Scrolling method and mobile communication terminal using the same

• US 8,350,807 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2009
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Eunyoung
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, DUC Q
• Application Number:
  US12/390,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20090163250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345168-173
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 1/2747 Scrolling on a display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector

Abstract

A scrolling method, which includes displaying at least one scroll icon on a screen of a touch device, sensing an operation in which one of the displayed scroll icons is touched and dragged, and scrolling the screen displayed on the touch device in a direction in which the touched scroll icon is dragged when the sensing step senses the scroll icon is touched and dragged.

Claims

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

displaying a list of items on a touch screen display of the mobile terminal;

displaying a self-contained and independent scroll indicator at an initial position of the touch screen display;

receiving a touching and dragging signal indicating a touching and dragging operation of the scroll indicator to a left direction, moving the scroll indicator from the initial position to a left position in accordance with the touching and dragging signal, and scrolling the list of items in the right direction;

receiving a touching and dragging signal indicating a touching and dragging operation of the scroll indicator to a right direction, moving the scroll indicator from the initial position to a right position in accordance with the touching and dragging signal, and scrolling the list of items in the left direction; and

returning the moving scroll indicator to the initial position when the scroll indicator is released from the touching and dragging operation,

wherein the scroll indicator is only located horizontally on the touch screen and the scroll indicator can only be moved in left and right horizontal directions on the touch screen display,

wherein the scroll indicator is displayed transparently such that the list of items can be seen through the scroll indicator,

wherein the list of displayed items are scrolled at a first scrolling unit based on a first touch input, and the list of items are scrolled at a second scrolling unit that is faster than the first scrolling unit based on a second touch input different than the first touch input, and

wherein the first and second touch inputs are separate touching actions on the touch screen display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when the scroll indicator is returned the initial position, the list of displayed items are maintained in the scrolled right position or the scrolled left position.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the scroll indicator is continued to be displayed at an end of the list of items.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the scroll indicator includes a triangle pointing towards a scroll direction.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of items includes a list of photos, and

wherein the first touch input scrolls the photos at an item-by-item scrolling unit and the second touch input scrolls the photos at a non-item-by-item scrolling unit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the scroll indicator is for horizontally scrolling the items in the left and right directions.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second touch inputs are separated by a non-touching of the touch screen display.

7. 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 list of items on a touch screen display of the mobile terminal, and to display a self-contained and independent scroll indicator at an initial position of the touch screen display; and

a controller configured to;

receive a touching and dragging signal indicating a touching and dragging operation of the scroll indicator to a left direction, move the scroll indicator from the initial position to a left position in accordance with the touching and dragging signal, and to scroll the list of items in the right direction,

receive a touching and dragging signal indicating a touching and dragging operation of the scroll indicator to a right direction, to move the scroll indicator from the initial position to a right position in accordance with the touching and dragging signal, and scroll the list of items in the left direction, and

return the moving scroll indicator to the initial position when the scroll indicator is released from the touching and dragging operation,

wherein the scroll indicator is only located horizontally on the touch screen and the scroll indicator can only be moved in left and right horizontal directions on the touch screen display,

wherein the controller is further configured to transparently display the scroll indicator such that the list of items can be seen through the scroll indicator,

wherein the controller is further configured to scroll the list of displayed items at a first scroll unit based on a first touch input, and to scroll the list of items at a second scroll unit that is faster than the first scroll unit based on a second touch input different than the first touch input, and

wherein the first and second touch inputs are separate touching actions on the touch screen display.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein when the scroll indicator is returned the initial position, the controller is further configured to maintain the list of displayed items in the scrolled right position or the scrolled left position.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to continue to display the scroll indicator at an end of the list of items.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the scroll indicator includes a triangle pointing towards a scroll direction.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the list of items includes a list of photos, and

wherein the first touch input scrolls the photos at an item-by-item scrolling unit and the second touch input scrolls the photos at a non-item-by-item scrolling unit.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the scroll indicator is for horizontally scrolling the items in the left and right directions.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the first and second touch inputs are separated by a non-touching of the touch screen display.