Mobile device and method for touch lock control based on motion sensing

• US 20110117970A1
• Filed: 11/05/2010
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Young Jae
• Application Number:
  US12/927,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20110117970A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

A mobile device and a method control a touch lock function to be set in a locked or unlocked stated by sensing motions of the mobile device. When a motion sensor unit detects any motion of the mobile device and creates a sensing signal corresponding to the motion, a control unit of the mobile device sets a touch lock function to a locked state or an unlocked state, depending on the sensing signal. In the locked state of the touch lock function, the control unit does not perform a particular operation assigned to a touch event even though the touch event is generated on a touch panel in response to a user'"'"'s touch action.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a motion sensor unit configured to detect motion of the mobile device and create a sensing signal corresponding to the motion;

a touch panel configured to generate a touch event in response to a user'"'"'s touch action; and

a control unit configured to set a touch lock function to one of a locked state and an unlocked state, based on the sensing signal of the motion sensor unit, wherein during the locked state of the touch lock function, the control unit does not perform a particular operation assigned to the touch event even though the touch event is generated on the touch panel.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises a timer configured to measure a given time while in the locked state of the touch lock function when the motion sensor unit detects motion of the mobile device.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to stop supplying electric power to a display unit while in the locked state of the touch lock function.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to exit from a touch lock mode when an application based on the motion sensor unit is activated, wherein exiting from the touch lock mode disables the touch lock function.

5. The mobile device of claim 4, wherein the control unit is further configured to enter the touch lock mode when an application based on the motion sensor unit is not activated, wherein entering the touch lock mode enables the touch lock function.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising:

an audio processing unit configured to output alert sounds when the touch lock function is toggled between the locked and the unlocked state.

7. The mobile device of claim 2, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

set the touch lock function to the locked state when the sensing signal is received from the motion sensor unit while in the unlocked state of the touch lock function;

set the touch lock function to the unlocked state when a touch event is generated within the given time after the sensing signal is received from the motion sensor unit while in the locked state of the touch lock function; and

maintain the touch lock function in the locked state when the touch event is not generated within the given time after the sensing signal is received from the motion sensor unit while in the locked state of the touch lock function.

8. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the control unit toggles the touch lock function from the unlocked state to the locked state when the sensing signal received from the motion sensor unit is greater than a threshold.

9. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the timer starts to measure the given time while in the locked state of the touch lock function when the sensing signal received from the motion sensor unit is greater than a threshold.

10. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the control unit resets the timer when the touch lock function is toggled from the locked state to the unlocked state.

11. A method for controlling a touch lock function in a mobile device, the method comprising:

creating a sensing signal corresponding to a motion of the mobile device by a motion sensor unit; and

setting the touch lock function to one of a locked state and an unlocked state, depending on the sensing signal received from the motion sensor unit,

wherein during the locked state of the touch lock function, a particular operation assigned to a touch event is not performed even though the touch event is generated on a touch panel.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein setting the touch lock function includes:

setting the touch lock function to the locked state when the sensing signal is received from the motion sensor unit while in the unlocked state of the touch lock function;

setting the touch lock function to the unlocked state when the touch event is generated within a given time after the sensing signal is received from the motion sensor unit while in the locked state of the touch lock function; and

maintaining the touch lock function in the locked state when the touch event is not generated within the given time after the sensing signal is received from the motion sensor unit while in the locked state of the touch lock function.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

stopping the supply of electric power for a display unit while in the locked state of the touch lock function.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

supplying electric power for a display unit when the sensing signal is received from the motion sensor unit in the locked state of the touch lock function; and

stopping the supply of electric power for the display unit when the touch event is not generated within a given time after the sensing signal is received from the motion sensor unit.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining whether an activated application utilizes the motion sensor unit;

if the activated application utilizes the motion sensor unit, exiting from a touch lock mode, wherein exiting the touch lock mode disables the touch lock function.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

if none of the activated applications utilize the motion sensor unit, entering the touch lock mode, wherein entering the touch lock mode enables the touch lock function.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

if the touch lock function is enabled, changing the state of the touch lock function based on the sensing signal received from the motion sensor unit; and

if the touch lock function is disabled, maintaining the unlocked state of the touch lock function.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

outputting alert sounds when the touch lock function is toggled between the locked and the unlocked state.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the touch lock function is toggled from the unlocked state to the locked state when the sensing signal received from the motion sensor unit is greater than a threshold.

20. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the given time is measured while in the locked state of the touch lock function when the sensing signal received from the motion sensor unit is greater than a threshold.