MOBILE TERMINAL AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME

• US 20100105428A1
• Filed: 07/24/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jong Hwan
• Granted Patent: US 8,564,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.100
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/14 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/26 Projecting separately subsidiary matter simultaneously with main image
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 29/00 Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0247 comprising more than two body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0272 for a projector or beamer module assembly constructional features of projectors per se G03B21/00; constructional details of projectors using electronic spatial light modulators per se H04N9/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3173 wherein the projection device is specially adapted for enhanced portability

Abstract

A mobile terminal includes a display configured to display content, a projector configured to project at least a portion of the content onto a display surface which is externally located relative to the mobile terminal, and a control unit configured to detect user input to the mobile terminal, the user input causing the projector to project a cursor onto the display surface along with the projected content.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a display configured to display content;

a projector configured to project at least a portion of the content onto a display surface which is externally located relative to the mobile terminal; and

a control unit configured to detect user input to the mobile terminal, the user input causing the projector to project a cursor onto the display surface along with the projected content.

2. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the cursor is only projected onto the display surface such that it is not displayed on the display of the mobile terminal.

3. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the cursor is movable over portions of the display surface responsive to the user input.

4. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first sensor configured to detect a proximity-touch relative to the mobile terminal;

a second sensor configured to detect a contact-touch relative to the mobile terminal;

wherein if the proximity touch is detected by the first sensor, the control unit is further configured to cause positioning of the cursor on the display surface in a manner that corresponds to a location at which the proximity touch is detected by the first sensor; and

wherein if the contact-touch is detected by the second sensor, the control unit is further configured to control an object displayed on the display in a manner that corresponds to a location at which the contract-touch is detected by the second sensor.

5. The mobile terminal according to claim 4, wherein

if the detected proximity touch comprises a dragging, the control unit is further configured to cause movement of the cursor that corresponds to a direction of the dragging of the detected proximity touch;

and wherein

if the contract-touch comprises a dragging, the control unit is further configured to cause scrolling of the display in a direction which corresponds to a direction of the dragging of the detected contact-touch.

6. The mobile terminal according to claim 4, wherein the first sensor comprises a proximity sensor and the second sensor comprises a contact sensor.

7. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of keys individually corresponding to one of a plurality of regions of the content that is projected onto the display surface; and

wherein the control unit is further configured to project the cursor within a particular one of the plurality of regions of the content responsive to user input to a corresponding one of the plurality of keys.

8. The mobile terminal according to claim 7, wherein the control unit is further configured to cause the projector to project a semi-transparent overlay onto the display surface, wherein the overlay generally corresponds to the plurality of regions of the content.

9. The mobile terminal according to claim 7, wherein the control unit is further configured to cause the projector to project guidelines onto the display surface, wherein the guidelines generally correspond to the plurality of regions of the content.

10. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein if no user input is detected for a threshold period of time, the control unit is further configured to cause the projector to terminate projecting the cursor onto the display surface.

11. The mobile terminal according to claim 10, wherein if further user input is detected after the threshold period of time, the control unit is further configured to cause the projector to again project the cursor onto the display surface at a location that generally corresponds to a location that the cursor was projected onto the display surface that was prior to the threshold period of time.

12. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the display comprises a touchscreen.

13. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

a navigation key comprising a plurality of directional keys, wherein the control unit is further configured to cause the projector to project the cursor onto the display surface at a location which generally corresponds to a direction of a selected one of the plurality of directional keys.

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

displaying content on a display physically coupled to the mobile terminal;

projecting at least a portion of the content onto a display surface which is externally located relative to the mobile terminal; and

projecting a cursor onto the display surface along with the projected content responsive to user input received at the mobile terminal.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

projecting the cursor onto the display surface without displaying the cursor on the display of the mobile terminal.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

detecting either a proximity-touch relative to the mobile terminal or a contact-touch relative to the mobile terminal;

wherein if the proximity touch is detected, the method further comprises positioning the cursor on the display surface in a manner that corresponds to a location at which the proximity touch is detected by a first sensor; and

wherein if the contact-touch is detected, the method further comprises controlling an object displayed on the display in a manner that corresponds to a location at which the contract-touch is detected by a second sensor.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein

if the detected proximity touch comprises a dragging, the method further comprises causing movement of the cursor that corresponds to a direction of the dragging of the detected proximity touch;

and wherein

if the contract-touch comprises a dragging, the method further comprises causing scrolling of the display in a direction which corresponds to a direction of the dragging of the detected contact-touch.

18. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

projecting a semi-transparent overlay onto the display surface, wherein the overlay generally corresponds to a plurality of regions of the content.

19. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

projecting guidelines onto the display surface, wherein the guidelines generally correspond to a plurality of regions of the content.

20. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

moving the cursor over portions of the display surface responsive to the user input.