Method for executing menu in mobile terminal and mobile terminal using the same

• US 8,478,349 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2010
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Seo, Kyeong-Hye, Jung, Jang Jae, Kim, Tae Hun
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqui, Kashif
• Application Number:
  US12/796,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20100311470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 4555501-5521, 4555561-557, 455/566, 345156-184, 715/808, 715856-858, 715863-864
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

The present disclosure is related to a method for executing a menu in a mobile terminal, the method comprising; inputting a drawing pattern on a touch screen of the mobile terminal; displaying a menu corresponding to the drawing pattern and a sub menu thereof on the touch screen by comparing a pre-stored drawing pattern table with the drawing pattern; and executing the sub menu by selecting the sub menu and a mobile terminal thereof.

Claims

1. A method for executing a menu in a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

receiving a drawing pattern on a touch screen of the mobile terminal;

comparing the received drawing pattern to a pre-stored drawing pattern table;

displaying at least one menu and sub-menu corresponding to the received drawing pattern on the touch screen according to the comparison;

receiving an input to select one of the at least one displayed sub-menu; and

executing the selected sub-menu,

wherein displaying the at least one menu and sub-menu comprises;

recognizing a first sub-pattern of the received drawing pattern;

displaying a candidate list comprising at least one drawing pattern corresponding to the recognized first sub-pattern;

receiving an input to select a drawing pattern from the displayed candidate list; and

displaying a menu and sub-menu corresponding to the selected drawing pattern.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the selected sub-menu comprises:

determining a stop position of the received drawing pattern; and

executing a sub-menu located at the determined stop position.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the selected sub-menu comprises:

determining a direction of a drawing of the received drawing pattern; and

executing a sub-menu located at a position corresponding to the determined direction.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein displaying the at least one menu and sub-menu corresponding to the received drawing pattern comprises circularly displaying a plurality of sub-menus about a center of the at least one menu.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a preset drawing pattern on the touch screen;

designating a corresponding menu for the preset drawing pattern; and

storing the preset drawing pattern in the drawing pattern table.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the at least one menu and sub-menu corresponding to the received drawing pattern comprises determining that a predetermined period of time lapses after receiving the drawing pattern.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a screen status displayed on the touch screen; and

recognizing the received drawing pattern according to the determined screen status.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the received drawing pattern is recognized when the screen status is an idle screen, a main screen, or a drawing pattern input screen.

9. A mobile terminal comprising:

a touch screen configured to receive a drawing pattern;

a memory configured to store a drawing pattern table; and

a controller configured to

compare the received drawing pattern to the stored drawing pattern table;

recognize a first sub-pattern of the received drawing pattern;

display a candidate list comprising at least one drawing pattern corresponding to the recognized first sub-pattern of the received drawing pattern;

process an input to select a drawing pattern from the displayed candidate list;

display at least one menu and sub-menu corresponding to the selected drawing pattern;

process an input to select one of the at least one displayed sub-menu; and

execute the selected sub-menu.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a stop position of the received drawing pattern; and

execute a sub-menu located at the determined stop position.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein, the controller is further configured to:

determine a direction of a drawing of the received drawing pattern; and

execute a sub-menu located at a position corresponding to the determined direction.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to display the at least one menu and sub-menu corresponding to the received drawing pattern by controlling the touch screen to circularly display a plurality of sub-menus about a center of the at least one menu.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive a preset drawing pattern on the touch screen;

designate a corresponding menu for the preset drawing pattern; and

store the preset drawing pattern in the drawing pattern table.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to display the at least one menu and sub-menu corresponding to the received drawing pattern by determining that a predetermined period of time lapses after receiving the drawing pattern.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein, the controller is further configured to:

determine a screen status displayed on the touch screen; and

recognize the received drawing pattern according to the determined screen status.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to recognize the received drawing pattern when the screen status is an idle screen, a main screen, or a drawing pattern input screen.