Task display switching method portable apparatus and portable communications apparatus

• US 8,498,674 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2012
• Issued: 07/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ironworks Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: MobileMedia Ideas LLC
• Inventors: Kokubo, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): BALAOING, ARIEL A
• Application Number:
  US13/555,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20120289287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/416, 455/414.1, 345/169, 715/790
• US Class Current: 455/566
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0218 The hinge comprising input and/or output user interface means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• 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 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

A task display switching method, a portable apparatus and a portable communications apparatus which, when a plurality of software applications are activated and processed in parallel, make it possible to switch a display between each of the software applications with ease. According to the task display switching method, a portable apparatus capable of processing a plurality of tasks in parallel and of displaying a plurality of display regions for displaying data, an icon associated with a task displayed on a first display region is generated automatically or manually, and the generated icon is displayed in a second display region. When any icon thus generated is selected from a plurality of icons displayed on the second display region, the task associated with the selected icon is restored and displayed in the first display region.

Claims

1. A mobile phone comprising:

an operation unit configured to receive user input on the mobile phone;

a display unit including a main display area and a sub display area;

a speaker;

a memory storing a plurality of software applications executable on the mobile phone, the software applications including an e-mail software application, a web browser, and an audio player software application, the web browser providing a search operation on the Internet, the memory further storing identification information including a telephone number;

a short-range communication unit configured to provide short-range wireless communication;

a modulator configured to modulate a transmission signal for phone call operation of the mobile phone;

a demodulator configured to demodulate a reception signal for the phone call operation of the mobile phone;

a signal processor configured to process a demodulated signal from the demodulator and to output the transmission signal to the modulator;

an operating system executable on the mobile phone for controlling the mobile phone; and

a controller configured to run said audio player software application together with another one of said plurality of software applications in parallel, and to control what is displayed on the display unit so that in a first state the display unit (a) always displays a first icon corresponding to a first software application of said plurality of software applications on the sub-display area and (b) automatically displays or erases a second icon corresponding to a second software application of said plurality of software applications on the sub-display area depending on whether the second software application is activated or terminated,

wherein, when a predetermined operation is performed on the operation unit while in the first state when the second software application is active, (i) said first software application becomes active, (ii) the main display area is switched from a screen for said second software application to a screen for said first software application, and (iii) in a case where said second software application is said audio player software application, audio reproduction continues while said first software application is active.

2. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the short-range communication unit is Bluetooth communication unit.

3. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to display an audio screen on the main display area of the display when the audio software application is active as the second software application, and to display a call data screen on the main display area and stop the audio reproduction when a phone call is received during the audio reproduction.

4. The mobile phone of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to stop the audio reproduction temporarily when displaying a call data screen on the main display area.

5. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to display status information of the mobile phone including signal field strength, remaining battery life, and time on the sub display area.

6. The mobile phone of claim 1, further comprising:

a camera configured to capture images on the mobile phone.

7. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein if an icon representing an executing software application is selected from among icons being displayed in the sub display area, the controller displays the executing software application associated with the selected icon in the main display area.

8. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to display an icon representing a top screen in the sub display area, and to display the top screen to the main display area if the icon representing the top screen is selected.

9. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the first software application is an email application.