Method for managing menu function in mobile station

• US 7,137,073 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2000
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Optis Cellular Technology LLC (Brevet Capital)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Jin Soo, Kim, Tae Hyoung, Byun, Yu Chan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao (Kevin)
• Application Number:
  US09/737,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20010006388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,160 Days
• Field of Search: 345/861, 345/864, 345810-813, 345/841, 345/821, 345/825, 345/835, 345/844, 345/854, 455/566, 455/564, 455/565, 715/763, 715/765, 715/852, 715/854, 715/828, 715/829, 715/675, 715/853
• US Class Current: 715/828
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• 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 1/72472 wherein the items are sorted according to specific criteria, e.g. frequency of use

Abstract

The method for managing menu functions in a mobile station includes the steps of executing menu edition, selecting menu items the user uses frequently in the executed menu edition, to set up a menu, executing the menu, and displaying the menu of the selected menu items at first. The basic menu inclusive of all menu items the mobile station provides is selected as a last menu item of the mode menu displayed at first so that the user can access to menu items other than the menu items of preference. By providing easy mode menu with menu items the user or manufacturer of the mobile station uses frequently in advance, and displaying on a display window at first, the user is permitted a quick and easy access to a desired menu item without going through many steps of submenus before reaching the desired menu item.

Claims

1. A method for managing menu functions in a mobile station, comprising:

selecting menu items of preference from a basic menu of a mobile station, the basic menu representing a hierarchical architecture of menu items;

fabricating an easy mode menu by adding the respective menu items selected from the basic menu to an easy mode menu, wherein the basic menu and the easy mode menu are configured to be in the same hierarchical level for allowing a user to select one of the basic menu and the easy mode menu; and

displaying menu items of the easy mode menu on the mobile station, each menu item of the easy mode menu corresponding to a different function.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a last menu item of the easy mode menu has the basic menu inclusive of all menu items the mobile station provides so that a user can access menu items other than the menu items of preference.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the easy mode menu of the menu items of preference is created by a user by editing an existing menu.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the menu items of preference are menu items selected from statistics of menu items used frequently by the mobile station.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the process of menu editing includes:

(a) pressing buttons on a key panel of the mobile station, to display main menu items of the basic menu;

(b) selecting one of the main menu items by operating buttons on the key panel, to display submenu items;

(c) selecting desired items from the submenu items and adding the desired items to the easy mode menu by a selection button; and

(d) repeating the steps (a)–

(c) until the user completes the process of menu editing.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein all menu items of the easy mode menu are displayed in icon form.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising displaying the easy mode menu at startup.

8. A method for managing menu functions in a mobile station, comprising:

selecting menu items of preference from a basic menu of a mobile station, the basic menu representing a hierarchical architecture of menu items;

fabricating an easy mode menu by adding the respective menu items selected from the basic menu to an easy mode menu, wherein the basic menu and the easy mode menu are configured to be in at least the same hierarchical level for allowing a user to select one of the basic menu and the easy mode menu;

displaying items of the basic menu, including the easy mode menu as a basic menu item; and

displaying a submenu in response to selection of a basic menu item, the submenu being the easy mode menu when the easy mode menu is selected on the basic menu, each menu item of the easy mode menu corresponding at least to a different function.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein menu items of the easy mode menu are displayed in icon forms.

10. A method for managing menu functions in a mobile station, comprising:

selecting only menu items of preference from basic menu items of a mobile station, the basic menu items representing a hierarchical architecture of menu items;

fabricating an easy mode menu by adding the selected menu items to the easy mode menu, whenever the menu items of preference are selected from the basic menu, wherein the basic menu and the easy mode menu are configured to be in the same hierarchical level for allowing a user to select one of the basic menu and the easy mode menu;

displaying menu items of the easy mode menu when the user presses a menu button, each menu item of the easy mode menu corresponding to a different function; and

executing the function selected from the easy mode menu.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the easy mode menu has the basic menu inclusive of all menu items the mobile station provides so that the user can access menu items other than the menu items of preference.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein all the menu items of the easy mode menu are displayed in icon form.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the mobile station has a button for immediately displaying the easy mode menu.

14. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a. a keypad with buttons;

b. a display; and

c. a memory containing data and instructions which enable an easy mode menu to be created from the main menu stored in the memory, the easy mode menu having all of the selected menu items whenever desired menu items are selected from the main menu, the main menu representing a hierarchical architecture of menu items, each menu item of the easy mode menu corresponding at least to a different function, wherein the basic menu and the easy mode menu are configured to be in the same hierarchical level for allowing a user to select one of the basic menu and the easy mode menu.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 14, further comprising means for displaying the easy mode menu at a startup of the mobile terminal.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 14, further comprising a button which when activated, causes the easy mode menu to be displayed.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 14, further comprising means for the easy mode menu to be created by the user.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 14, further comprising means for the easy mode menu to be created by including recently used functions.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 14, further comprising means for the easy mode menu to include a menu item referring to a main menu.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 14, further comprising means for displaying the easy mode menu as an item in the main menu.

21. A method for managing menu functions in a mobile station, comprising:

selecting a sub-set of menu items from a basic menu of a mobile station, the basic menu representing a hierarchical architecture of menu items;

fabricating an easy mode menu by adding the selected sub-set menu items to the easy mode menu, whenever the sub-set menu items are selected from the basic menu, wherein the basic menu and the easy mode menu are configured to be in the same hierarchical level for allowing a user to select one of the basic menu and the easy mode menu;

determining if the mobile station is in easy mode operation; and

displaying menu items of the easy mode menu on a display window of the mobile station when a menu key of the mobile station is actuated if it is determined that the mobile station is in easy mode operation, each menu item of the easy mode menu corresponding to a different function.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein if it is determined that the mobile station is not in easy mode operation, then displaying the basic menu when the menu key is actuated.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the easy mode menu is a menu selection of the basic menu.

24. A method for managing menu functions in a mobile station, comprising:

selecting menu items of preference from a basic menu of a mobile station;

fabricating an easy mode menu by adding the selected menu items to the easy mode menu, whenever the menu items of preference are selected from the basic menu, wherein the basic menu and the easy mode menu are configured to be in the same hierarchical level for allowing a user to select one of the basic menu and the easy mode menu; and

displaying menu items of the easy mode menu on a display window of the mobile station, wherein at least one of the displayed menu items of the easy mode menu has a plurality of submenu items and each submenu item corresponds to a different function.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the easy mode menu has the basic menu inclusive of all menu items the mobile station provides so that a user can access menu items other than the menu items of preference.

26. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the easy mode menu of the menu items of preference is created by a user by editing an existing menu.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the process of menu editing includes:

(a) pressing buttons on a key panel of the mobile station, to display main menu items of the basic menu;

(b) selecting one of the main menu items by operating buttons on the key panel, to display the submenu items;

(c) selecting desired items from the submenu items and adding the desired items to the easy mode menu by operating a selection button; and

repeating the steps (a)–

(c) until the user completes the process of menu editing.

28. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the menu items of preference are menu items selected from statistics of menu items used frequently by the mobile station.

29. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein all menu items of the easy mode menu are displayed in icon form.

30. A method for managing menu functions in a mobile station, comprising:

selecting a desired menu item from a basic menu of a mobile station;

adding the selected menu items to an easy mode menu whenever the desired menu items are selected from the basic menu, wherein the basic menu and the easy mode menu are configured to be in the same hierarchical level for allowing a user to select one of the basic menu and the easy mode menu; and

displaying the menu items of the easy mode menu on a display window of the mobile station in easy mode operation.

31. The method as claimed in claim 30, further comprising executing the function of a desired menu item by selecting the desired menu item of the menu items of the easy mode menu in the easy mode operation.

32. The method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the easy mode operation has a menu edition function for menu items of the easy mode menu.

33. The method as claimed in claim 32, wherein a particular menu item of the easy mode menu is erasable by the menu edition function.

34. The method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the menu items of the easy mode menu are displayed in icon form.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein the basic menu is initiated by depressing a key and the easy mode menu is initiated by depressing the same key for a longer period.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein both the basic menu and the easy mode menu are configured to be accessible at a first hierarchical level.