DISPLAY DEVICE AND METHOD OF MOBILE TERMINAL

• US 20080158189A1
• Filed: 11/08/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: KIM, Sang-Hoon
• Granted Patent: US 7,705,833 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• 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 and its display method are discussed. According to an embodiment, the mobile terminal includes a display unit of a touch screen type divided into at least one of first and second display regions; and a controller that performs a particular function or re-adjusts a divisional boundary between the first and second display regions according to a user'"'"'s instruction sensed from the display unit, wherein the display unit displays a movable menu bar that partitions the first and second display regions.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a display unit of a touch screen type divided into at least one of first and second display regions; and

a controller that performs a particular function or re-adjusts a divisional boundary between the first and second display regions according to a user'"'"'s instruction sensed from the display unit,

wherein the display unit displays a movable menu bar that partitions the first and second display regions.

2. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the menu bar comprises one or more menu execution buttons in order to execute particular functions of the terminal.

3. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the menu bar comprises a button that executes a text message service.

4. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the menu bar comprises a button that displays an input unit in the form of a keypad or key board.

5. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the menu bar comprises a multi-task execution button that simultaneously performs multiple tasks.

6. A display method of a mobile terminal including a display unit, comprising:

sensing a user'"'"'s instruction through a touch screen of the display unit;

newly displaying first and second display regions on the touch screen by using a moved position of a menu bar as a divisional boundary between the first and second display regions when the movement of the menu bar is sensed; and

controlling the display unit according to a function of a particular button on the menu bar when touching of the particular button is sensed.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the menu bar comprises one or more menu execution buttons that execute particular functions of the terminal.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the menu bar executes a text message service.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the menu bar displays an input unit in the form of a keypad or key board.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the menu bar is used to simultaneously perform multiple tasks.

11. A mobile terminal comprising:

a touch screen including at least first and second display regions, and a menu bar for dividing the touch screen into the first and second display regions, wherein the menu bar is positioned on the touch screen to correspond with a user'"'"'s contact movement on the touch screen; and

a controller to control the touch screen.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the menu bar appears on the touch screen when the user contacts and moves his finger across the touch screen, and the displayed position of the menu bar corresponds to the user'"'"'s finger movement direction.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the menu bar is moved on the touch screen to a new location when the user drags the displayed menu bar to the new location.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first and second display regions displays information according to a menu selection made by using the menu bar.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the menu bar includes a button for displaying an input unit in the form of a keypad or key board.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the menu bar includes a button that executes a text message service or a multi-task execution button that simultaneously performs multiple tasks.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the menu bar is disposed horizontally to divide the touch screen into top and bottom display regions.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the menu bar is disposed vertically to divide the touch screen into left and right display regions.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 11 wherein the menu bar is movable in a vertical direction of the touch screen according to a user'"'"'s input.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the menu bar is moved to one edge of the touch screen, such that only one of the first and second display regions is shown on the touch screen.