MOBILE TERMINAL AND CONTROLLING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20110250930A1
• Filed: 02/04/2011
• Published: 10/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Yun, Jae Woong, JUNG, Jong Cheol
• Application Number:
  US13/021,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20110250930A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A mobile terminal and controlling method of an embodiment thereof are discussed, by which types and statuses of applications currently executed in multitasking environment can be more conveniently checked. The method includes executing a plurality of applications, selecting a first region from at least one or more candidate regions of a display by a first input via a user input unit, and displaying a list of the executed applications on the first region.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a display unit including a touchscreen;

a user input unit; and

a controller operatively connected to the display unit and the user input unit, the controller configured to

simultaneously execute a plurality of applications, and

while displaying, on the display unit, information relating to one of the plurality of simultaneously executing applications;

select a first region among one or more pre-defined candidate regions of the display unit upon receiving a first input to the first region via the touchscreen, and

display a list of at least some of the simultaneously executed applications on the first region.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the list includes icons corresponding to one or more of the simultaneously executed applications of the list.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the one or more candidate regions are provided to at least one of multiple edge sides of the display unit.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein the one or more candidate regions include at least two candidate regions on different edge sides of the display unit.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the list includes a reference to at least one application running in background.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to

cause the first region to be distinguished from the information relating to the operation by a prescribed visual effect, or

display at least one item in the list in accordance with prescribed visual effect.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to

increase a size of the first region in response to a drag command applied to the first region, and

display one of

additional information about one or more of the simultaneously executed applications included in the list, and

additional entries in the list, the additional entries corresponding to additional applications being simultaneously executed.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first input includes one selected from the group comprising:

a drag input having a preset trace inputted to the touchscreen;

a long touch inputted to the touchscreen;

a repeated touch consecutively inputted inputted to the touchscreen within a prescribed duration; and

a multi-touch simultaneously inputted to two points on the touchscreen.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to

display a list display icon on the first region after the first region is selected, and

display the list when the first input is a touch input to the list display icon.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9,

wherein the one or more pre-defined candidate regions includes two or more pre-defined candidate regions, and

wherein the controller is configured to

determine whether the first region overlaps with an executable region of the currently displayed information, and

automatically display the list display icon on another of the two or more pre-defined candidate regions if the first region overlaps with the executable region.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein one of the list display icon and the list on the first region is not active if the first region overlaps with the executable region.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein one of the list display icon and the list on the first region is active even if the first region overlaps with the executable region.

13. A method of controlling a mobile terminal including a display unit having a touchscreen, a user input unit, and a controller operatively connected to the display unit and the user input unit, the method comprising:

simultaneously executing a plurality of applications; and

while displaying, on the display unit, information relating to an operation of one of the plurality of simultaneously executing applications;

selecting a first region among one or more pre-defined candidate regions of the display unit upon receiving a first input to the first region via the touchscreen, and

displaying a list of at least some of the simultaneously executed applications on the first region.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the list includes icons corresponding to one or more of the simultaneously executed applications of the list.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more candidate regions are provided to at least one of multiple edge sides of the display unit.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more candidate regions include at least two candidate regions on different edge sides of the display unit.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the list includes a reference to at least one application running in background.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

distinguishing the first region from the information relating to the operation by a prescribed visual effect;

or

displaying at least one item in the list in accordance with prescribed visual effect.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

increasing a size of the first region in response to a drag command applied to the first region; and

displaying one of

additional information about one or more of the simultaneously executed applications included in the list, and

additional entries in the list, the additional entries corresponding to additional applications being simultaneously executed.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the first input includes one selected from the group comprising:

a drag input having a preset trace inputted to the touchscreen;

a long touch inputted to the touchscreen;

a repeated touch consecutively inputted inputted to the touchscreen within a prescribed duration; and

a multi-touch simultaneously inputted to two points on the touchscreen.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

displaying a list display icon on the first region after the first region is selected, and

displaying the list when the first input is a touch input to the list display icon.

22. The method of claim 21,

wherein the one or more pre-defined candidate regions includes two or more pre-defined candidate regions, and

wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether the first region overlaps with an executable region of the currently displayed information, and

automatically displaying the list display icon on another of the two or more pre-defined candidate regions if the first region overlaps with the executable region.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein one of the list display icon and the list on the first region is not active if the first region overlaps with the executable region.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein one of the list display icon and the list on the first region is active even if the first region overlaps with the executable region.