Apparatus and method for displaying symbols on a terminal input area

摘要

A terminal has an input area that supports touch input, and a controller for responding to the touch input area. The controller also displays selected symbols in the touch input area responsive to an operational mode of the terminal. When the terminal is in a call mode, a command or data associated with one of the symbols displayed for the call mode may be entered by touching the symbol, touching and dragging the symbol from its original location, or touching and dragging the symbol to a central area.

主权项

1. A terminal, comprising: a touch sensitive input area comprising a surface and a film covering the surface, wherein the film is transparent or semi-transparent and comprises a first pattern including a first plurality of symbols and a first plurality of dividing lines printed on the film, and wherein the surface comprises a second pattern including a second plurality of symbols and a second plurality of dividing lines printed on the surface, the second pattern having a different shape than the first pattern; a light emitting module comprising a backlight and a plurality of light emitting devices (LEDs) that are configured to be selectively turned on and off according to an operating mode of the terminal; and a controller configured to: control the backlight to be turned off and the plurality of LEDs to be turned on such that the first pattern becomes visible when the terminal is in a first operating mode; perform a specific function corresponding to at least one of the first plurality of symbols in response to a first touch input received on the touch sensitive input area during the first operating mode; control the backlight to be turned on and the plurality of LEDs to be turned off such that the second pattern becomes visible when the terminal is in a second operating mode; and perform a specific function corresponding to at least one of the second plurality of symbols in response to a second touch input received on the touch sensitive input area during the second operating mode, wherein the backlight and the plurality of LEDs are off in an idle state prior to entering the first operating mode or the second operating mode such that none of the first pattern and the second pattern is visible during the idle state.