Method of inputting function into portable terminal and button input apparatus of portable terminal using the same

• US 20070129046A1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Seong-woon, Park, Jun-ho, Soh, Byung-seok, Choi, Chang-kyu, Lee, Kwon-lu
• Granted Patent: US 7,817,143 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/403
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/56 including a user help function

Abstract

A function input method for providing in advance to a user information on a function to be executed when the user presses a button to execute a specific function in a portable terminal, such as a cellular phone, and a button input apparatus using the same. The method includes: receiving a button input when the user presses one of a plurality of buttons; determining whether a mode of the button input is a touch mode or a click mode; and displaying a preview image of a function corresponding to the pressed button if the button input mode is the touch mode and executing the function corresponding to the pressed button if the button input mode is the click mode.

Claims

1. A method of inputting a function into a portable terminal including a plurality of buttons, the method comprising:

receiving a button input when a user presses one of the plurality of buttons;

determining whether a mode of the button input is a touch mode or a click mode; and

displaying a preview image of a function corresponding to the pressed button when the button input mode is the touch mode and executing the function corresponding to the pressed button when the button input mode is the click mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the determining, the button input mode is determined to be the touch mode using at least one of an electrostatic capacitance sensing sensor and a pressure sensing sensor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, in the determining, the button input mode is determined to be the touch mode when a period of time when the user presses the button, the period of time being sensed using the at least one of the electrostatic capacitance sensing sensor and the pressure sensing sensor while the user is pressing the button, is longer than a specified period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the determining, the button input mode is determined to be the click mode using a switch working at a pressure greater than a specified pressure, and

the button input mode is determined to be the click mode when the switch is activated.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the preview image is an execution image of the function.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the preview image is an image indicating information on functions subordinate to the function.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the preview image is an image corresponding to the pressed button.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, in the displaying, when the preview image is a moving picture, an important portion of the moving picture is displayed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the preview image is displayed while the user is pressing the button.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the preview image is displayed on a portion of a main screen included in the portable terminal or the entire main screen.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of buttons are variable display buttons of which displayed images vary.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the preview image is displayed on the plurality of buttons.

22. A computer readable recording medium storing a computer program for executing the method of claim 1.

13. A button input apparatus included in a portable terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor sensing whether a user touches a button;

a switch sensing whether the user presses the button with a pressure greater than a specified pressure;

a mode determiner determining whether a mode of a button input obtained by the user pressing the button is a touch mode or a click mode using output signals of the sensor and the switch; and

a control signal generator generating a control signal to display a preview image of a function corresponding to the button when the button input mode is the touch mode and to execute the function corresponding to the button when the button input mode is the click mode.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the sensor is at least one of an electrostatic capacitance sensing sensor, a pressure sensing sensor, and a proximity sensor.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the mode determiner detects a button touch time of the user using an output signal of the sensor and determine that the button input mode is the touch mode when the detected button touch time is longer than a specified time.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the preview image is an execution image of the function.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the preview image is an image indicating information on functions subordinate to the function.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the preview image is an image corresponding to the pressed button.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the preview image is displayed while the user is pressing the button.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a display unit displaying an image displayed on the button, wherein

the image displayed on the display unit is variable, and the preview image is displayed on the display unit.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the preview image is displayed on the display unit.

23. A button input apparatus comprising:

a sensor sensing whether a user touches a button;

a switch sensing whether a pressure of the touch exceeds a specified threshold;

a mode determiner determining whether an input mode of the button is a touch mode or a click mode based on sensing results of the sensor and the switch; and

a control signal generator generating a control signal to display a preview image of a function corresponding to the button when the button input mode is the touch mode and to execute the function corresponding to the button when the button input mode is the click mode.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the mode determiner determines that the button input mode is the touched mode when the button is touched with pressure that does not exceed the specified threshold or when a detected button touch time is longer than a specified time and determines that the button input mode is the click mode when the button is touched with a pressure that exceeds the specified threshold.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein, after the preview image is displayed, the mode determiner changes the button input mode from the touch mode to the click mode when the button is touched with a pressure that exceeds the specified threshold.