Mobile terminal, a method of operating the terminal, and information items for use therein
View Patent ↗A mobile terminal, a method of operating the terminal and information items or GIF's for use therein. The terminal provides on its display a plurality of information items or menu items which are all selectable—one by each of a plurality of selection keys or buttons. In this manner, navigation through a menu structure is much faster. In addition, multi-purpose buttons may be used for both navigation and selection, making navigation and selection even easier and faster for a user.
1. A mobile terminal, comprising:
a display;
a multiple purpose selector having a plurality of purposes;
a processor for controlling the mobile terminal;
a storage, the storage including computer executable code for causing the processor to perform the steps of:
(a) providing a list with a plurality of items on the display, the list including more items on the display than the multiple purpose selector includes purposes;
(b) indicating a first set of items of the list being displayed, wherein each item in the first set is selectable by selecting one of the plurality of purposes of the multiple purpose selector; and
(c) in response to an input, indicating a second set of items of the list being displayed, wherein each item in the second set is selectable by selecting one of the plurality of purposes of multiple purpose selector, and wherein the first set and the second set do not overlap, wherein an indication is provided approximate each item in the sets, the indication indicating which purpose of the multiple purpose selector will select that item.
2. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the multiple purpose selector is a 5-way navigation button.
3. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the purposes of the multiple purpose selector is configured to be used as the input to cause the second set of items to be indicated.
4. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the indication is an animated graphic.
5. The mobile terminal of claim 4 , wherein the animated graphic is moving in a direction associated with the purpose that will select the item.
6. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein each indication is color coded to correspond to a symbol having a similar color that is associated with one of the purposes of the multiple purpose selector.
7. A method of performing a command on a mobile terminal;
comprising:
(a) providing a list of items on a display, a portion of the list being displayed including more items than a plurality of purposes associated with a multiple purpose selector;
(b) providing a plurality of indications on the display associated with a first set of items in the displayed portion of the list, each of the plurality of indications associated with one of the plurality of purposes of the multiple purpose selector;
(c) associating the plurality of indications with a second set of items on the displayed portion of the list in response to an input, wherein the first set and the second set do not overlap;
(d) receiving a selection of one of the purposes associated with one of the indications and one of the items in the list; and
(e) performing an operation according to a command associated with the item selected.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the providing of indications in (b) comprises:
(i) providing a plurality of images on the display, each of the plurality of images positioned adjacent one of the items in the first set.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the associating of the indications with the second set in (c) comprises:
(i) associating each of the plurality of images with an item in the second set.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the images are animated.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein each animation moves in a direction associated with an action required by the user to make the selection of the associated purposes.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the input in (c) is received from a selection of a purpose of the multiple purpose selector.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the multiple purpose selector includes two purposes configured to associate the plurality of indications with a different set of items in the list, wherein the associating in response to input in (c) comprises:
(i) receiving a selection of one of the two purposes; and
(ii) causing the plurality of indications to be associated with the set of items corresponding to the selection of the purpose.
14. The method of claim 7 , wherein the indications represent figures displayed on the multiple purpose selector.
15. A method, comprising:
providing a list of items on a display, the number of items being displayed being greater than a plurality of purposes associated with a multi-purpose selector;
providing a plurality of indications on the display corresponding to the plurality of purposes, the plurality of indications being associated with a first set of items chosen from the list of items being displayed;
associating the plurality of indications with a second set of items chosen from the list of items being displayed, wherein the first set and the second set do not overlap;
receiving an input from a first purpose of the multi-purpose selector, the purpose corresponding to a first indication of the plurality of indications; and
in response to the input, performing a command associated with a first item of the second set of items, the first item associated with the first indication.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of indications are graphics that resemble markings on the corresponding purposes of the multi-purpose selector.