MOBILE COMMUNICATION TERMINAL AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A BACKGROUND TASK

• US 20080022279A1
• Filed: 07/24/2007
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jung, Jaehee
• Granted Patent: US 8,856,680 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations

Abstract

A mobile communication terminal and a method for controlling a background task is disclosed that can increase user convenience by controlling the background task simply. The method includes running foreground and background tasks simultaneously by a multitasking operation; inputting a selection key to directly call a task setting window for setting a specific operation of the background task; displaying the task setting window on a foreground screen that corresponds to the selection key that was input; and setting the specific operation using displayed task setting window.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a background task in a mobile communication terminal, the method comprising:

running a foreground task and the background task in a multitasking environment;

entering a selection key, the selection key selecting a task setting window for setting at least one specific operation of the background task;

displaying the task setting window that corresponds to the selection key on a foreground screen of a display; and

setting the at least one specific operation of the background task according to information entered via the displayed task setting window.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the background task is one of background music (BGM) and checking SMS messages, MMS messages or E-mail messages.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the foreground task is one of an image viewer, SMS messages, MMS messages, E-mail messages, a wireless application protocol (WAP) browser, a personal information management system (PIMS), a game program, a wireless internet connection program and a camera photographing program.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

re-entering the selection key when setting the at least one specific operation of the background task is completed; and

removing the task setting window from the foreground screen.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein entering the selection key comprises pressing at least two buttons at the same time.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least two buttons comprise a function key button and a special key button.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the function key button comprises a side button key.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein entering the selection key comprises pressing a specific single button.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the entering the selection key comprises pressing a hot key for more than a predetermined time.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the task setting window comprises displaying a semi-transparent window on the foreground screen.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the task setting window comprises displaying a popup window on the foreground screen.

12. A method for controlling background music (BGM) in a mobile communication terminal, the method comprising;

running a foreground task and a BGM task in a multitasking environment;

entering a selection key, the selection key selecting a control skin for setting at least one specific operation of the BGM task;

displaying the control skin that corresponds to the selection key on a foreground screen of a display; and

setting the at least one specific operation of the BGM task according to information entered via the displayed control skin.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the foreground task is one of an image viewer, SMS messages, MMS messages, E-mail messages, a wireless application protocol (WAP) browser, a personal information management system (PIMS), a game program, a wireless internet connection program and a camera photographing program.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

re-entering the selection key when setting the at least one specific operation of the BGM task is completed; and

removing the control skin from the foreground screen.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein displaying the control skin comprises displaying a semi-transparent window on the foreground screen.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein displaying the control skin comprises displaying a popup window on the foreground screen.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one specific operation of the BGM task comprises at least one of a Play function, a Pause function, a Fast Forward (FF) function, a Rewind (REW) function, a Volume function and a Stereo/Mono function.

18. A mobile communication terminal for controlling a background task, the terminal comprising:

a background module running the background task in a multitasking environment in which a foreground task is run;

an input device configured to enter a selection key, the selection key selecting a task setting window for setting at least one specific operation of the background task;

a display device configured to display information related to the foreground task and the background task; and

a controller configured to control the display device such that the task setting window that corresponds to the selection key is displayed on a foreground screen and to control the background module to set the at least one specific operation of the background task according to information entered via the displayed task setting window.

19. The mobile communication terminal of claim 18, wherein the background task is one of background music (BGM) and checking SMS messages, MMS messages or E-mail messages.

20. The mobile communication terminal of claim 18, wherein the foreground task is one of an image viewer, SMS messages, MMS messages, E-mail messages, a wireless application protocol (WAP) browser, a personal information management system (PIMS), a game program, a wireless internet connection program and a camera photographing program.

21. The mobile communication terminal of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display device such that the task setting window is removed from the foreground screen when the selection key is re-entered after setting the at least one specific operation of the background task is completed.

22. The mobile communication terminal of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to recognize the selection key upon at least two buttons of the input device being pressed at the same time.

23. The mobile communication terminal of claim 22, wherein the at least two buttons comprise a function key button and a special key button.

24. The mobile communication terminal of claim 23, wherein the function button comprises a side button key.

25. The mobile communication terminal of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to recognize the selection key upon a hot key of the input device being pressed for more than a predetermined time.

26. The mobile communication terminal of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display device such that the task setting window is displayed as a semi-transparent window on the foreground screen.

27. The mobile communication terminal of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display device such that the task setting window is displayed as a popup window on the foreground screen.