Mobile terminal and screen displaying method thereof

• US 8,681,105 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2008
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Huh, Han Sol, Lee, Yeu Cheon, Jung, Ha Yang, Lee, Ka Eun
• Primary Examiner(s): Tryder, Gregory J
• Application Number:
  US12/026,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20080261660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,240 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-169, 345173-179, 463 37- 38, 178/18.01, 178/18.03, 178/18.05, 178/18.06
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04802 3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

A mobile terminal and screen displaying method thereof are disclosed, by which an image can be displayed on a screen using a virtual polyhedral pillar. The present invention includes a user input unit for inputting key signals, a display for displaying a first facet of a polyhedral pillar, and a controller, if a specific key signal is inputted, the controller controlling a second facet of the polyhedral pillar to be displayed on the display by rotating the polyhedral pillar.

Claims

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

displaying, via a display of the mobile terminal, a first polyhedron having a plurality of menu items on respective facets of the first polyhedron;

applying a visual effect on a specific one of the plurality of menu items so that the specific menu item is discriminated from the rest of the plurality of menu items, the specific menu item having a specific attribute set by a user;

displaying, via the display of the mobile terminal, a first development figure having the plurality of menu items on respective facets of the first development figure, by developing the first polyhedron;

receiving, via an input unit of the mobile terminal, a first input for selecting a menu item among the plurality of menu items;

visually folding the first development figure into a second polyhedron having a three-dimensional appearance; and

developing the second polyhedron into a second development figure having a two-dimensional appearance,

wherein each of at least one sub-menu item of the selected menu item, and the selected menu item are simultaneously displayed on respective facets of the second development figure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of folding the first development figure comprises displaying a process that the second polyhedron gradually becomes complete from the first development figure.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second input indicating a selection of a sub-menu item among the plurality of sub-menu items of the second development figure; and

displaying only a facet corresponds to the selected sub-menu item.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of folding the first development figure comprises folding the first development figure so only the facet corresponding to the selected menu item is displayed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of menu items and each sub-menu item is represented as a text or an icon.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of menu items comprises a category for a function or operation provided by the mobile terminal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a number of the facets of the second polyhedron is dependent on a number of the plurality of menu items or a number of the sub-menu items.

8. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a user input unit configured to input signals;

a display; and

a controller configured to;

cause the display to display a first polyhedron having a plurality of menu items on respective facets of the first polyhedron;

cause the display to apply a visual effect on a specific one of the plurality of menu items so that the specific menu item is discriminated from the rest of the plurality of menu items, the specific menu item having a specific attribute set by a user;

cause the display to display a first development figure having the plurality of menu items on respective facets of the first development figure;

receive a first input indicating a selection of a menu item among the displayed plurality of menu items via the user input unit;

cause the display to display a process that the first development figure is visually folded into a second polyhedron having a three-dimensional appearance; and

develop the second polyhedron into a second development figure having a two-dimensional appearance,

wherein each of at least one sub-menu item of the selected menu item and the selected menu item are simultaneously displayed on respective facets of the second development figure.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the display to fold the first development figure by displaying a process that the second polyhedron gradually becomes complete from the first development figure.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive a second input indicating a selection of a sub-menu item among the plurality of sub-menu item of the second development figure via the user input unit; and

cause the display to display only a facet corresponds to the selected sub-menu item.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the display to display only the facet corresponds to the selected menu item by folding the first development figure.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of menu items and each sub-menu item is represented as a text or an icon.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of menu items comprises a category for a function or operation provided by the mobile terminal.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein a number of the plurality of facets of the second polyhedron is dependent on a number of the plurality of menu items or a number of the plurality of sub-menu items.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the display comprises a touch screen.