Terminal device configured to run a plurality of functions in parallel including an audio-related function, and control program thereof

• US 9,032,313 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2009
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shiga, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAUDHURI, ANITA
• Application Number:
  US12/564,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20100107069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,058 Days
• Field of Search: 715/762, 715/763, 715/765, 715/863, 715/864, 715/865, 715/727, 715/728, 715/729, 715/720
• US Class Current: 715/763
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0241 using relative motion of the body parts to change the operational status of the telephone set, e.g. switching on/off, answering incoming call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files

Abstract

In a mobile phone, even when an audio-related function is running in background processing in parallel with a function running in the main processing (foreground processing) where operations by the main operating section have been assigned to the function running in the main processing, the control section operates the audio-related function based on a user operation detected by the touch screen, the imaging section, the sound collecting section, or the housing movement detecting section.

Claims

1. A terminal device having a display section including a touch screen and a key operating section that performs a plurality of input operations, the terminal device being configured to run in parallel a plurality of functions including an audio-related function, comprising:

a first storage means for storing, with respect to each of a plurality of operating means, including operation of the touch screen, a gesture, a voice command and a swing operation, other than operation from the key operating section, which is assignable when the audio-related function runs in a background process, operations performed by a user with each of the plurality of operating means in association with a plurality of operational contents for the audio-related function, respectively;

a second storage means for storing an operating means set in advance by the user among the plurality of operating means as an operating means to be assigned when the audio-related function runs in the background process;

a first judging means for judging whether the audio-related function is running in the background process in parallel with a function running in a foreground process;

a first controlling means for, when the first judging means judges that the audio-related function is running in the background process, automatically controlling to assign display outputs to the display section and operation inputs from the key operating section to the function running in the foreground process;

an operation detecting means for detecting an operation performed by a user other than the operation from the key operating section;

an identifying means for specifying an operating means from the operation detected by the operation detecting means;

a second judging means for, when the first judging means judges that the audio-related function is running in the background process, judging whether the operation means identified by the identifying means coincides with the operation means stored by the second storage means;

an acquisition means for, when the operation means identified by the identifying means coincides with the operation means stored by the second storage means, acquiring an operational content for the audio-related function associated with the operation detected by the operation detecting means from the first storage means; and

a controlling means for instructing the audio-related function running in the background process to perform the operational content acquired by the acquisition means;

wherein, when judged that the operation means identified by the identifying means coincides with the operation means stored by the second storage means and is touch screen operations, the operating detecting means detects as a user an operation pattern of the touch screen operation which has been performed in the display section including the touch screen; and

wherein the acquisition means acquires an operational content for the audio-related function associated with the operation pattern of the touch screen operation detected by the operation detecting means, among the plurality of operational contents for the audio-related function stored by the first storage means.

2. The terminal device according to claim 1,

wherein the operation detecting means, when judged that the operation means identified by the identifying means coincides with the operation means stored by the second storage means and is gesture, detects an operation pattern of the gesture as the user operation based on an analysis result of a captured image of the user;

and

wherein the acquisition means acquires for the audio-related function associated with the operation pattern of the gesture detected by the operation detecting means, among the plurality of operational contents for the audio-related function stored by the first storage means.

3. The terminal device according to claim 1,

wherein the operation detecting means, when judged that the operation means identified by the identifying means coincides with the operation means stored by the second storage means and is voice command, detects an operation pattern of the voice command as the user operation based on a recognition result recognized by collecting voice from a user;

and

wherein the acquisition means acquires from the storage means the operational content for the audio-related function associated with the operation pattern of the voice command detected by the operation detecting means, among the plurality of operational contents for the audio-related function stored by the first storage means.

4. The terminal device according to claim 1,

wherein the operation detecting means, when judged that the operation mean identified by the identifying means coincides with the operation means stored by the second storage means and is swing operation, detects an operation pattern of the swing operation as a user operation based on a swing operation of the device housing;

and

wherein the acquisition means acquires for the audio-related function associated with the operation pattern of the swing operation detected by the operation detecting means as the user operation, among the plurality of operational contents for the audio-related function stored by the first storage means.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a program stored thereon that is executable by a computer to perform a process comprising:

parallel processing for processing in parallel a plurality of functions including an audio-related function;

first storage processing for storing, with respect to a plurality of operating means, including operation of a touch screen, a gesture, a voice command and a swing operation, other than operation from a key operating section, which is assignable when the audio-related function runs in a background process, operations performed by a user with each of the plurality of operating means in association with a plurality of operational contents for the audio-related function, respectively;

second storage processing for storing an operating means set in advance by the user among the plurality of operating means as an operating means to be assigned when the audio-related function runs in the background process;

first judging processing for judging whether the audio-related function is running in the background process in parallel with a function running in a foreground process;

first controlling processing for, when the first judging processing judges that the audio-related function is running in the background process, automatically controlling to assign display outputs to a display section and operation inputs from the key operating section to the function running in the foreground process;

operation detecting processing for detecting an operation performed by a user other than the operation from the key operating section;

identifying processing for specifying an operating means from the operation detected by the operation detecting processing;

second judging processing for, when the first judging processing judges that the audio-related function is running in the background process, judging whether the operation means identified by the identifying processing coincides with the operation means stored by the second storage processing;

acquisition processing for, when the operation means identified by the identifying processing coincides with the operation means stored by the second storage processing, acquiring an operational content for the audio-related function associated with the operation detected by the operation detecting processing from the first storage processing; and

control processing for instructing the audio-related function running in the background process to perform the operational content acquired by the acquisition processing;

wherein, when judged that the operation means identified by the identifying processing coincides with the operation means stored by the second storage processing and is touch screen operation, the operation detecting means detects as a user operation an operation pattern of the touch screen operation which has been performed in the display section including a touch screen; and

wherein the acquisition processing acquires an operational content for the audio-related function associated with the operation pattern of the touch screen operation detected by the detecting processing, among the plurality of operational contents for the audio-related function stored by the first storage processing.