Touch screen device and operating method thereof

• US 8,169,411 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Ho Joo, Bae, Seung Jun, Koo, Yoon Hee, Kang, Seong Cheol
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Joseph G
• Application Number:
  US11/646,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20070273673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,951 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/179, 702/150, 381/74, 348/553
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04162 for exchanging data with external devices, e.g. smart pens, via the digitiser sensing hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/10 Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H

Abstract

A touch screen device and an operating method thereof are provided. More specifically, a touch screen device is provided which allows a user to selectively restrict input through a touch screen. The touch screen device includes a screen that includes a display configured to display images thereon and a detector configured to detect a touch on the display and convert the touch into an electrical signal, and a controller configured to cause images to be displayed on the display and receive and process signals from the detector. Further, a user may determine whether the controller is operated according to the signal input into the detector. The determination may be made either by a switch separately installed on an earphone or by inputting a signal into the detector by a user.

Claims

1. A method of operating a touch screen device in portable electronic equipment, the touch screen device including an earphone having a switch mounted thereon configured to be manually manipulated by a user, and main body configured to be electronically connected to the earphone, the main body comprising a touch screen having a predetermined viewing area configured to display images thereon and a detector configured to detect a touch on the touch screen and generate a signal corresponding to the touch, and a controller configured to control the main body in accordance with signals received from the detector, the method comprising:

controlling the main body to remain in a holding mode in which the main body does not respond to any touch on the touch screen except an activation touch for transitioning from the holding mode to an activation mode, comprising deactivating at least two functions of the main body including a first function and a second function in the holding mode;

detecting a partial activation signal input at the switch on the earphone; and

in response to the partial activation signal, controlling the main body to transition from the holding mode to a partial activation mode in which the main body continues not to respond to any touch on the touch screen except a holding touch for transitioning from the partial activation mode to the holding mode, comprising activating only a predefined function of the at least two functions in the partial activation mode such that the first function is activated while the second function remains deactivated in the partial activation mode,

wherein when the switch on the earphone is manipulated in a first way, the main body is transitioned from the holding mode to the activation mode, and when the same switch on the earphone is manipulated in a second way, the main body is transitioned from the holding mode to the partial activation mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein activating only a predefined function of the at least two functions in the partial activation mode comprises activating a sound function of the main body.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic equipment is a mobile communication terminal capable of playing multimedia files.

4. A touch screen device for mobile communication terminal capable of playing multimedia files, comprising:

an earphone having a switch mounted thereon, wherein the switch is configured to be manually manipulated by a user;

a main body configured to be electronically connected to the earphone, the main body comprising;

a touch screen having a predetermined viewing area configured to display images thereon;

a detector configured to detect a touch on the touch screen and generate a signal corresponding to the touch; and

a controller configured to control the main body in accordance with signals received from the detector, wherein the controller is further configured to;

control the main body to remain in a holding mode in which the main body does not respond to any touch on the touch screen except an activation touch for transitioning from the holding mode to an activation mode, and to deactivate at least two functions of the main body including a first function and a second function in the holding mode;

detect a partial activation signal input at the switch on the earphone; and

in response to the partial activation signal, control the main body to transition from the holding mode to a partial activation mode in which the main body continues not to respond to any touch on the touch screen except a holding touch for transitioning from the partial activation mode to the holding mode, and to activate only a predefined function of the at least two functions in the partial activation mode such that the first function is activated while the second function remains deactivated in the partial activation mode,

wherein when the switch on the earphone is manipulated in a first way, the main body is transitioned from the holding mode to the activation mode, and when the same switch on the earphone is manipulated in a second way, the main body is transitioned from the holding mode to the partial activation mode.