Portable terminal having display buttons and method of inputting functions using display buttons

A portable terminal having a plurality of input buttons, the portable terminal comprising:

• a data transceiver which receives signals corresponding to a key input from the plurality of input buttons and sends the signals to an external device using a wireless network or an Internet, and receives image data to be displayed on the plurality of input buttons from the external device using the wireless network or the Internet;
• and
• a plurality of buttons which receive a key input from a user and output signals corresponding to the key input, receive image data to be displayed from the data transceiver, and display the image data.

A portable terminal, comprising:

• a plurality of buttons receiving a selection of a function by a press of one of the buttons, each button receiving image data corresponding to selectable function, displaying an image regarding a selectable function based on received the image data, and outputting a signal when pressed;
• and
• a controller receiving the signals and outputting the image data, the image data based on the received signals.

A portable terminal, comprising:

• a plurality of buttons receiving selections of functions by presses of a button or buttons, each button receiving first image data corresponding to one of a plurality of selectable top-level functions, displaying an image associated with a top-level function based on the received first image data, receiving second image data corresponding to one of a plurality of lower-level functions which are associated with a selected top-level function based on the received second received image data, displaying an image associated with a lower-level function based on the received second image data, and outputting signals when pressed;
• and
• a controller receiving the signals, and outputting the image data, the image data based on the received signals.