Display apparatus for processing multiple applications and method for controlling the same

• US 10,085,065 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2017
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Choi, Gowoon, Suk, Jihe, Kim, Changkyoon, Kim, Ryoung
• Primary Examiner(s): Pierorazio, Michael B
• Application Number:
  US15/692,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20170366852A1
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 725 41
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game

Abstract

A display device can include a tuner to receive a broadcast signal; a network interface to receive an application; an external device interface; a display module to display a broadcast program, the received application or video data received from the external device interface; and a controller to display the received broadcast program in a first area, receive a request for displaying a list from a remote controller, and display the list in a second area within the first area, the list includes a first item including information identifying a recently accessed application, a second item including information identifying a recently accessed broadcast program, or a third item including information identifying an external device recently connected to the display device or an access path of the external device, and a specific information item including a main screen of a last accessed webpage is included in the list.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a tuner configured to receive a broadcast signal comprising at least one broadcast program;

a network interface configured to connect to the Internet;

a display module; and

a controller configured to;

control the display module to display the received broadcast program in a first area,

receive a request for accessing a first webpage on the Internet from a remote controller,

control the display module to display a main screen of the accessed first webpage in the first area,

receive a request for accessing a second webpage on the Internet from the remote controller,

control the display module to display a main screen of the accessed second webpage in the first area,

receive a request for displaying a list from the remote controller,

display the list in a second area according to the request, wherein the second area is within the first area, and wherein the list comprises a first thumbnail corresponding to the first webpage and a second thumbnail corresponding to the second webpage,

receive a request for selecting the first thumbnail in the list, and

control the display module to display the main screen of the first webpage in the first area.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first thumbnail and the second thumbnail are arranged based on an accessed order.

3. The display device of claim 1, wherein the request is received from the remote controller having both a radio frequency (RF) module and an infrared (IR) module.

4. The display device of claim 1, wherein a pointer is movable based on motion information received from the remote controller, and the first thumbnail and the second thumbnail is highlighted as the pointer is moved to the first thumbnail and the second thumbnail, respectively.

5. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first thumbnail image includes a captured image of the accessed first webpage and the second thumbnail includes a captured image of the accessed second webpage.

6. The display device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

in response to a delete request from the remote controller, delete at least one of the first thumbnail or the second thumbnail within the second area.

7. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first thumbnail and the second thumbnail are movable within the second area.

8. The display device of claim 1, wherein the display device corresponds to a smart television, a network TV, an Internet TV, a web TV or an IPTV.

9. The display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory configured to store a URL of the accessed first webpage and a URL of the accessed second webpage.

10. The display device of claim 1, wherein the list is displayed on a lower portion of the display device.

11. The display device of claim 1, wherein the list further comprises a third thumbnail corresponding to an application executable on the display device.

12. The display device of claim 1, wherein the list further comprises a third thumbnail corresponding to a recently accessed external device.

13. The display device of claim 1, wherein the list displayed in the second area is overlaid with the broadcast program displayed in the first area.

14. A method of controlling a display device, the method comprising:

receiving, via a tuner of the display device, a broadcast signal comprising at least one broadcast program;

connecting, via a network interface of the display device, to the Internet;

displaying, via a display module of the display device, the received broadcast program in a first area;

receiving, via a controller of the display device, a request for accessing a first webpage on the Internet from a remote controller;

displaying, via the controller, a main screen of the accessed first webpage in the first area;

receiving, via the controller, a request for accessing a second webpage on the Internet from the remote controller;

displaying, via the display module, a main screen of the accessed second webpage in the first area;

receiving, via the controller, a request for displaying a list from the remote controller;

displaying, via the display module, the list in a second area according to the request, wherein the second area is within the first area, and wherein the list comprises a first thumbnail corresponding to the first webpage and a second thumbnail corresponding to the second webpage;

receiving, via the controller, a request for selecting the first thumbnail in the list; and

displaying, via the display module, the main screen of the first webpage in the first area.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first thumbnail and the second thumbnail are arranged based on an accessed order.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the request is received from the remote controller having both a radio frequency (RF) module and an infrared (IR) module.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein a pointer is movable based on motion information received from the remote controller, and the first thumbnail and the second thumbnail is highlighted as the pointer is moved to the first thumbnail and the second thumbnail, respectively.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the first thumbnail image includes a captured image of the accessed first webpage and the second thumbnail includes a captured image of the accessed second webpage.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

in response to a delete request from the remote controller, deleting, via the controller, at least one of the first thumbnail or the second thumbnail within the second area.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the first thumbnail and the second thumbnail are movable within the second area.