Method for displaying menu items in a mobile device

• US 8,127,250 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2007
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Optis Cellular Technology LLC (Brevet Capital)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Tae Hyoung, Byun, Yu Chan, Lee, Jin Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Thanh
• Application Number:
  US11/682,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20070157121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,819 Days
• Field of Search: 715/841, 715/811, 715/854, 715/825, 715/826
• US Class Current: 715/811
• 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 menus for using the desired menu item.

Claims

1. A method for managing menu functions in a portable device, the method comprising:

fabricating an easy mode menu responsive to selection of at least one menu item of preference from a basic menu list, the basic menu list representing various menu items;

displaying a basic menu comprising a plurality of menu items and an easy menu item which corresponds to the fabricated easy mode menu, wherein the easy menu item is separate from each of the plurality of menu items, and the plurality of menu items individually correspond to a different function; and

displaying the at least one menu item of the easy mode menu when the displayed easy menu item is selected,

wherein, prior to the fabricating, the at least one menu item of the basic menu list has a depth level equal to the depth level of the plurality of menu items displayed on the basic menu.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing a user-selectable region for each of the menu items of the basic menu list, each of the user-selectable regions permitting a user to select the at least one menu item of preference from the basic menu list.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the user-selectable region for each of the menu items of the basic menu list comprises a user-selectable check box.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said check box is selectable via user manipulation of a button.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein said check box is selectable via user manipulation of a keypad button.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

arranging each of the menu items of the basic menu list in a numbered list; and

enabling the selection of the at least one menu item of preference via user manipulation of a numbered key which corresponds to a number in the numbered list.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the easy menu item comprises at least one menu item which corresponds to the basic menu.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fabricating of the easy mode menu is responsive to user-edits to an existing menu.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fabricating of the easy mode menu is responsive to statistics of frequently used menu items.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one menu item comprised in the easy mode menu is displayed in icon form.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the basic menu list represents a hierarchical architecture of menu items.

12. A portable device, comprising:

an input component permitting user input;

a display; and

a processor for operating responsive to instructions to create an easy mode menu from a basic menu list, wherein the processor is configured to;

fabricate the easy mode menu responsive to selection of at least one menu item of preference from the basic menu list, the basic menu list representing various menu items;

cause displaying on the display a basic menu comprising a plurality of menu items and an easy menu item which corresponds to the fabricated easy mode menu, wherein the easy menu item is separate from each of the plurality of menu items, and the plurality of menu items individually correspond to a different function; and

cause displaying on the display the at least one menu item of the easy mode menu when the displayed easy menu item is selected,

wherein, prior to the fabricating, the at least one menu item of the basic menu list has a depth level equal to the depth level of the plurality of menu items displayed on the basic menu.

13. The portable device according to claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to:

provide a user-selectable region for each of the menu items of the basic menu list, each of the user-selectable regions permitting a user to select the at least one menu item of preference from the basic menu list.

14. The portable device according to claim 13, wherein the user-selectable region for each of the menu items of the basic menu list comprises a user-selectable check box.

15. The portable device according to claim 14, wherein said check box is selectable via user manipulation of a button.

16. The portable device according to claim 14, wherein said check box is selectable via user manipulation of a keypad button.

17. The portable device according to claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to:

arrange each of the menu items of the basic menu list in a numbered list; and

enable the selection of the at least one menu item of preference via user manipulation of a numbered key which corresponds to a number in the numbered list.

18. The portable device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the easy menu item comprises at least one menu item which corresponds to the basic menu.

19. The portable device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the fabricating of the easy mode menu is responsive to user-edits to an existing menu.

20. The portable device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the fabricating of the easy mode menu is responsive to statistics of frequently used menu items.

21. The portable device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the at least one menu item comprised in the easy mode menu is displayed in icon form.

22. The portable device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the menu list represents a hierarchical architecture of menu items.

23. A method for managing menu functions in a portable device, the method comprising:

fabricating an easy mode menu responsive to selection of at least one menu item of preference from a basic menu list;

displaying the basic menu list comprising a plurality of menu items and an easy menu item which corresponds to the fabricated easy mode menu, wherein the easy menu item is separate from each of the plurality of menu items and the plurality of menu items individually correspond to a different function; and

displaying the at least one menu item of the easy mode menu when the displayed easy menu item is selected,

wherein, prior to the fabricating, the at least one menu item of the basic menu list has a depth level equal to the depth level of the plurality of menu items displayed on the basic menu.