Input device for mobile terminal using scroll key

• US 8,195,252 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2007
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Kyung Min, Lyoo, Il
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Siddiqui, Kashif
• Application Number:
  US11/945,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20080125182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: 4555501-5759, 345160-173, 715784-786
• US Class Current: 455/575.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

The present invention is related to an input device for a mobile terminal. The input device of the present invention comprises a rotatable scroll key providing rotational information based on movement of the scroll key, a sensing device for sensing a position of a user'"'"'s finger relative to the scroll key and providing sensing information based on the sensed position of the user'"'"'s finger, and a controller for receiving the rotational information and sensing information, and controlling the mobile terminal based on the received rotational information and sensing information.

Claims

1. An input device for a mobile terminal, the input device comprising:

a rotatable scroll key providing rotational information based on movement of the scroll key;

a sensing device for sensing a position of a user'"'"'s finger on the scroll key along a longitudinal direction of a rotational axis of the scroll key and providing sensing information based on the sensed position of the user'"'"'s finger along the longitudinal direction of the rotational axis of the scroll key; and

a controller for receiving the rotational information and sensing information, and controlling the mobile terminal based on the received rotational information and sensing information,

wherein the sensing device comprises at least one sensing unit sending a signal to the controller when the user'"'"'s finger is located at a predetermined position of the scroll key,

wherein the controller moves a display cursor or output screen of the mobile terminal in one of a first direction, and a second direction opposite to the first direction, according to a rotational direction of the scroll key, when the controller receives the rotational information but not the sensing information, and

wherein the controller moves the display cursor or output screen of the mobile terminal in a direction different from the first and second directions according to the rotational direction of the scroll key, when the sensing device senses the user'"'"'s finger at the predetermined position of the scroll key while the scroll key is rotated, and the controller receives the rotational information and the sensing information.

2. The input device of claim 1, wherein the sensing device comprises:

a first sensing unit outputting a signal when the user'"'"'s finger is located at a first end of the scroll key; and

a second sensing unit outputting a signal when the user'"'"'s finger is located at a second end of the scroll key.

3. The input device of claim 2, wherein the first sensing unit and the second sensing unit are separated by a predetermined distance with a central portion of the scroll key in between, wherein the first sensing unit and the second sensing unit cannot output their respective signals when the user'"'"'s finger is located on the central portion of the scroll key.

4. The input device of claim 1, wherein the sensing device comprises at least one non-contact sensor provided near the scroll key, wherein the at least one non-contact sensor outputs a signal when the user'"'"'s finger approaches the at least one non-contact sensor.

5. The input device of claim 1, wherein the sensing device comprises at least one touch sensor provided near the scroll key, wherein the at least one touch sensor outputs a signal when the user'"'"'s finger touches the at least one touch sensor.

6. The input device of claim 1, wherein the sensing device comprises at least one touch sensor provided at the predetermined position of the scroll key, wherein the at least one touch sensor outputs a signal when the user'"'"'s finger touches the at least one touch sensor.

7. The input device of claim 1, wherein the sensing device comprises at least one switch provided below the scroll key, wherein the at least one switch outputs a signal when at least a portion of the scroll key is pressed.

8. The input device of claim 1, wherein the controller moves the display cursor or output screen of the mobile terminal in one of a third direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, according to the rotational direction of the scroll key, when the controller receives the rotational information and the sensing information.

9. The input device of claim 1, wherein the controller moves the display cursor or output screen of the mobile terminal in one of the first direction, and the second direction opposite to the first direction, according to the rotational direction of the scroll key, when the user'"'"'s finger is located at a central portion of the scroll key.

10. The input device of claim 9, wherein the controller moves the display cursor or output screen of the mobile terminal in a third direction, substantially perpendicular to the first and second directions, when the user'"'"'s finger is located at a first end of the scroll key, and moves the display cursor or output screen of the mobile terminal in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, when the user'"'"'s finger is located at a second end of the scroll key.

11. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a housing;

a display mounted in the housing;

a rotatable scroll key mounted in the housing, the scroll key providing rotational information based on movement of the scroll key;

a sensing device mounted in the housing near the scroll key, the sensing device sensing a position of a user'"'"'s finger on the scroll key along a longitudinal direction of a rotational axis of the scroll key and providing sensing information based on the sensed position of the user'"'"'s finger along the longitudinal direction of the rotational axis of the scroll key; and

a controller for receiving the rotational information and sensing information, wherein the controller controls a display cursor or output screen of the mobile terminal based on the received rotational information and sensing information,

wherein the sensing device comprises at least one non-contact sensor provided near the scroll key, wherein the at least one non-contact sensor outputs a signal when the user'"'"'s finger approaches the at least one non-contact sensor,

wherein the controller moves the display cursor or output screen of the mobile terminal in one of a first direction, and a second direction opposite to the first direction, according to a rotational direction of the scroll key, when the controller receives the rotational information but not the sensing information, and

wherein the controller moves the display cursor or output screen of the mobile terminal in a direction different from the first and second directions according to the rotational direction of the scroll key, when the sensing device senses the user'"'"'s finger at a predetermined position of the scroll key while the scroll key is rotated, and the controller receives the rotational information and the sensing information.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the sensing device comprises at least one touch sensor provided near the scroll key, wherein the at least one touch sensor outputs a signal when the user'"'"'s finger touches the at least one touch sensor.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the sensing device comprises at least one touch sensor provided at the predetermined position of the scroll key, wherein the at least one touch sensor outputs a signal when the user'"'"'s finger touches the at least one touch sensor.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the sensing device comprises at least one switch provided below the scroll key, wherein the at least one switch outputs a signal when at least a portion of the scroll key is pressed.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller outputs a control signal to move the display cursor or output screen in one of a third direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, according to the rotational direction of the scroll key, when the controller receives the rotational information and the sensing information.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein:

the rotatable scroll key comprises a first end, a second end and a central portion between the first end and second end; and

the sensing device comprises a first sensing unit outputting a signal when the user'"'"'s finger is positioned on the first end, and a second sensing unit outputting a signal when the user'"'"'s finger is positioned on the second end.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the controller outputs a control signal to move the display cursor or output screen in one of the first direction, and the second direction opposite to the first direction, according to the rotational direction of the scroll key, when the user'"'"'s finger is located at the central portion of the scroll key.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the controller outputs a control signal to move the display cursor or output screen in a third direction, substantially perpendicular to the first and second directions, when the user'"'"'s finger is located at the first end of the scroll key, and outputs a control signal to move the display cursor or output screen in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, when the user'"'"'s finger is located at the second end of the scroll key.

19. A method for controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

detecting movement of a rotatable scroll key and providing rotational information based on the detected movement of the scroll key;

detecting a position of a user'"'"'s finger on the scroll key along a longitudinal direction of a rotational axis of the scroll key and providing position information based on the detected position of the user'"'"'s finger along the longitudinal direction of the rotational axis of the scroll key; and

controlling output contents of a mobile terminal display based on the rotational information and position information,

wherein controlling output contents of the mobile terminal display comprises moving a display cursor or output screen of the mobile terminal in one of a first direction, and a second direction opposite to the first direction, according to a rotational direction of the scroll key, and

wherein controlling output contents of the mobile terminal display comprises moving the display cursor or output screen of the mobile terminal in a direction different from the first and second directions according to the rotational direction of the scroll key and the detected position of the user'"'"'s finger while the scroll key is rotated.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein controlling output contents of the mobile terminal display comprises moving the display cursor or output screen of the mobile terminal in one of a third direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, according to the rotational direction of the scroll key, when the user'"'"'s finger is located at a predetermined position of the scroll key.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein controlling output contents of the mobile terminal display comprises moving the display cursor or output screen of the mobile terminal in one of the first direction, and the second direction opposite to the first direction, according to the rotational direction of the scroll key, when the user'"'"'s finger is located at a central portion of the scroll key.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein controlling output contents of the mobile terminal display comprises moving the display cursor or output screen of the mobile terminal in a third direction, substantially perpendicular to the first and second directions, when the user'"'"'s finger is located at a first end of the scroll key, and moving the display cursor or output screen of the mobile terminal in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, when the user'"'"'s finger is located at a second end of the scroll key.