APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SELECTING AND PERFORMING AT LEAST ONE DATA FUNCTION

• US 20080208842A1
• Filed: 01/24/2008
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jeon, Soo Jin
• Granted Patent: US 8,554,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2748 by matching character strings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• 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: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739

Abstract

A method for displaying data items in a mobile terminal includes receiving a user search request, automatically identifying data items which individually comprise the search request, and displaying a distinct number in association with each of the identified data items, wherein each of the identified data items are individually selectable responsive to a corresponding number input by a user.

Claims

1. A method for displaying data items in a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

receiving a user search request;

automatically identifying data items which individually comprise the search request; and

displaying a distinct number in association with each of the identified data items, wherein each of the identified data items are individually selectable responsive to a corresponding number input by a user.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection request comprising a number corresponding to a particular one of the identified data items; and

automatically selecting the particular one of the identified data items if a key associated with the selection request is contacted by the user for a predetermined period of time.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection request comprising a number corresponding to a particular one of the identified data items;

highlighting the particular one of the identified data items responsive to the selection request; and

selecting the particular one of the identified data items responsive to further user input.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a further user input at the mobile terminal; and

identifying that a number included in the further user input is a further search request based upon a period of time that a key associated with the further user input is contacted by the user.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

automatically displaying an option menu associated with a particular one of the identified data items responsive to user selection of the particular one of the identified data items.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection request comprising a plurality of distinct numbers individually corresponding to one or more of the identified data items; and

selecting the one or more of the identified data items responsive to the selection request.

7. A mobile terminal adapted to display data items, the mobile terminal comprising:

a display unit for displaying at least one data item and a distinct number associated with each of the at least one data item;

an input unit for inputting data for a search request, and selecting the distinct number associated with one of the at least one data item;

a storage unit for storing the at least one data item;

a control unit for finding the at least one data item corresponding to the search request, controlling the display unit to display a data list comprising the at least one data item found and the distinct number associated with each of the at least one data item, and performing at least one function related to a selected one of the at least one data item;

a wireless communication module for receiving and transmitting a radio signal to and from another terminal; and

a broadcast module for receiving a broadcast program through a broadcast channel

8. The terminal of claim 7, wherein the search request includes at least one of a letter, a number, a word, a character, an icon, and a symbol.

9. The terminal of claim 8, wherein the at least one data item comprises one of an address of a web-site, a phone number, an audio file, a video file, and a broadcast channel.

10. The terminal of claim 9, wherein the control unit controls the display unit to distinguish the at least one data item associated with the selected distinct number using at least one of a highlight, a color, a pattern, and a size.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the control unit performs at least one function associated with the distinguished at least one data item.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the control unit automatically performs the at least one function when the input associated with the selected distinct number is selected for a predetermined time.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the control unit performs the at least one function when a user input is received from the input unit.

14. The terminal of claim 11, wherein the control unit connects to a web-site using the wireless communication module if the distinguished at least one data item is the web-site address.

15. The terminal of claim 11, wherein the control unit transmits a call or a message to the phone number if the distinguished at least one data item is the phone number.

16. The terminal of claim 11, wherein the control unit plays the audio file if the distinguished at least one data item is the audio file.

17. The terminal of claim 11, wherein the control unit plays the video file if the distinguished at least one data item is the video file.

18. The terminal of claim 11, wherein the control unit outputs a broadcast program received from the broadcast channel if the distinguished at least one data item is the broadcast channel.

19. The terminal of claim 11, wherein the control unit controls the display unit to display a menu associated with the at least one data item associated with the selected distinct number.