Multiple screen mode in mobile terminal

Abstract

Provided are a method and a mobile terminal for simultaneously displaying at least two application windows on a display unit of a mobile terminal. The method may include displaying a first application window associated with a first application on an entire display area of the display unit, receiving a multi_screen mode initiation input from a user, dividing a display area of the display unit into at least two display areas including a first display area and a second display area in response to the multi_screen mode initiation input, and displaying the first application window and a second application window on the at least two display areas, respectively, in a multi_screen mode.

1 . A method of simultaneously displaying at least two application windows on a display unit of a mobile terminal, the method comprising:
 displaying a first application window associated with a first application on an entire display area of the display unit;   receiving a multi_screen mode initiation input from a user;   dividing a display area of the display unit into at least two display areas including a first display area and a second display area in response to the multi_screen mode initiation input; and   displaying the first application window and a second application window on the at least two display areas, respectively, in a multi_screen mode.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving a multi_screen mode initiation input includes:
 receiving an input from the user;   determining whether the received input is made through at least one of a predetermined key button and a predetermined icon, which are designated for initiating the multi_screen mode;   initiating the multi_screen mode when the received input is made through the at least one of the predetermined key button and the predetermined icon;   otherwise, performing an operation associated the received input,   wherein the predetermined key button is one of key buttons disposed on the mobile terminal and the predetermined icon is one of a group of icons included in an initial graphic user interface displayed on the display unit of the mobile terminal.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving a multi_screen mode initiation input includes:
 receiving an input from the user;   determining whether the received input is a pinch input;   determining whether an associated pinching motion of the pinch input exceeds a range of shrinking an application window when the received input is the pinch input;   initiating the multi_screen mode when the pinching motion exceeds the range of shrinking the first application window;   otherwise, shrinking the first application window corresponding to the pinching motion of the pinch input.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving a multi_screen mode initiation input includes:
 receiving an input from the user;   determining whether the received input is a spread input;   determining whether an associated spreading motion of the spread input exceeds a range of expanding an application window when the received input is the spread input;   initiating the multi_screen mode when the spreading motion exceeds the range of expanding the application window;   otherwise, expanding the first application window corresponding to the expanding motion of the spread input.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dividing a display area of the display unit includes:
 dividing the display area vertically into a left side display area as the first display area and a right side display area as the second display area when the multi_screen mode is initiated.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dividing a display area of the display unit includes:
 dividing the display area horizontally into an upper side display area as the first display area and a lower side display area as the second display area when the multi_screen mode is initiated.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the displaying the first application window and the second application window includes:
 reconfiguring the first application window corresponding to the first display area and displaying the first application window on the first display area;   activating a second application previously selected by at least one of the user, a service provider, and a manufacturer of the mobile terminal; and   displaying the second application window associated with the second application on the second display area.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, after the displaying the first application window and a second application window, comprising:
 receiving a single_screen mode initiation input;   closing one of the first application window and the second application window in response to, and associated with, the single_screen mode initiation input; and   displaying the other one of the first application window and the second application window on an entire display area of the display unit in a single_screen mode.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the receiving a single_screen mode includes:
 receiving an input from the user;   determining whether the received input is through at least one of a predetermined key button and a predetermined icon corresponding to the single_screen mode;   initiating the single_screen mode when the received input is the single_screen mode initiation input;   otherwise, performing an operation associated with the received input,   wherein the predetermined key button is one of key buttons disposed on the mobile terminal and the predetermined icon is one of a group of icons included in an initial graphic user interface displayed on the display unit of the mobile terminal.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the receiving a single_screen mode includes:
 receiving an input from the user;   determining whether the received input is a request for closing one of the first application window and the second application window;   initiating the single_screen mode when the received input is the request for closing one of the first application window and the second application window;   otherwise, performing an operation associated with the received input.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the receiving a single_screen mode initiation input includes:
 receiving an input from the user;   determining whether the received input is a pinch input;   determining whether pinching motion of the pinch input exceeds a range of shrinking an application window when the received input is the pinch input;   initiating the multi_screen mode when the pinching motion exceeds the range of shrinking an application window; and   shrinking one, associated with the received input, of the first application window and the second application corresponding to e pinching motion of the pinch input.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the receiving a single_screen mode initiation input includes:
 receiving an input from the user;   determining whether the received input is a spread input;   determining whether spreading motion of the spread input exceeds an allowable range of expanding an application window when the received input is the spread input;   initiating the single_screen mode when the spreading motion exceeds the allowable range of expanding an application window; and   expanding one, associated with the received input, of the first application window and the second application window corresponding to the expanding motion of the spread input.   
     
     
         13 . A method of simultaneously displaying two application windows on a display unit of a mobile terminal, the method comprising:
 displaying a first application window associated with a first application on an entire display area of the display unit when activating the first application;   receiving a dual_screen mode initiation input from a user;   dividing a display area of the display unit into a first display area and a second display area in response to the dual_screen mode; and   displaying the first application window on the first display area and a second application window on the second display area in the dual_screen mode.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the receiving a dual_screen mode initiation input includes:
 receiving an input from the user;   determining whether the received input is a pinch input;   determining whether an associated pinching motion of the pinch input exceeds a range of shrinking an application window when the received input is the pinch input;   initiating the dual_screen mode when the pinching motion exceeds the range of shrinking an application window; and   otherwise, shrinking the first application window corresponding to the pinching motion of the pinch input.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the displaying the first application window and a second application window includes:
 reconfiguring the first application window corresponding to the first display area and displaying the first application window on the first display area;   activating a second application previously selected by at least one of the user, a service provider, and a manufacturer of the mobile terminal; and   displaying the second application window associated with the second application on the second display area.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein, after the displaying e first application window and a second application window, comprising:
 receiving a single_screen mode initiation input; and   closing one, associated with the single_screen mode initiation input, of the first application window and the second application window; and   displaying the other one of the first application window and the second application window on an entire display area of the display unit of the mobile terminal in response to the single_screen mode.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the receiving a single_screen mode includes:
 receiving an input from the user;   determining whether the received input is a pinch input;   determining whether an associated pinching motion of the pinch input exceeds a range of shrinking an application window when the received input is the pinch input;   initiating the single_screen mode when the pinching motion exceeds the range of shrinking an application window; and   shrinking one, associated with the received input, of the first application window and the second application corresponding to the pinching motion of the pinch input.   
     
     
         18 . A mobile terminal comprising:
 a display unit configured to sense a touch input made on a surface thereof, to determine coordinate values of the sensed touch input at a given interval, to display an application window on an entire display area in a single_screen mode, and to display at least two application windows separately on divided display areas in a multi_screen mode;   a touch input processor configured to receive the coordinate value from the display unit and to determine whether the sensed touch input is a multi_screen mode initiation input or a single_screen mode initiation input based on the received coordinate values of the touch input; and   a controller configured to initiate at least one of a multi_screen mode and a single_screen mode based on the determination result of the touch input processor.   
     
     
         19 . The mobile terminal of  claim 18 , wherein the touch input processor is configured to:
 determine whether the sensed touch input is at least one of a predetermined icon, a closing request, a pinch input, and a spread input based on the received coordinate values of the sensed touch input:   when the sensed touch input is the predetermined icon, determine that the sensed touch input is at least one of the multi_screen mode initiation input and the single_screen mode initiation input when the predetermined icon is associated with initiation of one of the multi_screen mode initiation input and the single_screen mode initiation input;   when the sensed touch input is the closing request, determine that the sensed touch input is the single_screen mode initiation input;   when the sensed touch input is the pinch input, determine that the pinch input is at least one of the multi_screen mode initiation input and the single_screen mode initiation input when pinching motion of the pinch input exceeds a range of shrinking an application window; and   when the sensed touch input is the spread input, determine that the spread input is at least one of the multi_screen mode initiation input and the single_screen mode initiation input when spreading motion of the spread input exceeds a range of expanding an application window.   
     
     
         20 . The mobile terminal of  claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 when the touch input is the multi_screen mode initiation input based on the determination result of the touch input processor, divide a display area of the display unit into at least two display areas including a first display area and a second display area, activate a second application previously selected by one of a user and a manufacturer of the mobile terminal, reconfigure a first application window corresponding to the first display area, display the reconfigured first application window on the first display area, and display a second application window associated with the second application on the second display area, wherein the first application window is an application window previously displayed on an entire display area of the display unit; and   when the touch input is the single_screen mode initiation input based on the determination result of the touch input processor, close one, associated with the single_screen mode initiation input, of the first application window and the second application window, and display the other one of the first application window and the second application window on the entire display area of the display unit.