HAPTIC EFFECT PROVISIONING FOR A MOBILE COMMUNICATION TERMINAL

• US 20090322498A1
• Filed: 05/05/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: YUN, Jue Byung, KIM, Jong Hwan
• Granted Patent: US 8,207,832 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/407.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector

Abstract

A mobile terminal and a method of controlling the mobile terminal are provided. The method includes displaying at least one object, which is divided into a plurality of haptic regions, on a touch screen; receiving a touch signal for any one of the haptic regions of the object; and outputting a control signal for controlling a haptic module to generate a haptic effect. Therefore, it is possible for a user to easily determine which of the haptic regions of the object has been touched with the sense of touch.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

displaying at least one object, which is divided into a plurality of haptic regions, on a touch screen;

receiving a touch signal for any one of the haptic regions of the object; and

outputting a control signal for controlling a haptic module to generate a haptic effect according to the touch signal received.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the haptic module to generate a haptic effect corresponding to the haptic region for which the touch signal is received in response to the control signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the object comprises a menu icon, a control icon, a touch key and an image associated with the control of the operation of the mobile terminal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the object from other objects so that the object is easily recognized from the other objects.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, if the object is chosen, performing a predetermined operation corresponding to the object.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising outputting a control signal for controlling the haptic module to generate a haptic effect corresponding to the predetermined operation during the predetermined operation.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising, if a touch signal for the touch screen except for the object is received, terminating the generation of the haptic effect.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the haptic effect is vibration.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an image corresponding to the haptic effect on the touch screen.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a menu for setting the haptic regions.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a menu for setting at least one of the type, the intensity, and the pattern of a haptic effect for each of the haptic regions.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising, if a proximity signal indicating that there is an entity approaching any one of the haptic regions is generated by a proximity sensor, outputting a control signal for controlling the haptic module to generate a haptic effect corresponding to the haptic region approached by the entity in response to the proximity signal.

13. A mobile terminal comprising:

a touch screen configured to display at least one object, which is divided into a plurality of haptic regions;

a haptic module configured to generate a haptic effect; and

a controller which receives a touch signal for any one of the haptic regions of the object and controls the haptic module to generate a haptic effect corresponding to the haptic region for which the touch signal is received.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the object comprises a menu icon, a control icon, a touch key and an image associated with the control of the operation of the mobile terminal.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the controller displays the object from other objects so that the object can be easily recognized.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein, if a touch signal for the touch screen except for the object is received, the controller terminates the generation of the haptic effect.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the haptic effect is vibration.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the controller displays an image corresponding to the haptic effect on the touch screen.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the controller displays a menu for setting the haptic regions on the touch screen.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the controller displays a menu for setting at least one of the type, the intensity, and the pattern of a haptic effect for each of the haptic regions on the touch screen.

21. The mobile terminal of claim 13, further comprising:

a proximity sensor configured to determine whether there is an entity approaching any one of the haptic regions and to generate a proximity signal indicating the haptic region approached by the and the degree of proximity between the entity and the haptic region approached by the entity,

wherein the controller controls the haptic module to generate a haptic effect corresponding to the haptic region approached by the entity in response to the proximity signal.

22. A mobile terminal comprising an input mechanism and an output mechanism, wherein the input mechanism has a surface such that said surface is virtually divided into at least two separate regions, wherein the first region provides a first tactile sensation and the second region provides a second tactile sensation, wherein a user in response to touching the first region and the second region recognizes a difference in the first and second tactile sensation, wherein said difference in sensations allows a user to detect a change in functionality of the mobile terminal or an output generated by the mobile terminal.