MOBILE TERMINAL AND CONTROLLING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20120151400A1
• Filed: 07/13/2011
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: HONG, Yeonchul, Kang, Shinchul, Lee, Jaemoo, Kim, Seongrae
• Granted Patent: US 9,690,471 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• 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 thereof are disclosed, by which a user interface facilitating a setting of an additional function on an icon can be provided. One embodiment of the present invention includes a display unit, a user input unit configured to receive an input of a command from a user, and a controller generating a first attribute-giving icon corresponding to a first attribute on the display unit in accordance with a first input via the user input unit, the controller, if a distance between the first attribute-giving icon and a second icon displayed on the display unit is changed into a prescribed range in accordance with a second input via the user input unit, controlling the first attribute to be given to the second icon.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a display unit;

a touch input unit configured to receive a touch input command from a user; and

a controller operatively connected to the display unit and the touch input unit, the controller configured to transfer an attribute of a first icon displayed on the display unit to a second icon displayed on the display unit in response to a first predetermined touch input received via the touch input unit.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined touch input comprises one of

reducing a distance between the first icon and the second icon to less than a predetermined distance via a drag of at least one of the first and second icons;

a predetermined sequence of touches to the first and second icon;

a simultaneous touch to the first and second icon of a predetermined duration; and

a predetermined sequence of touches to and traces around the first and second icon.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to change a display characteristic of the second icon after the attribute of the first icon is transferred to the second icon.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to display a sub-icon on or with the second icon after the attribute of the first icon is transferred to the second icon.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the sub-icon is configured to indicate whether or not a plurality of attributes have been transferred the second icon.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to remove the attribute from the second icon in response to a second predetermined touch input received via the touch input unit.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1,

wherein the controller is configured to perform a first function relative to the second icon as a result of transferring the attribute of the first icon to the second icon, and

wherein the controller is configured to perform a second function relative the second icon in response to a subsequent touch input to the first icon or another icon different from the second icon.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7,

wherein the first function is one of hiding the second icon, displaying a preview of the second icon, activating the second icon, and locking the second icon, and

wherein the second function is one of unhiding the second icon, removing the preview of the second icon, deactivating the second icon, and unlocking the second icon.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein, after the attribute of the first icon is transferred to the second icon, the controller is configured to control an operation of the second icon in response to a third predetermined touch input received on the first icon or another icon different from the second icon.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the operation of the second icon is one of a deactivation and a reactivation of the attribute of the first icon that was transferred to the second icon.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10,

wherein the controller is configured to change a display characteristic of the second icon after the attribute of the first icon is transferred to the second icon, and

wherein the controller is configured to change another display characteristic of the second icon to indicate that the attribute of the first icon that was transferred to the second icon has changed between an active state and a deactive state.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein, in response to a fourth predetermined touch input to a predetermined icon, the controller is configured to display a list of icons to which the attribute of the first icon has been transferred.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to generate and display the first icon on the display unit in response to a fifth predetermined lined touch input received via the touch input unit.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the fifth predetermined touch input includes a user touch to an icon-generation icon displayed on the display unit, followed by a user touch for selecting one of a plurality of attributes displayed in response to the user touch to the icon-generation icon.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the fifth predetermined touch input includes a user touch to a background display of the display unit, followed by a user touch for selecting one of a plurality of attributes displayed in response to the user touch to the background display.

16. A method of controlling a display of a mobile terminal having a display unit, a touch input unit, and a controller, the method comprising:

transferring, by the mobile terminal, an attribute of a first icon displayed on the display unit to a second icon displayed on the display unit in response to a first predetermined touch input received via the touch input unit.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first predetermined touch input comprises one of

reducing a distance between the first icon and the second icon to less than a predetermined distance via a drag of at least one of the first and second icons;

a predetermined sequence of touches to the first and second icon;

a simultaneous touch to the first and second icon of a predetermined duration; and

a predetermined sequence of touches to and traces around the first and second icon.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

changing a display characteristic of the second icon after the attribute of the first icon is transferred to the second icon.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

displaying a sub-icon on or with the second icon after the attribute of the first icon is transferred to the second icon.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the sub-icon is configured to indicate whether or not a plurality of attributes have been transferred the second icon.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

removing the attribute from the second icon in response to a second predetermined touch input received via the touch input unit.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

performing a first function relative to the second icon as a result of transferring the attribute of the first icon to the second icon; and

performing a second function relative the second icon in response to a subsequent touch input to the first icon or another icon different from the second icon.

23. The method of claim 22,

wherein the first function is one of hiding the second icon, displaying a preview of the second icon, activating the second icon, and locking the second icon, and

wherein the second function is one of unhiding the second icon, removing the preview of the second icon, deactivating the second icon, and unlocking the second icon.

24. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

after the attribute of the first icon is transferred to the second icon, controlling an operation of the second icon in response to a third predetermined touch input received on the first icon or another icon different from the second icon.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the operation of the second icon is one of a deactivation and a reactivation of the attribute of the first icon that was transferred to the second icon.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

changing a display characteristic of the second icon after the attribute of the first icon is transferred to the second icon; and

changing another display characteristic of the second icon to indicate that the attribute of the first icon that was transferred to the second icon has changed between an active state and a deactive state.

27. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

displaying a list of icons to which the attribute of the first icon has been transferred in response to a fourth predetermined touch input to a predetermined icon.

28. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

generating and displaying the first icon on the display unit in response to a fifth predetermined touch input received via the touch input unit.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the fifth predetermined touch input includes a user touch to an icon-generation icon displayed on the display unit, followed by a user touch for selecting one of a plurality of attributes displayed in response to the user touch to the icon-generation icon.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the fifth predetermined touch input includes a user touch to a background display of the display unit, followed by a user touch for selecting one of a plurality of attributes displayed in response to the user touch to the background display.