PORTABLE TERMINAL CAPABLE OF INVOKING PROGRAM BY SIGN COMMAND AND PROGRAM INVOKING METHOD THEREFOR

A portable terminal capable of invoking programs by a sign command and a program invoking method therefore. In the portable terminal, a storage stores programs and symbols linked to the programs. A display displays the operation state of a program when the program is invoked. A user interface senses an external contact and informs a controller that detects a figure represented by a signal sensed at the user interface according to a path in which the external contact is made and, in the presence of a symbol matching the figure, invokes a program corresponding to the symbol from the storage.