Method and apparatus for unlocking a portable terminal using piezoelectric sensors

• US 8,536,765 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2009
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Oh, Jung Yeob, Shin, Seung Woo
• Primary Examiner(s): Dougherty, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): GORDON, BRYAN P
• Application Number:
  US12/558,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20100090564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,464 Days
• Field of Search: 310/314, 310/339, 310/328
• US Class Current: 310/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• 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

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for unlocking a portable terminal, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for unlocking a portable terminal capable of canceling a hold state of the portable terminal without using a hold key. A portable terminal may include at least one piezoelectric sensor. When a squeeze operation signal is generated as pressure is applied to the at least one piezoelectric sensor, the hold state of the portable terminal is canceled.

Claims

1. A portable terminal, comprising:

at least one piezoelectric sensor positioned on at least one side of the portable terminal and configured to provide a voltage difference when a pressure is applied on the at least one piezoelectric sensor;

a storage unit to store a usage history for each function of the portable terminal; and

a controller to cancel a hold state of the portable terminal in response to a squeeze operation signal and to execute one of a function performed most recently and a function most frequently performed during a determined period of time based on the usage history, the squeeze operation signal being provided in response to the pressure being greater than or equal to a threshold level,

wherein the squeeze operation signal is not provided in response to a contact being detected by the at least one piezoelectric sensor and the pressure being less than the threshold level.

2. The portable terminal of claim 1, wherein the at least one piezoelectric sensor comprises:

a first piezoelectric sensor positioned on a first side of the portable terminal; and

a second piezoelectric sensor positioned on a second side of the portable terminal.

3. The portable terminal of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to cancel the hold state of the portable terminal if the pressure is simultaneously applied to the first piezoelectric sensor and the second piezoelectric sensor.

4. The portable terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to terminate power supplied to a display unit of the portable terminal and to set the portable terminal to the hold state if an input signal is not received for a determined period of time.

5. The portable terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to cancel the hold state if the squeeze operation signal is input, and to set the portable terminal to the hold state if the squeeze operation signal is not input.

6. A method of unlocking a portable device using a piezoelectric sensor, the method comprising:

providing a squeeze operation signal in response to a pressure applied to at least one piezoelectric sensor, the pressure being greater than or equal to a threshold level;

canceling a hold state of the portable terminal in response to the squeeze operation signal being provided; and

performing one of a function performed most recently and a function most frequently performed during a determined period of time based on a previously stored usage history for each function of the portable terminal,

wherein the squeeze operation signal is not provided in response to a contact being detected by the at least one piezoelectric sensor and the pressure being less than the threshold level.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

positioning a first piezoelectric sensor on a first side of the portable terminal; and

positioning a second piezoelectric sensor on a second side of the portable terminal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the squeeze operation signal is provided when the pressure is simultaneously applied to the first piezoelectric sensor and the second piezoelectric sensor.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising one of:

canceling the hold state of the portable terminal if the squeeze operation signal is input, and setting the portable terminal to the hold state if the squeeze operation signal is not input; and

setting the portable terminal to the hold state if an input signal is not received for a determined period of time.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one piezoelectric sensor to detect an input pressure;

a storage unit to store a usage history for each function of the portable terminal;

a controller to operate the apparatus in a first mode and a second mode and to receive a first signal from the at least one piezoelectric sensor; and

a display unit to receive, from the controller, an activation signal in response to the first signal,

wherein, in response to receiving the first signal, the controller is configured to cancel the first mode and to execute one of a function performed most recently and a function most frequently performed during a determined period of time based on the usage history in the second mode, the first signal being provided in response to the input pressure being greater than or equal to a threshold value, and

wherein the first signal is not provided in response to a contact being detected by the at least one piezoelectric sensor and the input pressure being less than the threshold value.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one piezoelectric sensor comprises:

a first piezoelectric sensor on a first side of the apparatus; and

a second piezoelectric sensor on a second side of the apparatus, the second side being situated on an opposite side of the apparatus relative to the first side, and

wherein the input pressure is applied simultaneously to the first piezoelectric sensor and the second piezoelectric sensor.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first mode comprises a hold mode of the apparatus and the second mode comprises an active mode of the apparatus,

wherein, in the hold mode, the controller is configured not to respond to an input other than the input pressure,

wherein, in the active mode, the controller is configured to execute a function, and

wherein if the input pressure is less than the threshold value, the controller is configured to operate in the first mode, and

wherein, if no user input is detected and the display unit is not activated for a determined period of time, the controller is configured to operate in the first mode.