Mobile terminal and object change support method for the same

Abstract

A mobile terminal and a method of supporting an object change for the same are provided. The mobile terminal includes a display unit for outputting at least one object, and a control unit for controlling at least one of directly displaying, in response to a signal for changing the output object into a second object having a similar function but being of a different type than the output object, the second object on the display unit without a screen transition, and for outputting, in response to a signal for changing the output object into a second object having a similar function but being of a different type than the output object, a guide frame on the display unit so as to facilitate change of the output object without a screen transition.

1 . An object change support method for a mobile terminal, the method comprising:
 outputting at least one object on a display unit;   receiving a signal for property change of one of the at least one object; and   changing, in response to the property change signal, the object into one of second objects that are similar in function to but are different in type from the object.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the object is at least one of a widget object and a picture frame object. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second objects differ in terms of at least one of display size, display direction, information content, and information arrangement. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying a number and size of the second objects that are similar in function but are different in type from the object;   generating a guide frame comprising regions associated with the second objects on the basis of the identified number and size of the second objects; and   outputting the generated guide frame on the display unit.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising outputting reference points associated respectively with the second objects on the regions of the guide frame. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the outputting of the reference points comprises marking reference points associated with the second objects at edge portions of the regions of the guide frame. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the outputting of the reference points comprises marking, if some of the second objects have the same size, reference points associated with the second objects having the same size at distinct portions of the same region of the guide frame. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising one of:
 outputting, in response to a signal for selecting a reference point, a second object associated with the selected reference point as a preview image, and displaying, in response to a signal for finalization, the second object on the display unit; and   directly displaying, in response to a signal for selecting a reference point, a second object associated with the selected reference point on the display unit.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the receiving of the signal for property change comprises receiving a long touch event occurring on the object output on the display unit,
 wherein the outputting of the generated guide frame comprises outputting the guide frame having reference points in response to the long touch event, and   wherein the changing of the object into one of second objects comprises outputting, in response to a touch-and-move event corresponding to a touching of an area corresponding to the object and moving to a target reference point, a second object associated with the target reference point as a preview image, and displaying, in response to a signal for finalization, the second object on the display unit with replacement of the object.   
     
     
         10 . An object change support method for a mobile terminal, the method comprising:
 outputting at least one object on a display unit;   receiving a signal for property change of one of the at least one object; and   outputting, in response to the property change signal, a guide frame on the display unit, wherein the guide frame facilitates changing the object into one of second objects that are similar in function to but are different in type from the object.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 identifying a number and size of the second objects that are similar in function to but are different in type from the object; and   generating a guide frame comprising regions associated with the second objects on the basis of the identified number and size of the second objects.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising outputting reference points associated respectively with the second objects on the regions of the guide frame. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the outputting of the reference points comprises at least one of:
 marking reference points associated with the second objects at edge portions of the regions of the guide frame; and   marking reference points associated with some of the second objects at distinct portions of the same region of the guide frame.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising one of:
 outputting, in response to a signal for selecting a reference point, a second object associated with the selected reference point as a preview image, and displaying, in response to a signal for finalization, the second object on the display unit; and   directly displaying, in response to a signal for selecting a reference point, a second object associated with the selected reference point on the display unit.   
     
     
         15 . A mobile terminal capable of object change support, the mobile terminal comprising:
 a display unit for outputting at least one object; and   a control unit for controlling at least one of directly displaying, in response to a signal for changing the output object into a second object having a similar function but being of a different type than the output object, the second object on the display unit without a screen transition, and for outputting, in response to a signal for changing the output object into a second object having a similar function but being of a different type than the output object, a guide frame on the display unit so as to facilitate change of the output object without a screen transition.   
     
     
         16 . The mobile terminal of  claim 15 , wherein the control unit identifies a number and size of second objects that are similar in function to but are different in type from the output object, and generates a guide frame comprising regions associated with the second objects on the basis of the identified number and size of the second objects. 
     
     
         17 . The mobile terminal of  claim 16 , wherein the control unit controls an operation to output reference points associated respectively with the second objects on the regions of the guide frame. 
     
     
         18 . The mobile terminal of  claim 17 , wherein the display unit outputs reference points associated with the second objects at edge portions of the regions of the guide frame or outputs reference points associated with some of the second objects at distinct portions of the same region of the guide frame. 
     
     
         19 . The mobile terminal of  claim 18 , wherein the display unit outputs, in response to a signal for selecting a reference point, a second object associated with the selected reference point as a preview image, and displays, in response to a signal for finalization, the second object on the display unit, or directly displays, in response to a signal for selecting a reference point, a second object associated with the selected reference point on the display unit. 
     
     
         20 . The mobile terminal of  claim 15 , wherein the display unit displays a second object of a type that differs from the output object in terms of at least one of display size, display direction, information content and information arrangement.