Mobile Communication Terminal with Improved User Interface

• US 20080070616A1
• Filed: 11/14/2005
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Neomtel Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Neomtel Company Limited
• Inventors: Yun, Sung-Kyoon
• Application Number:
  US11/577,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20080070616A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/56 including a user help function

Abstract

A user interface technique of a mobile communication terminal is disclosed. The mobile communication terminal includes a memory unit storing menu content that includes object files constituting multimedia of nodes in a tree-structured menu and playback control commands combining the object files to generate a playback frame and defining a next operation responding to an event inputted by a user; and a menu playback unit playing the menu content stored in the memory unit in response to the event inputted by the user by outputting nodes constituting the menu by repeatedly performing a process of combining the object files and generating and outputting the playback frame according to the playback control commands in response to the event, and calling a function corresponding to the event and providing a corresponding menu function when a lowermost menu node is played.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A mobile communication terminal comprising:

a memory unit storing menu content that includes object files constituting multimedia of nodes in a tree-structured menu and playback control commands combining the object files to generate a playback frame and defining a next operation responding to an event inputted by a user;

a menu playback unit playing the menu content stored in the memory unit in response to the event inputted by the user, outputting nodes constituting the menu by repeatedly performing a process of combining the object files and generating and outputting the playback frame according to the playback control commands in response to the event, and calling a function corresponding to the event and providing a corresponding menu function when a lowermost menu node is played; and

a menu update unit that monitors whether or not an update event occurs and updates at least one of the object files or the playback control command files constituting the menu content when the update event occurs.

13. The mobile communication terminal of claim 12, wherein the menu update unit is operated upon activating the menu playback unit, and, if the content is updated, notifies the menu playback unit that the content has been updated so that the menu playback unit can load and play the updated content.

14. The mobile communication terminal of claim 12, further comprising:

a wireless communication unit transmitting and receiving data over a mobile communication network;

a communication processing unit processing audio and data signals transmitted and received through the wireless communication unit; and

an audio input/output unit converting an audio signal processed by the communication processing unit into audible sound or converting and transmitting an external audio signal to the communication processing unit,

wherein the menu update unit updates the menu content to a file received through the wireless communication unit.

15. The mobile communication terminal of claim 12, further comprising a camera unit talking an image, wherein the menu update unit updates one of the object files to the image inputted to the camera unit.

16. A method of providing a menu in a mobile communication terminal, the method comprising the operations of:

a) acquiring information concerning object files, which constitute multimedia of nodes in a tree-structured menu, and playback control commands, which combines the object files to generate a playback frame and defines a next operation responding to an event inputted by a user, from header information of menu content;

b) loading the object files and the playback control commands into a resource area and an action area, respectively, by the use of the acquired information;

c) outputting nodes constituting the menu by repeatedly performing a process of combining the object files and generating and outputting the playback frame according to the playback control commands in response to the event inputted by the user; and

d) calling a function corresponding to the event and providing a corresponding menu function when a lowermost menu node is played,

wherein the operation c) further comprises c1) monitoring whether or not an update event occurs and updating at least one of the object files or the playback control command files constituting the menu content when the update event occurs.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein, in the operation c), the menu content is updated to a file received through a wireless communication unit.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein, in the operation c), one of the object files is updated to an image inputted from a camera unit.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the operation c) further includes converting and encoding the image inputted from the camera unit to be suited for a desired object file.

20. A computer-readable recording medium storing the method of claim 16.