Mobile telecommunication handset having touch pad

• US 7,603,143 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2006
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Young-Chul, Kang, Yun-Hwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh; Sonny
• Application Number:
  US11/508,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20070049358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/550.1, 455/575.1, 455/73, 455/556.2, 455/90.3, 455/425, 345/173, 345/156, 345/175
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0237 Sliding mechanism with one degree of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/236 including keys on side or rear faces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector

Abstract

A mobile telecommunication handset including a display unit configured to display information, a touch pad configured to generate input when being touched, and a control unit configured to control the display unit and the touch pad and to perform a function corresponding to the generated input from the touch pad being touched. Further, the control unit activates or deactivates the touch pad based on at least one from a state of the mobile handset or an input external from the touch pad.

Claims

1. A mobile communication terminal comprising:

a touch screen configured to display a touch screen unlock button for unlocking the touch screen, and

a screen controller configured to either automatically lock the touch screen or to automatically switch an operating mode of the touch screen to a lock mode upon receiving a call, and to unlock the touch screen or to cancel the lock mode of the touch screen in response to manipulation of the touch screen unlock button,

wherein, if no touch input is recognized on the touch screen for more than a predetermined amount of time after the manipulation of the touch screen unlock button, the screen controller is further configured to either relock the touch screen or to switch the operating mode of the touch screen back to the lock mode.

2. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein, if the screen controller relocks the touch screen or switches the operating mode of the touch screen back to the lock mode, the screen controller is further configured to redisplay the touch screen unlock button.

3. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein, if a call is terminated, the screen controller is further configured to unlock the touch screen and to remove the unlock button from the display or to switch the operating mode of the touch screen to an unlock mode.

4. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the screen controller is further configured to unlock the touch screen or to cancel the lock mode in response to manipulation of the unlock button.

5. An operating method of a mobile communication terminal having a touch screen having a touch screen unlock button for unlocking the touch screen, the operating method comprising:

one of automatically locking the touch screen or automatically switching an operating mode of the touch screen to a lock mode upon receiving a call

unlocking the touch screen or cancelling the lock mode of the touch screen in response to manipulation of the touch screen unlock button; and

if no touch input is recognized on the touch screen for more than a predetermined amount of time after the manipulation of the touch screen unlock button, either relocking the touch screen or switching the operating mode of the touch screen back to the lock mode.

6. The operating method of claim 5, said step of either relocking the touch screen or switching the operating mode of the touch screen back to the lock mode further comprising:

redisplaying the touch screen unlock button.

7. The operating method of claim 5, further comprising:

unlocking the touch screen and removing the unlock button from the display or switching the operating mode of the touch screen to an unlock mode if a call is terminated.