MOBILE TERMINAL AND CONTROLLING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20100058215A1
• Filed: 05/19/2009
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: SUH, Hyo Jin, CHUNG, Jin Woo
• Granted Patent: US 8,171,427 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47205 for manipulating displayed content, e.g. interacting with MPEG-4 objects, editing locally

Abstract

A method for controlling a mobile terminal includes displaying icons within a region of a display of the mobile terminal, forming a group icon as being associated with a plurality of the icons, displaying the group icon within the region of the display to permit user access to the plurality of icons which are each associated with the group icon, ceasing the displaying of the plurality of icons which are each associated with the group icon, and generating a menu in response to selection of the group icon, the menu comprising selectable operations individually relating to at least one of the plurality of icons which are each associated with the group icon.

Claims

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

displaying icons within a region of a display of the mobile terminal;

forming a group icon as being associated with a plurality of the icons;

displaying the group icon within the region of the display to permit user access to the plurality of icons which are each associated with the group icon;

ceasing the displaying of the plurality of icons which are each associated with the group icon; and

generating a menu in response to selection of the group icon, the menu comprising selectable operations individually relating to at least one of the plurality of icons which are each associated with the group icon.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

performing the forming of the group icon in response to user manipulation of one or more of the icons displayed within the region of the display.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

performing the forming of the group icon in response to dragging of one of the icons displayed within the region of the display such that the dragged icon at least partially overlaps another one of the icons displayed within the region of the display.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

performing the forming of the group icon in response to user manipulation of one or more of the icons displayed within the region of the display, the user manipulation causing a relative overlapping at least two of the icons displayed within the region of the display.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

performing the forming of the group icon automatically without user manipulation of one or more of the icons displayed within the region of the display, the performing being in response to a threshold event occurring at the mobile terminal.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

performing the operations of the menu based upon relative order of the operation within in the menu.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

performing at least a portion of all of the operations of the menu simultaneously.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

selectively performing one of the operations of the menu in response to a user request.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the operations associated with the icons of group are different.

10. A mobile terminal comprising:

a display configured to display icons within a region;

a user input unit configured to receive an input; and

a control unit configured to;

form a group icon as being associated with a plurality of the icons;

display the group icon within the region of the display to permit user access to the plurality of icons which are each associated with the group icon;

cease the displaying of the plurality of icons which are each associated with the group icon; and

generate a menu in response to selection of the group icon, the menu comprising selectable operations individually relating to at least one of the plurality of icons which are each associated with the group icon.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to perform the forming of the group icon in response to user manipulation of one or more of the icons displayed within the region of the display.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to perform the forming of the group icon in response to dragging of one of the icons displayed within the region of the display such that the dragged icon at least partially overlaps another one of the icons displayed within the region of the display.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to perform the forming of the group icon in response to user manipulation of one or more of the icons displayed within the region of the display, the user manipulation causing a relative overlapping at least two of the icons displayed within the region of the display.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to perform the forming of the group icon automatically without user manipulation of one or more of the icons displayed within the region of the display, the performing being in response to a threshold event occurring at the mobile terminal.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to perform the operations of the menu based upon relative order of the operation within in the menu.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to perform at least a portion of all of the operations of the menu simultaneously.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to selectively perform one of the operations of the menu in response to a user request.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein at least some of the operations associated with the icons of group are different.