Method for using multi-function key in a portable phone

• US 7,930,002 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2005
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Gong, Sung-Hwa
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung; Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chan; Richard
• Application Number:
  US11/228,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20060019717A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,041 Days
• Field of Search: 455/519, 455/517, 455/518, 455/500, 455/574, 455/572, 455/458, 370/311
• US Class Current: 455/575.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724

Abstract

A method for using a multi-function key for a portable phone having a multi-function key for generating a plurality of input signals. First, menu items are displayed in a main menu upon generation of a first input signal according to manipulation of multi-function key in a stand-by state, an intended menu item is shifted to by generating a second input signal by manipulating the multi-function key, and the menu item is selected by generating a third input signal by manipulating the multi-function key.

Claims

1. A method for navigating through and selecting one of a plurality of menus in a portable terminal including a display and a cursor, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the portable terminal with only a single key, wherein the single key is a multi-function key generating a plurality of key input signals respectively by a plurality of key manipulation methods including at least a first key manipulation method and a second key manipulation method, each method of the key manipulation methods being different from the other key manipulation methods, and the plurality of key manipulation methods comprising at least a short press at least once, a long press at least once, a short slide right, a long slide right, a short slide left, and a long slide left, wherein the single key returns to center after sliding;

displaying the plurality of menus on the display by manipulating the multi-function key by the first key manipulation method;

moving the cursor from one of the plurality of menus to an adjacent menu by manipulating the multi-function key by the second key manipulation method, the second key manipulation method being different from the first key manipulation method; and

selecting a specific menu by manipulating the multi-function key by the first key manipulation method when the cursor is located on the specific menu.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of, if there is any submenu in the selected menu, selecting the submenu by repeating the displaying, moving and selecting steps.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first key manipulation method and the second key manipulation method are defined as the number of manipulations of the multi-function key.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the manipulation of the multi-function key is achieved by rotating the multi-function key.

5. A method for navigating and selecting a character/numeral in a portable terminal including a display and a cursor, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the portable terminal with only a single key, wherein the single key is a multi-function key generating a plurality of key input signals respectively by a plurality of key manipulation methods including at least a first-period manipulation and a second-period manipulation, each method of the key manipulation methods being different from the other key manipulation methods, and the plurality of key manipulation methods comprising at least a short press at least once, a long press at least once, a short slide right, a long slide right, a short slide left, and a long slide left, wherein the single key returns to center after sliding;

displaying a character/numeral input state by manipulating the multi-function key according to the first-period manipulation;

moving the cursor from one of characters/numerals displayed in the character/numeral input state to an adjacent one by manipulating the multi-function key according to the second-period manipulation, the second-period manipulation being different from the first-period manipulation; and

selecting a specific character/numeral by manipulating the multi-function key by the first key manipulation method when the cursor is located on the specific menu.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

displaying character/numeral types according to the first-period manipulation of the multi-function key;

moving the cursor from one of the character/numeral types to an adjacent one according to the second-period manipulation of the multi-function key; and

displaying a character/numeral input state for the specific character/numeral type according to the first-period manipulation of the multi-function key when the cursor is located on the specific character/numeral type.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of selecting and displaying characters/numerals by repeating the displaying, moving and displaying steps, and ending the character/numeral input process according to the first-period manipulation of the multi-function key.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of selecting and displaying numerals by repeating the displaying, moving and displaying steps, recognizing the displayed numerals as a telephone number according to the first-period manipulation of the multi-function key, and performing a dialing function using the telephone number.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the first period and the second period are defined as the number of manipulations of the multi-function key.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the first period and the second period are defined as the number of manipulations of the multi-function key.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the manipulation of the multi-function key is achieved by pressing the multi-function key.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein the manipulation of the multi-function key is achieved by rotating the multi-function key.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the manipulation of the multi-function key is achieved by rotating the multi-function key.

14. The method of claim 5, wherein the characters include Korean characters, English characters, Chinese numerals, and special characters.