MOBILE TERMINAL AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME

• US 20100056224A1
• Filed: 08/14/2009
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: KIM, Jong Hwan
• Granted Patent: US 8,674,934 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal including at least two display areas and a method of controlling the same. The mobile terminal of the present invention includes at least two display areas. A user can input a control command to the mobile terminal by moving the mobile terminal or manipulating user manipulating portions included in the mobile terminal. A controller controls a display area corresponding to an input type of the control signal, from among the display areas displayed in the mobile terminal. A user can control the mobile terminal including the at least two display areas easily and simply.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a mobile terminal comprising at least two display areas, the method comprising:

determining whether a gyro signal is generated by a gyro sensor;

if, as a result of the determination, the gyro signal is determined to have been generated, detecting a movement type of the mobile terminal; and

selecting a display area corresponding to the detected movement type, from among the at least two display areas.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the movement type of the mobile terminal corresponds to at least one of a movement direction, movement strength, movement velocity, number of times of movement, and movement pattern of the mobile terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating vibration in the selected display area, displaying an indicator icon in the selected display area, or changing at least one of a brightness, sharpness, and color of the detected display area.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting the display area corresponding to the movement type.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a display area which is in an on state, from among the at least two display areas,

wherein the selection of a display area corresponding to the detected movement type comprises selecting one of display areas which are now in an on state.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting information of a user input unit included in the mobile terminal, the information of the user input unit comprises at least one of whether the user input unit has been manipulated, a type, a manipulation velocity, a number of times of manipulation, and a manipulation pattern of the manipulated user input unit; and

controlling or changing the selected display area in response to a control signal corresponding to the detected information of the user input unit.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the user input unit comprises at least one of a hard key, jog wheel, track ball, joystick, touch screen, touch pad, touch wheel, user input sensor, and soft key displayed in one of the at least two display areas.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the control or change of the selected display area comprises, if the touch wheel is manipulated, dragging a list displayed in the selected display area, displaying an object corresponding to a highlighted item or an icon in the selected display area, executing an application corresponding to a highlighted item or an icon in the selected display area, displaying information or an icon of a displayed object in the selected display area, or sequentially displaying objects included in a list in the selected display area.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the control or change of the selected display area comprises, if the touch screen is manipulated, controlling or selecting a display area corresponding to a touched area of the touch screen.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling the selected display area in response to the gyro signal.

11. A mobile terminal including at least two display areas, comprising:

at least two display areas;

a gyro sensor; and

a controller for, when the gyro sensor generates a gyro signal, detecting a movement type of the mobile terminal and selecting a display area corresponding to the detected movement type, from among the at least two display areas.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the movement type of the mobile terminal corresponds to at least one of a movement direction, movement strength, movement velocity, number of times of movement, and movement pattern of the mobile terminal.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller generates vibration in the selected display area, displays an indicator icon in the selected display area, or changes at least one of a brightness, sharpness, and color of the detected display area.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller sets the display area corresponding to the movement type.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller detects a display area which is in an on state, from among the at least two display areas, and selects one of display areas which are now in an on state.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller detects information of a user input unit included in the mobile terminal and controls or changes the selected display area in response to a control signal corresponding to the detected information of the user input unit, wherein the information of the user input unit comprises at least one of whether the user input unit has been manipulated, a type, a manipulation velocity, a number of times of manipulation, and a manipulation pattern of the manipulated user input unit.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the user input unit comprises at least one of a hard key, jog wheel, track ball, joystick, touch screen, touch pad, touch wheel, user input sensor, and soft key displayed in one of the at least two display areas.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein if the touch wheel is manipulated, the controller drags a list displayed in the selected display area, displays an object corresponding to a highlighted item or an icon in the selected display area, executes an application corresponding to a highlighted item or an icon in the selected display area, displays information or an icon of a displayed object in the selected display area, or sequentially displays objects included in a list in the selected display area.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein if the touch screen is manipulated, the controller controls or selects a display area corresponding to a touched area of the touch screen.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller controls the selected display area in response to the gyro signal.