Mobile terminal and method for controlling operation of the same

• US 8,423,089 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2010
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Song, Yoo Mee, Choi, Hu Ran, Yang, Seung Hyun, Hwang, Se Il, Kim, Myo Ha
• Primary Examiner(s): WANG-HURST, KATHY W
• Application Number:
  US12/796,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20100317410A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/566, 455/418, 455/425, 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/575.4, 345/173
• US Class Current: 455/566
• 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 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A mobile terminal and a method for controlling operation of the same are provided. A command input key including a command or an icon, which allows the user to input a command to execute an application to the mobile terminal, is displayed on the mobile terminal. The user may input a command to execute at least two applications to the mobile terminal through one command input key. The display state of the command input key is changed according to the pressure or duration of operation of the command input key. Through the changed display state of the command input key, the user can know which type of application is executed in response to operation of the command input key.

Claims

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

displaying in a prescribed area of a display of the mobile terminal a first command input key associated with executing a first application;

determining a duration or an amount of pressure of an input associated with the first command input key at the prescribed area of the display;

determining whether the duration or the amount of pressure exceeds a predetermined value; and

toggling in the prescribed area of the display from the first command input key associated with the first application to a second command input key associated with a second application when the duration or the amount of pressure exceeds the predetermined values,

wherein the step of toggling includes changing a first image corresponding to the first command input key to a second image corresponding to the second command input key according to the determined input duration or the amount of pressure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first or second command input key is an icon, an on-screen display (OSD), a widget, or a menu item.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing the second application after toggling the first command input key associated with the first application to the second command input key associated with the second application.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a vibration having an intensity that corresponds to the determined input duration or the amount of pressure.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the vibration is generated around the first or second command input key.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a vibration when the first command input key associated with the first application is toggled to the second command input key for executing the second application.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the vibration is generated around the first or second command input key.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first command input key is displayed on a touch screen, and wherein determining the duration or the amount of pressure of the input associated with the first command input key includes determining a touch duration or the amount of pressure on the touch screen.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal includes a physical key corresponding to the first and second command input keys, and wherein determining the duration or the amount of pressure of the input associated with the command input key includes determining a duration or the amount of pressure on the physical key.

10. A mobile terminal comprising:

a display that displays on a prescribed portion of the display a first command input key associated with a first application program;

a user interface that receives a selection associated with the first command input key at the prescribed portion of the display; and

a controller configured to determine a duration or an amount of pressure of the selection, wherein the controller executes the first application program if the duration or the amount of pressure is less than a first predetermined duration or amount of pressure,

and toggles on the prescribed portion from the first command input key associated with the first application program to a second command input key associated with a second application program if the duration or the amount of pressure is greater than the first predetermined duration or amount of pressure,

wherein the controller is further configured to change a first image corresponding to the first command input key to a second image corresponding to the second command input key if the duration or the amount of pressure is greater than the first predetermined duration or amount of pressure.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the first or second command input key is an icon, an OSD, a widget or a menu item.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the user input unit is a touch screen display.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the selection associated with the first command input key includes a touch input at the first command input key on the touch screen display.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the user input unit is a fixed button, wherein the selection associated with the first command input key includes an input at the fixed button.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 10, further comprising a vibrator that generates a vibration associated with the execution of the first application program or the toggling between the first and second command input keys.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the vibrator varies an intensity, frequency, or pattern of the vibration corresponding to the detected duration or amount of pressure.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to change the first command input key to a third command input key associated with a third application program on the prescribed portion if the duration or amount of pressure is greater than a second predetermined duration or amount of pressure, wherein the second predetermined duration or amount of pressure is greater than the first predetermined duration or amount of pressure the third application being in associated with the second application.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to change the first command input key to the second command input key if the amount of pressure is increased for the first predetermined duration, otherwise display the first command input key.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the first application program is a camera application configured to capture a still image, and the second application program is a video camera application configured to capture a video image.

15. A mobile terminal comprising:

a display that displays on a prescribed portion of the display a first command input key associated with a first application program;

a user interface that receives a selection associated with the first command input key; and

a controller configured to determine a duration or an amount of pressure of the selection, wherein the controller executes the first application program if the duration or the amount of pressure is less than a first predetermined duration or amount of pressure, and toggles on the prescribed portion from the first command input key associated with the first application program to a second command input key associated with a second application program if the duration or the amount of pressure is greater than the first predetermined duration or amount of pressure,

wherein the first application program is a camera application configured to capture a still image, and the second application program is a video camera application configured to capture a video image.