Mobile communication terminal with display shortcut key and method of enabling the same

• US 20070129050A1
• Filed: 11/21/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pantech Corporation (Ideahub, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pantech Corporation (Ideahub, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ryu, Jae
• Application Number:
  US11/603,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20070129050A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/403
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72472 wherein the items are sorted according to specific criteria, e.g. frequency of use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/56 including a user help function

Abstract

A mobile communication terminal with a display shortcut key and a method of enabling the same is provided. In the mobile communication terminal, when a display key button is switched on, which select a function of the display key button to be performed and a display image to be displayed on the display key button from a menu which enables the function of the key button and the display image to be selected, and register the function of the display key button and the display image in a database, and thereby may perform the registered communication terminal.

Claims

1. A mobile communication terminal comprising:

at least one display key button performing at least one registered function when the display key button is registered and switched on; and

a database storing and managing images for registering the at least one display key button, and an image and a function of the at least one display key button.

2. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the at least one display key button performs a shortcut function with respect to at least two menu paths which are provided in the mobile communication terminal.

3. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a key button function setting unit registering a function to be performed when the display key button is switched on, in the database through a registration menu of the display key button.

4. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a display image setting unit registering an image which is selected from the images for registering the at least one display key button through a registration menu of the display key button, as an image to display on the display key button.

5. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the function of the display key button is automatically assigned based on a utilization frequency of each of the key button functions which are provided in the mobile communication terminal.

6. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the image of the display key button is automatically assigned based on a utilization frequency of each of the images which are provided in the database.

7. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the at least one display key button includes a plurality of display key buttons, and a key button function or a display image of each of the plurality of display key buttons is automatically assigned based on a utilization frequency of key button functions or display images of the plurality of display key buttons.

8. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein a display image or a key button function of the registered display key button is converted into a predetermined display image or a key button function, when a registered display key button is not used during a predetermined period.

9. The mobile communication terminal of claim 8, wherein the converted display image or key button function is a most frequently used display image or key button function.

10. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, comprising:

an audio output unit outputting a predetermined sound, when the display key button is switched on.

11. The mobile communication terminal of claim 10, wherein the sound is a guide message for a key button function which is activated when the display key button is switched on.

12. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the at least one display key button includes a plurality of display key buttons, and the plurality of display key buttons perform another function by combining at least two key buttons.

13. A key button operation method in a mobile communication terminal comprising:

executing a registration menu of a display key button;

selecting at least one function from the executed menu, and registering the selected at least one function as a function of the display key button; and

selecting an image for the display key from the executed menu, and registering the selected image as an image to display the display key button.

14. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for implementing a key button operation method in a mobile communication terminal comprising:

executing a registration menu of a display key button;

selecting at least one function from the executed menu, and registering the selected at least one function as a function of the display key button; and

selecting an image for the display key from the executed menu, and registering the selected image as an image to display the display key button.