METHOD OF CONTROLLING MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICE EQUIPPED WITH TOUCH SCREEN, COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND METHOD OF EXECUTING FUNCTIONS THEREOF

• US 20080259045A1
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Hee Soo, Kim, Jong-Hwan, Lee, Sang Hyuck, Yoon, Mu Hy
• Granted Patent: US 8,019,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264

Abstract

A method of controlling a mobile communication device equipped with a touch screen, and a communication device and a method of executing functions thereof are disclosed. A method of controlling a mobile communication device includes displaying a plurality of execution keys on a touch screen in a standby mode and executing an operation assigned to a specific one of the plurality of execution keys by touching and dragging the specific execution key.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a mobile communication device, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of execution keys on a touch screen in a standby mode; and

executing an operation assigned to a specific one of the plurality of execution keys by touching and dragging the specific execution key.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific execution key does not move when touched and dragged to a different portion on the touch screen.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation is executed in response to dragging of the specific execution key to a certain portion on the touch screen and the operation comprises:

performing call connection to a short-cut telephone number assigned to the specific execution key;

entering a message input mode for message transmission to the short-cut telephone number;

entering a short-cut folder assigned to the specific execution key;

or

accessing an Internet address assigned to the specific execution key.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein when the specific execution key is dragged to a certain portion on the touch screen, the touch screen displays at the certain portion:

a short-cut telephone number assigned to the specific execution key;

a short-cut folder name assigned to the specific execution key;

or

an Internet address assigned to the specific execution key.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of execution keys comprise numeric keys and function keys, and the method further comprises:

displaying a number corresponding to a numeric key or a symbol corresponding to a function key if no short-cut information is assigned to the numeric key or the function key.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of execution keys comprise a plurality of menus and a function corresponding to one of the plurality of menus is executed in response to touching and dragging of the one of the plurality of menus to a certain portion on the touch screen.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying function icons on the touch screen in the standby mode,

wherein the function icons comprise at least one of a call icon, a message icon, a finder icon, and an Internet icon.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the operation comprises:

call connection to a short-cut telephone number assigned to the specific execution key when the specific execution key is touched and dragged to the call icon.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the operation comprises displaying a message input screen for message transmission to a short-cut telephone number assigned to the specific execution key when the specific execution key is touched and dragged to the message icon.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

displaying a screen for setting short-cut information if no short-cut information has been assigned to the specific execution key.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising one of performing call connection to a short-cut telephone number assigned to a specific one of the plurality of execution keys and displaying a message input screen for message transmission to the short-cut telephone number assigned to the specific one of the plurality of execution keys when the call icon or the message icon is touched and dragged to the specific execution key.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein when touching of the specific execution key is released within a specific time period after the specific execution key is touched, a number or a symbol corresponding to the specific execution key is input or a menu assigned to the specific execution key is executed.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the menu comprises a default menu set by a manufacturer of the device or a user setting menu set by a user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein when touching of the specific execution key is released after a specific time period after the specific execution key is touched, the operation comprises:

performing call connection to a short-cut telephone number assigned to the specific execution key;

displaying a message input screen for message transmission to the short-cut telephone number;

entering a short-cut folder assigned to the specific execution key;

or

accessing an Internet address assigned to the specific execution key.

15. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a wireless communication unit for performing a communication function;

a touch screen for displaying a plurality of execution keys during a standby mode; and

a controller for performing an operation corresponding to a specific one of the plurality of execution keys that is touched and dragged on the touch screen.

16. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a display unit for displaying at least one function area and at least one identification information;

a manipulation unit for detecting selection of the at least one function area and selection of the at least one identification information; and

a controller for executing a function corresponding to the selected at least one function area according to the selected at least one identification information.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the at least one identification information comprises at least one of a telephone number, an e-mail address, a messenger ID, a homepage address, an image corresponding to the identification name, and an identification name set in at least one of the telephone number, the e-mail address, the messenger ID, and the homepage address.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the display unit displays each of the at least one function area and the at least one identification information in a form of at least one of a text, an icon, a symbol, and an image.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the display unit further displays a previously designated function area and identification information according to a control signal from the controller.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein:

the manipulation unit receives at least one search condition; and

the display unit displays identification information corresponding to the at least one search condition according to a control signal from the controller.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the search condition comprises at least one of a function corresponding to a specific one of the at least one function area, a group comprising the at least one identification information, a use frequency, a recent use sequence, and texts constituting the at least one identification information.

22. The device of claim 16, wherein:

the display unit displays a plurality of subordinate functions according to a control signal from the controller when the plurality of subordinate functions belongs to a function corresponding to the selected at least one function area; and

the manipulation unit further detects selection of at least one of the plurality of displayed subordinate functions.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the display unit further displays function areas corresponding to each of the plurality of subordinate functions according to the control signal.

24. The device of claim 16, wherein a plurality of function areas or a plurality of identification information is displayed and the manipulation unit detects selection of at least two of the plurality of identification information or at least two of the plurality of function areas.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the display unit converts the selected at least two of the plurality of identification information or the selected at least two of the plurality of function areas into one new identification information or one new function area and displays the one new identification information or the one new function area according to a control signal.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the display unit displays identification information or a function area having a next priority in a space that is formed when the selected at least two of the plurality of identification information or the selected at least two of the plurality of function areas are converted into the one new identification information or the one new function area.

27. The device of claim 16, wherein the display unit displays the selected at least one function area and the selected at least one identification information distinctly according to a control signal from the controller.

28. The device of claim 16, wherein the display unit displays only the at least one identification information when the at least one function area is selected first or displays only the at least one function area when the at least one identification information is selected first according to a control signal from the controller.

29. The device of claim 16, wherein the controller executes the function when a selection completion signal is input after selection of the at least one identification information and selection of the at least one function area.

30. The device of claim 16, wherein the display unit comprises a touch screen and the controller executes the function when the selected at least one identification information is touched and dragged to a specific one of the at least one function area on the touch screen.

31. The device of claim 16, wherein the controller indicates completion of the execution of the function.

32. A method of executing functions of a communication device, the method comprising:

displaying at least one function area and at least one identification information;

detecting selection of the at least one function area and selection of the at least one identification information; and

executing a function corresponding to the selected at least one function area according to the selected at least one identification information.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

designating the at least one function area and the at least one identification information for display.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein displaying the at least one function area and the at lest one identification information comprises:

receiving at least one search condition; and

displaying the at least one identification information corresponding to the at least one search condition.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein detecting selection of the at least one function area and selection of the at least one identification information comprises:

displaying a plurality of subordinate functions corresponding to a function corresponding to the selected at least one function area; and

detecting selection of at least one of the plurality of displayed subordinate functions.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein a plurality of function areas and a plurality of identification information are displayed and detecting selection of the at least one function area and selection of the at least one identification information comprises detecting selection of at least two of the plurality of identification information or at least two of the plurality of function areas.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein displaying the at least one function area and the at least one identification information comprises:

converting the selected at least two of the plurality of identification information or the selected at least two of the plurality of function areas into one new identification information or one new function area; and

displaying the one new identification information or the one new function area.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein displaying the at least one function area and the at least one identification information comprises displaying only the at least one identification information when the at least one function area is selected first or displaying only the at least one function area when the at least one identification information is selected first.

39. The method of claim 32, wherein executing the function comprises detecting a select completion signal input after selection of the at least one identification information and selection of the at least one function area.

40. The method of claim 32, wherein executing the function comprises detecting that the selected at least one identification information is touched and dragged to a specific one of the at least one function area on a touch screen of the communication device.