Abstract:
A terminal, computer program product and method for displaying menu icons in groups and for designating one of the menu icons displayed in groups when a menu icon mode is entered.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No. 10-2007-0012631 filed in Republic of Korea on Feb. 7, 2007 the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This document relates to a menu display method for displaying menus. 
         [0004]    2. Related Art 
         [0005]    In recent years, various portable device functions have converged into common terminals. Accordingly, the number of menus in these terminals has increased in number, size and complexity. In these terminals, conventional menus are hierarchically arranged by dividing the menus into top and bottom menus. However, conventional menus force users to execute an excessive number of selection operations in order to select the desired menus of these terminals. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    An aspect of this document is to provide a menu display method which may effectively display menus of multiple functions, along with a corresponding terminal and computer program product. 
         [0007]    In one aspect of the invention, a menu display method includes the ability to select a menu mode. This method may display the menus by groups and designate one of the displayed menus when the menu mode is entered. Also, this method may change the designation of a menu belonging to a group different from that of the designated menu when a tab is selected. 
         [0008]    In another aspect of the invention, a terminal includes an input and a display for displaying menus. This terminal may include a controller. The controller causes the display to display the menus by groups and designates one of menus when the menu mode is selected by using the input. The controller may change the designation of a menu belonging to a group different from that of the designated menu when a tab is selected via the input. Another aspect of the invention is a corresponding computer program product. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The implementation of this document will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings in which like numerals refer to like elements. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a terminal according to one embodiment; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart of a menu icon display method of a terminal according to another embodiment; 
           [0012]      FIGS. 3A to 3D  are examples of the screens that display menu icons through a display of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIGS. 4A to 4D  are another examples of the screens that display menu icons through the display of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIGS. 5A to 5D  are still another examples of the screens that display menu icons through the display of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is an example of the screen that displays the result of a menu icon selection in the state of  FIG. 3A  through the display of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIGS. 7A to 7C  are examples of the screens that display the result of sorting the menu icons through the display of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is an example of the screen that displays a menu icon search result through the display of  FIG. 1 ; 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    An implementation of this document will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a terminal according to one embodiment. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the terminal  10  according to one embodiment comprises an input  12 , a display  14 , an audio processor  15 , a transceiver  16 , a memory  20 , and a controller  22 . 
         [0021]    The input  12  is an interface which communicates with a peripheral device or a user. The input  12  may be at least one of a keypad having a plurality of key buttons formed thereon, a navigation key having a plurality of direction keys formed thereon, a jog device for selecting an input according to the amount of rotation, a voice input device having a voice recognizer, and a touch input device, such as a touch pad or touch screen. Various information or commands, for example, information or commands related to menu access or menu designation, menu selection, tab selection, menu sorting, menu search and the like, are input into the terminal  10  from a peripheral device or a user through the input  12 . 
         [0022]    The display  14  controllably displays a variety of processes and control operations of the terminal  10 , a variety of images, etc., according to instructions from the controller  22 . The display  14  provides inputs of various information or commands related to menu access or menu designation, menu selection, tab selection, menu sorting, menu search and the like exemplified above through the screen. By the inputs of various information or commands displayed through the display  14 , the user may know the progress of a variety of processes and control operations of the terminal  10 . 
         [0023]    If one of a specific number of menu icons is designated by using the input  12  at the menu mode, the display  14  displays the menu icons into groups. If the tab is selected at the above state by using the input  12 , the display  14  displays the designation of a menu icon belonging to a group different from that of the designated menu icon. The display  14  also displays the result of menu icon sorting and searching provided by the terminal  10 . A description thereof will be described in detail with reference to  FIGS. 2 to 7  hereinafter. 
         [0024]    In the terminal  10  according to one embodiment, the display  14  is integrated with a touch input  12  such as a touch screen, to thus display various information or commands  12  related to menu icon access, menu icon designation, menu icon selection, tab selection, menu icon sorting, menu icon search, etc. and at the same time a variety of commands may be input when the displayed information or commands is touched. 
         [0025]    The audio processor  15  processes data so as to input and output voice through a microphone MIC and a speaker SPK. The audio processor  15  processes data so as to output voice through a speaker SPK corresponding to a variety of processes and control operations of the terminal  10 . The audio processor  15  processes data so as to let voice according to various information or commands to be input through a microphone MIC. 
         [0026]    The audio processor  15  may generate sound through the speaker SPK when a menu icon is designated or selected. Especially, in case the menu icons sorted and displayed on the display  14  by groups are selected by using the input  12 , different sounds may be generated by groups. 
         [0027]    Additionally, the audio processor  15  may receive sound through the microphone MIC by the input  12  for inputting various information or commands, for example, information or commands related to menu icon access or menu icon designation, menu icon selection, tab selection, menu icon sorting, menu icon search and so on, if a voice input device having a voice recognizer stored therein is provided, and then transmit it to the voice recognizer. 
         [0028]    The transceiver  16  may perform voice or data communication through wired and wireless communication networks. A so-called communication terminal comprising the transceiver  16  may perform a variety of current or future communications, such as voice call, message transfer, webpage connection, data transmission and reception, call connection, instant messenger, etc. 
         [0029]    The memory  20  may store programs for processing and controlling the terminal  10 , especially, the controller  22 . The memory  20  may store a variety of data, for example, reference data, various storage data, and various updatable data for storage. The memory  20  stores the frequency of use of the menu icons that were explained above or to be explained later, a final menu icon display state, the proximity between the menu icons, recently used menu icons and so on, so that the memory  20  may be used to display on the display  14  information or commands related to menu icon access or menu icon designation, menu icon selection, tab selection, menu icon sorting, menu icon search and so on. 
         [0030]    The controller  22  processes and controls overall operations or functions of the terminal  10 . Particularly, the controller  22  processes and controls the overall operations or functions of the terminal  10  related to menu icon access or menu icon designation, menu icon selection, tab selection, menu icon sorting, menu icon search, etc., on the display  14 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart of a menu icon display method of a terminal according to another embodiment. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the menu icon display method S 100  according to another embodiment includes a menu icon mode access step S 100 , a menu icon display step S 200 , and a menu icon designation change step S 300 . 
         [0033]    The menu icon mode access step S 100  is a step for accessing the menu icon mode to perform a predetermined function by menu icon display and selection. In step S 100 , methods for accessing the menu icon mode may be various. 
         [0034]    For example, either a menu key or a menu hot key may be provided on the surface of the terminal  10 . Accordingly, the menu mode may be accessed by pressing either the menu key or the hot key. In another example, the menu button may be displayed on the display  14  such as the touch screen, and the menu mode may be accessed by touching the displayed menu button. 
         [0035]    The menu icon mode access step S 100  may be performed on an initial screen of the terminal  10 , and also may be performed during the execution of a variety of menu icons, for instance, during the execution of a game or camera shooting. 
         [0036]    The menu icon display step S 200  is a step for displaying a specific number of menu icons through the display  14  in the menu icon mode accessed in the step S 100 . 
         [0037]      FIGS. 3A to 3D  are examples of the screens that display menu icons through the display of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0038]      FIGS. 3A to 3D  are screens where a total of 16 menu icons are sorted and displayed into fours by groups on each of equally divided quadrants on the display  14 .  FIG. 3A  is a screen where one of the menu icons to be displayed on the fourth quadrant is designated among the menu icons to be displayed on equally divided quadrants. And  FIGS. 5B to 3D  are screens which are the same as  FIG. 3A , except for changing the designation of one of the menu icons displayed on of the first to third quadrants respectively. 
         [0039]    In the step S 200 , the first screen displaying a specific number of menu icons may be any one of  FIGS. 3A to 3D . In the step S 200 , a user may arbitrarily set the first screen as one of  FIGS. 3A to 3D , or may set the first screen as the menu icon screen displayed when the menu icon mode is accessed for the last time. The latter will be described by way of example. If the last menu icon screen is the screen of  FIG. 3B , the first screen in the step S 200  may be the screen of  FIG. 3B  at the time of menu icon mode access. The latter is more effective when the last menu icons used by users are frequently used when the menu icon mode is accessed at the next time. 
         [0040]    Further, frequently used menu icons among the menu icons displayed on the menu icon screen of  FIGS. 3A to 3D  may be positioned near the boundary line of the quadrants. Accordingly, a menu having a higher frequency of use is positioned closer to the center point of the quadrants or arranged in a cruciform near the boundary points of the quadrants. The former may be effective when the input  12  is a touch input device, and the latter may be effective when the input  12  is a normal navigation key. 
         [0041]    The frequently used menu icons are positioned at the boundary line of the quadrants, and the initially designated menu icons of  FIGS. 3A to 3D  may be one of the four menu icons positioned at the center lines of the quadrants. 
         [0042]    The menu icons displayed on the menu icon screens of  FIGS. 3A to 3D  may be displayed by icons, or by the icons along with at least one of characters, numbers and special characters for explaining the menu icons. 
         [0043]      FIGS. 4A to 4D  are another examples of the screens that display menu icons through the display of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0044]      FIGS. 4A to 4D  are screens where a total of 20 menu icons are sorted and displayed by groups on each of unequally divided quadrants, proceeding clockwise with the first quadrant being the upper right quadrant.  FIG. 4A  is a screen where 12 menu icons are positioned on the fourth quadrant of the unequally divided quadrants, 4 menu icons are positioned on the first quadrant, 3 menu icons are positioned on the third quadrant and one menu icon is positioned on the second quadrant. Further,  FIG. 4A  shows the state in which the frequently used menu icons positioned on the center point of the quadrants are designated among the menu icons positioned on the fourth quadrant in the same way as  FIG. 3A . 
         [0045]      FIGS. 4B to 4D  are screens where the menu icons are aligned and displayed in the same way as  FIG. 4A , with the first to third quadrant having 12 menu icons, respectively, with three menu icons or one menu icon positioned on the other quadrants.  FIG. 4B  to  FIG. 4D  show the state in which the frequently used menu icons positioned on the center point of the quadrants are designated among the menu icons positioned on the fourth quadrant in the same way as  FIG. 4A . Between  FIGS. 4A-4D , there are 48 menu icon icons grouped into 4 sets of 12. Depending on which mode is selected, a set of 12 menu icons occupies the largest quadrant, a set of 4 occupies another quadrant, a set of 3 occupies another quadrant, and a set of 1 occupies the last quadrant. In each of the four menu icons, the most frequently used menu icon icons are displayed next to the respective quadrant boundary. 
         [0046]    Referring to  FIG. 2  again, in the step S 200 , the first screen for displaying a specific number of menu icons will be one of  FIGS. 4A to 4D . As explained above, in the step S 200 , a user may arbitrarily set the first screen as one of  FIGS. 4A to 4D , or may set the first screen as the menu icon screen displayed for the last time. 
         [0047]    In the step S 200 , the user may set if the first screen is set as one of  FIGS. 3A to 3D  or as one of  FIGS. 4A to 4D , and change the setting. 
         [0048]    The designation change step S 300  is a step in which the designation is changed to one of the menu icons belonging to a group different from that of the designated menu icon when the tab is selected. 
         [0049]    For example, in a case where  FIG. 4A  is the first screen in the menu icon display step S 200 , the first screen is changed into the screen illustrated in  FIG. 4B  through a display  14  when a tab is selected by using an input  12  menu icon. Further, when the tab is selected again through the input  12 , the screen is switched over to the screen illustrated in  FIG. 4C , and when the tab is selected once again, the screen is switched over to the screen illustrated in  FIG. 4D . 
         [0050]    As the menu icons are sorted by groups for display, and a group is changed by tab selection, the menu icons belonging to the group are displayed more than the menu icons belonging to other groups, thereby minimizing the number of times of menu icon designation and selection. By sequential tab selection, all the menu icons (a total of 48 menu icons in  FIGS. 4A to 4D ) distributed among each of the groups as shown in  FIGS. 4A to 4D  are sequentially displayed, and a desired menu icon may be designated, or selected and designated by using a navigation key or a touch screen. 
         [0051]    The tab may be selected by displaying a tab key on the lower end of the screen to be displayed and pressing the tab key. Or the tab may be selected by having a hot key for the tab formed on a part of the body, for example, a side of the case, of the terminal  10   a  and pressing the hot key for the tab. 
         [0052]    Resultantly, as many menu icons belonging to each of the groups as possible are displayed by tab selection. The phase “as many menu icons as possible” may mean all the menu icons of the terminal  10  or only the menu icons expected to be used to more than a certain extent. The latter means that a maximum zoomed out screen is configured only by the menu icons expected to be used to a certain extent except for the exceptional menu icons which makes a critical error if the menu icons are only exceptionally used or the operation is wrong. 
         [0053]    In the step S 200  or S 300 , as for the menu icons displayed through the display  14 , as shown in  FIGS. 3A to 4D , (1) the menu icons are displayed by icons and/or character sets, (2) the menu icons are sorted by groups and displayed on quadrants, and (3) the frequently used menu icons may be aligned so as to be concentrically spread from the boundary line or the central point of the quadrant, but the present invention is not limited thereto. 
         [0054]      FIGS. 5A to 5D  are still another examples of the screens that display menu icons through the display of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0055]    As shown in  FIGS. 5A to 5D , the menu icons displayed through the display  14  in the step S 200  or S 300  are displayed as one of characters, numbers, special characters or a combination thereof and may be sorted up and down by groups for displaying. In this case, the frequently used menu icons may be positioned on the upper end or lower end of a group, or displayed so that they are discriminated from other menu icons of the corresponding group. In the latter, only the frequently used menu icons are shadow-processed, marked with a distinctive color, highlighted, or enlarged. Thus, in  FIGS. 5A-5D , the selected group displays 12 menu icons, while the three unselected groups each display a single row of 3 most frequently used menu icons. 
         [0056]      FIG. 6  is an example of the screen that displays the result of a menu icon selection in the state of  FIG. 3A  through the display of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0057]    As shown in  FIGS. 3A to 4D , the menu icons displayed through the display  14  in the step S 200  or S 300  may be selected through the input  12 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 3A , a desired menu icon is accessed by using navigation keys, and then the menu icon may be selected by pressing a confirm button or an OK button on the screen. At this time, if a selected menu icon is an execution menu icon, the corresponding menu icon is executed. 
         [0058]    On the other hand, if subordinate menu icons exist on the selected menu icon, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the subordinate menu icons are additionally displayed by pop-up. Of course, the subordinate menu s may be selected by selecting the subordinate menu icons displayed by pop-up by using the input  12  in a similar method to the methods explained above. The pop-up screen of  FIG. 6  moves back to the menu icon screen of  FIG. 3A  by selecting the back menu icon. 
         [0059]      FIGS. 7A to 7C  are examples of the screens that display the result of sorting the menu icons through the display of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0060]    The menu icon display method of a terminal according to one embodiment may further comprise the step of displaying a sorting menu icon. 
         [0061]    The sorting menu icons as shown in  FIGS. 7A to 7C  may be further displayed at parts of the menu icon screens as shown in  FIGS. 3A to 4D  or so as to be identified. At this time, the sorting methods may vary, including frequently used sorting, proximity sorting, and recent sorting. 
         [0062]    Referring to  FIG. 7A , if the frequently used sorting method is selected among the sorting methods, the menu icons that have been used most frequently may be aligned at a specific position, for example, at the boundary line of the quadrants on the menu icon screen of  FIGS. 3A to 4D . Especially, the most frequently used menu icons are positioned at four center points of the quadrants, and the frequently used menu icons of the corresponding groups may be aligned on the boundary line of a cruciform according to the frequency of use. 
         [0063]    Referring to  FIG. 7B , when the proximity sorting method is selected from the sorting methods, the menu icons belonging to each of the groups of the quadrant may be set such that the menu icons are aligned according to the degree of proximity. According to this method, the menu icons in proximity to each other can be sequentially used. Also, after the menu icons in proximity to each other are firstly aligned in order to select desired menu icons, the next step may be performed. 
         [0064]    Referring to  FIG. 7C , it is possible to align the most recently used menu icons around the center points of the quadrants by selecting the recent sorting method among the sorting methods. Such a sorting method may be useful when the recently used menu icons are used again. 
         [0065]      FIG. 8  is an example of the screen that displays the result of a menu icon search through the display of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0066]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , the menu icon display method of a terminal according to one embodiment may include the step of displaying a search window for searching menu icons and entering a search word into the search window or displaying a search result in case of a search request. 
         [0067]    The search result may be displayed such that the searched menu icons are distinguished from the other menu icons. The searched menu icons are distinguished from the other menu icons by either shade, highlight, enlarge or a combination thereof. In another example, the search result may be aligned at the boundary lines of the quadrant that divides the groups of the menu icons as shown in  FIGS. 3A to 4D . Since the searched menu icons are aligned at the boundary lines of the quadrant, the searched menu icons may be easily accessed by using only navigation keys which are one of the input  12 . 
         [0068]    Although embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto. 
         [0069]    Although the above embodiment has been described that the menu icons are divided into quadrants and sorted by groups for display, the menu icons may be divided into three, six, etc. Further, in the present invention, the menu icons may be displayed without division by groups. 
         [0070]    Although the above embodiment has been described that the menu icons are displayed in an icon form, they may be displayed by either general characters, numbers or special characters or a combination thereof with or without the icon. 
         [0071]    Although the above embodiment has been described that the menu icons are visually displayed, the menu icons may be provided so that they may be recognized with other senses. For example, the menu icons may be provided in braille that the blind may recognize tactually. In this case, the number of the menu icons provided in braille may be larger or smaller by zoom in our zoom out. 
         [0072]    Although the above embodiment has been described that the total number of the menu icons to be displayed on the display is 4×4=16 and nine menu icons, three menu icons, three menu icons and one men are displayed respectively at the time of differential division, the total number of the menu icons to be displayed on the display may be other than 16. For example, the total number of the menu icons to be displayed on the display may be 6×6=36, and sixteen menu icons, eight menu icons, eight menu icons and four menu icons may be displayed respectively on each of the quadrants. 
         [0073]    Additionally, the total number of the menu icons to be displayed on the display or the number of the menu icons to be displayed on each of the quadrants may be changed. 
         [0074]    Although the above embodiment has been described with respect to methods for aligning menu icons to be sorted by groups, the methods for aligning menu icons are not limited thereto. For example, the menu icons may be arbitrarily aligned by drag (slide) and drop by the user. In another example, the menu icons may be aligned in various methods, such as in name order, size order, creation date order, format order, etc. 
         [0075]    The present invention may be practiced in software stored on a computer readable medium such as a disk or computer memory device. A description of how a computer works is found in “How Computers Work,” Ron White, Que Publishing, 8 th  Edition, November 2005, the entire contents of which being incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0076]    Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be appreciated that the above described invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.