Mobile terminal and control method thereof

• US 9,232,043 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2010
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Seungyong
• Primary Examiner(s): SHIAU, SHEN C
• Application Number:
  US12/915,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20110219332A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• Field of Search: 715/810, 715/820
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector

Abstract

A mobile terminal and a control method thereof are provided. The method according to an embodiment includes displaying, on a screen of the display unit, a first image including a plurality of items; receiving a selection of at least one item among the plurality of displayed items; indicating, on the first image, the at least one selected item as selected; while the at least one selected item is indicated as selected, receiving a user input for executing an operation that involves the screen to display an image different from the first image; executing the operation according to the user input, the executing step including displaying, on the screen, a second image associated with the operation; and after the operation is executed, re-displaying, on the screen, the first image having one or more of the at least one selected item as still selected.

Claims

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

displaying, on the display unit, a first image including a plurality of items;

receiving a selection of at least one item among the plurality of displayed items;

indicating the at least one selected item as selected, and upon the selection of the at least one item, displaying a menu for selecting a function for the at least one selected item to be executed on the at least one selected item near the at least one selected item, whereby previous to the selection of the at least one item, the menu is not displayed;

when the function is selected, displaying a marker corresponding to the selected function near the at least one selected item and displaying a button for executing the selected function separated from the menu;

when the button is selected, executing the selected function and displaying a second image; and

after the selected function is executed, re-displaying the first image having one or more of the at least one selected item as still selected without an input of a user and erasing the marker,

wherein the first image and the second image are respectively displayed on an entire screen of the display unit, and

wherein the menu comprises a plurality of functions.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

linking a specific function to one of the at least one selected item,

performing the linked function according to a selection of the button, and

after the linked function is performed, re-displaying the first image having the one or more of the at least one selected item as still selected.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the performing the linked function step includes:

executing one of delete, move and copy functions on at least one e-mail item selected from a list of e-mail items,

executing a function of sending at least one item selected from items included in displayed contents to a specific electronic device,

executing a function of photographing an image,

executing a synchronization with a specific electronic device,

performing a conversion to an inactive mode for cutting off a power supply to at least one unit including the screen, and

executing a function of sharing display images with a specific electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the re-displaying step displays the first image having:

the one item which is used in the execution of the selected function, as unselected, and

any other selected item which is not used in the execution of the selected function, as still selected.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the re-displaying step displays the first image having all of the at least one selected item, as still selected.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating step includes changing a display property of the at least one selected item.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the executing the selected function step includes:

loading the selected function to a memory of the mobile terminal, and

converting the selected function from an inactive state to an active state or changing a background operation of the selected function to a foreground operation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the re-displaying step includes:

converting the selected function from an active state to an inactive state or changing a foreground operation of the selected function to a background operation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the executing the selected function step switches the first image to the second image, and the re-displaying step switches the second image to the first image while maintaining at least part of the selection of the at least one item.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the re-displaying step displays the first image having at least one icon indicating that the execution of the selected function is performed using the at least one item.

11. A mobile terminal comprising:

a display unit including a screen; and

a controller configured to control the display unit and to;

display, on the display unit, a first image including a plurality of items;

receive a selection of at least one item among the plurality of displayed items;

indicate the at least one selected item as selected, and upon the selection of the at least one item, display a menu for selecting a function for the at least one selected item to be executed on the at least one selected item near the at least one selected item, whereby previous to the selection of the at least one item, the menu is not displayed;

when the function is selected, display a marker corresponding to the selected function near the at least one selected item and display a button for executing the selected function separated from the menu;

when the button is selected, execute the selected function and display a second image; and

after the selected function is executed, re-display the first image having one or more of the at least one selected item as still selected without an input of a user and erase the marker,

wherein the first image and the second image are respectively displayed on an entire screen of the display unit, and

wherein the menu comprises a plurality of functions.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, the control further configured to:

link a specific function to one of the at least one selected item;

perform the linked function according to a selection of the button, and

after the linked function is performed, re-display the first image having the one or more of the at least one selected item as still selected.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the performing the linked function includes:

executing one of delete, move and copy functions on at least one e-mail item selected from a list of e-mail items,

executing a function of sending at least one item selected from items included in displayed contents to a specific electronic device,

executing a function of photographing an image,

executing a synchronization with a specific electronic device,

performing a conversion to an inactive mode for cutting off a power supply to at least one unit including the screen, and

executing a function of sharing display images with a specific electronic device.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller re-displays the first image having:

the one item which is used in the execution of the selected function, as unselected, and

any other selected item which is not used in the execution of the selected function, as still selected.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller re-displays the first image having all of the at least one selected item, as still selected.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller indicates the at least one selected item as having been selected by:

changing a display property of the at least one selected item.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the executing of the selected function by the controller includes:

loading the selected function to a memory of the mobile terminal, and

converting the selected function from an inactive state to an active state or changing a background operation of the selected function to a foreground operation.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the re-displaying of the first image by the controller includes converting the selected function from an active state to an inactive state or changing a foreground operation of the selected function to a background operation.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the executing the selected function step switches the first image to the second image, and the re-displaying step switches the second image to the first image while maintaining at least part of the selection of the at least one item.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to:

display at least one icon indicating that the execution of the selected function is performed using the at least one item.