METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPERATING MOBILE TERMINAL

• US 20160378969A1
• Filed: 09/06/2016
• Published: 12/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: PARK, Young Joo, PARK, Se Hwan
• Granted Patent: US 10,042,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/665 by checking the validity of a code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

A method and apparatus for easily restricting a use right and improving use convenience in a mobile terminal are provided. The method includes displaying a profile list for selecting a set operation mode of the mobile terminal from the displayed profile list; setting an operation mode of the mobile terminal as the selected operation mode, when the set operation mode is selected from the displayed profile list; and displaying a screen associated with the selected operation mode, wherein the set operation mode includes an open mode to use all functions of the mobile terminal and a limited mode to use only set functions.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating transition to one of a plurality of operation modes from a lock screen of a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

configuring a first drag input on the lock screen of the mobile terminal to correspond to a normal mode for obtaining access to user applications on the mobile terminal;

setting a restricted mode through a menu screen which allows a user of the mobile terminal to designate a subset of the user applications accessible in the restricted mode;

based on the set restricted mode, configuring a second drag input on the lock screen to correspond to the restricted mode;

providing a user interface (UI) comprising the lock screen through which a touch display of the mobile terminal is operable to receive the first drag input in a first direction and the second drag input in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction;

based on the touch display receiving the first drag input on the lock screen, unlocking the lock screen and displaying a first screen indicating the normal mode; and

based on the touch display receiving the second drag input on the lock screen, unlocking the lock screen and displaying a second screen indicating the restricted mode,

wherein the first drag input comprises a first scroll input, in the first direction, so as to scroll from the lock screen to the first screen, and

wherein the second drag input comprises a second scroll input, in the second direction, so as to scroll from the lock screen to the second screen.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first screen includes at least an icon corresponding to a user application accessible in the normal mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first drag input is in a first single direction and the second drag input is in a second single direction perpendicular to the first single direction.

4. A mobile terminal having a plurality of operation modes accessible from a lock screen, the mobile terminal comprising:

a controller comprising at least one hardware processor and configured to set a first drag input on the lock screen of the mobile terminal to correspond to a normal mode for obtaining access to user applications on the mobile terminal, to set a restricted mode through a menu screen which allows a user of the mobile terminal to designate a subset of the user applications accessible in the restricted mode, and to set a second drag input on the lock screen to correspond to the restricted mode based on the set restricted mode; and

a touch display configured to provide a user interface (UI) comprising the lock screen through which the touch display is operable to receive the first drag input in a first direction and a second drag input in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction,

wherein the controller is configured to control the touch display to unlock the lock screen and to display a first screen indicating the normal mode based on the touch display receiving the first drag input,

wherein the controller is configured to control the touch display to unlock the lock screen and to display a second screen indicating the restricted mode based on the touch display receiving the second drag input,

wherein the first drag input comprises a first scroll input, in the first direction, so as to scroll from the lock screen to the first screen, and

wherein the second drag input comprises a second scroll input, in the second direction, so as to scroll from the lock screen to the second screen.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the first screen includes at least an icon corresponding to a user application accessible in the normal mode.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the first drag input is in a first single direction and the second drag input is in a second single direction perpendicular to the first single direction.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having embodied thereon a computer program for executing a method for facilitating transition to one of a plurality of operation modes from a lock screen of a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

configuring a first drag input on the lock screen of the mobile terminal to correspond to a normal mode for obtaining access to user applications on the mobile terminal;

setting a restricted mode through a menu screen which allows a user of the mobile terminal to designate a subset of the user applications accessible in the restricted mode;

based on the set restricted mode, configuring a second drag input on the lock screen to correspond to the restricted mode;

providing a user interface (UI) comprising the lock screen through which a touch display of the mobile terminal is operable to receive the first drag input in a first direction and the second drag input in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction;

based on the touch display receiving the first drag input on the lock screen, unlocking the lock screen and displaying a first screen indicating the normal mode; and

based on the touch display receiving the second drag input on the lock screen, unlocking the lock screen and displaying a second screen indicating the restricted mode,

wherein the first drag input comprises a first scroll input, in the first direction, so as to scroll from the lock screen to the first screen, and

wherein the second drag input comprises a second scroll input, in the second direction, so as to scroll from the lock screen to the second screen.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 7, wherein the first screen includes at least an icon corresponding to a user application accessible in the normal mode.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 7, wherein the first drag input is in a first single direction and the second drag input is in a second single direction perpendicular to the first single direction.