JP2004179870A - Mobile terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mobile terminal capable of simply starting a desired item in the menu displayed on a display section without increasing the number of keys. <P>SOLUTION: In the mobile terminal 60 including at least the display section 12 and an operation section 10 comprising a plurality of keys, a plurality of selection items in a selection menu 62 displayed on the display section 12 are laid out with the arrangement in one-to-one cross-reference with all or parts of the arrangement of the keys of the operation section 10, and each selection item in the selection menu 62 is started by key operation of the operation section 10, the key being located with the same arrangement as that of each selection item. The mobile terminal can simply start a desired item among the items in the selection menu displayed on the display section with a small number of operation times without the need for increasing the number of keys. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes an operation unit including a display unit and a plurality of operation keys, such as a mobile phone and a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants), and uses the mounted various functions by operating the operation unit. The present invention relates to a mobile terminal device capable of performing the above.
[0002]
[Prior art]
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-115345
In general, a mobile phone 2 as shown in FIG. 4 is well known as a mobile terminal device having a display unit. The mobile phone 2 includes an operation unit 10 including a cross key 4, a numeric keypad 6, and a function key 8 on one surface of a housing, a display unit 12 such as an LCD (liquid crystal display) for displaying output information, a speaker 14, A microphone 16 and a camera 18 are provided.
[0004]
When various functions mounted on the mobile phone 2 are selected from the items on the selection screen of the display unit 12 and used, or specified from a plurality of items on a detailed selection screen among the functions, When the user wants to select an item and perform an operation corresponding to the item, various selections output to the display unit 12 according to a user operation at that time are determined as to which item is to be used or operated. A desired item is selected and determined from the items on the screen by operating the cross key 4, and the selected item is activated.
[0005]
For example, as shown in FIG. 4, a selection screen 20 output to the display unit 12 can be selected from among various functions mounted on the mobile phone 2 so as to select which function to use. , Icons as items are arranged two-dimensionally.
[0006]
Then, one of these icons is surrounded by a frame 22, and the user operates the cross key 4 up, down, left and right to move the frame 22 and try to use from among these icons. After selecting one, pressing the center of the cross key 4 determines the icon and starts the icon.
[0007]
Further, as a mobile phone different from such a mobile phone 2, the same structure as a push-type key used for a numeric keypad 6 instead of the cross key 4 as in the invention described in Patent Document 1 described above. There is a mobile phone 30 as shown in FIG.
[0008]
A selection screen for listing items is not displayed on the display section 32 of the mobile phone 30. As shown in FIG. By performing a scroll operation, items to be selected are sequentially scrolled inside the parentheses 38 output and displayed fixedly at the center of the middle portion of the display unit 32.
[0009]
Therefore, scroll keys 40 and 42 for scrolling the middle section 36 of the screen 34 in the left-right direction and a decision key 44 for deciding an item displayed inside the parentheses 38 by the scrolling operation are general keys such as the numeric keypad 6. The key is provided separately.
[0010]
The scroll keys 40 and 42 and the enter key 44 are arranged immediately below the display unit 32 adjacent to each other, and the lower part 46 of the screen 34 is marked with the role contents of the scroll keys 40 and 42 and the enter key 44. And characters.
[0011]
That is, since a triangle mark 48 pointing to the left is displayed on the left side of the lower portion 46 of the screen 34, the items on the left side of the screen 34 are displayed one after another by pressing the scroll key 40 (the screen 34 is To flow). Further, since a triangle mark 50 pointing to the right is displayed on the right side of the lower part 46 of the screen 34, the items on the right side of the screen 34 are successively displayed by pressing the scroll key 42 (the screen 34 is To flow).
[0012]
After the item to be selected is displayed inside the parentheses 38 by performing such a scroll operation, by pressing the enter key 44, the selected item can be determined. .
[0013]
Further, the mobile phone 30 does not need to perform a scroll operation only when the number of items that can be selected according to the function to be used becomes three or less, so that the lower part of the screen displayed on the display unit 32 The items themselves corresponding to the scroll keys 40, 42 and the enter key 44 can be displayed without displaying the triangular marks 48, 50 pointing in the left-right direction.
[0014]
For example, in a screen 52 in which a name can be entered, as shown in FIG. 6, items necessary for kanji conversion correspond to scroll keys 40 and 42 and an enter key 44 in a lower part 54 of the screen 52. Is displayed.
[0015]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the portable terminal devices such as the conventional portable telephones 2 and 30 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, there is a problem that it takes time and effort to activate a desired item.
[0016]
That is, in a mobile terminal device such as the mobile phone 2 shown in FIG. 4, in order to select a desired item from the selection screen 20 displayed on the display unit 12, an operation in the up, down, left, and right directions by the cross key 4 is performed. After the operation is performed many times, if the center of the cross key 4 is not depressed to further determine the selected item, the item cannot be activated, and it takes time to activate the function of the desired item. There was a problem.
[0017]
Also, in the portable terminal device such as the portable telephone 30 shown in FIG. 5, in order to select a desired item, the operation of the scroll keys 40 and 42 is usually performed many times to scroll the middle part of the screen 34. Therefore, the item cannot be activated unless the item is moved to the inside of the parentheses 38 fixedly displayed at the center of the middle part of the display unit 32 and the operation of the enter key 44 is not performed. There is a problem that it takes time to activate the function of the item.
[0018]
Further, in the case where a plurality of scroll keys 40 and 42 and an enter key 44 are provided as in the case of the mobile phone 30 and an operation corresponding to the screen 34 output to the display unit 32 is performed by using these keys, In addition to the numeric keypad 6 and the function keys 8, the number of these keys is increased by the number of these keys, so that the total number of keys is increased, which hinders downsizing of the device and complicates the circuit. There was also.
[0019]
As shown in FIG. 6, items such as “search”, “determine”, and “convert” displayed in the lower part 54 of the screen 52 have only three or less items of the scroll keys 40 and 42 and the enter key 44. Can not be made to correspond. In order to be able to cope with a case where the number of displayed items exceeds three items, only the scroll keys 40 and 42 and the enter key 44 are not sufficient, and Further, it is necessary to add a key around the display section 32, and the problem of the downsizing of the device and the problem of the complicated circuit become remarkable.
[0020]
In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a portable terminal that can easily start a desired item from a selection screen displayed on a display unit without increasing the number of keys and with a small number of operations. It is an object to provide a device.
[0021]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides
In a portable terminal device having at least a display unit and an operation unit including a plurality of keys,
A plurality of selection items in a selection screen displayed on the display unit are arranged in an arrangement corresponding to all or a part of the arrangement of keys of the operation unit in a one-to-one correspondence,
Further, each selection item in the selection screen is activated by a key operation of an operation unit located at the same arrangement position as the selection item.
[0022]
According to such a portable terminal device, a plurality of selection items in the selection screen displayed on the display unit are arranged in an arrangement corresponding to all or a part of the arrangement of keys of the operation unit in a one-to-one correspondence, and are selected. When a desired selection item is selected and activated from the screen, the function of the desired selection item is activated by a key operation of the operation unit located at the same arrangement position as the desired selection item. Since the operation of selecting and the operation of determining the item can be executed simultaneously and by one operation, the user can easily and quickly activate a desired selection item with a small number of operations.
[0023]
Further, since the items in the selection screen are arranged and displayed in accordance with the arrangement of the keys, there is no need to provide new keys, and it does not hinder miniaturization of the portable terminal device and does not complicate the circuit. .
[0024]
In the present invention, the selection screen refers to a screen having a plurality of items, from which any one can be selected. For example, a function incorporated in the mobile terminal device is displayed in an item manner. Screen, or a screen including selection items further provided in a specific function.
[0025]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of a portable terminal device according to the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
[0026]
FIGS. 1 to 3 are diagrams referred to for describing a mobile phone 60 according to an embodiment of the mobile terminal device of the present invention. Since the appearance of the mobile phone 60 shown in these figures is exactly the same as that of the conventional mobile phone 2 except for the display contents displayed on the display unit 12, the duplicate description will be omitted.
[0027]
When the power of the mobile phone 60 has just been turned on, or when any key is operated in a standby state, a selection screen 62 as shown in FIG. On the selection screen 62, icons as function items of the mobile phone 60 are arranged in correspondence with the arrangement of the ten keys 6.
[0028]
These icons do not have to be displayed in a frame as shown in FIG. 1, but in the present embodiment, each icon is Each icon is surrounded by a substantially rectangular frame so that the user can easily recognize that the key is supported. Similarly, in order to facilitate the recognition of the user, the number of the key in the corresponding numeric keypad 6 is displayed at the upper left inside the frame.
[0029]
Further, in order to facilitate the recognition of the user, the background color of the selection screen 62 is set to the same color as that of the mobile phone 60, and the inside of the frame surrounding each icon is displayed in the same color as the color of the numeric keypad 6. Alternatively, although not shown, a frame surrounding each icon may have the same shape as the key.
[0030]
In the selection screen 62 in FIG. 1, the icon of the address book function is arranged corresponding to the position of “1” in the arrangement of the ten keys 6. The icon of the memo pad function is arranged corresponding to the position of “2” in the arrangement of the numeric keypad 6.
[0031]
Also for the keys after the numeral “3” of the numeric keypad 6, icons as items of various functions are arranged at respective positions in the array of the numeric keypad 6 corresponding to these keys. Further, on the selection screen 62, no icon is arranged at a position corresponding to the “*” and “#” keys of the numeric keypad 6, and it can be seen that there is no item corresponding to these keys.
[0032]
Further, since the icon of the address book function is displayed by being surrounded by the thick line frame 64, the user can recognize at a glance that the icon of the address book function is selected.
[0033]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit of the mobile phone 60. The various function units, the display unit 12, the camera 18, the speaker 14, and the microphone 16 indicated by the reference numeral 66 operate under the control of the control unit 68. When the cross key 4, the numeric keypad 6, and the function key 8 in the operation unit 10 are operated, a signal corresponding to the operation is output to the control unit 68.
[0034]
Next, an operation for activating a function corresponding to the icon on the selection screen 62 displayed on the display unit 12 will be described below. The first method is a method by operating the cross key 4 as in the case of the conventional mobile phone 2.
[0035]
As shown in FIG. 1, when the cross key 4 is operated up, down, left, and right while the selection screen 62 is displayed on the display unit 12, the control unit 68 receives a signal of this operation, and The middle thick line frame 64 is moved one by one in the direction in which the cross key 4 is operated. Then, when an operation of pressing the center of the cross key 4 is performed, the control unit 68 receives a signal of this operation and starts a function corresponding to the icon surrounded by the thick line frame 64. I have.
[0036]
For example, when the user wants to activate the C-mail function from the selection screen 62 of the mobile phone 60, first, the icon of the address book function is selected by being surrounded by a thick frame 64, and then the cross key 4 is pressed. Is moved downward twice and further to the right once to move the bold line frame 64 to the icon of the C-mail function to select it, and then press the center of the cross key 4 to activate the C-mail function. The icon can be determined and the C-mail function can be activated.
[0037]
As a second method different from the first method, when the control unit 68 detects that the selection screen 62 is displayed on the display unit 12, an icon of a desired function is arranged. By pressing a key in the numeric keypad 6 corresponding to the position, the control unit 68 can receive a signal from the operated key and activate a function corresponding to the signal.
[0038]
For example, when the user wants to activate the C-mail function, regardless of which icon is selected in the selection screen 62 displayed on the display unit 12 by being surrounded by the thick line frame 64, the C-mail function is activated. By simply pressing the “8” key of the ten keys 6 corresponding to the position where the icon of the mail function is arranged, the C-mail function can be immediately activated.
[0039]
As described above, by the operation of pressing the key corresponding to the position where the icon of the desired function is arranged, the operation of “selection” and the operation of “determination” of the icon (item) are performed simultaneously and in one operation. Therefore, it is possible to start up more easily than the method by operating the cross key 4.
[0040]
In this embodiment, the selection screen 62 from which various functions can be selected has been described. However, even in the detailed selection screen among the various functions, the selection screen is a specific one of a plurality of items. In the case where an item is selected, the plurality of items can be displayed in correspondence with the ten keys 6.
[0041]
Further, in the present embodiment, the arrangement of the icons (items) on the selection screen 62 is made to correspond to the ten keys 6, but the selection screen 70 as shown in FIG. The arrangement of the items on the screen 70 may correspond to the function keys 8. Also, like the selection screen 70, the items may be displayed only by characters without displaying the items as icons.
[0042]
Although not shown, the items on the selection screen displayed on the display unit 12 may correspond to both the ten keys 6 and the function keys 8, or may correspond to only some of them. . Further, when a plurality of auxiliary operation keys are provided on a surface other than the surface on which the operation unit 10 is arranged, the auxiliary operation keys may be adapted to these.
[0043]
Further, in this embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to a mobile phone has been described. However, the present invention is also applicable to other types of mobile terminal devices such as PDAs based on the same technical idea. , Can be applied.
[0044]
Further, the present invention can be applied not only to a mobile terminal device having a single housing but also to a mobile terminal device having two or more housings connected to each other.
[0045]
For example, the present invention provides an overlapped portable terminal device in which a housing having a display portion and a housing having an operation portion are foldably connected via a hinge, and a housing having a display portion and an operation portion. Is connected via a ball joint or the like so that the folding operation and the twisting operation can be performed, so that the display surface always faces outward. Can also be applied.
[0046]
Alternatively, an axis provided in a direction penetrating these two housings in a state where the display unit provided on one housing and the operation unit provided on the other housing are superposed so as to face the same direction. And can be opened and closed like a fan.
[0047]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the portable terminal device of the present invention, the items of the selection screen displayed on the display unit are arranged in an arrangement corresponding to all or a part of the key arrangement of the operation unit in a one-to-one correspondence. Therefore, by operating the keys of the operation unit corresponding to the position where the desired item is arranged on the selection screen, the operation of selecting the item and the operation of determining the item can be performed simultaneously and in one operation. As a result, the user can easily and quickly activate a desired item with a small number of operations.
[0048]
In addition, since items in the selection screen are arranged and displayed according to the key arrangement, there is no need to add new keys, which may hinder miniaturization of the portable terminal device and complicate the circuit. Absent.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view showing a display unit of a mobile phone according to an embodiment of the present invention, on which a selection screen corresponding to a numeric keypad is displayed.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit of the mobile phone in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a front view showing a selection screen corresponding to a function key displayed on a display unit of the mobile phone in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a front view showing a selection screen displayed on a display unit of a conventional mobile phone.
FIG. 5 is a front view showing a display unit of another conventional mobile phone displaying a selection screen.
FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged view showing another selection screen displayed on the display unit in FIG. 5;
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Mobile phone 4 Cross key 6 Numeric keypad 8 Function key 10 Operation unit 12 Display unit 14 Speaker 16 Microphone 18 Camera 20 Selection screen 22 Frame 30 Mobile phone 32 Display unit 34 Screen 36 Middle 38 Brackets 40, 42 Scroll key 44 Enter key 46 Lower 48, 50 Triangular mark 52 Screen 54 Lower section 60 Mobile phone 62 Selection screen 64 Bold frame 66 Various function units 68 Control unit 70 Selection screen

Claims (3)

In a portable terminal device having at least a display unit and an operation unit including a plurality of keys,
A plurality of selection items in a selection screen displayed on the display unit are arranged in an arrangement corresponding to all or a part of the arrangement of keys of the operation unit in a one-to-one correspondence,
A portable terminal device wherein each selection item in the selection screen is activated by a key operation of an operation unit located at the same arrangement position as the selection item. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of selection items on the selection screen are arranged in an arrangement corresponding to an arrangement of numeric keys on the operation unit. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of selection items on the selection screen are arranged in an arrangement corresponding to an arrangement of function keys of the operation unit.

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