JP5456922B2 - Mobile terminal and terminal operation method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a portable terminal and a terminal operation method capable of easily obtaining information of a plurality of icons displayed on a display unit.

  In recent years, mobile terminals such as mobile phones and PHS (Personal Handy phone System) have become widespread, making it possible to make calls and obtain information regardless of location or time. Especially in recent years, the amount of available information has been increasing, and high-speed and high-quality wireless communication systems have been introduced to download large amounts of data. As the information that can be handled in this way and the capacity and number of applications increase, a help function for searching the contents, functions, and operation methods becomes necessary. However, to maintain the portability of mobile devices, the number of input keys is limited, the search result display area is limited, and the help function itself has poor operability. I couldn't.

  In order to improve the search efficiency by such a keyword, the function explanation database is searched after the key input operation based on the history of the key input operation, and the keyword is not input again. A technique capable of searching for appropriate help information is disclosed (for example, Patent Document 1). Also, when searching for any information using the help function, not only the input of keys and search request texts, but also the operation history so far can be considered to search for help information desired by the user. There is also known a technique capable of performing (for example, Patent Document 2).

On the other hand, information such as contents, functions, and operation methods can be usually referred to from a menu item through a plurality of layers (via options). However, in order to refer to such information, it is necessary to always go through several layers, forcing the user to perform complicated operations and obtain specialized knowledge. In view of this, there has also been disclosed a technique for displaying an operation screen in which a plurality of menu items are arranged in order of frequency of use, ignoring the hierarchical relationship of menus so that information once used can be easily referred to from the next time (for example, patents). Reference 3). With this technique, it is possible to easily select a desired function setting without repeating complicated menu selection operations.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-231998 JP 2000-137726 A JP 2006-287556 A

  In the portable terminal as described above, an icon indicating the operation function is used in order to indicate a plurality of operation objects in a small display area. Such icons are not limited to the assumption that a specific application is started, but are also pre-arranged on the standby screen, for example, icons such as a battery level indicator and pictogram (radio wave reception intensity), and incoming e-mails There is also an icon indicating a predetermined state, such as an icon indicating that there has been.

  In the case of an icon premised on application startup, the information is shown in a relatively high level, but the icon indicating the predetermined state as described above can finally reach through a layer such as three layers or four layers. . In many cases, the icon information indicating the predetermined state is not considered in the first place. As described above, in the current portable terminal, the reference hierarchy differs depending on the icon, or it may be difficult to reach due to the diversity of selection options.

  Here, it is conceivable to apply the above-described conventional technique that increases the ease of selection in consideration of the high frequency of use. However, in this technique, it is assumed that the search is performed at least once. An effect could not be obtained with respect to an icon with an extremely small number of references such as an icon indicating a state.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a portable terminal and a terminal operation method capable of quickly and reliably acquiring icon information with a simple operation without going through a plurality of layers. It is said.

  In order to solve the above problems, a representative configuration of a mobile terminal according to the present invention includes a display unit, a touch detection unit that receives user input to the surface of the display unit, and an operation unit including a plurality of movable operation keys. A guide display unit that displays a predetermined guidance screen on the icon on the display unit when a predetermined movable operation key of the operation unit is pressed and a user input to the icon displayed on the display unit through the touch detection unit is detected; It is characterized by providing.

  In the present invention, in a state where the touch detection unit can be touched, by simply pressing a predetermined movable operation key that is easily pressed, the mode shifts to a guide display mode, which is an operation mode for performing guide display, and is stopped. Touching an arbitrary icon while the user is in the guidance display mode does not perform a predetermined operation on the icon, but uniquely displays a guidance screen related to the icon. Therefore, even for an icon indicating a predetermined state in which the guidance is provided in a relatively deep hierarchy, it is possible to receive the guidance of the icon with a simple operation without going through a plurality of hierarchies. In addition, by limiting the display of such guidance screens only when necessary, such as when a predetermined movable operation key is pressed, power and processing can be continuously monitored so that even when the guidance screen is unnecessary, it can be continuously monitored. Time consumption can be suppressed.

  Information for specifying the content of the icon may be displayed on the predetermined guidance screen. The information that identifies the content of the icon is uniformly displayed on the guidance screen, so that the user can perform the guidance operation uniformly regardless of the type and function of the mobile terminal, and a complicated instruction manual Even without referring to the function description, it is possible to easily view desired information in a familiar procedure.

  The guidance display unit may cause the display unit to display a guidance screen for guiding a method for starting the application specified by the icon when a further user input to the icon in the predetermined guidance screen is detected.

  In the present invention, an icon indicating a predetermined state is also targeted, but an application specified by the icon can also be activated. With the configuration that displays the startup method guidance screen, it is possible to grasp the existence of the application specified by the icon touched first, and the startup method of the application can be quickly and easily performed without searching again. It can be visually recognized.

  The guidance screen for guiding the activation method may include an activation icon for the application specified by the icon.

  With this configuration, it is possible to quickly and easily start related applications without manually searching for applications specified by icons.

  Other typical configurations of the portable terminal according to the present invention include a display unit, a touch detection unit that receives user input to the surface of the display unit, an operation unit including a plurality of movable operation keys, and a predetermined operation unit. When a user input to an icon displayed on the display unit through the touch detection unit is detected, a guidance display unit that displays a predetermined guidance screen related to the icon on the display unit, and a predetermined display by the guidance display unit A history storage unit for storing the history of the guide screen, and the guidance display unit further switches to a predetermined history reference icon displayed on the display unit through the touch detection unit when a predetermined movable operation key of the operation unit is pressed. When the user input is detected, the history of the predetermined guidance screen stored in the history storage unit is displayed on the display unit, and the predetermined guidance screen selected from the history by the further user input is displayed. It may be displayed again in part.

  When a predetermined movable operation key is pressed, a predetermined history reference icon appears on the display unit, and it is possible to select again the history operated in the past guidance display mode by touching it. With such a configuration, even if the hold-down state of the movable operation key is unexpectedly interrupted during the guidance display mode, it is possible to reproduce the previous operation state by executing the guidance display mode again, which is bothersome again. The desired guidance screen can be reached quickly and easily without the operation input.

  Another exemplary configuration of the present invention is a terminal that operates a portable terminal including a display unit, a touch detection unit that receives user input to the surface of the display unit, and an operation unit that includes a plurality of movable operation keys. When the predetermined movable operation key of the operation unit is pressed and a user input to the icon displayed on the display unit is detected through the touch detection unit, a predetermined guidance screen related to the icon is displayed on the display unit. It is characterized by.

  The above-described components based on the technical idea of the mobile terminal and the description thereof can also be applied to the terminal operation method.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to quickly and reliably acquire icon information with a simple operation without going through a plurality of layers.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The dimensions, materials, and other specific numerical values shown in the embodiment are merely examples for facilitating understanding of the invention, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In the present specification and drawings, elements having substantially the same function and configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted, and elements not directly related to the present invention are not illustrated. To do.

(Wireless communication system 100)
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic connection relationship of the wireless communication system 100. The wireless communication system 100 includes a mobile terminal 110, a base station 120 that establishes wireless communication with the mobile terminal 110, an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) line connected to the base station 120, the Internet, a dedicated line, and the like. Communication network 130 and relay server 140 that relays each base station 120 through communication network 130.

  In the wireless communication system 100, the mobile terminal 110 performs a call or communication with another mobile terminal 110 through wireless communication with the base station 120, and each service provider connected through the communication network 130. Various services can be received from the Web server. In the present embodiment, icons that appear when an incoming e-mail or missed call is received via the wireless communication system 100, and icons such as a battery remaining amount display and a pict (radio wave reception intensity) that are arranged in advance on the standby screen. However, when it is difficult to understand what the icon display means, the icon information can be acquired through a simple operation. Below, the specific structure of the portable terminal 110 in which simple operation is possible is described, and the terminal operating method of the portable terminal 110 is explained in full detail after that.

(Mobile terminal 110)
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the mobile terminal 110, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of the mobile terminal 110. As shown in FIG. The mobile terminal 110 includes a terminal control unit 210, a terminal memory 212, a display unit 214, an operation unit 216, a touch detection unit 218, a voice input unit 220, a voice output unit 222, and a terminal wireless communication unit 224. It is comprised including.

  As the portable terminal 110, various electronic devices capable of wireless communication, such as a mobile phone, a PHS terminal, a notebook personal computer, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a digital camera, a music player, a car navigation system, a game device, and a DVD player are used. You can also.

  The terminal control unit 210 manages and controls the entire portable terminal 110 by a semiconductor integrated circuit including a central processing unit (CPU), and uses a program in the terminal memory 212 to make a call function, a mail transmission / reception function, an imaging function, and a music playback function. Also performs TV viewing function. The terminal memory 212 includes a ROM, a RAM, an EEPROM, a nonvolatile RAM, a flash memory, an HDD, and the like, and stores a program processed by the terminal control unit 210, communication data, and the like. The terminal memory 212 also functions as a history storage unit 230 that stores a history of a predetermined guidance screen by a guidance display unit 236 described later.

  The display unit 214 is configured by a liquid crystal display, EL (Electro Luminescence), or the like, and is stored in the terminal memory 212 or provided from a Web server via the communication network 130, and GUI (Graphical User Interface) of Web contents and applications. ) Etc. can be displayed. Further, in the present embodiment, a plurality of icons indicating applications can be arranged at positions that can be touched by a touch detection unit 218, which will be described later, icons such as a battery remaining amount display and pictogram (radio wave reception intensity), and e-mail An icon indicating a predetermined state such as an icon indicating an incoming call can also be displayed.

  The operation unit 216 includes a plurality of movable operation keys (hardware keys) such as a keyboard, a cross key, and a joystick, and accepts a user operation input. In the present embodiment, a predetermined movable operation key (side key) 232 provided on the side surface of the casing of the operation unit 216 is set as a transition trigger to the guidance display mode, and guidance display is performed while the key is pressed. Maintain mode. In this embodiment, the guide display mode is maintained in a so-called pressed state in which the movable operation key 232 is continuously pressed. However, the display mode is maintained for a predetermined time after the pressing, or the movable operation key 232 is pressed after the pressing. The display mode can be maintained or various maintenance operations can be applied until the button is pressed again. Although the predetermined movable operation key 232 can be a dedicated key, it is normally used in combination with other functions, and is recognized as the function of the present embodiment for the first time by holding for a predetermined time, for example, 0.5 seconds or more. Is done. Here, the side key that is easy to be pressed by the user is the predetermined movable operation key 232, but it is also possible to change the assignment of the predetermined movable operation key according to the user's usability.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining predetermined movable operation keys. Here, in the state of the standby screen as shown in FIG. 4A, by pressing a predetermined movable operation key 232 on the side surface of the casing, “Info” is displayed on the display unit 214 as shown in FIG. A history reference icon 234 indicated by “” is displayed. The history reference icon 234 is continuously displayed while the user presses the predetermined movable operation key 232, and indicates that it is currently in the guidance display mode. Then, when the user releases the predetermined movable operation key 232, the guidance display mode ends and the normal mode is restored. Further, when the history reference icon 234 is displayed in advance on the standby screen, the history reference icon 234 may blink during the guidance display mode.

  The touch detection unit 218 receives a user operation input corresponding to the display on the display unit 214 surface. As a detection method of the touch detection unit 218, a resistance film method (pressure sensitive method), a capacitance method, an infrared light shielding method, an ultrasonic surface acoustic wave method, an electromagnetic induction method, an electrostatic coupling method, an acoustic pulse recognition method, Various existing methods such as an image recognition method can be used. Further, a method of recognizing an object placed on the surface of the display unit 214 by an optical sensor formed integrally with the display unit 214 also belongs to the technical scope of the present embodiment.

  For example, the touch detection unit 218 can accept intuitive user input in accordance with the screen of the display unit 214 without using the operation unit 216, and can scroll or point the Web content displayed on the display unit 214. It is also possible to perform analog operations.

  In a normal state (normal mode), when the touch detection unit 218 detects a touch on an icon indicating an application, the application starts up and a predetermined state such as a battery remaining amount display or a pictograph that is not expected to be touched When a touch on the icon indicating is detected, no operation is performed. However, in the guidance display mode while the predetermined movable operation key 232 is held down, the guidance screen is displayed uniformly by touching all the icons. This detailed operation will be described later.

  The voice input unit 220 includes voice recognition means such as a microphone, and converts the user's voice input during a call into an electrical signal that can be processed in the mobile terminal 110. The audio output unit 222 is configured with a speaker, and converts the voice signal of the other party received by the mobile terminal 110 into voice and outputs it. In addition, a ring tone, an operation sound of the operation unit 216 and the touch detection unit 218, an alarm sound, and the like can be output.

  The terminal wireless communication unit 224 establishes wireless communication with the base station 120 through a wireless communication method such as CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) or WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), and performs voice communication with a communication partner or a Web server. Perform data communication.

  Further, the terminal control unit 210 described above functions as a guidance display unit 236. When the guidance display unit 236 detects a user input to the icon displayed on the display unit 214 through the touch detection unit 218 in a state where a predetermined movable operation key 232 of the operation unit 216 is pressed, that is, in the guidance display mode, A predetermined guidance screen regarding icons is displayed on the display unit 214.

  In the present embodiment, in a state in which the touch detection unit 218 can be touched, the mode is shifted to the guide display mode by simply pressing and holding the predetermined movable operation key 232, and touching any icon during the guide display mode Instead of a predetermined operation for the icon, a guidance screen relating to the icon is uniquely displayed. Therefore, even for an icon indicating a predetermined state in which the guidance is provided in a relatively deep hierarchy, it is possible to receive the guidance of the icon with a simple operation without going through a plurality of hierarchies.

  FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the guidance display mode. Here, in accordance with the pressing of the predetermined movable operation key 232 by the user, the mode shifts to the guidance display mode as shown in FIG. 5A, and the user further touches the pictogram icon 238 as shown in FIG. 5B. Based on the above, a guidance screen 240 is displayed as shown in FIG. Here, information for specifying the content of the icon (pictogram icon 238) is shown as the guidance screen 240 in particular.

  As described above, the information for specifying the content of the icon is uniformly displayed on the guidance screen 240, so that the user can perform the guidance operation uniformly regardless of the type or function of the mobile terminal 110. Thus, it is possible to easily view desired information in a familiar procedure without referring to complicated instruction manuals and function descriptions.

  By restricting the display of the guidance screen 240 by the guidance display unit 236 only when necessary, such as when a predetermined movable operation key 232 is pressed, it is always possible to cope with the case where the guidance screen 240 is unnecessary. It is possible to suppress consumption of power and processing time such as wasteful use of memory and power while monitoring.

  FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a display example of such a guidance screen. Here, the name and description of the icon are shown as information for specifying the content of the icon.

  Further, when a further user input to the icon on the guidance screen 240 is detected, the guidance display unit 236 causes the display unit 214 to display a new guidance screen that guides the application activation method specified by the icon.

  FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram for explaining another example of the guidance display mode. Here, in accordance with the pressing of the predetermined movable operation key 232 by the user, the mode shifts to the guidance display mode as shown in FIG. 7A, and the user is directed to the icon 242 with an incoming e-mail as shown in FIG. The guidance screen 240 is displayed as shown in FIG. Here, as the guidance screen 240, an icon 244 having the same pattern as the icon (icon with incoming e-mail) 242 and information for specifying the contents of the icon 244 (for example, the name and description of the icon) are shown.

  When further user input to the icon 244 in the guidance screen 240 is detected, a guidance screen 246 as shown in FIG. 7D is displayed. Here, as the guidance screen 246, the activation method of the application specified by the icons 242 and 244 is uniformly shown. Therefore, according to such an activation method, the application specified by the icons 242 and 244 can be activated.

  As shown in FIG. 7D, the configuration of displaying the start-up method guidance screen 246 makes it possible to grasp the presence of the application specified by the icon 242 touched first, and also the start-up method of the application. It is possible to view quickly and easily without a search again.

  In addition, an application activation icon 248 is also shown on the guidance screen 246 for guiding the activation method of FIG. When the activation icon 248 is touched, the e-mail application specified by the icon 242 is activated as shown in FIG.

  With this configuration, it is possible to quickly and easily start related applications without manually searching for applications specified by icons.

  In addition, although the purpose is to start the application in the first place, even if it is not known from where to start, the related icon, here the e-mail incoming icon 242 is used to start the target e-mail application starting method and the start icon 248. Since it can be searched and the activation can be easily performed, convenience and operability are improved.

  On the other hand, for example, the reference history of the guidance screen related to the pictogram icon 238 and the email arriving icon 242 described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 7 is stored in the history storage unit 230 as needed. When the guidance display unit 236 detects a user input to the predetermined history reference icon 234 displayed on the display unit 214 in the guidance display mode, the guidance display unit 236 displays the history of the predetermined guidance screen stored in the history storage unit 230. This is displayed on the unit 214.

  FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram for explaining still another example of the guidance display mode. In this case as well, the display shifts to the guidance display mode as shown in FIG. If the guidance display mode has been used in the past, the history reference icon 234 indicated by “Info” blinks. When the blinking history reference icon 234 is touched as shown in FIG. 8B, the reference history in the past guidance display mode as shown in FIG. 8C based on the user input. A guide screen 250 that lists these items is displayed.

  Further, when one guide screen is selected from the reference history by user input, the selected predetermined guide screen can be displayed on the display unit 214 again. In the example of FIG. 8C, since the guide screen of the icon 242 of the email application specified by the name “New Email Messages” is selected, the guide screen similar to FIG. 7D referred to in the past. 246 is displayed.

  Here, when a predetermined history reference icon 234 is touched in the guidance display mode, the history operated in the past guidance display mode can be selected again. With this configuration, for example, even if the predetermined movable operation key 232 is stopped during the guidance display mode, such as when there is an incoming call during operation and the guidance on the guidance screen is temporarily stopped, the guidance described above By executing the display mode again, the previous operation state can be reproduced, and the desired guidance screen can be reached quickly and easily without complicated operation input.

  As described above, the display device 214 and the intuitive touch detection unit 218 can be effectively used by the mobile terminal 110 described above, and icon information can be acquired quickly and reliably by a simple operation without going through a plurality of layers. It becomes.

(Terminal operation method)
Next, a terminal operation method for operating the above-described portable terminal 110 will be described.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the overall flow of the terminal operation method. For example, when the user presses a predetermined movable operation key 232 of the operation unit 216 while the standby screen is displayed on the display unit 214 (S300), the operation mode of the mobile terminal 110 is changed from the normal mode to the guidance display mode. (S302), the history reference icon 234 is displayed on a part of the display unit 214. At this time, if the guidance display mode has been used in the past, that is, if the reference history of the guidance screen is stored in the history storage unit 230, the history reference icon 234 blinks or is changed in color and displayed. .

  The guidance display mode is canceled when the predetermined movable operation key 232 is stopped. Accordingly, the terminal operation method ends when the predetermined movable operation key 232 becomes invalid at any processing timing in the flowchart.

  Here, when a user input to the icon displayed on the display unit 214 is detected through the touch detection unit 218 (S304), it is determined whether or not the touched target icon is the history reference icon 234 (S306). If it is a normal icon that is not the history reference icon 234, the guidance display unit 236 displays a guidance screen for the designated icon (S308).

  Subsequently, it is determined whether or not an application is set for the designated icon (S310). If there is an application setting, the guidance display unit 236 waits for a user input to the icon displayed on the guidance screen. (S312), a guidance screen for the activation method of the application is displayed, and an activation icon 248 is also displayed (S314). When a user input to the activation icon 248 is detected (S316), the application is activated (S318).

  In the determination of whether or not the target icon is the history reference icon 234 (S306), if it is determined that the target icon is the history reference icon 234 ("YES" in S306), it is determined whether or not there is a reference screen reference history. If it is determined (S322) and there is a reference history, the guidance display unit 236 lists the reference screen reference history and displays it on the display unit 214 (S324). Then, after waiting for the user's selection input for the reference history (S326), the selected guidance screen is displayed (S328).

  Also by such a terminal operation method, it is possible to quickly and reliably acquire icon information by a simple operation without going through a plurality of layers prepared in advance in the mobile terminal 110.

  As mentioned above, although preferred embodiment of this invention was described referring an accompanying drawing, it cannot be overemphasized that this invention is not limited to the example which concerns. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the claims, and these are naturally within the technical scope of the present invention. Understood.

  Note that each step in the terminal operation method of the present specification does not necessarily have to be processed in time series in the order described in the flowchart, and may include processing in parallel or by a subroutine.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for a mobile terminal and a terminal operation method that can easily obtain information of a plurality of icons displayed on a display unit.

It is explanatory drawing which showed the rough connection relation of the radio | wireless communications system. It is the functional block diagram which showed the hardware constitutions of the portable terminal. It is the perspective view which showed the external appearance of the portable terminal. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating a predetermined movable operation key. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating guidance display mode. It is explanatory drawing which showed the example of a display of a guidance screen. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the other example of guidance display mode. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the further another example of guidance display mode. It is the flowchart which showed the whole flow of the terminal operation method.

110 ... mobile terminal 214 ... display unit 216 ... operation unit 218 ... touch detection unit 230 ... history storage unit 232 ... predetermined movable operation key 234 ... history reference icon 236 ... guidance display unit 248 ... start icon

Claims (3)

A display unit;
A touch detector;
An operation unit;
When a predetermined movable operation key of the operation unit is pressed and a user input to an icon displayed on the display unit through the touch detection unit is detected, a guide display that displays a predetermined guide screen related to the icon on the display unit And
With
When further user input to the icon in the predetermined guidance screen is detected, the guidance display unit causes the display unit to display a guidance screen for guiding an application activation method specified by the icon,
The portable terminal characterized in that the guidance screen for guiding the activation method includes an activation icon of an application specified by the icon.   The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein information specifying the content of the icon is displayed on the predetermined guidance screen. A terminal operation method for operating a portable terminal comprising a display unit, a touch detection unit, and an operation unit,
When a predetermined movable operation key of the operation unit is pressed and a user input to the icon displayed on the display unit through the touch detection unit is detected, a predetermined guidance screen related to the icon is displayed on the display unit,
When a further user input to the icon in the predetermined guidance screen is detected, a guidance screen for guiding the activation method of the application specified by the icon is displayed on the display unit, and the guidance screen for guiding the activation method Includes a start icon of an application specified by the icon.

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