Mobile terminal and controlling method thereof

• US 8,217,907 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2008
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Tae Hun, Kim, Han Su
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZUBAJLO, JENNIFER L
• Application Number:
  US12/119,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20090109184A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,519 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04802 3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications

Abstract

A mobile terminal and a method of controlling the mobile terminal are provided. Specifically, zooming in/out or shifting a display screen is facilitated. The mobile terminal includes a touchscreen for displaying a webpage including a plurality of areas, a wireless communication unit for accessing the Internet, and a control unit for shifting the displayed webpage in response to touching a first point of the displayed webpage and dragging from the first point to a second point on the displayed webpage, when the displayed webpage is shifted in a direction of the dragging.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a touchscreen configured to display a webpage including a plurality of areas;

a wireless communication unit configured to access the Internet; and

a control unit configured to;

cause the touchscreen to display at least a portion of a first area among the plurality of areas of the webpage in response to a first touch input received at the first area while the plurality of areas of the webpage are displayed, the first area zoomed-in in response to the first touch input;

shift the displayed webpage in response to a second touch input received while only the first area of the webpage is displayed on the touchscreen, the second touch input comprising touching a first point of the displayed first area of the webpage and dragging from the first point to a second point on the displayed first area of the webpage

shift the displayed webpage from the first area to a second area or a third area according to a direction of the dragging after determining that a dragged distance from the first point to the second point is greater than a predetermined distance such that only the second area of the webpage is displayed in response to the dragging in a first direction and only the third area of the webpage is displayed in response to the dragging in a second direction; and

shift the displayed webpage within a boundary of the first area including the first point according to the direction of the dragging after determining that the dragged distance is equal to or less than the predetermined distance such that a first different portion of the first area is displayed on the touchscreen in response to the dragging in a third direction and a second different portion of the first area is displayed on the touch screen in response to the dragging in a fourth direction when the touchscreen is not touched after the dragging.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the control unit further zooms the displayed webpage in and out.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the plurality of areas is configured as a column structure with each of the plurality of areas displayed in a different column.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the second area and the third area of the webpage are not displayed on the touchscreen when the first area is zoomed-in in response to the first touch input received at the first area while the first, second, and third areas of the webpage are displayed together.

5. A mobile terminal comprising:

a touchscreen configured to display a web browser configured as a polyhedron structure comprising a plurality of facets, each of the plurality of facets displaying a different webpage;

a wireless communication unit configured to access the Internet; and

a control unit configured to;

cause the touchscreen to display a first webpage on a first facet of the polyhedron structure;

control the webpage displayed on each of the plurality of facets in response to touching and dragging on the touchscreen

rotate the polyhedron structure to display a different one of the plurality of facets in response to the touching and dragging on the touchscreen after determining that a dragged distance is greater than a predetermined distance, the dragging comprising touching a first point of the displayed first webpage and dragging from the first point to a second point on the displayed first webpage, wherein the different one of the plurality of facets displays a second webpage in response to the dragging in a first direction and displays a third webpage in response to the dragging in a second direction, and

shift the displayed first webpage within a boundary of the first facet in a direction of the dragging after determining that the dragged distance is equal to or less than the predetermined distance such that a first portion of the first webpage is displayed on the first facet in response to the dragging in a third direction and a second portion of the first webpage is displayed on the first facet in response to the dragging in a fourth direction when the touchscreen is not touched after the dragging.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein an enlarged version of a webpage is displayed in response to an input.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein the control unit is further configured to rotate the polyhedron structure in a direction of the dragging.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein the polyhedron structure comprises a hexahedron.

9. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a touchscreen configured to display a webpage comprising a plurality of columns on a column-by-column basis and displaying a plurality of selectors assigned to each of the plurality of columns, wherein the plurality of selectors are not displayed while the plurality of columns of the webpage are displayed concurrently on the touchscreen;

a wireless communication unit configured to access the Internet; and

a control unit configured to;

cause the touchscreen to display a first column of the webpage when the first column is selected among the plurality of columns;

cause the touchscreen to display the plurality of selectors when the selected first column of the webpage is displayed;

control the selectors to select a column of the displayed webpage for display;

shift the displayed first column in a direction of dragging in response to touching and dragging applied to the touchscreen,

shift from the first column to a second column, causing the touchscreen to display the second column of the webpage when a second selector is selected among the plurality of selectors while the first column is displayed on the touchscreen, and

shift from the second column to the first column, causing the touchscreen to display the first column of the webpage when a first selector is selected among the plurality of selectors while the second column is displayed on the touchscreen.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the control unit controls the selectors such that they are displayed as tabs.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein each of the tabs is displayed near a corresponding column such that a first tab corresponding to the first selector is positioned near a first position on the touchscreen where the first column was displayed when the plurality of columns of the webpage were displayed concurrently and a second tab corresponding to the second selector is positioned near a second position on the touchscreen where the first column was displayed when the plurality of columns of the webpage were displayed concurrently.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 9, when the first column is selected while the plurality of columns of the webpage are displayed concurrently, the first column is selected in response to touching of the first column.

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

displaying a webpage comprising a plurality of defined areas on a touchscreen;

displaying at least a portion of a first area among the plurality of defined areas of the webpage in response to a first touch input received at the first area while the plurality of defined areas of the webpage are displayed, the first area zoomed-in in response to the first touch input;

shifting the displayed webpage in response to a second touch input received while only the first area of the webpage is displayed on the touchscreen, the second touch input comprising touching a first point of the displayed first area of the webpage and dragging from the first point to a second point on the displayed first area of the webpage;

shifting the displayed webpage from the first area to a second area or a third area after determining that a dragged distance from the first point to the second point is greater than a predetermined distance such that only the second area of the webpage is displayed in response to the dragging in a first direction and only the third area of the webpage is displayed in response to the dragging in a second direction; and

shifting the displayed webpage within a boundary of the first area including the first point according to the direction of the dragging after determining that the dragged distance is equal to or less than the predetermined distance such that a first different portion of the first area is displayed on the touchscreen in response to the dragging in a third direction and a second different portion of the first area is displayed on the touch screen in response to the dragging in a fourth direction when the touchscreen is not touched after the dragging.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of defined areas comprises a plurality of columns and each of the plurality of defined areas is displayed in a corresponding column.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

displaying an enlarged view of a specific area when one of the plurality of defined areas is selected.

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

displaying a webpage comprising a plurality of columns on a touchscreen;

displaying a first column of the webpage when the first column is selected among the plurality of columns;

displaying a plurality of selectors each for selecting one of the plurality of the columns by assigning each of the plurality of the selectors to a corresponding one of the plurality of columns when the selected first column of the webpage is displayed, wherein the plurality of selectors are not displayed while the plurality of columns of the webpage are displayed concurrently on the touchscreen;

displaying one of the plurality of columns in response to selection of one of the plurality of selectors;

shifting from a first column to a second column, causing the touchscreen to display the second column of the webpage when a second selector is selected among the plurality of selectors while the first column is displayed on the touchscreen; and

shifting from the second column to the first column, causing the touchscreen to display the first column of the webpage when a first selector is selected among the plurality of selectors while the second column is displayed on the touchscreen.

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

displaying a web browser on a touchscreen, the web browser configured as a polyhedron structure comprising a plurality of facets, each of the plurality of facets displaying a different webpage;

displaying a first webpage on a first facet of the polyhedron structure;

receiving a touch on a first point of the touch screen, the touch dragged from the first point to a second point on the touchscreen;

displaying a webpage displayed on one of the plurality of facets in response to the received touch;

rotating the polyhedron structure to display a different one of the plurality of facets in response to the touching and dragging on the touchscreen after determining that a dragged distance is greater than a predetermined distance, the dragging comprising touching a first point of the displayed first webpage and dragging from the first point to a second point on the displayed first webpage, wherein the different one of the plurality of facets displays a second webpage in response to the dragging in a first direction and displays a third webpage in response to the dragging in a second direction; and

shifting the displayed first webpage within a boundary of the first facet in a direction from of the dragging after determining that the dragged distance is equal to or less than the predetermined distance such that a first portion of the first webpage is displayed on the first facet in response to the dragging in a third direction and a second portion of the first webpage is displayed on the first facet in response to the dragging in a fourth direction when the touchscreen is not touched after the dragging.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

displaying an enlarged view of a webpage displayed on one of the plurality of facets on the touchscreen in response to a received input.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

rotating the polyhedron structure in a direction from the first point to the second point in order to move from a first of the plurality of facets to a second of the plurality of facets and displaying a webpage displayed on the first of the plurality of facets.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first point is on the first of the plurality of facets and the second point is on the second of the plurality of facets.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the polyhedron structure comprises a hexahedron.

22. A mobile terminal comprising:

a touchscreen configured to display a web browser configured as a polyhedron structure comprising a plurality of facets, each of the plurality of facets displaying a different area of a same webpage comprising a plurality of defined areas;

a wireless communication unit configured to access the Internet; and

a control unit configured to;

cause the touchscreen to display a first defined area of the same webpage on a first facet of the polyhedron structure;

rotate the polyhedron structure to display a different one of the plurality of facets in response to touching and dragging on the touchscreen after determining that a dragged distance is greater than a predetermined distance, the dragging comprising touching a first point on the displayed first defined area and dragging from the first point to a second point on the touchscreen, wherein the different one of the plurality of facets displays a second defined area of the same webpage in response to the dragging in a first direction and displays a third defined area of the same webpage in response to the dragging in a second direction, and

shift the displayed first defined area of the same webpage within a boundary of the first facet in a direction of the dragging after determining that the dragged distance is equal to or less than the predetermined distance such that a first portion of the first defined area of the same webpage is displayed on the first facet in response to the dragging in a third direction and a second portion of the first defined area of the same webpage is displayed on the first facet in response to the dragging in a fourth direction when the touchscreen is not touched after the dragging.

23. The mobile terminal of claim 22, wherein the control unit is further configured to cause the touchscreen to display at least two facets of the polyhedron structure at the same time when the polyhedron structure is rotated such that a first facet displays the first defined area of the same webpage and a second facet displays the second defined area of the same webpage at the same time before the rotation is completed.