Mobile terminal

• US 8,473,297 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2010
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jae Min, Park, Yong Chul, Jang, Seok Bok, Lee, Joon Yup, Park, Jong Se, Choi, Jung Kyu
• Primary Examiner(s): DEBROW, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US12/874,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20110119572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 715/205
• US Class Current: 704/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications

Abstract

A mobile terminal outputs text-to-speech (TTS) voice data. The mobile terminal displays text data including link data on a display unit of the mobile terminal, selects the link data, receives an original data of the link data as a background process, converts the original data to the TTS voice data, and outputs the TTS voice data though a voice outputting unit of the mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A method of outputting electronic content, the method comprising:

displaying, using a mobile terminal, an electronic interface that includes text data and a link to electronic content, the link defining an address at which the electronic content is accessible;

receiving first user input selecting the link to electronic content included in the displayed electronic interface;

in response to receiving the first user input selecting the link, displaying a window including a text-to-speech (TTS) item;

receiving second user input selecting the TTS item;

in response to receiving the second user input selecting the TTS item, accessing the electronic content linked to by the selected link using the address defined by the link;

processing the accessed electronic content linked to by the selected link to identify text data included in the accessed electronic content;

converting the identified text data into an audio signal;

outputting the audio signal using a speaker device without displaying the electronic content on the mobile terminal in response to receiving the first user input selecting the link; and

displaying a progress bar indicating output position of the audio signal, wherein the progress bar includes a menu for controlling output of the audio signal, a first icon for displaying the electronic content linked to by the selected link, a second icon representing a still image included in the electronic content linked to by the selected link, and a third icon representing a moving image included in the electronic content linked to by the selected link.

2. The method of claim 1:

wherein displaying the electronic interface comprises displaying a first web page that includes text data and a link to a second web page, the link defining an address at which the second web page is accessible;

wherein accessing the electronic content linked to by the selected link using the address defined by the link comprises accessing the second web page using the address at which the second web page is accessible;

wherein processing the accessed electronic content linked to by the selected link to identify text data included in the accessed electronic content comprises extracting text data from the second web page;

wherein converting the identified text data into the audio signal comprises converting the extracted text data from the second web page into the audio signal; and

wherein outputting the audio signal using the speaker device comprises outputting the audio signal using the speaker device without displaying the second web page on the mobile terminal in response to receiving the user input selecting the link.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

maintaining display of the first web page on the mobile terminal while outputting the audio signal.

4. The method of 2 further comprising:

receiving user input navigating to a third web page while outputting the audio signal, the third web page being different than the first web page and the second web page; and

displaying the third web page on the mobile terminal while continuing to output the audio signal.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

receiving user input to return to the electronic interface having the link to the second web page; and

in response to receiving the user input to return to the electronic interface having the link to the second web page, shifting the electronic interface to show the first web page that includes text data and the link to the second web page.

6. A mobile terminal comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one computer-readable medium coupled to the at least one processor having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising;

displaying an electronic interface that includes text data and a link to electronic content, the link defining an address at which the electronic content is accessible;

receiving first user input selecting the link to electronic content included in the displayed electronic interface;

in response to receiving the first user input selecting the link, displaying a window including a text-to-speech (TTS) item;

receiving second user input selecting the TTS item;

in response to receiving the second user input selecting the TTS item, accessing the electronic content linked to by the selected link using the address defined by the link;

processing the accessed electronic content linked to by the selected link to identify text data included in the accessed electronic content;

converting the identified text data into an audio signal;

outputting the audio signal using a speaker device without displaying the electronic content on the mobile terminal in response to receiving the first user input selecting the link; and

displaying a progress bar indicating output position of the audio signal, wherein the progress bar includes a menu for controlling output of the audio signal, a first icon for displaying the electronic content linked to by the selected link, a second icon representing a still image included in the electronic content linked to by the selected link, and a third icon representing a moving image included in the electronic content linked to by the selected link.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6:

wherein displaying the electronic interface comprises displaying a first web page that includes text data and a link to a second web page, the link defining an address at which the second web page is accessible;

wherein accessing the electronic content linked to by the selected link using the address defined by the link comprises accessing the second web page using the address at which the second web page is accessible;

wherein processing the accessed electronic content linked to by the selected link to identify text data included in the accessed electronic content comprises extracting text data from the second web page;

wherein converting the identified text data into the audio signal comprises converting the extracted text data from the second web page into the audio signal; and

wherein outputting the audio signal using the speaker device comprises outputting the audio signal using the speaker device without displaying the second web page on the mobile terminal in response to receiving the user input selecting the link.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

maintaining display of the first web page on the mobile terminal while outputting the audio signal.

9. The mobile terminal of 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving user input navigating to a third web page while outputting the audio signal, the third web page being different than the first web page and the second web page; and

displaying the third web page on the mobile terminal while continuing to output the audio signal.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving user input to return to the electronic interface having the link to the second web page; and

in response to receiving the user input to return to the electronic interface having the link to the second web page, shifting the electronic interface to show the first web page that includes text data and the link to the second web page.

11. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with at least one computer program comprising instructions that, when executed, operate to cause a computer to perform operations comprising:

displaying an electronic interface that includes text data and a link to electronic content, the link defining an address at which the electronic content is accessible;

receiving first user input selecting the link to electronic content included in the displayed electronic interface;

in response to receiving the first user input selecting the link, displaying a window including a text-to-speech (TTS) item;

receiving second user input selecting the TTS item;

in response to receiving the second user input selecting the TTS item, accessing the electronic content linked to by the selected link using the address defined by the link;

processing the accessed electronic content linked to by the selected link to identify text data included in the accessed electronic content;

converting the identified text data into an audio signal;

outputting the audio signal using a speaker device without displaying the electronic content on the mobile terminal in response to receiving the first user input selecting the link; and

displaying a progress bar indicating output position of the audio signal, wherein the progress bar includes a menu for controlling output of the audio signal, a first icon for displaying the electronic content linked to by the selected link, a second icon representing a still image included in the electronic content linked to by the selected link, and a third icon representing a moving image included in the electronic content linked to by the selected link.

12. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11:

wherein displaying the electronic interface comprises displaying a first web page that includes text data and a link to a second web page, the link defining an address at which the second web page is accessible;

wherein accessing the electronic content linked to by the selected link using the address defined by the link comprises accessing the second web page using the address at which the second web page is accessible;

wherein processing the accessed electronic content linked to by the selected link to identify text data included in the accessed electronic content comprises extracting text data from the second web page;

wherein converting the identified text data into the audio signal comprises converting the extracted text data from the second web page into the audio signal; and

wherein outputting the audio signal using the speaker device comprises outputting the audio signal using the speaker device without displaying the second web page on the mobile terminal in response to receiving the user input selecting the link.

13. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

maintaining display of the first web page on the mobile terminal while outputting the audio signal.

14. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving user input navigating to a third web page while outputting the audio signal, the third web page being different than the first web page and the second web page; and

displaying the third web page on the mobile terminal while continuing to output the audio signal.

15. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving user input to return to the electronic interface having the link to the second web page; and

in response to receiving the user input to return to the electronic interface having the link to the second web page, shifting the electronic interface to show the first web page that includes text data and the link to the second web page.