METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING PROCESSES IN A USER EQUIPMENT BY USING TOUCH PATTERNS

• US 20120169632A1
• Filed: 09/27/2011
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KT Corporation
• Original Assignee: KT Corporation
• Inventors: YU, Dong-Won
• Granted Patent: US 8,982,065 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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 method and apparatus for performing processes in a user equipment by using touch patterns. A touch pattern may be received through a touch input unit of the user equipment. A memory of the user equipment may be searched for a touch pattern data corresponding to the received touch pattern. The touch pattern data may be loaded from the memory, and the operation that corresponds to the received touch pattern may be performed based on the loaded touch pattern data. The touch pattern data may include at least one of a touch pattern field for storing information on the received touch pattern, an application information field for storing information on the operation to be performed in response to the received touch pattern, and a touch pattern input area information field for storing information on a touch pattern input area of the received touch pattern.

Claims

1. A method for performing an operation on a user equipment, the method comprising:

receiving a touch pattern through a touch input unit of the user equipment;

searching a memory of the user equipment for a touch pattern data corresponding to the received touch pattern;

loading the touch pattern data from the memory; and

performing the operation that corresponds to the received touch pattern, based on the loaded touch pattern data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the touch pattern data comprises at least one of a touch pattern field for storing information on the received touch pattern, an application information field for storing information on the operation to be performed in response to the received touch pattern, and a touch pattern input area information field for storing information on a touch pattern input area of the received touch pattern; and

the touch pattern input area comprises an area of the touch input unit where the touch pattern is input on an application screen associated with the operation.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the touch pattern data further comprises a field for storing information on functions of the user equipment which are interactive with the operation to be performed in response to the received touch pattern.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a touch pattern input area where the touch pattern is input on an application screen associated with the operation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to the receiving the touch pattern, the method further comprises:

receiving an initial touch pattern input on an application screen associated with the operation while executing the operation; and

storing into the memory, as the touch pattern data, information on the operation and information on a touch pattern input area of the operation,

wherein the touch pattern input area comprises an area of the touch input unit where the touch pattern is input on an application screen associated with the operation.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the touch pattern data further comprises information on functions of the user equipment which are interactive with the operation.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein prior to the receiving the touch pattern, the method further comprises:

determining whether or not the received initial touch pattern matches a corresponding touch pattern data that is already stored in the memory; and

when the corresponding touch pattern data matching the received initial touch pattern is already stored in the memory, selectively performing one of replacing the stored touch pattern data corresponding to the received initial touch pattern with an updated touch pattern data and requesting an input of a different touch pattern as the initial touch pattern.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to the receiving the touch pattern, the method further comprises:

receiving an initial touch pattern input on a waiting screen;

requesting selection of the operation to be performed in response to receiving the touch pattern; and

storing into the memory information on the initial touch pattern and information on the selected operation.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the touch pattern data comprises information on functions of a user equipment which are interactive with the operation to be performed.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether or not the received initial touch pattern matches a corresponding touch pattern data that is already stored in the memory; and

when the corresponding touch pattern data matching the received initial touch pattern is already stored in the memory, selectively performing one of replacing the stored touch pattern data corresponding to the received initial touch pattern with an updated touch pattern data and requesting an input of a different touch pattern as the initial touch pattern.

11. An apparatus for performing an operation, the apparatus comprising:

a touch input unit configured to receive a touch pattern as an input;

a controller configured to enable the touch input unit to receive the touch pattern, initiate a search for a touch pattern data corresponding to the received touch pattern, initiate a loading of the touch pattern data, and initiate performance of the operation that corresponds to the received touch pattern, based on the loaded touch pattern data; and

a memory configured to store the touch pattern data and from which the touch pattern data is searched for and loaded.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the touch pattern data comprises at least one of a touch pattern field for storing information on the received touch pattern, an application information field for storing information on the operation to be performed in response to the received touch pattern, and a touch pattern input area information field for storing information on a touch pattern input area of the received touch pattern; and

the touch pattern input area comprises an area of the touch input unit where the touch pattern is input on an application screen associated with the operation.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the touch pattern data further comprises a field for storing information on functions which are interactive with the operation to be performed in response to the received touch pattern.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

a touch pattern input area is displayed on a display module configured with the touch input unit; and

the touch pattern input area is an area where the touch pattern is input on an application screen associated with the operation.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the controller is configured to further enable the touch input unit to receive an initial touch pattern input on an application screen associated with the operation while executing the operation, and enable the memory to store, as the touch pattern data, information on the operation and information on a touch pattern input area of the operation; and

the touch pattern input area comprises an area of the touch input unit where the touch pattern is input on an application screen associated with the operation.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the touch pattern data further comprises a field for storing information on functions of the user equipment which are interactive with the operation.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a determination is made as to whether or not the received initial touch pattern matches a corresponding touch pattern data that is already stored in the memory;

and

when the corresponding touch pattern data matching the received initial touch pattern is already stored in the memory, selectively performing one of replacing the stored touch pattern data corresponding to the received initial touch pattern with an updated touch pattern data and requesting an input of a different touch pattern as the initial touch pattern.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the controller is configured to further enable the touch input unit to receive an initial touch pattern input on a waiting screen, a selection of the operation to be requested in response to receiving the touch pattern, and the memory to store information on the initial touch pattern and information on the selected operation.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the touch input unit comprises a touch screen.

20. A computer program product embodied on a computer-readable storage medium, which when executed by a computer of a user equipment, the computer program product causes the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving a touch pattern through a touch input unit of the user equipment;

searching a memory of the user equipment for a touch pattern data corresponding to the received touch pattern;

loading the touch pattern data from the memory; and

performing an operation of the user equipment that corresponds to the received touch pattern based on the loaded touch pattern data.