MOBILE TERMINAL AND SCREEN CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20090256814A1
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Moon-Ju, Lee, Dong-Seok, Chung, Jin-Woo, Ryu, Hye-Jin
• Granted Patent: US 8,599,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A mobile terminal is provided. The mobile terminal includes a display for sensing at least one of a touch or an approach of a pointing means and a controller for controlling brightness of a sensed area according to the sensed touch or the approach of the pointing means.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a display for sensing at least one of a touch or an approach of a pointing means; and

a controller for controlling brightness of a sensed area according to the sensed touch or the approach of the pointing means.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the display comprises:

a touch sensor for sensing a touch via the pointing means; and

a proximity sensor for sensing the approach of the pointing means.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller controls a power supply to a backlight of the display corresponding to the sensed area, wherein the backlight adjust the brightness of the sensed area.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller replaces a first color of information not displayed in the sensed area with a darker color.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller expands the sensed area in proportion to a time for which a predetermined distance between the pointing means and the display is maintained.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller executes a function associated with the sensed area if a predetermined distance between the display and the pointing means is maintained for a predetermined time.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller controls the brightness of the sensed area according to the time which the touch via the pointing means is maintained.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller executes a function associated with the sensed area if a second touch is detected after the touch or approach of the pointing means is sensed.

9. A screen control method of a mobile terminal, comprising:

sensing an approach of a pointing means on an area of a display screen;

calculating a distance between the pointing means and the sensed area; and

controlling brightness of the sensed area according to the calculated distance.

10. The screen control method of claim 9, further comprising:

executing a function associated with the sensed area if a touch is detected in the sensed area of the display screen.

11. The screen control method of claim 9, wherein controlling the brightness of the sensed area comprises converting information associated with the sensed area to an audio signal and the audio signal is output via an audio output unit.

12. The screen control method of claim 9, wherein controlling the brightness comprises:

determining a time which the pointing means is held at a predetermined distance from the display screen; and

expanding the radius of the sensed area according to the determined time.

13. The screen control method of claim 9, further comprising sensing a touch via a pointing means on the display screen.

14. The screen control method of claim 13, further comprising executing a function associated with the sensed area if a second touch is sensed on the display screen after the touch or the approach by the pointing means is sensed.

15. The screen control method of claim 9, wherein controlling the brightness of the sensed area of the display screen comprises controlling a power supply to a backlight of the display screen corresponding to the sensed area to adjust the brightness of the sensed area.

16. The screen control method of claim 9, wherein controlling the brightness of the sensed area comprises replacing a color of information not displayed in the sensed area with a darker color.

17. A screen control method of a mobile terminal, comprising:

sensing a touch via a pointing means on an area of a display screen;

determining a time for which the touch is maintained on the sensed area; and

controlling brightness of the sensed area according to the determined touch time.

18. The screen control method of claim 17, further comprising:

dimming the brightness of the sensed area if the touch is released.

19. The screen control method of claim 17, further comprising executing a function associated with the sensed area if a second touch is sensed after the touch via the pointing means is sensed.

20. The screen control method of claim 17, wherein controlling the brightness of the sensed area comprises controlling a power supply to a backlight of a display corresponding to the sensed area to adjust the brightness of the sensed area.

21. The screen control method of claim 17, wherein controlling the brightness of the sensed area comprises replacing a color of information not displayed in the sensed area with a darker color.