TERMINAL AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING OPERATION OF THE TERMINAL

• US 20080119233A1
• Filed: 11/01/2007
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: LIM, Yoen Lae
• Granted Patent: US 8,738,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/564
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2748 by matching character strings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

A method for controlling an operation of a mobile terminal. The method includes: entering a speed dial setting mode for setting a speed dial operation on the mobile terminal, displaying speed dial keys on the mobile terminal, when the speed dial setting mode is entered, selecting a specific speed dial key from the displayed speed dial keys, displaying a plurality of object groups corresponding to functions that may be performed by the mobile terminal, in response to the specific speed dial key being selected, selecting one of the plurality of object groups, selecting an object in the selected object group; and assigning the selected object to the selected specific speed dial key such that the selected object is performed when the specific speed dial key is manipulated.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an operation of a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

entering a speed dial setting mode for setting a speed dial operation on the mobile terminal;

displaying speed dial keys on the mobile terminal, when the speed dial setting mode is entered;

selecting a specific speed dial key from the displayed speed dial keys;

displaying a plurality of object groups corresponding to functions that may be performed by the mobile terminal, in response to the specific speed dial key being selected;

selecting one of the plurality of object groups;

selecting an object in the selected object group; and

assigning the selected object to the selected specific speed dial key such that the selected object is performed when the specific speed dial key is manipulated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the speed dial keys displays the speed dial keys in a matrix form.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the matrix form includes assigned and non-assigned speed dial keys, said assigned speed dial keys being highlighted to distinguish them from the non-assigned speed dial keys.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

highlighting an assigned speed dial key; and

displaying information about the object group and object associated with the assigned speed dial key.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

selecting a change button to change the assigned speed dial key to the selected object.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of object groups corresponding to functions that may be performed by the mobile terminal include a telephone number group allowing a call to be established at a specific telephone number when the speed dial key is manipulated, a broadcasting channel group allowing broadcasting signals received through a specific broadcasting channel to be reproduced when the speed dial key is manipulated, an Internet website group allowing a specific website to be entered when the speed dial key is manipulated, an instant messaging group allowing an instant message to be established with another user when the speed dial key is manipulated, a file transfer group allowing a selected file to be transferred to another user when the speed dial key is manipulated, and a multimedia file group allowing a specific multimedia file to be played when the speed dial key is manipulated.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein entering the speed dial setting mode is performed when a speed dial setting mode key is selected for a predetermined amount of time or when a first speed dial key is selected followed by the speed dial setting mode key.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein when the object group is a broadcasting object group, the displaying information step displays information about current or future programs of the broadcasting object.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the information about the object is extracted from an EPG (Electronic program guide).

10. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a display unit configured to display information;

an input device configured to enter a speed dial setting mode for setting a speed dial operation on the mobile terminal; and

a control unit configured to display on the display unit speed dial keys when the speed dial setting mode is entered, to receive an input corresponding to a specific speed dial key being selected from the displayed speed dial keys, to display a plurality of object groups corresponding to functions that may be performed by the mobile terminal, in response to the specific speed dial key being selected, to receive an input corresponding to one of the plurality of object groups being selected, to receive an input corresponding to an object in the selected object group being selected, and to assign the selected object to the specific speed dial key such that the selected object is performed when the specific speed dial key is manipulated.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the control unit controls the display unit to display the speed dial keys in a matrix form.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the matrix form includes assigned and non-assigned speed dial keys, said assigned speed dial keys being highlighted to distinguish them from the non-assigned speed dial keys.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the control unit highlights an assigned speed dial key, and controls the display unit to display information about the object group and object associated with the assigned speed dial key.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the control unit provides a change button on the display unit to change the assigned speed dial key to the selected object.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the plurality of object groups corresponding to functions that may be performed by the mobile terminal include a telephone number group allowing a call to be established at a specific telephone number when the speed dial key is manipulated, a broadcasting channel group allowing broadcasting signals received through a specific broadcasting channel to be reproduced when the speed dial key is manipulated, an Internet website group allowing a specific website to be entered when the speed dial key is manipulated, an instant messaging group allowing an instant message to be established to another user when the speed dial key is manipulated, a file transfer group allowing a selected file to be transferred to another user when the speed dial key is manipulated, and a multimedia file group allowing a specific multimedia file to be played when the speed dial key is manipulated.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the control unit enters the speed dial setting mode when a speed dial setting mode key on the input unit is selected for a predetermined amount of time or when a first speed dial key is selected followed by the speed dial setting mode key.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein when the object group is a broadcasting object group, the control unit controls the display unit to display information about current or future programs of the broadcasting object.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the information about the object is extracted from an EPG (Electronic program guide).

19. A method for controlling an operation of a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

executing a function on the mobile terminal;

entering a speed dial setting mode for setting a speed dial operation on the mobile terminal;

displaying speed dial keys on the mobile terminal, when the speed dial setting mode is entered;

selecting a specific speed dial key from the displayed speed dial keys; and

assigning the executing function to the selected specific speed dial key such that the function is again executed when the specific speed dial key is manipulated.

20. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a control unit configured to execute a function on the mobile terminal;

a display unit configured to display information; and

an input device configured to enter a speed dial setting mode for setting a speed dial operation on the mobile terminal,

wherein the control unit is configured to display on the display unit speed dial keys when the speed dial setting mode is entered, to receive an input corresponding to a specific speed dial key being selected from the displayed speed dial keys, and to assign the executing function to the selected specific speed dial key such that the function is again executed when the specific speed dial key is manipulated.