Mobile terminal and image display method thereof

• US 8,606,326 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2008
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Choi, Hye-Jin, Park, So-Young, Shin, Hye-Eun, Oh, Young-Suk
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, MAHENDRA R
• Application Number:
  US12/206,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20090093275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,919 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/145, 455/154.2, 455/158.4, 455/158.5, 455/556, 345/173, 345/594, 345/619, 345/629, 345/634, 345/713, 345/589, 715/212, 715217-220, 715/240, 715243-245, 715784-788, 715/790, 715798-802, 715/864
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/54 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• 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 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera

Abstract

A method for displaying images in a plurality of groups so as to allow a user to simultaneously preview the images on one screen, and a mobile terminal implementing such method, the mobile terminal including: a display for displaying a plurality of image groups and images included in each image group, a user input unit for receiving a user'"'"'s command input about a certain position or direction so as to move the displayed plurality of image groups or images included in a specific group, and a controller for controlling the above components so as to move the displayed image groups or the images within the specific group in a commanded certain position or direction.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one other terminal;

a memory;

a touch screen display configured to display information; and

a controller configured to;

display a plurality of rows of thumbnail images, wherein each row in the plurality of rows comprises a plurality of thumbnail images representing a plurality of images organized as a unique image folder so that respective images included in a first row in the plurality of rows belongs to a first image folder different from a second image folder comprising respective images included in a second row in the plurality of rows, and wherein the first folder and the second folder are stored in the memory,

move individual thumbnail images within a respective row horizontally in response to a touch and drag action in a horizontal direction performed on the respective row and not to move individual thumbnail images in other rows,

simultaneously move the plurality of rows of thumbnail images vertically in response to a touch and drag action in a vertical direction performed on the touch screen,

wherein an image from the first image folder is instantly moved to the second image folder when a thumbnail image representing the image in the first row is touched and dragged to the second row,

stop the movement of the individual thumbnail images within the respective row in response to another touch event after the horizontal touch and drag action, and

stop the movement of the plurality of rows of thumbnail images in response to another touch event after the vertical touch and drag action.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein a last previewed image is displayed at a center in the respective row.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the horizontal direction is a row direction and the vertical direction is a column direction.

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

displaying, on a touch screen display of the mobile terminal, a plurality of rows of thumbnail images, wherein each row in the plurality of rows comprises a plurality of thumbnail images representing a plurality of images organized as a unique image folder so that respective images included in a first row in the plurality of rows belongs to a first image folder different from a second image folder comprising respective images included in a second row in the plurality of rows, and wherein the first folder and the second folder are stored in a memory;

moving individual thumbnail images within a respective row horizontally in response to a touch and drag action in a horizontal direction performed on the respective row and not to move individual thumbnail images in other rows;

simultaneously moving the plurality of rows of thumbnail images vertically in response to a touch and drag action in a vertical direction performed on the touch screen,

wherein an image from the first image folder is instantly moved to the second image folder when a thumbnail image representing the image in the first row is touched and dragged to the second row;

stopping, via the controller, the movement of the individual thumbnail images within the respective row in response to another touch event after the horizontal touch and drag action; and

stopping, via the controller, the movement of the plurality of rows of thumbnail images in response to another touch event after the vertical touch and drag action.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein a last previewed image is displayed at a center in the respective row.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the horizontal direction is a row direction and the vertical direction is a column direction.