Mobile terminal and display controlling method therein

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9384014-B2
Application number	US-201213401654-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2012
Priority date	Jun 28, 2011
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

Abstract

A mobile terminal including a communication unit configured to communicate with at least one external terminal; a memory configured to store at least first and second operating systems including at least first and second modes, respectively; and a controller configured to activate the first mode using the first operating system, to display, in a first display region of a display unit of the mobile terminal, the activated first mode, and to display in a second display region of the display unit, at least one second indicator that when selected, activates a second corresponding application in the second mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:
a display unit;
a communication unit configured to communicate with at least one external terminal;
a memory configured to store at least first and second operating systems including at least first and second modes, respectively; and
a controller configured to:
activate the first mode using the first operating system,
display, in a first display region of the display unit, the activated first mode,
display in a second display region of the display unit, a plurality of indicators that, when selected, activate corresponding applications in corresponding modes,
receive an input touch action corresponding to an indicator scroll command to the second display region,
determine whether a predetermined reference is met or not,
switch the first mode using the first operating system into the second mode using the second operating system if the predetermined reference is met, and
maintain the first mode using the first operating system if the predetermined reference is not met,
wherein at least one of the plurality of indicators comprise at least one common indicator corresponding to an application that can be executed in both the first mode and the second mode,
wherein the at least one common indicator includes both a first identifier indicating the first mode and a second identifier indicating the second mode,
wherein a first one of the plurality of indicators corresponding to a first application executed in the first mode is configured to change to correspond to a second application having a current occurring event in the second mode, while the rest of the plurality of indicators correspond to an application that can be run only in the first mode, and
wherein the predetermined reference comprises at least one of the number of indicators corresponding to the second mode being greater than the number of indicators corresponding to the first mode, the number of indicators corresponding to the second mode being greater than the reference number, or the indicators displayed within the specific region include the indicators corresponding to the second mode only.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to display in the second display region at least one first indicator that, when selected, executes a first corresponding application in the first mode, or at least one second indicator that, when selected, executes a second corresponding application in the second mode.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the second display region is a quick launch tray including quick launch indicators that, when selected, activate corresponding applications in the first or second modes.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 3 , wherein the quick launch indicators include mode identifiers indicating that the corresponding applications will be activated in the first or second modes.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to scroll through the first and second indicators based on a touch and drag action performed on the display unit.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 2 , further comprising:
a sensor configured to sense a landscape orientation and a portrait orientation of the mobile terminal,
wherein the controller is further configured to automatically display more of the first and second indicators when the sensor senses the mobile terminal is in the landscape orientation.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 2 , wherein the first and second indicators identify favorite applications.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to display at least one third indicator corresponding to a third application that can be activated in both of the first and second modes.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 8 , wherein when the third indicator is selected, the third corresponding application is executed in the first mode that is already activated.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the first mode is a personal mode of a user using the mobile terminal, and the second mode is a business mode associated with the user.

11. A method of controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising:
allowing, via a communication unit on the mobile terminal, communication with at least one external terminal;
storing, in a memory of the mobile terminal, at least first and second operating systems including at least first and second modes, respectively;
activating, via a controller of the mobile terminal, the first mode using the first operating system;
displaying, in a first display region of a display unit of the mobile terminal, the activated first mode;
displaying, in a second display region of the display unit, a plurality of indicators that, when selected, activate corresponding applications in corresponding modes;
receiving an input touch action corresponding to an indicator scroll command to the second display region;
determining whether a predetermined reference is met or not;
switching the first mode using the first operating system into the second mode using the second operating system if the predetermined reference is met; and
maintaining the first mode using the first operating system if the predetermined reference is not met,
wherein at least one of the plurality of indicators comprise at least one common indicator corresponding to an application that can be executed in both the first mode and the second mode,
wherein the at least one common indicator includes both a first identifier indicating the first mode and a second identifier indicating the second mode,
wherein a first one of the plurality of indicators corresponding to a first application executed in the second mode is configured to change to an indicator corresponding to a second application having a current occurring event in the second mode, while the rest of the plurality of indicators correspond to an application that can be run only in the first mode, and
wherein the predetermined reference comprises at least one of the number of indicators corresponding to the second mode being greater than the number of indicators corresponding to the first mode, the number of indicators corresponding to the second mode being greater than the reference number, or the indicators displayed within the specific region include the indicators corresponding to the second mode only.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
displaying in the second display region, at least one first indicator that, when selected, executes a first corresponding application in the first mode, or at least one second indicator that, when selected, executes a second corresponding application in the second mode.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second display region is a quick launch tray including quick launch indicators that, when selected, activate corresponding applications in the first or second modes.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the quick launch indicators include mode identifiers indicating that the corresponding applications will be activated in the first or second modes.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
scrolling through the first and second indicators based on a touch and drag action performed on the display unit.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
sensing, via a sensor of the mobile terminal, a landscape orientation and a portrait orientation of the mobile terminal; and
automatically displaying more of the first and second indicators when the sensor senses the mobile terminal is in the landscape orientation.

17. The method of

Assignees

• Kim Dongwoo
• Kim Hyehyun
• Park Hyekyung
• Cho Hyunah
• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Dongwoo
• Kim Hyehyun
• Park Hyekyung
• Cho Hyunah

Classifications

• G06F3/0488

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title

• G06F3/04817

  using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) · CPC title

• G06F9/4445 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F3/0482 Primary

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06F3/04883

  for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text · CPC title