Mobile terminal and method of controlling the operation of the mobile terminal

• US 8,340,695 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Ji Youn, Song, Chi Won
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US12/830,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20110159885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/414.3, 455/418, 455/420, 455/422.1, 4554561-4563, 4554565-4566, 455/517, 455/550.1, 4555561-5562, 455/561, 455/566, 455/404.2, 455/457, 455/466, 455557-558, 701212-213, 701207-208, 701408-410, 701454-455, 701/457, 701/461, 382/103, 382/106, 382/164, 382/171, 715758-763, 715809-811, 715/835, 715/837, 715/841
• US Class Current: 455/457
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/10 Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids optical projection apparatus per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/185 by embedding added-value information into content, e.g. geo-tagging

Abstract

A mobile terminal and a method of controlling the operation of the mobile terminal are provided. The method includes displaying a map, which is divided into a plurality of blocks in predetermined units of latitude and latitude, on a display module and displaying in each of the blocks identification information indicating whether a corresponding block includes geo-tagged information; and if one of the blocks is selected, displaying one or more thumbnail images corresponding to geo-tagged information included in the selected block on the display module. Therefore, it is possible to effectively select and use geo-tagged information even when using a small size screen.

Claims

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

displaying a map comprising a plurality of areas;

displaying a graphical symbol on the map indicating that a corresponding area, which is one of the plurality of areas, includes geo-tagged information;

displaying identification information corresponding to the graphical symbol, the identification information including numeric information specifying a number of items of the geo-tagged information that are associated with the corresponding area of the graphical symbol;

displaying a reference image on the map at a location that is proximate to the graphical symbol and the identification information, wherein the reference image is one of the items of the geo-tagged information, and while the reference image is displayed at the location, other images that are respectively associated with other items of the geo-tagged information are not displayed on the map, and wherein the reference image is different from the graphical symbol;

changing the number of the items of the geo-tagged information to reflect a displayed area of the map, such that increasing the displayed area of the map results in an increase in the number of the items, and decreasing the displayed area of the map results in a decrease in the number of the items;

displaying a list of images responsive to receiving a first user selection, wherein the images of the list are included in the items of the geo-tagged information;

displaying a selected image of the list of images responsive to receiving a second user selection; and

displaying a menu comprising user selectable items, wherein each of the user selectable items relate to an action that can be performed with regard to the selected image, wherein one action of the user selectable items comprises sending the selected image.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

changing the displayed reference image after a threshold time period such that the displayed reference image is changed so that another one of the items of the geo-tagged information is displayed on the map at the location that is proximate to the graphical symbol and the identification information; and

repeating the changing so that multiple images, which correspond to multiple ones of the items of the geo-tagged information, are sequentially displayed.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

terminating the displaying of the map, the displaying of the graphical symbol, and the identification information, wherein the terminating occurs after receiving the first user selection;

maintaining the displaying of the list of images after receiving the first user selection, and

terminating ceasing the displaying of the reference image on the map at the location after receiving the first user selection.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a plurality of graphical symbols on the map each of which respectively indicate that a corresponding area, which is one of the plurality of areas, includes geo-tagged information;

displaying identification information for each of the plurality of graphical symbols, wherein the identification information of each of the plurality of graphical symbols includes numeric information specifying a number of items of geo-tagged information that are associated with the corresponding area;

changing the number of the displayed plurality of graphical symbols to reflect a displayed area of the map, such that increasing the displayed area of the map results in a decrease in the number of the displayed plurality of graphical symbols, and decreasing the displayed area of the map results in an increase in the number of the displayed plurality of graphical symbols; and

maintaining a collective total of the number of the items of the geo-tagged information of all of the displayed plurality of graphical symbols regardless of the changing.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference image is displayed in response to user touch contact with a displayed location of the graphical symbol.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected image encompasses a relatively greater area than when the selected image is displayed as part of the list of images.

7. A method for controlling operation of a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

displaying a map comprising a plurality of areas;

displaying a plurality of graphical symbols on the map each of which respectively indicates that a corresponding area, which is one of the plurality of areas, includes geo-tagged information;

displaying identification information for each of the plurality of graphical symbols, wherein the identification information of each of the plurality of graphical symbols includes numeric information specifying a number of items of the geo-tagged information that are associated with the corresponding area of an associated one of the plurality of graphical symbols;

displaying a plurality of reference images on the map at locations that are each respectively proximate to one of the plurality of graphical symbols and associated identification information, wherein each of the plurality of the reference images is one of the items of the geo-tagged information of the associated one of the plurality of graphical symbols, and while the reference image is displayed at the location, other images that are respectively associated with other items of the geo-tagged information are not displayed on the map, and wherein the reference image is different from the graphical symbol;

changing the number of the displayed plurality of graphical symbols to reflect a displayed area of the map, such that increasing the displayed area of the map results in a decrease in the number of the displayed plurality of graphical symbols, and decreasing the displayed area of the map results in an increase in the number of the displayed plurality of graphical symbols;

displaying a list of images responsive to receiving a first user selection, wherein the images of the list are included in the items of the geo-tagged information;

displaying a selected image of the list of images responsive to receiving a second user selection; and

displaying a menu comprising user selectable items, wherein each of the user selectable items relate to an action that can be performed with regard to the selected image, wherein one action of the user selectable items comprises sending the selected image.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

for each of the displayed plurality of reference images, changing the displayed reference image after a threshold time period such that the displayed reference image is changed so that another one of the items of the geo-tagged information is displayed on the map at the location that is proximate to the graphical symbol and the identification information; and

for each of the plurality of graphical symbols, repeating the changing of the displayed reference images so that multiple images, which correspond to multiple ones of the items of the geo-tagged information, are sequentially displayed.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

ceasing the displaying of the map, the displaying of the plurality of graphical symbols, and the identification information for each of the plurality of graphical symbols, wherein the ceasing occurs after receiving the first user selection; and

ceasing the displaying of the plurality of reference images on the map at the locations after receiving the first user selection.

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

displaying a map comprising a plurality of areas;

displaying a graphical symbol indicating whether a corresponding area, which is one of the plurality of areas, includes geo-tagged information;

displaying identification information corresponding to the graphical symbol, the identification information including numeric information specifying a number of pieces of the geo-tagged information included in the corresponding area of the graphical symbol;

displaying a reference image on the map at a location that is proximate to the graphical symbol and the identification information, wherein the reference image is one of the number of pieces of the geo-tagged information, and while the reference image is displayed at the location, other images that are respectively associated with other items of the geo-tagged information are not displayed on the map, and wherein the reference image is different from the graphical symbol;

displaying a list of images responsive to receiving a first user selection, wherein the list of images is included in the other items of the geo-tagged information;

displaying a selected image of the list of images responsive to receiving a second user selection; and

displaying a menu comprising user selectable items, wherein each of the user selectable items relate to an action that can be performed with regard to the selected image, wherein one action of the user selectable items comprises sending the selected image.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the identification information is displayed in a speech balloon form.

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

displaying a map comprising a plurality of areas having predetermined units of latitude and longitude on a display module;

displaying a graphical symbol indicating whether a corresponding area of the plurality of areas includes geo-tagged information;

displaying identification information corresponding to the graphical symbol, the identification information including numeric information specifying a number of pieces of the geo-tagged information included in the corresponding area of the graphical symbol;

displaying one or more thumbnail images corresponding to geo-tagged information included in the corresponding area on the display module when one of the graphical symbol or the identification information is selected;

displaying a list of images responsive to receiving a first user selection, wherein the list of images is included in the other items of the geo-tagged information;

displaying a selected image of the list of images responsive to receiving a second user selection; and

displaying a menu comprising user selectable items, wherein each of the user selectable items relate to an action that can be performed with regard to the selected image, wherein one action of the user selectable items comprises sending the selected image.

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

displaying a first graphical symbol in a map comprising a plurality of areas, the first symbol indicating whether a corresponding area includes geo-tagged information;

displaying a portion of the map in a larger scale when a user command is received, the portion of the map including a plurality of areas having predetermined units of latitude and longitude;

displaying a plurality of second graphical symbols in the portion of the map, each of the plurality of second graphical symbols indicating whether a corresponding area of the plurality of areas includes geo-tagged information;

displaying identification information corresponding to the second graphical symbol, the identification information including numeric information specifying a number of pieces of the geo-tagged information included in the corresponding area of the plurality of areas, when each of the second graphical symbols is touched;

displaying a list of images responsive to receiving a first user selection, wherein the list of images is included in the other items of the geo-tagged information;

displaying a selected image of the list of images responsive to receiving a second user selection; and

displaying a menu comprising user selectable items, wherein each of the user selectable items relate to an action that can be performed with regard to the selected image, wherein one action of the user selectable items comprises sending of the selected image.

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

displaying a map comprising a plurality of areas having predetermined units of latitude and longitude on a display module;

displaying a plurality of first graphical symbols in the map, each of the plurality of first graphical symbols indicating whether a corresponding area of the plurality of areas includes geo-tagged information;

displaying identification information corresponding to each of the plurality of first graphical symbols, the identification information including numeric information specifying a number of pieces of the geo-tagged information included in the corresponding area of the plurality of areas;

displaying a portion of the map in a smaller scale, when a user command for reducing the map is received;

displaying a second graphical symbol in place of the plurality of first graphical symbols, the second graphical symbols indicating whether the portion of the map includes the geo-tagged information;

displaying a list of images responsive to receiving a first user selection, wherein the images of the list are included in the items of the geo-tagged information;

displaying a selected image of the list of images responsive to receiving a second user selection; and

displaying a menu comprising user selectable items, wherein each of the user selectable items relate to an action that can be performed with regard to the selected image, wherein one action of the user selectable items comprises sending of the selected image.