MOBILE TERMINAL AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20100269040A1
• Filed: 03/22/2010
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: LEE, Sang-Min
• Granted Patent: US 8,707,175 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/702
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• 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

Abstract

A method of controlling a mobile terminal is presented. The method includes detecting a first touch on the mobile terminal for a predetermined time when the mobile terminal is in a locked state, simultaneously displaying a locking icon and an unlocking icon in response to the detected first touch, and detecting a second touch on the locking icon or the unlocking icon, wherein touching the locking icon for a predetermined time will partially unlock the mobile terminal, and wherein touching and dragging the unlocking icon to the locking icon will fully unlock the mobile terminal.

Claims

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

detecting a first touch on the mobile terminal for a predetermined time when the mobile terminal is in a locked state;

simultaneously displaying a locking icon and an unlocking icon in response to the detected first touch; and

detecting a second touch on the locking icon or the unlocking icon,

wherein touching the locking icon for a predetermined time will partially unlock the mobile terminal, and

wherein touching and dragging the unlocking icon to the locking icon will fully unlock the mobile terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein first touch is performed on a button of the mobile terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first touch is performed on a touch screen of the mobile terminal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein only functions associated with icons displayed on an initial start screen of the mobile terminal are accessible in the partially unlocked state of the mobile terminal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein all functions associated with the mobile terminal are accessible in the fully unlocked state of the mobile terminal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a menu icon or an information icon is displayed after detecting the second touch.

7. A method for controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

detecting a first touch on the mobile terminal for a predetermined time when the mobile terminal is in a locked state;

displaying a locking icon in response to the detected first touch;

detecting a second touch on the locking icon for a predetermined time;

displaying an unlocking icon and a plurality of locked items in response to the second detected touch; and

detecting a third touch on the unlocking icon or the locking icon,

wherein the mobile terminal will fully unlock in response to the detected third touch on the unlocking icon for a predetermined time, and

wherein one of the plurality of locked items will unlock in response to the detected third touch and a drag of the unlocking icon to the one of the plurality of locked items.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the unlocking icon partially overlaps the locking icon.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first touch is performed on a button of the mobile terminal.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the first touch is performed on a touch screen of the mobile terminal.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of locked items comprise at least one of a contact information, an image file, a multimedia file, a menu icon, or an Internet bookmark.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein all functions associated with the mobile terminal are accessible in the fully unlocked state of the mobile terminal.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein an icon associated with the one of the plurality of locked items will be altered in response to the detected third touch and a drag of the unlocking icon to the one of the plurality of locked items.

14. A method for controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

displaying a locking icon while the mobile terminal is in a locked state;

detecting a first touch on the locking icon for a predetermined time, such that a plurality of locked menu items are displayed in response to the detected first touch;

detecting a second touch on the locking icon,

wherein one of the plurality of locked menu items will be unlocked in response to the detected second touch and a drag of the locking icon to the one of the plurality of locked menu items, and

wherein the mobile terminal is unlocked if a duration of the detected second touch is greater than the predetermined time.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein an icon associated with the one of the plurality of locked menu items will be altered in response to the detected second touch and a drag of the locking icon to the one of the plurality of locked menu items.

16. A mobile terminal, the mobile terminal comprising:

a first sensor for detecting a first touch on the mobile terminal for a predetermined time when the mobile terminal is in a locked state;

a display for displaying content; and

a controller for controlling the display in response to instructions from the first sensor,

wherein a locking icon, an unlocking icon, and a plurality of locked items are displayed on the display in response to the detected first touch,

wherein a second sensor detects a second touch on the locking icon or the unlocking icon, such that the mobile terminal will fully unlock in response to the detected second touch on the unlocking icon for a predetermined time, and one of the plurality of locked items will unlock in response to the detected second touch on the locking icon and a drag of the locking icon to the one of the plurality of locked items.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the first sensor is a button of the mobile terminal.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the first sensor is a touch screen of the mobile terminal.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the second sensor is a touch screen of the mobile terminal.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the plurality of locked items comprise at least one of a contact information, an image file, a multimedia file, a menu icon, or an Internet bookmark.