Portable terminal having display buttons and method of inputting functions using display buttons

• US 9,250,770 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2014
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Chang-kyu, Chang, Wook, Hong, Sun-gi, Bang, Won-chul, Shim, Jung-hyun, Kwon, Soon-joo, Kim, Seong-woon
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, PREMAL R
• Application Number:
  US14/165,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20140195982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/165 the additional display being small, e.g. for presenting status information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/002 replaceable; adaptable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/046 above switch site
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• 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 portable terminal having display buttons for displaying images corresponding to specific functions through keys pressed by a user, and a method of inputting functions of the portable terminal using the display buttons. The portable terminal includes: a controller which receives signals corresponding to a user key pressed from the plurality of input buttons and outputs image data to be displayed on each of the plurality of input buttons using the received signals; and a plurality of buttons for inputting a key from a user and outputting a signal corresponding to the key pressed, and for receiving the image data from the controller and displaying the received image data. Accordingly, by using the display buttons for displaying variable images corresponding to specific functions as well as an essential function of inputting keys from a user when a specific function is input in the portable terminal such as a cell phone, a plurality of functions can be input with only a limited number of buttons, providing speed and convenience to the user for function input.

Claims

1. A portable terminal comprising:

an image capturing unit configured to capture an image;

a transceiver configured to communicate with an external device using a wireless network;

a main display for displaying the captured image;

a plurality of displayable inputs respectively configured to display a function related to image photographing or video photographing in response to a signal to capture an image;

a memory configured to store the captured image;

a controller configured to;

control at least one of the plurality of displayable inputs to display a storage function for storing the captured image after the image capturing unit captures the image; and

control at least one of the plurality of displayable inputs to display a categorizing function for storing the captured image according to at least one category.

2. The portable terminal of claim 1, wherein the plurality of displayable inputs are displayed adjacent to the main display in a landscape mode.

3. The portable terminal of claim 1, wherein the plurality of inputs comprises a display part for receiving image data from the controller and displaying the received data, and a transparent cover for covering the display part.

4. The portable terminal of claim 1, wherein the at least one category can be changed in response to a user input made on at least one of the plurality of displayable inputs.

5. A method of storing an image to a portable terminal comprising:

capturing the image;

displaying the captured image in a main display of the portable terminal;

displaying, on a plurality of displayable inputs, a function related to image photographing or video photographing in response to a signal to capture an image;

displaying, on at least one of the plurality of displayable inputs, a storage function for storing the captured image;

displaying, on at least one of the plurality of displayable inputs, a categorizing function for storing the captured image according to at least one category; and

storing the captured image according to at least one category in response to a user input made on at least one of the plurality of displayable inputs displaying the categorizing function,

wherein the portable terminal is configured to communicate with an external device using a wireless network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of displayable inputs are displayed adjacent to the main display in a landscape mode.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of inputs comprises a display part for receiving image data from the controller and displaying the received data, and a transparent cover for covering the display part.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one category can be changed in response to a user input made on at least one of the plurality of displayable inputs.