Abstract:
A method of controlling a mobile communication terminal method includes receiving Internet tag information identifying an Internet address, providing a menu screen on a display of the terminal so that a user can select representative image data that visually represents to the user the Internet address, linking the representative image data selected by the user with the Internet tag information and displaying the representative image data on a display of the mobile communication terminal.

Description:
This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2007-0035617 filed on Apr. 11, 2007 in Korea, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal and corresponding web page control method for setting a web page with respect to contents using Internet tag information so that when the web page-set contents are selected, the corresponding web page is accessed. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Mobile communication terminals provide many additional functions besides the basic call function. For example, mobile terminals can now connect to the Internet allowing users to view their emails, view news websites, blogs, etc. using their mobile terminal. 
     Further, the user can save their favorite websites in a bookmark list so a particular website or web page can be immediately accessed later through the bookmark list. However, when the user has a plurality of web pages saved in their favorite list, it is often difficult for the user to remember what the particular web page is. That is, the web pages are saved based on their respective Internet address, thus making it difficult to remember what the particular web page was previously saved and what contents are included in the particular web page. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, on object of the present invention is to address the above-noted and other problems. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile communication terminal and corresponding method allowing a user to associate a particular content such as an image or other data with a web page such that the user can easily remember what the web page corresponds to. 
     To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention provides in one aspect a method of controlling a mobile communication terminal method includes receiving Internet tag information identifying an Internet address, providing a menu screen on a display of the terminal so that a user can select representative image data that visually represents to the user the Internet address, linking the representative image data selected by the user with the Internet tag information and displaying the representative image data on a display of the mobile communication terminal. 
     In another aspect, the present invention provides a mobile communication terminal including a wireless communication device configured to access the Internet, a display unit configured to display a menu screen so that a user can input Internet tag information identifying an Internet address and representative image data that visually represents to the user the Internet address and a control unit configured to receive the input Internet tag information and the representative image data, to link the representative image data with the Internet tag information, and to control the display unit to display the representative image data. 
     Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
    
    
     
       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 in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a web page control method of a mobile communication terminal according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a web page control method of a mobile communication terminal according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a web page control method of a mobile communication terminal according to a third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an overview illustrating display screens for linking contents with a web page according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is an overview illustrating display screens for selecting a web page including linked contents according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is an overview illustrating display screens for displaying set information about particular web pages and for displaying web pages in a thumbnail manner corresponding to the linked contents according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is an overview illustrating display screen of operations of the mobile communication terminal according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is an overview illustrating display screens including contents being display in a thumbnail manner in the mobile communication terminal according to the third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is another overview illustrating other display screens including contents being display in a thumbnail manner in the mobile communication terminal according to the third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  is an overview illustrating still other display screens including contents being display in a thumbnail manner in the mobile communication terminal according to the third embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 12  is an overview illustrating display screens including contents being currently displayed and a hot key being selected in the mobile communication terminal according to the third embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     Turning first to  FIG. 1 , which is a block diagram of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the mobile communication terminal includes a wireless communication unit  50  for wireless communicating with other terminals, for accessing the Internet, etc., a memory  40  for storing data, a key input unit  20  including keys, buttons, etc., allowing a user to input information into the terminal, a display unit  30  for displaying information to the user, and a controller  10  for controlling the overall operations of the terminal. 
     In more detail, the key input unit  20  includes multiple key buttons, etc. that the user may manipulate to perform different functions. That is, when the user manipulates a particular key button(s), a corresponding control signal is sent to the controller  10 . The key input unit  20  also includes a hot key that inputs a web access command. That is, a hot key is a key button included in the key input unit  20  that performs a predetermined function when it is manipulated. 
     In addition, the display unit  30  may be a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen and displays different operational status data of the terminal. The display unit  30  also displays a web page screen image accessed through the wireless communication unit  50 . Further, the memory  40  stores data and programs associated with the terminal. For example, the memory  40  stores software programs for controlling the overall operations of the terminal, data input by a user, data downloaded from an external server, etc. The memory  40  also stores a bookmark list including web page information accessed through the wireless communication unit  50 . 
     In addition, the controller  10  registers the Internet bookmark list for a web connection, and when one of bookmarked items is selected from the registered bookmark list, the controller  10  accesses a corresponding web page according to Internet tag information registered in the selected bookmarked item. In more detail, the Internet tag information includes the website information such as a website name and a website address, etc. Thus, the controller  10  accesses a particular web page using the input Internet tag information. 
     Further, the web page is set with respect to a particular content. That is, the content for the particular web page may be an image, video, flash and text, etc. Meanwhile, when the contents stored in the memory  40  are retrieved, the controller  10  may register additionally inputted Internet tag information with respect to the selected contents to thus set the web page with respect to the selected contents. 
     That is, the controller  10  stores the web page information set based on the inputted tag information and the selected data in a separate region of the memory  40  storing the bookmark list and sets the web page information to be linked with the selected contents. Thus, when the bookmark list is retrieved, the controller  10  displays at least one web page list set based on the input Internet tag information and contents. For example, the controller  10  can display the bookmark list in the form of a list or thumbnails. When the bookmark list is displayed in the thumbnail form, the controller  10  displays an image of contents set in the web page of the bookmark list. If no contents have been set in the web page, the controller may exclude it from the thumbnails or display it in the form of a text image. The controller  10  may also display a separate icon for discriminating the contents-set web page. 
     Turning next to  FIG. 2 , which is a flowchart illustrating a web page control method of a mobile communication terminal according to a first embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 1  will also be referred to in this description. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the controller  10  determines if a web page is set in an Internet bookmark menu (S 100 ). When the controller  10  determines a web page has been set (Yes in S 100 ), the controller  10  displays a menu on the display unit prompting the user to input Internet tag information including the name and an address of a website, etc. (S 110 ). The menu also includes a field allowing the user to select a particular content stored in the memory  40  to be associated with the particular set web page (S 120 ). The controller  10  then sets the web page based on the input Internet tag information and selected contents (S 130 ). 
     The controller  10  then displays the selected contents for the set web page is on a screen of the mobile communication terminal (S 140 ), and then the Internet tag information set for the web page and contents information such as a contents type and the name of the contents are also displayed (S 150 ). The Internet tag information and the contents information can be displayed together on the screen or can be alternately displayed on the screen at certain time intervals. 
     In addition, the controller  10  then determines if a pre-set hot key is manipulated in a state that the web page-set contents are displayed on the screen or if a web access command is applied according to a provided menu operation (S 160 ). If a preset-hot hot key is manipulated or a web access command is input (Yes in S 160 ), the controller  10  accesses a corresponding web page according to the Internet tag information linked to the displayed data (S 170 ). If no web access command is applied (No in S 160 ), a basic operation is performed according to a control signal corresponding to a manipulated key (S 180 ). 
     Next,  FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a web page control method of a mobile communication terminal according to a second embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 1  will also be referred to in this description. With reference to  FIG. 3 , the controller  10  first stores contents in the memory  40  (S 200 ). Then, the controller  10  retrieves the contents stored in the memory  40  (S 210 ) when a command is input to retrieve the contents. The controller  10  then determines if a web page has been set (S 220 ). 
     When the web page has been set (Yes in S 220 ), the controller  10  sets the web page with respect to the selected contents using input Internet tag information such as an input name and an address of a website, etc. corresponding to the set web page (S 230  and S 240 ). Further, the information on the web page set for the contents (including the Internet tag information) is preferably separately stored in a region of the memory  40  storing an Internet bookmark list and is set to be linked with the contents. 
     After the web page is set, the controller  10  displays the web page-set contents on the display unit  30  (S 250 ), and also displays information of the displayed contents and the Internet tag information linked thereto (S 260 ). Then, the controller  10  determines if a pre-set hot key is manipulated or if a web access command is input according to a provided menu operation (S 270 ). 
     When a pre-set key or command has been input (Yes in S 270 ), the controller  10  accesses the web page according to the Internet tag information linked to the contents (S 280 ). Meanwhile, when no web access command is input (No in S 270 ), a basic operation is performed according to a control signal corresponding to a manipulated key (S 290 ). 
     Turning next to  FIG. 4 , which is a flowchart illustrating a web page control method of a mobile communication terminal according to a third embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 1  will also be referred to in this description. With reference to  FIG. 4 , the controller  10  first retrieves contents stored in the memory  40  (S 300 ). Next, the controller  10  determines if a command for executing the selected contents is input (S 310 ). When the command has been input (Yes in S 310 ), the controller  10  executes the selected contents (S 320 ). 
     The controller  10  then determines if a web access command is input according to manipulation of a pre-set hot key while the contents are being executed (S 330 ). When the web access command has been input (e.g., a hot key has been manipulated) (Yes in S 330 ), a corresponding web page is accessed according to Internet tag information linked to the contents being executed (S 370 ). If the web access command has not been input (No in S 330 ), the controller  10  determines whether or not the user wants to set the web page-set contents as a background image (S 340 ). 
     If the user wants to set the contents as a background image (Yes in S 340 ), the controller  10  sets and displays the selected contents as a background image on the display unit  10  (S 350 ). That is, when the mobile terminal is in a standby state, the contents are displayed as the background image. Further, the controller  10  again determines if a web access command is applied according to manipulation of the pre-set hot key (S 360 ). If the web access command has been input (Yes in S 360 ), the controller  10  accesses a corresponding web page according to the Internet tag information linked to the contents (S 370 ). 
     In addition, when the user selects two or more contents from the web page-set contents to be background images, the controller  10  sets and displays the selected multiple contents images on the background screen. For example, the controller  10  can display the background images in a sequential manner, at certain time intervals, etc. Further, when the user manipulates a hot key when the contents are displayed on the display unit  30 , the controller  10  accesses a corresponding web page according to the linked Internet tag information. 
     Further, the controller  10  displays the information of the contents on the background screen and the Internet tag information linked thereto together to allow the user to easily recognize the information of the web page set for the contents. The controller  10  may also display an icon for informing the user that the contents are web page-set contents to allow the user to easily recognize the web page-set contents. 
     Also, when a contents image, for which no web page is set, is set as a background screen image it is possible to display the web page-set image when the hot key is manipulated. In addition, as discussed above, the hot key is a pre-set web access key. Rather than using the hot-key, the user can also access a web page via a separately provided menu operation. 
     Next,  FIG. 5  is an overview of display screens on a mobile communication terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 1  will also be referred to in this description. In more detail, as shown in  FIG. 5(   a ), when an internet bookmark menu is executed, the controller  10  displays web page information registered in the bookmark list on the display unit  30 . When one of web pages registered in the bookmark list is selected, the controller  10  displays corresponding Internet tag information and contents information on the display unit  30 . 
     Further, as shown in  FIG. 5(   a ), the display screen also includes a ‘menu button,’ an ‘OK’ button and an ‘Add’ button  410 . In more detail, when the ‘Add’ button  410  for setting a new web page is selected, the controller  10  displays a web page set image  420  as shown in  FIG. 5(   b ). In this instance, Internet tag information such as ‘Name: Blog, Address: blog.naver.com/ch’ etc. is shown in an input window. In addition, one of the contents stored in the memory  40  such as the ‘Cheongha.jpg’ content can be selected (see  FIG. 5(   b )). That is, the user selects the ‘contents designation’ field  440  and then selects a particular content to be associated with the web page. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5(   b ), the display screen also includes a ‘store’ button  411 . Thus, the user can select the ‘store’ button  411  to link the selected contents with the input web page. That is, as shown in  FIG. 5(   c ), when the user selects the ‘store’ button  411  in  FIG. 5(   b ), the controller  10  displays the set web page by adding an item ‘ 5 . Blog’ to the bookmark list. In addition, the controller  10  also displays an icon  430  for informing the user that the contents corresponding to the web page have been set. 
     Further, as shown in  FIG. 5(   d ), when the user does not select any contents (i.e., does not check the contents field  440 ), only an item ‘ 5 . Blog’  450  is displayed on the bookmark list as shown in  FIG. 5(   e ). That is, as shown in  FIG. 5(   e ), the icon  430  as in  FIG. 5(   c ) is not displayed, thereby informing the user the web page is not associated with any contents. 
     Next,  FIG. 6  is an overview illustrating display screens displaying data information and Internet tag information set in the web page. In more detail, as shown in  FIG. 6 , when the bookmark list is retrieved as shown in  FIG. 6(   a ) and a contents-registered web page is selected (i.e., the web page includes an icon  510  indicating the web page is associated with contents) the controller  10  displays Internet tag information and contents information as shown in  FIG. 6(   b ). Further, the registered contents image  520  is also displayed as a background image. 
     In addition, as shown in  FIG. 6(   b ), the display screen also includes an ‘edit’ button  530  and a ‘back’ button  531 . In more detail, when the user selects the ‘edit’ button  530 , the Internet tag information and contents information registered in the web page can be edited using the display screen shown in  FIG. 6(   c ). The user can select the ‘back button’ to return to the previous display screen. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 7 , which is an overview illustrating display screens including web page information registered in the bookmark list. In more detail, as shown in  FIG. 7(   a ), the controller  10  retrieves and displays the bookmark list. Then, the user can select a ‘menu’ button  701  to display a pre-set menu. When the user selects the item ‘ 1 . multi-selection’ in the pre-set menu shown in  FIG. 7(   a ), the selection mode for each web page is displayed as shown in  FIG. 7(   b ). 
     Further, one of the contents including in the list can be displayed as a background screen image by selecting the ‘item  3 . Background image setting’ in the menu shown in  FIG. 7(   a ). The user can also delete web pages in the bookmark list by selecting the ‘item  4 . delete’ in the menu. Similarly, the user can connect to a web page using the ‘item  5 . connect’ in the menu. 
     In addition, as shown in  FIG. 7(   a ), the menu also includes an item ‘ 2 , Thumbnail display.’ In more detail, when the user selects this item, the controller  10  displays the web pages in a thumbnail format as shown in  FIG. 7(   c ). That is, the contents images registered in the web page of the bookmark list are displayed as the thumbnail images. Further, if no contents have been registered, characters such as ‘no image’ can be displayed. 
     In addition, in  FIG. 7(   c ), because the thumbnail images of the contents-registered web page are displayed, the controller  10  does not display an additional icon. However, it is also possible to display an icon according to a user setting. Also, the Internet tag information and contents information registered in a selected web page can be displayed together at a lower end portion of the screen (see  FIG. 7(   c )). 
     Here, when the user selects the ‘menu’ button  701  in  FIG. 7(   c ) and selects the ‘multi-selection’ mode, each item can be selected as shown in  FIG. 7(   d ), and at least one selected image can be registered as a background image. 
     Next,  FIG. 8  is an overview illustrating display screens on the mobile communication terminal according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment, because a web page is set for contents selected in a state that contents stored in the memory  40  are retrieved. 
     In more detail, and as shown in  FIG. 8(   a ), the controller  10  retrieves contents stored in the memory  40  and displays the retrieved contents list on the display unit  30 . Further, as shown, the display screen includes a ‘menu’ button  610 . Therefore, when the contents ‘aa.jpg’ is selected from the retrieved contents list and the user selects the ‘menu’ button,  610 , the controller  10  displays a menu item list as shown in  FIG. 8(   b ). 
     Also, when the user selects an ‘Internet setting’ item  620  with respected to the contents ‘aa.jpg’, the controller  10  displays a web page set screen  630  on the display unit  30  as shown in  FIG. 8(   c ). As shown, Internet tag information such as ‘Name: Paxhome, Address: www.paxpatent.com’ is input using key buttons provided in the key input unit  20 . 
     Further, the display screen  630  in  FIG. 8(   c ) also includes a ‘store’ button  631  allowing the user to store the input Internet tag information and corresponding contents. That is, the controller  10  sets a web page by using the input Internet tag information ‘Name: Paxhome, Address: www.paxpatent.com’ and the contents ‘aa.jpg’ in a certain region of the memory  40 . The contents and Internet tag information is also linked together. 
     Thus, when the web page-set contents are selected from the contents list, the Internet tag information ‘www.paxpatent.com’ linked to the selected contents ‘aa.jpg’ is displayed at the lower end portion  640  of the screen as shown in  FIG. 7(   d ). Further, the Internet tag information can be alternately displayed with the contents information ‘aa.jpg Jul. 3, 2001’ at certain time intervals. In addition, when the contents are displayed on the screen, an icon for confirming that the contents are web page-set contents is also displayed. 
     Turning next to  FIGS. 9 to 12 , which are overviews illustrating display screens of the mobile communication terminal according to the third embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 1  will also be referred to in this description. In more detail,  FIG. 9  is an overview illustrating an operation of immediately accessing a web page in a state that a contents list is displayed. That is,  FIG. 9(   a ) illustrates a display screen including retrieved contents being displayed in a thumbnail manner. When the user selects a ‘menu’ button  710  for the selected contents ‘aa.jpg’, the controller  10  displays a menu item list as shown in  FIG. 9(   b ). 
     Further, when the user selects a ‘connection’ item  720  or manipulates a pre-set hot key, the controller  10  detects the Internet tag information linked to the selected contents ‘aa.jpg’. The controller  10  then automatically access the corresponding web page ‘www.paxpatent.com’ according to the Internet tag information linked to the selected contents ‘aa.jpg’ as shown in  FIG. 9(   c ). 
     Next,  FIGS. 10 and 11  are overviews illustrating operations of accessing a web when web page-set contents are registered as a background image. In more detail, as shown in  FIG. 10(   a ), the controller  10  first retrieves contents stored in the memory  40  and displays the contents list on the display unit  30 . Then, when the user selects a ‘menu’ button  810  with respect to the selected contents ‘aa.jpg’, the controller  10  displays a menu item list as shown in  FIG. 10(   h ). 
     When the user selects a ‘background image setting’ item  820 , the controller  10  sets an image of the selected contents ‘aa.jpg’ as a background screen image. The controller  10  then displays the image of the contents ‘aa.jpg’ on the display unit  40  in a standby mode as shown in  FIG. 10(   c ). Further, information about the contents ‘aa.jpg’ and Internet tag information linked thereto are also displayed on the display unit  40 . 
     In addition, as shown in the upper portion of the display screen in  FIG. 10(   c ), the controller  10  also displays an icon for confirming that the web page has been set for the contents ‘aa.jpg’. In addition, When a web access command is input in the state that the image of the contents ‘aa.jpg’ is displayed as the background screen image, the controller  10  detects the Internet tag information linked to the contents ‘aa.jpg’ and automatically accesses the corresponding ‘www.paxpatent.com’ web page as shown in FIG.  10 ( d ). 
     Next,  FIG. 11  is an overview illustrating an operation for setting selected multiple contents as background images, unlike the case of  FIG. 10  in which only one selected contents item is set as the background image. In more detail, and with reference to  FIG. 11 , when four contents are selected from a multi-selection mode screen image  910  as shown in  FIG. 11(   a ) and a ‘background image setting’ item  920  is selected using the menu button as shown in  FIG. 11(   b ), the controller  10  registers the four selected contents images as background images. 
     Further, the four registered contents images are alternately displayed on a standby screen at certain intervals. Namely, the controller  10  displays the first contents image  930  as shown in  FIG. 11(   c ) as the background image, and when a certain time lapses, the controller  10  displays the next contents image  940  as shown in  FIG. 11(   d ) as a background image. Similarly, when a certain time lapses, the controller displays the next contents image  950  as shown in  FIG. 11(   e ) as a background image, and thereafter, when a certain time lapses, the controller  10  displays the next contents image  960  as shown in  FIG. 11(   f ) as a background image. 
     Further, as shown in  FIGS. 11(   c ),  11 ( e ), and  11 ( f ), the controller  10  also displays corresponding icons to indicate to the user they are linked with a web page. In addition, after a certain time lapses with respect to the contents image  960  as shown in  FIG. 11(   f ), the controller  10  repeats displaying the contents images starting from the contents image as shown in  FIG. 11(   c ). Also, when the web page-set contents as displayed as in  FIGS. 11(   c ),  11 ( e ), and  11 ( f ) including icons are output, the controller  10  displays the contents information and the Internet tag information linked thereto ‘ 932 ’, ‘ 952 ’, and ‘ 952 ’ at the lower end portions of the display screen. Further, when a content image without any web page is set as the background image, the controller  10  displays only the contents image on the screen as shown in  FIG. 11(   d ). 
     In addition, when the hot key is manipulated in one of the screens displaying the content images as shown in  FIGS. 11(   c ),  11 ( e ), and  11 ( f ), likewise as in  FIG. 10 , the controller  10  automatically accesses a corresponding web page according to the Internet tag information linked to the displayed contents. 
     Next,  FIG. 12  is an overview of display screen when an operation of accessing a web while contents is executed.  FIG. 1  will also be referred to in this description. In more detail, when a hot key is manipulated while web page-set contents ‘sh.k3g’  980  among contents stored in the memory  40  is being reproduced as shown in  FIG. 12(   a ), the controller  10  detects Internet tag information linked to the video contents ‘sh.k3g’ being reproduced. 
     Then, the controller  10  automatically accesses a web page ‘blog.naver.com/sh’ corresponding to the detected Internet tag information as shown in  FIG. 12(   b ) and displays the accessed screen image  990  of the ‘blog.naver.com/sh’. Further, when reproducing video contents, the controller  10  displays the contents information and its linked Internet tag information together for a user&#39;s easy recognition. Also, the controller  10  displays an icon confirming that the contents have the set web page. 
     Further, it is also possible for the user to transmit the displayed representative image (contents) to another mobile terminal via the wireless communication unit  50  such that a user of the another mobile terminal can access the Internet address included in the Internet tag information by selecting the representative image data. In addition, the representative image data (contents) can be displayed as a background transparent image with the Internet tag information being displayed in the foreground, or vice-versa. 
     In the above-described embodiments of the present invention, the web page is set for particular contents using input Internet tag information. Further, the contents can be an image or any other type of data. 
     As described above, the present invention includes several advantages. For example, by setting a web page with respect to particular contents using the Internet tag information, when the web page-set contents are selected, the corresponding web page can be accessed according the tag information linked thereto. Therefore, the user convenience is increased and the time for searching a desired website following a web connection is shortened. 
     As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalence of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.