MOBILE TERMINAL AND OPERATING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20100107046A1
• Filed: 03/24/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Hwang, Se Ii, LEE, Tae Kon, KANG, Min Hun
• Granted Patent: US 8,375,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9562 Bookmark management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A mobile terminal and an operating method thereof are provided. The operating method includes bookmarking a plurality of websites using a touch screen of the mobile terminal, and storing a plurality of images respectively corresponding to the bookmarked plurality of websites; displaying on the touch screen an image array including the stored plurality of images in such a manner to create a sense of distance; and if a drag signal is input via a touch screen, changing at least one of the sizes of the images in the image array, at least one image in the image array, and an arrangement of the images in the image array, according to a direction and distance corresponding to the input drag signal. Therefore, it is possible to easily access and manage bookmarked websites.

Claims

1. An operating method of a mobile terminal, the operating method comprising:

bookmarking a plurality of websites using a touch screen of the mobile terminal, and storing a plurality of images respectively corresponding to the bookmarked plurality of websites in a memory of the mobile terminal;

displaying on the touch screen an image array including the stored plurality of images in such a manner to create a sense of distance; and

if a drag signal is input via the touch screen, changing at least one of the sizes of the images in the image array, at least one image in the image array, and an arrangement of the images in the image array, according to a direction and distance corresponding to the input drag signal.

2. The operating method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of images in the image array are arranged in an order in which the plurality of websites have been bookmarked.

3. The operating method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of images in the image array are arranged in order of a respective number of visits to the plurality of websites.

4. The operating method of claim 1, wherein only some of the plurality of images in the image array are displayed at the same time on the touch screen.

5. The operating method of claim 1, wherein the image array is displayed in the shape of a tree with a number of branches.

6. The operating method of claim 5, wherein the branches represent different links to different websites or different dates of bookmarking the plurality of websites.

7. The operating method of claim 1, further comprising, if one of the plurality of images in the image array is chosen, displaying the chosen image of the image array in a largest size and displaying the image array with a focus on the chosen image.

8. The operating method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a message describing how the plurality of images in the image array is arranged.

9. The operating method of claim 8, wherein the message includes a message describing the relative positions of the plurality of images in the image array.

10. The operating method of claim 8, wherein the message includes a map showing how the plurality of images in the image array is arranged.

11. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a wireless internet module configured to access a plurality of websites;

a touch screen configured to display the plurality of websites; and

a controller configured to bookmark the plurality of websites accessed by the wireless internet module, store a plurality of images respectively corresponding to the bookmarked plurality of websites, and display an image array including the stored plurality of images in such a manner to create a sense of distance, and change, upon detecting a drag signal input via the touch screen, at least one of the sizes of the plurality of images in the image array, at least one image in the image array, and an arrangement of the plurality of images in the image array, according to a direction and distance corresponding to the input drag signal.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller arranges the plurality of images in the image array in an order in which the plurality of websites have been bookmarked.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller arranges the plurality of images in the image array in order of a respective number of visits to the plurality of websites.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein, if one of the plurality of images in the image array is chosen, the controller displays the chosen image of the image array in a largest size and displays the image array with a focus on the chosen image.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller displays a message describing how the plurality of images in the image array is arranged.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 15, wherein the message includes a message describing the relative positions of the plurality of images in the image array.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 15, wherein the message includes a map showing how the plurality of images in the image array is arranged.

18. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a wireless internet module configured to access one or more websites;

a touch screen configured to display the one or more websites; and

a controller configured to bookmark, based on user inputs, selected ones of the one or more websites accessed by the wireless internet module, store images corresponding to the bookmarked websites, and display an image array of the images on the touch screen, wherein the images are perspectively displayed to provide a sense of distance to the image array when displayed on the touch screen.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 18, wherein the controller changes, upon detecting a drag signal input via the touch screen, at least one of the images of the image array, sizes of the images of the image array, and an arrangement of the images of the image array, according to a direction and distance corresponding to the input drag signal.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 18, wherein the images are displayed with the largest sized image to the smallest sized image being arranged in descending order from a foreground of the touch screen to a background of touch screen, the largest sized image being of the most recently bookmarked website and the smallest sized image being of the least recently bookmarked website.