Electronic device with touch device and method of executing functions thereof according to relative touch positions

• US 8,907,899 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2008
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Tae Jin, Kim, Joo Min, Hwang, Jung Ah
• Primary Examiner(s): Lubit, Ryan A
• Application Number:
  US12/205,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20090289904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,286 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-183, 715/863
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An electronic device having a touch panel and a corresponding control method, the method including: receiving a first touch to a first position on the touch panel; receiving a second touch to a second position on the touch panel while the first touch is held to the first position; and executing a function corresponding to a relative position of the second position with respect to the first position.

Claims

1. A method of executing functions in an electronic device equipped with a touch device, the method comprising:

receiving a first touch to a first position on the touch device on a displayed image;

upon receiving the first touch, dividing an entire screen on the touch device into at least two regions with the first position being an intermediate position,

wherein the first touch is irrespective of the displayed image content;

displaying an indicator for guiding a plurality of second touches corresponding to the divided at least two regions,

wherein the indicator indicates the at least two regions for receiving each of the plurality of second touches, types of the plurality of second touches, and a plurality of functions for matching the at least two regions with the types of the plurality of second touches;

eliminating displaying of the indicator upon receiving an input of turning off a function of displaying the indicator;

receiving a specific second touch to a specific region of the at least two regions on the touch device subsequent to the first touch and while the first touch is held to the first position,

wherein a type of the specific second touch is one of the types of the plurality of second touches, a second position for receiving the specific second touch is any position in the specific region, and the second touch is irrespective of the displayed image content; and

executing a specific function for matching with the specific region and the type of the specific second touch.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific function is one of a scroll function, an enlarge function, a delete function and a menu display function.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the specific second touch comprises:

receiving the specific second touch within a predetermined time period from a time of the first touch while the first touch is held to the first position.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of executing the specific function comprises:

executing a first function corresponding to a first relative position of the specific second position with respect to the first position; and

executing a second function, different from the first function, corresponding to a second relative position of the specific second position with respect to the first position.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first and second functions are different ones of a scroll function, an enlarge function, a delete function and a menu display function.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the first and second relative positions of the specific second position are located to the left and right of the first position, respectively.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second function comprises displaying a menu.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of executing the second function comprises:

executing one of two second functions depending on a relative distance between the first position and the specific second position.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first function and the two second functions comprise different ones of a scroll function, an enlarge function, a delete function and a menu display function.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific second touch comprises a single touch on the specific second position.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific second touch comprises plural touches on the specific second position.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of executing the specific function comprises:

executing a first function if the specific second position is touched once; and

executing a second function, different from the first function, if the specific second position is touched more than once.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific function is set by a user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second touch each comprises one of a physical touch and a proximity touch.

15. The method of claim 1,

wherein when the touch device comprises a touch screen, the specific function is irrespective of types of information displayed on the touch screen.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch device comprises a touch pad or a touch screen.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein

the step of receiving the first touch to a first position on the touch device comprises receiving the first touch to an object displayed at the first position, and

the specific function is a function related to the touched object.

18. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch device configured to

receive a first touch to a first position on the touch device on a displayed image;

upon receiving the first touch, divide an entire screen on the touch device into at least two regions with the first position being an intermediate position,

wherein the first touch is irrespective of the displayed image content;

display an indicator for guiding a plurality of second touches corresponding to the divided at least two regions,

wherein the indicator indicates the at least two regions for receiving each of the plurality of second touches, types of the plurality of second touches, and a plurality of functions for matching the at least two regions with the types of the plurality of second touches,

eliminate display of the indicator upon receiving an input of turning off a function of displaying the indicator,

receive a specific second touch to a specific region of the at least two regions on the touch device subsequent to the first touch and while the first touch is held to the first position,

wherein a type of the specific second touch is one of the types of the plurality of second touches, a second position for receiving the specific second touch is any position in the specific region, and the second touch is irrespective of the displayed image content; and

a controller operatively connected to the touch device and configured to

execute a specific function for matching with the specific region and the type of the specific second touch.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the specific function is one of a scroll function, an enlarge function, a delete function and a menu display function.

20. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to execute the specific function when the specific second touch is received within a predetermined time period from a time of the first touch while the touch on the first position is maintained.

21. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to

execute a first function corresponding to a first relative position of the specific second position with respect to the first position;

and

execute a second function, different from the first function, corresponding to a second relative position of the specific second position with respect to the first position.

22. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the first and second functions are different ones of a scroll function, an enlarge function, a delete function and a menu display function.

23. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the first and second relative positions of the specific second position are located to the left and right of the first position, respectively.

24. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the second function comprises a menu function.

25. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the specific second touch comprises a single touch on the specific second position.

26. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the specific second touch comprises plural touches on the specific second position.

27. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to

execute a first function if the specific second position is touched once;

and

execute a second function, different from the first function, if the specific second position is touched more than once.

28. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the specific function is set by a user.

29. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the first and second touch each comprises one of a physical touch and a proximity touch.

30. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein when the touch device comprises a touch screen, the specific function is irrespective of types of information displayed on the touch screen.

31. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the touch device comprises a touch pad or a touch screen.

32. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the specific function is a function related to an object displayed on a display of the electronic device.