User interface apparatus and method

• US 20070291006A1
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Wan-je, Jang, Hyun-kook, Kwon, Heui-jin, Song, Sang-gon, Kim, Joon-Hwan
• Application Number:
  US11/643,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20070291006A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof

Abstract

A user interface apparatus and method requiring a limited number of input keys, and a computer-readable recording medium storing the same, the user interface apparatus including a display unit to display a menu; an input unit to include one or more input keys; and a control unit to control a creation of a menu screen having a layout that is visually similar to the layout of the input unit, a display of the menu on the display unit, and a selection of a menu item determined according to the layout in response to a key input via the input unit.

Claims

1. A user interface apparatus comprising:

a display unit to display a menu screen comprising one or more menu items;

an input unit comprising one or more input keys; and

a control unit to control a creation of the menu screen, a display of the menu screen on the display unit, and a selection of the one or more menu items, wherein

the one or more menu items have a visual representation that is similar to a visual representation of the one or more input keys such that each of the one or more menu items is visually similar to one of the one or more input keys, and the control unit controls the selection of one of the one or more menu items according to a key input of an input key visually similar to the one menu item.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit creates the menu screen so that the visual representation of the one or more menu items is similar to the visual representation of the one or more input keys in terms of at least one of a color, a shape, a design, and a location.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit creates the menu screen so that the visual representation of the one or more menu items is similar to the visual representation of the one or more input keys in terms of at least one of a color, a shape, and a design.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more input keys are four input keys indicating four directions.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit controls each of the one or more input keys to have a function according to a type of the menu screen displayed on the display unit.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the input unit to change the visual representation of the one or more input keys according to a type of the menu screen displayed on the display unit.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input unit further comprises an LED control unit, wherein the one or more input keys are LED buttons.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the LED control unit controls a changing of the visual representation of the one or more input keys according to a type of the menu screen displayed on the display unit.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the control unit controls the input unit to change an input key that does not correspond to any of the one or more menu items so that the input key is visually distinguished from other input keys.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the control unit controls the LED control unit to change an input key that does not correspond to any of the one or more menu items so that the input key is visually distinguished from other keys.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the control unit controls the LED control unit to black out the input key that does not correspond to any of the one or more menu items.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input unit comprises a first input key having a first color and a second input key having a second color, wherein the first color is different from the second color.

13. A user interface method to control an apparatus comprising a display unit and an input unit, the method comprising:

creating a menu screen comprising one or more menu items having a visual representation that is similar to a visual representation of one or more input keys comprised in the input unit, such that each of the one or more menu items is visually similar to one of the one or more input keys;

displaying the menu screen on the display unit; and

performing a function of a selected input key corresponding to a menu item that is visually similar to the selected input key.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the creating of the menu screen comprises:

creating the menu screen so that the visual representation of the one or more menu items is similar to the visual representation of the one or more input keys in terms of at least one of a color, a shape, a design, and a location.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the creating of the menu screen comprises:

creating the menu screen so that the visual representation of the one or more menu items is similar to the visual representation of the one or more input keys in terms of at least one of a color, a shape, and a design.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the performing of the function comprises:

controlling each of the one or more input keys to have a function according to a type of the menu screen displayed on the display unit.

17. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

controlling the input unit to change the visual representation of the one or more input keys according to a type of the menu screen displayed on the display unit.

18. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

controlling the input unit to change an input key that does not correspond to any of the one or more menu items so that the input key is visually distinguished from other input keys.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the controlling of the input unit comprises:

blacking out the input key that does not correspond to any of the one or more menu items.

34. A computer readable recording medium encoded with the method of claim 13 implemented by a computer.

20. A user interface apparatus comprising:

a display unit to display a menu screen comprising one or more menu items;

an input unit comprising one or more input keys; and

a control unit to control a creation of the menu screen, a display of the menu screen on the display unit, and a selection of the one or more menu items, wherein

the one or more menu items have a visual representation that is similar to a visual representation of the one or more input keys such that each of the one or more menu items is visually similar to one of the one or more input keys in terms of at least one of a color, a shape, and a design, and the control unit controls the selection of one of the one or more menu items according to a key input of an input key visually similar to the one menu item.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the control unit creates the menu screen so that the visual representation of the one or more menu items is further similar to the visual representation of the one or more input keys in terms of a location.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the control unit controls each of the one or more input keys to have a function according to a type of the menu screen displayed on the display unit.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the control unit controls the input unit to change the visual representation of the one or more input keys according to a type of the menu screen displayed on the display unit.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the input unit further comprises an LED control unit,

wherein the one or more input keys are LED buttons.

25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein the control unit controls the input unit to change an input key that does not correspond to any of the one or more menu items so that the input key is visually distinguished from other input keys.

26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein the control unit controls the input unit to black out the input key that does not correspond to any of the one or more menu items.

27. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the input unit comprises a first input key having a first color and a second input key having a second color, wherein the first color is different than the second color.

28. A user interface method to control an apparatus comprising a display unit and an input unit, the method comprising:

creating a menu screen comprising one or more menu items having a visual representation that is similar to a visual representation of one or more input keys comprised in the input unit, such that each of the one or more menu items is visually similar to one of the one or more input keys in terms of at least one of a color, a shape, and a design;

displaying the menu screen on the display unit; and

performing a function of a selected input key corresponding to a menu item that is visually similar to the selected input key.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the creating of the menu screen comprises:

creating the menu screen so that the visual representation of the one or more menu items is further similar to the visual representation of the one or more input keys in terms of a location.

30. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the performing of the function comprises:

controlling each of the one or more input keys to have a function according to a type of the menu screen displayed on the display unit.

31. The method as claimed in claim 28, further comprising:

controlling the input unit to change the visual representation of the one or more input keys according to a type of the menu screen displayed on the display unit.

32. The method as claimed in claim 28, further comprising:

controlling the input unit to change an input key that does not correspond to any of the one or more menu items so that the input key is visually distinguished from other input keys.

33. The method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the controlling of the input unit comprises:

blacking out the input key that does not correspond to any of the one or more menu items.

35. A computer readable recording medium encoded with the method of claim 28 implemented by a computer.