METHOD AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR DISPLAYING A VIRTUAL BUTTON

• US 20140157203A1
• Filed: 12/03/2013
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: JEON, Yu-Jeong, KIM, Bong-Kyun
• Granted Patent: US 9,400,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/840
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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 for using a pen in an electronic device is provided, including: detecting a pen use event; and responsive to the pen use event, displaying, on a display of the electronic device, at least one virtual button which performs the same function as a physical button that is part of the electronic device; wherein the physical button of the electronic device comprises at least one of a mechanical switch and an optical switch.

Claims

1. A method for using a pen in an electronic device, comprising:

detecting a pen use event; and

responsive to the pen use event, displaying, on a display of the electronic device, a virtual button which performs substantially the same function as a physical button that is part of the electronic device;

wherein the physical button comprises at least one of a mechanical switch and an optical switch.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the pen is detached from the electronic device; and

when the pen is detached from the electronic device, detecting the pen use event.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a pen touch on a display of the electronic device is detected; and

when detecting the pen touch on the display of the electronic device, detecting the pen use event.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the pen is located within a preset threshold distance from the display of the electronic device; and

when the pen is located within the preset threshold distance from the display of the electronic device, detecting the pen use event.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the pen is used in at least one preset region of the display;

wherein the virtual button is displayed when it is determined that the pen is used in the at least one preset region of the display; and

wherein the virtual button remains hidden when it is determined that the pen is used outside of the at least one preset region.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

detecting a pen touch in the at least one preset region of the display;

wherein the pen is determined to be used when detecting the pen touch in the at least one threshold region.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining whether the pen is located within a preset threshold distance from the display; and

detecting the pen use in the at least one threshold region when the pen is located within the preset threshold distance from the display.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the virtual button is displayed in the at least one preset region of the display.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a shape and a type of the virtual button comprise a figure, a line, or a combination of the figure and the line.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual button is displayed in a region of the display that is selected based on a location of the physical button on the electronic device.

11. An electronic device for receiving input via a pen, comprising:

a display;

a physical button that comprises at least one of a mechanical switch and an optical switch; and

a processor configured to;

detect a pen use event; and

responsive to the pen use event, display, on the display, at least one virtual button which performs substantially the same function as the physical button.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine whether the pen is detached from the electronic device;

wherein the pen use event is detected when the pen is detached from the electronic device.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect a pen touch on the display;

wherein the pen use event is detected based on the pen having touched the display.

14. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine whether the pen is located within a preset threshold distance from the display;

wherein the pen use event is detected based on the pen is found within the preset threshold distance from the display.

15. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine whether the pen is used in at least one preset region of the display;

wherein the virtual button is displayed when it is determined that the pen is used in the at least one preset region of the display; and

wherein the virtual button remains hidden when it is determined that the pen is used outside of the at least one preset region.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect a pen touch in the at least one preset region of the display;

wherein the pen is determined to be used in the at least one preset region of the display based on the pen having touched the at least one preset region of the display.

17. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine whether the pen is located within a preset threshold distance from the display; and

wherein the pen is determined to be used in the at least one preset region of the display based on the pen having been found within the preset threshold distance from the display.

18. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the virtual button is displayed in the at least one preset region of the display.

19. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein a shape and a type of the virtual button comprise a figure, a line, or a combination of the figure and the line.

20. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the virtual button is displayed in a region of the display that is selected based on a location of the physical button on the electronic device.