METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STORING DATA IN MOBILE TERMINAL

Abstract

An apparatus and method for storing an image in a storage folder corresponding to a file name in a mobile terminal are provided. The method includes detecting a keyword by analyzing a file name of data to be stored, and storing the data in a storage folder corresponding to the keyword.

Description

PRIORITY

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) of a Korean patent application filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Aug. 10, 2007 and assigned Serial No. 2007-80481, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for storing data in a mobile terminal. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for storing a desired image in a corresponding storage folder in a mobile terminal.

2. Description of the Related Art

Mobile terminals have become necessities of modern life for people of all ages. Thus, service providers and terminal manufacturers are competitively developing differentiated products and services.

For example, the mobile terminal has developed into a multimedia device capable of providing various services such as phonebooks, games, short messages, e-mails, wake-up calls, MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3) players, digital cameras, and wireless Internet services.

With a prevalent use of a mobile terminal equipped with a digital camera module, a user can capture a variety of images anytime anywhere. In addition, the number of pixels supportable by the digital camera module is increasing, and thus the mobile terminal may perform a function of a high-definition digital camera.

Moreover, a data storage capacity of the mobile terminal is increasing, and as a result, the user may store large-volume data such as an image file, a video file, a music file and the like.

The large-volume storage capacity allows the user to use the mobile terminal as a storage medium. However, data management is difficult when the large-volume data is stored.

For example, if the user enjoys using a camera function of the mobile terminal, hundreds of image files may be stored in the mobile terminal. In this case, the images may be managed by storing them in storage folders according to image file properties.

Since the storage folders are determined by selecting respective image files, it is difficult to manage the folders for storing the images.

Therefore, a need exists for an improved method and apparatus for storing a desired image in a corresponding storage folder in a mobile terminal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present invention is to address at least the above-mentioned problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at least the advantages described below. Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for storing a desired image in a corresponding storage folder in a mobile terminal.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for analyzing a keyword of an image file name when an image is stored in a mobile terminal.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for storing an image in a storage folder corresponding to a keyword in a mobile terminal.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a method of managing data to be stored in a mobile terminal is provided. The method includes detecting a keyword by analyzing a file name of the data to be stored, and storing the data in a storage folder corresponding to the keyword.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for managing data to be stored in a mobile terminal is provided. The apparatus includes a keyword detector for detecting a keyword by analyzing a file name of the data to be stored, and a controller for storing the data in a storage folder corresponding to the detected keyword.

Other aspects, advantages, and salient features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses exemplary embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features and advantages of certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a mobile terminal for storing an image according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a process of storing an image file in a mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of obtaining a keyword by a keyword detector of a mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a process of obtaining a keyword of a desired image file to be stored; and

FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C and 5D illustrate screens of a mobile terminal for performing a process of storing an image file according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals will be understood to refer to like parts, components and structures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of exemplary embodiments of the invention as defined by the claims and their equivalents. It includes various specific details to assist in that understanding but these are to be regarded as merely exemplary. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the exemplary embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Also, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions will be omitted for clarity and conciseness.

A method and apparatus are provided for storing data in a storage folder corresponding to a file name of the data in a mobile terminal. Examples of the mobile terminal include a cellular phone, a Personal Communication System (PCS) phone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), an International Mobile Telecommunication-2000 (IMT-2000) phone, and a Fourth Generation (4G) broadband system phone. In the following detailed descriptions, a general configuration of the mobile terminal will be explained as an example.

The data to be stored includes a text file, a music file, a video file, an image file, and the like. In the following detailed descriptions, the image file will be explained as an example.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a mobile terminal for storing an image according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the mobile terminal includes a controller 100, a keyword detector 102, a camera 104, a memory 106, an input unit 108, a display 110, and a communication unit 112.

The controller 100 may provide overall control to the mobile terminal. For example, a voice call or data communication may be processed and controlled by the controller 100. In addition to general operations, the controller 100 may control the keyword detector 102 to analyze a file name of a desired image and to obtain a keyword of the file name.

Further, the controller 100 may determine an existence of a storage folder corresponding to the keyword obtained by the keyword detector 102. If the storage folder exists, the image is stored in the storage folder under the control of the controller 100.

When two or more keywords are provided from the keyword detector 102, the controller 100 can determine the existence of the storage folder according to a keyword order.

If the storage folder corresponding to the keyword does not exist, the controller 100 creates a storage folder corresponding to the keyword and thereafter provides control to store the image.

The keyword detector 102 receives the file name of the image under the control of the controller 100. Then, the keyword detector 102 analyzes the image file name to obtain the keyword of the image file name, and provides the obtained keyword to the controller 100.

The keyword detector 102 may obtain the keyword by using a spacing word or a special character of the image file name.

The camera 104 captures a desired image and then provides control to store the captured image in the memory 106.

The memory 106 includes a Read Only Memory (ROM), a Random Access Memory (RAM), and a flash ROM. The ROM stores a microcode of a program, by which the controller 100 is processed and controlled, and a variety of reference data.

The RAM is a working memory of the controller 100 and stores temporary data that is generated while programs are performed. The flash ROM stores rewritable data, such as phonebook entries, outgoing messages, incoming messages and the like.

The input unit 108 includes a plurality of function keys such as numeral key buttons of ‘0’ to ‘9’, a menu button, a cancel (or delete) button, an OK button, a talk button, an end button, an Internet access button, a navigation (or direction) key button, and a character input key. Key input data (e.g., a request to store images), which is input when the user presses these function keys, is provided to the controller 100.

The display 110 displays information such as state information, which is generated while the mobile terminal operates, limited numeral characters, large-sized moving and still pictures, etc. The display 110 may be provided as a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD). In this case, the display 110 may include a controller for controlling the LCD, a video memory in which image data is stored and an LCD element. If the LCD is provided as a touch screen, the display 110 may perform a part or all of the functions of the input unit 108.

The communication unit 112 is configured to include a Radio Frequency (RF) transmitter (not shown) for up-converting the frequency of transmitted signals and amplifying the transmitted signals, and an RF receiver (not shown) for low-noise amplifying of received RF signals and down-converting the frequency of the received RF signals. The communication unit 112 transmits/receives an RF signal of data that is input/output through an antenna (not shown). For example, in a transmitting process, data to be transmitted is subject to a channel-coding process and a spreading process, and then the data is transformed to an RF signal. In a receiving process, the RF signal is received and transformed to a base-band signal, and the base-band signal is subject to a de-spreading process and a channel-decoding process, thereby restoring the data.

The keyword detector 102 may operate under the control of the controller 100. Although the keyword detector 102 and the controller 100 are separately configured in the present invention, this separate configuration is for explanation purposes only. Thus, in practice, the keyword detector 102 may be controller by the controller 100.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a process of storing an image file in a mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the controller 100 (see FIG. 1) of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention performs an image storage process in step 201. Then, the controller 100 controls the display 110 to display an input window so that a user can input a file name of a desired image in step 203.

Next, the controller 100 determines whether the user finishes the input of the image file name in step 205.

If the input of the file name is not finished, the controller 100 returns to step 203.

Otherwise, if the input of the file name is finished, the controller 100 obtains a keyword list for the image file name in step 207. The keyword list denotes a list of specific words for selecting a storage folder of the image.

For example, if a desired image file name input by the user is “journey to Jeju-island”, a specific word for selecting the storage folder of the image is “Jeju-island” and “journey”. Thus, the keyword list of the specific words includes “Jeju-island” and “journey”. The image can be stored in a storage folder having a folder name of “Jeju-island” or “journey”

If the obtained keyword list includes a plurality of keywords, the controller 100 can determine a priority according to a word position.

For example, if the obtained keyword list includes keywords of “Jeju-island” and “journey”, the image may be stored with priority in the storage folder having a folder name of “Jeju-island” under the control of the controller 100.

The keyword list can be provided from the keyword detector 102. A method of creating the keyword by the keyword detector 102 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 3.

The controller 100 may determine an existence of the storage folder corresponding to the specific words included in the keyword list in step 209.

If the storage folder exists, the controller 100 stores the image in the folder in step 211.

In this step, a popup window may be displayed so that the user can choose whether to store the image. The popup window may show a message, for example, “Do you want to store the image in the folder?”

In contrast, if the storage folder does not exist, the controller 100 creates a storage folder corresponding to the specific words in step 213. Then, the controller 100 stores the image in the created storage folder.

The controller 100 may receive a keyword input from the user when the storage folder is created, and store images related to the folder. The input keyword may be used as a keyword of the storage folder according to a choice of the user of the mobile terminal.

For example, if the storage folder is created according to the keyword of “journey” input by the user, the folder can be used as a storage folder for storing images related to journey.

Thereafter, the procedure of FIG. 2 ends.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of obtaining a keyword by the keyword detector 102 of FIG. 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. A process of obtaining a keyword of a desired image file to be stored will also be described with reference to FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 3, the keyword detector 102 receives information on a file name input by a user from the controller 100 in step 301.

Next, the keyword detector 102 analyzes the received file name and obtains keywords in step 303, and creates a list of the obtained keywords in step 305.

For example, if a user of the mobile terminal inputs the file name for storing an image, the keyword detector 102 analyzes the received file name and obtains keywords of the file name.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, if a received file name is “scenery of autumn journey” in step 401, the keyword detector 102 begins to analyze the file name in step 403. As a result of analyzing the file name, specific words “autumn”, “journey”, and “scenery” can be obtained by the keyword detector 102 in step 405.

In this case, the keyword detector 102 can obtain the keywords by parsing the file name with a spacing word, a special character, etc. For example, if the file name input by a user is “$autumn $journey $scenery photo”, the keyword detector 102 can obtain keywords of “autumn”, “journey”, and “scenery” attached with a preset special character (e.g., $).

In addition, when the above file name is input by the user, the keyword detector 102 can provide the controller 100 with only words remaining after removing the keywords of “autumn”, “journey”, and “scenery” from the file name of “$autumn $journey $scenery photo”. The provided words can be used as a storage name for the image file. In other words, “photo” is an actual storage file name of the file name of “$autumn $journey $scenery photo”.

Next, the keyword detector 102 creates a list of the obtained keywords and provides the list to the controller 100.

Next, the procedure of FIG. 3 ends.

FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C and 5D illustrate screens of a mobile terminal for performing a process of storing an image file according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5A illustrates a screen used to store a desired image in the mobile terminal.

Referring to FIG. 5A, a user of the mobile terminal desires to store an image 501 in which a mountain and trees are captured. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5B, the mobile terminal displays an input window 503 so that the user can input a file name of the desired image.

When the image is stored, the user can select one folder in a list of storable folders through the input window. The selected folder can be displayed.

In other words, although an input widow is generally displayed when a captured image is stored, it is also possible to display the input window after a storage folder is selected.

After the file name is input, the mobile terminal analyzes the input file name and obtains a keyword list.

FIG. 5C illustrates a screen displayed after obtaining a keyword list based on a file name in a mobile terminal.

Referring to FIG. 5C, the screen of the mobile terminal displays storage folders 505 according to the keyword list of the input file name of FIG. 5B.

That is, for a desired image, the mobile terminal can display storage folders of which folder names are “autumn”, “journey”, and “scenery”. When displaying the storage folders, folders not corresponding to the keywords can be displayed in a shaded view in order to be distinguished from other folders corresponding to the keywords.

FIG. 5D illustrates a screen for storing an image by using a keyword list in a mobile terminal. The mobile terminal stores a desired image in a storage folder of which a file name is determined to “autumn” among a plurality of storage folders corresponding to the keywords 507.

According to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a mobile terminal analyzes a keyword of a file name of a desired image to be stored, determines a storage folder corresponding to the keyword, and stores the image in the storage folder. Therefore, the present invention can solve a problem which arises when a conventional mobile terminal is used for image file management and in which a user must change a storage folder by directly selecting an image file to be managed.

Certain aspects of the present invention can also be embodied as computer readable code on a computer readable recording medium. A computer readable recording medium is any data storage device that can store data which can be thereafter read by a computer system. Examples of the computer readable recording medium include read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, optical data storage devices, and carrier waves (such as data transmission through the Internet). The computer readable recording medium can also be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. Also, functional programs, code, and code segments for accomplishing the present invention can be easily construed by programmers skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains.

While the present invention has been shown and described with reference to certain exemplary embodiments 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 spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Therefore, the scope of the invention is defined not by the detailed description of the invention but by the appended claims and their equivalents, and all differences within the scope will be construed as being included in the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of managing data to be stored in a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

detecting a keyword by analyzing a file name of the data to be stored; and

storing the data in a storage folder corresponding to the keyword.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, if a plurality of keywords are detected, the storing of the data comprises storing the data in the storage folder corresponding to the keyword according to a position order of the keywords in the file name.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a popup window for determining whether the data is to be stored in the storage folder corresponding to the keyword and thereafter for selecting the storage folder.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the displaying of the popup window comprises displaying storage folders not corresponding to the keyword in a shaded view.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, if the storage folder corresponding to the keyword does not exist, creating a folder and storing the data in the folder.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the creating of the folder comprises inputting a keyword indicating a property of the folder.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the keyword comprises parsing at least one of a specific word, a special character, and a spacing word of the file name of the data.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the data comprises at least one of a text file, a music file, a video file, and an image file.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein characters remaining after removing the keyword of the file name are used for an actual file name of the data to be stored.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the keyword comprises a folder name.

11. An apparatus for managing data to be stored in a mobile terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a keyword detector for detecting a keyword by analyzing a file name of the data to be stored; and

a controller for storing the data in a storage folder corresponding to the detected keyword.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, if a plurality of keywords are detected, the controller storing the data in the storage folder corresponding to the keyword according to a position order of the keywords in the file name.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller displays a popup window for determining whether the data is to be stored in the storage folder corresponding to the keyword and thereafter selects the storage folder.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, if the storage folder corresponding to the keyword does not exist, the controller creates a folder and stores the data in the folder.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller allows a user to input a keyword indicating a property of the folder to create the folder.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the keyword detector extracts the keyword by parsing a specific word, a special character, and a spacing word from the file name of the data.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the data comprises at least one of a text file, a music file, a video file, and an image file.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein characters remaining after removing the keyword of the file name are used for an actual file name of the data to be stored.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the keyword comprises a folder name.

20. A program code embodied on a computer-readable medium comprising:

a first set of instructions for detecting a keyword by analyzing a file name of the data to be stored;

a second set of instructions for searching for the storage folder corresponding to the keyword according to a detection order of the keywords; and

a third set of instructions for storing the data in the found storage folder.