DEVICE AND METHOD FOR ARRANGEMENT OF A KEYBOARD IN A WIRELESS TERMINAL

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for arranging a keypad in a wireless terminal, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for arranging a keypad in a wireless terminal to conveniently perform a key input in the wireless terminal.2. Description of the Related Art

[0002] When an input mode is performed in a vertical mode (in which a wireless terminal is placed in a vertical direction), a keypad is displayed on the bottom of a screen of a display unit, and a key input in the input mode is performed on the displayed keypad.

[0003] Known from the art is for example the multifunction device with a touch-sensitive display as disclosed in US 2011 0242138 A1 which concurrently displays a first virtual keyboard at a first location on the touch-sensitive display and a second virtual keyboard at a second location, distinct from the first location, on the touch-sensitive display. In response to detecting a first finger gesture on a first key in the first virtual keyboard, an action corresponding to the first key in the first virtual keyboard is performed. In response to detecting a second finger gesture on a second key in the second virtual keyboard, an action corresponding to the second key in the second virtual keyboard is performed.

[0004] Also known from the art is the method for managing a virtual keyboard disclosed in US 2010 0277414 A1, which includes detecting whether a button is pressed and determining a contact patch size associated with a user digit pressing the button. The method may also include determining a button size associated with the button, determining whether the button size satisfies an optimized condition, querying a user to re-size the button when the button size does not satisfy the optimized condition, and automatically re-sizing the button so the button size satisfies the optimized condition. Further, the method may include querying a user to re-size all buttons and automatically re-sizing all buttons based on an optimized button size.

[0005] Even when the input mode is performed in a horizontal mode (in which the wireless terminal is placed in a horizontal direction), a keypad is displayed on the bottom of the screen of the display unit, and a key input in the input mode is performed on the displayed keypad.

[0006] In the vertical mode of the wireless terminal, because the wireless terminal is placed in the vertical direction, a significant amount of screen area is available above the displayed keypad in order to display input contents together with the displayed keypad.

[0007] However, in the horizontal mode of the wireless terminal, because the wireless terminal is placed in the horizontal direction, the keypad in the horizontal mode occupies a relatively larger portion of the screen than when the keypad is in the vertical mode. Therefore, all of input contents may not be displayed on the screen. Additionally, it is inconvenient to use keys arranged in the center of the keypad in the horizontal mode.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention provides an apparatus and method for arranging a keypad in a wireless terminal so as to allow a user to conveniently perform a key input in the wireless terminal.

[0009] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus and method is provided for arranging a keypad in a wireless terminal to conveniently perform a key input while the wireless terminal is in a horizontal mode of operation.

[0010] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus and method is provided for arranging a keypad in a wireless terminal so as to allow display of all of input contents on a screen of a display unit in a horizontal mode of the wireless terminal.

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for arranging a keypad in a wireless terminal, including: a display unit for displaying the keypad in at least one of a right and left side on a screen of the display unit in a horizontal mode of the wireless terminal; and a controller for controlling the display unit to display the keypad in at least one of the right and left side on the screen of the display unit in the horizontal mode of the wireless terminal.

[0012] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of arranging a keypad in a wireless terminal, including: switching to a horizontal mode of the wireless terminal; and displaying the keypad in at least one of a right and left side on a screen of a display unit in the horizontal mode of the wireless terminal.

[0013] When, in accordance with the invention, the keypad of the wireless terminal in the horizontal mode is displayed in at least one of the right and left side on the screen, a user may conveniently perform a key input, while at the same time a vertical area of the screen that is adjacent to the displayed keypad has no keypad display thereon. Thus, the full vertical area of the adjacent portion of the screen is available to display input contents thereon.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a wireless terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a process of arranging a keypad in the wireless terminal, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and FIGs. 3A to 3D illustrate keypads of the wireless terminal, according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like reference numbers are used to refer to like elements throughout the specification and the drawings. Detailed descriptions of functions and structures incorporated herein that are well known by those of ordinary skill in the art may be omitted for clarity and simplicity so as to not obscure appreciation of the present invention.

[0016] Referring to FIG. 1, a Radio Frequency (RF) unit 123 performs a wireless communication function of the wireless terminal. The RF unit 123 includes an RF transmitter for up-converting a frequency of a transmission signal and amplifying the up-converted transmission signal and an RF receiver for low-noise amplifying a received signal and down-converting a frequency of the amplified received signal. A data processor 120 includes a transmitter for coding and modulating the transmission signal and a receiver for demodulating and decoding the received signal. In other words, the data processor 120 may include a modem and a codec. The codec includes a data codec for processing packet data and the like, and an audio codec for processing an audio signal such as voice. An audio processor 125 plays a received audio signal output from the audio codec in the data processor 120 and transfers a transmission audio signal picked up by a microphone to the audio codec in the data processor 120.

[0017] A memory 130 may include a program memory and a data memory. The program memory may store programs for controlling a general operation of the wireless terminal. In addition, the program memory may store programs for controlling a display unit 160 to display a keypad in a right and / or left side on a screen in a horizontal mode of the wireless terminal. The data memory may temporarily store data generated while the programs are executed. In addition, when the horizontal mode of operation of the wireless terminal ends, according to an embodiment of the present invention (that is, when the display unit 160 is oriented in the horizontal direction), the memory 130 may store the keypad in the right and / or left side on the screen in the horizontal mode.

[0018] A controller 110 controls the overall operation of the wireless terminal.

[0019] According to an embodiment of the present invention, during the horizontal mode of the wireless terminal, the controller 110 controls the display unit 160 to display a keypad in the right and / or left side on the screen of the display unit 160.

[0020] In addition, when it is determined that the wireless terminal switches to an input mode in the horizontal mode, the controller 110 may control the display unit 160 to display a keypad in the right and / or left side on the screen of the display unit 160.

[0021] In addition, when the wireless terminal switches to the horizontal mode, the controller 110 may control the display unit 160 to display a keypad arranged in the right and / or left side on the screen of the display unit 160 in accordance with a previous horizontal mode.

[0022] When, as noted above, the wireless terminal is in the horizontal mode (that is, the screen is oriented in the horizontal direction) and the keypad is displayed in a right and / or left side on the screen, a user may conveniently perform a key input, while at the same time a vertical area of the screen that is adjacent to the displayed keypad has no keypad display thereon. Thus, the full vertical area of the adjacent portion of the screen is available to display input contents thereon.

[0023] In addition, in accordance with another aspect of the invention, a user is able to control details of how a keypad is arranged in the right and / or left side on the screen of the display unit 160, as described below.

[0024] More specifically, the controller 110 may control the display unit 160 to display a keypad divided and arranged on a row basis in the right and / or left side on the screen of the display unit 160 by moving row-based keys in accordance with a dragged direction through a hold-and-drag operation performed by a user of the wireless terminal.

[0025] In addition, when the hold-and-drag operation occurs for predetermined row-based keys of a keypad arranged in the left side on the screen of the display unit 160 in the horizontal mode of the wireless terminal, the controller 110 may control the display unit 160 to display the predetermined held row-based keys in the right side on the screen of the display unit 160 by moving the predetermined held row-based keys to the right (the dragged direction). In this case, the controller 110 may control the display unit 160 to display the predetermined held row-based keys in the right side on the screen of the display unit 160 when the drag operation in the right direction passes over the center line on the screen.

[0026] In addition, when the hold-and-drag operation occurs for predetermined row-based keys of a keypad arranged in the left side on the screen of the display unit 160 in the horizontal mode of the wireless terminal, the controller 110 may control the display unit 160 to display the predetermined held row-based keys at a changed position of the keypad arranged in the left side on the screen of the display unit 160 by moving the predetermined held row-based keys to the left (the dragged direction).

[0027] In addition, when the hold-and-drag operation occurs for predetermined row-based keys of a keypad arranged in the right side on the screen of the display unit 160 in the horizontal mode of the wireless terminal, the controller 110 may control the display unit 160 to display the predetermined held row-based keys in the left side on the screen of the display unit 160 by moving the predetermined held row-based keys to the left (the dragged direction). In this case, the controller 110 may control the display unit 160 to display the predetermined held row-based keys in the left side on the screen of the display unit 160 when the drag operation in the left direction passes over the center line on the screen.

[0028] In addition, when the hold-and-drag operation occurs for predetermined row-based keys of a keypad arranged in the right side on the screen of the display unit 160 in the horizontal mode of the wireless terminal, the controller 110 may control the display unit 160 to display the predetermined held row-based keys at a changed position of the keypad arranged in the right side on the screen of the display unit 160 by moving the predetermined held row-based keys to the right (the dragged direction).

[0029] A camera unit 140 includes a camera sensor for optically capturing image data and converting the optically captured image data into an electrical image signal, and a signal processor for converting the electrical image signal into digital data. The camera sensor is assumed herein to be a Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) or Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) sensor, and the signal processor may be realized by a Digital Signal Processor (DSP). The camera sensor and the signal processor may be realized in an integrated manner or in a separated manner.

[0030] An image processor 150 performs Image Signal Processing (ISP) for displaying image signals output from the camera unit 140 on the display unit 160, and the ISP performs functions such as gamma correction, interpolation, spatial variation, image effects, image scaling, Automatic White Balance (AWB), Automatic Exposure (AE), and Automatic Focusing (AF). The image processor 150 processes the image signals output from the camera unit 140 on a frame basis, and outputs the frame-based image data according to the characteristics and size of the display unit 160. The image processor 150, which includes a video codec, compresses frame image data displayed on the display unit 160 by preset coding, and restores (or decompresses) the compressed frame image data into its original frame image data. The video codec may include a JPEG codec, MPEG4 codec, Wavelet codec, etc. Assuming that the image processor 150 includes an On-Screen Display (OSD) function, the controller 110 may control the image processor 150 to output OSD data according to the size of a screen on which the data is displayed.

[0031] The display unit 160 displays an image output from the image processor 150 and user data output from the controller 110 on a screen. The display unit 160 may function as an input unit by being realized as a touch screen. In this case, the display unit 160 functioning as the input unit may display a keypad including the alphanumeric keys for inputting alphanumeric information and function keys for setting various functions.

[0032] In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the display unit 160 may display a keypad in the right and / or left side on a screen in the horizontal mode of the wireless terminal, and the keypad may be divided on a row basis. In this case, keys arranged in row-based keypads of the keypad may be displayed the same as keys arranged in row-based keypads of a keypad displayed in a vertical mode of the wireless terminal.

[0033] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a process of arranging a keypad in a wireless terminal, according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGs. 3A to 3D illustrate keypads of the wireless terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 2 (and with reference to FIG. 1 for details of the apparatus), in step 201, i.e., in the horizontal mode, in which the wireless terminal is placed in the horizontal direction, if the wireless terminal switches to the input mode for performing an input operation, the controller 110 detects this in step 202 and proceeds to step 203 to display a keypad in the left and / or right side on the screen of the display unit 160.

[0035] Alternatively, when it is determined in the input mode of the wireless terminal that the wireless terminal has been switched to the horizontal mode, the controller 110 may control the display unit 160 to display a keypad in the left and / or right side on the screen of the display unit 160 in step 203.

[0036] Alternatively, in step 203, the controller 110 may control the display unit 160 to display a keypad set as default or a keypad arranged in the left and / or right side on the screen of the display unit 160 in accordance with a previous horizontal mode.

[0037] Thus, when the wireless terminal switches to the horizontal mode, the controller 110 may control the display unit 160 to display a keypad in each of the left and right sides on the screen of the display unit 160, in only the left side on the screen of the display unit 160, or in only the right side on the screen of the display unit 160.

[0038] The keypad displayed in the left and / or right side on the screen of the display unit 160 may be divided on a row basis, and keys arranged in row-based keypads of the keypad may be displayed the same as keys arranged in row-based keypads of a keypad displayed in the vertical mode of the wireless terminal.

[0039] While the keypad is displayed in the left and / or right side on the screen of the display unit 160 in step 203, if a hold-and-drag operation occurs in the right direction for a predetermined one of row-based keypads arranged in the left side on the screen, the controller 110 detects this in step 204 and proceeds to step 205 to rearrange the keypad by moving the predetermined held row-based keypad to row-based keypads arranged in the right side on the screen of the display unit 160.

[0040] In this case, if the drag operation ends after the predetermined held row-based keypad passes over the center of the screen, the controller 110 controls the display unit 160 to rearrange the keypad by moving the predetermined held row-based keypad to the leftmost position of the row-based keypads arranged in the right side on the screen of the display unit 160.

[0041] If the drag operation ends when the predetermined held row-based keypad is placed at a predetermined one of the row-based keypads arranged in the right side on the screen, the controller 110 controls the display unit 160 to rearrange the keypad by moving the predetermined held row-based keypad to a position prior or next to the predetermined one of the row-based keypads arranged in the right side on the screen at which the drag operation ended.

[0042] Otherwise, while the keypad is displayed in the left and / or right side on the screen of the display unit 160 in step 203, if a hold-and-drag operation occurs in the left direction for a predetermined one of the row-based keypads arranged in the left side on the screen, the controller 110 detects this and controls the display unit 160 to rearrange the keypad by moving the predetermined held row-based keypad to the left so that a position of the predetermined held row-based keypad is changed in the row-based keypads arranged in the left side on the screen of the display unit 160.

[0043] In this case, if the drag operation ends when the predetermined held row-based keypad is placed at a predetermined one of the row-based keypads arranged in the left side on the screen, the controller 110 controls the display unit 160 to rearrange the keypad by moving the predetermined held row-based keypad to a position prior or next to the predetermined one of the row-based keypads arranged in the left side on the screen at which the drag operation ended.

[0044] Otherwise, while the keypad is displayed in the left and / or right side on the screen of the display unit 160 in step 203, if a hold-and-drag operation occurs in the left direction for a predetermined one of the row-based keypads arranged in the right side on the screen, the controller 110 detects this in step 206 and proceeds to step 207 to rearrange the keypad by moving the predetermined held row-based keypad to the row-based keypads arranged in the left side on the screen of the display unit 160.

[0045] In this case, if the drag operation ends after the predetermined held row-based keypad passes over the center of the screen, the controller 110 controls the display unit 160 to rearrange the keypad by moving the predetermined held row-based keypad to the rightmost position of the row-based keypads arranged in the left side on the screen of the display unit 160.

[0046] If the drag operation ends when the predetermined held row-based keypad is placed at a predetermined one of the row-based keypads arranged in the left side on the screen, the controller 110 controls the display unit 160 to rearrange the keypad by moving the predetermined held row-based keypad to a position prior or next to the predetermined one of the row-based keypads arranged in the left side on the screen at which the drag operation ends.

[0047] Otherwise, while the keypad is displayed in the left and / or right side on the screen of the display unit 160 in step 203, if a hold-and-drag operation occurs in the right direction for a predetermined one of the row-based keypads arranged in the right side on the screen, the controller 110 detects this and controls the display unit 160 to rearrange the keypad by moving the predetermined held row-based keypad to the right so that a position of the predetermined held row-based keypad is changed in the row-based keypads arranged in the right side on the screen of the display unit 160.

[0048] In this case, if the drag operation ends when the predetermined held row-based keypad is placed at a predetermined one of the row-based keypads arranged in the right side on the screen, the controller 110 controls the display unit 160 to rearrange the keypad by moving the predetermined held row-based keypad to a position prior or next to the predetermined one of the row-based keypads arranged in the right side on the screen at which the drag operation ends.

[0049] FIG. 3A illustrates row-based keypads A and B arranged in the left side on the screen of the display unit 160 and row-based keypads C and D arranged in the right side on the screen in the horizontal mode of the wireless terminal.

[0050] In FIG. 3A, when a hold-and-drag operation occurs in the left direction for a predetermined one (C) of the row-based keypads C and D arranged in the right side on the screen, if the drag operation in the left direction ends right after the predetermined held row-based keypad C passes over the center line a of the screen, the predetermined held one (C) of the row-based keypads C and D arranged in the right side on the screen is moved and rearranged to the rightmost position of the row-based keypads A and B arranged in the left side on the screen as shown in FIG. 3B.

[0051] In FIG. 3B, when a hold-and-drag operation occurs in the right direction for a predetermined one (C) of the row-based keypads A, B, and C arranged in the left side on the screen, if the drag operation in the right direction ends right after the predetermined held row-based keypad C passes over the center line a of the screen, and thereafter, when another hold-and-drag operation occurs in the right direction for a predetermined one (B) of the row-based keypads A and B arranged in the left side on the screen, if the drag operation in the right direction ends right after the predetermined held row-based keypad B passes over the center line a of the screen, the predetermined held ones (C and B) of the row-based keypads A, B, and C arranged in the left side on the screen are moved and rearranged in the moved order to the leftmost position of the row-based keypad D arranged in the right side on the screen as shown in FIG. 3C.

[0052] In FIG. 3C, when a hold-and-drag operation occurs in the right direction for a predetermined one (B) of the row-based keypads B, C, and D arranged in the right side on the screen, if the drag operation ends when the predetermined held row-based keypad B is placed at a predetermined one (C) of the row-based keypads B, C, and D arranged in the right side on the screen, the predetermined held one (B) of the row-based keypads B, C, and D arranged in the right side on the screen is moved and rearranged to a position next to the predetermined one (C) at which the drag operation ends.

[0053] As described above, when an input operation is performed by using a keypad arranged in the left and / or right side on a screen of a display unit in the horizontal mode of a wireless terminal, all of input contents may be perceived on a central vertical portion of the screen that has no keypad display thereon, which portion of the screen has about the same height as the display portion of the screen in the vertical mode of the wireless terminal when a keypad is displayed at the bottom of the screen.

[0054] In addition, although only movement of row-based keypads of a keypad has been described in the embodiments of the present invention, movement of column-based keypads of the keypad may also be likely performed through a hold-and-drag operation.

[0055] In addition, although only row-based movement of a keypad has been described in the embodiments of the present invention, an individual character / number assigned to each key of the keypad may also be moved and rearranged to a desired key position of the keypad through a hold-and-drag operation.

[0056] As is apparent from the foregoing description, the proposed apparatus and method for arranging a keypad in a wireless terminal, in which a keypad is displayed in a right and / or left side on a screen of a display unit in the horizontal mode of the wireless terminal, allows a user to conveniently perform a key input in the horizontal mode of the wireless terminal, while at the same time leaving a vertical area of the screen that is adjacent to the displayed keypad, which vertical area has no keypad display thereon, so that the full vertical area of the screen is available to display input contents thereon.

[0057] While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain exemplary embodiments, such as a wireless terminal, thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A wireless terminal comprising: a touch screen display (160); a processor (110, 150) configured to control the touch screen display to display in an input state a keypad while the wireless terminal is in a vertical input mode or a horizontal input mode, the keypad being a touch keypad including a plurality of keys; and a memory (130) coupled to the processor and having stored therein plural configuration states of the keypad, wherein the processor is further configured to: display the keypad in a contiguous configuration state of the horizontal input mode in which the plurality of keys of the keypad are displayed on the touch screen display contiguously while the wireless terminal is in the horizontal input mode, in response to receiving a user input while the keypad is displayed in the contiguous configuration state of the horizontal input mode and the wireless terminal is in the horizontal input mode, change the display of the plurality of keys of the keypad from the contiguous configuration state of the horizontal input mode to a split configuration state of the horizontal input mode in which the keypad is split and the plurality of keys on the keypad are displayed on the touch screen display as two groups of keys including a left side group of keys and a right side group of keys with no keys displayed in an area between the left side group of keys and the right side group of keys, and store the split configuration state of the horizontal input mode as a latest configuration state of the horizontal input mode, when the wireless terminal is changed from the horizontal input mode with the keypad in the split configuration of the horizontal input mode to the vertical input mode, change the display of the plurality of keys from the split configuration state of the horizontal input mode to a contiguous configuration state of the vertical input mode, and when the wireless terminal is changed from the vertical input mode with the keypad in the contiguous configuration state of the vertical input mode to the horizontal input mode, change the display of the plurality of keys from the contiguous configuration state of the vertical input mode to the split configuration state of the horizontal input mode that is stored as the latest configuration state of the horizontal input mode, wherein the processor (110, 150) is further configured to: based on a hold-and-drag operation for dragging a rightmost column of the left side group of keys in a right direction while the left side group of keys is displayed in the left side and the right side group of keys is displayed in the right side such that the rightmost column of the left side group of keys passes over a center line of the area between the left side group of keys and the right side group of keys, move the rightmost column of the left side group of keys to a leftmost position of the right side group of keys, wherein the left side group of keys include two or more first columns, wherein the right side group of keys includes one or more second columns, wherein each of the one or more first columns includes a plurality of keys and wherein each of the one or more second columns includes a plurality of keys.

2. A method of arranging a keypad in a wireless terminal, the method comprising: displaying (203), on a touch screen display (160), a keypad in an input state while the wireless terminal is in a vertical input mode or a horizontal input mode, wherein the keypad is a touch keypad including a plurality of keys; displaying the keypad in a contiguous configuration state of the horizontal input mode in which the plurality of keys of the keypad are displayed on the touch screen display contiguously while the wireless terminal is in the horizontal input mode; in response to receiving a user input while the keypad is being displayed in the contiguous configuration state of the horizontal input mode and the wireless terminal is in the horizontal input mode, changing the display of the plurality of keys of the keypad from the contiguous configuration state of the horizontal input mode to a split configuration state of the horizontal input mode in which the keypad is split and the plurality of keys on the keypad are displayed on the touch screen display as two groups of keys including a left side group of keys and a right side group of keys with no keys displayed in an area between the left side group of keys and the right side group of keys, and storing the split configuration state of the horizontal input mode as a latest configuration state of the horizontal input mode; when the wireless terminal is changed from the horizontal input mode with the keypad in the split configuration of the horizontal input mode to the vertical input mode, changing the display of the plurality of keys from the split configuration state of the horizontal input mode to a contiguous configuration state of the vertical input mode, and when the wireless terminal is changed from the vertical input mode with the keypad in the contiguous configuration state of the vertical input mode to the horizontal input mode, changing the display of the plurality of keys from the contiguous configuration state of the vertical input mode to the split configuration state of the horizontal input mode that is stored as the latest configuration state of the horizontal input mode; and based on a hold-and-drag operation for dragging a rightmost column of the left side group of keys in a right direction while the left side group of keys is displayed in the left side and the right side group of keys is displayed in the right side such that the rightmost column of the left side group of keys passes over a center line of the area between the left side group of keys and the right side group of keys, move the rightmost column of the left side group of keys to a leftmost position of the right side group of keys, wherein the left side group of keys include two or more first columns, wherein the right side group of keys includes one or more second columns, wherein each of the one or more first columns includes a plurality of keys and wherein each of the one or more second columns includes a plurality of keys.