MOBILE TERMINAL AND CONTROLLING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20160132173A1
• Filed: 10/28/2015
• Published: 05/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: KIM, Sungbae
• Granted Patent: US 9,811,124 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• 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 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

Disclosed are a mobile terminal and controlling method thereof. The mobile terminal including components capable of executing a first function, executing a second function and displaying an execution screen associated with the second function on a touchscreen. The mobile terminal components are further capable of determining whether the mobile terminal has been tilted by an amount that exceeds a first threshold, and when it is determined that the mobile terminal has been tilted by an amount that exceeds the first threshold, displaying the execution screen associated with the second function and an execution screen associated with the first function, determining whether a touch input to the touchscreen occurs while the execution screen associated with the second function and the execution screen associated with the first function are displayed, and displaying the execution screen associated with the first function when it is determined that the touch input has occurred.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a mobile terminal comprising the steps of:

executing a first function;

executing a second function and displaying an execution screen associated with the second function on a touchscreen;

determining whether the mobile terminal has been tilted by an amount that exceeds a first threshold;

when it is determined that the mobile terminal has been tilted by an amount that exceeds the first threshold, displaying the execution screen associated with the second function and an execution screen associated with the first function;

determining whether a touch input to the touchscreen occurs while the execution screen associated with the second function and the execution screen associated with the first function are displayed; and

displaying the execution screen associated with the first function when it is determined that the touch input has occurred.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting a present orientation of the mobile terminal as a default state after executing the second function, wherein the determination whether the mobile terminal has been tilted by an amount that exceeds a first threshold is made with reference to the default state.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the execution screen associated with the first function is displayed with a first visual effect.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first visual effect comprises displaying the execution screen associated with the first function in a semitransparent manner.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein displaying the execution screen associated with the second function and the execution screen associated with the first function comprises:

gradually decreasing the level of transparency of the execution screen associated with the first function and gradually decreasing a level of opacity of the execution screen associated with the second function as the amount of mobile terminal tilt increases beyond the first threshold.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

determining whether a drag input in conjunction with a touch input to the touchscreen occurs while the execution screen associated with the second function and the execution screen associated with the first function and the first visual effect are displayed;

displaying the execution screen associated with the first function and the execution screen associated with the second function on a first region and a second region of the touchscreen, respectively, when a drag input in conjunction with a touch input is determined to have occurred and the drag input is in a first direction; and

displaying the execution screen associated with the first function and the execution screen associated with the second function on the second region and the first region of the touchscreen, respectively, when a drag input in conjunction with a touch input is determined to have occurred and the drag input is in a second direction.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining whether the mobile terminal has been tilted by an amount that exceeds a second threshold; and

when it is determined that the mobile terminal has been tilted by an amount that exceeds a second threshold, displaying the execution screen associated with the second function and the execution screen associated with the first function, wherein the execution screen associated with the first function is displayed with a second visual effect.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

displaying the execution screen associated with the first function when the second visual effect is maintained for a predetermined period of time without any detection of a touch input to the touchscreen.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

displaying the execution screen associated with the second function when a touch input is detected on the touchscreen while the second visual effect is being maintained prior to the expiration of the predetermined period of time.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first function and the second function involve any one of a first application and a second application;

a first view or tab and a second view or tab of the same application; and

an application and an application list.

11. A mobile terminal comprising:

a touchscreen;

a motion sensor configured to detect an amount of tilting of the mobile terminal; and

a controller configured to;

execute a first function;

execute a second function and display an execution screen associated with the second function on a touchscreen;

determine, based on a signal from the motion sensor, whether the mobile terminal has been tilted by an amount that exceeds a first threshold;

display the execution screen associated with the second function and an execution screen associated with the first function, when it is determined that the mobile terminal has been tilted by an amount that exceeds the first threshold,

determine whether a touch input to the touchscreen occurs while the execution screen associated with the second function and the execution screen associated with the first function are displayed; and

display the execution screen associated with the first function when it is determined that the touch input has occurred.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to set a present orientation of the mobile terminal to a default state after executing the second function and to determine whether the mobile terminal has been tilted by an amount that exceeds a first threshold with reference to the default state.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to display the execution screen associated with the first function with a first visual effect.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the first visual effect comprises displaying the execution screen associated with the first function in a semitransparent manner.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein the controller, when displaying the execution screen associated with the second function and the execution screen associated with the first function, is further configured to:

gradually decrease the level of transparency of the execution screen associated with the first function and gradually decrease a level of opacity of the execution screen associated with the second function as the amount of mobile terminal tilt increases beyond the first threshold.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine whether a drag input in conjunction with a touch input to the touchscreen occurs while the execution screen associated with the second function and the execution screen associated with the first function and the first visual effect are displayed;

display the execution screen associated with the first function and the execution screen associated with the second function on a first region and a second region of the touchscreen, respectively, when a drag input in conjunction with a touch input is determined to have occurred and the drag input is in a first direction; and

display the execution screen associated with the first function and the execution screen associated with the second function on the second region and the first region of the touchscreen, respectively, when a drag input in conjunction with a touch input is determined to have occurred and the drag input is in a second direction.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine, based on a signal from the motion sensor, whether the mobile terminal has been tilted by an amount that exceeds a second threshold; and

display the execution screen associated with the second function and the execution screen associated with the first function along with a second visual effect, when the controller determines that the mobile terminal has been tilted by an amount that exceeds a second threshold.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to:

display the execution screen associated with the first function when the controller determines that the second visual effect is maintained without any touch input to the touchscreen for a predetermined period of time.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to:

display the execution screen associated with the second function when the controller determines that a touch input to the touchscreen has occurred while the second visual effect is being maintained prior to the expiration of the predetermined period of time.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the first function and the second function involve any one of a first application and a second application;

a first view or tab and a second view or tab of the same application; and

an application and an application list.