Mobile terminal and communication method thereof

• US 9,485,348 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2010
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jeong, Chang-Ik, Shim, Jae-Sung, Rhee, Young-Hee
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Justin
• Application Number:
  US12/701,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20100203908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,461 Days
• Field of Search: 715/753, 715/772
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails

Abstract

A mobile terminal includes a wireless communication unit establishing a first communication session with a first entity and a second communication session with a second entity, a display displaying a plurality of windows including a first window and a second window, a memory storing a merging menu, and a controller controlling the display to display the first window related to the first communication session and the second window related to the second communication session, the controller generating a third window including the first communication session and the second communication session in response to a an input and controlling the display to display the third window further including the first entity and the second entity.

Claims

1. A method of communicating with a plurality of entities, the method performed by a mobile terminal and comprising:

establishing a first communication session with a first entity and generating a first window related to the first communication session, first content communicated with the first entity displayed on the first window;

establishing a second communication session with a second entity and generating a second window related to the second communication session, second content communicated with the second entity displayed on the second window;

displaying a first menu list comprising a first menu item and a second menu item when the first or second window is displayed;

performing a window merging in response to selection of the first menu item from the first menu list to merge the second content comprising a second plurality of messages communicated with the second entity into the first content comprising a first plurality of messages communicated with the first entity such that a first identifier corresponding to the first entity and a second identifier corresponding to the second entity are displayed concurrently in different appearances on the first window, wherein the first communication session and the second communication session are independently performed such that the first entity and the second entity cannot communicate with each other via the first or second communication session while the merged content is displayed on the first window after performing the window merging; and

performing a session merging in response to selection of the second menu item from the first menu list to merge the first communication session and the second communication session into a third communication session, the third communication session displayed on a third window including the first identifier and the second identifier that are displayed concurrently in a same appearance,

wherein;

the first entity and second entity can communicate with each other via the third communication session; and

while the first communication session and the second communication session are performed independently in real-time, and the first content and the second content are displayed concurrently on the first window, a display order of the first content and the second content is changeable according to setting from a second menu list such that;

when a first preset display order is set from the second menu list, the first content and the second content are displayed on the first window according to an order of communication with the first entity or the second entity such that a first plurality of messages of the first content and a second plurality of messages of the second content are alternately displayable; and

when a second preset display order is set from the second menu list, the entire first content is displayed on the first window prior to or following the entire second content displayed on the first window such that none of the first plurality of messages is displayed between two of the second plurality of messages or none of the second plurality of messages is displayed between two of the first plurality of messages.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

re-displaying the first content on the first window, the second content not displayed on the first window, and re-displaying the second content on the second window, the first content not displayed on the second window, in response to a touch input applied to a menu button that is displayed while the merged content is displayed on the first window,

wherein the menu button is also displayed when the first window including the first content is re-displayed or when the second windows including the second content is re-displayed.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a menu button while only one of the first and second windows is displayed, wherein the first menu list is displayed in response to a touch input applied to the menu button.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the same menu button is displayed when the first window is displayed, when the second window is displayed, and when the third window is displayed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of messages and the second plurality of messages of the merged content are displayed on the first window according to the order of communication with the first entity or the second entity such that one of the first plurality of messages is listed between two of the second plurality of messages or one of the second plurality of message is listed between two of the first plurality of messages.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication session and the second communication session remain active while the third communication session is executed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication session comprises a messenger and the second communication session comprises an instant messaging (IM) service.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication session comprises a messenger or an instant messaging (IM) service, and the second communication session comprises an SMS (Short Message Service) or MMS (Multimedia Message Service).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the merging of the first content and the second content is restricted by at least a number of the plurality of entities or a total amount of conversation content in the first and second communication sessions such that the first and second communication sessions cannot be merged when the number of the plurality of entities is greater than a preset number or the total amount of conversation content is greater than a preset amount, the total amount determined by a number of characters or a length of lines in the conversation content.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first entity and the second entity are not allowed to communicate with each other while the merged content is displayed on the first window.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the first or second communication session to receive a message for transmission to the first entity or the second entity; and

displaying content of the selected communication session distinguishably from content of an unselected communication session on the first window on which the merged content is displayed.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the second communication session to receive a message for transmission to the second entity while the merged content is displayed on the first window; and

no longer displaying the first content of the first communication session on the first window when the second communication is selected.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a soft button on the first window on which the merged content is displayed for receiving an input for selecting the first communication session or the second communication session; and

receiving a message for transmission to the first entity or the second entity according to the first or second communication session selected in response to the second input.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying the soft button differently in response to the input to indicate the selected first or second communication session.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the soft button is displayed in a first color when the first communication session is selected and displayed in a second color when the second communication session is selected.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a specific entity to which a message received via a message input window is to be transmitted, the specific entity selected in response to an input received via the first window on which the merged content is displayed,

wherein the input comprises a first touch input directed to the specific entity displayed on the first window on which the merged content is displayed and a second touch input directed to the message input window displayed on a portion of the first window on which the merged content is displayed.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the input further comprises touching the specific entity and dragging the specific entity into the message input window such that the message is automatically transmitted to the selected specific entity.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a message for transmission via a message input window displayed on a portion of the first window on which the merged content is displayed; and

automatically transmitting the message to a specific entity when the received message is dragged from the message input window to the specific entity displayed on the first window on which the merged content is displayed.

19. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a wireless communication unit configured to establish a first communication session with a first entity and to establish a second communication session with a second entity;

a display; and

a controller configured to;

cause the display to display first content communicated with the first entity on a first window generated when the first communication session is established;

cause the display to display second content communicated with the second entity on a second window generated when the second communication session is established;

cause the display to display a first menu list comprising a first menu item and a second menu item when the first or second window is displayed;

perform a window merging in response to selection of the first menu item from the first menu list to merge the second content comprising a second plurality of messages communicated with the second entity into the first content comprising a first plurality of messages communicated with the first entity such that a first identifier corresponding to the first entity and a second identifier corresponding to the second entity are displayed concurrently in different appearances on the first window, wherein the first communication session and the second communication session are independently executed such that the first entity and the second entity cannot communicate with each other via the first or second communication session while the merged content is displayed on the first window after performing the window merging; and

perform a session merging in response to selection of the second menu item from the first menu list to merge the first communication session and the second communication session into a third communication session, the third communication session displayed on a third window including the first identifier and the second identifier that are displayed concurrently in a same appearance,

wherein;

the first entity and second entity can communicate with each other via the third communication session; and

while the first communication session and the second communication session are performed independently in real-time, and the first content and the second content are displayed concurrently on the first window, a display order of the first content and the second content is changeable according to setting from a second menu list such that;

when a first preset display order is set from the second menu list, the first content and the second content are displayed on the first window according to an order of communication with the first entity or the second entity such that a first plurality of messages of the first content and a second plurality of messages of the second content are alternately displayable; and

when a second preset display order is set from the second menu list, the entire first content is displayed on the first window prior to or following the entire second content displayed on the first window such that none of the first plurality of messages is displayed between two of the second plurality of messages or none of the second plurality of messages is displayed between two of the first plurality of messages.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause the display to re-display the first content on the first window, the second content not displayed on the first window, and to re-display the second content on the second window, the first content not displayed on the second window, in response to a touch input applied to a menu button that is displayed while the merged content is displayed on the first window,

wherein the menu button is also displayed when the first window including the first content is re-displayed or when the second windows including the second content is re-displayed.

21. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the display to display a menu button while only one of the first and second windows is displayed, wherein the first menu list is displayed in response to a touch input applied to the menu button.

22. The mobile terminal of claim 21, wherein the same menu button is displayed when the first window is displayed, when the second window is displayed, and when the third window is displayed.

23. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the first plurality of messages and the second plurality of messages of the merged content are displayed on the first window according to the order of communication with the first entity or the second entity such that one of the first plurality of messages is listed between two of the second plurality of messages or one of the second plurality of message is listed between two of the first plurality of messages.

24. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the first communication session and the second communication session remain active while the third communication session is executed.

25. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the first communication session comprises a messenger and the second communication session comprises an instant messaging (IM) service.

26. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the first communication session comprises a messenger or an instant messaging (IM) service, and the second communication session comprises an SMS (Short Message Service) or MMS (Multimedia Message Service).

27. The mobile terminal of claim 21, wherein the controller is further configured to restrict the merging of the first content and the second content based upon at least a number of a plurality of entities or a total amount of conversation content in the first and second communication sessions such that the first and second communication sessions cannot be merged when the number of the plurality of entities is greater than a preset number or the total amount of the conversation content is greater than a preset amount, the total amount determined by a number of characters or a length of lines in the conversation content.

28. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the first entity and the second entity are not allowed to communicate with each other while the merged content is displayed on the first window.

29. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to:

select the first or second communication session to receive a message for transmission to the first entity or the second entity; and

control the display to display content of the selected communication session distinguishably from content of an unselected communication session on the first window on which the merged content is displayed.

30. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to:

select the second communication session to receive a message for transmission to the second entity while the merged content is displayed on the first window; and

cause the display to no longer display the first content of the first communication session on the first window when the second communication is selected.

31. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause the display to display a soft button on the first window on which the merged content is displayed for receiving an input for selecting the first communication session or the second communication session; and

receive a message for transmission to the first entity or the second entity according to the first or second communication session selected in response to the second input.

32. The mobile terminal of claim 31, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the display to display the soft button differently in response to the input to indicate the selected first or second communication session.

33. The mobile terminal of claim 31, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the display to display the soft button in a first color when the first communication session is selected and display the soft button in a second color when the second communication session is selected.

34. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to select a specific entity to which a message received via a message input window is to be transmitted, on the specific entity selected in response to an input received via the first window on which the merged content is displayed, the input comprising a first touch input directed to the specific entity displayed on the first window on which the merged content is displayed and a second touch input directed to the message input window displayed on a portion of the first window on which the merged content is displayed.

35. The mobile terminal of claim 34, wherein the input further comprises touching the specific entity and dragging the specific entity into the message input window such that the message is automatically transmitted to the selected specific entity.

36. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive a message for transmission via a message input window displayed on a portion of the first window on which the merged content is displayed; and

cause the wireless communication unit to transmit the message automatically to a specific entity when the received message is dragged from the message input window to the specific entity displayed on the first window on which the merged content is displayed.