JP3934616B2 - Mobile phone menu search system and method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a menu search system for a mobile phone that performs function search. In particular, the present invention relates to a mobile phone menu search system and method that can obtain better search results without having to remember the formal name of the function name.

To use the functions attached to the mobile phone, press the menu key to search from the related function group, find the target function, remember the number assigned to the function after pressing the menu key If there is, there is a method to specify the number with the numeric keypad.
For example, conventionally, when a user recalls a function once used in the past, the desired setting screen is called with a few button operations. Therefore, the function setting screen corresponding to the function name and the function used by the user in the past is used. The operation method for calling is stored in the memory, and when the user operates the push button, the user exits the standby state and the function name of the function stored in the memory is displayed as function history information on the menu screen. When one of the function names in the function history information displayed on the menu screen is selected and confirmed by operating the push button, the function setting screen corresponding to the confirmed function name is displayed. In some cases, the function setting of the determined function name is made (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

As described above, once a function is used, the target function can be reached without difficulty. However, it is very time-consuming and troublesome to search for a function that is not used or a function that does not know which function group it belongs to.
Conventionally, when an operator operates a numeric keypad to input a desired keyword, the CPU searches for a function name including the keyword from a plurality of function names written in the table, and one searched function name is obtained. Otherwise, only this unique function name is displayed on the display, and if the operator operates the enter key here, the displayed function is activated, while if there are multiple searched function names, Multiple function names and a cursor pointing to one of them are displayed on the display. If the desired function name is specified with the cursor key and the enter key, the function is activated and the desired function is entered by simply entering a keyword. The function name can be searched, so that a quick search is possible (for example, see Patent Document 2).

In this manner, a function can be smoothly selected by inputting a keyword, displaying a function including the input keyword on the display, and selecting and using a target function.
However, if it is a familiar function, you can reach the target function without difficulty, but searching for a function that you do not use frequently or a function that you do not know in which function group is very time-consuming and annoying as follows. There's a problem.

  FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a function search result for keyword input, which is a premise of the present invention. As shown in the figure, “Enter a keyword” is displayed on the display screen D21 when the user searches, and the function that the user wants to search is “date and time setting” of the menu number M31. In some cases, if the search keyword is “time” as in the display screen D22 and part or all of the function name can be accurately input, the function search is completed without any problem as displayed on the display screen D23. be able to.

  FIG. 19 is a diagram for explaining an example of failure in keyword input in FIG. As shown in the figure, as described above, when the function that the user wants to search is “date and time setting” of M31, as a part of the function name on the screen D21 of the display, When “time” is input as in the display screen D32, for example, as shown in the display screen D33, a function search such as “time display during call” in M48 and “call time display” in M90 is performed. This is inconsistent with the desired function.

  Further, as displayed on the display screen D34, as a part of the function name, an extra character such as “ke” is input due to a user's conversion mistake, such as “date”. As in D35, there is no matching function as "There was no corresponding function."

JP 2000-261544 A JP 2000-216871 A

  Therefore, in view of the above problems, the present invention provides a menu search system and method for a mobile phone that can obtain better search results even when function names are not accurately remembered when performing function searches. Objective.

  In order to solve the above problems, in the menu search system for a mobile phone that searches for a function from a menu, a function name storage table for storing a plurality of function names together with a keyboard for inputting a keyword and a menu number A plurality of associative function names belonging to each function name stored in the function name storage table, a plurality of associative function name storage tables for storing, and a function name including the keyword from the function name storage table, A search unit for searching for an associative function name including the keyword from the associative function name storage table, and a search for storing all function names searched by the search unit and storing all function names to which the searched associative function names belong All function names stored in the function name storage table and the search function name storage table are displayed. Providing a menu search system of the mobile telephone, characterized in that it comprises a display.

Further, the display displays function names in ascending or descending order of menu numbers.
Furthermore, the display displays the menu names in ascending order or descending order, and the function names without the menu number after the function names are displayed in alphabetical order or alphabetical order.
Further, the number of searches searched together with the function name is stored in the function name storage table, and the display displays the function names stored in the search function name storage table in descending order of the number of searches.

Furthermore, an overflow is provided in the number of searches stored in the function name storage table, and when the number of searches reaches the overflow, the total number of searches stored in the function name storage table is reduced by half.
Further, the number of searches stored in the function name storage table is arbitrarily set to 0 by the user.

Further, the associative function name storage table adds or deletes associative function names belonging to each function name and stores them.
Furthermore, the said associative function name storage table initializes the associative function name added or deleted among the associative function names belonging to each function name to the associative function name before addition or deletion.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for searching a menu of a cellular phone that searches for a function from a menu, a step of inputting a keyword, a step of storing a plurality of function names together with a menu number, and a function name stored in each A step of storing a plurality of associated associative function names, a step of searching for a function name including the keyword from the stored function name, and a search of an associative function name including the keyword from the stored associative function name A step, a step of storing all of the searched function names, a step of storing all of the function names to which the searched associative function names belong, and a step of displaying all of the stored function names. Provided is a method for searching a menu of a mobile phone.

As described above, according to the present invention, it becomes possible to search by inputting related terms without knowing the official name of the function to be used, so that the function to be used can be reached smoothly, Convenience can be improved.
In addition, compared to search results displayed in a complicated manner, it is easier to reach the function that the user wanted to use by visually checking the display of the sorted state, and it is easier to remember the menu number, and the search function is used from the next time on. You can easily get to the function you want to use without it.

Furthermore, it is possible to make it easier to find a function to be performed by providing a learning function and displaying a function that has been searched before at the top.
The addition of the associative function name allows the user to respond to a request for registering a unique associative function name.
It is possible to use a desired function without searching by deleting the associative function name, or to avoid waste of search / display time due to searching for an associative function name not associated with the user. .

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a mobile phone menu search system according to the present invention. As shown in this figure, the menu search system for a mobile phone is mainly composed of a keyboard 100, a memory 110, a control unit 120, and a display 130 in the mobile phone.

The keyboard 100 has a movement to input, select, and activate a keyword (or term) related to a function to be searched for.
In particular, the memory 110 includes a function name storage table 111, an associative function name storage table 112, a search function name storage table 113, and a shortcut storage table 114.
The function name storage table 111 stores function names represented on the display 130 by functions that the mobile phone has. The function name is stored in advance by the manufacturer together with the menu number.

  The associative function name storage table 112 is associated with each function name stored in the function name storage table 111 and stores an associative function name (sub function name) that can be associated with the user. The associative function name is stored in advance by the manufacturer. Note that the associative function name is an object to be queried at the time of function search, but is not a function name for selecting a function, and therefore is not described on the display 130 as a function.

The search function name storage table 113 temporarily stores the function name group searched from the function name storage table 111, and temporarily stores the function name group to which the associative function name searched from the associative function name storage table 112 belongs. Store additional.
The shortcut storage table 114 stores shortcuts that connect the function names stored in the search function name storage table 113 and the functions having the names. Here, a shortcut is a file that operates as a reference to a function.

In particular, the display 130 displays the contents of the function name group stored in the search function name storage table 113 and provides information for allowing the user to select a desired function.
The control unit 120 is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), has a search unit 120A, and controls the keyboard 100, the memory 110, and the display 130.
In particular, the search unit 120A of the control unit 120 searches the function name storage table 111 and the associative function name storage table 112 for the keyword input from the keyboard 100, and searches the function name group for the searched function name group 113. , Writing a shortcut that connects the function name stored in the search function name storage table 113 and the function having the name, and displaying the function name stored in the search function name storage table 113 on the display 130 The function is activated when the control and the function name displayed on the display 130 are selected / determined.

Note that the search unit 120A can read the function name directly from the function name storage table 111 and display it on the display 130 in response to the input of the menu number. This is for the convenience of the user who remembered the menu number for the function name.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of function names stored in the function name storage table 111 of the memory 110 in FIG.

  As shown in the figure, the function name storage table 111 stores function names together with menu numbers. As an example of explanation, menu number field, function name field; M0, telephone number display,..., M31, date and time setting, M32, automatic power ON, M33, automatic power OFF,..., M39, clock display setting, M44, aim Clock,..., M48, call time display,..., M90, ringing time display,..., M110, calendar display, ..., M120, ToDo list,.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of associative function names stored in the associative function name storage table 112 of the memory 110 in FIG.
As shown in this figure, the associative function name storage table 112 stores the associative function names belonging to the function names stored in the function name storage table 111. As an example of explanation, as an example of an associative function name belonging to the M31 date time setting, as an example of an associative function name belonging to the date, time, year, 24 hours, date, time, ...; M39 clock display setting , Clock, time, ...; as an example of an associative function name belonging to the M44 alarm clock, as an example of an associative function name belonging to an alarm, clock, time, ...; As an example of an associative function name attributed to the M90 call time display, as an example of an associative function name attributed to the M110 calendar display, as an example of an associative function name attributed to the M110 calendar display, an associative function name attributed to the M120 ToDo list As an example, ToDo, time,... Are listed.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of associative function names stored in the search function name storage table 113 of the memory 110 in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5A, as an example of the description, for the keyword “time”, in the search function name storage table 113, “M48 call time display” is displayed as a search result from the function name storage table 111. , “M90 call time display” function name is stored as a search function name.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5B, in the search function name storage table 113, after the storage from the function name storage table 111, “M31 date / time setting”, “ The function names “M39 clock display setting”, “M44 alarm clock”, “M110 calendar display”, “M120ToDo list”,... Are additionally stored as search function names.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a series of search operation examples for the search unit 120A of the control unit 120 in FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed on the display 130 during the search operation of FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, when the search function is started from the menu in step S201, the search unit 120A displays “Enter keyword” on the display 130 as shown on the screen D41 of the display 130 in FIG. "" Is displayed to prompt the user to input the keyword of the function name to be searched.

  In step S202, in the search unit 120A, the user inputs a keyword and determines a search to start a function search. As an example, it is assumed that the user assumes a function of “date / time setting” but does not remember the official function name and inputs “time” as a keyword. On the screen D42 of the display 130, “time” is displayed as an input keyword.

In step S203, the search unit 120A searches the function name storage table 111 shown in FIG. 2 for a function name that matches the input keyword for the input keyword.
In step S204, the search unit 120A determines whether or not the input keyword matches a part or all of the function names in the search of the function name storage table 111. If they do not match, step S205 is skipped and step S206 is skipped. Proceed to

In this case, the condition that the input keyword matches part or all of the function name is applied. For the example of the input keyword “time”, “M48 call time display” and “M90 call time display” including “time” in the function name are searched.
In step S205, the search unit 120A stores all of the searched function names together with the menu numbers in the search function name storage table 113 shown in FIG.

For the example of the input keyword “time”, “M48 call time display” and “M90 call time display” are stored in the search function name storage table 113 and displayed on the screen D43 of the display 130.
However, since the input keyword “time” does not match part or all of the function name of “date / time setting” that the user is trying to search for, the desired function name cannot be obtained in this step.

In step S206, the search unit 120A searches the input keyword for an associative function name that matches the input keyword from the associative function name storage table 112 shown in FIG. In the associative function name storage table 112, a plurality of keywords that are associated with a user input in advance are registered as associative function names (sub-function names) belonging to the function name.
In step S207, the search unit 120A determines whether or not the input keyword matches a part or all of the associative function names in the search of the associative function name storage table 112. If they do not match, the process proceeds to step S209.

In step S208, if they match, the search unit 120A additionally stores all the function names to which the searched associative function names belong together with the menu number in the search function name storage table 113 shown in FIG. 4B.
“M31 date / time setting”, “M39 clock display setting”, “M44 alarm clock”, “M110 calendar display”, “M120ToDo list”,... It is additionally stored in the function name storage table 113.

In this way, as shown in FIG. 3, by registering “time” in the associative function name storage table 112 as a candidate for the associative function name of “date and time setting” that the user wants to search, the associative function name is stored. It is possible to obtain “date / time setting” by searching the table 112.
In step S209, if no match is found in step S207, search unit 120A first determines whether there is data in search function name storage table 113. If there is data, the process proceeds to step S210.

In step S <b> 210, the search unit 120 </ b> A stores a shortcut that connects the function name stored in the search function name storage table 113 and the function having the function name in the shortcut storage table 114.
In step S <b> 211, the search unit 120 </ b> A displays the contents of the function name group stored in the search function name storage table 113 on the screen D <b> 43 of the display 130.

In step S212, the search unit 120A selects the function name displayed in step S211.
In step S213, the search unit 120A determines whether or not the selected function name has been determined. If not, the process returns to step S212. If determined, the desired function is activated by the corresponding shortcut stored in the shortcut storage table 114 and the process is terminated.

In step S214, if there is no data in step S209, the search unit 120A assumes that a function related to the keyword requested by the user could not be found, and performs a function such as “There was no corresponding function”. A message indicating that the search has not been made is displayed on the display 130.
In step S215, search unit 120A displays on display 130 a message asking for a re-search such as “Do you want to re-search by changing the keyword?”.

If it is desired to search again in step S216, the process returns to step S201, and it is possible to start again from the beginning. When the function search is finished, the display 130 is returned to the standby screen.
In this way, even if you do not know the official name of the function you want to use, you can search by entering related terms, so you can reach the function you want to use smoothly and improve convenience It becomes possible to do.

FIG. 7 is a modified example of FIG. 5 and is a flowchart for explaining a series of search operation examples for the search unit 120A of the control unit 120. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of displaying function names in which menu numbers are sorted in ascending order. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example in which function names are displayed in which menu numbers are sorted in descending order.
As shown in FIG. 7, compared with FIG. 5, in step S211A, the search unit 120A displays the contents of the function name group stored in the search function name storage table 113 on the display 130 in ascending or descending order of menu numbers. indicate.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 8, the menu numbers assigned to the searched functions are sorted in ascending order by the user's operation of ascending order from the keyboard 100, and “M31 date time” is displayed on the screen D 83 of the display 130. “Setting”, “M39 clock display setting”, “M44 alarm clock”, “M48 call time display”, “M90 call time display”, “M110 calendar display”, “M120 ToDo list”, etc. are displayed. Is called.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 9, the menu number assigned to the searched function is sorted in descending order by the user's operation of descending order from the keyboard 100, and the screen D83 of the display 130 is displayed with “M120ToDo”. Display such as “List”, “M110 calendar display”, “M90 call time display”, “M48 call time display”, “M44 alarm clock”, “M39 clock display setting”, “M31 date / time setting”. .

  In this way, it is easier to reach the function that the user wanted to use by visually recognizing the sorted display compared to the complicatedly displayed search results. This makes it easier to get to the functions you want to use without using.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a modification of FIG. 8 or FIG. As shown in this figure, in comparison with FIG. 8 or FIG. 9, in the function name without the menu number, the function name is arranged after the function name with the menu number in alphabetical order. Here, it is assumed that there is no menu number in the function name of the calendar display and ToDo list.
In this way, even when the search result includes a function name without a menu number for some reason, the same effect as the example of FIGS. 8 and 9 can be obtained.

Next, an example in which the search unit 120A has a learning function will be described.
FIG. 11 is a modification of FIG. 2 and shows an example of function names stored in the function name storage table 111 of the memory 110.
As shown in this figure, as compared with FIG. 2, a column for the number of searches is provided for the function name of the menu number stored in the function name storage table 111. The number of searches indicates the number of times the function name has been searched in the past. The search unit 120A updates the number of searches by incrementing the counter value by “1” with respect to the function name searched after the user activates the search function using the counter provided in the mobile phone.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a series of search operation examples for the search unit 120A of the control unit 120, which is a modification of FIG. 5, and FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example in which function names are displayed in order of the number of searches.
As shown in FIG. 12, compared to FIG. 5, in step S211B, the search unit 120A displays the contents of the function name group stored in the search function name storage table 113 on the display 130 in the order of the number of searches.

In step S217, the number of searches in the function name storage table 111 is increased by “1” for the determined function name.
That is, as shown in FIG. 13, the search order of the searched function names is “M90 call time display”, “M120 ToDo list”, “M31 date / time setting”, “M39 clock display setting”, “M44 Awakening”. In the case of “clock”, “M48 call time display”, and “M110 calendar display”, the screen D93 of the display 130 is displayed in the order of the number of searches as described above.

This example shows a case where the “M90 calling time display” is searched most frequently and the “M120ToDo list” is searched second most frequently.
Note that menu names are displayed in ascending or descending order for function names having the same number of searches.
In this way, it is possible to make it easier to search for a function to be performed by providing a learning function and displaying a function that has been previously searched at the top.

FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining an example in which the number of searches in the function name storage table 111 in FIG. 11 overflows.
As shown in this figure (a), if the overflow of the number of searches in the function name storage table 111 is 128 and the number of searches of the function name “M31 date / time setting” reaches 128 times, As shown in b), the number of searches for each function name is all halved.

  By the above operation, it is possible to avoid overflow. This makes it possible to maintain the learning function of the search unit 120A.

  FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a modification of FIG. As shown in this figure (a), when the number of searches for the function name “M31 date / time setting” increases and a desired function can be used without searching, it is displayed at the top of the screen when searching. However, as shown in FIG. 4B, the number of searches may be arbitrarily initialized by the user and set to “0”.

As described above, the manufacturer stores the associative function names in the associative function name storage table 112 in advance, but it is necessary for the user to respond to a request for registering a unique associative function name.
16 is a diagram showing an example of adding an associative function name in the associative function name storage table 112 in FIG. 1, and FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of deleting the associative function name in the associative function name storage table 112 in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 16, the function name in the function name storage table 111 is displayed on the screen D61 of the display 130. As an example, the user can call the associative function menu by pressing the menu button for “M31 date / time setting”. To do.
After this depression, an associative function name menu is displayed on the screen D62 of the display 130 to allow the user to select a new associative function name addition.

After this selection, “time” is added as an associative function name to the function name “M31 date / time setting” on the screen 63 of the display 130. Since the associative function name addition is specified by the user, there is no problem even if the name is far from the function.
After the addition, a list of associative function names to which the associative function name “time” is added is displayed on the screen 64 of the display 130.

As shown in FIG. 17, deletion may be considered in contrast to addition. If a desired function can be used without a search, or if a search is performed with an associative function name not associated with the user, the search / display time is wasted.
For this reason, the menu key is pressed on the screen D61 of the display 130 in FIG. 17 to call the associative function name menu displayed on the screen D62 of the display 130.

Subsequently, when the item of associative function name deletion is selected in the called associative function name menu, a list of associative function names to be deleted is displayed on the screen D73 of the display 130. When [Time] is selected as an associative function name to be deleted from this list, a list of associative function names from which [Time] has been deleted is displayed as shown on the screen D74 of the display 130.
If the associative function names in the associative function name storage table 112 become complicated due to addition and deletion, the associative function names of the respective function names may be initialized collectively.

  In the above description, the cellular phone has been described, but the present invention can also be applied to an electronic device including a PDA (personal digital assistant) and a personal computer.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the menu search system of the mobile telephone concerning this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the function name stored in the function name storage table 111 of the memory 110 in FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of the associative function name stored in the associative function name storage table 112 of the memory 110 in FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of the associative function name stored in the search function name storage table 113 of the memory 110 in FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a series of search operation examples for a search unit 120A of a control unit 120 in FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of a screen displayed on the display 130 at the time of search operation | movement of FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a series of search operation examples for a search unit 120A of a control unit 120 in the modification of FIG. It is a figure which shows the example which displayed the function name which sorted the menu number in ascending order. It is a figure which shows the example which displayed the function name which sorted the menu number in descending order. It is a figure which shows the function search result with respect to the keyword input used as the premise of this invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of function names stored in a function name storage table 111 of a memory 110, which is a modification of FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a series of search operation examples for a search unit 120A of a control unit 120 in the modification of FIG. It is a figure which shows the example which displayed the function name in order of the frequency | count of search. It is a figure explaining the example in which the frequency | count of a search of the function name storage table 111 in FIG. 11 overflows. It is a figure which shows the modification of FIG. It is a figure which shows the additional example of the associative function name of the associative function name storage table 112 in FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of deletion of the associative function name of the associative function name storage table 112 in FIG. It is a figure which shows the function search result with respect to the keyword input used as the premise of this invention. It is a figure explaining the example of failure of the keyword input of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Keyboard 110 ... Memory 111 ... Function name storage table 112 ... Associative function name storage table 113 ... Search function name storage table 114 ... Shortcut storage table 120 ... Control part 120A ... Search part 130 ... Display

Claims (9)

In a mobile phone menu search system that searches for functions from a menu,
A keyboard for entering keywords,
A function name storage table for storing a plurality of function names together with menu numbers,
A plurality of associative function names belonging to each function name stored in the function name storage table;
A search unit for searching for a function name including the keyword from the function name storage table, and searching for an associative function name including the keyword from the associative function name storage table;
A search function name storage table that stores all function names searched by the search unit and stores all function names to which the searched associative function names belong;
A menu search system for a mobile phone, comprising: a display that displays all function names stored in the search function name storage table. The mobile phone menu search system according to claim 1, wherein the display displays function names in ascending or descending order of menu numbers. 3. The menu search for a mobile phone according to claim 2, wherein the display displays the function names without the menu number after the function names in ascending or descending order of the menu numbers and in alphabetical order or alphabetical order. system. The number of searches performed together with the function name is stored in the function name storage table, and the display displays the function names stored in the search function name storage table in order of the number of searches. Item 10. The mobile phone menu search system according to Item 1. An overflow is provided in the number of searches stored in the function name storage table, and when the number of searches reaches an overflow, the total number of searches stored in the function name storage table is reduced to half. 5. A menu search system for mobile phones according to 4. The mobile phone menu search system according to claim 4, wherein the number of searches stored in the function name storage table is arbitrarily set to 0 by a user. The mobile phone menu search system according to claim 1, wherein the associative function name storage table stores an associative function name belonging to each function name added or deleted. The associative function name storage table initializes an associative function name added or deleted among the associative function names belonging to each function name to an associative function name before addition or deletion. Menu search system for mobile phones. In the mobile phone menu search method for searching for functions from the menu,
Entering keywords,
A step of storing a plurality of function names together with a menu number;
Storing a plurality of associative function names belonging to each function name to be stored;
Searching for a function name including the keyword from the stored function names;
Searching for an associative function name including the keyword from the stored associative function name;
Storing all searched function names;
Storing all function names to which the searched associative function names belong;
And a step of displaying all of the stored function names.

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