Patent ID: 7917179

Claim:
A mobile phone comprising: an operation unit configured to receive user input on the mobile phone; a display unit including a main display area and a sub display area; a speaker configured to be used for phone conversation and audio reproduction on the mobile phone; a memory storing a plurality of software applications executable on the mobile phone, the software applications including an e-mail software and an web browser, the web browser providing a search operation on the Internet, the memory further storing identification information including a telephone number; a short-range communication unit configured to provide short-range wireless communication; a modulator configured to modulate a transmission signal for phone call operation of the mobile phone; a demodulator configured to demodulate a reception signal for the phone call operation of the mobile phone; a signal processor configured to process a demodulated signal from the demodulator and to output the transmission signal to the modulator; an operating system executable on the mobile phone for controlling the mobile phone; and a controller configured to operate in a first mode of operation at some times and to operate in a second mode of operation at other times, wherein during the first mode of operation the controller causes status information including at least one of signal field strength, remaining battery life, and time to be displayed on the sub display area, and wherein during the second mode of operation the controller causes (a) a top screen to be displayed on the main-display area when none of the software applications is active, (b) an icon corresponding to one of the software applications to be displayed on the sub-display area when one of the software applications is active and a predetermined operation is performed on the operation unit, and (c) a displayed screen on the main-display area to be switched in response to an activation of the one of the software applications corresponding to the icon, wherein the mobile phone is configured to perform a plurality of tasks including at least two of the plurality of software applications in parallel.