Abstract:
An electronic device and a method of setting control information using the same are provided. The method includes displaying an application, which includes a plurality of media items that are reproducible according to individually adjustable control information; identifying one of the plurality of media items for which associated adjustable control information is to be adjusted responsive to a first user input; displaying a control region including at least one user-definable control parameter individually defining the adjustable control information associated with the identified one of the plurality of media items; and adjusting the adjustable control information associated with the identified one of the plurality of media items responsive to a second user input.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(a), this application claims the benefit of earlier filing date and right of priority to Korean Application No. 10-2007-0028510, filed on Mar. 23, 2007, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an electronic device and a method of executing an application using the same. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
     As the demand for mobile terminals has increased rapidly, more diverse services and functions are provided in the mobile terminals. The services and functions include transmitting and receiving messages, taking pictures or motion pictures, reproducing MP3 files, and video telephony. 
     For example, a plurality of image files or a plurality of music files can be displayed or reproduced through an image or music application of the mobile terminals. In conventional mobile terminals, when a plurality of the music files is reproduced through the music application, the same control information, such as volume setting, is applied to all of the music files to be reproduced. 
     Therefore, in the conventional mobile terminals, the user controls the volume only while the music file is being reproduced in order to set the volume of music reproduced from a music file through the music application. Once the volume of the music application has been set, the set volume is applied identically to all of the music files reproduced through the same music application. In other words, the volume of all of the reproduced music files is set equally according to the previously set volume. Accordingly, if the user wants to listen to certain music at a volume different from the volume of the previously reproduced music file, the user needs to adjust the volume of the music application each time a new music file is reproduced. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An aspect of the present invention is to provide a method for setting control information in an electronic device, the method including displaying an application including a plurality of media items that are reproducible according to individually adjustable control information, identifying one of the plurality of media items for which associated adjustable control information is to be adjusted responsive to a first user input, displaying a control region comprising at least one user-definable control parameter individually defining the adjustable control information associated with the identified one of the plurality of media items, and adjusting the adjustable control information associated with the identified one of the plurality of media items responsive to a second user input. 
     The second user input may include a graphic input or numeric input. The control parameter may be displayed as a graphic or a numeric value. The plurality of media items includes at least one of an image file and an audio file. Multiple control parameters may be displayed in a single control region. 
     The control region may be displayed in response to user contact with a predefined region on the display. The second user input may be contact with a predefined icon displayed with the plurality of media items. The predefined icon may be a symbol, a drawing, or a picture. The second user input may also be dragging the predefined icon in a predetermined direction and the adjustable control information is adjusted according to a dragged distance of the predefined icon. For example, the second user input may be dragging the predefined icon in up and down directions to adjust first adjustable control information and dragging the predefined icon in left and right directions to adjust second adjustable control information. 
     The method may further include displaying a guide for indicating a degree of the at least one control parameter when the predefined icon is dragged. The method may further include displaying the plurality of media items and their associated control parameters such that the at least one control parameter differs from a default control parameter. 
     The adjustable control information includes at least one of display information, sound information, and order information. The display information includes a display size, a display type, and a resolution; the sound information includes a volume and a sound effect mode; and the order information includes a number of times for reproducing the plurality of media items, an order of executing the application, and information about whether the media item will be reproduced by the application. 
     The control region may be displayed such that it overlays the displayed application. The method may further include saving the adjusted control information. The method may further include reproducing the identified one of the plurality of media items according to the adjusted control information. 
     Another aspect of the invention is to provide a method for setting control information in an electronic device, the method including displaying an application including a plurality of media items that are reproducible according to individually adjustable control information, displaying a separate control region for each of the plurality of media items, wherein each of a plurality control regions comprises at least one user-definable control parameter individually defining the adjustable control information associated with one of the plurality of media items, and adjusting the adjustable control information associated with one of the plurality of media items responsive to user input. 
     The user input may be dragging the at least one control parameter and the adjustable control information is adjusted according to a dragged distance of the at least one control parameter. The method may also include displaying a guide for indicating a degree of the at least one control parameter when the at least one control parameter is dragged. The user input may also be a numeric value for the at least one control parameter. The numeric value may be input by writing directly on the displayed control region. The method may also include reproducing the plurality of media items according to most recently adjusted control information. 
     Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide an electronic device including a display unit for displaying an application including a plurality of media items that are reproducible according to associated individually adjustable control information, an input unit for receiving user input, and a control unit for adjusting the adjustable control information associated with each of the plurality of media items according to the user input and executing the application to reproduce each of the plurality of media items according to the associated individual adjustable control information. 
     The electronic device may also include a memory unit for storing the individual adjustable control information associated with each of the plurality of media files. The display unit may be a touch screen displaying at least one indicator, and the user input may be a sensory touch of the at least one indicator displayed on the touch screen. In the electronic device, each of the plurality of media items is reproduced according to default control information if the associated adjustable control information is not adjusted. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a method of executing applications using an electronic device according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3A  through  FIG. 3D  are screen views which illustrate changing control information on the display unit of an electronic device according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4A  through  FIG. 4C  are screen views on the display unit which illustrate reproducing a music file according to the control information set as shown in  FIG. 3A  through  FIG. 3D . 
         FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 5B  are screen views on the display unit which illustrate changing control information by directly inputting control information according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 6A  and  FIG. 6B  are screen views on the display unit which illustrate inputting two or more control information according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a screen view on the display unit showing that control information has been changed according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 8A  through  FIG. 8D  are screen views on the display unit which illustrate changing control information of an image file according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 9A  through  FIG. 9D  are screen views on the display unit which illustrate changing control information of a display screen during video telephony according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 10A  through  FIG. 10C  are screen views which illustrate setting control information displayed on a touch screen according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 11A  and  FIG. 11B  are screen views on the display unit which illustrate setting control information on a touch screen by directly inputting control information according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 12A  and  FIG. 12B  are screen views on the display unit which illustrate setting control information on a touch screen according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13A  and  FIG. 13B  are screen views on the display unit which illustrate setting control information by changing the size of an indicator displayed on a touch screen according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 14A  and  FIG. 14B  are screen views on the display unit which illustrate changing control information when an indicator is displayed according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  is a screen view on the display which illustrates changing control information on a touch screen during video telephony according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawing figures which form a part hereof, and which show by way of illustration specific embodiments of the invention. It is to be understood by those of ordinary skill in this technological field that other embodiments may be utilized, and structural, electrical, as well as procedural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or similar parts. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the present electronic device may be a mobile terminal  10 . The mobile terminal  10  includes a transmitting/receiving unit  100 , a memory unit  110 , an input unit  120 , a control unit  130 , and a display unit  140 . These components are connected to each other through a bus  150 . 
     The transmitting/receiving unit  100  receives applications, such as music files, image files, and the other party&#39;s image files during video telephony by communicating with a base station through an antenna ANT. 
     The memory unit  110  may be, for example, a flash memory, a random access memory (RAM), or an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM). The memory unit  100  stores a program that generally controls operations of the mobile terminal  10 . The memory unit  110  also stores various applications to reproduce files, such as music files and image files, and stores first and second control information set for each application. The first and second control information will be described later. 
     The input unit  120  includes numeral keys and various function keys. The input unit  120  changes the first control information of a predetermined application among a plurality of applications stored in the memory unit  110  to the second control information. 
     The control unit  130  controls input/output of the mobile terminal  10 . If the control information of a predetermined application among a plurality of the applications displayed on the display unit  140  is changed, the control unit  130  controls applications according to the changed control information. That is, the control unit  130  executes the predetermined application, of which the control information has been changed through the input unit  120 , according to the changed control information or second control information. And, the control unit  130  controls other applications to be executed according to the first control information. 
     The display unit  140  is set to display various information signals received from the transmitting/receiving unit  110  and a plurality of applications stored in the memory unit  110  according to the first control information. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a method of executing applications using an electronic device according to the present invention includes steps S 200  and S 210  for displaying a plurality of applications set to be executed according to the first control information, steps S 220  to S 240  for changing control information of a predetermined application among a plurality of the applications to second control information, and steps S 250  to S 260  for executing the predetermined application according to the second control information and executing other applications according to the first control information. 
       FIGS. 3A to 3D  illustrate changing control information through an input unit. As shown in  FIG. 3A , when an application ‘3. MUSIC’ is selected from multimedia category menu “MULTIMEDIA FUNCTION” through the input unit  120  at step S 200 , the control unit  130  displays the selected application menu ‘MUSIC LIST’ on the display unit  140 , as shown in  FIG. 3B . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3B , a list of a plurality of music applications or a play list, including a plurality of music files, is displayed at step S 210 . The application includes not only files executable through the mobile terminal  10 , such as music files or image files, but also videos that can be displayed on the display unit  140  during video telephony. Although not shown in the  FIG. 3B , the individual music applications or files may be displayed with control information, such as volume and sound effect mode set for the individual music applications or files. 
     As described above, a plurality of applications in the same category is controlled according to the same control information. The control information is information for the control unit  130  to control the electronic device when a corresponding application is executed. The control information may include a sound volume in case of a music application. For example, the control unit  130  may control the electronic device to reproduce five music files at volume of a numeral value ‘10’. 
     The control unit  130  confirms whether a control information setting menu  300  is selected for a specific music file, such as ‘3. Track 03’, at step S 220 . Accordingly, the control unit  130  displays a user interface  305  on the display unit  140  to set the control information of the selected music file ‘3. Track 03’ at step S 230 , as shown in  FIG. 3C . 
     Accordingly, the control unit  130  individually changes the control information of the selected music file ‘3. Track 03,’ making the control information of the music file ‘3. Track 03’ different from control information of other applications. 
     For example, as shown in  FIG. 3C , a volume bar provided through the user interface  305  is set to have a numeral value ‘10’ and a height h 1  as default. In the present example, the default volume bar is referred as first control information and the first control information is applied identically or differently to a plurality of music files shown in  FIG. 3B . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3D , the numeral value ‘10’ of the volume bar  310  may be changed to a numeral value ‘15’ using an up direction key from a direction key of the input unit  120 . In the present example, the changed information is referred as second control information and, accordingly, the height of the volume bar has been increased from h 1  to h 2  at step S 240 . 
     After changing the control information of the selected music file ‘3. Track 03’, a plurality of music applications may be executed. As shown in  FIG. 4A , the control unit  130  checks whether a signal for reproducing a music file, such as ‘Track 02’, is generated through the input unit  120  at step S 250 . The control unit  130  reproduces the music file ‘Track 02’ at a default volume ‘10’ at step S 260 . 
     Once the reproduction of the music file ‘Track 02’ is finished, the control unit  130  reproduces the next music file ‘Track 03’ at volume ‘15’ in response to the second control information described above, as shown in  FIG. 4B . As shown in  FIG. 4C , once the reproduction of the music file ‘Track 03’ is finished, the control unit  130  reproduces the next music file ‘Track 04’ at a default volume ‘10’ again according to the first control information. 
     Another example of changing volume control information will be described with reference to  FIGS. 5A and 5B . If a music file ‘3. Track 03’ is selected through the input unit  120  as shown in  FIG. 3B , the control unit  130  displays a user interface  305  on the display unit  140  to set control information for the music file ‘3. Track 03’ as shown in  FIG. 5A . 
     In the user interface  305  as shown in  FIG. 5A , ‘current volume 10’ is displayed as a default volume of the music file ‘3. Track 03’. As shown in  FIG. 5B , if a numeral value 15 is inputted as volume control information through the input unit in order to change the current default volume of the music file ‘3. Track 03’, the control unit  130  stores the input control information to the memory unit  110 . 
     Although the volume control has been used in the above examples to describe the method of changing the control information, the present invention is not so limited. The control information may be related to more than one information, and an example of changing more than one control information will be described hereinafter. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6A , a control information setting menu  300  for a music file ‘3. Track 03’ is selected through the input unit  120  as described in  FIG. 3B . Accordingly, the control unit  130  displays a user interface  305  on the display unit  140  to set control information of the music file ‘3. Track 03’. 
     The control information displayed on the display unit  140  may be the volume, a reproducing order, and the number of playing times, and the default values of control information are displayed as first control information. If the control information ‘1. volume: 10, 3. number of playing times: 0’ shown in  FIG. 6A  is changed to control information ‘1. volume: 15, 3. number of playing times: 2’ through the input unit  120  as shown in  FIG. 6B , the control unit  130  reproduces the music file ‘3. Track 03’ according to the changed control information. 
     The application with the changed control information may be displayed to indicate that corresponding control information has been changed. An example of indicating the changed control information of the application is described with reference to  FIG. 7 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the control unit  130  displays the changed information of applications when a list of music applications or ‘MUSIC LIST’ is displayed. For example, the control unit  130  displays, on the display unit  140 , the control information of a music file ‘2. Track 02,’ which has been changed to ‘volume 15’ and ‘number of playing times 2’, and the control information of music file ‘5. Track 05,’ which has been changed to ‘volume 5’. If no change has been made to the control information of the application, for example, music files ‘1. Track 01,’ ‘3. Track 03,’ and ‘4. Track 04,’ the control information may not be displayed as shown in  FIG. 7 , or default information may be displayed (not shown). 
     Although the application has been described as the music file in the above examples, the present invention is not so limited. For example, the described method may be similarly applied to an image file. An example of changing control information of an image file is described with reference to  FIGS. 8A to 8D . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8A , after displaying a list of image applications on the display unit  140  and selecting an image ‘3. puppy’ through the input unit  120 , a control information setting menu  300  is selected. As shown in  FIG. 8B , the control unit  130  displays a user interface  305  on the display unit  140  to change the control information of the image ‘3. puppy’ selected in  FIG. 8A . The default control information may be control information set identically or differently to other images as described above. 
     The default control information shown in  FIG. 8B , ‘3. display order: 04, 4. highlight: OFF’ is changed through the input unit  120  to ‘3. display order: 01, 4. highlight: ON,’ as shown in  FIG. 8C . Referring to  FIG. 8D , according to the changed control information, the control unit  130  now displays images in an order of a puppy.jpg, a flower.jpg, a me.jpg, and a brother.jpg, rather than in the previous order of a flower.jpg, a me.jpg, a puppy.jpg, and a brother.jpg shown in  FIG. 8A . As shown in the right panel of  FIG. 8D , the control unit  130  highlights the border of the image displayed from the puppy.jpg. to indicate that the change of the control information has been completed. 
     The above described methods can be similarly applied to image files for video telephony. An example of changing control information of image files for video telephony is described with reference to  FIGS. 9A to 9D . 
     When a video telephony begins by transmitting and receiving video telephony data through the transmitting/receiving unit  100  as shown in  FIG. 9A , the control unit  130  displays first party and second party images  320  and  325 , and a caller image  330  on the display unit  140 . The images  320 ,  325 , and  330  are displayed to have the same widths w 1 , w 2 , and w 3 , and the same heights h 1 , h 2 , and h 3 . After selecting the first party image  320  through the input unit  120 , a control information setting menu  300  is selected. 
     Accordingly, the control unit  130  displays a user interface  305  on the display unit  140  to change the control information of the first party image  320 . For example, the control information shown in  FIG. 9B , ‘1. screen size: 10*10, 4. volume: 10’ is changed through the input unit  120  to control information ‘1. screen size: 2*2, 4. volume: 5’ as shown in  FIG. 9C . Accordingly, the control unit  130  displays the first party image  320  in a width w 1 ′ and a height h 1 ′ according to the changed information and displays the second party image  325  and the caller image  330  in a default screen size as shown in  FIG. 9D . 
       FIGS. 10A to 10C  illustrate changing control information through a touch screen. As shown in  FIG. 10A , the display unit  140  may be embodied as a touch screen. A list of music applications is displayed on the touch screen. After selecting a music file ‘3. Track 03’, a control information setting menu  300  is selected. 
     In response to the selection of the control information setting menu  300 , the control unit  130  displays a user interface  305  ‘SET VOLUME’ on the touch screen to change the control information of the selected music file ‘3. Track 03’ as shown in  FIG. 10B . As shown in  FIG. 10C , a user touches and drags a height h 1  of a volume bar  310  displayed as the user interface  305  from a height h 1  to a height h 2  in order to change the control information, specifically the volume, from 10 to 15. 
     Another method of setting control information using a touch screen is described with reference to  FIGS. 11A and 11B . When ‘current volume 10’ is displayed in the user interface  305  displayed on the display unit  140  as shown in  FIG. 11A , a user may change the control information by inputting a numeral value of 15 by touching, specifically, writing with a finger or a stylus, directly on the user interface  305  as shown in  FIG. 11B . 
     The control information may also be changed through a predetermined indicator. An example of changing control information using a predetermined indicator is described with reference to  FIGS. 12A and 12B . 
     As shown in  FIG. 12A , a list of music applications is displayed on a touch screen. The control unit  130  displays an indicator  340  corresponding to each application. The indicator  340  may be displayed as an icon. For example, an indicator  340  ‘1’ corresponds to a music file ‘Track 01’, an indicator ‘2’ corresponds to a music file ‘Track 02’, an indicator ‘3’ corresponds to a music file ‘Track 03, an indicator ‘4’ corresponds to a music file ‘Track 04’, and an indicator ‘5’ corresponds to a music file ‘Track 05’. 
     As shown in  FIG. 12A , either an indicator area A or an application area B may be individually touched. If a user touches the indicator area A, a corresponding indicator is selected, and if the user touches the application area B, a corresponding application is selected. For example, if a music file ‘Track 03’ is selected by touching the music file ‘Track 03’ in the application area B, the music file ‘Track 03’ is reproduced. 
     In  FIG. 12B , when the indicator  340  ‘3’ located in an indicator area A corresponding to the music file ‘Track 03’ is selected, the control unit  130  displays a user interface  305  adjacent to the indicator  340  ‘3’ to change the control information of the music file ‘Track 03’. The user interface  305  may overlap with the indicator  340  ‘3’. As shown in  FIG. 10C , the control information may be changed through touching and dragging the bar shown in the user interface  305 . 
     The control unit  130  enables a user to change control information through a corresponding indicator  340  when the indicator  340  is selected as illustrated in  FIGS. 13A and 13B . As shown in  FIG. 13A , if the indicator  340  ‘3’ is selected, the control unit  130  enlarges a display size to have a first width w 1  and a first height h 1  in order to enable a user to easily touch the corresponding indicator  340 . 
     If the user touches and drags the indicator  340  ‘3’ in a predetermined direction as shown in  FIG. 13B  to increase the display size to a second width w 2  and a second height h 2 , the control unit  130  increases the control information according to the dragged distance. The control unit  130  may display a guide  350  to allow increasing the amount of the control information according to the touching and dragging by the user. 
     Only one indicator  340  may be displayed and used on the display unit  140  as illustrated in  FIGS. 14A and 14B . As shown in  FIG. 14A , the control unit  130  may display one indicator  340  on a touch screen. The indicator  340  in  FIG. 14A  has a form of a volume bar. As shown in  FIG. 14B , the indicator  340  is dragged by touching the indicator after selecting a music file ‘Track 03’ on the touch screen and the control information is changed according to the dragged distance. 
     The control information may also be set without using additional control menu during video telephony as illustrated in  FIG. 15 . As shown in  FIG. 15 , the first party and second party images  320  and  325 , and a caller image  330  are displayed on a touch screen when a video telephony begins. 
     The widths w 1 , w 2 , and w 3 , and the heights h 1 , h 2 , and h 3  of the images  320 ,  325 , and  330 , respectively, are set to be identical or different in the default control information setting. In  FIG. 15 , initially the first party image  320  has a width w 1 ′ and a height h 1 ′. To enlarge the initially displayed size of the first party image  320  to the default size, the first party image is touched and dragged in a predetermined direction, thereby enlarging the displayed size to a width w 1  and a height h 1 . Accordingly, the control unit  130  controls the size of the first party image  320  according to the newly set control information. 
     All of the above mentioned settings of the control information may be changed according to the setting by a user, or more than two control information can be set at the same time. Specifically, if the indicator  340  or the images are touched and dragged in up and down directions, one of the control information is changed, and if the indicator  340  or the images are touched and dragged in left and right directions, another control information is changed. 
     For example, if a predetermined indicator  340  is touched and dragged in up and down directions among various indicators, the volume of a corresponding application is changed and if the predetermined indicator  340  is dragged in left and right directions, the corresponding application is reproduced at predetermined times. On the other hand, if a predetermined indicator  340  is touched and dragged in up and down directions, the volume of a corresponding application is increased and if the predetermined indicator  340  is dragged in left and right directions, the volume is reduced. 
     The indicator  340  may be an icon formed as a symbol, a drawing, or a picture. If a plurality of predetermined applications is selected, control information changed through a predetermined indicator of one selected application may be applied identically or similarly to other selected applications. 
     Although the mobile terminal  10  was described as the electronic device, the present invention is not so limited. The present method may be identically or similarly applied to other types of electronic devices, such as an MP3 player. 
     The control information may also be displayed information that includes at least one of a display size, a displaying type, and a resolution. The sound information may include the volume or a sound effect mode, such as an equalizer including jazz, classical, pop, vocal, and live, and stereo and mono. The order information may include the number of playing times, an order in a reproduction list, or information regarding whether a predetermined application is reproduced. The control information may be set or modified by the user. 
     As described above, the electronic device and the method of executing application according to the present invention provide several advantages. First, a plurality of applications can be individually set. Therefore, each application may be personalized according to the user&#39;s preference by storing control information of individual applications. Second, the control information can be easily set by the user, using the simple user interface. 
     The foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. The present teaching can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses and processes. The description of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.