Patent Publication Number: US-2011061012-A1

Title: Mobile terminal to display composite menu information

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority from and benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0084563, filed on Sep. 8, 2009, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     The following description relates to a mobile terminal to display composite menu information generated by grouping a plurality of menu items. 
     2. Discussion of the Background 
     With the rapid development of mobile telecommunication technologies and related infrastructures, mobile terminals have been developed as media for providing various is services such as a voice communication service, game service, a message transmission/reception service, an internet search service, a wireless data communication service, an electronic scheduling service, a digital camera service, a video telephony service, and the like. 
     Recently, as users&#39; demands on services for improved service qualities and functions increase, attempts for improving users&#39; convenience have been made by introducing graphical user interfaces (GUI) that are similar to those adopted in personal computers (PC) and touch panels to mobile terminals. 
     A mobile terminal having a touch panel that is a GUI device accepts touch inputs and may not have a keypad that is generally used to accept inputs. In the touch panel, an instruction specified by a user is inputted by generating a predetermined voltage or current signal at a position pressed by a touch pen, a finger, or the like. 
     However, generally, a touch panel simply serves as a keypad in a mobile terminal and performs an instruction inputted by a user. Therefore, improving users&#39; convenience is needed. 
     SUMMARY 
     Exemplary embodiments provide a mobile terminal to display composite menu information having features of respective menus reflected or newly generated by grouping a plurality of menu items. 
     Additional features of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. 
     An exemplary embodiment discloses a mobile terminal comprising a display unit is to display menu information; a memory unit to store composite menu information generated by grouping a plurality of menu items; and a control unit to control the display unit to display a composite menu item corresponding to the composite menu information. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. Other features and aspects will be apparent from the following detailed description, the drawings, and the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a method for grouping a plurality of menu items according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3A ,  FIG. 3B , and  FIG. 3C  are views illustrating mobile terminals in which a plurality of menu items are selected according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a view illustrating a mobile terminal in which a composite icon is is deleted according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a view illustrating a mobile terminal in which an application for generated composite menu information is executed according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS 
     The invention is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth therein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the description, details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the presented embodiments. 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, the use of the terms “a”, “an”, etc. does not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denotes the presence of at least one of the referenced item. The use of the terms “first”, “second”, and the like does not imply any particular order, but they are included to identify individual elements. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. does not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising”, or “includes” and/or “including” when used in this specification, specify is the presence of stated features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. 
     Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. 
     In the drawings, like reference numerals denote like elements. The shape, size, and regions, and the like, of the drawing may be exaggerated for clarity. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 1 , a mobile terminal  100  includes a display unit  110 , a memory unit  120 , and a control unit  130 . 
     The display unit  110  displays menu information and/or information processed in the mobile terminal  100 . The display unit  110  may include a touch panel. In the touch panel, touch sensors to sense touch operations may have an interlayer structure and may simultaneously be an output device and an input device. The touch sensor may have the form of a touch film, a touch sheet, a touch pad, or the like. The touch sensor may receive an inputted signal by converting a change in pressure applied to a surface of the touch panel or by converting a change in capacitance at a specific position of the touch panel into an electrical input signal. The display unit  110  including a touch panel may be an input display unit that receives an inputted instruction and that displays information according to a control signal generated in the mobile is terminal  100 . 
     The display unit  110  may display information as various forms, including a block design, a text design, a circular design, and the like. The display unit  110  may further display icons, including a grouping icon, a delete icon, a composite icon, and menu icons, among others. The composite icon is an icon including a plurality of menu items or icons selected through various methods. The display unit  110  may display the delete icon to execute a delete function so that a user may select the delete icon to delete a composite icon or other icons. If composite menu information is generated, the display unit  110  may further display the composite icon to directly display the generated composite menu information or change a current screen into a screen on which the generated composite menu information is displayed. 
     The memory unit  120  stores the composite menu information generated by grouping a plurality of menu items. The memory unit  120  may include a storage medium including one or more of a flash memory type memory, a hard disk type memory, a multimedia card micro type memory, a card type memory, a random access memory (RAM), a static random access memory (SRAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an electrically erasable read-only memory (EEPROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), a magnetic memory, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk, or combinations thereof. 
     The composite menu information may be menu information generated by grouping two or more menu items displayed on a menu screen of the mobile terminal  100 . In addition to the menu items displayed on the initial menu screen, a menu item generated by grouping menu items may be used as the composite menu information. The grouping method may include a method of determining menu items so that menus or icons associated from corresponding menu functions or icons are grouped by considering each of the menu or icon is functions to be grouped, a method of specifying menus grouped according to user&#39;s preferences, or the like. The composite menu information may be generated through a method of grouping instructions respectively included in menu items or icons to generate a macro for the composite menu item. The composite menu information may be displayed by generating a composite icon associated with the composite menu item. The composite menu information may contain subordinate menu information classified for each category and application information to perform each of the menu or icon functions. The method of grouping composite menu information stored in the memory unit  120  may be determined by a user&#39;s instruction. Specifically, the composite menu information may be generated through a method of storing a plurality of menu items to be grouped and a composite item generated by grouping the plurality of menu items in the memory unit  110  of the mobile terminal  100  according to user&#39;s preferences. 
     The control unit  130  generally controls operations of the mobile terminal  100 . For example, the control unit  130  may perform and/or control voice calls, data communications, video calls, and the like. The control unit  130  may control the composite menu information generated by grouping a plurality of menu items or icons selected by a user to be displayed on the display unit  110 , using information stored in the memory unit  120 . The composite menu information may include a composite icon through which a user may call or execute the composite menu information. The control unit  130  may control the composite icon to be displayed so that the composite menu information may be accessed on the display unit  110  or may be changed into a screen on which the composite menu information or a list is displayed. The composite menu information may further include subordinate menus, subordinate items, and the like. If composite menu information including subordinate menus is selected, the control unit  130  may control a list of the subordinate menus to be displayed so that applications of the subordinate menus may be executed. If a subordinate menu is selected by a user, the control unit  130  may execute an application corresponding to the selected subordinate menu. According to applications, the control unit  130  may control the shape and color of the composite icon, the position at which the composite icon is displayed, and the like. According to user&#39;s instructions, the control unit  130  may change a design of the composite icon or may control the composite icon to be displayed by moving the position of the composite icon. 
     As examples of composite menu information generated according to functions of menu items, a video call menu may be generated by grouping menu items having call and camera functions, and a text message menu may be generated by grouping a call menu and a text menu. In addition, a wireless internet menu may be generated by grouping a call menu and a provider&#39;s service menu; a scheduler menu may be generated by grouping a clock menu and a text menu; and an alarm menu may be generated by grouping a voice menu and a clock menu. Further, three or more menus may be grouped. As an example of a composite menu generated by grouping three menus, a video chatting menu may be generated by grouping a call menu, a camera menu, and a text menu. The grouping method may include a method of generating a menu associated with functions of menus to be grouped or a method of generating a menu specified according to user&#39;s settings. The number of menus to be grouped, the content of a composite menu item, and the grouping method, and the like may be varied. 
     The control unit  130  may recognize an operation signal inputted through various methods as a select input for a plurality of menu items. For example, if the display unit  110  includes a touch panel and a drag signal is inputted from an area of a first menu item to an area of a second menu item, the control unit  130  recognizes the drag signal as a grouping signal for is the first and second menu items and generates composite menu information generated by grouping the first and second menu items. The composite menu information may be displayed on the display unit  110  as a composite icon. In order to reduce an error range of user&#39;s touch, the control unit  130  may recognize a selection signal in an area as a signal corresponding to selecting a menu item. 
     The display unit  110  may further display a grouping icon to perform a grouping function. In this case, if two or more menu items are dragged onto the grouping icon, the control unit  130  may recognize the drag signal as a signal to indicate that the menu items dragged onto the grouping icon are selected, generate composite menu information by grouping the corresponding menu items, and display the composite menu information as a composite icon on the display unit  110 . 
     The display unit  110  may further display a grouping icon to activate a grouping function with respect to menu items for a reference time. In this case, if a selection signal is inputted and the grouping function is activated by the grouping icon, the control unit  130  may recognize the selection signal as a signal to select a plurality of menu items, generate composite menu information by grouping the selected menu items, and display the composite menu information as a composite icon on the display unit  110 . The control unit  130  may receive a selection signal inputted through a number pad as a grouping signal for a plurality of menu items to be grouped. Specifically, numbers may be associated with menu items displayed in the mobile terminal  100 , respectively. If a plurality of numbers are inputted together with a grouping signal, the control unit  130  may recognize the inputted numbers as the grouping signal and select a plurality of menu items respectively associated with the inputted numbers, generate composite menu information generated by grouping the selected menu items, and display the is composite menu information as a composite icon on the display unit  110 . 
     The control unit  130  may delete a composite icon by a user&#39;s instruction. The display unit  110  may further display a delete icon to call or execute a delete function. If the composite icon representing composite menu information is dragged onto the delete icon, the control unit  130  may recognize the drag signal as a delete signal for the composite icon and delete the corresponding composite menu information. In order to protect menu items from being deleted, the range of menu items to be deleted may be limited to the composite icon or menu item. When a delete signal for a menu item is inputted, the control unit  130  may perform a warning function to indicate that the menu item cannot be deleted or to confirm that the menu item is to be deleted. For example, the warning function may include a message “delete impossible,” a vibration motion, a warning voice, and the like. 
     The composite menu information may contain a state information menu for displaying a state of the mobile terminal  100 . The state information menu may be a display area in which a connection state, settings of the mobile terminal  100 , a battery, and the like, which are displayed according to a user&#39;s preference, are displayed on a standby screen of the mobile terminal  100 . If the state information menu and one or more other menu items are selected, the control unit  130  may generate composite menu information containing the state information menu to be displayed on the display unit  110  as a composite icon. For example, if a battery menu and a telephone menu are selected, the control unit  130  may control information on a call time available with current power remaining in a battery of the mobile terminal  100 , and the like, to be displayed on the display unit  110 . 
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a method for grouping a plurality of menu items according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 2 , a plurality is of menu items are displayed on a display screen of a mobile terminal (S 210 ). Each of the menu items may be an icon or a menu icon. Further, each of the menu items may represent menus, functions, applications, programs, sub-routines, shortcuts, and the like. If a plurality of menu items are selected (S 220 ), a composite menu item corresponding to the selected menu items is generated (S 230 ). The composite menu item may be a composite icon. As a result, composite menu information generated as described above may be displayed on a display unit of the mobile terminal, or a composite menu icon to call the composite menu information may be displayed on the display unit (S 240 ). 
       FIG. 3A ,  FIG. 3B , and  FIG. 3C  are views illustrating mobile terminals in which a plurality of menu items are selected according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3A  is a view illustrating a mobile terminal in which a plurality of icons are selected by dragging the plurality of menu items onto a grouping icon.  FIG. 3B  is a view illustrating a mobile terminal in which a plurality of icons activated by a grouping icon are selected.  FIG. 3C  is a view illustrating a mobile terminal in which a plurality of icons are selected through a drag signal between the icons. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3A , first to sixth icons  311 ,  312 ,  313 ,  314 ,  315 , and  316  and a grouping icon  320  to perform a grouping function are displayed on a display screen  310 A of a mobile terminal  301 . Each of the first to sixth icons  311 ,  312 ,  313 ,  314 ,  315 , and  316  may be menu icons or menu items. Further, each of the first to sixth icons  311 ,  312 ,  313 ,  314 ,  315 , and  316  may represent menus, functions, applications, programs, sub-routines, shortcuts, and the like. If the third and fourth icons  313  and  314  are dragged onto the grouping icon  320 , the mobile terminal  301  generates and displays a composite icon  331  to call composite menu is information generated by grouping the third and fourth menus  313  and  314 . The composite icon  331  may be a composite menu icon. Thus, the composite icon  331  through which a user can call the composite menu information generated by grouping the third and fourth icons  313  and  314  is displayed between the third and fourth icons  313  and  314  on a display screen  310 B of the mobile terminal  301 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3B , first to sixth icons  341 ,  342 ,  343 ,  344 ,  345 , and  346  and a grouping icon  350  to activate a grouping function are displayed on a display screen  340 A of a mobile terminal  302 . Each of the first to sixth icons  341 ,  342 ,  343 ,  344 ,  345 , and  346  may be menu icons or menu items. Further, each of the first to sixth icons  341 ,  342 ,  343 ,  344 ,  345 , and  346  may represent menus, functions, applications, programs, sub-routines, shortcuts, and the like. If the grouping icon  350  is selected, the first to sixth icons  341 ,  342 ,  343 ,  344 ,  345 , and  346  are activated with respect to the grouping function for a reference time. If the third and fourth icons  343  and  344  are selected within the reference time, the mobile terminal  302  generates and displays a composite icon  361  to call composite menu information generated by grouping the third and fourth icons  343  and  344 . The composite icon  361  may be a composite menu icon. Thus, the composite icon  361  through which a user can call the composite menu information generated by grouping the third and fourth menus  343  and  344  is displayed between the third and fourth icons  343  and  344  on a display screen  340 B of the mobile terminal  302 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3C , first to sixth icons  371 ,  372 ,  373 ,  374 ,  375 , and  376  are displayed on a display screen  370 A of a mobile terminal  303 . Each of the first to sixth icons  371 ,  372 ,  373 ,  374 ,  375 , and  376  may be menu icons or menu items. Further, each of the first to sixth icons  371 ,  372 ,  373 ,  374 ,  375 , and  376  may represent menus, functions, applications, programs, sub-routines, shortcuts, and the like. If a drag signal is inputted from an area of the is third icon  373  to an area of the fourth icon  374 , the mobile terminal  303  generates and displays a composite icon  381  to call composite menu information generated by grouping the third and fourth menus  373  and  374 . The composite icon  381  may be a composite menu icon. Thus, the composite icon  381  through which a user can call the composite menu information generated by grouping the third and fourth menus  373  and  374  is displayed between the third and fourth icons  373  and  374  on a display screen  370 B of the mobile terminal  303 . 
       FIG. 4  is a view illustrating a mobile terminal in which a composite icon is deleted according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 4 , first to sixth initial icons  411 ,  412 ,  413 ,  414 ,  415 , and  416 , first to third composite icons  421 ,  422 , and  423  and a delete icon  430  to delete information are displayed on a display screen  410 A of a mobile terminal  401 . Each of the first to sixth initial icons  411 ,  412 ,  413 ,  414 ,  415 , and  416  may be menu icons or menu items. Further, each of the first to sixth initial icons  411 ,  412 ,  413 ,  414 ,  415 , and  416  may represent menus, functions, applications, programs, sub-routines, shortcuts, and the like. And, each of the first to third composite icons  421 ,  422 , and  423  may be composite menu icons. If the third composite icon  423  of the first to third composite icons  421 ,  422 , and  423  is dragged onto the delete icon  430 , the third composite icon  423  is deleted and no longer displayed on a display screen  410 B of the mobile terminal  401 . Thus, the first to sixth initial icons  411 ,  412 ,  413 ,  414 ,  415 , and  416  and the first and second composite icons  421  and  422 , which are not deleted, are displayed on the display screen  410 B of the mobile terminal  401 . 
       FIG. 5  is a view illustrating a mobile terminal in which an application for generated composite menu information is executed according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 5 , a mobile terminal  501  includes a display screen  510 A on which a plurality of icons are displayed, a display screen  510 B on which a composite icon is displayed, and a display screen  510 C on which application information contained in the composite icon is displayed. 
     A voice icon  511 , a text icon  512 , a call icon  513 , a clock icon  514  and a grouping icon  520  are displayed as initial menu items on the display screen  510 A of the mobile terminal  501 . Each of the voice icon  511 , the text icon  512 , the call icon  513 , and the clock icon  514  may be menu icons or menu items. Further, each of the voice icon  511 , the text icon  512 , the call icon  513 , and the clock icon  514  may represent menus, functions, applications, programs, sub-routines, shortcuts, and the like. If the text icon  512  and the call icon  513  of the initial menu items are selected and grouped by a user&#39;s instruction, a message icon  531 , i.e., a composite icon generated by grouping the text icon  512  and the call icon  513 , is displayed on the display screen  510 B of the mobile terminal  501 . A list of applications of a subordinate menu  561  contained in the message icon  531 , i.e., the composite menu information, is displayed on the display screen  510 C of the mobile terminal on which the message icon  531  is selected by an object for inputting the user&#39;s instruction. The subordinate menu may be set to be displayed translucently. 
     The mobile terminal according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention may not be limited to the configuration and methods of the aforementioned exemplary embodiments but configured by selectively combining all or some of the exemplary embodiments so that various modifications can be made. 
     As described above, in a mobile terminal according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, menus displayed in the mobile terminal can be simplified, and user&#39;s convenience can be improved by configuring and displaying menus according to a user&#39;s preferences. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variation can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.