ELECTRONIC DEVICE USING AUXILIARY INPUT DEVICE AND OPERATING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20150169080A1
• Filed: 12/15/2014
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: CHOI, Bo-Kun, OH, Jun-Suk
• Granted Patent: US 10,198,172 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0393 Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An electronic device includes a display for detecting touch input, and at least one processor for recognizing a type of an auxiliary input device placed on the display. A method for utilizing the electronic device includes detecting via a touch screen a type of an auxiliary input device placed on a display based on a configuration of at least one or more conductors on the auxiliary input device, detecting an input event generated by the auxiliary input device, and executing via a processor at least one function of an executing program corresponding to the detected input event.

Claims

1. A method in an electronic device, the method comprising:

detecting via a touch screen a type of an auxiliary input device placed on a display;

detecting an input event generated by the auxiliary input device; and

executing via a processor at least one function of an executing program corresponding to the detected input event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the type of the auxiliary input device comprises:

detecting a configuration of at least one or more conductors comprises at least one of a location t, a size, and a number, and a pattern of the at least one or more conductors of the auxiliary input device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the input event of the auxiliary input device comprises at least one of:

detecting at least one of a rotation direction and a rotation speed of a rotary knob of the auxiliary input device, and

detecting a touch input received on a top surface of a conductive shaft of the auxiliary input device and transmitted through the conductive shaft to a bottom surface of the conductive shaft that is in contact with the touch screen.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the touch input comprises at least one of tap touch, double click touch, and long press touch.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting whether the auxiliary input device is associated with the executing program;

detecting whether the auxiliary input device is associated with a function of the executing program.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

when the auxiliary input device is associated with the executing program, displaying a User Interface (UI) corresponding to the executing program on the display; and

when the auxiliary input device is associated with the function, executing the function within the executing program.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising altering the UI in response to the input event of the auxiliary input device causing execution the function.

8. An auxiliary input device comprising:

a cylindrical fixing body providing a rotational axis;

a rotary knob mounted on the cylindrical fixing body and rotating around the rotational axis; and

one or more conductors disposed on a surface of the rotary knob adapted to be detectable when proximate to a touch display of an electronic device.

9. The auxiliary input device of claim 8, wherein a configuration of the conductors comprises at least one of a location of the conductors, a size of the conductors, a number of the conductors and a pattern of the conductors, the configuration adapted to be detectable by the touch display.

10. The auxiliary input device of claim 8, wherein the cylindrical fixing body further comprises a fixing pad disposed in contact with the touch display in the fixing body, the fixing pad configured to prevent rotation of the cylindrical fixing body relative to the touch display.

11. The auxiliary input device of claim 10, wherein the fixing pad comprises at least one of rubber, urethane, and silicon.

12. The auxiliary input device of claim 8, wherein, when the auxiliary input device is disposed on the touch display, the rotary knob is disposed proximate to the touch display but not touching the touch display, such that the conductors are detectable by the touch display.

13. The auxiliary input device of claim 8, wherein the cylindrical fixing body further comprises a conductive shaft configured to transmit touch inputs to the touch display, the conductive shaft housed centrally in the cylindrical fixing body, the conductive shaft exposed to contact along a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein a surface area of the top surface is different than the surface area of the bottom surface

14. The auxiliary input device of claim 13, wherein the conductive shaft transmits touch inputs to the touch display when a touch input is received on the top surface, the touch input transmitted through the conductive shaft to be detectable at the bottom surface that is proximate to the touch display.

15. The auxiliary input device of claim 8, wherein the rotary knob further comprises at least one optical waveguiding indicator vertically penetrating the rotary knob such that a light emitted from the touch display performs is transmitted through the at least one optical waveguiding indicator to be visible on a top surface of the rotary knob.

16. The auxiliary input device of claim 15, wherein the at least one optical waveguiding indicator comprises at least one of acrylic, glass, and optical fiber.

17. An electronic device controllable with an auxiliary input device, comprising:

a touch display for detecting a touch input; and

at least one processor configured to;

detect a type of the auxiliary input device when disposed on the touch display, to

detect an input event of generated by the auxiliary input device, and

execute a function corresponding to an running executing program in response to the detected input event of the auxiliary input device.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein input event is comprises at least one of:

a rotation direction and a rotation speed of a rotary knob on which a configuration of conductors are disposed, the rotary knob rotatably coupled to the auxiliary input device, and

a touch input through a conductive shaft housed centrally within the auxiliary input device, a top surface of the conductive shaft exposed to receive touch inputs, and a bottom surface of the conductive shaft exposed to transmit the received touch inputs to the touch display.

19. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to detect whether the auxiliary input device is available for use with an executing program.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein, when the auxiliary input device is available for use with the executable program, the processor is further configured to display a User Interface (UI) corresponding to the executable program on the touch display.