Mobile communication terminal having proximity sensor and display controlling method therein

• US 8,482,532 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2009
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Seo, Min Cheol, Cho, Seon Hwi
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Application Number:
  US12/476,213
• Publication Number:
  US 20090295715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,499 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/169, 345/173, 345/174, 345/156, 345/157
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• 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

Abstract

A mobile communication terminal having a function of detecting a proximity touch and a display controlling method therein are disclosed. The present invention includes a touchscreen configured to display prescribed data, the touchscreen detecting a real touch or a proximity touch to a surface contact point, a proximity sensor outputting a proximity signal corresponding to a proximity position of a proximate object, and a controller controlling an implementation of an operation associated with the prescribed data displayed on the touchscreen according to the proximity signal detected by the proximity sensor.

Claims

1. A mobile communication terminal comprising:

a touchscreen configured to display prescribed data and to detect a real touch or a proximity touch to a surface contact point;

a proximity sensor configured to sense a proximity position of a proximate object and output a proximity signal corresponding to the proximity position of the proximate object; and

a controller configured to control an implementation of an operation associated with the displayed prescribed data according to the proximity signal output by the proximity sensor,

wherein the prescribed data comprise at least one avatar and a second avatar, and

wherein the controller is further configured to control an implementation of a specific operation on information of the at least one avatar, wherein the specific operation implemented on the information of the at least one avatar is associated with the second avatar, when the proximity sensor senses movement of the proximate object from a position corresponding to the at least one avatar to a position corresponding to the second avatar.

2. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the touchscreen to display at least one menu information for implementing the specific operation around the second avatar when the proximity sensor senses the movement of the proximate object from the position corresponding to the at least one avatar to the position corresponding to the second avatar.

3. The mobile communication terminal of claim 2, wherein the at least one menu information is displayed as at least one selected from the group consisting of a short text message icon, a multimedia message icon, an Email icon and an instant messenger icon.

4. The mobile communication terminal of claim 2, wherein the at least one menu information is displayed in a pop-up form.

5. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the prescribed data further comprise a text input window for writing a short text message.

6. The mobile communication terminal of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to control the touchscreen to display a plurality of characters allocated to a proximity target key button around a key display region in advance according to the proximity signal output by the proximity sensor.

7. The mobile communication terminal of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to control the touchscreen to display a corresponding character on an input window in advance according to a proximity signal for a character of the plurality of characters displayed around the key display region.

8. The mobile communication terminal of claim 7, wherein the controller controls a key button pressed form to be displayed according to a proximity distance from the surface contact point of the touchscreen.

9. The mobile communication terminal of claim 7, wherein if a real touch is made to a contact point, the controller controls a corresponding operation.

10. The mobile communication terminal of claim 5, wherein the controller controls a character displayed in advance on an input window according to a proximity distance from the surface contact point of the touchscreen.

11. A method of controlling a display in a mobile communication terminal having a proximity sensor, the method comprising:

displaying prescribed data on a touchscreen, the prescribed data comprising at least one avatar and a second avatar;

detecting, using the proximity sensor, a proximity touch to the prescribed data displayed on the touchscreen; and

controlling a corresponding operation if a proximity touch detection condition is met,

wherein controlling the corresponding operation comprises performing a specific operation on information of the at least one avatar, wherein the specific operation performed on the information of the at least one avatar is associated with the second avatar, when the proximity sensor detects movement of the proximity touch from a position corresponding to the at least one avatar to a position corresponding to the second avatar.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising controlling the touchscreen to display at least one menu information for implementing the specific operation around the second avatar when the proximity sensor detects the movement of the proximity touch from the position corresponding to the at least one avatar to the position corresponding to the second avatar.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one menu information is displayed as at least one selected from the group consisting of a short text message icon, a multimedia message icon, an Email icon and an instant messenger icon.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one menu information is displayed in a pop-up form.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the prescribed data further comprises a text input window for writing a short text message.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising displaying a plurality of characters allocated to a proximity target key button around a key display region in advance according to the proximity signal output by the proximity sensor.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying a corresponding character on an input window in advance according to a proximity signal for a character of the plurality of characters displayed around the key display region.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a key button pressed form is controlled to be displayed according to a proximity distance from a surface contact point of the touchscreen.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising controlling a character displayed in advance on an input window according to a proximity distance from a surface contact point of the touchscreen.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the proximity touch detection condition is based on a distance from a contact point and a sustained time of the distance.