Patent Description:
A variety of menus for selecting and running their related functions may be displayed on a screen of a terminal. If one of the menus displayed on the screen is selected or touched by a user, its associated function may be carried out. The term "menu" should be interpreted as including any user interface element, interaction with which can cause at least one function to be selected or deselected, or more generally allows user input to be received.

However, in order to change menu environments, the user needs to switch to environment setting modes of the menus through a number of steps. For example, a quick panel according to Android® Operating System (OS)-based smart phones may display menus such as Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, Global Positioning System (GPS), Call Notification, and Auto-Rotation. If a touch occurs on an arbitrary menu among the menus displayed on the quick panel, a function related to the touched menu is activated or enabled, and if a touch occurs again on the arbitrary menu, the activated function is deactivated or disabled in a toggle manner.

As described above, the user may activate or deactivate functions through the menus displayed on a quick panel by touching the menus. However, the user needs to go through several steps in order to switch to environment setting modes of the menus. For example, the user must select a main menu on a home screen, select an environment setting menu in the main menu, and then select an environment setting mode for one of displayed menus. As another example, the user may need to enter an option button on the home screen, select an environment setting menu in a displayed option menu, and then select an environment setting mode from a group of at least one displayed menu.

No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present invention.

<CIT> relates to a mobile terminal capable of recognizing fingernail touch and method of controlling the operation thereof. Disclosed is a method of controlling a mobile terminal, and which includes displaying, on a touch screen display of the mobile terminal, an operation screen corresponding to a current operating mode executing on the mobile terminal; detecting, via a detecting device, a touch input on the touch screen display of the mobile terminal; determining, via a controller on the mobile terminal, a first finger characteristic describing a finger touching the touch screen display and a second finger characteristic describing the finger touching the touch screen display that is different than the first finger characteristic; performing, via the controller, a first operation relevant to the current operating mode based on the determined first finger characteristic; and performing, via the controller, a second operation relevant to the current operating mode based on the determined second finger characteristic.

<CIT> relates to a dynamic bar oriented user interface, where options associated with a function represented by an icon are configured by invoking a dialog obtained by selecting the icon.

Further aspects of the invention are outlined in the dependent claims. When the term "embodiment" is used for describing an unclaimed combination of features, it has to be understood as referring to examples useful for understanding the present invention.

The above and other aspects, features and advantages of certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:.

The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of exemplary embodiments of the invention as defined by the claims. It includes various specific details to assist in that understanding, but these are to be regarded as merely exemplary. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to the bibliographical meanings, but are merely used by the inventor to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the invention. Accordingly, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention is provided for illustration purposes only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words "comprise" and "contain" and variations of the words, for example "comprising" and "comprises", means "including but not limited to", and is not intended to (and does not) exclude other components, integers or steps.

Features, integers or characteristics described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith.

It will be also be appreciated that, throughout the description and claims of this specification, language in the general form of "X for Y" (where Y is some action, activity or step and X is some means for carrying out that action, activity or step) encompasses means X adapted or arranged specifically, but not exclusively, to do Y.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same or similar components may be designated by the same or similar reference numerals although they are illustrated in different drawings.

A terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a portable terminal and a fixed terminal. The portable terminal may be a mobile electronic device, such as a videophone, a portable phone, a smart phone, an International Mobile Telecommunication <NUM> (IMT-<NUM>) terminal, a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) terminal, a Universal Mobile Telecommunication Service (UMTS) terminal, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a Portable Multimedia Player (PMP), a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) terminal, an Electronic-Book (E-Book) reader, a portable computer (e.g., a laptop Personal Computer (PC) or a tablet PC), and a digital camera. The fixed terminal may be a desktop PC.

<FIG> illustrates a structure of a terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to <FIG>, a Radio Frequency (RF) unit <NUM> is responsible for radio communication of the terminal. The RF unit <NUM> includes an RF transmitter for frequency up-converting transmission signals and amplifying the up-converted signals, and an RF receiver for low-noise-amplifying received signals and frequency downconverting the amplified signals. A data processor <NUM> includes a transmitter for encoding and modulating the transmission signals, and a receiver for demodulating and decoding the received signals. In other words, the data processor <NUM> may include modem and a codec. The codec includes a data codec for processing packet data, and an audio codec for processing audio signals such as voice. An audio processor <NUM> plays received audio signals output from the audio codec in the data processor <NUM> using a speaker, and transfers transmission audio signals picked up by a microphone to the audio codec in the data processor <NUM>.

A key input unit <NUM> includes numeric/character keys for inputting numeric and character information and function keys for setting various functions.

A memory <NUM> includes a program memory and a data memory. The program memory stores programs for controlling the general operation of the terminal. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment to the present invention, the memory <NUM> stores a control program for switching to an environment setting mode of a menu according to a type of a gesture. More generally, in certain embodiments the switch is to a setting mode. The data memory may temporarily store the data generated during execution of the programs.

The controller <NUM> controls the overall operation of the terminal. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the controller <NUM> switches to an environment setting mode of a menu according to a type of a gesture having occurred on or in connection with the menu. The controller <NUM> runs a related function of the menu or displays currently set environment information on the menu, according to the type of the gesture having occurred on the menu.

While displaying the currently set environment information on the menu in a pop-up window, the controller <NUM> runs the related function of the menu or switches to the environment setting mode of the menu, according to the type of the gesture having occurred on the menu. While displaying the currently set environment information on the menu in a pop-up window, the controller <NUM> switches to the environment setting mode of the menu according to the type of the gesture having occurred in the pop-up window. The type of the gesture may include a short touch, a long touch, a double touch, a multi-touch, a drag, and a pressure-sensitive touch.

The controller <NUM> determines the type of the gesture having occurred on the menu, and runs the related function of the menu if the type of the gesture is a short touch, switch to the environment setting mode of the menu if the type of the gesture is a long touch, and display the currently set environment information on the menu if the type of the gesture is a double touch.

While displaying the currently set environment information on the menu in the pop-up window, the controller <NUM> may run the related function of the menu if a short touch occurs on the menu. While displaying the currently set environment information on the menu in the pop-up window, the controller <NUM> may switch to the environment setting mode of the menu if a long touch occurs on the menu. While displaying the currently set environment information on the menu in the pop-up window, the controller <NUM> switches to the environment setting mode of the menu if a short touch occurs in the pop-up window. The controller <NUM> may display the menu in a different color or shape according to the type of the gesture having occurred on the menu.

A camera <NUM> includes a camera sensor for capturing images and converting the captured optical image signal into an electrical signal, and a signal processor for converting the analog image signal captured by the camera sensor into digital data. The camera sensor may be a Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) or Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) sensor, and the signal processor may be implemented with a Digital Signal Processor (DSP). The camera sensor and the signal processor may be implemented either in an integrated way, or in a separated way.

An image processor <NUM> performs Image Signal Processing (ISP) for displaying the image signals output from the camera <NUM> on a display <NUM>. The ISP may include gamma correction, interpolation, spatial variations, image effects, image scaling, Automatic White Balance (AWB), Automatic Exposure (AE), and Automatic Focus (AF). The image processor <NUM> processes the image signals output from the camera <NUM> on a frame-by-frame basis, and outputs the frame image data according to the characteristics and size of the display <NUM>. The image processor <NUM> includes a video codec, which compresses the frame image data displayed on the display <NUM> by a preset coding scheme, and decompresses the compressed frame image data into the original frame image data. The video codec may include a Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) codec, a Moving Picture Experts Group <NUM> (MPEG4) codec, and a Wavelet codec. The image processor <NUM> may have an On-Screen Display (OSD) function, and may output OSD data according to the size of the displayed screen, under control of the controller <NUM>.

The display <NUM> displays, on its screen, image signals output from the image processor <NUM> and data output from the controller <NUM>. The display <NUM> may include a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD). In this case, the display <NUM> may include an LCD controller, a memory capable of storing image data, and an LCD panel. When implemented as a touch screen, the LCD may serve as an input unit. In this case, the same keys as those on the key input unit <NUM> may be displayed on the display <NUM>. The display <NUM> may display a menu in a different color or shape according to a type of gesture having occurred on the menu. An operation of controlling a menu in the above-described terminal is described below with reference to <FIG>.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a process of controlling a menu according to a type of a gesture in a terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The process illustrated in <FIG> will be described with reference to <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, the controller <NUM> determines in step <NUM> whether a gesture occurs on or in connection with a specific menu among one or more menus displayed on the terminal, and determines a type of the gesture having occurred on or in connection with the specific menu in step <NUM>, if a gesture occurs. As noted above, the term menu should be interpreted broadly to encompass any user interface element displayed on the terminal capable of being selected or indicated by a user gesture. In the context of a touch screen, a user gesture may be on or in connection with the menu if the user performs a touch gesture which touches part of the menu. A gesture may be "in connection with a displayed menu" simply by virtue of being performed while the menu is displayed, and may therefore include gestures such as shaking the terminal.

The controller <NUM> determines in step <NUM> whether the gesture having occurred on the specific menu is a first gesture, and if so runs a related function of the specific menu in step <NUM>.

The controller <NUM> determines in step <NUM> whether the gesture having occurred on the specific menu is a second gesture, and if so directly switches to an environment menu setting mode of the specific menu in step <NUM>.

The controller <NUM> determines in step <NUM> whether the gesture having occurred on the specific menu is a third gesture, and if so displays currently set environment information on the specific menu in step <NUM>. In step <NUM>, the controller <NUM> may display the currently set environment information on the specific menu in a pop-up window near the specific menu.

While displaying the currently set environment information on the specific menu in the pop-up window, the controller <NUM> may determine in step <NUM> whether the first gesture occurs on the specific menu, and if so the controller <NUM> may run the related function of the specific menu in step <NUM>.

While displaying the currently set environment information on the specific menu in the pop-up window, the controller <NUM> may determine in step <NUM> whether the second gesture occurs on the specific menu, and if so may directly switch to the environment menu setting mode of the specific menu in step <NUM>. More generally, certain embodiments of the present invention comprise switching to a setting mode (for instance an environment setting mode) in response to detecting a gesture on or in connection with a user interface element (such as a menu).

While displaying the currently set environment information on the specific menu in the pop-up window, the controller <NUM> determines in step <NUM> whether the first gesture occurs in the pop-up window, and if so directly switches to the environment menu setting mode of the specific menu in step <NUM>.

Although it is assumed in the above exemplary processes that the first gesture is to execute the function of a menu, the second gesture is to switch to an environment setting mode of the menu, and the third gesture is to display the environment information set for the menu, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention thereto. Therefore, it can be understood that executing the function of a menu, switching to an environment setting mode of the menu, or displaying the environment information set for the menu may be performed in response to any one of the first to third gestures. The first to third gestures may be any one of a short touch, a long touch, a double touch, a multi-touch, a drag, and a pressure-sensitive touch, and may also include a type of a motion of the terminal (e.g., motion to the left or right, side to side motion, up/down motion, etc.).

Accordingly, as one example the corresponding function is in response to the second or third gesture, the switch to an environment setting mode of the menu is in response to the first or third gesture, and the display of the environment information set for the menu is in response to the first or second gesture.

For example, after the user selects a specific menu, the controller <NUM> may run a related function of the specific menu, switch to an environment setting mode of the specific menu, or display currently set environment information on the specific menu, according to the motion direction of a terminal. The types of gestures for controlling the specific menu may be set by the user.

An operation of controlling a menu according to a type of gesture in a terminal is described below with reference to <FIG>.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a process of controlling a Wi-Fi menu according to a type of a gesture in a terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. <FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a process of controlling a call notification menu according to a type of a gesture in a terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. <FIG> illustrate display screens provided for a description of the processes shown in <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>, the menus may be controlled according to various different types of touches (which may therefore comprise different gestures). A short touch may indicate an action in which a touch occurs within a predetermined time, a long touch may indicate an action in which a touch lasts for a predetermined time or more, and a double touch may indicate an action in which two successive touches occur within a predetermined time.

The processes shown in <FIG> and <FIG> will be described in detail below with reference to <FIG>, and <FIG>.

An operation of controlling a Wi-Fi menu <NUM> displayed on a quick panel <NUM> is described with reference to <FIG>. If a top-to-bottom drag occurs starting from an upper part of a screen of the display <NUM>, for instance in a standby mode, the controllers <NUM> displays the quick panel <NUM> having preset menus as illustrated in <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, the controller <NUM> determines in step <NUM> whether a touch occurs on the Wi-Fi menu <NUM> on the quick panel <NUM>, and determines a type of the touch having occurred on the Wi-Fi menu <NUM> in step <NUM> if the touch occurs on the Wi-Fi menu <NUM>.

The controller <NUM> determines in step <NUM> whether the type of the touch having occurred on the Wi-Fi menu <NUM> is a short touch. If the type of the touch having occurred on the Wi-Fi menu <NUM> is a short touch, then in step <NUM> the controller <NUM> activates a Wi-Fi function if the Wi-Fi function is presently inactive and deactivates the Wi-Fi function if the Wi-Fi function is presently active.

The controller <NUM> determines in step <NUM> whether the type of the touch having occurred on the Wi-Fi menu <NUM> is a long touch, and directly switches to a Wi-Fi environment setting mode, as illustrated in <FIG>, in which the Wi-Fi environment may be set, in step <NUM> if the type of the touch having occurred on the Wi-Fi menu <NUM> is a long touch.

The controller <NUM> determines in step <NUM> whether the type of the touch having occurred on the Wi-Fi menu <NUM> is a double touch, and displays currently set environment information on the Wi-Fi menu <NUM> in step <NUM> if the type of the touch having occurred on the Wi-Fi menu <NUM> is a double touch.

In step <NUM>, the controller <NUM> displays the currently set environment information on the Wi-Fi menu <NUM> in a pop-up window near the Wi-Fi menu <NUM>. The controller <NUM> may display the currently set environment information on the Wi-Fi menu <NUM> if the Wi-Fi menu <NUM> is presently active, and announce deactivation of the Wi-Fi function or display environment information previously set on the Wi-Fi menu <NUM> if the Wi-Fi menu <NUM> is presently inactive. The controller <NUM> may display, in the pop-up window, a type of a router currently or previously connected to the terminal and signal strength of the router as the environment information set on the Wi-Fi menu <NUM>.

In <FIG>, the controller <NUM> displays a type "iptime™" of a router currently connected to the terminal and a signal strength of the router as the environment information set on the Wi-Fi menu <NUM> in a pop-up window 501a near the Wi-Fi menu <NUM>, if the Wi-Fi menu <NUM> is presently active.

While displaying the currently set environment information on the Wi-Fi menu <NUM> in the pop-up window 501a, the controller <NUM> determines in step <NUM> whether a short touch occurs on the Wi-Fi menu <NUM>, and if so activates or deactivates the Wi-Fi menu <NUM> in step <NUM>.

While displaying the currently set environment information on the Wi-Fi menu <NUM> in the pop-up window 501a, the controller <NUM> determines in step <NUM> whether a long touch occurs on the Wi-Fi menu <NUM>, and if so directly switches to an environment setting mode of the Wi-Fi menu <NUM> (as illustrated in <FIG>) in step <NUM>.

While displaying the currently set environment information on the Wi-Fi menu <NUM> in the pop-up window 501a, the controller <NUM> determines in step <NUM> whether a double touch occurs in the pop-up window 501a, and if so directly switches to the environment setting mode of the Wi-Fi menu <NUM> (as illustrated in <FIG>) in step <NUM>.

An operation of controlling a call notification menu displayed on the quick panel <NUM> is described below with reference to <FIG>. If a top-to-bottom drag occurs starting from an upper part of a screen of the display <NUM>, for instance in a standby mode, the controller <NUM> displays the quick panel <NUM> having preset menus as illustrated in <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, the controller <NUM> determines in step <NUM> whether a touch occurs on a call notification menu <NUM> on the quick panel <NUM>, and if so determines a type of the touch having occurred on the call notification menu <NUM> in step <NUM>.

The controller <NUM> determines in step <NUM> whether the type of the touch having occurred on the call notification menu <NUM> is a short touch, and if so changes a type of the call notification menu <NUM> in step <NUM>. For example, in step <NUM>, the controller <NUM> switches to a bell mode if the type of the call notification menu <NUM> is currently set as a vibration mode, and switches to the vibration mode if the type of the call notification menu <NUM> is currently set as the bell mode.

The controller <NUM> determines in step <NUM> whether the type of the touch having occurred on the call notification menu <NUM> is a long touch, and if so directly switches to a call notification environment setting mode in which a call notification environment may be set (as illustrated in <FIG>), in step <NUM>.

The controller <NUM> determines in step <NUM> whether the type of the touch having occurred on the call notification menu <NUM> is a double touch, and if so displays currently set environment information on the call notification menu <NUM> in step <NUM>.

In step <NUM>, the controller <NUM> displays the currently set environment information on the call notification menu <NUM> in a pop-up window near the call notification menu <NUM>. For example, the controller <NUM> may display a detailed vibration setting (e.g., "vibration always") and vibration strength information as the currently set environment information on the call notification menu <NUM> if the type of the call notification menu <NUM> is a vibration mode, or bell type and bell volume information as the currently set environment information on the call notification menu <NUM> if the type of the call notification menu <NUM> is a bell mode. In <FIG>, the controller <NUM> displays bell type ("Ring1") and bell volume information as the currently set environment information on the call notification menu <NUM> in a pop-up window 502a near the call notification menu <NUM> if the type of the call notification menu <NUM> is the bell mode.

While displaying the currently set environment information on the call notification menu <NUM> in the pop-up window 502a, the controller <NUM> determines in step <NUM> whether a short touch occurs on the call notification menu <NUM>, and switches a type of the call notification menu <NUM> to a bell mode or a vibration mode in step <NUM> if the short touch occurs on the call notification menu <NUM>.

While displaying the currently set environment information on the call notification menu <NUM> in the pop-up window 502a, the controller <NUM> determines in step <NUM> whether a long touch occurs on the call notification menu <NUM>, and if so directly switches to the environment setting mode of the call notification menu <NUM> (as illustrated in <FIG>).

While displaying the currently set environment information on the call notification menu <NUM> in the pop-up window 502a, the controller <NUM> determines in step <NUM> whether a double touch occurs in the pop-up window 502a, and if so directly switches to the environment setting mode of the call notification menu <NUM> (as illustrated in <FIG>) in step <NUM>.

In <FIG>, operations of running a related function of a menu, quickly switching to an environment setting mode of the menu, and displaying environment information of the menu, according to a type of a gesture having occurred on the menu on a quick panel, are described. These operations may be equally performed through an icon indicating an application of the terminal, not only a menu on a quick panel. While displaying a plurality of icons indicating their related applications, the controller <NUM> determines a type of a gesture having occurred on an arbitrary icon. The controller <NUM> switches to an application mode corresponding to the arbitrary icon if the type of the gesture having occurred on the arbitrary icon is the first gesture. The controller <NUM> quickly switches to an environment setting mode of an application mode corresponding to the arbitrary icon if the type of the gesture having occurred on the arbitrary icon is the second gesture.

The controller <NUM> may display currently set environment information on the application corresponding to the arbitrary icon in a pop-up window near the arbitrary icon if the type of the gesture having occurred on the arbitrary icon is the third gesture. While displaying the pop-up window near the arbitrary icon, the controller <NUM> switches to the application mode corresponding to the arbitrary icon if the first gesture occurs on the arbitrary icon, or switches to the environment setting mode of the application corresponding to the arbitrary icon if the second gesture occurs on the arbitrary icon, or switches to the environment setting mode of the application corresponding to the arbitrary icon if the third gesture occurs on the arbitrary icon.

For example, while displaying a plurality of icons indicating their related applications, the controller <NUM> may switch to a message mode if the first gesture occurs on an icon indicating a message application (message application icon), or switch to an environment setting mode of the message mode if the second gesture occurs on the message application icon, or display currently set environment information on the message application in a pop-up window near the message application icon if the third gesture occurs on the message application icon.

While displaying the pop-up window near the message application icon, the controller <NUM> switches to the message mode if the first gesture occurs on the message application icon, or switches to the environment setting mode of the message mode if the second gesture occurs on the message application , or switches to the environment setting mode of the message mode if the third gesture occurs in the pop-up window.

It will be appreciated that embodiments of the present invention can be realized in the form of hardware, software or a combination of hardware and software. Any such software may be stored in the form of volatile or non-volatile storage. Accordingly, an apparatus and method for setting a menu environment in a terminal, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, may be implemented by computer-readable codes stored in a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium may include all types of recording devices in which data readable by the computer system is stored. Examples of the recording medium may include a Read-Only Memory (ROM), whether erasable or rewritable or not, a Random-Access Memory (RAM), memory chips, device or integrated circuits, an optical disk, a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, a hard disk, and a non-volatile memory or the like. It will be appreciated that the storage devices and storage media are embodiments of machine-readable storage that are suitable for storing a program or programs comprising instructions that, when executed, implement embodiments of the present invention.

Accordingly, embodiments provide a program comprising code for implementing apparatus or a method as claimed in any one of the claims of this specification and a machine-readable storage storing such a program. Still further, such programs may be conveyed electronically via any medium, for example a communication signal carried over a wired or wireless connection and embodiments suitably encompass the same.

Claim 1:
An apparatus comprising:
a display (<NUM>) comprising a touch screen;
at least one processor (<NUM>); and
at least one memory (<NUM>) storing computer program instructions configured, if executed by the at least one processor (<NUM>), to cause the apparatus at least to:
display an icon corresponding to an application on the display (<NUM>), wherein the application corresponding to the displayed icon is an application having configurable settings,
detect (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> YES) a first touch input at the displayed icon,
execute (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) the application corresponding to the displayed icon, if the first touch input is identified (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> YES) as a first input gesture,
display (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), on the display (<NUM>), a pop-up window (501a, 502a) indicating at least one configured setting of the application corresponding to the displayed icon, if the first touch input is identified (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> YES) as a long touch gesture,
detect (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>) a second touch input while displaying the pop-up window, and
switch, based on the second touch input being (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> YES) the first input gesture to the pop-up window, to displaying (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) a setting mode of the application corresponding to the displayed icon on the display (<NUM>), the setting mode displaying the configurable settings of the application,
wherein the configurable settings are configurable by a user through the setting mode.