Mobile terminal and operating method thereof

• US 8,375,333 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2009
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kang, Min Hun, Hwang, Se Il, Lee, Tae Kon
• Primary Examiner(s): Sax, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOI, DAVID E
• Application Number:
  US12/410,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20100107046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: 715/769, 715/760, 715/206, 715/207, 715/838, 709/245, 709/219, 345/173
• US Class Current: 715/838
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9562 Bookmark management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• 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 an operating method thereof are provided. The operating method includes bookmarking a plurality of websites using a touch screen of the mobile terminal, and storing a plurality of images respectively corresponding to the bookmarked plurality of websites; displaying on the touch screen an image array including the stored plurality of images in such a manner to create a sense of distance; and if a drag signal is input via a touch screen, changing at least one of the sizes of the images in the image array, at least one image in the image array, and an arrangement of the images in the image array, according to a direction and distance corresponding to the input drag signal. Therefore, it is possible to easily access and manage bookmarked websites.

Claims

1. An operating method of a mobile terminal, the operating method comprising:

bookmarking a plurality of websites using a touch screen of the mobile terminal, and storing a plurality of images respectively corresponding to the bookmarked plurality of websites in a memory of the mobile terminal;

displaying on the touch screen an image array including the stored plurality of images in such a manner to create a sense of distance when a bookmark viewing menu is selected, wherein the image array is displayed in a shape of a tree classified by at least two branches according to attributes of the plurality of images, the attributes comprising date information of bookmarking the plurality of websites and route information of accessing the plurality of websites;

displaying, a message indicating how the plurality of images in the image array is arranged, along with the image array when the image array cannot be displayed as a whole on the touch screen, wherein the message comprises text-based path information that describes a relative position of a specific image corresponding to a specific website of the bookmarked websites in the image array, the text-based path information comprising at least one of direction information, distance information and order information from a reference point of the image array to the specific image; and

if a drag signal is input via the touch screen, changing at least one of the sizes of the images in the image array, at least one image in the image array, and an arrangement of the images in the image array, according to at least one of direction and distance corresponding to the input drag signal,

wherein the bookmarking of the plurality of websites comprises;

displaying a web page provided by the respective website on the touch screen;

displaying a bookmark execution menu on the touch screen if a sweeping signal for the web page displayed on the touch screen is detected;

executing a bookmark function via a manipulation of the bookmark execution menu; and

displaying, on the touch screen, an icon indicating that the bookmark function is being currently executed.

2. The operating method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of images in the image array are arranged in an order in which the plurality of websites have been bookmarked.

3. The operating method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of images in the image array are arranged in order of a respective number of visits to the plurality of websites.

4. The operating method of claim 1, wherein only some of the plurality of images in the image array are displayed at the same time on the touch screen.

5. The operating method of claim 1, further comprising, if one of the plurality of images in the image array is chosen, displaying the chosen image of the image array in a largest size and displaying the image array with a focus on the chosen image.

6. The operating method of claim 1, wherein the message includes a map showing how all images of the image array are arranged as a whole, the map comprising a plurality of markings for representing images of the currently displayed image array.

15. The operating method of claim 1, wherein the image array and the message are displayed on the touch screen at the same time.

17. The operating method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a bookmark function icon on the touch screen; and

displaying a map indicating the relative position of the specific image corresponding to the specific website of the bookmarked websites in the image array if the bookmark function icon is selected.

7. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a wireless internet module configured to access a plurality of websites;

a touch screen configured to display the plurality of websites; and

a controller configured to;

bookmark the plurality of websites accessed by the wireless internet module,

store a plurality of images respectively corresponding to the bookmarked plurality of websites,

display an image array including the stored plurality of images in such a manner to create a sense of distance when a bookmark viewing menu is selected, wherein the image array is displayed in a shape of a tree classified by at least two branches according to attributes of the plurality of images, the attributes comprising date information of bookmarking the plurality of websites and route information of accessing the plurality of websites,

display, a message indicating how the plurality of images in the image array is arranged, along with the image array when the image array cannot be displayed as a whole on the touch screen, wherein the message comprises text-based path information that describes a relative position of a specific image corresponding to a specific website of the bookmarked websites in the image array, the text-based path information comprising at least one of direction information, distance information and order information from a reference point of the image array to the specific image; and

change, upon detecting a drag signal input via the touch screen, at least one of the sizes of the plurality of images in the image array, at least one image in the image array, and an arrangement of the plurality of images in the image array, according to at least one of direction and distance corresponding to the input drag signal,

wherein the controller is further configured to;

display a web page provided by the respective website on the touch screen;

display a bookmark execution menu on the touch screen if a sweeping signal for the web page displayed on the touch screen is detected;

execute a bookmark function via a manipulation of the bookmark execution menu; and

display, on the touch screen, an icon indicating that the bookmark function is being currently executed.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the controller arranges the plurality of images in the image array in an order in which the plurality of websites have been bookmarked.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the controller arranges the plurality of images in the image array in order of a respective number of visits to the plurality of websites.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein, if one of the plurality of images in the image array is chosen, the controller displays the chosen image of the image array in a largest size and displays the image array with a focus on the chosen image.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the message includes a map showing how all images of the image array are arranged as a whole, the map comprising a plurality of markings for representing images of the currently displayed image array.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the image array and the message are displayed on the touch screen at the same time.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to:

display a bookmark function icon on the touch screen, and

display a map indicating the relative position of the specific image corresponding to the specific website of the bookmarked websites in the image array if the bookmark function icon is selected.

12. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a wireless internet module configured to access one or more websites;

a touch screen configured to display the one or more websites; and

a controller configured to;

bookmark, based on user inputs, selected ones of the one or more websites accessed by the wireless internet module,

store images corresponding to the bookmarked websites,

display an image array including the stored images in such a manner to create a sense of distance when a bookmark viewing menu is selected, wherein the image array is displayed in a shape of a tree classified by at least two branches according to attributes of the images, the attributes comprising date information of bookmarking the one or more websites, and

display, a message indicating how the images in the image array is arranged, along with the image array when the image array cannot be displayed as a whole on the touch screen, wherein the message comprises text-based path information that describes a relative position of a specific image corresponding to a specific website of the bookmarked websites in the image array, the text-based path information comprising at least one of direction information, distance information and order information from a reference point of the image array to the specific image; and

change, upon detecting a drag signal input via the touch screen, at least one of the sizes of the images in the image array, at least one image in the image array, and an arrangement of the images in the image array, according to at least one of direction and distance corresponding to the input drag signal,

wherein the images are perspectively displayed to provide a sense of distance to the image array when displayed on the touch screen, and

wherein the controller is further configured to;

display a web page provided by the respective website on the touch screen;

display a bookmark execution menu on the touch screen if a sweeping signal for the web page displayed on the touch screen is detected;

execute a bookmark function via a manipulation of the bookmark execution menu; and

display, on the touch screen, an icon indicating that the bookmark function is being currently executed.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the controller changes, upon detecting a drag signal input via the touch screen, at least one of the images of the image array, sizes of the images of the image array, and an arrangement of the images of the image array, according to a direction and distance corresponding to the input drag signal.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the images are displayed with the largest sized image to the smallest sized image being arranged in descending order from a foreground of the touch screen to a background of touch screen, the largest sized image being of the most recently bookmarked website and the smallest sized image being of the least recently bookmarked website.