USER INTERFACE FOR MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20090197615A1
• Filed: 08/25/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: KIM, Joo Min, Kwon, Youk
• Granted Patent: US 8,195,220 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/605 involving control of the receiver volume to provide a dual operational mode at close or far distance from the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A device and method for controlling the user interface of a mobile device, are discussed. According to an embodiment, the method includes determining a distance relationship between a user'"'"'s body and the mobile device, and changing a configuration of at least one of at least one input unit and at least one output unit depending upon the determined distance relationship.

Claims

1. A method for controlling user interface for a mobile device including at least one input unit and at least one output unit, the method comprising:

determining a distance relationship between a user'"'"'s body and the mobile device; and

changing a configuration of at least one of the at least one input and output units depending upon the determined distance relationship.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining step determines the distance relationship by comparing an actual distance between the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device with a first or second distance reference depending on a movement of the mobile device, the movement of the mobile device being moving from a first range to a second range with respect to the user'"'"'s body or moving from the second range to the first range with respect to the user'"'"'s body.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first and second distance references are different, the first distance reference is used when the mobile device is moved from the first to the second range, and the second distance reference is used when the mobile device is moved from the second to the first range.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one input unit comprises a touch screen, and the at least one output unit comprises a display over which the touch screen is provided, and the changing step comprises at least one of the following:

(i) deactivating the touch screen and turning off the display, when the determined distance relationship indicates that a distance between the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device is in a first predetermined range; and

(ii) turning on the display and activating the touch screen, when the determined distance relationship indicates that the distance between the user'"'"'s boy and the mobile device is in a second predetermined range.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein in the step (i) the touch screen is deactivated first before the display is turned off, and in the step (ii) the display is turned on first before the touch screen is activated.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first predetermined range is closer to the user'"'"'s body than the second predetermined range.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first and second predetermined ranges are variably set by the user.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first predetermined range is approximately 10-15 cm and the second predetermined range is approximately 15-20 cm, or the first predetermined range is approximately 15-20 cm and the second predetermined range is approximately 20-30 cm.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one output unit comprises at least one speaker, and the changing step comprises:

outputting sounds at a first output level, via the at least one speaker, when the determined distance relationship indicates that a distance between the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device is in a first predetermined range; and

outputting sounds at a second output level, via the at least one speaker, when the determined distance relationship indicates that the distance is in a second predetermined range.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the at least one speaker is a single speaker, and the outputting step variably outputs the sounds at the first and second output levels through the single speaker.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the at least one speaker includes first and second speakers, and the outputting step outputs the sounds at the first and second output levels respectively through the first and second speakers.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one output unit comprises a display, and the changing step comprises:

turning off the display when the determined distance relationship indicates that a distance between the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device is in a first predetermined range; and

displaying a menu on the display when the determined distance relationship indicates that the distance between the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device is in a second predetermined range.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the step of displaying the menu on the display includes:

displaying a first menu when the mobile device is not used currently for a phone call; and

displaying a second menu when the mobile device is used currently for a phone call.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first predetermined range is closer to the user'"'"'s body than the second predetermined range.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first and second predetermined ranges are variably set by the user.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first predetermined range is approximately 10-15 cm and the second predetermined range is approximately 15-20 cm, or the first predetermined range is approximately 15-20 cm and the second predetermined range is approximately 20-30 cm.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

outputting a feedback to the user to indicate that the configuration of at least one of the at least one input and output units is changed.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the feedback is one of vibration, sound, or optical signal.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the changing step, the configuration of at least one of the at least one input and output units is changed after waiting for a predetermined time duration.

20. A method for controlling a call mode of a mobile device, the method comprising:

determining a distance relationship between a user'"'"'s body and the mobile device during a phone call; and

changing the call mode of the mobile device depending on the determined distance relationship.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein in the changing step, the call mode of the mobile device is changed when the determined distance relationship indicates that the user'"'"'s body is in touch or proximity with the mobile device.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein the changing step comprises:

changing the call mode from a voice call mode to a video call mode during the phone call, when the determined distance relationship indicates that a distance between the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device is outside a predetermined range.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein the changing step comprises:

changing the call mode from a video call mode to a voice call mode during the phone call, when the determined distance relationship indicates that a distance between the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device is within a predetermined range.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein when the call mode changes from the video call mode to the voice call mode, the method further comprises:

transmitting a prestored image from the mobile device to the other party receiving the phone call.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the changing step further comprises:

changing the call mode back to the video call mode from the voice call mode according to the movement of the mobile device, wherein during the changed back video call mode, a live image is transmitted from the mobile device to the other party.

26. The method according to claim 24, wherein the transmitted prestored image includes indication information for indicating to the other party that the call mode of the mobile device has been changed.

27. The method according to claim 22, wherein the predetermined range is set or changeable by the user.

28. A method for controlling a call operation of a mobile device, comprising:

determining if a call is incoming to the mobile device;

determining a distance relationship between a user'"'"'s body and the mobile device when the call is incoming; and

selectively accepting the incoming call depending on the determined distance relationship.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the selectively accepting step comprises:

automatically accepting the incoming call when the determined distance relationship indicates that the mobile device is in touch with the user'"'"'s body while the call is incoming.

30. The method according to claim 28, wherein the selectively accepting step comprises:

automatically accepting the incoming call when the determined distance relationship indicates that a distance between the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device while the call is incoming is within a predetermined range.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein the predetermined range is set or changeable by the user.

32. A mobile device comprising:

at least one input unit;

at least one output unit;

a distance information detector configured to determine a distance relationship between a user'"'"'s body and the mobile device; and

a controller configured to change a configuration of at least one of the at least one input and output units depending upon the determined distance relationship.

33. A mobile device for controlling a call mode, comprising:

at least one input unit and at least one output unit;

a distance information detector configured to determine a distance relationship between a user'"'"'s body and the mobile device; and

a controller configured to change the call mode of the mobile device depending on the determined distance relationship.

34. A mobile device for controlling a call operation, comprising:

at least one input unit and at least one output unit;

a distance information detector configured to determine a distance relationship between a user'"'"'s body and the mobile device when a call is incoming to the mobile device; and

a controller configured to determine if the call is incoming to the mobile device and to selectively accept the incoming call depending on the determined distance relationship.