MOBILE TERMINAL AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING A MODE SWITCHING THEREIN

• US 20120159139A1
• 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, Lee, Jooyong, Bae, Heejung, Kim, Ki Seo, Cho, Hyunah, Kim, Hyehyun, Choo, Chunghun, Sakong, Kyung, Park, Jiwon
• Granted Patent: US 8,868,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/74 operating in dual or compartmented mode, i.e. at least one secure mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/441 Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/086 using security domains

Abstract

A mobile terminal including a communication unit configured to communicate with at least one external terminal; a memory configure to store at least first and second operating systems 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 activate the second mode and deactivate the first mode, 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 first and second operating systems 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 activate the second mode and deactivate the first mode, 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 simultaneously execute the first and second operating systems or to first execute the first operating system and then execute the second operating system after receiving the switching signal.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first and second modes are discriminated from each other by at least one of a mode indicator indicating the first or second mode, a database storage region storing information for the first and second modes, a user access authority for accessing the first and second modes, an application configuration for the first and second modes, a content configuration for the first and second modes, a data configuration for the first and second modes and an application for the first and second modes.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein when the first and second modes respectively correspond to first and second database storage regions, the controller is further configured to prevent information stored in the first database storage region from being used in the second mode and to prevent information stored in the second database storage region from being used in the first mode, or to prevent selective information stored in the first or second database storage regions from being used in the first or second modes.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to boot the first or second operating system having a faster booting speed, the first or second operating system designated by a user, or the first or second operating system implementing a mode corresponding to a current terminal status.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the switching signal for switching the first mode to the second mode is generated in at least one of 1) receiving an input of a mode switching command signal, 2) a current location of the mobile terminal belongs to a specific place corresponding to the second mode, 3) a current hour belongs to a specific time corresponding to the second mode, 4) when transceiving data with a counterpart terminal corresponding to the second mode, and 5) when accessing a specific network corresponding to the second mode.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to reactivate the first mode and deactivate the second mode when a terminal operation corresponding to the switching signal is terminated after the switching to the second mode.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein if a specific application is being executed in the first mode before activating the second mode and deactivating the first mode, the controller re-executes the specific application when the first mode has been reactivated and the second mode has been deactivated.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

an output unit configured to output a mode switching indication information when the second mode is activated and the first mode is deactivated; and

a user input unit configured to receive an input of the switching signal,

wherein if the input of the switching signal is received, the controller is further configured to activate the second mode and deactivate the first mode.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein if information on a specific application is included in the switching signal, the controller is further configured to execute the specific application in accordance with a feature corresponding to the second mode.

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 first and second operating systems 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, via a display unit of the mobile terminal, a first information screen 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;

activating, via the controller, the second mode and deactivating the first mode; and

displaying, via 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:

simultaneously executing the first and second operating systems or first executing the first operating system and then executing the second operating system after receiving the switching signal.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second modes are discriminated from each other by at least one of a mode indicator indicating the first or second mode, a database storage region storing information for the first and second modes, a user access authority for accessing the first and second modes, an application configuration for the first and second modes, a content configuration for the first and second modes, a data configuration for the first and second modes and an application for the first and second modes.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein when the first and second modes respectively correspond to first and second database storage regions, the method further comprises preventing information stored in the first database storage region from being used in the second mode and preventing information stored in the second database storage region from being used in the first mode, or preventing selective information stored in the first or second database storage regions from being used in the first or second modes.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

booting the first or second operating system having a faster booting speed, the first or second operating system designated by a user, or the first or second operating system implementing a mode corresponding to a current terminal status.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the switching signal for switching the first mode to the second mode is generated in at least one of 1) receiving an input of a mode switching command signal, 2) a current location of the mobile terminal belongs to a specific place corresponding to the second mode, 3) a current hour belongs to a specific time corresponding to the second mode, 4) when transceiving data with a counterpart terminal corresponding to the second mode, and 5) when accessing a specific network corresponding to the second mode.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

reactivating the first mode and deactivating the second mode when a terminal operation corresponding to the switching signal is terminated after the switching to the second mode.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein if a specific application is being executed in the first mode before activating the second mode and deactivating the first mode, the method further comprises re-executing the specific application when the first mode has been reactivated and the second mode has been deactivated.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

outputting, via an output unit of the mobile terminal, a mode switching indication information when the second mode is activated and the first mode is deactivated;

receiving, via a user input unit of the mobile terminal, an input of the switching signal; and

activating the second mode and deactivating the first mode.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein if information on a specific application is included in the switching signal, the method further comprises executing the specific application in accordance with a feature corresponding to the second mode.