Mobile terminal configured to selectively send messages while composing message, and method of controlling therefor

• US 10,158,586 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2014
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Heejeong
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhatia, Ajay M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pan, Phoebe X
• Application Number:
  US14/504,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20150095801A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,539 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, by which a message inputted before or after a message reception can be selectively sent when a message is received from a counterpart while composing a message. The present invention includes the steps of if a counterpart message is externally received in the course of a message input to a message input window and a message is additionally inputted to the message input window, applying a visual effect to either a message inputted before receiving the counterpart message or the additionally inputted message and if a send command is received, sending a message corresponding to the send command to a counterpart, wherein the message corresponding to the send command is selected from a message having the visual effect applied thereto and a message not having the visual effect applied thereto among messages displayed on the message input window.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

receiving a first input message from a user via a single message input window of a message application;

displaying the received first input message in the single message input window;

receiving a first received message from an external device while the first input message is being input by the user, the first received message displayed in a single chat display region that is separate from the single message input window displaying the first input message input by the user, wherein all input messages are input by the user via the single message input window and the single message input window only displays input messages inputted by the user prior to transmission of the input messages, and wherein all messages received from the external device are displayed in the single chat display region;

receiving a second input message from the user via the single message input window in response to the first received message and displaying the second input message in the single message input window, the second input message received while the first input message is displayed in the single message input window such that the second input message is displayed following the first input message in the same single message input window,

automatically applying a visual effect to the first input message or the second input message in response to the input of the second input message based on a receipt time of the first received message with respect to an input time of the first input message and an input time of the second input message, such that the first input message and the second input message are displayed distinguishably in the same single message input window; and

transmitting only the first input message or the second input message to the external device in response to an input for selectively transmitting one of the first input message or the second input message such that;

only the first input message is transmitted when the first input message is selected by the input for the selective transmission such that the first input message is removed from the single message input window while the second input message remains after the selective transmission; and

only the second input message is transmitted when the second input message is selected by the input for the selective transmission such that the second input message is removed from the single message input window while the first input message remains after the selective transmission,

wherein the input for the selective transmission is received while both the first input message and the second input message are displayed distinguishably in the same single message input window and while the first received message received from the external device is displayed in the single chat display region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the input for the selective transmission comprises selection of a send button, and the second input message not having the visual effect applied thereto is transmitted in response to the input for the selective transmission.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the input for the selective transmission comprises selection of a send button, and the second input message having the visual effect applied thereto is transmitted in response to the input for the selective transmission.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the input for the selective transmission comprises a touch-drag command comprising touching and dragging the first or second input message having the visual effect applied thereto or not having the visual effect applied thereto from the single message input window to the single chat display region for displaying both received and transmitted messages;

the touch-dragged first or second input message is transmitted in response to the input for the selective transmission; and

all messages transmitted to the external device are displayed in the single chat display region.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

displaying the transmitted first or second input message at a position in the single chat display region, the position corresponding to a point where the first or second input message was touch-dragged to and the touch-drag command was released; and

further transmitting information related to the position to the external device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a second received message from the external device after receiving the first received message while at least the first input message is still displayed in the single message input window such that both the first and second received messages are displayed in the single chat display region; and

displaying the touch-dragged first or second input message at the position between the first received message and the second received message when the point at which the touch-drag command was released is located between the first received message and the second received message in the single chat display region,

wherein the transmitted information causes the first received message, the transmitted first or second input message, and the second received message to be displayed in order at the external device according to a corresponding order of the first received message, the transmitted first or second input message, and the second received message displayed in the single chat display region.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing the applied visual effect after the first input message or the second input message is transmitted.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual effect comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of an outline effect, at least one indicator displayed near the first or second input message, effects of light and shade, and a message color change.

9. A mobile terminal comprising:

a hardware wireless communication unit configured to communicate with an external device;

a touchscreen configured to display a single message input window in a message application; and

a hardware controller operably coupled to the hardware wireless communication unit and the touch screen and configured to;

receive a first input message from a user via the single message input window;

cause the touchscreen to display the received first input message in the single message input window, wherein all input messages are input by the user via the single message input window and displayed in the single message input window prior to transmission of the input messages, and wherein the single message input window only displays all input messages inputted by the user;

cause the touchscreen to display a first received message received from an external device in a single chat display region that is separate from the single message input window displaying the first input message input by the user, the first received message received while the first input message is being input by the user, wherein all messages received from the external device are displayed in the single chat display region;

receive a second input message from the user via the single message input window in response to the first received message and displaying the second input message in the single message input window, the second input message received while the first input message is displayed in the single message input window such that the second input message is displayed following the first input message in the same single message input window,

automatically apply a visual effect to the first input message or the second input message in response to the input of the second input message based on a receipt time of the first received message with respect to an input time of the first input message and an input time of the second input message, such that the first input message and the second input message are displayed distinguishably in the same single message input window; and

cause the hardware wireless communication unit to transmit only the first input message or the second input message to the external device in response to an input for selectively transmitting one of the first input message or the second input message such that;

only the first input message is transmitted when the first input message is selected by the input for the selective transmission such that the first input message is removed from the single message input window while the second input message remains after the selective transmission; and

only the second input message is transmitted when the second input message is selected by the input for the selective transmission such that the second input message is removed from the single message input window while the first input message remains after the selective transmission,

wherein the input for the selective transmission is received while both the first input message and the second input message are displayed distinguishably in the same single message input window and while the first received message received from the external device is displayed in the single chat display region.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the input for the selective transmission comprises selection of a send button, and the second input message not having the visual effect applied thereto is transmitted in response to the input for the selective transmission.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the input for the selective transmission comprises selection of a send button, and the second input message having the visual effect applied thereto is transmitted in response to the input for the selective transmission.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein:

the input for the selective transmission comprises a touch-drag command comprising touching and dragging the first or second input message having the visual effect applied thereto or not having the visual effect applied thereto from the single message input window to the single chat display region for displaying both received and transmitted messages;

the touch-dragged first or second input message is transmitted in response to the input for the selective transmission; and

all messages transmitted to the external device are displayed in the single chat display region.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the hardware controller is further configured to:

cause the touchscreen to display the transmitted first or second input message at a position in the single chat display region, the position corresponding to a point where the first or second input message was touch-dragged to and the touch-drag command was released; and

cause the hardware wireless communication unit to transmit information related to the position to the external device.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the hardware controller is further configured to:

cause the hardware wireless communication unit to receive a second received message from the external device after receiving the first received message while at least the first input message is still displayed in the single message input window such that both the first and second received messages are displayed in the single chat display region; and

cause the touchscreen to display the touch-dragged first or second input message at the position between the first received message and the second received message when the point at which the touch-drag command was released is located between the first received message and the second received message in the single chat display region,

wherein the transmitted information causes the first received message, the transmitted first or second input message, and the second received message to be displayed in order at the external device according to a corresponding order of the first received message, the transmitted first or second input message, and the second received message displayed in the single chat display region.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the hardware controller is further configured to cause the touchscreen to stop displaying the visual effect after the first input message or the second input message is transmitted.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 15, wherein the visual effect comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of an outline effect, at least one indicator displayed near the first or second input message, effects of light and shade, and a message color change.