Mobile terminal and touch recognition method therefor

• US 8,340,725 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2008
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Choi, Cha-Bong, Chea, Jin-Hwan, Park, Sun-Myung
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): AKINYEMI, AJIBOLA A
• Application Number:
  US12/029,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20090061947A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,778 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

Disclosed is a touch recognition method for preventing an execution of a function associated with an icon by unintentionally touching the icon when a slide-type mobile terminal performs a sliding motion and a mobile terminal implementing such method. If a pre-command is inputted by a touch through the touch screen of the mobile terminal, a pre-command operation that is predetermined is performed. If a sliding motion is detected while the pre-command is performed, the pre-command operation is cancelled.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a mobile terminal having a touch screen, the method comprising:

detecting a first touch on an object displayed on the touch screen while first and second slidable bodies of the mobile terminal are in a closed or opened state, the touch screen being disposed on an outside of the first body so as to face outwards;

distinctly displaying the touched object from untouched objects upon the detecting the first touch without executing an operation associated with the touched object;

detecting whether the first body is being slid with respect to the second body while the first touch is maintained on the object;

executing the operation associated with the object upon release of the first touch if the first body is not being slid with respect to the second body while the first touch is maintained on the object; and

undoing the distinctly displaying of the touched object without executing the operation associated with the object if the first body is being slid with respect to the second body while the first touch is maintained on the object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second bodies are configured to slide up or slide down relative to each other.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the executing step executes the operation associated with the object based on a single touch or double touch action when the detecting step detects the first body is not being slid with respect to the second body.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the executing step executes the operation associated with the object when the first touch is released after a predetermined period of time, when the detecting step detects the first body is not being slid with respect to the second body.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the distinctly displaying step distinctly displays the touched object by changing or adding a shape, a color, brightness, a shadow, an animated element, a text or vibration associated with the touched object.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is an icon or a menu.

7. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a communication module configured to wirelessly communicate with a base station;

a first and a second body configured to slide relative to each other;

a sensor configured to detect an opened configuration or a closed configuration of the first and second bodies;

a touch screen display disposed in the first body or the second body, the touch screen display being disposed on an outside of the first body so as to face outwards; and

a controller disposed in the first body or the second body and configured to;

detect a first touch on an object displayed on the touch screen while first and second slidable bodies of the mobile terminal are in a closed or opened state, the touch screen being disposed on an outside of the first body so as to face outwards,

distinctly display the touched object from untouched objects upon the detecting the first touch without executing an operation associated with the touched object,

detect whether the first body is being slid with respect to the second body while the first touch is maintained on the object,

execute the operation associated with the object upon release of the first touch if the first body is not being slid with respect to the second body while the first touch is maintained on the object, and

undo the distinct display of the touched object without executing the operation associated with the object if the first body is being slid with respect to the second body while the first touch is maintained on the object.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the sensor comprises:

one or more hall sensors in the first body; and

a magnet in the second body, wherein the magnet is of a different length or size than each one of the one or more hall sensors.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the one or more hall sensors are positioned to be under an influence of a magnetic force of the magnet when the first body and the second body are transitioning between the opened configuration and the closed configuration.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the one or more hall sensors are positioned to be out of an influence of a magnetic force of the magnet when the first body and the second body are in the opened configuration.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the one or more hall sensors are positioned to be under influence of a magnetic force of the magnet when the first body and the second bodies are in the closed configuration.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the first and second bodies are configured to slide up or slide down relative to each other.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to execute the operation associated with the object based on a single touch or double touch action when the sensor detects the first body is not being slid with respect to the second body.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to execute the operation associated with the object when the first touch is released after a predetermined period of time, when the sensor detects the first body is not being slid with respect to the second body.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to distinctly display the touched object by changing or adding a shape, a color, brightness, a shadow, an animated element, a text or vibration associated with the touched object.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the object is an icon or a menu.