Terminal for outputting a vibration and method of controlling the same

• US 8,723,810 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2009
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Hyoung Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARINELLI, PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US12/357,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20090227295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,937 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 178 1801- 2002
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A mobile terminal is presented. The mobile terminal includes a touchscreen for receiving an input, an output unit for outputting a vibration while a pointer contacts and moves along an input area of the touchscreen, and a control unit for controlling a characteristic of the vibration according to at least one of an attribute of the pointer, an attribute of the input area, or a combination thereof.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a touchscreen for receiving an input;

an output unit for outputting vibration when a pointer contacts and moves along an input area of the touchscreen; and

a control unit for;

controlling a characteristic of the vibration according to a displayed background in the input area, a size of a contact area between the pointer and the input area, a virtual type of the pointer, and a virtual friction between the displayed background and the virtual type of the pointer; and

controlling the touchscreen to display the virtual type of the pointer as a cursor together with a type of virtual material of the input area,

wherein the displayed background is one of a plurality of backgrounds that can be displayed and represents the type of virtual material,

wherein the virtual type of the pointer is one of a plurality of virtual types of the pointer,

wherein the virtual friction between the displayed background and the virtual type of the pointer is one of a plurality of virtual frictions between the displayed background and the virtual type of the pointer,

wherein each of the plurality of backgrounds is associated with a different characteristic of the vibration, and

wherein each of the plurality of virtual frictions between the displayed background and the virtual type of the pointer provides a different magnitude of vibration.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further for controlling the characteristic of the vibration according to a moving speed of the pointer along the input area.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further for controlling the characteristic of the vibration according to a contact pressure of the pointer on the input area.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising;

an audio output unit for outputting a sound, wherein the control unit is further for controlling the audio output unit to output the sound when the pointer contacts and moves along the input area.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further for controlling the output unit to start outputting the vibration when the pointer contacts the input area.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further for controlling the output unit to start outputting the vibration when the pointer begins moving along the input area.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further for controlling the output unit to terminate the output of the vibration when the pointer no longer contacts the input area.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further for controlling the output unit to terminate the output of the vibration when the pointer stops moving along the input area.

9. A method of producing vibration in a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

displaying a background on an input area of a touchscreen;

outputting the vibration when a pointer touches and moves along the input area;

controlling a characteristic of the vibration according to the displayed background, a size of a contact area between the pointer and the input area, a virtual type of the pointer, and a virtual friction between the displayed background and the virtual type of the pointer; and

displaying, on the touchscreen, the virtual type of the pointer as a cursor together with a type of virtual material of the input area,

wherein the displayed background is one of a plurality of backgrounds that can be displayed and represents the type of virtual material,

wherein the virtual type of the pointer is one of a plurality of virtual types of the pointer,

wherein the virtual friction between the displayed background and the virtual type of the pointer is one of a plurality of virtual frictions between the displayed background and the virtual type of the pointer,

wherein each of the plurality of backgrounds is associated with a different characteristic of the vibration, and

wherein each of the plurality of virtual frictions between the displayed background and the virtual type of the pointer provides a different magnitude of vibration.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising controlling the characteristic of the vibration according to a moving speed of the pointer along the input area.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising controlling the characteristic of the vibration according to a contact pressure of the pointer on the input area.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising outputting a sound when the pointer contacts and moves along the input area.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein outputting the vibration further comprises starting the output of the vibration when the pointer contacts the input area.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein outputting the vibration further comprises starting the output of the vibration when the pointer begins moving along the input area.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising terminating the output of the vibration when the pointer no longer contacts the input area.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising terminating the output of the vibration when the pointer stops moving along the input area.