TERMINAL AND MENU DISPLAY METHOD

• US 20080189658A1
• Filed: 12/18/2007
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jeong, Kye Sook, Jung, Ha Yang
• Application Number:
  US11/958,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20080189658A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A method, device and computer program product for efficiently displaying multiple menu icons on a display, including a method, device and computer program product for efficiently zooming in and out of a plurality of displayed menu icons.

Claims

1. A method of displaying plural menu icons on a display screen of a terminal, comprising:

selecting a menu display mode on the terminal;

displaying a predetermined number of menu icons when the menu display mode is selected; and

changing the predetermined number of displayed menu icons when a zoom function is selected.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying a predetermined number of menu icons comprises:

displaying at least one of a character, a number, and a symbol with one of the predetermined number of menu icons.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying a predetermined number of menu icons comprises:

displaying the predetermined number of menu icons by groups.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of displaying a predetermined number of menu icons by groups comprises:

displaying the predetermined number of menu icons in quadrants.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of displaying the predetermined number of menu icons in quadrants comprises:

displaying frequently used menu icons in positions adjacent to inner boundary lines of the quadrants.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of displaying frequently used menus in positions adjacent to inner boundary lines of the quadrants comprises:

displaying more frequently used menu icons closer to the inner boundary lines of the quadrants when the zoom function is selected.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a menu icon and, if a corresponding program is an execution program, executing the execution program; and

if a sub-menu exists relative to the selected menu, displaying the sub-menu via a pop-up display.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a menu icon sorting menu.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

displaying a search window for searching menu icons, entering a search word in the search window and displaying a search result menu icon.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of displaying a search result menu icon comprises:

displaying the search result menu icon in a manner that is visually distinguishable from other menu icons.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of displaying the search result menu icon in a manner that is visually distinguishable comprises:

displaying the search result menu icon with either shade, highlight, enlargement or a combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying a predetermined number of menu icons comprises:

displaying menu icons that were displayed when the menu display mode was last accessed.

13. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

playing a group specific audio sound when a menu icon is selected.

14. A terminal, comprising:

an input configured to enable a user to select a menu display mode and to select a zoom function;

a display; and

a controller configured to control the display so as to display a predetermined number of menu icons corresponding to the menu display mode that is selected, and to change the number of displayed menu icons when the zoom function is selected.

15. The terminal of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to control the display to display the predetermined number of menu icons in display quadrants.

16. The terminal of claim 14, wherein, upon selecting the menu display mode, the controller is configured to control the display to display menu icons that were frequently used in one or more prior sessions of the selected menu display mode.

17. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to cause the display to display the frequently used in display locations adjacent to inner boundary lines of the quadrants.

18. The terminal of claim 15, further comprising:

an audio device configured to play a quadrant-specific audio sound when a menu icon is selected.

19. The terminal of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to cause the display to display menu icons that were displayed when the menu display mode was last accessed.

20. The terminal of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to cause the display to display a search window for searching menu icons and to display a search result menu icon.

21. The terminal of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to cause the display to display a menu icon sorting menu.