Mobile terminal and controlling method thereof

• US 9,690,471 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2011
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Hong, Yeonchul, Kang, Shinchul, Kim, Seongrae, Lee, Jaemoo
• Primary Examiner(s): Theriault, Steven B
• Application Number:
  US13/181,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20120151400A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,176 Days
• Field of Search: 715769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• 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

Abstract

A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, by which a user interface facilitating a setting of an additional function on an icon can be provided. One embodiment of the present invention includes a display unit, a user input unit configured to receive an input of a command from a user, and a controller generating a first attribute-giving icon corresponding to a first attribute on the display unit in accordance with a first input via the user input unit, the controller, if a distance between the first attribute-giving icon and a second icon displayed on the display unit is changed into a prescribed range in accordance with a second input via the user input unit, controlling the first attribute to be given to the second icon.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a touch screen configured to receive a touch input command from a user; and

a controller configured to;

display a first icon together with a second icon on a home screen of the touch screen, the first icon being an attribute-giving icon, and the second icon being an application icon or a widget, such that the first icon is generated on the home screen after the second icon is displayed on the home screen,

display an attribute icon on or with the second icon to indicate that an attribute of the first icon displayed on the home screen is applied to the second icon displayed on the home screen, in response to a first touch input received via the touch screen, wherein the first touch input is to bring the first icon and the second icon into contact with each other, and

determine whether or not the first icon disappears after the attribute of the first icon is applied to the second icon in response to the first touch input, depending on a duration of the contact between the first icon and the second icon,

wherein the controller is further configured to;

in response to transferring a plurality of attributes to the second icon, display the second icon together with relevant attribute icons corresponding to the plurality of attributes, and

in response to a single predetermined touch input received via the touch screen, remove all of the plurality of attributes from the second icon such that the second icon is displayed without the relevant attribute icons corresponding to the plurality of attributes,

wherein the attribute applied to the second icon relates to executing an application associated with the second icon, and

wherein whether or not the first icon disappears is determined such that the first icon disappears after the attribute of the first icon is applied to the second icon if the duration of the contact between the first icon and the second icon is less than a predetermined time, and the first icon does not disappear after the attribute of the first icon is applied to the second icon if the duration of the contact between the first icon and the second icon is equal to or longer than the predetermined time.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the relevant attribute icons indicate that the plurality of attributes have been applied to the second icon.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1,

wherein the controller is configured to perform a first function relative to the second icon as a result of applying the attribute of the first icon to the second icon, and

wherein the controller is configured to perform a second function relative to the second icon in response to a subsequent touch input to the first icon or another icon different from the second icon.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 3,

wherein the first function is one of hiding the second icon, displaying a preview of the second icon, activating the second icon, and locking the second icon, and

wherein the second function is one of unhiding the second icon, removing the preview of the second icon, deactivating the second icon, and unlocking the second icon.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein, after the attribute of the first icon is applied to the second icon, the controller is configured to control an operation of the second icon in response to a second touch input received on the first icon or another icon different from the second icon.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein the operation of the second icon is one of a deactivation and a reactivation of the attribute of the first icon that was applied to the second icon.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6,

wherein the controller is configured to change a display characteristic of the second icon after the attribute of the first icon is applied to the second icon, and

wherein the controller is configured to change another display characteristic of the second icon to indicate that the attribute of the first icon that was applied to the second icon has changed between an active state and an inactive state.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein, in response to a second touch input to a predetermined icon, the controller is configured to display a list of icons to which the attribute of the first icon has been applied.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to generate and display the first icon on the home screen in response to a second touch input received via the touch screen.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the second touch input includes a user touch to an icon-generation icon displayed on the home screen, followed by a user touch for selecting one of the plurality of attributes displayed in response to the user touch to the icon-generation icon.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the second touch input includes a user touch to a background display of the home screen, followed by a user touch for selecting one of the plurality of attributes displayed in response to the user touch to the background display.

12. A method of controlling a display of a mobile terminal having a touch screen and a controller, the method comprising:

displaying a first icon together with a second icon on a home screen of the touch screen, the first icon being an attribute-giving icon, and the second icon being an application icon or a widget, such that the first icon is generated on the home screen after the second icon is displayed on the home screen;

displaying an attribute icon on or with the second icon to indicate that an attribute of the first icon displayed on the home screen is applied to the second icon displayed on the home screen in response to a first touch input received via the touch screen, wherein the first touch input is to bring the first icon and the second icon into contact with each other; and

determining whether or not the first icon disappears after the attribute of the first icon is applied to the second icon in response to the first touch input, depending on a duration of the contact between the first icon and the second icon,

wherein the method further comprises;

in response to transferring a plurality of attributes to the second icon, displaying the second icon together with relevant attribute icons corresponding to the plurality of attributes; and

in response to a single predetermined touch input received via the touch screen, removing all of the plurality of attributes from the second icon such that the second icon is displayed without the relevant attribute icons corresponding to the plurality of attributes,

wherein the attribute applied to the second icon relates to executing an application associated with the second icon, and

wherein whether or not the first icon disappears is determined such that the first icon disappears after the attribute of the first icon is applied to the second icon if the duration of the contact between the first icon and the second icon is less than a predetermined time, and the first icon does not disappear after the attribute of the first icon is applied to the second icon if the duration of the contact between the first icon and the second icon is equal to or longer than the predetermined time.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the relevant attribute icons indicate that the plurality of attributes have been applied to the second icon.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

performing a first function relative to the second icon as a result of applying the attribute of the first icon to the second icon; and

performing a second function relative to the second icon in response to a subsequent touch input to the first icon or another icon different from the second icon.

15. The method of claim 14,

wherein the first function is one of hiding the second icon, displaying a preview of the second icon, activating the second icon, and locking the second icon, and

wherein the second function is one of unhiding the second icon, removing the preview of the second icon, deactivating the second icon, and unlocking the second icon.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

after the attribute of the first icon is applied to the second icon, controlling an operation of the second icon in response to a second touch input received on the first icon or another icon different from the second icon.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the operation of the second icon is one of a deactivation and a reactivation of the attribute of the first icon that was applied to the second icon.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

changing a display characteristic of the second icon after the attribute of the first icon is applied to the second icon; and

changing another display characteristic of the second icon to indicate that the attribute of the first icon that was applied to the second icon has changed between an active state and an inactive state.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

displaying a list of icons to which the attribute of the first icon has been applied in response to a second touch input to a predetermined icon.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating and displaying the first icon on the home screen in response to a second touch input received via the touch screen.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the second touch input includes a user touch to an icon-generation icon displayed on the home screen, followed by a user touch for selecting one of the plurality of attributes displayed in response to the user touch to the icon-generation icon.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the second touch input includes a user touch to a background display of the home screen, followed by a user touch for selecting one of the plurality of attributes displayed in response to the user touch to the background display.