Mobile terminal and control method thereof

• US 9,232,044 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2010
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Seungyong
• Primary Examiner(s): Levy, Amy M
• Application Number:
  US12/916,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20110219334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• Field of Search: 715/808
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• 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 a control method thereof are provided. The method according to an embodiment includes displaying, on a screen of a display unit of the mobile terminal, a first image including a plurality of items; receiving a selection of at least one item among the plurality of the displayed items; indicating, on the first image, the at least one selected item as selected; while the at least one selected item is indicated as selected, when an event of changing the displayed first image to a second image occurs, executing an application for processing the event, the event being initiated by the mobile terminal; and after the application is executed, re-displaying, on the screen, the first image having one or more of the at least one selected item as still selected.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a mobile terminal including a display unit and a mobile communication unit, the method comprising:

displaying, on a screen of the display unit, an execution screen of a first application including a web page consisting of content comprising a plurality of text items and image items;

receiving a selection of a specific item among the plurality of the displayed items, the specific item representing a selected region of content in the web page;

indicating, on the execution screen of the first application, the specific item as selected to distinguish the specific item from unselected regions of content of the web page;

while the specific item is indicated as selected, when a telephone call request corresponding to a second application is received through the mobile communication unit;

executing the second application and changing the screen of the display unit from the execution screen of the first application to an execution screen of the second application without an input of a user,

wherein the telephone call request is initiated by the mobile terminal without an input of the user a user and the specific item is not used by the second application; and

after the execution of the second application is completed, re-displaying without the input of the user, on the screen, the execution screen of the first application having the specific item displayed as still selected;

while the specific item is indicated as selected, when an input of the user for the specific item is received;

executing a third application using the specific item based on the input of the user for the specific item and changing the screen of the display unit from the execution screen of the first application to an execution screen of the third application; and

after the execution of the third application is completed, re-displaying without the input of the user, on the screen, the execution screen of the first application having the specific item displayed as unselected.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a pop-up window identifying a plurality of functions including the third application based on the input of the user for the specific item,

wherein the plurality of functions can be performed for the specific item, and vary according to one or more attributes of the specific item.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the executing steps includes:

loading a corresponding application to a memory of the mobile terminal, and

converting the corresponding application from an inactive state to an active state or changing a background operation of the corresponding application to a foreground operation.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of at least one item among the plurality of the displayed content items;

linking a specific function to one of the at least one selected item;

performing the linked function using the at least one selected item according to the user input; and

after the linked function is performed, re-displaying the execution screen of the first application having;

the one item whose linked function has been performed as unselected and any other selected item without any linked function as still selected, or all of the at least one selected item as still selected.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the linking step includes:

displaying a pop-up window identifying one or more functions that can be performed for the one of the at least one selected item, and

linking the specific function selected among the identified one or more functions through the pop-up window, to the one of the at least one selected item.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the linked function includes at least one of the following:

a function of copying contents of the at least one selected item,

a function of affixing contents of the at least one selected item to an e-mail,

a function of searching for data associated with the at least one selected item, and

a function of translating contents associated with the at least one selected item.

7. A mobile terminal comprising:

a mobile communication unit;

a display unit including a screen; and

a controller configured to control the display unit and the mobile communication unit, and configured to;

display, on the screen, an execution screen of a first application including a web page consisting of content comprising a plurality of text items and image items;

receive a selection of a specific item among the plurality of the displayed items, the specific item representing a selected region of content in the web page;

indicate, on the execution screen of the first application, the specific item as selected to distinguish the specific item from unselected regions of web content;

while the specific item is indicated as selected, when a telephone call request corresponding to a second application is received through the mobile communication unit;

execute the second application and change the screen of the display unit from the execution screen of the first application to an execution screen of the second application without an input of a user,

wherein the telephone call request is initiated by the mobile terminal without an input of the user and the specific item is not used by the second application; and

after the execution of the second application is completed, re-display without the input of the user, on the screen, the execution screen of the first application having the specific item displayed as still selected;

while the specific item is indicated as selected, when an input of the user for the specific item is received;

execute a third application using the specific item based on the input of the user for the specific item and change the screen of the display unit from the execution screen of the first application to an execution screen of the third application; and

after the execution of the third application is completed, redisplay without the input of the user, on the screen, the execution screen of the first application having the specific item displayed as unselected.

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

display a pop-up window identifying a plurality of functions including the third application based on the input of the user for the specific item,

wherein the plurality of functions can be performed for the specific item, and vary according to one or more attributes of the specific item.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein each executing by the controller includes:

loading a corresponding application to a memory of the mobile terminal, and

converting the corresponding application from an inactive state to an active state or changing a background operation of the corresponding application to a foreground operation.

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

receive a selection of at least one item among the plurality of the displayed content items,

link a specific function to one of the at least one selected item,

perform the linked function using the at least one selected item according to the user input, and

after the linked function is performed, re-display the execution screen of the first application having;

the one item whose linked function has been performed as unselected and any other selected item without any linked function as still selected or all of the at least one selected item, as still selected.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the linking of the specific function performed by the controller includes displaying a pop-up window identifying one or more functions that can be performed for the one of the at least one selected item, and linking the specific function selected among the identified one or more functions through the pop-up window, to the one of the at least one selected item.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the linked function includes at least one of the following:

a function of copying contents of the at least one selected item,

a function of affixing contents of the at least one selected item to an e-mail,

a function of searching for data associated with the at least one selected item, and

a function of translating contents associated with the at least one selected item.

13. A method of controlling a mobile terminal including a display unit and a mobile communication unit, the method comprising:

displaying, on a screen of the display unit, an execution screen of a first application including a plurality of items web pane consisting of content comprising a plurality of text items and image items;

receiving a selection of a specific item among the plurality of the displayed items, the specific item representing a selected region of content in the web page;

indicating, on the execution screen of the first application, the specific item as selected to distinguish the specific item from unselected items of the plurality of items regions of web content;

while the specific item is indicated as selected, receiving, by the mobile communication unit, an interrupting event corresponding to a second application;

executing the second application and changing the screen of the display unit from the execution screen of the first application to an execution screen of the second application without an input of a user,

wherein the interrupting event is initiated by the mobile terminal without an input of the user and the specific item is not used by the second application; and

after the execution of the second application is completed, re-displaying without the input of the user, on the screen, the execution screen of the first application having the specific item displayed as still selected; and

while the specific item is indicated as selected, when an input of the user for the specific item is received;

executing a third application using the specific item based on the input of the user for the specific item and changing the screen of the display unit from the execution screen of the first application to an execution screen of the third application; and

after the execution of the third application is completed, re-displaying without the input of the user, on the screen, the execution screen of the first application having the specific item displayed as unselected.