Mobile terminal and controlling method thereof

• US 10,423,297 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2016
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jung, Jong Cheol, Kim, Hong Joo, Yun, Jae Woong
• Primary Examiner(s): Shiberou, Mahelet
• Application Number:
  US15/264,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20170131869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0354 with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• 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 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• 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 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, by which a selection and/or execution of an application can be designated using a list of applications currently executed in a multitasking environment. The present invention includes a display unit, a user input unit configured to receive an input of a command from a user, and a controller, when a plurality of applications are being executed, if there is a first input via the user input unit, controlling a list of a plurality of the currently executed applications to be displayed on a first region, the controller, if one of at least one or more applications running in the background in the list is selected by a second input via the user input unit, controlling the selected application to be displayed on a second region of the display unit by having a prescribed visual effect applied thereto.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a touchscreen configured to display at least one executed application and to receive a user input; and

a hardware controller configured to control display of the at least one executed application,

wherein the controller is further configured to;

control the touchscreen to display a first execution screen of a first application;

receive a drag input extending from a first location to a second location via the touchscreen for designating a position and a size of a first region such that the first region overlaps the first execution screen;

control the touchscreen to display a menu in the first region having the designated position and the designated size in response to release of the drag input for designating the position and the size of the first region;

receive a touch input via the touchscreen for selecting a second application from the menu displayed in the first region overlapping the first execution screen; and

control the touchscreen to display a second execution screen of the second application in the first region having the designated position and the designated size such that the first execution screen and the second execution screen are concurrently displayed on the touchscreen.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the menu includes a list or icons of applications.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1,

wherein the first application is executed on a whole screen of the touchscreen and the menu is displayed in the first region over at least a portion of the touchscreen, and

wherein the execution screen of the second application is displayed at the first region over the at least a portion of the touchscreen.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the menu is displayed in the first region as a new window.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein a scroll bar is displayed in the new window for scrolling the menu to provide at least one additional icon of an application.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1,

wherein the user input receivable by the touchscreen further comprises an input for initiating designation of the first region via an indicator displayed on the touchscreen,

wherein the input for initiating designation of the first region is received by the touchscreen before the drag input designating the first region.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first region has a rectangular shape.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the touchscreen comprises a proximity sensor unit configured to receive a proximate touch.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the touchscreen is further configured to receive the drag input and the touch input via a stylus pen.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the touchscreen to display a visual indicator for indicating an outline of the drag input as the drag input is received.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the visual indicator is displayed in real time.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first region is enlarged to be displayed on the whole screen in response to a user input.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the menu includes text.

14. A method of controlling a mobile terminal, comprising:

displaying a first execution screen of a first application on a touchscreen of the mobile terminal;

receiving a drag input extending from a first location to a second location via the touchscreen for designating a position and a size of a first region such that the first region overlaps the first execution screen;

displaying a menu in the first region having the designated position and the designated size in response to release of the drag input for designating the position and the size of the first region;

receiving a touch input via the touchscreen for selecting a second application from the menu displayed in the first region overlapping the first execution screen; and

displaying a second execution screen of the second application in the first region having the designated position and the designated size such that the first execution screen and the second execution screen are concurrently displayed on the touchscreen.