MOBILE DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD FOR A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20120306781A1
• Filed: 01/12/2012
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Ilkon, Hwang, Myunghee, Hong, Jihee, Park, Kyoungryul
• Granted Patent: US 9,035,890 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile device capable of performing a touch input and a control method thereof. A mobile device according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a display unit configured to display a plurality of objects, a detector configured to detect a pattern surrounding at least one of the objects, and a controller configured to implement a function corresponding to the object surrounded by the pattern.

Claims

1. A mobile device, comprising:

a display unit configured to display a plurality of objects;

a detector configured to detect a pattern surrounding at least one object of the displayed plurality of objects; and

a controller configured to implement a function corresponding to the surrounded at least one object.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a relative location between each of a plurality of surrounded objects and the detected pattern; and

implement a function corresponding to a specific one of the plurality of surrounded objects according to the determined relative location.

3. The mobile device of claim 2, wherein the specific one of the plurality of surrounded objects is an object most adjacent to a reference point of the detected pattern.

4. The mobile device of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to:

control the display unit to display the specific one of the plurality of surrounded objects such that it is distinguishable from the other of the plurality of surrounded objects;

detect a touch input when the specific one of the plurality of surrounded objects is displayed such that it is distinguishable; and

implement a function corresponding to the specific one of the plurality of surrounded objects based on the detected touch input.

5. The mobile device of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to:

control the display unit to display a plurality of surrounded objects that are adjacent to the reference point such that they are distinguishable from the other of the plurality of surrounded objects; and

detect a user selection of one of the plurality of surrounded objects that are displayed such that they are distinguishable as the specific one of the plurality of surrounded objects.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a size of overlapping areas between each of the at least one surrounded object and an inner portion of the detected pattern; and

implement the function based on the determined size.

7. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to implement the function corresponding to a specific one of the surrounded at least one object having a largest determined overlapping area with the inner portion of the detected pattern.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the detected pattern is a loop drawn in a drag manner on the display unit.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display unit to display a trace of the drawn loop.

10. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display unit to at least:

display a reference point of the drawn loop;

or

display an object most adjacent to the reference point of the drawn loop such that it is distinguishable from the other of the surrounded at least one object.

11. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to implement the function corresponding to the surrounded at least one object when a closed curve or figure is formed by the drawn loop.

12. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

control the display unit to display the detected pattern;

detect a touch input; and

control the display unit to move the displayed pattern to surround at least one object of the displayed plurality of objects based on the detected touch input.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to

detect release of the detected touch input;

and

implement the function corresponding to the surrounded at least one object.

14. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

control the display unit to display a plurality of patterns each having a different shape; and

implement a different function according to each of at least one of the displayed plurality of patterns that surround the same at least one object of the displayed plurality of objects.

15. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to:

download data linked to the same at least one object when the same at least one object is surrounded a specific one of the displayed plurality of patterns; and

upload the same at least one object to a social network service (SNS) site when the same at least one object is surrounded by another specific one of the displayed plurality of patterns.

16. A method of controlling a mobile device, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of objects;

detecting a pattern surrounding at least one object of the displayed plurality of objects; and

implementing a function corresponding to the surrounded at least one object.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein implementing the function comprises:

determining a relative location between each of a plurality of surrounded objects and the detected pattern; and

implementing a function corresponding to a specific one of the plurality of surrounded objects according to the determined relative location.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the specific one of the plurality of surrounded objects is an object most adjacent to a reference point of the pattern.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

displaying the specific one of the plurality of surrounded objects such that it is distinguishable from the other of the plurality of surrounded objects;

detecting a touch input when the specific one of the plurality of surrounded objects is displayed such that it is distinguishable; and

implementing a function corresponding to specific one of the plurality of surrounded objects based on the detected touch input.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

displaying a plurality of surrounded objects that are adjacent to the reference point such that they are distinguishable from the other of the plurality of surrounded objects; and

detecting a user selection of one of the plurality of surrounded objects that are displayed such that they are distinguishable as the specific one of the plurality of surrounded objects.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining a size of overlapping areas between each of the at least one surrounded object and an inner portion of the detected pattern; and

implementing the function based on the determined size.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising implementing the function corresponding to a specific one of the surrounded at least one object having a largest determined overlapping area with the inner portion of the detected pattern.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the detected pattern is a loop drawn in a drag manner on the display unit.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising displaying a trace of the drawn loop.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising at least:

displaying a reference point of the drawn loop;

or

displaying an object most adjacent to the reference point of the drawn loop such that it is distinguishable from the other of the surrounded at least one object.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising implementing the function corresponding to the surrounded at least one object when a closed curve or figure is formed by the drawn loop.

27. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

displaying the detected pattern;

detecting a touch input; and

moving the displayed pattern to surround at least one object of the displayed plurality of objects based on the detected touch input.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

detecting release of the detected touch input; and

implementing the function corresponding to the surrounded at least one object.

29. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

displaying a plurality of patterns each having a different shape; and

implementing a different function according to each of at least one of the displayed plurality of patterns that surround the same at least one object of the displayed plurality of objects.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

downloading data linked to the same at least one object when the same at least one object is surrounded a specific one of the displayed plurality of patterns; and

uploading the same at least one object to a social network service (SNS) site when the same at least one object is surrounded by another specific one of the displayed plurality of patterns.