Mobile terminal and operation control method thereof

• US 8,639,297 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Jungsu, Choi, Jinwook, Lee, Seungwon, Baek, Seungcheon
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John J
• Application Number:
  US13/691,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20130115875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/569.1, 455/90.1, 455/411, 455/419, 455/418, 455/67.11, 455/556.2, 340/571
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Discussed are a mobile terminal and an operation control method thereof in which a delay time of the screen lock execution is controlled according to the user'"'"'s gaze information. The mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include an input unit configured to receive a user input; an execution controller configured to execute screen lock if the user input is not received for a predetermined time T1; and a change controller configured to change the predetermined time T1 based on the user'"'"'s gaze information.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a mobile communication unit configured to transmit and receive a radio signal over a communication network;

a display unit configured to display visual information processed in the mobile terminal;

an input unit configured to receive a user input;

at least one sensor configured to detect user'"'"'s gaze information;

an execution controller configured to execute screen lock when detecting a lack of the user input for a first delay time T1; and

a change controller configured to change the first delay time T1 based on the user'"'"'s gaze information,

wherein the change controller determines that a user substantially stares at the display unit based on the user'"'"'s gaze information, the user'"'"'s gaze information including an image of the user,

wherein the change controller is further configured to extend the first delay time T1 to a second delay time T2 when the change controller determines that the user substantially stares at the display unit based on the user'"'"'s gaze information,

wherein the user'"'"'s gaze information further includes time information indicating a period for which the user substantially stares the display unit, and

wherein the change controller further determines that the user substantially stares at the display unit when the change controller detects an area of the user including the user'"'"'s face from the image and a size of the area is larger than a threshold value.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one optical sensor for capturing the image of the user.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the user'"'"'s gaze information further includes information indicating whether an area of the user including the user'"'"'s face is detected from the image of the user which is captured by the at least one optical sensor.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the change controller is further configured to reduce the first delay time T1 to a third delay time T3 when the change controller determines that the user does not substantially stare at the display unit based on the user'"'"'s gaze information.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the change controller further changes the first delay time T1 to the second delay time T2 based on a type of application, and the type of application is classified according to whether the user'"'"'s gaze at the visual information is required.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one acceleration sensor for detecting a tilt of the mobile terminal and/or at least one touch sensor for detecting a grip type of the mobile terminal.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the user'"'"'s gaze information further indicates the tilt of the mobile terminal and/or the user'"'"'s grip type of the mobile terminal.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the change controller changes the first delay time T1 to the second delay time T2 further based on the user'"'"'s application execution pattern or screen lock release pattern.

9. A method of controlling the operation of a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

detecting user'"'"'s gaze information which includes an image of a user; and

executing screen lock at a first delay time T1 or changing the first delay time T1 by determining whether the user substantially stares at a display unit of the mobile terminal based on the user'"'"'s gaze information;

wherein the changing step further comprises extending the first delay time T1 to a second delay time T2 when determining that the user substantially stares at the display unit based on the user'"'"'s gaze information,

wherein the user'"'"'s gaze information further includes time information indicating a period for which the user substantially stares the display unit, and

wherein the determining step further comprises determining that the user substantially stares at the display unit when an area of the user including the user'"'"'s face is detected from the image and a size of the area is larger than a threshold value.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

capturing the image of the user for detecting the user'"'"'s gaze information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the user'"'"'s gaze information further includes information indicating whether an area of the user including the user'"'"'s face is detected from the captured image of the user.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the changing step further comprises:

reducing the first delay time T1 to a third delay time T3 when determining that the user does not substantially stare at the display unit based on the user'"'"'s gaze information.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the changing step further comprises:

changing the first delay time T1 to the second delay time T2 based on a type of application, wherein the type of application is classified according to whether the user'"'"'s gaze at the visual information is required.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting tilt of the mobile terminal or a user'"'"'s grip type of the mobile terminal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the user'"'"'s gaze information further indicates tilt of the mobile terminal or the user'"'"'s grip type of the mobile terminal.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the changing step further comprises:

changing the first delay time T1 to the second delay time T2 further based on the user'"'"'s application execution pattern or screen lock release pattern.