MODE SWITCHING METHOD FOR MOBILE TERMINAL

• US 20080045207A1
• Filed: 07/10/2007
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Kyu Ok, Yeo, Jae Woo, AHN, Da Le, Kim, Sung Han
• Granted Patent: US 9,467,556 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/428
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• 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 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

A mode switching method and a mobile terminal operating with the mode switching method capable of switching an operation mode in accordance with a geographic placement attitude of the mobile terminal are disclosed. A mobile terminal includes a placement attitude detection unit for capturing a placement attitude of the mobile terminal; a placement attitude retrieval unit for comparing a captured geographic placement attitude with previously stored reference placement attitudes and outputting a mode signal corresponding to a reference placement attitude matching the captured placement attitude; a key arrangement configuration unit for reconfiguring a key arrangement according to the mode signal; a control unit for switching to an operation mode indicated by the mode signal and determining a rotation of a screen image; and a display unit for displaying the screen image at different angle adaptive to the placement attitude of the mobile terminal under the control of the control unit.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a placement attitude detection unit for capturing a geographic placement attitude of the mobile terminal;

a placement attitude retrieval unit for comparing a captured placement attitude with previously stored reference placement attitudes and outputting a mode signal corresponding to a reference placement attitude matching the captured placement attitude;

a key arrangement configuration unit for reconfiguring a key arrangement according to the mode signal;

a control unit for switching to an operation mode indicated by the mode signal and determining a rotation of a screen image; and

a display unit for displaying the screen image at different angle adaptive to the placement attitude of the mobile terminal under the control of the control unit.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the placement attitude detection unit comprises:

an acceleration sensor for sensing an acceleration of the mobile terminal; and

a placement attitude calculator for calculating the placement attitude of the mobile terminal on the basis of the acceleration sensed by the acceleration sensor.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the acceleration sensor is a 3-axis acceleration sensor.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising a storage unit for storing the reference placement attitudes and key arrangement corresponding to the operation modes of the mobile terminal.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the display unit comprises a touch-screen displaying key arrangement per operation mode of the mobile terminal.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprises an input unit providing key arrangement per operation mode of the mobile terminal.

7. A mode switching method for a mobile terminal, comprising:

capturing a geographic placement attitude of the mobile terminal using a placement attitude sensor;

comparing a captured placement attitude with previously stored reference placement attitudes;

enabling an operation mode corresponding to a reference placement attitude matching the captured placement attitude; and

configuring a key arrangement corresponding to the operation mode.

8. The mode switching method of claim 7, wherein the placement attitude sensor is a 3-axis acceleration sensor for sensing acceleration of a motion of the mobile terminal.

9. The mode switching method of claim 8, wherein the placement attitude sensor calculates the placement attitude of the mobile terminal on the basis of the acceleration.

10. The mode switching method of claim 7, further comprising configuring the placement attitude and key arrangement per operation mode of the mobile terminal.

11. The mode switching method of claim 7, wherein configuring a key arrangement comprises displaying the key arrangement on a screen.

12. The mode switching method of claim 7, wherein configuring a key arrangement comprises displaying the key arrangement through a keypad.

13. The mode switching method of claim 7, further comprising displaying screen image at different angle adaptive to the placement attitude of the mobile terminal.

14. A mode switching method for a mobile terminal which operates in one of a multimedia mode and a communication mode, comprising:

capturing a placement attitude of the mobile terminal using a placement attitude sensor;

configuring, if the captured placement attitude indicates the multimedia mode, a key arrangement corresponding to the multimedia mode;

determining whether an incoming call event occurs while operating in the multimedia mode;

checking, if an incoming call event occurs, whether the placement attitude of the mobile terminal is suitable for the communication mode;

switching, if the placement attitude of the mobile terminal is suitable for the communication mode, to the communication mode to process the incoming call event; and

maintaining, if the placement attitude of the mobile terminal is not suitable for the communication mode, the multimedia mode to reject the incoming call event.

15. The mode switching method of claim 14, wherein switching to the communication mode comprises:

displaying, if the incoming call event is a message reception event, a content of an incoming message; and

processing, if the incoming call event is a voice communication request event, the voice communication request.

16. The mode switching method of claim 14, wherein maintaining the multimedia mode comprises:

outputting, if the incoming call event is a message reception event, an alert notifying a reception of an incoming message; and

processing, if the incoming call event is a voice communication request event, an incoming call in absence.

17. The mode switching method of claim 14, wherein maintaining the multimedia mode comprises switching, an incoming call reception command is input in response to the incoming call event, to the communication mode.