MOBILE TERMINAL AND METHOD OF SETTING AN APPLICATION INDICATOR THEREIN

• US 20120054663A1
• Filed: 08/24/2011
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: CHANG, Jina, BAEK, Songyi, KIM, Hyolin, NA, Hannah, CHO, Yongwon, KIM, Hanseop, KIM, Meejeong, HAN, Changhee
• Granted Patent: US 9,052,927 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/772
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A mobile terminal including a wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one other terminal; an input unit configured to enter an application indicator edit mode for editing application indicators providing information on corresponding applications; a display configured to display a first display region including a plurality of settable application indicators and a second display region including a guide screen indicating at least one of a display location and a display size of the settable application indicators on the guide screen when entering the edit mode; and a controller configured to receive a selection signal indicating a selection of a specific application indicator among the plurality of settable application indicators included in the first display region, and to determine whether the specific application indicator can be set on the guide screen included in the second display region.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one other terminal;

an input unit configured to enter an application indicator edit mode for editing application indicators providing information on corresponding applications;

a display configured to display a first display region including a plurality of settable application indicators and a second display region including a guide screen indicating at least one of a display location and a display size of the settable application indicators on the guide screen when entering the edit mode; and

a controller configured to receive a selection signal indicating a selection of a specific application indicator among the plurality of settable application indicators included in the first display region, and to determine whether the specific application indicator can be set on the guide screen included in the second display region.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to display preview information indicating at least one of a previously set display location and display size of the specific application indicator on the guide screen.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to enter the edit mode and display the plurality of settable application indicators based on a preset touch operation performed on a touchscreen of the display.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the specific application indicator includes at least one of a widget and a shortcut corresponding to executable applications.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the specific application indicator includes a plurality of application indicators belonging to a same category or a plurality of application indicators differing from each other in size.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein if the controller determines the specific application indicator can be set on the guide screen, the controller is further configured to set the specific application indicator on an operating screen of the mobile terminal based on a user action.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to display the specific application indicator in a preview state before setting the specific application indicator.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein if a previously set application indicator already exists in the operating screen, the controller is further configured to combine the specific application indicator and the previously set application indicator on the guide screen.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein if the controller determines a setting space of the specific application indicator is insufficient within the guide screen, the controller is further configured to perform at least one of adjusting a size of the specific application indicator, deleting an application indicator previously set on the operating screen, combining the specific application indicator with the application indicator previously set on the operating screen, and shifting the specific application indicator to another screen when setting the specific application indicator.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to set a screen lock function for the guide screen on which the specific application indicator has been set.

11. A method of controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

allowing, via a wireless communication unit on the mobile terminal, wireless communication with at least one other terminal;

entering, via an input unit on the mobile terminal, an application indicator edit mode for editing application indicators providing information on corresponding applications;

displaying, via a display on the mobile terminal, a first display region including a plurality of settable application indicators and a second display region including a guide screen indicating at least one of a display location and a display size of the settable application indicators on the guide screen when entering the edit mode;

receiving, via a controller on the mobile terminal, a selection signal indicating a selection of a specific application indicator among the plurality of settable application indicators included in the first display region; and

determining, via the controller, whether the specific application indicator can be set on the guide screen included in the second display region.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying preview information indicating at least one of a previously set display location and display size of the specific application indicator on the guide screen.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the entering step enters the edit mode and the displaying step displays the plurality of settable application indicators based on a preset touch operation performed on a touchscreen of the display.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the specific application indicator includes at least one of a widget and a shortcut corresponding to executable applications.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the specific application indicator includes a plurality of application indicators belonging to a same category or a plurality of application indicators differing from each other in size.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein if the determining step determines the specific application indicator can be set on the guide screen, the setting step sets the specific application indicator on an operating screen of the mobile terminal based on a user action.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

displaying the specific application indicator in a preview state before setting the specific application indicator.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein if a previously set application indicator already exists in the operating screen, the method further comprises combining the specific application indicator and the previously set application indicator on the guide screen.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein if the determining step determines a setting space of the specific application indicator is insufficient within the operating screen, the method further comprises performing at least one of adjusting a size of the specific application indicator, deleting an application indicator previously set on the operating screen, combining the specific application indicator with the application indicator previously set on the operating screen, and shifting the specific application indicator to another screen when setting the specific application indicator.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

setting a screen lock function for the guide screen on which the specific application indicator has been set.