MOBILE TERMINAL AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME

• US 20130072262A1
• Filed: 07/11/2012
• Published: 03/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Mhun, Yunjueng, Choi, Jaeho, Son, Joohee, Kwon, Yunmi, Na, Yeonsuk, Choi, Jian
• Granted Patent: US 9,363,359 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• 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 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

A mobile terminal and a method of controlling the same are provided. In a state where a message application is executed, when a view mode of the mobile terminal is converted to a landscape view mode, the mobile terminal displays at least one selectable item related to the message application in a partial area of a screen.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a wireless communication unit configured to transmit and receive a message with at least a first party;

a display unit configure to display information; and

a controller configured to;

execute a message application;

convert a view mode of the mobile terminal to a landscape view mode when a specific input is received while the message application is executed; and

control the display unit to display at least a first area and a second area, the first area for displaying at least one selectable item related to the message application and the second area for displaying at least one message window.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein, the controller is further configured to:

detect selection of one item of the at least one selectable item; and

perform a message application function corresponding to the selected one item;

or

perform a message application function using the selected one item.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising a sensing unit configured to sense a motion of the mobile terminal,

wherein the specific input is received when the mobile terminal rotates in a specific direction.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one selectable item comprises at least a second party that can be added as a chat party; and

the controller is further configured to;

generate a message window with the at least a second party when the at least a second party is selected; and

control the display unit to display the generated message window in the first area or the second area.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one selectable item comprises one or more movable message windows; and

the controller is further configured to control the display unit to display a selected one of the one or more movable message windows in the first area or the second area.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one selectable item comprises one or more applications that can be linked to the executed message application; and

the controller is further configured to execute a selected one of the one or more applications either by using information of the at least a first party for transmitting and receiving a message via the message window displayed in the second area or by using at least one message displayed in the message window.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one selectable item comprises one or more contents that can be attached to the message; and

the controller is further configured to control the display unit to display a message comprising contents selected from the one or more contents.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one selectable item comprises one or more menu items that can be selected from the executed message application; and

the controller is further configured to execute a function corresponding to a selected menu item of the one or more menu items.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the display unit is further configured to display a plurality of message windows for displaying messages transmitted and received with each of a plurality of parties; and

the controller is further configured to;

select at least one message window of the plurality of displayed message windows in response to a received input; and

control the display unit to display a message input via a message input window in the selected at least one message window.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:

display a first message window in the first area and a second message window in the second area; and

display the first message window in the second area such that the first message window overlaps the second message window and display the at least one selectable item in the first area when the first message window is dragged to the second message window.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller further configured to:

control the display unit to display overlapped indicators, each corresponding to either the first message window or the second message window, at an upper end portion of the second area; and

control the display unit to display a message received via the message input window in at least the first message window or the second message window according to selection of an indicator corresponding to the first message window or the second message window.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:

control the display unit to display a first message window in a minimized state in the first area;

detect a touch input to the first message window; and

control the display unit to display the at least one selectable item in the first area in response to the detected touch input.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the touch input comprises a pinch-in input.

14. A method for controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

executing a message application;

converting a view mode of the mobile terminal to a landscape view mode when a specific input is received via an input unit while the message application is executed; and

displaying at least a first area and a second area on a display unit, the first area for displaying at least one selectable item related to the message application and the second area for displaying at least one message window.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

detecting selection of one item of the at least one selectable item; and

performing a message application function,

wherein the message application function either corresponds to the selected one item or is performed using the selected one item.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one selectable item comprises at least one other mobile terminal whose user can be added as a chat party and further comprising:

generating a message window for communication with the user of the at least one other mobile terminal when the at least one selectable item is selected; and

displaying the generated message window in the first area or the second area.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one selectable item comprises at least one content that can be attached to the message and further comprising:

detecting selection of one or more content of the at least one content; and

displaying the message comprising the selected one or more content on the display unit.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

displaying a plurality of message windows on the display unit for displaying messages transmitted and received with each of a plurality of parties;

selecting at least one message window of the plurality of displayed message windows in response to an input received via the input unit; and

displaying a message input via an input window in the selected at least one message window.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

displaying a first message window in the first area and a second message window in the second area; and

displaying the first message window in the second area such that the first message window overlaps the second message window and displaying the at least one selectable item in the first area when the first message window is dragged to the second message window.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

displaying overlapped indicators, each corresponding to either the first message window or the second message window, at an upper end portion of the second area;

detecting selection of an indicator corresponding to either the first message window or the second message window; and

displaying a message received via the message input window in either the first message window or the second message window that corresponds to the selected indicator.