Mobile terminal and idle screen display method for the same

• US 8,286,105 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2007
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jong, In Won, Baek, Sung Hwan, Kim, Jin Yong, Jeon, Hee Kyung, Hong, Nho Kyung, Youn, Su Jung
• Primary Examiner(s): ABDUL-ALI, OMAR R
• Application Number:
  US11/902,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20080092081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,847 Days
• Field of Search: 715/853, 715/864, 715/815
• US Class Current: 715/864
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations

Abstract

A mobile terminal and idle screen display method for the same are provided. The mobile terminal includes a memory unit for storing an idle screen image, a display unit for displaying the idle screen image, an input means for generating a selection signal to select a zone of the idle screen image, and a control unit for controlling transmission of the idle screen image from the memory unit to the display unit, for zooming-in, and for displaying a selected zone of the idle screen image.

Claims

1. An idle screen display method for menu navigation through links arranged in a hierarchical structure in a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

selecting a zone of an idle screen, the idle screen comprising a top level of the hierarchical structure;

determining whether the selected zone is zoomable; and

zooming in, if the selected zone is zoomable, and displaying the selected zone such that a magnified image of the selected zone is then used as a new display screen image,

wherein the idle screen comprises a visual image of an object or location comprising visual elements displayed when the mobile terminal is in an idle state or an initial state,

wherein the zone comprises a selectable visual element of the object or location,

wherein the visual elements comprise independent multi-level image elements, the independent multi-level image elements being assigned to a link zone, an ordinary zone, a lower-level link zone, and a lower-level ordinary zone, and displayed to form the idle screen, and

wherein the link zone and the ordinary zone comprise a level of the hierarchical structure, the lower-level link zone and the lower-level ordinary zone comprise a lower level of the hierarchical structure, and the ordinary zone and the lower-level ordinary zone comprise non-selectable image elements of the visual image of the object or location.

2. The idle screen display method of claim 1, wherein the idle screen comprises:

the link zone comprising a portion of the idle screen corresponding to the visual element of the object or location for, upon selection, zooming in; and

the ordinary zone comprising a remainder of the idle screen different from the link zone.

3. The idle screen display method of claim 2, wherein the link zone comprises at least one upper level link leading to a link page comprising at least one lower level link.

4. The idle screen display method of claim 3, wherein the link page comprises:

the lower level link zone comprising a visual element of the object or location for, upon selection, zooming in; and

the ordinary zone comprising a remainder of the link page different from the lower level link zone.

5. The idle screen display method of claim 3, wherein the link page comprises:

an item comprising a selectable visual element of the object or location for, upon selection, providing at least one of a display of contents of the item and an activation of an application associated with the item; and

the ordinary zone comprising a remainder of the link page separated from the item.

6. The idle screen display method of claim 3, wherein the link page comprises at least one of a button for returning to a previous screen and another button for returning directly to the idle screen.

7. The idle screen display method of claim 6, wherein the button causes zooming-out for returning to the previous screen.

8. The idle screen display method of claim 3, wherein the selecting of the zone of the idle screen comprises selecting the zone using at least one of a key event from a keypad and a touch event from a touch screen.

23. The idle screen display method of claim 1, wherein the selectable visual element of the object or location comprising the zone is animated so as to display movement in the idle screen visual image, the movement indicating that the zone is selectable.

9. An idle screen display method for a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

displaying an idle screen image of an object or location comprising overlapping image elements of the object or location comprising at least one link, the idle screen comprising a top level of a hierarchical structure;

selecting one of the image elements comprising a link; and

transitioning the display to a lower level of the hierarchical structure comprising a zoomed-in image element of the object or location indicated by a lower level link of the selected image element,

wherein an idle screen comprises a visual image of the object or location displayed when the mobile terminal is in an idle state or an initial state,

wherein the selectable image elements of the object or location comprise independent multi-level image elements, the independent multi-level image elements being assigned to a link zone, an ordinary zone, a lower-level link zone, and a lower-level ordinary zone, and displayed to form the idle screen, and

wherein the link zone and the ordinary zone comprise a level of the hierarchical structure, the lower-level link zone and the lower-level ordinary zone comprise a lower level of the hierarchical structure, and the ordinary zone and the lower-level ordinary zone comprise non-selectable image elements of the visual image of the object or location.

10. The idle screen display method of claim 9, wherein the lower level link comprises:

an item comprising a selectable visual element of the zoomed-in image element of the object or location for, upon selection, providing at least one of a display of contents of the item and an activation of an application associated with the item; and

the ordinary zone separated from the item.

11. The idle screen display method of claim 9, wherein the lower level link comprises at least one of a button for returning to a previous screen and another button for returning directly to the idle screen.

12. The idle screen display method of claim 11, wherein the button causes zooming-out for returning to the previous screen.

13. The idle screen display method of claim 9, wherein the selecting of the one of the image elements of the object or location comprising a link comprises selecting using at least one of a key event from a keypad and a touch event from a touch screen.

14. A mobile terminal comprising:

a hierarchical user interface comprising at least one menu;

an idle screen image comprising at least one upper level menu comprising at least one selectable visual element of an object or location comprising the idle screen image, the idle screen image comprising a visual image of the object or location displayed when the mobile terminal is in an idle state or an initial state;

a first link page for zooming in and displaying one of the at least one upper level menu and comprising at least one lower level menu comprising a selectable visual element of the object or location related to the selected upper level menu;

a second link page for zooming in and displaying one of the at least one lower level menu and comprising at least one item comprising a selectable visual element of the object or location related to the selected lower level menu; and

an item screen for displaying, upon selection of one of the at least one item, contents of the selected item,

wherein the selectable visual element of the object or location comprises independent multi-level image elements, the independent multi-level image elements being assigned to a link zone, an ordinary zone, a lower-level link zone, and a lower-level ordinary zone, and displayed to form the idle screen, and

wherein the link zone and the ordinary zone comprise a level of the hierarchical user interface, the lower-level link zone and the lower-level ordinary zone comprise a lower level of the hierarchical user interface, and the ordinary zone and the lower-level ordinary zone comprise non-selectable image elements of the visual image of the object or location.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein the first link page further comprises a zoom-out button for returning to the idle screen image through a screen change according to zooming out.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein the second link page comprises:

a zoom-out button for returning to the first link page through a screen change according to zooming out; and

an initialization button for returning directly to the idle screen image through a screen change according to at least one of zooming out and page switching.

17. A mobile terminal comprising:

a hierarchical user interface comprising at least one menu;

a memory unit for storing an idle screen image, the idle screen image comprising a visual image of an object or location displayed when the mobile terminal is in an idle state or an initial state;

a display unit for displaying the idle screen image;

an input means for generating a selection signal to select a zone of the idle screen image, the zone comprising at least one selectable visual element of the object or location; and

a control unit for controlling transmission of the idle screen image from the memory unit to the display unit, and for zooming-in and displaying a selected zone of the idle screen image,

wherein the selectable visual element of the object or location comprises independent multi-level image elements, the independent multi-level image elements being assigned to a link zone, an ordinary zone, a lower-level link zone, and a lower-level ordinary zone, and displayed to form the idle screen, and

wherein the link zone and the ordinary zone comprise a level of the hierarchical user interface, the lower-level link zone and the lower-level ordinary zone comprise a lower level of the hierarchical user interface, and the ordinary zone and the lower-level ordinary zone comprise non-selectable image elements of the visual image of the object or location.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the input means comprises at least one of a key input unit for generating a key event and a touch screen for generating a touch event.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the idle screen image comprises:

the link zone comprising a portion of the idle screen image zoomed-in upon selection; and

the ordinary zone comprising a remainder of the idle screen image different from the link zone,

wherein the link zone has at least one upper level link leading to a link page having at least one lower level link.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the link page comprises:

the lower level link zone for, upon selection, zooming in; and

the ordinary zone different from the lower level link zone.

21. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the link page comprises:

an item comprising a selectable visual element of the object or location for, upon selection, providing at least one of a display of contents of the item and an activation of an application associated with the item; and

the ordinary zone comprising a remainder of the link page different from the item.

22. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the link page comprises at least one of a zoom-out button for returning to the previous screen and an initialization button for returning directly to the idle screen.