PORTABLE DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20140095994A1
• Filed: 11/20/2012
• Published: 04/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: KIM, Jihwan
• Application Number:
  US13/682,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20140095994A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/702
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Disclosed are a portable device to be unlocked using a tactile user interface and a control method thereof. The portable device includes a touch sensitive display unit to sense a touch input, a tactile feedback unit to generate tactile feedback, and a control unit to control the other units. The control unit is configured to detect a first touch gesture with respect to a first region corresponding to an application on the display unit, the first touch gesture entering the first region from the outside of the first region, to generate tactile feedback indicating that the first touch gesture enters the first region, to unlock a user interface in response to the first touch gesture, to detect a second touch gesture of activating the application, the second touch gesture being input consecutively to the first touch gesture, and to execute the application in response to the second touch gesture.

Claims

1. A portable device comprising:

a touch sensitive display unit configured to sense a touch input;

a tactile feedback unit configured to generate tactile feedback; and

a control unit configured to;

detect a first touch gesture with respect to a first region corresponding to an application on the touch sensitive display unit, wherein the first touch gesture enters the first region from outside of the first region;

generate tactile feedback indicating that the first touch gesture enters the first region;

unlock a user interface in response to the first touch gesture;

detect a second touch gesture of activating the application, wherein the second touch gesture is input consecutively to the first touch gesture; and

execute the application in response to the second touch gesture.

2. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a visual user interface and a tactile user interface.

3. The portable device according to claim 2, further comprising a camera unit configured to detect a user'"'"'s gaze,

wherein unlocking the user interface in response to the first touch gesture includes:

detecting the user'"'"'s gaze;

unlocking the visual user interface if the user'"'"'s gaze is detected; and

unlocking the tactile user interface if the user'"'"'s gaze is not detected.

4. The portable device according to claim 3, wherein both the visual user interface and the tactile user interface are unlocked if the user'"'"'s gaze is detected.

5. The portable device according to claim 1, further comprising a camera unit configured to detect the user'"'"'s gaze,

wherein execution of the application in response to the second touch gesture includes:

detecting the user'"'"'s gaze;

providing the visual user interface of the application if the user'"'"'s gaze is detected; and

providing the tactile user interface of the application if the user'"'"'s gaze is not detected.

6. The portable device according to claim 5, wherein execution of the application in response to the second touch gesture includes providing the tactile user interface along with the visual user interface of the application if the user'"'"'s gaze is detected.

7. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the second touch gesture includes a motion of releasing contact of the first touch gesture with respect to the display unit from the first region.

8. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the second touch gesture includes a motion of pressing the first region with a pressure of a preset pressure threshold or more.

9. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the second touch gesture includes a motion of touching the first region multiple times.

10. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the second touch gesture is bypassed and the application is not executed if the second touch gesture is input after a predetermined time has passed from a time point when the first touch gesture is detected.

11. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the second touch gesture is bypassed and the application is not executed if the second touch gesture is detected at the outside of the first region.

12. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the tactile feedback with respect to the first touch gesture is generated in the first region according to at least one of shape, position and size of the visual user interface in relation to the application.

13. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein unlocking of the user interface in response to the first touch gesture includes:

calculating a touch time of the first touch gesture;

unlocking the user interface if the touch time of the first touch gesture exceeds a preset threshold; and

keeping the user interface locked if the touch time of the first touch gesture is the preset threshold or less.

14. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to activate a touch detecting function of the touch sensitive display unit prior to detecting the first touch gesture.

15. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein unlocking of the user interface in response to the first touch gesture includes:

calculating a movement distance of the first touch gesture;

unlocking the user interface if the movement distance of the first touch gesture exceeds a distance threshold; and

keeping the user interface locked if the movement distance of the first touch gesture is the preset threshold or less.

16. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to keep the user interface locked if the first touch gesture does not enter the first region from the outside of the first region.

17. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the tactile feedback unit generates the tactile feedback using ultrasonic vibration, and controls intensity of the tactile feedback by changing a frequency and magnitude of the ultrasonic vibration.

18. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the tactile feedback unit provides the tactile feedback by applying a fine current to the display unit, and controls the tactile feedback by adjusting a strength and generation period of the fine current.

19. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the portable device includes at least one of a smart phone, a smart pad, a music player, and a tablet computer.

20. A method of unlocking a user interface of a portable device, the method comprising:

detecting a first touch gesture with respect to a first region corresponding to an application on a touch sensitive display unit, wherein the first touch gesture enters the first region from the outside of the first region;

generating tactile feedback indicating that the first touch gesture enters the first region;

unlocking the user interface in response to the first touch gesture;

detecting a second touch gesture of activating the application, wherein the second touch gesture is input consecutively to the first touch gesture; and

executing the application in response to the second touch gesture.