MOBILE COMMUNICATION TERMINAL HAVING PROXIMITY SENSOR AND DISPLAY CONTROLLING METHOD THEREIN

• US 20090295715A1
• Filed: 06/01/2009
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: SEO, Min Cheol, CHO, Seon Hwi
• Granted Patent: US 8,482,532 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A mobile communication terminal having a function of detecting a proximity touch and a display controlling method therein are disclosed. The present invention includes a touchscreen configured to display prescribed data, the touchscreen detecting a real touch or a proximity touch to a surface contact point, a proximity sensor outputting a proximity signal corresponding to a proximity position of a proximate object, and a controller controlling an implementation of an operation associated with the prescribed data displayed on the touchscreen according to the proximity signal detected by the proximity sensor.

Claims

1. A mobile communication terminal comprising:

a touchscreen configured to display prescribed data, the touchscreen detecting a real touch or a proximity touch to a surface contact point;

a proximity sensor outputting a proximity signal corresponding to a proximity position of a proximate object; and

a controller controlling an implementation of an operation associated with the prescribed data displayed on the touchscreen according to the proximity signal detected by the proximity sensor.

2. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the prescribed data comprises an avatar.

3. The mobile communication terminal of claim 2, wherein the controller controls at least one menu information for implementing the associated operation to be displayed around an avatar displayed on the touchscreen according to the proximity signal detected by the proximity sensor.

4. The mobile communication terminal of claim 3, wherein the at least one menu information is displayed as at least one selected from the group consisting of a short text message icon, a multimedia message icon, an Email icon and an instant messenger icon.

5. The mobile communication terminal of claim 3, wherein the at least one menu information is displayed in a pop-up form.

6. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the prescribed data comprises a text input window for writing a short text message.

7. The mobile communication terminal of claim 6, wherein the controller displays a plurality of characters allocated to a proximity target key button around a key display region in advance according to the proximity signal detected by the proximity sensor.

8. The mobile communication terminal of claim 7, wherein the controller displays a corresponding character on an input window in advance according to a proximity detected signal for the character displayed in advance around the key display region.

9. The mobile communication terminal of claim 6, wherein the controller controls a character displayed in advance on an input window according to a proximity distance from the surface contact point of the touchscreen.

10. The mobile communication terminal of claim 8, wherein the controller controls a key button pressed form to be displayed according to the proximity distance from the surface contact point of the touchscreen.

11. The mobile communication terminal of claim 8, wherein if a real touch is made to a contact point, the controller controls a corresponding operation.

12. A method of controlling a display in a mobile communication terminal having a proximity sensor, comprising the steps of:

displaying prescribed data on a touchscreen;

detecting a proximity touch to the data displayed on the touchscreen using the proximity sensor; and

if a proximity touch detection condition is met, controlling a corresponding operation.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the prescribed data comprises at least one avatar.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of controlling at least one menu information for implementing an associated operation to be displayed around an avatar displayed on the touchscreen according to a proximity signal detected by the proximity sensor.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one menu information is displayed as at least one selected from the group consisting of a short text message icon, a multimedia message icon, an Email icon and an instant messenger icon.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one menu information is displayed in a pop-up form.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the prescribed data comprises a text input window for writing a short text message.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of displaying a plurality of characters allocated to a proximity target key button around a key display region in advance according to the proximity signal detected by the proximity sensor.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of displaying a corresponding character on an input window in advance according to a proximity detected signal for the character displayed in advance around the key display region.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of controlling a character displayed in advance on an input window according to a proximity distance from a surface contact point of the touchscreen.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein a key button pressed form is controller to be displayed according to the proximity distance from the surface contact point of the touchscreen.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the proximity touch detection condition comprises a distance from a contact point and a sustained time of the distance.