Mobile terminal and method of controlling the mobile

• US 9,589,542 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2014
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Hong, Jipyo, Shin, Sungwon, Lee, Chulbae, Kim, Hyolin, Lee, Jiyeon, Jang, Hyungtae, Won, Yoonchan, Kim, Yongjae
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US14/274,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20150062181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/165 the additional display being small, e.g. for presenting status information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• 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 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/38 with means for controlling the display position

Abstract

Provided is a mobile terminal including: a terminal body that has a first side and a second side; a first display that is located at the first side; a second display that is located at the second side; a sensor that is configured to detect rotation of the mobile terminal; and a controller that is configured to: cause the first display to display a first information; and cause the second display to display a second information when the sensor detects that the mobile terminal is rotated a threshold amount, such that a general direction that the first side faced prior to the rotating of the mobile terminal is generally the same as a general direction that the second side faces after the rotating of the mobile terminal, wherein the second information is related to the first information.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a terminal body having a front surface and a rear surface;

a front display located at the front surface of the terminal body;

a rear display located at the rear surface of the terminal body;

a sensor configured to detect rotation of the mobile terminal; and

a controller configured to;

cause the rear display to turn on if an event occurs in a state where the front display faces a surface of an object;

cause the rear display to display a first information related to the event;

detect when the mobile terminal is rotated from a state where the front surface is facing one direction to a state where the rear surface is facing the one direction; and

cause the front display to turn on and to display different types of information based on whether the rear display displaying the first information is touched while the mobile terminal is rotated,

wherein a second information related to the first information and the event is displayed on the front display if the rear display displaying the first information is touched while the mobile terminal is rotated,

wherein a waiting screen information or previously-output screen information is displayed on the front display if the rear display displaying the first information is not touched while the mobile terminal is rotated, and;

wherein when one of the front display or the rear display is in an ON state, the other of the front display or the rear display is in an OFF state.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

change one of the front display or the rear display to an ON state when the mobile terminal is rotated a threshold amount; and

change the other of the front display or the rear display to an OFF state.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the threshold amount is in the range of 90 to 180 degrees.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first information comprises an alert of the event, and the second information comprises information related to the event.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein:

the rear surface comprises a bezel portion configured to receive touch inputs and surrounding at least a portion of the front display; and

the controller is further configured to perform a function related to the event in response to a touch input to the bezel portion received while the second information is displayed on the rear display.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein:

the event comprises a received message;

the alert comprises a graphic object providing information of the received message, and

the controller is further configured to cause the rear display to display content of the received message when the mobile terminal is rotated a threshold amount.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the rear display to display an input window configured to receive a response to the received message in response to a multi-touch input to the bezel portion received while the content of the received message is displayed on the rear display.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the first information comprises an alert of the event; and

the controller is further configured to cause the rear display to display the second information and perform a function related to the event when the mobile terminal is rotated [a threshold amount.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to change the displayed second information to information corresponding to the performed function.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein:

the event comprises an incoming call;

the first information comprises at least an alert when the incoming call is unanswered; and

the controller is further configured to cause the rear display to display the second information when the mobile terminal is rotated the threshold amount;

wherein the second information comprises at least information related to initiating a call in response to the unanswered incoming call.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to perform one of a plurality of functions related to the event according to rotation of the mobile terminal detected by the sensing unit, each of the plurality of functions corresponding to a particular direction of rotation of the mobile terminal.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein:

the first information comprises at least one icon each corresponding to a function of the plurality of functions; and

the controller is further configured to cause each of the at least one icon to be displayed on a portion of the front display corresponding to a direction of rotation of the mobile terminal corresponding to the function associated with the icon.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to:

select an icon of the at least one icon in response to the sensing unit detecting rotation of the mobile terminal in a direction corresponding to the selected icon when the mobile terminal is rotated the threshold amount; and

cause at least a portion of the displayed first information to be moved toward the icon being selected in response to the sensing unit detecting rotation of the mobile terminal in the corresponding direction.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause the front display to gradually remove the at least the portion of the first information as it is moved toward the selected icon; and

perform the function corresponding to the selected icon when the icon is selected.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the front display is further configured to receive touch inputs;

the event is a first event of a plurality of events of a first category and the first information comprises information related to the first event; and

the controller is further configured to cause the front display to display information related to a second event of the plurality of events of the first category in response to a touch input received via the front display.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 15, wherein:

the received touch input comprises a flicking touch input gesture; and

the controller is further configured to cause the front display to display information related to the second event in response to a flicking touch input gesture in a first direction or a second direction.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein:

the first direction and second direction are opposite directions; and

the controller is further configured to cause the front display to display information related to at least a second category of events in response to a flicking touch input gesture in a third direction or a fourth direction;

wherein the third direction and the fourth direction are opposite directions.