METHOD FOR PROCESSING INPUT AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE THEREOF

• US 20150185923A1
• Filed: 12/29/2014
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: YOON, Sung-Jin
• Granted Patent: US 10,241,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0442 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for transmitting changes in electrical potential to be received by the digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method configured to process an indirect touch or direct touch input to a touch screen with various input means is provided. The method includes, if a 1st input means is positioned in a 1st position spaced apart from a touch screen, acquiring 1st sensing information based on the 1st position, if the 1st input means is positioned in a 2nd position spaced apart from the touch screen, acquiring 2nd sensing information based on the 2nd position, and identifying the 1st input means based on the acquired 1st sensing information and the acquired 2nd sensing information.

Claims

1. A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

if a 1st input means is positioned in a 1st position spaced apart from a touch screen, acquiring 1st sensing information based on the 1st position;

if the 1st input means is positioned in a 2nd position spaced apart from the touch screen, acquiring 2nd sensing information based on the 2nd position; and

identifying the 1st input means based on the acquired 1st sensing information and the acquired 2nd sensing information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a function corresponding to the identified 1st input means.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the function corresponding to the identified 1st input means is one or more of a change of all or some modes that are currently being executed in the electronic device and a change of an effect of displaying, on the touch screen, a direct touch that a user performs to the touch screen with the 1st input means.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the 1st sensing information and the 2nd sensing information are acquired by sensing that a user performs an indirect touch input to the touch screen with the 1st input means.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the acquiring of the 1st sensing information and the 2nd sensing information comprises acquiring area information of the 1st input means sensed on the touch screen through an electromagnetic field varying in accordance with the indirect touch input.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the acquiring of the 1st sensing information and the 2nd sensing information comprises acquiring electromagnetic field variation pattern information sensed on the touch screen by the indirect touch input.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising, if performing a direct touch to the touch screen with the identified 1st input means, performing a function corresponding to the identified 1st input means.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising, if sensing the direct touch of a designated count performed with the identified 1st input means, calling corresponding one or more programs.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of the 1st input means comprises comparing the 1st sensing information and the 2nd sensing information with a plurality of sensing information stored in a database of a memory.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising setting one or more functions to the 1st input means identified based on the plurality of sensing information stored in the database of the memory.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of sensing information comprises one or more of electromagnetic field information, electromagnetic field area information, and area information of the 1st input means sensed on the touch screen.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the 1st sensing information and the 2nd sensing information are one or more of electromagnetic field information, electromagnetic field area information, and area information of the 1st input means sensed on the touch screen.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if a 2nd input means is positioned in a 3rd position spaced apart from the touch screen, acquiring 3rd sensing information based on the 3rd position;

if the 2nd input means is positioned in a 4th position spaced apart from the touch screen, acquiring 4th sensing information based on the 4th position; and

identifying the 2nd input means based on the acquired 3rd sensing information and the acquired 4th sensing information.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising performing respective functions corresponding to the identified 1st input means and the identified 2nd input means.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

performing an input with the 1st input means and the 2nd input means; and

performing a function corresponding to the input.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the 1st input means and the 2nd input means are registered to a database.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the performing of the input comprises performing the input concurrently with the 1st input means and the 2nd input means.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

performing an indirect touch with the 1st input means and the 2nd input means; and

performing an instruction corresponding to the indirect touch.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

performing an indirect touch to a designated position on the touch screen with one or more of the 1st input means and the 2nd input means; and

in response to the indirect touch, calling designated one or more programs of the electronic device or displaying a list of the designated one or more programs on the touch screen.

20. A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

if a 1st input means is positioned in a 1st position spaced apart from a touch screen, acquiring 1st sensing information of the 1st position;

if the 1st input means is positioned in a 2nd position spaced apart from the touch screen, acquiring 2nd sensing information of the 2nd position; and

identifying the 1st input means based on the acquired 1st sensing information and the acquired 2nd sensing information.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the 1st input means is identified as one of a pen, an eraser and a finger.

22. An electronic device comprising:

a processor;

a memory connected with the processor; and

a touch screen connected with the processor,

wherein the processor and the memory are programmed to;

if a 1st input means is positioned in a 1st position spaced apart from a touch screen, acquire 1st sensing information based on the 1st position;

if the 1st input means is positioned in a 2nd position spaced apart from the touch screen, acquire 2nd sensing information based on the 2nd position; and

identify the 1st input means based on the acquired 1st sensing information and the acquired 2nd sensing information.

23. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the processor and the memory are further programmed to:

if a 2nd input means is positioned in a 3rd position, acquire 3rd sensing information of the 3rd position;

if the 2nd input means is positioned in a 4th position, acquire 4th sensing information of the 4th position; and

identify the 2nd input means based on the acquired 3rd sensing information and the acquired 4th sensing information.

24. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the processor and the memory are further programmed to perform one or more of a change of all or some modes that are currently being executed in the electronic device and a change of an effect of displaying, on the touch screen, a direct touch that a user performs to the touch screen with the identified 1st input means.

25. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the processor and the memory are further programmed to perform a function corresponding to the identified 1st input means.

26. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein, if performing a direct touch to the touch screen with the identified 1st input means, the processor and the memory are further programmed to perform a function corresponding to the identified 1st input means.

27. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein, if sensing a plurality of input means on the touch screen, the processor and the memory are further programmed to perform respective functions corresponding to the sensed plurality of input means.

28. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the processor and the memory are further programmed to sense a gesture inputted concurrently with the sensed plurality of input means, and to perform a function corresponding to the gesture.

29. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein, if sensing a direct touch of a designated count performed with the sensed plurality of input means, the processor and the memory are further programmed to call corresponding one or more programs.

30. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein, if one or more of the sensed plurality of input means and the 1st input means perform an indirect touch to a designated region of the touch screen, the processor and the memory are further programmed to call designated one or more programs of the electronic device or to display a list of the designated one or more programs on the touch screen, in response to the indirect touch.

31. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having a database and a program recorded thereon, the program causing a computer to execute a method comprising:

acquiring at least one sensing information;

determining, in accordance with the database, an operation mode of an electronic device in response to the at least one sensing information;

if a 1st input means is positioned in a 1st position spaced apart from a touch screen, acquiring 1st sensing information based on the 1st position;

if the 1st input means is positioned in a 2nd position spaced apart from the touch screen, acquiring 2nd sensing information based on the 2nd position; and

identifying the 1st input means based on the acquired 1st sensing information and the acquired 2nd sensing information.