Mobile communication terminal with data scrolling feature

• US 7,885,694 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2006
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Tak, Yong Sang
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro; Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ngo; Chuong A
• Application Number:
  US11/518,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20070060218A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,610 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/575.4, 455/556, 455/556.1, 455/550, 455/550.1, 455/566, 455/90, 455/95, 379/368, 379/433.06, 379/433.07, 715/830, 715/784, 715/829, 715/810, 345156-172
• US Class Current: 455/575.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2747 Scrolling on a display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A mobile communication terminal includes a folder unit or a slider, where an input unit is located on or included on a surface of the folder unit or slider, and the input unit includes at least one function key that generates a scroll signal that is used to scroll through the content data stored in a memory.

Claims

1. A mobile communication terminal comprising:

a slider;

a main body that is connected to a rear surface of the slider;

a slider unit disposed between the slider and the main body, and allows the slider to

slide to and from the main body;

a memory that includes content data; and

a single input unit located on a front surface of the slider, the single input unit comprising;

an inner peripheral edge and an outer peripheral edge, a first discrete function key that generates a scroll signal for scrolling through content data stored in the memory at a first scroll rate and a second discrete function key that generates an acceleration signal for scrolling through content data stored in the memory at a second scroll rate, wherein the first and second discrete function keys are located at opposite ends of the single input unit and within an area defined by the inner and outer peripheral edges, and

a sensing unit that detects a user'"'"'s touching action, wherein the sensing unit includes at least two sensors, configured to generate a search direction signal based on the number or sequence of sensors activated.

2. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one speaker that converts an audio signal generated from a searched content data into sound.

3. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the second function key protrudes or is recessed relative to the first function key.

4. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the input unit further includes a search direction key configured to generate a scroll direction signal.

5. The mobile communication terminal of claim 4, further comprising a controller configured to scroll through the content data in a direction based on the scroll direction signal.

6. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the input unit further includes an enter key, wherein the enter key generates a signal used to execute the searched content data.

7. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit includes a pressure sensor.

8. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit includes a temperature sensor.

9. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, further comprising a controller in communication with the first function key and the second function key, the controller configured to scroll through the content data at the first scroll rate in response to the scroll signal, and at the second scroll rate in response to the acceleration signal.

10. The mobile communication terminal of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to scroll through the content data on a page by page basis in response to the acceleration signal.

11. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to scroll through content data in a direction based on the search direction signal.

12. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the input unit further comprises a plurality of first function keys, wherein each of the plurality of first function keys is associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of scroll directions.

13. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the first function key comprises a plurality of touch positions, wherein each of the plurality of touch positions is associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of scroll directions.

14. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the first function key and the second function key are located at different positions on the same key.

15. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller configured to execute a function associated with searched content data when actuation of the first function key is released.

16. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller configured to execute a function associated with searched content data when the first function key is actuated for a predetermined period of time.