Mobile terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12425510-B2
Application number	US-201917778815-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2019
Priority date	Nov 22, 2019
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

The objective of the present invention is to provide a mobile terminal in which a layout of execution screens of two or more applications displayed together can be automatically changed to be suited for a user's viewing. According to an aspect of the present invention, provided is a mobile terminal comprising: a body; a display coupled to the body such that a display area viewed from the front of the body can be changed according to the switching between an extension display mode and a contraction display mode; and a control unit for controlling such that a layout for two or more application execution screens displayed together on the display is changed in response to the switching from the extension display mode to the contraction display mode.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mobile terminal comprising:
a body;
a display coupled to the body such that a display region visible on a front surface of the body is changeable as a display mode is switched between an extended display mode and a contracted display mode; and
a controller configured to:
in response to switching from the extended display mode to the contracted display mode, control a layout for a plurality of application execution screens simultaneously displayed on the display to be changed such that, in the contracted display mode, a first application execution screen of the plurality of application execution screens is not displayed and a second application execution screen of the plurality of application execution screen is displayed;
control a first icon and a second icon to be displayed in the contracted display mode, wherein the first icon and the second icon are for re-displaying at least one of the plurality of application execution screens;
in response to selection of the first icon, re-display the first application execution screen corresponding to the first icon, while maintaining the contracted display mode; and
in response to selection of the second icon, switch from the contracted display mode to the extended display mode, and control the first application execution screen and the second application execution screen to be displayed according to the layout formed before execution of mode switching.

2. The mobile terminal according to claim 1 , wherein:
as the layout is changed, the controller controls all of the plurality of application execution screens not to be displayed.

3. The mobile terminal according to claim 2 , wherein:
as the layout is changed, the controller controls a third icon for re-displaying the plurality of application execution screens to be displayed on a home screen.

4. The mobile terminal according to claim 3 , wherein:
in response to selection of the third icon, the controller controls the contracted display mode to be switched to the extended display mode, and controls the plurality of application execution screens to be displayed according to the layout formed before execution of mode switching.

5. The mobile terminal according to claim 1 , wherein:
the body includes
a first frame, and
a second frame extending from the first frame and coupled to the first frame so as to be contractible to the first frame;
the display includes a flexible display capable of surrounding a front surface, a side surface, and a back surface of the body; and
the controller operates in the extended display mode as the second frame is extended, and operates in the contracted display mode as the second frame is contracted.

6. The mobile terminal according to claim 5 , wherein:
the flexible display is coupled to the body in a manner that, since at least a display portion located at the side surface of the body moves toward the front surface of the body as the second frame is extended, a display region visible on the front surface of the body in the extended display mode increases in size.

7. The mobile terminal according to claim 6 , wherein:
the flexible display is coupled to the body in a manner that, as the display portion located at the side surface of the body moves toward the front surface of the body, a display portion located at the back surface of the body moves toward the front surface of the body through the side surface of the body.

8. The mobile terminal according to claim 7 , wherein:
the flexible display is coupled to the body in a manner that, as the second frame is contracted, a display portion located at the front surface of the body in the extended display mode moves toward the side surface of the body or moves toward the back surface of the body through the side surface of the body, such that a display region visible on the front surface of the body in the contracted display mode becomes smaller in size.

9. The mobile terminal according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a driving unit for enabling the second frame to move either in a slidably extended manner or in a slidably contracted manner.

10. The mobile terminal according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a side frame for covering the flexible display surrounding the side surface of the body.

11. The mobile terminal according to claim 5 , wherein:
in the extended display mode, the plurality of application execution screens are displayed in a display region located at the front surface of the body; and
in the contracted display mode, at least one application execution screen from among the plurality of application execution screens disappears from a display region located at the front surface of the body according to the contracted display mode.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Changmok
• Lee Jinhee
• Choi Eunkyung
• Seo Junho

Classifications

• H04M2201/42

  Graphical user interfaces · CPC title

• H04M2201/38

  Displays · CPC title

• H04M1/0268 Primary

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• H04M1/0237

  Sliding mechanism with one degree of freedom · CPC title

• H04M1/72469

  for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons · CPC title