Mobile communication terminal and method of selecting menu and item

• US 8,120,590 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2010
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Chang Sub
• Primary Examiner(s): Sherman, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US12/899,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20110025632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178, 345/156, 345168-169, 455/566, 715/810, 715812-814, 715817-824, 715/828, 715/829, 715/835, 715/838, 715840-845, 178 1801- 1809, 178/18.11
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A method of controlling a mobile terminal, and which includes allowing, via a wireless communication unit on the mobile terminal, wireless communication with at least one other terminal; displaying, on a first side of a touch screen display of the mobile terminal, a sound icon indicating whether or not a sound is output by the mobile terminal; receiving, via a controller, a touching selection signal indicating a touching of the sound icon; displaying, on the touch screen display, a first indicator corresponding to the sound icon on a second side of the touch screen display and separated from the sound icon, said first indicator indicating a direction in which a touch and drag operation should occur to turn off the sound output by the mobile terminal; receiving, via the controller, a touch and drag selection signal indicating a dragging operation along a vector from the sound icon toward an intersection with the first indicator; and turning off, via the controller, the sound output by the mobile terminal after receiving the touch and drag signal indicating the dragging operation and before the first indicator is touched. The present invention also provides a corresponding mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one other terminal;

a touch screen display configured to display a plurality of independent self-contained main menu objects; and

a controller configured to receive a selection signal indicating a touching of one of the main menu objects, to control the touch screen display to display at least one independent and self-contained sub menu object indicating a drop point where the touched main menu object can be dropped to execute a function indicated by the touched main menu object and the at least one sub menu object, to distinctively display the touched main menu object from other non-selected main menu objects, to receive a dragging signal indicating the touched main menu object is still being touched and dragged and dropped to the at least one sub menu object, and to execute the function indicated by the main menu object and the at least on sub menu object,

wherein the at least one sub menu object is displayed separately and independently from the main menu object.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the touch screen display to display the at least one sub menu object only when the main menu object is touched.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein when the at least one sub menu object includes a plurality of sub menu objects, the controller is further configured to control the touch screen display to display the plurality of sub menu objects at least partially around the touched main menu object.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to control the touch screen display to display the plurality of sub menu objects at least partially around the touched main menu object without overlapping the main menu object.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the dragging and dropping touch action is along a direction from the main menu object to the at least one sub menu object.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the touched main menu object corresponds to a ring tone main menu and the at least one sub menu object corresponds to a silent ring tone and a general bell ring tone.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the function executed includes at least one of a calling function for calling contacts and a viewing message function for viewing messages.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the at least one sub menu object includes a plurality of sub menu objects including text indicating the contacts.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the main menu objects and the at least one sub menu objects are displayed as icons.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display to display a completion message indicating the executed function has completed.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the touch screen display to display the executing function in a full screen on the mobile terminal.

12. A method of controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

allowing, via a wireless communication unit on the mobile terminal, wireless communication with at least one other terminal;

displaying, on a touch screen display of the mobile terminal, a plurality of individual and self-contained main menu objects;

receiving a selection signal indicating a touching of one of the main menu objects;

displaying on the touch screen display at least one independent and self-contained sub menu object indicating a drop point where the touched main menu object can be dropped to perform a function indicated by the touched main menu object and the at least one sub menu object;

distinctively displaying the touched main menu object from other non-selected main menu objects;

receiving a dragging signal indicating the touched main menu object is still being touched and dragged and dropped to the at least one sub menu object; and

executing, via a controller on the mobile terminal, the function indicated by the main menu object and the at least one sub menu object,

wherein the at least one sub menu object is displayed separately and independently from the main menu object.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

displaying, on the touch screen display, the at least one sub menu object only when the main menu object is touched.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein when the at least one sub menu object includes a plurality of sub menu objects, the method further comprises:

displaying, on the touch screen display, the plurality of sub menu objects at least partially around the touched main menu object.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

displaying, on the touch display, the plurality of sub menu objects at least partially around the touched main menu object without overlapping the selected main menu object.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the dragging and dropping is along a direction from the main menu object to the at least one sub menu object.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the touched main menu object corresponds to a ring tone main menu and the at least one sub menu object corresponds to a silent ring tone and a general bell ring tone.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the function executed includes at least one of a calling function for calling contacts and a viewing message function for viewing messages.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the sub menu object includes a plurality of sub menu objects including text indicating the contacts.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the main menu objects and the at least one sub menu objects are displayed as icons.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

displaying, on the touch screen display, a completion message indicating the executed function has completed.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the executing step displays the executing function in a full screen on the mobile terminal.