Device and method for using a rotating key and controlling a display in a mobile terminal

• US 20040214612A1
• Filed: 04/26/2004
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, IN-Kyu, Park, Jin-Woo, Lee, Jong-Kerl, Lee, Seog-Geun
• Granted Patent: US 7,856,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0212 with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, i.e. folding around a first axis and rotating around a second axis perpendicular to the first
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

A device and method for using a rotating key on a mobile terminal is provided. The mobile terminal includes a plurality of dome switches which can detect a contact signal when pressed and a plurality of contact surfaces which can detect the position of the rotating key in each direction of rotation. The device and method comprises a folder opening/closing sensor for detecting whether a folder of the mobile terminal is opened or closed; first and second display sections for displaying menus or data according to the operation of the rotating key; and a control section for controlling the mobile terminal to display a menu or data selected by the operation of the rotating key on the first display section or the second display section according to an output from the folder opening/closing sensor.

Claims

1. A device for using a rotating key on a mobile terminal having on one side thereof a plurality of dome switches which can detect a contact signal when pressed and on the other side a plurality of contact surfaces which can detect the position of the rotating key in each direction of rotation, said device comprising:

a folder sensor for detecting whether a folder of the mobile terminal is opened or closed;

first and second display sections for displaying menus, functions or data according to the operation of the rotating key; and

a control section for controlling the mobile terminal to display a menu or data selected by the operation of the rotating key on the first display section or the second display section according to an output from the folder opening/closing sensor.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said first display section displays menus, functions or data according to the operation of the rotating key when the folder of the mobile terminal is opened, and said second display section displays menus or data according to the operation of the rotating key when the folder of the mobile terminal is closed.

3. In a mobile terminal provided with a rotating key having on one side thereof a plurality of dome switches which can detect a contact signal when pressed and on the other side a plurality of contact surfaces which can detect the position of the rotating key in each direction of rotation, a method for using the rotating key comprising the steps of:

detecting whether a folder of the mobile terminal is opened or closed;

when detecting that the folder is opened, changing the current mode of the mobile terminal to a first mode and displaying a process performed by the operation of the rotating key on a first display section; and

when detecting that the folder is closed, changing the current mode of the mobile terminal to a second mode and displaying a process performed by the operation of the rotating key on a second display area.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said operation of the rotating key is a rotation of the rotation key or an input of a dome switch.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein said step of changing to the first mode includes displaying a menu selected by the operation of the rotating key on the first display section.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein said step of changing to the first mode includes displaying an image signal controlled in a camera mode by the operation of the rotating key on the first display section.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said image signal is controlled through a zoom function or a picture brightness control.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein said step of changing to the first mode includes displaying a process of controlling a moving picture by the operation of the rotating key on the first display section.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said moving picture is controlled through a fast-forward or a rewind function.

10. In a mobile terminal provided with a rotating key having on one side thereof a plurality of dome switches which can detect a contact signal when pressed and on the other side a plurality of contact surfaces which can detect the position of the rotating key in each direction of rotation, a method for using the rotating key comprising the steps of:

performing a call service in a second mode with a folder of the mobile terminal closed; and

controlling a voice volume during the call according to the operation of the rotating key.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said operation of the rotating key is a rotation of the rotation key or an input of a dome switch.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said step of controlling the voice volume includes turning up or down the volume when the rotating key is turned clockwise and turning down or up the volume when the rotating key is turned counterclockwise.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

displaying menus on a second display section during the call;

selecting a menu by the operation of the rotating key; and

performing a function corresponding to the selected menu by the operation of the rotating key.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein when said menu selected is reading messages, displaying received messages according to the direction of rotation of the rotating key.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein said step of performing a function includes:

when a phone book is selected among the display menus, displaying data of the phone book according to the direction of rotation of the rotating key.

16. In a mobile terminal provided with a rotating key having on one side thereof a plurality of dome switches which can detect a contact signal when pressed and on the other side a plurality of contact surfaces which can detect the position of the rotating key in each direction of rotation, a method for using the rotating key comprising the steps of:

displaying menus on a second display section in a second mode with a folder of the mobile terminal closed;

selecting a menu by operating the rotating key; and

performing a function corresponding to the selected menu by operating the rotating key.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said operation of the rotating key is a rotation of the rotation key or an input of a dome switch.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein when said menu selected is reading messages, displaying received messages according to the direction of rotation of the rotating key.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein said step of performing a function includes:

when a phone book is selected among the display menus, displaying data of the phone book according to the direction of rotation of the rotating key.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein said step of performing a function includes:

when ringtone selection is selected among the display menus, selecting a ringtone according to the direction of rotation of the rotating key.

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein said step of performing a function includes:

when a moving picture is selected among the displayed menus, performing a fast-forward or a rewind function according to the direction of rotation of the rotating key.

22. The method according to claim 16, wherein said step of performing a function includes:

when photograph is selected among the displayed menus, controlling an image signal input through a camera module by a zoom function or a picture brightness control according to the direction of rotation of the rotating key.

23. A device for controlling a display unit of a mobile terminal, which comprises first and second display sections for displaying data, said device comprising:

a direction detecting section for detecting the direction in which a folder of the mobile terminal is turned and generating one of first, second, third and fourth direction signals according to the detected direction; and

a control section for outputting picture data on the first display section in a direction corresponding to a generated direction signal and terminating power supplied to the second display section.

24. The device according to claim 23, wherein said first display section displays picture data in an upright direction when a first direction detecting signal is generated, in a direction turned 90°

counter-clockwise when a second direction detecting signal is generated, in a direction turned 180°

when a third direction detecting signal is generated, or in a direction turned 270°

counter-clockwise when a fourth direction detecting signal is generated.

25. A method for controlling a display unit of a mobile terminal, which comprises first and second display sections, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting a direction signal generated according to the direction in which a folder of the mobile terminal is turned;

displaying picture data on the first display section in a direction corresponding to the detected direction signal; and

terminating power supplied to the second display section during the display of the picture data on the first display section.

26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of setting a function to terminate the power supplied to the second display according to the detected direction signal.

27. The method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of:

when the power cut-off for the second display section is cancelled, displaying corresponding data on the second display section while displaying the picture data on the first display section.