Apparatus and method for call using hot-key

• US 7,606,564 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2005
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jin, Jeong-Gyu
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly; Nghi H
• Application Number:
  US11/128,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20060019715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,622 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/566, 455/445, 455/550.1
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2748 by matching character strings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• 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

An apparatus and method for calling using a hot-key function in a mobile terminal are disclosed. The apparatus includes a database for storing information of search subjects, a controller for mapping extracted search subjects from the database to the keys of keypad, respectively, in accordance with a predetermined mapping mode, a display for displaying the mapped search subjects, and a keypad for calling by selecting a key of keypad, which corresponds to the position of the search subject that a user chose, on the displayed window. The method comprises displaying search subjects on a window according to a predetermined mapping mode; and selecting a keypad key, corresponding to a desired position of the search subject, on the window.

Claims

1. An apparatus for calling by a user using a hot-key function, comprising:

a database for storing information of search subjects, the information including images and telephone numbers of the search subjects;

a keypad having a plurality of keypad keys;

a controller for extracting the information from said database and mapping the information to respective keypad keys, in accordance with a mapping mode; and

a display for displaying said images in an image matrix structure including a 4*3 matrix structure, the image matrix structure corresponding to a keypad key matrix structure of the mapped keypad keys,

wherein the user initiates a call by choosing an image among the displayed images and touching one keypad key corresponding to the chosen image.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller performs mapping in accordance with one of various mapping modes.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller resets the mapping mode.

4. A method for calling using a hot-key function in a mobile terminal including a keypad having a plurality of keypad keys, comprising:

displaying a plurality of search subjects extracted from a database on a window in a display matrix structure including a 4*3 matrix structure, the displayed search subjects corresponding to respective keypad keys in accordance with a mapping mode, the display matrix structure corresponding to a keypad key matrix structure of the mapped keypad keys; and

initiating a call by selecting a searched subject from among the displayed search subjects and touching one keypad key corresponding to the selected searched subject.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein prior to said displaying step, the steps of selecting one of a plurality of mapping modes and setting the mapping mode are performed.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said displaying step is preceded by selecting a menu for searching telephone number.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said displaying step is preceded by deciding a matrix type.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said displaying step further comprises resetting the matrix type.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the display of said search subjects on the window includes image information.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the display of said search subjects on the window includes telephone numbers, person'"'"'s names and image information.