MOBILE TERMINAL AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING A MODE SWITCHING THEREIN

• US 20120154413A1
• Filed: 06/16/2011
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: KIM, Dongwoo, Bae, Heejung, Kim, Hyehyun, Cho, Hyunah, Kim, Ki Seo, Lee, Jooyong
• Granted Patent: US 8,925,103 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/530
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/71 to assure secure computing or processing of information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724634 With partially locked states, e.g. when some telephonic functional locked states or applications remain accessible in the locked states
• 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 including a communication unit configured to communicate with at least one external terminal; a memory configured to store at least a first and second operating system including at least first and second modes, respectively; and a controller configured to execute the first operating system and to activate the first mode corresponding to the first operating system, to display a first information screen on a display unit corresponding to the activated first mode, to receive a switching signal indicating the first mode is to be switched to the second mode, to perform an authentication procedure for authenticating that the first mode can be switched to the second mode, to activate the second mode and deactivate the first mode when the authentication procedure is validly performed, and to display a second information screen on the display unit corresponding to the second mode and that is different than the first information screen.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a communication unit configured to communicate with at least one external terminal;

a memory configured to store at least a first and second operating system including at least first and second modes, respectively; and

a controller configured to execute the first operating system and to activate the first mode corresponding to the first operating system, to display a first information screen on a display unit corresponding to the activated first mode, to receive a switching signal indicating the first mode is to be switched to the second mode, to perform an authentication procedure for authenticating that the first mode can be switched to the second mode, to activate the second mode and deactivate the first mode when the authentication procedure is validly performed, and to display a second information screen on the display unit corresponding to the second mode and that is different than the first information screen.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display unit to display at least one of 1) a first group identifier indicating a first application group including at least one application executable in the first mode, and 2) a second group identifier indicating a second application group including at least one application executable in the second mode.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the first group identifier includes a plurality of first group identifiers indicating a plurality of first application groups, and the second group identifier includes a plurality of second group identifiers indicating a plurality of second application groups.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to group applications included in the first and second application groups per an application type or respectively per the first or second modes.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to receive a selection signal indicating a selection of the first group identifier and to control the display unit to display applications included in the first application group.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein when the first mode is activated, the controller is further configured to display the first group identifier as being activated and the second group identifier as being deactivated.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein when the second group identifier or an application included within the second application group identified by the second group identifier is selected, the controller is further configured to perform the authentication procedure for authenticating that the first mode can be switched to the second mode, and to activate the second mode and deactivate the first mode when the authentication procedure is validly performed.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to display a third group identifier that can be selected for switching the first mode to the second mode.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the authentication procedure includes one of 1) an input password, 2) face recognition, 3) fingerprint analysis, 4) voice recognition, 5) a predetermined touch pattern performed on the mobile terminal, and 6) user or company ID card analysis.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to perform different authentication procedures for switching to the first and second modes.

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

allowing, via a communication unit of the mobile terminal, communication with at least one external terminal;

storing, in a memory of the mobile terminal, at least a first and second operating system including at least first and second modes, respectively;

executing, via a controller of the mobile terminal, the first operating system and activating the first mode corresponding to the first operating system;

displaying, on a display unit of the mobile terminal, a first information screen on a display unit corresponding to the activated first mode;

receiving, via the controller, a switching signal indicating the first mode is to be switched to the second mode;

performing, via the controller, an authentication procedure for authenticating that the first mode can be switched to the second mode;

activating, via the controller, the second mode and deactivating the first mode when the authentication procedure is validly performed; and

displaying, on the display unit, a second information screen on the display unit corresponding to the second mode and that is different than the first information screen.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying, on the display unit, at least one of

     1) a first group identifier indicating a first application group including at least one application executable in the first mode, and

     2) a second group identifier indicating a second application group including at least one application executable in the second mode.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first group identifier includes a plurality of first group identifiers indicating a plurality of first application groups, and the second group identifier includes a plurality of second group identifiers indicating a plurality of second application groups.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

grouping, via the controller, applications included in the first and second application groups per an application type or respectively per the first or second modes.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a selection signal indicating a selection of the first group identifier; and

displaying, on the display unit, applications included in the first application group.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein when the first mode is activated, the method further comprises displaying the first group identifier as being activated and the second group identifier as being deactivated.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein when the second group identifier or an application included within the second application group identified by the second group identifier is selected, the method further comprises performing the authentication procedure for authenticating that the first mode can be switched to the second mode, and activating the second mode and deactivating the first mode when the authentication procedure is validly performed.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

displaying a third group identifier that can be selected for switching the first mode to the second mode.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the authentication procedure includes one of 1) an input password, 2) face recognition, 3) fingerprint analysis, 4) voice recognition, 5) a predetermined touch pattern performed on the mobile terminal, and 6) user or company ID card analysis.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

performing different authentication procedures for switching to the first and second modes.