Patent Application
20100182230
The present invention relates to a terminal, a function startup method, and a program for a terminal, and more particularly to a mobile terminal, a function startup method, and a program for a terminal that, even during the execution of a function that requires character entry, another function can be started without requesting the user to perform an extra operation.
Recently, the function of a mobile terminal, such as a mobile phone, a PHS (Personal Handyphone System) terminal, or a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants), has significantly increased. For example, not only the phone call function and electronic mail function but a variety of functions, such as the Internet connection function, schedule function, address book function, camera function, and one-segment broadcasting receiver function for digital terrestrial broadcasting, are now available on a mobile terminal.
This requires a mobile terminal user, who wants to start a desired function, to memorize the function startup procedure used on the mobile terminal and perform the operation according to the procedure. And so, the user who does not know the function startup procedure must refer to the instruction manual of the mobile terminal and the user sometimes feels cumbersome to do so. Such a situation occurs also in various peripheral devices and information appliances.
For example, assume that a mobile terminal user, who is entering characters using an application such as the electronic mail function or the address book function, wants to start another function (for example, camera function). In this case, the user first opens the function menu. And, from the list of functions of the menu, the user selects a desired function (for example, camera function) to start it. In this manner, the user is required to perform a cumbersome procedure.
There has been a requirement from mobile terminal users for starting a desired function without having to perform an extra operation described above. To solve this problem, related technologies are proposed that provide means to start a desired function easily (for example, see Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1 “Application startup method and mobile terminal using the method” given above describes the following function startup method. That is, when a part of characters of the name of an application to be started is entered, the mobile terminal searches all application names for the candidates for the corresponding application name. And, the mobile terminal sorts the search result according to the startup frequency and displays the sort result on the display screen. When the user selects the name of a desired application from the candidate list displayed on the display screen, the application with the selected application name is started. This startup method eliminates the need for the user to remember a new operation method and, immediately after the user enters characters, starts the search to allow the user to start a desired application of the mobile terminal from the search result list.
Another related technology proposes a function search execution device that allows the user to simply select a desired function even if the user does not memorize the operation method for executing that function (for example, see Patent Document 2).
Patent Document 2 “Function search execution device” given above describes the following function startup method. That is, the function search execution device includes search means and an internal dictionary. When the user enters a keyword related to a function, the search means searches the internal dictionary for the keyword and displays the keyword and the function candidate names on the display means. When the user selects a particular function candidate name from the function candidate names, the selected particular function is executed.
Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP2005-258524A (pp. 5-9, FIGS. 1-4)
Japanese Patent Kokai Publication JP-H08-152987A (pp. 3-5, FIGS. 1-5)
The disclosure of Patent Documents given above is hereby incorporated herein by reference thereto.
The application startup method described in Patent Document 1 described above, which relates to the present invention, first executes a search program stored in the mobile terminal and, after that, requests the user to enter a part of characters of the name of an application to be started. The problem with this method is that a mobile terminal user is required to perform an extra operation for executing the search program.
The function search execution device described in Patent Document 2 given above requires the user, who is executing a function and wants to execute another function, to first start the search means. The problem with this method is that the user is required to perform an extra operation for starting the search means.
The present invention aims to solve the problems described above. It is an object of the present invention to provide a terminal, a function startup method, and a program for a terminal that, even during the execution of a function that requires character entry, another function can be started without requesting the user to perform an extra operation.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal comprising: a display unit; and a character conversion unit that recognizes a function related to entered characters in a character acceptable state, converts the entered characters to a symbol to be displayed on the display unit for starting the recognized function, and outputs the symbol. The terminal further comprises a control unit that starts the function corresponding to the symbol displayed on the display unit.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a function startup method comprising a conversion step that recognizes a function related to entered characters in a character acceptable state, and converts the entered characters to a symbol for starting the recognized function; and a display step that displays the converted symbol on a display unit. The function startup method further comprises a startup step that starts the function corresponding to the symbol displayed on the display unit.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program causing a terminal to execute conversion processing of recognizing a function related to entered characters in a character acceptable state and converting the entered characters to a symbol for starting the recognized function; display processing of displaying the converted symbol on a display unit; and startup processing of starting the function corresponding to the symbol displayed on the display unit.
Even while a terminal is executing a function that requires character entry, the present invention allows the user to start another function without having to perform an extra operation.
Next, examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
A mobile terminal 1 shown in
The function in the above description refers to a function, such as the camera function, schedule function, and so on provided on the mobile terminal 1 that can be executed through the operation via the general function menu display screen.
The symbol refers to icon information, character string information, or pictograph information that indicate a function in an easy-to-understand fashion.
In
When the mobile terminal 1 is in the character acceptable state, for example, when a function requiring character entry is being executed, the user of the mobile terminal 1 shown in
This means that, even during the execution of a function that requires character entry, the user can start another function in this embodiment without performing an extra operation.
In addition, the symbol displayed on the display unit 2 allows the user to recognize that the related function may be started immediately after the user enters characters.
In this embodiment, when the control unit 4 starts a function, the control unit 4 preferably starts the function after the user operates on or specifies the symbol displayed on the display unit 2. This instruction or operation does not request the user to perform an extra operation and so does not give the user any load.
Next, the following describes a first example of the present invention that further embodies the first exemplary embodiment, shown in
A mobile terminal 100, shown in
The mobile terminal 100 in this example is a portable mobile terminal such as a mobile phone, a PHS terminal, or a PDA. Therefore, the mobile terminal 100 in
The control unit 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), not shown, that executes software, stored in the storage unit 20, to control the operation of the mobile terminal 100.
The control unit 10 executes various functions of the mobile terminal 100 such as the phone call sending/receiving function, call function, electronic mail function, Internet connection function, schedule function, address book function, camera function, and telephone book function. In addition, the control unit 10 executes the character conversion function.
The character conversion function is implemented by a character conversion unit 11 of the control unit 10. The character conversion unit 11 converts kana (Japanese alphabets) or alphabetical character information, received via the operation unit 40 when electronic mail is created or schedule data is received, to kanji or symbol data.
The storage unit 20 stores software(s), which executes various functions of the mobile terminal 100, and numeric data, character data, or image data to be processed by various functions. In addition, the storage unit 20 includes a character conversion dictionary table (hereinafter simply called a character conversion dictionary) 21 referenced by the character conversion unit 11 during execution of the character conversion function and a function name dictionary table (hereinafter simply called a function name dictionary) 22 in which the names of all functions executable by the mobile terminal 100 are stored.
The character conversion dictionary 21 is a basic dictionary for performing the so-called kana-kanji conversion for converting kana and alphabetical input character information to kanji data. The character conversion dictionary 21 may be composed of a prediction dictionary that predicts the characters or a sentence, which will be entered by the user, upon receiving kana, alphabetical, or numeric characters from the user, and outputs the conversion candidates. The character conversion dictionary 21 may also be a dictionary that has a function to learn conversion candidate character information from the past conversion results and registers the learned results in the dictionary for storing therein.
The function name dictionary 22 is a dictionary table in which character data on the names of all functions of the mobile terminal 100 is stored. For example, when the mobile terminal 100 has the camera function, the function name dictionary 22 includes character data on a function name, “CAMERA ”, that represents the camera function. When the mobile terminal 100 has the schedule function, the function name dictionary 22 includes character data on a function name “SCHEDULE
” that represents the schedule function.
The display unit 30 displays various types of information, such as the character information, symbol information, and image information, that are output from the control unit 10 including the character conversion unit 11. The display unit 30 also displays data converted by the character conversion unit 11 of the control unit 10, such as kanji characters (Chinese characters), conversion candidate characters, and a symbol composed of an icon or a particular character string.
The operation unit 40 has various keys required for the operation of the mobile terminal 100 including numeric keys, a cross key, or function keys for executing various functions such as telephone call sending and telephone book reference. Trough those keys, the user sends an instruction or data to the control unit 10.
Next, referring to
The character conversion unit 11 shown in
The input character conversion unit 12 receives input character information, composed of kana or alphabetic characters entered from the operation unit 40, and converts the received characters to data, which indicates kanji characters, katakana characters, or hiragana characters (Japanese alphabets), by referencing the character conversion dictionary 21. After that, the input character conversion unit 12 sends the converted character data to the function name search unit 13.
The function name search unit 13 receives the converted character data from the input character conversion unit 12 and searches the function name dictionary 22 to check if the converted character data is stored in the function name dictionary as a word. If the converted character data is stored in the function name dictionary 22, the function name search unit 13 sends the character data on the function name, corresponding to the converted character data, to the symbol output unit 14. If the converted character data is not stored in the function name dictionary 22, the function name search unit 13 sends the converted character data, received from the input character conversion unit 12, directly to the display unit 30.
The symbol output unit 14 receives character data on a function name from the function name search unit 13. And, the symbol output unit 14 references the function name dictionary 22, selects symbol information for starting the function corresponding to the character data on the function name, and sends the selected symbol information to the display unit 30. The symbol information refers to the information indicating an icon or a character string for starting the function.
Next, referring to
As described above, the function name dictionary 22 shown in
As shown in a row 2211 in
The function name column (column 2201) stores character data on the names of all functions of the mobile terminal 100.
The function-indicating character column (column 2202) contains keywords each provided for starting the function corresponding to a function name stored in the function name column (column 2201). Therefore, when the user wants to start the camera function of the mobile terminal 100 and enters the keyword “CAMERA” (cell at the intersection of the column 2202 and the row 2212), the function name search unit 13 of the character conversion unit 11 in
is found in the function-indicating character column (column 2202) in
(cell at the intersection of column 2202 and row 2212-2) is entered, the function name search unit 13 determines that the user wants to start the camera function. Similarly, when the keyword “photograph”
SATSUEI] (cell at the intersection of column 2202 and row 2212-3) or the keyword “image”
SATSUZOU] (cell at the intersection of column 2202 and row 2212-4) is entered, the function name search unit 13 determines that the user wants to start the camera function.
As an another example, when the user wants to switch the input character type while entering characters into the mobile terminal 100 and enters the keyword “PICTURE” (cell at the intersection of column 2202 and row 2214), the function name search unit 13 determines that the user wants to start the character type switching function and, at the same time, switch the character type to the pictograph. Also, when the user enters the keyword “FACE” (cell at the intersection of column 2202 and row 2214-2), the function name search unit 13 determines that the user wants to switch the character type to the emoticon (face logo representing emotion).
The symbol column (column 2203) contains symbol information that indicates a symbol for starting a function included in the function name column (column 2201). For example, the symbol column (column 2203) contains an icon representing the shape of a camera (cell at the intersection of column 2203 and row 2212) as the symbol for starting the camera function of the mobile terminal 100. Alternatively, the symbol column (column 2203) may contain the character string “start camera” (cell at the intersection of column 2203-2 and row 2212) as another symbol for starting the camera function of the mobile terminal 100.
As a still another example, an icon representing a pictograph (cell at the intersection of column 2203 and row 2214) is used as a symbol for switching the input character type to the pictograph while characters are entered into the mobile terminal 100. Alternatively, the character string “switch to pictograph” (cell at the intersection of column 2203-2 and 2214) may be used as another symbol for switching the input character type to the pictograph.
That is, an icon (column 2203) may be used as a symbol for starting a function of the mobile terminal 100 or a character string (column 2203-2) may be used as another symbol. The user of the mobile terminal 100 may select which symbol to use.
Next, the following describes the operation of this example in detail with reference to
First, the user starts entering characters on the mobile terminal 100. For example, the user uses the electronic mail function to enter the text of electronic mail.
When the character entry is started, the input character conversion unit 12 of the character conversion unit 11 accepts input character information entered from the operation unit 40. The input character conversion unit 12 uses the character conversion dictionary 21 to convert the input character information to character data such as kanji (Chinese characters), katakana (Japanese alphabets), and hiragana (Japanese alphabets) data (step S1 in
The function name search unit 13 receives the converted character data from the input character conversion unit 12 and searches the function name dictionary 22 to check if the converted character data is stored as a word (step S2). The function name search unit 13 performs this search by searching the function-indicating character column (column 2202 in
If the converted character data is not present in the function name dictionary 22 (No in step S2), the function name search unit 13 sends the converted character data to the display unit 30 without any change (step S10). After that, control is passed to step S7.
If the converted character data is present in the function name dictionary 22 as a keyword (Yes in step S2), the function name search unit 13 acquires the character data on the function name corresponding to the converted character data. After that, the function name search unit 13 sends the acquired character data on the function name to the symbol output unit 14. To acquire the character data on the function name, the function name search unit 13 acquires data from the cell of the function name column (column 2201 in , the character data on the function name corresponding to “CAMERA” is “CAMERA” as indicated by row 2212 of the function name dictionary 22 in
When the character data on the function name is received from the function name search unit 13, the symbol output unit 14 references the function name dictionary 22 and acquires the symbol information on the symbol for starting the function corresponding to the character data on the function name (step S3). And, the symbol output unit 14 sends the acquired symbol information to the display unit 30 (step S4). To acquire the symbol information, the symbol output unit 14 acquires the symbol information, corresponding to the function name, from the symbol column (column 2203 in
The character conversion unit 11 checks if the symbol displayed on the display unit 30 is selected and confirmed (step S5). The operation to select and confirm a symbol on the display unit 30 is performed via the operation unit 40. That is, to select and confirm the symbol, the user moves the cursor to the symbol displayed on the display unit 30 and presses the Confirm key.
If the symbol is selected and confirmed (Yes in step S5), the character conversion unit 11 returns the control of the mobile terminal 100 to the control unit 10 of the mobile terminal 100. After the function corresponding to the symbol is started and the execution of that function is terminated (step S6), the control unit 10 returns the control of the mobile terminal 100 to the character conversion unit 11. That is, the character conversion unit 11 returns to the state in which the character entry operation is continued. Note that the operation in step S6 in
The character conversion unit 11 checks if the next input character information is entered (step S7).
If the next input character information is entered (Yes in step S7), control is passed back to step S1 and the character conversion unit 11 performs the input character conversion operation again.
If the symbol on the display unit 30 is not selected and confirmed in step S5, for example, if the symbol is erased (No in step S5), the character conversion unit 11 passes control to step S7 and checks if the next input character is entered.
Next, referring to
Assume that the user is entering the text of electronic mail using the electronic mail function of the mobile terminal 100 as shown in
As shown in
The input character conversion unit 12 of the character conversion unit 11 references the character conversion dictionary 21 and converts the entered characters “photograph” [SATSUEI] to kanji character data “photograph” (step S1 in
The function name search unit 13 searches the function name dictionary 22 to check if the converted character data “photograph” is stored as a word (step S2 in
The converted character data “photograph” is stored in the function-indicating character column (column 2202) of the function name dictionary 22 (row 2212-3 in
(row 2212-3 in
The symbol output unit 14 references the function name dictionary 22, acquires an icon, which indicates the shape of a camera, as the symbol information corresponding to the function name “CAMERA” (step S3 in
When the icon indicated by (3) in
When the camera function started in
If the entered characters “photograph” [SATSUEI] shown in (2) in but the converted character data “photograph” is not stored in the function name dictionary 22, the character conversion unit 11 performs the following operation. That is, the function name search unit 13 of the character conversion unit 11 sends the converted character data “photograph” directly to the display unit 30 (step S10 in
In the example described above, the functions the user can start include the camera function, schedule function, and character type switching function. If registered and stored in the function name dictionary, other functions may also be started in the same way. For example, the function to insert an attached file into electronic mail, the function to insert a fixed form sentence into mail text, the function to call a template (fixed format), and so on may be started.
One example of the mobile terminal of the present invention has been described.
The mobile terminal described in this example includes the control unit, the display unit, the character conversion unit, and the dictionary table in which data corresponding to functions related to characters is stored. If data corresponding to the function related to entered characters is present in the dictionary table, the character conversion unit outputs a symbol corresponding to the function. The symbol is displayed on the display unit.
To describe more in detail, even while the mobile terminal in the example is executing a function that requires character entry, the user may enter input character information related to another function that the user wants to start. Upon receiving the character information, the character conversion unit searches the dictionary table for the entered characters. If the characters are stored in the dictionary table, the entered characters are converted to a symbol (an icon or a character string) for starting the function related to the entered characters and the converted symbol is displayed on the display unit. After the symbol is displayed, the control unit starts the function corresponding to the symbol when the user selects and confirms the displayed symbol.
In this way, the mobile terminal in this example achieves the effect that the user can start a desired function easily without having to perform an extra operation, for example, without having to open the function menu and select a desired function from it.
In addition, a desired function may be started by simply entering input character information related to the function to be started. This achieves the effect that there is no need to provide new function keys on a mobile terminal that becomes increasingly compact.
Next, referring to
The second example differs from the first example, shown in
That is, a mobile terminal 100 in the second example differs from the mobile terminal in the first example only in the internal function of the character conversion unit 11 of the control unit 10. To distinguish between the first example and the second example, the reference numeral 11-1 is used for a character conversion unit in the second example.
The only difference is that, if converted character data is stored in a function name dictionary 22, the character conversion unit 11-1 sends symbol information for starting the function corresponding to the converted character data, as well as the converted character data, to the display unit.
The following describes only the difference of the second example from the first example.
The mobile terminal 100 shown in
The control unit 10 includes a CPU, not shown, that executes the software, stored in the storage unit 20, to control the operation of the mobile terminal 100.
And, the control unit 10 executes various types of function included in the mobile terminal 100 such as the phone call sending/receiving function, call function, electronic mail function, Internet connection function, schedule function, address book function, camera function, and telephone book function. In addition, the control unit 10 executes the character conversion function.
The character conversion function is implemented by the character conversion unit 11-1 of the control unit 10. The character conversion unit 11-1 converts kana or alphabetical input character information, received via the operation unit 40 when electronic mail is created or schedule data is received, to kanji or symbol data.
The other components shown in
Next, referring to
The character conversion unit 11-1 shown in
The input character conversion unit 12-1 receives input character information composed of kana or alphabetical characters entered from the operation unit 40 and, by referencing the character conversion dictionary 21, converts the received characters to data indicating kanji, katakana, or hiragana characters. The input character conversion unit 12-1 sends the converted character data to a function name search unit 13-1.
The function name search unit 13-1 receives the converted character data sent from the input character conversion unit 12-1 and searches the function name dictionary 22 to check if the converted character data is stored as a word. If the converted character data is stored in the function name dictionary 22, the function name search unit 13-1 sends the character data on the function name corresponding to the converted character data, as well as the converted character data, to the symbol output unit 14-1.
If the converted character data is not stored in the function name dictionary 22, the function name search unit 13-1 sends the converted character data, received form the input character conversion unit 12-1, directly to the display unit 30.
The symbol output unit 14-1 receives the character data on the function name, as well as the converted character data, from the function name search unit 13-1. And, by referencing the function name dictionary 22, the symbol output unit 14-1 selects symbol information for starting the function corresponding to the character data on the function name, and sends the selected symbol information, as well as the converted character data, to the display unit 30.
Next, referring to
First, when the user starts entering characters on the mobile terminal 100, the input character conversion unit 12-1 of the character conversion unit 11-1 accepts input character information entered from the operation unit 40. The input character conversion unit 12-1 uses the character conversion dictionary 21 to convert the input character information to character data such as kanji, katakana, and hiragana data (step S1 in
The function name search unit 13-1 receives the converted character data from the input character conversion unit 12-1 and searches the function name dictionary 22 to check if the converted character data is stored as a word (step S2).
If the converted character data is not present in the function name dictionary 22 (No in step S2), the function name search unit 13-1 sends the converted character data directly to the display unit 30 (step S10). After that, control is passed to step S7.
If the converted character data is present in the function name dictionary 22 as a keyword (Yes in step S2), the function name search unit 13-1 acquires the character data on the function name corresponding to the converted character data. After that, the function name search unit 13-1 sends the acquired character data on the function name, as well as the converted character data, to the symbol output unit 14-1.
The symbol output unit 14-1 receives the character data on the function name and the converted character data from the function name search unit 13-1. And, the symbol output unit 14-1 references the function name dictionary 22 and acquires the symbol information on the symbol for starting the function corresponding to the character data on the function name (step S3). Next, the symbol output unit 14-1 sends the acquired symbol information, as well as the converted character data, to the display unit 30 (step S4-1).
Next, the character conversion unit 11-1 checks if the symbol displayed on the display unit 30 is selected and confirmed (step S5-1).
If the symbol is selected and confirmed (Yes in step S5-1), the character conversion unit 11-1 returns the control of the mobile terminal 100 to the control unit 10 of the mobile terminal 100. After the function corresponding to the symbol is started and the execution of that function is terminated (step S6), the control unit 10 returns the control of the mobile terminal 100 to the character conversion unit 11-1. That is, the character conversion unit 11-1 returns to the state in which the character entry operation is continued.
The character conversion unit 11-1 checks if the next input character information is entered (step S7).
If the next input character information is entered (Yes in step S7), control is passed back to step S1 and the character conversion unit 11-1 performs the input character conversion operation again.
If the symbol on the display unit 30 is not selected and confirmed in step S5-1, for example, if the converted character data is selected and confirmed (No in step S5-1), the character conversion unit 11-1 passes control to step S7 assuming that the character input operation is continued. And, the character conversion unit 11-1 checks if the next input character is entered.
The second example of the mobile terminal of the present invention has been described.
The mobile terminal described in this example includes the control unit, the display unit, the character conversion unit, and the dictionary table in which data corresponding to functions related to characters is stored. If data corresponding to the function related to entered characters is present in the dictionary table, the character conversion unit outputs a symbol corresponding to the function as well as the converted characters produced by converting the entered characters. The symbol and the converted characters are displayed on the display unit.
To describe more in detail, even while the mobile terminal in the second example is executing a function that requires character entry, the user may enter input character information related to another function that the user wants to start. Upon receiving the character information, the character conversion unit searches the dictionary table for the entered characters. If the characters are stored in the dictionary table, the entered characters are converted to a symbol (an icon or a character string) for starting the function related to the entered characters. And, the symbol as well as the converted characters produced by converting the entered character information is displayed on the display unit. After the symbol and the converted characters are displayed, the control unit starts the function corresponding to the symbol if the user selects and confirms the displayed symbol. If the user selects and confirms the displayed converted characters, the character input operation is continued.
In this way, the mobile terminal in this example achieves the effect that the user can start a desired function easily without having to perform an extra operation, for example, without having to open the function menu and select a desired function from it.
In addition, this example further increases the convenience of the character input function because, if the user does not select and confirm a symbol, the character input operation is continued.
The embodiments and the examples may be changed and adjusted in the scope of the entire disclosure (including claims) of the present invention and based on the basic technological concept. In the scope of the claims of the present invention, various disclosed elements may be combined and selected in a variety of ways. That is, it is to be understood that the present invention includes modifications and changes that may be made by those skilled in the art within the entire disclosure, including claims, and based on the technological concept.
For example, though the present invention has been described in the embodiment and examples given above using the examples of a mobile terminal, the present invention is applicable to other information processing devices (terminals), such as personal computers, other peripheral devices, and home information appliances, as long as the principle of the invention may is applicable and the effect of the invention is achieved.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-167239 | Jun 2007 | JP | national |
The present application is the National Phase of PCT/JP2008/061481, filed Jun. 24, 2008, which claims priority from Japanese Patent Application 2007-167239 (filed on Jun. 26, 2007) the content of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2008/061481 | 6/24/2008 | WO | 00 | 12/21/2009 |
