Mobile terminal and method of controlling operation of the same

• US 10,656,712 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2015
• Issued: 05/19/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Min Joo, Cho, Hang Jun, Yoon, Jeong Hyuk, Kang, Yun Hwan, Bang, Sung Eun, Lee, Sang Hyun, Park, Min Soo, Suh, Hyo Jin, Cho, Hye Youn, Shin, Hye Eun, Hwang, Si Il
• Primary Examiner(s): Akonai, Olumide Ajibade
• Application Number:
  US14/925,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20160187984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,665 Days
• Field of Search: 455566, 345168, 345169, 345173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2747 Scrolling on a display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

This patent relates to a mobile terminal and a method of controlling an operation of the same. The method of controlling an operation of a mobile terminal includes displaying a file list and scroll arrows for scrolling the file list on a touch screen. When the scroll arrow is touched and entered, the file list is scrolled at a scroll speed previously set in response to a time when the scroll arrow is touched and entered. A vibration signal to identify at least one of a scroll speed and a current scrolling position of the file list is provided. Accordingly, when a file list is scrolled, a scroll speed or a current scrolling position can be easily identified by a tactile sense.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a vibration unit to generate at least one type of vibration;

a touch screen; and

a controller operably connected to the touch screen and the vibration unit and configured to;

cause the touch screen to display a list of items that are arranged in alphabetical order or a soft keypad having at least one of numbers or alphabetic characters;

when the list of items is displayed, cause the vibration unit to generate at least one vibration when the list of items is scrolled and transitions from a first group of one or more items associated with a first alphabetic character to a second group of one or more items associated with a second alphabetic character;

when the soft keypad with numbers is displayed, cause the vibration unit to generate a vibration when a key associated with at least one number is pressed; and

when the soft keypad with alphabetic characters is displayed, cause the vibration unit to generate a vibration when a key associated with at least one alphabetic character is pressed.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein a scroll bar is provided with the list of items and the list of items is scrolled using the scroll bar.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein as a speed of scrolling through the list of items changes, the at least one type of vibration changes based on changes in the speed of scrolling through the list of items.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein a speech balloon is provided for at least one of the first group or the second group based on a position of the scroll bar.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein a unique identification is provided within the speech balloon.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein a prescribed vibration is provided for the speech balloon.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein a different vibration is generated for the first group and the second group.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein each vibration is generated based on controlling at least one of pitch, frequency, strength or duration of the vibration.

9. The mobile terminal, of claim 1, wherein:

causing the vibration unit to generate the vibration when the key associated with the at least one number is pressed comprises causing the vibration unit to generate a vibration each time keys associated with a numbers is pressed; and

causing the vibration unit to generate the vibration when the key associated with the at least one alphabetic character is pressed comprises causing the vibration unit to generate a vibration each time keys associated with an alphabetic character is pressed.

10. A method of controlling a mobile terminal having a vibration unit and a touch screen, the method comprising:

causing the touch screen to display a list of items that are arranged in alphabetical order or a soft keypad having at least one of numbers or alphabetic characters;

when the list of items is displayed, causing the vibration unit to generate at least one vibration when the list of items is scrolled and transitions from a first group of one or more items associated with a first alphabetic character to a second group of one or more items associated with a second alphabetic character;

when the soft keypad with numbers is displayed, causing the vibration unit to generate a vibration when a key associated with at least one number is pressed; and

when the soft keypad with alphabetic characters is displayed, causing the vibration unit to generate a vibration when a key associated with at least one alphabetic character is pressed.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising displaying a scroll bar with the list of items, and scrolling the list of items using the scroll bar.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein as a speed of scrolling through the list of items changes, the at least one vibration changes based on, changes in the speed of scrolling through the list of items.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of frequency, pitch, strength or duration of the at least one vibration changes based on the change in the speed of scrolling.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying a speech balloon for at least one of the first group or the second group based on a position of the scroll bar.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing a unique identification within the speech balloon.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing a prescribed vibration for the speech balloon.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein a different vibration is generated for the first group and the second group.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein each vibration is generated based on controlling at least one of pitch, frequency, strength or duration of the vibration.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein:

causing the vibration unit to generate the vibration when the key associated with the at least one number is pressed comprises causing the vibration unit to generate a vibration each time keys associated with a numbers is pressed; and

causing the vibration unit to generate the vibration when the key associated with the at least one alphabetic character is pressed comprises causing the vibration unit to generate a vibration each time the keys associated with an alphabetic character is pressed.

20. The method of claim 10, wherein:

causing the vibration unit to generate the vibration when the key associated with the at least one number is pressed comprises causing the vibration unit to generate a different vibration when a key for each number is pressed; and

causing the vibration unit to generate the vibration when the key associated with the at least one alphabetic character is pressed comprises causing the vibration unit to generate a different vibration when a key for each alphabetic character is pressed.