MOBILE PHONE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME

• US 20090201264A1
• Filed: 12/30/2008
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Inventors: Hsu, Hung-Young, Chiou, Bo-Ching
• Granted Patent: US 8,068,099 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• 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 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264

Abstract

A mobile phone is provided. The mobile phone comprises a touch panel, a camera, and a processor. The touch panel comprises a touch-sensitive display screen, implementing a plurality of virtual buttons. The camera comprises a camera lens having a view-finding area in relation to the touch panel. The processor, respectively coupled with the touch panel and the camera, switches on the camera in response to receipt of a trigger signal, determines whether a focus of the camera for a subject is shorter than a preset distance, and if so, locks the touch panel.

Claims

1. A mobile phone, comprising:

a touch panel, comprising a touch-sensitive display screen implementing a plurality of virtual buttons;

a camera comprising a camera lens; and

a processor, respectively coupled with the touch panel and the camera, switching on the camera in response to receipt of a trigger signal, determining whether a focal length of the camera for a subject is shorter than a preset focal length, and if so, locking the touch panel.

2. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the camera comprises a front camera lens.

3. The mobile phone of claim 2, wherein the preset focal length is a minimum focal length of the camera.

4. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the trigger signal is generated when the virtual buttons are activated.

5. The mobile phone of claim 4, wherein the virtual buttons comprise a hang up button and a hands-free mode button, the processor receives the trigger signal when the hang up button or the hands-free mode button is activated, and a receiver has been switched off and a speaker accordingly has been switched on.

6. The mobile phone of claim 5, wherein the camera is switched off when the hang up button or the hands-free mode button has been activated.

7. The mobile phone of claim 4, wherein the virtual buttons further comprises a video conference mode button, the processor receives the trigger signal when the video conference mode button is activated, and a receiver has been switched off and a speaker accordingly has been switched on.

8. The mobile phone of claim 7, wherein the camera starts to take pictures when the video conference mode button has been activated.

9. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein when the illumination level measured by a light meter is insufficient, the processor further performs a software exposure compensation or a hardware exposure compensation process to allow more light in.

10. A method for controlling a mobile phone, wherein the mobile phone comprises a touch panel and a camera, and the touch panel comprises a touch-sensitive display screen implementing a plurality of virtual buttons, and the camera comprises a camera lens, comprising:

receiving a trigger signal and accordingly switching on the camera;

determining whether a focal length of the camera for a subject is shorter than a preset focal length; and

when the focal length of the camera for the subject is shorter than a preset focal length, locking the touch panel.

11. The method for controlling a mobile phone of claim 10, wherein the virtual buttons comprise a hang up button, a hands-free mode button, or a video conference mode button.

12. The method for controlling a mobile phone of claim 11, further determining whether a light measurement is lower than a preset illumination level when none of the buttons, such as the hang up button, the hands-free mode button, and the video conference mode button has been activated.

13. The method for controlling a mobile phone of claim 12, further determining whether the focal length is longer than the preset focal length when the light measurement is lower than the preset illumination level.

14. The method for controlling a mobile phone of claim 13, further performing a software exposure compensation or a hardware exposure compensation process to allow more light in.

15. The method for controlling a mobile phone of claim 12, further switching on the camera when the light measurement is higher than the preset illumination level, or when the focal length is longer than the preset focal length.

16. The method for controlling a mobile phone of claim 13, wherein when the focal length is shorter than the preset focal length, further determining that the mobile phone is operating in a communication mode, and thus locking the touch panel.

17. The method for controlling a mobile phone of claim 16, further determining, periodically, whether the light measurement is lower than the preset illumination level when the touch panel is locked.

18. The method for controlling a mobile phone of claim 17, further determining whether the focal length is shorter than the preset focal length when it is detected that the light measurement is lower than the preset illumination level.

19. The method for controlling a mobile phone of claim 17, further unlocking the touch panel and switching on the camera when it is detected that the light measurement is higher than the preset illumination level.

20. The method for controlling a mobile phone of claim 18, further unlocking the touch panel and switching on the camera when the focal length is longer than the preset focal length.

21. The method for controlling a mobile phone of claim 18, further locking the touch panel when the focal length is shorter than the preset focal length.