Mobile terminal for displaying a variable auxiliary display area and method thereof

• US 20050049006A1
• Filed: 03/16/2004
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Hwa-Jin
• Granted Patent: US 7,136,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/145 related to small screens
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails

Abstract

A mobile terminal for displaying an auxiliary display area and a method thereof. All information except for the state information (e.g., reception sensitivity and battery state) and operation information (e.g., background image, call time, and menu list) of a mobile terminal can be displayed in the auxiliary display area. The mobile terminal sets the auxiliary display area differently depending on the characteristics of information to be displayed and displays it with corresponding information. Accordingly, the utilization of the auxiliary display area is increased.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal for displaying a variable auxiliary display area, comprising:

an auxiliary display area information storage for storing information about the auxiliary display area, which is variable in at least one of size, position, and represented information;

an input portion for receiving a control signal according to user key manipulation and a signal from a wireless network;

a controller for analyzing a signal received from the input portion, reading auxiliary display area information corresponding to the analyzed signal from the auxiliary display area information storage, and generating a display control signal according to the auxiliary display area information; and

a display for displaying the auxiliary display area according to the display control signal.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary display area information comprises:

size information for the auxiliary display area to be displayed;

position information for the auxiliary display area in an overall display area of the mobile terminal;

basic data represented in the auxiliary display area; and

position information for the basic data.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the display control signal commands the auxiliary display area to be displayed using a slip dialog component.

4. A method for displaying a variable auxiliary display area in a mobile terminal, comprising the steps of:

awaiting generation of an event that triggers display of the auxiliary display area, which is variable in at least one of size, position, and represented information;

determining a type of the event depending upon the generation of the event;

reading auxiliary display area information corresponding to the event type from stored auxiliary display area information; and

displaying the auxiliary display area according to the read auxiliary display area information.

5. The display method of claim 4, wherein the event is generated by one of a control command and a signal received from a wireless network.

6. The display method of claim 4, wherein the step of reading the auxiliary display area information comprises reading information about a position and a size of the auxiliary display area corresponding to the event type, basic data included in the auxiliary display area, and a position of the basic data.

7. A computer program device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for method for displaying a variable auxiliary display area in a mobile terminal, comprising:

awaiting generation of an event that triggers display of the auxiliary display area, which is variable in at least one of size, position, and represented information;

determining a type of the event depending upon the generation of the event;

reading auxiliary display area information corresponding to the event type from stored auxiliary display area information; and

displaying the auxiliary display area according to the read auxiliary display area information.