Mobile terminal having multi-function executing capability and executing method thereof

• US 8,812,058 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2008
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Eun-Young, Jeong, Kye-Sook, Cho, Hye-Youn, Shin, Hye-Eun
• Primary Examiner(s): Miah, Liton
• Application Number:
  US12/245,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20090093277A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,143 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566
• US Class Current: 455/566
• 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: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• 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 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A mobile terminal having a touch function is provided. The mobile terminal includes a display module and a controller. The display module displays content lists in a content list screen. The controller is configured to divide a predetermined region of the content list screen into a first region and a second region and to execute different functions according to whether a content list in the content list screen is dragged to the first region or to the second region.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a display module configured to display a list of at least one content item on a content list screen comprising a first region and a second region that is aligned with the first region; and

a controller configured to;

select a content item in the displayed list when the content item is touched and retain selection of the content item while the content item is dragged to the first region; and

delete the selected content item when the selected content item is linearly dragged to the second region through the first region in response to a single touch-and-drag input,

wherein a portion of the dragged content item disappears from the content list screen when the portion of the dragged content item passes a side edge of the content list screen, and

wherein the dragged content item returns to an original position on the content list screen when the dragged content item is released prior to being dragged past the first region toward the second region such that the disappeared portion of the dragged content item reappears on the content list screen when the dragged content item returns to the original position.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display module to display an icon that indicates the deletion of the selected content item when the dragged content item reaches the second region, wherein the icon comprises a trash box icon.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display module to simultaneously move other content items in the displayed list of the at least one content item when the touch-and-drag input is applied to the selected content item.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the single touch-and-drag input applied to the content item is directed in a right direction or a left direction.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display module to highlight the content item upon the selection of the content item in the displayed list of the at least one content item.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the content item on the content list screen further comprises an edge at an end of the first region and a beginning of the second region.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the display module is further configured to display an indication in view of impending deletion of the content item when the dragged content item reaches the second region.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein displaying the indication comprises displaying an icon to indicate the impending deletion of the content item when the content item is dragged over the edge.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to perform different functions based on a distance of the dragging such that a first function is performed when the content item is dragged to the first region only and a second function is performed when the content item is dragged to the second region through the first region.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the first function is a multi-selection function for allowing selection of multiple content items from the list and the second function is the deletion of the dragged content item.

11. A method for executing multiple functions in a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

displaying a list of at least one content item on a content list screen comprising a first region and a second region that is aligned with the first region;

selecting a content item in the displayed list when the content item is touched and retaining selection of the content item while the content item is dragged to the first region; and

deleting the selected content item when the selected content item is linearly dragged to the second region through the first region in response to a single touch-and-drag input,

wherein a portion of the dragged content item disappears from the content list screen when the portion of the dragged content item passes a side edge of the content list screen, and

wherein the dragged content item returns to an original position on the content list screen when the dragged content item is released prior to being dragged past the first region toward the second region such that the disappeared portion of the dragged content item reappears on the content list screen when the dragged content item returns to the original position.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising simultaneously moving other content items in the displayed list of the at least one content item when the touched-and-drag input is applied to the selected content item.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying an icon that indicates the deletion of the selected content item when the dragged content item reaches the second region, wherein the icon comprises a trash box icon.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the single touch-and-drag input applied to the content item is directed in a right direction or a left direction.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising highlighting the content item upon the selection of the content item in the displayed list of the at least one content item.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the content item on the content list screen further comprises an edge at an end of the first region and a beginning of the second region.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying an indication in view of impending deletion of the content item when the dragged content item reaches the second region.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein displaying the indication comprises displaying an icon to indicate the impending deletion of the content item when the content item is dragged over the edge.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein different functions are performed based on a distance of the dragging such that a first function is performed when the content item is dragged to the first region only and a second function is performed when the content item is dragged to the second region through the first region.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first function is a multi-selection function for allowing selection of multiple content items from the list and the second function is the deletion of the dragged content item.