Key control apparatus of a portable terminal

• US 7,948,475 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2007
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Seok-Hyo, Lee, Seng-Tai
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala; Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): BEDELL, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US11/758,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20080117185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0208 characterized by the relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/18 including more than one keyboard unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector

Abstract

A key control apparatus for a portable terminal including a first housing with first and second display units and a second housing with first and second key input units is provided. The key control apparatus includes a first key input unit, a second key input unit and a control unit. The first key input unit includes a plurality of touch-sensitive touch keys for implementing given functions, one or more mechanical keys, and a plurality of sensors for sensing the touching of the touch keys and implementing a scroll function. The second key input unit includes a plurality of mechanical keys for implementing given functions or functions corresponding to the keys arranged on the first key input unit. The control unit controls the apparatus so that when a touch key in the first key input unit is touched, a function given to the touch key is implemented.

Claims

1. A key control apparatus for a portable terminal comprising a first housing with first and second display units and a second housing with first and second key input units, the key control apparatus comprising:

the first key input unit comprising a plurality of touch-sensitive touch keys for implementing given functions, one or more mechanical keys, and a plurality of sensors for sensing the touching of the touch keys and implementing a scroll function;

the second key input unit comprising a plurality of mechanical keys that are not touch-sensitive for implementing given functions and functions corresponding to the keys arranged on the first key input unit; and

a control unit performing control in such a manner that when a touch key in the first key input unit is touched, a function given to the touch key is implemented, wherein if touching is sensed through a sensor among the sensors of the first key input unit within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed through another sensor, the control unit performs control in such a manner that a scroll function is performed in a corresponding direction, and when the second housing is rotated, the control unit performs control in such a manner that predetermined keys among the mechanical keys of the second key input unit implement the functions corresponding to the touch keys, including the given functions and the scroll function.

2. A key control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the keys of the first key input unit comprise first to eighth sensors,

wherein a left/right scroll function is implemented through the first, second and third sensors sequentially arranged from left to right on an upper area of the first key input unit, and through the fourth, fifth and sixth sensors sequentially arranged from left to right on a lower area of the first key input unit, and

wherein an up/down scroll function is implemented through the first, seventh and fourth sensors sequentially arranged from up to down on a left area of the first key input unit, and through the third, eighth and sixth sensors sequentially arranged from up to down on a tight area of the first key input unit.

3. A key control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control unit implements the left/right scroll function in the following manner:

if touching is sensed by the second sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the first sensor, a first left-to-right scroll function for moving one step from left to right is implemented, and if touching is sensed by the third sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the second sensor, a second left-to-right scroll function for moving further one step from left to right, with reference to the position moved one step through the first left-to-right scroll function; and

if touching is sensed by the second sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the third sensor, a first right-to-left scroll function for moving one step from right to left is implemented, and if touching is sensed by the first sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the second sensor, a second right-to-left scroll function for moving further one step from right to left, with reference to the position moved one step through the first right-to-left scroll function.

4. A key control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control unit implements the left/right scroll function in the following manner:

if touching is sensed by the third sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the first sensor, a third left-to-tight scroll function for directly moving two steps from left to tight is implemented; and

if touching is sensed by the first sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the third sensor, a third tight-to-left scroll function for directly moving two steps from light to left is implemented.

5. A key control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control unit implements the left/right scroll function in the following manner:

if touching is sensed by the fifth sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the fourth sensor, a first left-to-right scroll function for moving one step from left to right is implemented, and if touching is sensed by the sixth sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the fifth sensor, a second left-to-right scroll function for moving further one step from left to right, with reference to the position moved one step through the first left-to-right scroll function; and

if touching is sensed by the fifth sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the sixth sensor, a first right-to-left scroll function for moving one step from right to left is implemented, and if touching is sensed by the fourth sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the fifth sensor, a second right-to-left scroll function for moving further one step from right to left, with reference to the position moved one step through the first right-to-left scroll function.

6. A key control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control unit implements the left/right scroll function in the following manner:

if touching is sensed by the sixth sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the fourth sensor, a third left-to-right scroll function for directly moving two steps from left to right is implemented; and

if touching is sensed by the fourth sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the sixth sensor, a third tight-to-left scroll function for directly moving two steps from right to left is implemented.

7. A key control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control unit implements the up/down scroll function in the following manner:

if touching is sensed by the seventh sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the first sensor, a first up-to-down scroll function for moving one step from up to down is implemented, and if touching is sensed by the fourth sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the seventh sensor, a second up-to-down scroll function for moving further one step from up to down, with reference to the position moved one step through the first up-to-down scroll function; and

if touching is sensed by the seventh sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the fourth sensor, a first down-to-up scroll function for moving one step from down to up is implemented, and if touching is sensed by the first sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the seventh sensor, a second down-to-up scroll function for moving further one step from down to up, with reference to the position moved one step through the first down-to-up scroll function.

8. A key control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control unit implements the up/down scroll function in the following manner:

if touching is sensed by the fourth sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the first sensor, a third up-to-down scroll function for directly moving two steps from up to down is implemented; and

if touching is sensed by the first sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the fourth sensor, a third down-to-up scroll function for directly moving two steps from down to up is implemented.

9. A key control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control unit implements the up/down scroll function in the following manner:

if touching is sensed by the eighth sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the third sensor, a first up-to-down scroll function for moving one step from up to down is implemented, and if touching is sensed by the sixth sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the eighth sensor, a second up-to-down scroll function for moving further one step from up to down, with reference to the position moved one step through the first up-to-down scroll function; and

if touching is sensed by the eighth sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the sixth sensor, a first down-to-up scroll function for moving one step from down to up is implemented, and if touching is sensed by the third sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the eighth sensor, a second down-to-up scroll function for moving further one step from down to up, with reference to the position moved one step through the first down-to-up scroll function.

10. A key control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control unit implements the up/down scroll function in the following manner:

if touching is sensed by the sixth sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the third sensor, a third up-to-down scroll function for directly moving two steps from up to down is implemented; and

if touching is sensed by the sixth sensor within a predetermined length of time after touching is sensed by the third sensor, a third down-to-up scroll function for directly moving two steps from down to up is implemented.

11. A key control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of a screen movement function and a menu selection function is implemented through the right/right scroll function.

12. A key control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of a volume control function, a light control function in a photographic mode, and a menu selection function is implemented through the up/down scroll function.

13. A key control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the plurality of touch keys of the first key input unit comprises a top touch key arranged at the top area of the first key input unit, a bottom touch key arranged at the lower area of the first key input unit, a left touch key arranged at the left area of the first key input unit and a right touch key arranged at the right area of the first key input unit, and

wherein the touching of the top touch key is sensed through the second sensor, the touching of the bottom touch key is sensed through the fifth sensor, the touching of the left touch key is sensed through the seventh sensor, and the touching of the right key is sensed through the eighth sensor.

14. A key control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a rotation sensing unit for sensing the rotation of the second housing.

15. A portable terminal comprising:

a first housing

a second housing rotatably attached to the first housing, the second housing having an upper surface and a lower surface;

a first key input unit disposed on the upper surface of the second housing, the first key input unit comprising a plurality of touch-sensitive keys and a plurality of sensors;

a second key input unit disposed on the lower surface of the second housing, the second key input unit comprising

a plurality of keys; and

a control unit for controlling the portable terminal,

wherein the plurality of sensors on the first key input unit implement a scroll function, and,

when the second housing is rotated, the keys of the second input unit implement the scroll function corresponding to the sensors of the first key input unit.

16. A portable terminal as claimed in claim 15, wherein the plurality of sensors of the first key input unit comprise:

first, second and third sensors sequentially arranged from left to right on an upper area of the first key input unit;

fourth, fifth and sixth sensors sequentially arranged from left to right on a lower area of the first key input unit; and

seventh and eighth sensors sequentially arranged from left to right on a middle area of the first key input unit,

wherein the first, second and third sensors and the fourth, fifth and sixth sensors implement a left/right scrolling function and a right/left scrolling function, and the first, seventh and fourth sensors and the third, eighth and sixth sensors implement an up/down scrolling function and a down/up scrolling function.

17. A portable terminal as claimed in claim 16, wherein the plurality of touch keys of the first key input unit comprises a top touch key arranged at the top area of the first key input unit, a bottom touch key arranged at the lower area of the first key input unit, a left touch key arranged at the left area of the first key input unit and a right touch key arranged at the tight area of the first key input unit, and

wherein the touching of the top touch key is sensed through the second sensor, the touching of the bottom touch key is sensed through the fifth sensor, the touching of the left touch key is sensed through the seventh sensor, and the touching of the right key is sensed through the eighth sensor.

18. A portable terminal as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first key input unit further comprises at least one mechanical key disposed in a central area of the first key input unit.

19. A portable terminal as claimed in claim 15, wherein the keys of the second input unit comprise mechanical keys.

20. A portable terminal as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a rotation sensing unit for sensing the rotation of the second housing.