Mobile terminal and method for controlling screen thereof

• US 8,316,325 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Eui-Kyeom, Lim, Hee-Young
• Primary Examiner(s): Nunez, Jordany
• Application Number:
  US11/763,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20080005682A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,986 Days
• Field of Search: 715/864, 715/867, 715/762
• US Class Current: 715/864
• 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

Abstract

A mobile terminal capable of allowing a user to rapidly and easily recognize a list of multi-tasks being executed is provided. The mobile terminal includes one or more bodies, an input unit performing a key input or a touch input, a display unit displaying a task execution screen and a controller displaying a list of tasks being executed when the mobile terminal is in a preset operation mode set by operating the body or the input unit.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a display of a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

displaying images execution screens related to a plurality of tasks on the display of the mobile terminal, the plurality of tasks executed during a standby state of the mobile terminal;

storing information related to the plurality of tasks in a memory of the mobile terminal;

hiding the execution screens on the display of the mobile terminal when an operational mode of the mobile terminal is converted to an idle state;

displaying a list of the plurality of tasks executed during the standby state on the display of the mobile terminal based on the information related to the plurality of tasks in response to a conversion of the operational mode of the mobile terminal from the idle state back to the standby state; and

displaying the execution screen corresponding to one of the plurality of tasks on the display of the mobile terminal when the one of the plurality of tasks is selected from the list of the plurality of tasks,

wherein the standby state indicates the operational mode of the mobile terminal during which a user command is entered and executed,

wherein the idle state indicates the operational mode of the mobile terminal during which only minimum functions relating to radio transmission/reception for the mobile terminal are performed;

wherein displaying the list of the plurality of tasks executed during the standby state comprises displaying an icon related to each of the plurality of tasks, the icon comprising a moving image or a stationary image; and

wherein the icon related to each of the plurality of tasks comprises an image indicating either contents or a type of information associated with each of the plurality of tasks.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the standby state is triggered by receiving a predetermined key input or a predetermined touch input when the operational mode of the mobile terminal is the idle state.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the list of the plurality of tasks executed during the standby state when the mobile terminal is opened.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the list of the plurality of tasks executed during the standby state comprises displaying an indicator on a predetermined region of the display.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the list of the plurality of tasks executed during the standby state comprises displaying the list on a predetermined region of the display in a tab form.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the list of the plurality of tasks executed during the standby state comprises displaying the list on a predetermined region of the display in a scroll manner or a pop up manner.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the list of the plurality of tasks executed during the standby state comprises:

determining whether a number of the plurality of tasks is greater than a predetermined number of two or more; and

displaying the list of the plurality of tasks in response to the conversion of the operational mode only if it is determined that the number of the plurality of tasks is greater than the predetermined number.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising prioritizing the plurality of tasks executed during the standby state based on their respective orders of execution.

9. A mobile terminal comprising:

one or more bodies;

an input unit configured to process at least a key input or a touch input;

a display unit configured to display execution screens related to a plurality of tasks;

a memory unit configured to store information; and

a controller configured to;

control the display unit to display the execution screens related to the plurality of tasks during a standby state of the mobile terminal in response to manipulation of the one or more bodies or the input unit;

control the memory unit to store information related to the plurality of tasks;

hide the execution screens related to the plurality of tasks on the display unit when an operational mode of the mobile terminal is converted into an idle state;

display a list of the plurality of tasks executed during the standby state on the display unit based on the information related to the plurality of tasks in response to a conversion of the operational mode of the mobile terminal from the idle state back to the standby state; and

display the execution screen corresponding to one of the plurality of tasks on the display of the mobile terminal when the one of the plurality of tasks is selected from the list of the plurality of tasks,

wherein the standby state indicates the operational mode of the mobile terminal during which a user command is entered and executed,

wherein the idle state indicates the operational mode of the mobile terminal during which only minimum functions relating to radio transmission/reception for the mobile terminal are performed;

wherein the controller is further configured to control the display unit to display the list of the plurality of tasks executed during the standby state by displaying an icon related to each of the plurality of tasks, the icon comprising a moving image or a stationary image; and

wherein the icon related to each of the plurality of tasks comprises an image indicating either contents or a type of information associated with each of the plurality of tasks.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the standby state is triggered by opening the one or more bodies.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the memory unit is further configured to store the icon corresponding to each of the plurality of tasks.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display unit to display an indicator on a predetermined region of the display unit.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display unit to display the list of the plurality of tasks executed during the standby state on a predetermined region of the display unit in a tab form.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display unit to display the list of the plurality of tasks executed during the standby state in a scroll manner or a pop up manner.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display unit to hide the execution screens when a predetermined time lapses after the operational mode of the mobile terminal is converted from the standby state to the idle state.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display unit to hide the execution screens upon receipt of a predetermined key input or a predetermined touch input when the operational mode of the mobile terminal is the standby state.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display unit to display or hide the execution screens in a toggle manner.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the idle state is triggered when the one or more bodies are closed.