may feel inconvenience due to the button input system. In order to solve the inconvenience, a construction for generating an arrangement control signal by the controller140is provided.

The controller140analyzes the number of repetitions of selection of each of the 8 images260to267and generates the arrangement control signal used to rearrange the 8 images according to the analyzed numbers of repeated selections. When the numbers of repeated selections of the 8 images260to267are 5/week, 60/week, 40/week, 10/week, 20/week, 20/week, 100/week, and 70/week (here, an analysis period is not limited to a week), respectively, the first to fourth display buttons230to236need to display the 8 images260to267while arranging the 8 images as shown inFIG. 2C.

In this case, the first to fourth display buttons230to236firstly display the images266showing the motion picture reproduction function, the image267showing the Internet function, and the image261showing the short message service function. When the user momentarily presses the down direction key250once, the first to fourth display buttons230to236display the image267showing the Internet function, the image267showing the short message service function, and the image262showing the record function. When the user momentarily presses the down direction key250once more, the first to fourth display buttons230to236display the image261showing the short message service function, the image262showing the record function, and the image264showing the picture reproduction function. According to this manner, the first to fourth display buttons230to236can display the image265showing the motion picture taking function, the image263showing the picture taking function, and the image260showing the call function.

The terminal210may simultaneously perform a plurality of the functions. In the aforementioned example, when the user wants to see pictures stored in the terminal210while a music file is being reproduced, the user manipulates the up direction key240or the down direction key250properly so as to allow one of the first to fourth display buttons230to236to display the image264showing the picture reproduction function, and the user then selects the image264showing the picture reproduction function. In this case, the main display unit220displays information on the music file that is currently reproduced, and the first to fourth display buttons230to236display four pictures from among pictures to be displayed. When the first to fourth display buttons230to236need to display 8 pictures including pictures a to h260to267, the first to fourth display buttons230to236arrange the 8 pictures260to267as shown inFIG. 2Band display 4 pictures of the 8 pictures. When the controller140generates an arrangement control signal for arranging the 8 pictures260to267as shown inFIG. 2C, the first to fourth display buttons230to237display 4 pictures from among the 8 pictures260to267arranged as shown inFIG. 2C.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of images displayed by the main display unit220and the sub display units230to236belong to a plurality of levels. Specifically, the sub display unit230to236may display images included in a sub-level of a level to which an image displayed by the main display unit220belongs. More specifically, the main display unit220displays an image showing a function that the terminal currently performs and the sub display units230to236may display ‘images showing sub-functions of the function that is currently performed’ and ‘an image for changing a level’. Here, when the image for changing a level is selected, the sub display units230to236display images included in the same level as that of the image displayed by the main display unit220.

For example, when the terminal210performs the picture taking function, the main display unit220needs to display an image shown through a lens (not shown) provided to the terminal210, the first to third display buttons230to234need to display a numeral260showing the remaining battery capacity of the terminal210, a numeral261showing the remaining memory capacity of the terminal210, a numeral262showing the number of pictures stored in the terminal210, a letter263for setting a shutter speed, a letter264for setting zoom-in, a letter265for setting zoom-out, a letter266for setting flash on/off, and a letter267for setting a resolution of a picture to be taken, and the fourth display button236needs to display the image for changing a level.

In this case, the main display unit220displays the image, the fourth display button236displays the image for changing a level, and since the maximum number of simultaneously displayable images is 3, the first to third display buttons230to234display three images of the 8 images260to267arranged according to the arrangement information. Specifically, the first to third display buttons230to234firstly display the numeral260showing the remaining battery capacity of the terminal210, the numeral261showing the remaining memory capacity of the terminal210, and the numeral262showing the number of pictures stored in the terminal210. When the user momentarily presses the down direction key250once, the first to third display buttons230to234display the numeral261showing the remaining memory capacity of the terminal210, the numeral262showing the number of pictures stored in the terminal210, and the letter263for setting a shutter speed. When the user momentarily presses the down direction key250once more, the first to third display buttons230to234display the numeral262showing the number of pictures stored in the terminal210, the letter263for setting a shutter speed, and the letter264for setting zoom-in. According to this manner, in order for the first to third display buttons230to234which currently display the numeral260showing the remaining battery capacity of the terminal210, the numeral261showing the remaining memory capacity of the terminal210, and the numeral262showing the number of pictures stored in the terminal210to display the letter265for setting zoom-out, the letter266for setting flash on/off, and the letter267for setting a resolution of a picture to be taken, the user has to momentarily press the down direction key250five times. This button input system is based on the arrangement information included in the display control signal.

The user who sets the flash on/off and the resolution of a picture whenever taking the picture may feel inconvenience due to the button input system. In order to solve the inconvenience, a construction of generating the arrangement control signal by the controller140is proposed.

The controller140analyzes the number of repeated selections of each of the 8 images260to267and generates the arrangement control signal used to rearrange the 8 images according to the analyzed numbers of repeated selections. When the numbers of repeated selections of the 8 images260to267are, as shown in the above embodiment, 5/week, 60/week, 40/week, 10/week, 20/week, 20/week, 100/week, and 70/week (here, an analysis period is not limited to a week), respectively, the first to third display buttons230to234need to display the 8 images260to267while arranging the 8 images as shown inFIG. 2C.

In this case, the first to third display buttons230to234firstly display the letter266for setting flash on/off, the letter267for setting the resolution of the picture to be taken, and the numeral261showing the remaining memory capacity of the terminal210. Here, when the user momentarily presses the down direction key250once, the first to third display buttons230to234display the letter267for setting the resolution of the picture to be taken, the numeral261showing the remaining memory capacity of the terminal210, and the numeral262showing the number of pictures stored in the terminal210. When the user momentarily presses the down direction key250once more, the first to third display buttons230to234display the numeral261showing the remaining memory capacity of the terminal210, the numeral262showing the number of pictures stored in the terminal210, and the letter264for setting zoom-in. In this manner, the first to third display buttons230to234can display the letter265for setting zoom-out, the letter263for setting the shutter speed, and the numeral260showing the remaining battery capacity of the terminal210.

Accordingly, when the user wants to set the flash on/off, the user need not manipulate the up or down direction key240or250but manipulates the first display button230(that is, selects the letter266for setting the flash on/off) to set the flash on/off. Here, whenever the user manipulates the first display button230, the flash on/off is set while toggling. That is, when the flash is set on, if the user manipulates the first display button230, the flash is set off. On the other hand, when the flash is set off, if the user manipulates the first display button230, the flash is set on.

When the user wants to perform another function besides the picture taking function by using the terminal210and wants to know functions of the terminal210besides the picture taking function, the user can manipulate the fourth display button236(that is, can select the image for changing a level). As described above, when the image for changing a level is selected, the first to fourth display buttons230to236need to display the image260showing the call function, the image261showing the short message service function, the image262showing the record function, and the image263showing the picture taking function, the image264showing the picture reproduction function, the image265showing the motion picture taking function, the image266showing the motion picture reproduction function, and the image267showing the Internal retrieval function. The first to fourth display buttons230to236which operate in response only to the display control signal display four images of the 8 images while arranging the 8 images260to267according to the arrangement information set as default information. Similarly, the first to fourth display buttons230to236which operate in response to both the display control signal and the arrangement control signal display four images of the 8 images while arranging the 8 images260to267according to the arrangement information of the arrangement control signal.

FIG. 3Ais a block diagram for explaining the display unit110shown inFIG. 1. The display unit110includes an information image provider302, a display image processor304, and a display image displayer306.

As described above, the controller140reads image data corresponding to ‘a result of manipulating buttons’ from the image data stored in the image storage unit150. In this case, a plurality of images corresponding to the read image data includes a plurality of information images. The information images mean images displayed by the display buttons130-1to130-N.

The information image provider302receives the read image data and an arrangement control signal from the controller140, arranges the plurality of the information images corresponding to the read image data according to arrangement information included in the received arrangement control signal, and outputs the arranged information images to the display unit110(specifically, the display image processor304described later). Namely, the information image provider302arranges the plurality of the information images in consideration of the analyzed number of repeated selections of each of the information images and outputs plurality of the information images to the display image processor304.

The display image processor304generates display images by using the information images input from the information image provider302. The display images mean a plurality of images to be displayed by the display unit110. Specifically, the display image processor304may generate the display images by synthesizing the plurality of the information images input from the information image provider302with an image to be displayed by the main display unit120.

The display image displayer306receives the display images from the display image processor304and displays the display images. The controller140controls one or more operations of the information image provider302, the display image processor304, and the display image displayer306.

FIG. 3Bis a block diagram for explaining the controller140shown inFIG. 1. The controller140includes a user recognition unit310, an analysis unit320, a rearrangement unit330, a rearrangement examination unit340, a re-recognition examination unit350, and a reading unit360.

The user recognition unit310recognizes a user who uses the terminal210. To do this, the terminal210may store user identification information such as a user identification (ID). In this case, when the user inputs the user identification information to the terminal210, the user recognition unit310recognizes that a user matching the input user identification information uses the terminal210.

The analysis unit320analyzes that how many times the user selects each of the images to be displayed by the display unit110for a predetermined period. As described above, the operations of the analysis unit320are started or ended by manipulating the analysis order button (not shown) of the terminal210.

The rearrangement unit330generates the arrangement control signal for arranging the plurality of the images to be displayed by the display unit110according to the analyzed numbers of repeated selections.

The rearrangement examination unit340examines whether a ratio of images each of which having the analyzed number of repeated selections equal to or greater than a predetermined critical value to the plurality of the images to be displayed by the display unit110is a predetermined ratio.

For example, when the plurality of the images to be displayed by the display unit110are images a to i, the numbers of repeated selections analyzed for a week are (3/week), (1/week), (2/week), (4/week), (0/week), (0/week), (10/week), (60/week), and (4/week), respectively, the critical value is (5/week), and the predetermined ratio is in a range of from more than 0% to less than 30%, the rearrangement examination unit340examines that a ratio of the images g and h which have the analyzed numbers of repeated selections equal to or greater than the predetermined critical value to the plurality of the images a to i to be displayed by the display unit110, that is, 2/8=26%, is in a range of from more than 0% to less than 30%. The rearrangement unit330operates only when the ratio is equal to the predetermined ratio. The reason that the predetermined ratio is required to be more than 0% is that if an image which is mainly selected by a user from among the plurality of the images to be displayed by the display unit110does not exist, it is impossible to select it. Similarly, the reason that the predetermined ratio is required to be less than 30% is that when most of the images (specifically, more than 30%) to be displayed by the display unit110are the image mainly selected by the user (specifically, images having the number of repeated selections equal to or greater than the predetermined critical value ), although the display unit110changes the existing arrangement according to the arrangement information included in the arrangement control signal, the utility of the change is small. The aforementioned values of 0% and 30% are used for the convenience of description and may vary.

As described above, when the rearrangement unit330generates the arrangement control signal, information on the generated arrangement control signal is matched to information on the recognized user and stored in the arrangement information storage unit160.

When it is assumed that an arrangement control signal matched to the recognized user (for example, a user A) was generated and stored, another user (for example, a user B) used the terminal210, and currently the user A uses the terminal210, the user recognition unit310recognizes that a user who currently uses the terminal210is the user A. In this case, when the analysis unit320and the rearrangement unit330operate again, the analysis unit320and the rearrangement unit330generate the already generated arrangement control signal again. Therefore, in order to prevent this situation, the terminal210according to the current embodiment of the present invention includes the re-recognition examination unit350and the reading unit360.

The re-recognition examination unit350examines whether the currently recognized user was recognized in advance. When the user was recognized in advance, the information on the arrangement control signal matched to the recognized user is already stored in the arrangement information storage unit160, so that the reading unit360reads the stored information from the arrangement information storage unit160through an input terminal IN1and outputs the read information through an output terminal OUT1to the display unit110.

FIG. 4is a flowchart for explaining a display method when stored arrangement information does not exist in the terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. The display method may include operations410to440of analyzing images mainly selected by a user from among images to be displayed by the display unit110and firstly displaying the selected images.

The controller140analyzes the number of repeated selections of a plurality of the images to be displayed by the display unit110(operation410), and the controller140determines whether or not a ratio of images having the number of repeated selections analyzed in operation410equal to or greater than a predetermined critical value to the plurality of the images is a predetermined ratio (operation420).

When it is determined that the ratio is not the predetermined ratio in operation420, the display unit110displays a part of the plurality of the images while arranging the plurality of the images according to arrangement information set as default information (operation430).

On the contrary, when it is determined that the ratio is the predetermined ratio, the controller140provides an arrangement control signal to the display unit110in consideration of the number of repeated selections analyzed in operation410, and the display unit110displays a part of the plurality of the images while arranging the plurality of the images according to arrangement information included in the arrangement control signal (operation440).

The display method according to the current embodiment of the present invention may not include operations420and430.

FIG. 5is a flowchart for explaining a display method when stored arrangement information exists in the terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. The display method may include operations510to540of analyzing images mainly selected by the user from among images to be displayed by the display unit110and firstly displaying the selected images.

The controller140recognizes the user who is using the terminal210(operation510), and the controller140determines whether or not the user recognized in operation510was recognized in advance by the terminal210(operation520).

When it is determined that the user was recognized in advance, the controller140reads information on an arrangement control signal matched to the user recognized in operation510from the arrangement information storage unit160(operation530), and the display unit110displays a part of a plurality of images while arranging the plurality of the images to be displayed by the user110according to arrangement information included in the information read in operation530(operation540).

As described above, the terminal and the display method used in the terminal according to the present invention analyze images which are mainly selected by a user from among images to be displayed and display the selected images firstly, although the terminal needs to display more images than the maximum number of images which the terminal can simultaneously display. Therefore, there is an advantage in that the user who wants to select an image does not have to perform a time-consuming task such as scrolling. Accordingly, an average time consumed to select an image from among the images to be displayed can be reduced.

In addition, the images mainly selected by a user are analyzed according to the terminal users, so that an optical interface can be provided according to the users.

Part of the plurality of the images may be displayed through a plurality of buttons provided to the terminal, and other part of the images may be displayed through the main display unit provided to the terminal. In this case, a plurality of images showing a plurality of functions that the terminal is simultaneously performing are displayed by the buttons along with the main display unit, so that the user intuitively recognizes the functions which the terminal simultaneously performs.