PORTABLE DEVICE WITH IMPROVED USER INTERFACE

• US 20070182716A1
• Filed: 01/25/2007
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Cadene, Olivier
• Granted Patent: US 7,835,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device

Abstract

A portable device such as a mobile phone, comprising a display screen, an input interface having a plurality of activable elements and processing means in connection with the display screen and the input interface, wherein the value of at least one parameter of the device can be changed by means of the input interface, characterized in that the device is arranged for displaying on the display screen a plurality of parameters representations, each one of these parameters representations including: an identification of the parameter; and an indication of what particular activable element or elements are to be used for changing the value of the parameter.

Claims

1. A portable device such as a mobile phone, comprising a display screen, an input interface having a plurality of activable elements and processing means in connection with the display screen and the input interface, wherein the value of at least one parameter of the device can be changed by means of the input interface, characterized in that the device is arranged for displaying on the display screen a plurality of parameters representations, each one of these parameters representations including:

an identification of the parameter; and

an indication of what particular activable element or elements are to be used for changing the value of the parameter.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the input interface comprises a keypad with a plurality of depressable keys together with a marking of respective symbols, and wherein said indications include the key symbols of keys to be used for changing the associated parameter.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said symbols include digits and non-digit symbols.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the input interface comprises a keypad with a plurality of depressable keys in a geometrical array, and wherein said indications include the positions of the parameters representations in said display screen, which indicate the positions of the keys to be used for changing said parameter values, respectively.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the input interface comprises a keypad with a plurality of depressable keys which can be illuminated in different colors, and wherein said indications include colors in the parameters representations in said display screen, which indicate the keys illuminated in the same colors as those to be used for changing said parameters values, respectively.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the input interface comprises a keypad with a plurality of depressable keys which can be illuminated in different colors, and wherein said identifications include colors in the parameters representations in said display screen, which indicate the keys illuminated in the same colors as those to be used for changing said parameter value, respectively.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the input interface comprises a directional key, wherein the device is further arranged so that one parameter among the plurality of parameters is selectable by using the directional key, and wherein the positions of the parameters representations in said display screen indicate the directions in which the directional key should be used for selecting one among the plurality of parameters.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the device is arranged for further showing in the display screen a visible mark or a highlighting of the parameter representation currently selected.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the input interface comprises a directional key or track point and wherein said indications include orientations of the parameter value to change in said display screen, which indicate the directions in which the directional key or track point should be used for changing the value of the parameter, respectively.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein a given activable element causes an increase or a decrease of the parameter value by a predefined unit.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein a given activable element causes a parameter value to be fixed to a predetermined value.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the parameter representation associated with the activable element comprises an indication of the fixed predefined value.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the parameters representations include two cursors and cursor lines along lateral edges of the display screen, each cursor indicating the current value of the parameter associated with.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the parameter value representations include cursors and cursor lines along edges of the display screen, each cursor indicating the current value of the associated parameter.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the lines are ended by at least one arrow.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the lines are each constituted by a same shape that is repeated with increased size in a given direction.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the lines are progressively darker in a given direction.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein given activable elements cause the switching between different parameter sets to be displayed and wherein the display screen includes an indication of said given activable elements.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein each parameter identification includes a name or an icon representative of the parameter.

20. The device of claim 1, comprising a keypad and a directional key or track point whose elements are activable at the same time or separately.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein the device includes a camera and the parameters values include camera-related parameters.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is arranged for further showing on the display screen a background image.