Mobile terminal and method of controlling operation of the same

• US 8,447,276 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2008
• Issued: 05/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Heo, Jeong Yun, Cho, Hye Youn
• Primary Examiner(s): HOANG, THAI D
• Application Number:
  US12/171,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20090042547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,776 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4563, 455/456.6, 4554141-4144, 455/418, 455 901- 903, 370/338, 370/335, 370/342, 370/336, 370/347, 706/11, 710/3, 710 8- 9
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal and a method of controlling an operation of the same. The method of controlling an operation of a mobile terminal includes driving a web browser and access a specific website, displaying a web page provided by the specific website, and when any one of numeric enter keys is pressed, displaying an entry window for inputting a website address. Accordingly, a user interface of an intuitive and natural control fashion can be provided to a user.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an operation of a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

displaying contents on a webpage screen in response to a selection of an Internet access menu or contents on a file viewer screen in response to a selection of a file viewer menu;

receiving at least one letter input from a user while the contents are displayed;

retrieving an entry window including the received at least one letter;

additionally receiving remaining letters input from the user through the entry window; and

executing one of Access of Internet, Search through Internet Access and Search within a file based on a text input in the entry window,

wherein the execution of one of the Search through Internet Access and the Search within a file is decided in response to a long key entry in which a numeric enter key is pressed for more than a predetermined time, and the execution of an other of the Search through Internet Access and the Search within a file is decided in response to a short key entry in which the numeric enter key is pressed for less than the predetermined time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of executing the Access of Internet comprises accessing a website corresponding to a website address input through the entry window and displaying a web page provided by the accessed website.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the entry window is displayed as a pop-up window.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when another key other than numeric enter keys is pressed, performing an operation corresponding to the pressed key.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, a menu for initiating search of information corresponding to the input text, next to the entry window.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the entry window includes a search window for performing a search within a file or search through Internet access.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, a history window that represents a plurality of website addresses including the input at least one letter among the previous visited website addresses, under the entry window when a letter is additionally input through the entry window.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one website address registered with favorites among the plurality of website addresses is first displayed in the history window.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, a history window that lists a plurality of search words including the input at least one letter among the pre-stored search words, under the entry window when a letter is additionally input through the entry window.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing a switching operation of between an entry window for entering a website address and an entry window for search in response to selection of a predetermined key.

11. A mobile terminal comprising:

a wireless communication unit configured to provide an interface for web access;

one or more numeric enter keys configured to input a letter;

a display unit configured to display contents on a webpage screen in response to a selection of an Internet access menu or contents on a file viewer screen in response to a selection of a file viewer menu; and

a controller configured to receive at least one letter input through the one or more numeric enter key while the contents is displayed on the display unit, to retrieve an entry window including the received at least one letter, to receive remaining letters input through the entry window additionally, and to execute one of Access of Internet, Search through Internet Access and Search within a file based on a text input in the entry window,

wherein the controller is further configured to decide the execution of one of the Search through Internet Access and the Search within a file in response to a long key entry in which a numeric enter key is pressed for more than a predetermined time, and decide the execution of an other of the Search through Internet Access and the Search within a file in response to a short key entry in which the numeric enter key is pressed for less than the predetermined time.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to display, a history window that represents a plurality of website addresses including the input at least one letter among the previous visited website addresses, under the entry window when a letter is additionally input through the entry window.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the entry window is displayed as a pop-up window.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to display, a history window that lists a plurality of search words including the input at least one letter among the pre-stored search words, under the entry window when a letter additionally is input through the entry window.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the numeric enter keys are included in a main body keypad.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to display, a menu for initiating search of information corresponding to the input text, next to the entry window.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to perform a switching operation of between an entry window for entering a website address and an entry window for search in response to selection of a predetermined key.