KR100437086B1 - Method for menu drivein in mobile communication terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

A user interface is provided by a method that is a menu drive to more efficiently select menus of various operations / functions of a mobile communication terminal. The method includes a memory having a menu table configured to store information on operation menus of a mobile communication terminal, and accessing recently stored menu and index information from the menu table in response to selection of a menu key to present a current menu level. It includes the process of changing. By providing a user interface by the menu drive method of the mobile communication terminal as described above, the menu level can be held at the level most recently used, and thus a frequently used menu can be easily used.

Description

METHOD FOR MENU DRIVEIN IN MOBILE COMMUNICATION TERMINAL}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a user interface of a mobile communication terminal, and more particularly, to a method of being a menu drive for more efficiently selecting menus of various operations / functions of a mobile communication terminal.

A portable phone commonly called a mobile communication terminal, for example, Code Division Multiplexing Access (CDMA), Personal Communication Service (PCS) and cellular communication can be used. Mobile communication telephones and the like are equipped with many functions such as transmitting / receiving short message service (SMS) messages or managing personal schedules. The portable telephone has a user interface function to select one of many functions as described above and operate the corresponding function. For example, various functions are created as menus so that various functions of the personal mobile phone can be used more easily, and the menus are called using menu keys. In addition, the menu has a tree architecture as the functions of the mobile telephone are highly diversified and complicated. Accordingly, many personal mobile phone manufacturers are developing a user interface so that users can efficiently use many functions of the phone.

FIG. 1 is a plan view when a typical clamshell mobile communication terminal is opened, which shows an arrangement of menu keys arranged on a key panel. Referring to FIG. 1, a personal cellular phone includes a main body 1 and a cover 2 coupled to the main body 1 in a folder form. The cover 2 is provided with an LCD 3 having a predetermined size. The LCD 3 is very useful for displaying various messages related to telephone use. The telephone body 1 includes a 3 * 4 matrix key pad 3, a menu key 4, a confirmation key 5, a call button 6, an end button 7, a cancel button 8, and a multifunction key 9. In the above-mentioned function, the multifunction key 9 functions as an up / down key required for using a management key, a phone number management key, and a cursor, and an Internet access key for Internet access in a telephone equipped with a WAP (wireless application protocol) function. Has It should be understood that the above-described arrangement of multiple keys is not commonly used in all mobile phones, and differs slightly by manufacturer. For example, the example shown in FIG. 1 is one of many models of mobile phones manufactured by Samsung Electronics, and it has a key corresponding to the menu key of the present invention even if the terms assigned to the keys are different. It is obvious.

2 is a block diagram of a hardware of a general mobile communication terminal, which is a block diagram of a CDMA portable telephone. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes an RF signal processor, and has a function of demodulating / modulating and amplifying an RF signal received / transmitted through an antenna. 12 is a baseband processor that has a function of converting a received signal into a digital signal and converting a transmitted signal into an analog signal. Reference numeral 14 denotes a control unit for controlling various operations of the cellular phone, which is usually made at the level of a microprocessor. For example, the mobile station modem MSMXXXX, which is produced by the US column company, may be used. The control unit 14 includes an audio unit 16 for inputting and outputting a voice signal, a display unit 18 for visually displaying various display data, a ROM or flash memory storing subscriber information and various protocol data, and the like. A memory 20 including a RAM for temporarily storing data processed by the controller 14 is connected. At this time, the controller 14 is connected to a bus 22 to which a selection signal of various keys and buttons shown in FIG. 1 is provided.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a menu selection control flowchart of a mobile communication terminal according to the related art, and is a program masked in a nonvolatile memory area in the memory 20 shown in FIG.

First, an example of a menu for managing a received or transmitted message will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 before describing a conventional technology.

When a user selects a message key by pressing a key for managing a message, for example, the multifunction key 9 to the right among the plurality of keys shown in FIG. 1, the selection signal of the key is controlled through the bus 22 shown in FIG. 2. It is supplied with 14. At this time, the controller 14 shown in FIG. 2 calls the menu mode as shown in FIG. 3 in response to the selection of the key to initialize the menu index in step S30. Here, the menu index means menu items that are initially displayed on the initial display 3 in response to the selection of the menu key. Initialization means positioning a cursor or a menu bar on the first menu item displayed on the display 3.

In step S30, the controller 14 initializes the menu index. In step S32, the controller 14 transmits the character (or graphic data) of the corresponding menu content to the display unit 18 and displays the menu search key in step S34. Here, the menu search key is a key for generating a signal for moving a cursor or a menu bar indicating a menu item, and means an up / down key. If the menu search key is not selected, the controller 14 jumps to the aforementioned step S32 and repeats the above operation.

When the user executes an operation of being a key for selecting one of the menu index items displayed by using the up / down keys, the information is provided to the controller 14, and the controller 14 receives the signal through the signal bus 22. In response to the key selection signal, the index is changed in step S36 and the state indicated by the corresponding indicator 18 is changed. That is, the current cursor or the menu bar of the plurality of menu items is positioned and displayed on the selected index item. In addition, the controller 14 searches whether a key signal for selecting the displayed menu content is input in step S38.

If the controller 14 selects a confirmation key for selecting a displayed menu content or a key for an execution operation while the controller 14 performs step S38, the controller 14 responds to the selection of the confirmation key or a command key for an execution operation. In step S40, the selected and displayed menu is searched for whether the item has a sub menu. The presence or absence of such a submenu is determined based on the data stored in the menu table in the memory 20. If it is determined that the search result submenu of step S40 is not present, the controller 14 performs a function operation of the menu selected in step S38 and stops the menu interface operation. If it is determined that the menu has the search result submenu in step S40, the controller 14 initializes the menu index in step 30 and accesses the index of the submenu of the menu currently selected in step S32 from the menu table of the memory 20. To display.

However, the conventional method operated as described above uses the various menu keys to select a specific function and always initialize the index when entering each menu so that the menu search is performed again from the beginning whenever the menu depth is changed. There was a problem that inconveniences the user when using the menu repeatedly. That is, since information on the finally selected menu is not stored, an unnecessary operation of selecting and checking a main menu unnecessarily is required in order to select a sub menu, which causes complicated user interfacing.

Accordingly, the present invention is to provide a user interface that can make the use of a personal portable phone more convenient.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of being a menu drive that automatically selects a menu index that is frequently selected by a user in a portable telephone so that the functions of the portable telephone can be used more conveniently.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of driving a menu, which makes it easier to use a mobile communication terminal that provides a selection of a function in a menu form.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of driving a menu which automatically stores a final menu previously selected in a mobile communication terminal for guiding various functions in a menu form so as to immediately perform a corresponding function upon reselection.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of a menu drive of a mobile communication terminal having a memory in which a menu table storing information on operation menus of a mobile communication terminal is set, the plurality of menus set in the menu table. Accessing the menu table in response to a signal for selecting at least one of the menus, and searching for storing a menu index; In case of non-save state by searching whether the menu index is stored or not, the menu and index are stored in an index buffer, and then a storage flag is set. If the menu index is in the stored state, the stored menu index is used as the index of the current menu. An index setting process of setting to; Displaying menu contents and indexes of the set index until a menu search key is input, storing menus and indexes selected by input of the menu search keys, and displaying selected menu contents and indexes; A sub-menu searching step of displaying the selected menu contents and index until the contents of the displayed menu are selected, and searching for the presence or absence of a sub-menu of the displayed menu in response to the selection of the displayed menu; In the sub-menu retrieval process, when the sub-menu is searched, the process is repeated from the initialization process, and when there is no sub-menu, the function of the selected menu is executed.

FIG. 1 is a plan view when a typical clamshell mobile communication terminal is opened, which shows an arrangement of menu keys arranged on a key panel.

2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware of a general mobile communication terminal.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a menu selection control flowchart of a mobile communication terminal according to the related art.

4 is a diagram illustrating a menu selection control flowchart according to a method of being a menu drive of a mobile communication terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a diagram illustrating a menu table for explaining a menu selection process by a method of menu draft according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a diagram illustrating a menu display state by a method of a menu drive according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention, when it is determined that detailed descriptions of related well-known functions or configurations may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a menu selection control flow by a method of being a menu drive of a mobile communication terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The program of this control flowchart is masked in the nonvolatile region in the memory 20 shown in FIG.

5 is a diagram illustrating a menu table for explaining a menu selection process by a method of menu draft according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Such a menu table is stored in a flash memory area within the memory 20 shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 52 is a menu index table, and 54 is a menu data table. The address of the menu index table 52 is programmed to be designated by selection of the menu key 4 and the multifunction key 9 shown in FIG. For example, when the menu key 4 is selected, the data contents stored in the corresponding data field in the menu data table 54 designated by the menu pointers of the initial address of the menu index table 52 configured as shown in FIG. 5 are configured to be accessed. 5 shows only examples of the menu index table 52 and the menu data table 54 for message management.

6 is a diagram illustrating a menu display state by a method of a menu drive according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, an operation of allowing a user to easily use various functions of a mobile phone by a menu drive-in according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 to 6. In addition, among the various menu functions of the cellular phone, a function of managing an SMS message will be described as an example. The message management function of the mobile phone produced and sold by Samsung Electronics has a sentence management menu for managing sentences stored in a memory area so that it can be usefully used for managing incoming messages, managing outgoing messages, and sending SMS messages. An example of a mobile phone having a menu will be described.

When the user of the cellular phone presses the left side of the multifunction key 9 shown in FIG. 1 to select a message management key, the cellular phone having the configuration as shown in FIG. 2 transitions to the menu mode as shown in FIG. The control unit 14 that has transitioned to the menu mode accesses the contents of the menu index table 52 in the menu table configured as shown in FIG. 5 in step S42 of FIG. 4. In operation S44, the controller 14 reads and searches a menu index flag set in the memory 20 to determine whether the menu index is stored.

At this time, when the menu index flag is recorded as "1" (set), the controller 14 determines that the menu index is stored, and when the menu index flag is stored as "0" (reset), the menu index is stored. I judge that it is not. It is initialized when using the phone for the first time or by a reset signal provided from the outside.

If it is determined in step S44 that the menu index is not stored, the controller 14 stores the menu and index currently selected in step S46. For example, if the message management menu key is selected for the first time without the index being stored, the controller 14 displays a menu to be displayed as shown in FIG. 6A in FIG. 6 and its index (incoming message, outgoing message and sentence) in step S46. Save it. For example, the menu index flag of the currently selected message management menu is set to "1" so that the value of the message management and menu pointer can be selected. The controller 14 storing the menu and the index in step S46 transmits the currently selected menu contents and the index to the display unit 18 in step S50 to be displayed as shown in 6A of FIG. 6.

If one of the menu index flags in the menu table is set to "1" and determines that the menu index has been stored in step S44, the controller 14 determines that the menu index flag of the menu index table 52 of FIG. Set the menu index set to 1 "to the current index. For example, when the menu index flag of the outgoing message is set to "1", the controller 14 sets the stored outgoing message menu and its indexes to the current index in step S48. The controller 14 accesses the memory contents of the menu data table 54 designated by the menu pointer of message management in which the menu index flag is set to "1" in step S50, and displays the corresponding menu contents and index as shown in 6D of FIG. .

The controller 14 displaying the menu contents and the index selected in step S50 searches whether the menu search key is input in step S52. When the user selects the up / down (▲ / ▼) of the multifunction key 9 shown in FIG. 1 while the menu contents and the indexes of the menu are displayed as shown in FIG. 6A or 6D, FIG. 6 At 6A, the shaded menu bar is moved up or down. The controller 14 determines that the menu search key is input in step S52 in response to the up / down selection of the multifunction key 9, and changes the index in step S54.

For example, when the menu bar is moved downward in the state shown in 6A of FIG. 6 to select an outgoing message as shown in 6B of FIG. 6, the controller 14 changes the current index to the selected index in step S54. The menu index flag of the outgoing message is set to "1" by performing steps S46 and 50 described above to store and display the menu and index of the outgoing message. At this time, the menu index of message management is reset to "0". Therefore, the menu content and index currently selected by the operation process of the controller 14 are automatically stored on the menu table, and when the menu is called again, the last selected previously used menu can be automatically called.

If it is determined in step S52 that the menu search key is not input, the control unit 14 searches whether the displayed menu content is selected by selecting the confirmation key 5 shown in FIG. 1 in step S56. If it is determined that the search result confirmation key 5 of step S56 is not selected, the controller 14 jumps to step S50 described above and repeatedly performs the above-described operation. For example, the contents of the previous use menu and the information of the index are transmitted to the display unit 18 for display.

If it is determined in step S56 that the confirmation key is selected and the displayed menu content is selected, the controller 14 searches whether the menu content has a submenu in step S58. For example, when the confirmation key is selected while the index of the outgoing message is selected and displayed as shown in 6B of FIG. 6, the controller 14 accesses the contents of the menu index table 52 configured as shown in FIG. Search for the presence of a menu. In this case, the sub menu corresponds to "1. compose letter, 2. outbox management, 3. mobile phone transmission".

In step S58, the controller 14 determines that there is a submenu, and repeats the above-described operation from step 42, thereby storing the submenu and its index. If it is determined in step S58 that there is no submenu, the controller 14 performs a function of the selected menu.

After power-on by the operation according to the above embodiment, by using the menu key and the menu search key, select the outgoing message in the message management menu as shown in 6A, 6B and 6C of FIG. Assuming that has been operated, the menu index flag of the outgoing message shown in FIG. 5 is set. In the above state, when the user selects the menu key again, the menu is displayed from the storage index in which the menu index flag of the outgoing message is set, and the menu is immediately displayed as shown in FIG. 6D. Will jump to the function of the menu you wish to execute.

As described above, the present invention provides the inconvenience of having to search the menu from the beginning whenever the menu level is changed by directly entering the index of the previously selected menu without always initializing the index when entering each menu in the mobile communication terminal. Can be removed to improve the functionality of the user interface. In addition, it is possible to maximize the convenience of the user of the mobile communication terminal by setting a deep menu level to directly use a frequently used specific menu.

Claims (5)

In the method of the menu table for storing information on the operation menu of the mobile communication terminal is a menu drive of the mobile communication terminal having a set memory, And changing the current menu level by accessing recently stored menu and index information from the menu table in response to selection of a menu key. In the method of the menu table for storing information on the operation menu of the mobile communication terminal is a menu drive of the mobile communication terminal having a set memory, Selecting and displaying corresponding menu contents and indexes in response to a menu selection command for selecting at least one of a plurality of menus set in the menu table, and storing and displaying menus and indexes belonging to the menus in the memory area; And changing the displayed menu and index by input of a menu selection key, storing and displaying the displayed menu and index in an index buffer, and executing a menu function of the corresponding index when one of the displayed indexes is selected. Method that is a mobile terminal menu drive. The method of claim 2, wherein the storing further comprises: setting a menu index storage flag provided in the memory area when the menu and the index are stored to indicate a storage state of the menu index. Method that is a mobile terminal menu drive. 4. The method of claim 2 or 3, wherein the executing step comprises accessing a menu and an index stored in the memory area in response to selection of a menu selection key to set a menu depth as the storage index. And a mobile communication terminal menu drive. In the method of the menu table for storing information on the operation menu of the mobile communication terminal is a menu drive of the mobile communication terminal having a set memory, Accessing the menu table in response to a signal for selecting at least one menu among a plurality of menus set in the menu table, and searching whether or not to store a menu index; In case of non-save state by searching whether the menu index is stored or not, the menu and index are stored in an index buffer, and then a storage flag is set. If the menu index is in the stored state, the stored menu index is used as the index of the current menu. An index setting process of setting to; Displaying menu contents and indexes of the set index until a menu search key is input, storing menus and indexes selected by input of the menu search keys, and displaying selected menu contents and indexes; A sub-menu searching step of displaying the selected menu contents and index until the contents of the displayed menu are selected, and searching for the presence or absence of a sub-menu of the displayed menu in response to the selection of the displayed menu; And performing a function of the selected menu repeatedly when the submenu is searched in the submenu search process and executing a function of the selected menu when there is no submenu.