METHOD OF DIVIDING SCREEN AREAS AND MOBILE TERMINAL EMPLOYING THE SAME

• US 20130332881A1
• Filed: 08/21/2013
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: YOOK, Hyung Min, LEE, Myeong Lo, YANG, Hui Chul, YOO, Sung Sik, LEE, Kang Won, KANG, Young Ae, MIN, Yong Ki
• Granted Patent: US 10,209,858 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• 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: G06F 3/1415 with means for detecting differences between the image stored in the host and the images displayed on the displays
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1431 using a single graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0414 Vertical resolution change
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0421 Horizontal resolution change
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0442 Handling or displaying different aspect ratios, or changing the aspect ratio
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/045 Zooming at least part of an image, i.e. enlarging it or shrinking it
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0464 Positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0471 Vertical positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0478 Horizontal positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

A method of supporting divided screen areas and a mobile terminal employing the same are disclosed. The method includes: generating input signals for one of sequentially and simultaneously activating a plurality of user functions; activating the user functions according to generated input signals; dividing a screen into divided screen areas that correspond to activated user functions; and outputting functional view areas associated with the activated user functions to the corresponding divided screen areas.

Claims

1. A screen area dividing method for a mobile terminal having a screen, comprising:

displaying, on the screen, a first application being executed by the mobile terminal;

displaying, in a first area on the screen, an icon representing a second application;

receiving an event on the screen including a dragging of the icon from the first area to a second area on the screen; and

responsive to the event, activating the second application to be executed by the mobile terminal, and displaying the second application with the first application in a multi-window arrangement on the screen.

2. The screen area dividing method of claim 1, wherein the received event selects the icon.

3. The screen area dividing method of claim 2, wherein the received event includes actuation of the icon to select the icon prior to dragging the icon.

4. The screen area dividing method of claim 3, wherein the actuation includes a touch on the icon to select the icon prior to dragging the icon.

5. The screen area dividing method of claim 1, wherein the screen is a touch screen;

and

wherein the received event is a touch event on the touch screen.

6. The screen area dividing method of claim 5, wherein the touch event includes actuation of the icon to select the icon prior to dragging the icon.

7. The screen area dividing method of claim 6, wherein the actuation includes a touch on the icon to select the icon prior to dragging the icon.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the screen is a touch screen;

and wherein the received event is a touch event on the touch screen.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the touch event includes actuation of the icon to select the icon prior to dragging the icon.

21. The mobile terminal of claim 20, wherein the actuation includes a touch on the icon to select the icon prior to dragging the icon.

8. A screen area dividing method for a mobile terminal having a screen, comprising:

displaying, in a multi-window arrangement on the screen, a first application being executed by the mobile terminal;

displaying, in a predetermined area on the screen, an icon representing a second application;

receiving an event on the screen including a dragging of the icon from the predetermined area to the multi-window arrangement; and

responsive to the event, activating the second application to be executed by the mobile terminal, and displaying the second application with the first application in the multi-window arrangement on the screen.

9. The screen area dividing method of claim 8, wherein the received event selects the icon.

10. The screen area dividing method of claim 9, wherein the received event includes actuation of the icon to select the icon prior to dragging the icon.

11. The screen area dividing method of claim 10, wherein the actuation includes a touch on the icon to select the icon prior to dragging the icon.

12. The screen area dividing method of claim 8, wherein the screen is a touch screen;

and wherein the received event is a touch event on the touch screen.

13. The screen area dividing method of claim 12, wherein the touch event includes actuation of the icon to select the icon prior to dragging the icon.

14. The screen area dividing method of claim 13, wherein the actuation includes a touch on the icon to select the icon prior to dragging the icon.

15. A mobile terminal capable of supporting divided screen areas, comprising:

a storage for storing a plurality of application programs;

a screen;

a controller operatively coupled to the touch screen, the controller configured to;

display, on the screen, a first application being executed by the mobile terminal;

display, in a first area on the screen, an icon representing a second application;

receive an event on the screen including a dragging of the icon from the first area to a second area on the screen; and

responsive to the event, activate the second application to be executed by the mobile terminal, and display the second application with the first application in a multi-window arrangement on the screen.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 15, wherein the received event selects the icon.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the received event includes actuation of the icon to select the icon prior to dragging the icon.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the actuation includes a touch on the icon to select the icon prior to dragging the icon.

22. A mobile terminal capable of supporting divided screen areas, comprising:

a storage for storing a plurality of application programs;

a screen;

a controller operatively coupled to the touch screen, the controller configured to;

display, in a multi-window arrangement on the screen, a first application being executed by the mobile terminal;

display, in a predetermined area on the screen, an icon representing a second application;

receive an event on the screen including a dragging of the icon from the predetermined area to the multi-window arrangement; and

responsive to the event, activate the second application to be executed by the mobile terminal, and display the second application with the first application in the multi-window arrangement on the screen.

23. The screen area dividing method of claim 22, wherein the received event selects the icon.

24. The screen area dividing method of claim 23, wherein the received event includes actuation of the icon to select the icon prior to dragging the icon.

25. The screen area dividing method of claim 24, wherein the actuation includes a touch on the icon to select the icon prior to dragging the icon.

26. The screen area dividing method of claim 22, wherein the screen is a touch screen;

and

wherein the received event is a touch event on the touch screen.

27. The screen area dividing method of claim 26, wherein the touch event includes actuation of the icon to select the icon prior to dragging the icon.

28. The screen area dividing method of claim 27, wherein the actuation includes a touch on the icon to select the icon prior to dragging the icon.