Mobile terminal and information processing method thereof

• US 8,565,741 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2009
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Yang, Seung Wan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khan, Mehmood B
• Application Number:
  US12/409,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20100105362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,674 Days
• Field of Search: 4554141-4144, 455/466
• US Class Current: 455/414.4
• 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 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/50 Telephonic communication in combination with video communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/205 Broadcasting broadcasting in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

A method of controlling a mobile terminal, and which includes acquiring channel information of a broadcasting program received by at least one other mobile terminal through a client program, arranging and displaying the acquired channel information according to a specific standard, receiving a selection signal corresponding to a selection at least one channel information item from the displayed channel information, and receiving and displaying the broadcasting program corresponding to the selected channel information item.

Claims

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

acquiring plural channel information of a broadcasting program of a plurality of mobile terminals communicating with the mobile terminal through an instant messaging client, wherein the instant messaging client is connected to a wireless internet through a wireless internet module, and wherein the plurality of mobile terminals are parties registered on the instant messaging client;

displaying the plurality of mobile terminals being registered on the instant messaging client;

displaying a current state of each the displayed plurality of mobile terminals, wherein the current state is based on the acquired plural channel information and comprises a channel name of the broadcast program and whether or not the broadcast program is being received;

arranging the plurality of mobile terminals according to multiple specific standards;

receiving a selection signal corresponding to a selection of at least one channel information item among the displayed plural channel information; and

outputting the broadcasting program corresponding to the selected channel information item,

wherein, in the arranging step, the registered plurality of mobile terminals are arranged to at least one group according to a first specific standard, and at least one of the mobile terminals included in each group are arranged according to a second specific standard, and

wherein, in the outputting step, the broadcasting program is displayed in a background, at least two chatting messages are displayed in an overlapping manner with the displayed broadcast program, and at least two chatting messages are displayed relatively less transparent than the broadcasting program by controlling a transparency of the at least two chatting messages if a chatting session is performed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the acquiring step, the instant messaging client requests the at least one of mobile terminals to provide the channel information and acquires the channel information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one specific standard indicates that the acquired plural channel information is to be arranged based on at least one of a channel name of the broadcast program, a channel number name of the broadcast program, a program title name of the broadcast program, detailed information name of the broadcast program and whether or not the broadcast program is received by the at least one of mobile terminals.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcasting program is received through one of the wireless internet and a digital broadcasting network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a chatting message transmitted/received to/from the at least one of mobile terminals.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

controlling a transparency of a display region displaying the acquired plural channel information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the selected channel information to at least one other mobile terminal that is not receiving the broadcasting program.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying detailed information of the received broadcasting program, wherein the detailed information comprises a broadcasting time and title.

9. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a wireless internet module configured to connect to the Internet;

a controller configured to acquire plural channel information of a broadcasting program of a plurality of mobile terminals communicating with the mobile terminal through an instant messaging client, wherein the instant messaging client is connected to a wireless internet through a wireless internet module, and wherein the plurality of mobile terminals are parties registered on the instant messaging client;

a display unit configured to display the plurality of mobile terminals being registered on the instant messaging client, display a current state of each the displayed plurality of mobile terminals, wherein the current state is based on the acquired plural channel information and comprises a channel name of the broadcast program and whether or not the broadcast program is being received, and arrange the acquired plural channel information according to multiple specific standards; and

an input unit configured to select at least one channel information item from the displayed plural channel information,

wherein the controller is further configured to receive the broadcasting program corresponding to the selected channel information item and to control the display unit to display the broadcasting program,

wherein the controller is configured to arrange the registered plurality of mobile terminals to at least one group according to a first specific standard, and to arrange at least one of the mobile terminals included in each group according to a second specific standard,

wherein the display unit is configured to display the arranged at least one of the mobile terminals and the channel information corresponding to the at least one of mobile terminals, and

wherein the display unit is configured to display the broadcasting program in a background display at least two chatting messages in an overlapping manner with the displayed broadcast program, and display the at least two chatting messages relatively less transparent than the broadcasting program by controlling a transparency of the at least two chatting messages if a chatting session is performed.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to control the client program to request the at least one of mobile terminals to provide the channel information and to acquire the channel information.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the at least one specific standard indicates that the acquired plural channel information is to be arranged based on at least one of a channel name of the broadcast program, a channel number name of the broadcast program, a program title name of the broadcast program, detailed information name of the broadcast program and whether or not the broadcast program is received by the at least one of mobile terminals.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to receive the broadcasting program through one of the wireless internet and a digital broadcasting network.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the display unit is further configured to display a chatting message transmitted/received to/from the at least one of mobile terminals.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to control a transparency of a display region displaying the acquired plural channel information.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 9, further comprising:

a transmitting unit configured the selected channel information to at least one other mobile terminal that is not receiving the broadcasting program.