Input apparatus of a mobile terminal and a display method thereof
First Claim
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1. An input apparatus of a mobile terminal, the apparatus comprising:
- a keypad having a plurality of keys and configured to generate key signals corresponding to a selection of the keys;
a plurality of light emitting elements relating to the plurality of keys, respectively, configured to illuminate the keys;
a key sensor configured to sense the key signals from the keypad;
a storage unit configure to store the key signals; and
a controller configured to display, on the keypad, information corresponding to the key signals by selectively controlling the plurality of light emitting elements based on the key signals,wherein the storage unit is configured to store therein different sets of lighting pattern information, each set corresponding to a piece of the information, and the controller is configured to illuminate the light emitting elements corresponding to each set of the lighting pattern information, andwherein for each piece of the information, when a user selects a plurality of light emitting elements by using the plurality of keys corresponding to a particular piece of the information, and thereafter, if no key selection is made during a preset time duration, then the controller is configured to store into the storage unit the key signals corresponding to the selected plurality of keys corresponding to the particular piece of the information,and wherein the controller is configured to sequentially illuminate each of the keys corresponding to the key signals, so that the information gradually appears on the keypad.
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Abstract
An input apparatus of a mobile terminal and its display method are disclosed. The input apparatus of the mobile terminal according to an embodiment includes a keypad having a plurality of keys and generating key signals corresponding to a selection of the keys; a plurality of light emitting elements positioned at the plurality of keys, respectively, for illuminating the keys; a key sensor for sensing the key signals from the keypad; a storage unit for storing the key signals; and a controller for displaying, on the keypad, information corresponding to the key signals by selectively controlling the plurality of light emitting elements based on the key signals.
7 Citations
13 Claims
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1. An input apparatus of a mobile terminal, the apparatus comprising:
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a keypad having a plurality of keys and configured to generate key signals corresponding to a selection of the keys; a plurality of light emitting elements relating to the plurality of keys, respectively, configured to illuminate the keys; a key sensor configured to sense the key signals from the keypad; a storage unit configure to store the key signals; and a controller configured to display, on the keypad, information corresponding to the key signals by selectively controlling the plurality of light emitting elements based on the key signals, wherein the storage unit is configured to store therein different sets of lighting pattern information, each set corresponding to a piece of the information, and the controller is configured to illuminate the light emitting elements corresponding to each set of the lighting pattern information, and wherein for each piece of the information, when a user selects a plurality of light emitting elements by using the plurality of keys corresponding to a particular piece of the information, and thereafter, if no key selection is made during a preset time duration, then the controller is configured to store into the storage unit the key signals corresponding to the selected plurality of keys corresponding to the particular piece of the information, and wherein the controller is configured to sequentially illuminate each of the keys corresponding to the key signals, so that the information gradually appears on the keypad. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for displaying information using a mobile terminal, the mobile terminal including a keypad having a plurality of keys, the method comprising:
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displaying information on the keypad of the mobile terminal by selectively illuminating the keys corresponding to the information, wherein the step of displaying includes receiving a user'"'"'s selections of the keys corresponding to the information; storing, in a storage unit of the mobile terminal, key signals corresponding to the selected keys; and illuminating the keys according to the key signals to display the information on the keypad, wherein the storing step includes storing in the storage unit different sets of key signals, each set corresponding to a piece of the information, and the illuminating step includes illuminating tile light emitting elements corresponding to each set of the key signals, and wherein for each piece of the information, in the receiving step, when the user selects a plurality of keys corresponding to a particular piece of the information, and thereafter if no key selection is made during a preset time duration, then the storing step includes storing the key signals corresponding to the selected plurality of keys corresponding to the particular piece of the information in the storage unit, and wherein the displaying step includes sequentially illuminating each of the keys corresponding to the information, so that the information gradually appears on the keypad. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification