Portable terminal device

• US 8,558,812 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2008
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Asabu, Hiroko, Tani, Minako
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US12/675,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20100214241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,875 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 178 1801- 1807, 178 2001- 2004
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A communication terminal device with which a desired function can be found easily and the function can be activated quickly is provided.

A communication terminal device of this invention comprises a housing 8 provided with a display 5, and a touch panel input unit 6 arranged covering a screen of the display 5, and is capable of executing one operation mode selected by a user from a plurality of operation modes. A scroll line 9 is displayed on the screen of the display 5, the scroll line 9 is moved to select one operation mode correlated to the position of the scroll lines 9 in accordance with user'"'"'s scroll operation, then the selected one operation mode is fixed in accordance with user'"'"'s mode fixing operation, and a predetermined process of the operation mode is executed in accordance with an operation of an operation key displayed in the operation area.

Claims

1. A portable terminal device including a housing provided with a display arranged therein and a light-transmitting touch panel input unit arranged so as to cover a screen of the display, and capable of executing one operation mode selected by a user from a plurality of operation modes, the portable terminal device comprising:

a scroll line displaying unit configured to display on the screen of the display a scroll line extending in one direction on the screen and move the scroll line in accordance with a scroll operation by a user in a direction crossing the one direction;

a mode selection control unit configured to select one operation mode correlated to a predetermined position of the scroll line from the plurality of operation modes in accordance with the scroll operation by the user, and form a display area and an operation area with the scroll line serving as a boundary line therebetween on the screen of the display so as to display in the display area an initial screen of one selected operation mode, while to display in the operation area one or more operation keys to be used in said operation mode, the predetermined position of the scroll line, which is moved by the scroll line displaying unit, being defined to correspond with each of the plurality of operation modes; and

a mode execution control unit configured to fix one selected operation mode in response to a mode fixing operation by the user made in a state where one operation mode is selected, execute a predetermined process of the operation mode in response to an operation of an operation key displayed in the operation area, and display an operation screen in the display area.

2. The portable terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the scroll line can be moved to a plurality of mode selection positions set preliminarily on the screen of the display, and the mode selection control unit provides a visual difference between display state of the scroll line when the scroll line reaches one mode selection position and display state of the scroll line moving between the mode selection positions.

3. The portable terminal device according to claim 2, wherein the mode selection control unit makes the scroll line emit light when the scroll line reaches one mode selection position, and makes the scroll line stop emitting light during moving between the mode selection positions.

4. The portable terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the mode execution control unit displays the operation screen of the fixed operation mode in the display area of the screen of the display, and displays an operation icon included in the operation screen in an enlarged manner.

5. The portable terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the mode execution control unit displays the operation screen of the fixed operation mode in the display area of the screen of the display, and displays a displaying part representing a scroll state of the operation screen, and the mode execution control unit changes indication of the displaying part and scrolls the operation screen in accordance with an operation by the user.

6. The portable terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the mode execution control unit displays the operation screen of the fixed operation mode in the display area of the screen of the display, while it displays a displaying part representing a setting of image or sound of the operation screen in the operation area of the screen of the display, and the mode execution control unit changes indication of the displaying part and changes the setting of image or sound in accordance with an operation by the user.

7. The portable terminal device according to claim 1, wherein a jog dial for the scroll operation and the mode fixing operation is arranged in the housing, the mode selection control unit recognizes an operation of rotating the jog dial while depressing the jog dial as the scroll operation, and the mode execution control unit recognizes an operation of releasing the jog dial from the depression as the jog dial as the mode fixing operation.

8. The portable terminal device according to claim 5, wherein a jog dial for the scroll operation and the mode fixing operation is arranged in the housing, the mode selection control unit recognizes an operation of rotating the jog dial while depressing the jog dial as the scroll operation, the mode execution control unit recognizes an operation of releasing the jog dial from the depression as the mode fixing operation, and indication of the displaying part is changed in accordance with an operation of rotating the jog dial with the jog dial released from the depression.

9. The portable terminal device according to claim 1, wherein selection of an operation mode by the mode selection control unit and activation of the operation mode by the mode execution control unit can be performed for a plurality of operation modes preliminarily selected by the user from a plurality of operation modes that are preliminarily prepared.