Apparatus and method for controlling functions of mobile terminal

• US 20100245241A1
• Filed: 03/30/2010
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Jung-Ho, Kim, Gi-Oh, Shim, Hyun-Sik
• Granted Patent: US 9,088,666 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 portable terminal includes an apparatus for controlling an operation of a mobile terminal. More particularly, an apparatus and a method sets a menu to control a mobile terminal in a specific region of an image stored in advance. A relevant function is performed by selecting the specific region of the image in which the menu has been set in the mobile terminal, thereby performing the relevant function fast and conveniently without separately selecting a menu (entering a menu). The apparatus includes a controller. The controller selects a specific region from an output image, sets a menu for controlling a function of the mobile terminal at the specific region, and stores the image where the menu has been set.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling functions in a mobile terminal, the apparatus comprising a controller configured to map a menu shortcut for controlling a function to a specific region of an image and select a relevant region of the image to be used as the specific region.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to receive user input for defining a user-defined region of the image and for mapping the menu shortcut for controlling the function of the mobile terminal to the user-defined region of the displayed image and to store the image.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to detect the relevant region by recognizing at least a face, a hand, and a leg in the image and allow a user of the mobile terminal to select the relevant region as the specific region to which the menu shortcut is mapped.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the menu shortcut for controlling the function of the mobile terminal comprises a menu for controlling at least one of a set of operations, the set of operations comprising at least saving a memo, placing a call, transmitting a message, adding a phone number, and composing an electronic (e)-mail.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein when the specific region of the image, to which the menu shortcut for controlling the function has been mapped, is selected, the controller is further configured to determine the menu shortcut mapped to the specific region and perform an operation corresponding to the determined menu shortcut.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the image comprises at least one of a graphical representation of a person, a scene, an object, a phone number, an address, and an e-mail address that is associated with the contact.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image is mapped to a contact.

8. A method for controlling functions in a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

mapping a menu shortcut for controlling a function to a specific region of an image; and

selecting a relevant region of the image to be used as the specific region.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving user input for defining a user-defined region of the image; and

receiving user input to map the menu shortcut for controlling the function of the mobile terminal to the user-defined region of the image; and

storing the image.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein selecting the specific region comprises detecting the relevant region by recognizing at least a face, a hand, and a leg in the image, and allowing a user of the mobile terminal to select the relevant specific region to which the menu shortcut is mapped.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the menu shortcut for controlling the function of the mobile terminal comprises a menu for controlling at least one of a set of operations, the set of operations comprising at least saving a memo, placing a call, transmitting a message, adding a phone number, and composing an electronic (e)-mail.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein

when the specific region of the image, to which the menu shortcut for controlling the function has been mapped, is selected, determining the menu shortcut mapped to the specific region;

and

performing an operation corresponding to the determined menu shortcut.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the image comprises at least one of a graphical representation of a person, a scene, an object, a phone number, an address, and an e-mail address that is associated with the contact.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the image is mapped to a contact

15. A portable terminal capable of controlling functions, the portable terminal comprising:

a controller unit; and

an image recognizer coupled to the controller, the controller configured to map a menu shortcut for controlling a function at a specific region of an image, and the image recognizer configured to select a relevant region of the image to to be used as the specific region.

16. The portable terminal of claim 15, wherein the image recognizer is further configured to receive user input for defining a user-defined region of the image and for mapping the menu shortcut for controlling the function of the mobile terminal to the user-defined of the image, and to store the image.

17. The portable terminal of claim 15, wherein the image recognizer is further configured to detect the relevant region by recognizing at least a face, a hand, and a leg in the image and allow a user of the mobile terminal to select the relevant region as the specific region to which the menu shortcut is mapped.

18. The portable terminal of claim 15, wherein the menu shortcut for controlling the function of the mobile terminal comprises a menu for controlling at least one of a set of operations, the set of operations comprising at least saving a memo, placing a call, transmitting a message, adding a phone number, and composing an electronic (e)-mail.

19. The portable terminal of claim 15, wherein when the specific region of the image, to which the menu shortcut for controlling the function has been mapped, is selected, image recognizer is further configured to determine a corresponding menu to the specific region and perform an operation corresponding to the determined menu shortcut.

20. The portable terminal of claim 19, wherein the image comprises at least one of a graphical representation of a person, a scene, an object, a phone number, an address, and an e-mail address that is associated with the contact.