Control of input/output through touch

• US 8,730,180 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2009
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Bong Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Sitta, Grant
• Application Number:
  US12/466,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20100137027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,831 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 715/600
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6008 in the transmitter circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6016 in the receiver circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• 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: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces

Abstract

A mobile terminal including a speaker configured to output sound data, a microphone configured to receive voice data, a sensing unit configured to sense a touching operation of at least one of 1) the speaker or the microphone and 2) a neighborhood area of the speaker or the microphone, and a controller configured to control a volume of the speaker or the microphone based on the sensed touching operation of said at least one of 1) the speaker or the microphone and 2) the neighborhood area of the speaker or the microphone.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a touch-screen display configured to display information;

a speaker configured to output sound data;

a microphone configured to receive voice data;

a mobile communication module configured to perform a calling function with at least one other terminal;

a sensing unit respectively located in a corresponding area of the speaker or the microphone and configured to;

sense a touch and drag operation that starts and ends in the corresponding area of the speaker or the microphone, and

generate a detection signal including a sensing location, a drag direction and a drag distance of the touch and drag operation; and

a controller configured to;

receive the detection signal,

determine a control target and a volume of the control target based on the detection signal,

control a volume of the determined control target to match the determined volume,

determine the speaker as the control target when the sensing location is related to the sensing unit located in the corresponding area of the speaker, and the microphone as the control target when the sensing location is related to the sensing unit located in the corresponding area of the microphone, and

gradually increase and decrease the volume of the control target based on the drag direction and the drag distance,

wherein the speaker, the microphone and the sensing unit are mounted on an area of the mobile terminal that excludes the display,

wherein the volume of the control target is gradually increased or decreased without displaying a user interface on the touch-screen display for inputting commands to gradually increase or decrease the volume,

wherein said display is further configured to display call information related to the calling function, and

wherein the controller is further configured to control the touch-screen display to display a speaker phone function mode allowing a speakerphone mode to be selected on the mobile terminal when another touch and drag operation includes touching the speaker and dragging the touch into an area of the touch-screen display, and to control the touch-screen display to display a microphone mute function mode allowing a microphone mute mode to be selected on the mobile terminal when the another touch and drag operation includes touching the microphone and dragging the touch into the area of the touch-screen display.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the touch and drag operation includes at least one of a contact touch and a proximity touch and drag operation.

3. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a touch-screen display configured to display information;

a speaker configured to output sound data;

a microphone configured to receive voice data;

a mobile communication module configured to perform a calling function with at least one other terminal;

a sensing unit respectively located in a corresponding area of the speaker or the microphone and configured to;

sense a touch and drag operation that starts and ends in the corresponding area of the speaker or the microphone, and

generate a detection signal including a sensing location, a drag direction and a drag distance of the touch and drag operation; and

a controller configured to;

receive the detection signal,

determine a control target and a volume of the control target based on the detection signal,

control a volume of the determined control target to match the determined volume,

determine the speaker as the control target when the sensing location is related to the sensing unit located in the corresponding area of the speaker, and the microphone as the control target when the sensing location is related to the sensing unit located in the corresponding area of the microphone, and

gradually increase and decrease the volume of the control target based on the drag direction and the drag distance,

wherein the speaker, the microphone and the sensing unit are mounted on an area of the mobile terminal that excludes the display,

wherein the volume of the control target is gradually increased or decreased without displaying a user interface on the touch-screen display for inputting commands to gradually increase or decrease the volume,

wherein said display is further configured to display call information related to the calling function, and

wherein the controller is further configured to control the touch-screen display to display a recording function mode allowing a record mode for recording the calling function to be selected on the mobile terminal when another touch and drag operation includes touching the touch-screen display and dragging the touch to the speaker.

4. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a touch-screen display configured to display a preview image;

a camera configured to capture image data;

a sensing unit located in a corresponding area of the camera and configured to;

sense a touch and drag operation that starts in the corresponding area of the camera and ends on the touch-screen display, and

generate a detection signal including a sensing location and a drag direction of the touch and drag operation; and

a controller configured to;

receive the detection signal,

determine a control target and a function of the control target based on the detection signal and a current operating state of the mobile terminal,

control the control target to perform the determined function,

determine the camera as the control target, when the sensing location is related to the sensing unit located in the corresponding area of the camera and the drag direction heads to a center of the touch-screen display,

determine a video phone function as the function of the control target when the current operating state of the mobile terminal is receiving a call, or capturing the preview image on the touch-screen display as the function of the control target when the current operating state of the mobile terminal is not receiving the call,

wherein the camera and the sensing unit are mounted on an area of the mobile terminal that excludes the touch-screen display.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the touch and drag operation includes at least one of a contact touch and a proximity touch.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to change a zooming function of the camera based another touching action.

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

displaying, via a touch-screen display of the mobile terminal, information;

sensing, via a sensing unit respectively located in a corresponding area of a speaker or a microphone of the mobile terminal, a touch and drag operation that starts and ends in the corresponding area of the speaker or the microphone, and generating a detection signal including a sensing location, a drag direction and a drag distance of the touch and drag operation;

receiving, via a controller of the mobile terminal, the detection signal;

determining, via the controller, a control target and a volume of the control target based on the detection signal;

controlling, via the controller, a volume of the determined control target to match the determined volume;

determining, via the controller, the speaker as the control target when the sensing location is related to the sensing unit located in the corresponding area of the speaker, and the microphone as the control target when the sensing location is related to the sensing unit located in the corresponding area of the microphone; and

gradually increasing and decreasing, via the controller, the volume of the control target based on the drag direction and the drag distance,

wherein the speaker, the microphone and the sensing unit are mounted on an area of the mobile terminal that excludes the display,

wherein the volume of the control target is gradually increased or decreased without displaying a user interface on the touch-screen display for inputting commands to gradually increase or decrease the volume,

wherein the method further comprises;

performing a calling function with at least one other terminal; and

displaying call information related to the calling function, and

wherein the displaying phone function mode allowing a speakerphone mode to be selected on the mobile terminal when another touch and drag operation includes touching the speaker and dragging the touch into an area of the display, and displays a microphone mute function mode allowing a microphone mute mode to be selected on the mobile terminal when the another touch and drag operation includes touching the microphone and dragging the touch into the area of the display.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the touch and drag operation includes at least one of a contact touch and a proximity touch.

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

displaying, via a touch-screen display of the mobile terminal, information;

sensing, via a sensing unit respectively located in a corresponding area of a speaker or a microphone of the mobile terminal, a touch and drag operation that starts and ends in the corresponding area of the speaker or the microphone, and generating a detection signal including a sensing location, a drag direction and a drag distance of the touch and drag operation;

receiving, via a controller of the mobile terminal, the detection signal;

determining, via the controller, a control target and a volume of the control target based on the detection signal;

controlling, via the controller, a volume of the determined control target to match the determined volume;

determining, via the controller, the speaker as the control target when the sensing location is related to the sensing unit located in the corresponding area of the speaker, and the microphone as the control target when the sensing location is related to the sensing unit located in the corresponding area of the microphone; and

gradually increasing and decreasing, via the controller, the volume of the control target based on the drag direction and the drag distance,

wherein the speaker, the microphone and the sensing unit are mounted on an area of the mobile terminal that excludes the display,

wherein the volume of the control target is gradually increased or decreased without displaying a user interface on the touch-screen display for inputting commands to gradually increase or decrease the volume,

wherein the method further comprises;

performing a calling function with at least one other terminal; and

displaying call information related to the calling function, and

wherein the displaying step displays a recording function mode allowing a record mode for recording the calling function to be selected on the mobile terminal when another touch and drag operation includes touching the display and dragging the touch to the speaker.

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

displaying, via a touch-screen display of the mobile terminal, a preview image;

sensing, via a sensing unit located in a corresponding area of a camera of the mobile terminal, a touch and drag operation that starts in the corresponding area of the camera and ends on the touch-screen display, and generating a detection signal including a sensing location and a drag direction of the touch and drag operation;

receiving, via a controller of the mobile terminal, the detection signal;

deter mining, via the controller, a control target and a function of the control target based on the detection signal and a current operating state of the mobile terminal;

controlling, via the controller, the control target to perform the determined function;

determining, via the controller, the camera as the control target, when the sensing location is related to the sensing unit located in the corresponding area of the camera and the drag direction heads to a center of the touch-screen display; and

determining, via the controller, a video phone function as the function of the control target when the current operating state of the mobile terminal is receiving a call, or capturing the preview image on the touch-screen display as the function of the control target when the current operating state of the mobile terminal is not receiving the call,

wherein the camera and the sensing unit are mounted on an area of the mobile terminal that excludes the touch-screen display.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the touch and drag operation includes at least one of a contact touch and a proximity.