Mobile terminal capable of providing multi-haptic effect and method of controlling the mobile terminal

• US 9,008,730 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2010
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jong Hwan, Eom, Kwang Ho, Ryu, Moo Ryong, Kim, Jeong Hwa, Kim, Jung Mi
• Primary Examiner(s): Iqbal, Khawar
• Application Number:
  US12/764,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20100267424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,820 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/411, 345/156, 345/173, 345/87, 345/168, 3404071-4072, 715/784
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

Method for providing feedback includes detecting user input relative to a location of a display of a mobile terminal, such that the user input includes an initial region of input and an ending region of input. One operation includes generating, responsive to the user input, a first haptic feedback at a first location of a mobile terminal, such that the first location corresponds to the initial region of input. Another operation includes generating, responsive to the user input, a second haptic feedback at a second location of the mobile terminal, such that the second location corresponds to the ending region of input, and the second haptic feedback begins at a point of time that occurs after the first haptic feedback has begun.

Claims

1. A method for providing feedback at a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

displaying a screen comprising a first input group and a second input group, wherein the first input group includes one or more first user-selectable items and the second input group includes one or more second user-selectable items;

detecting a first user input relative to a displayed location of a user-selectable item of the first input group, wherein the first user input comprises a single touch input

controlling, responsive to the first user input, a first haptic device to generate a first haptic feedback at a first location of the mobile terminal;

detecting a second user input relative to a displayed location of a user-selectable item of the second input group, wherein the second user input comprises a single touch input, and wherein the first user input occurs at a time that is different than a time that the second user input occurs

controlling, responsive to the second user input, a second haptic device to generate a second haptic feedback at a second location of the mobile terminal;

wherein the first and second haptic devices are disposed at different locations in the mobile terminal, and wherein the first and second haptic feedbacks are differentiated from each other in terms of at least one of direction, intensity, or pattern; and

displaying dial keys in a substantially circular arrangement on a display of the mobile terminal, wherein each of the dial keys relates to a particular number;

receiving a dragging user input initiating at a third location which generally corresponds to a selected one of the dial keys and extending in a generally counter- clockwise manner about a center-point defined by the dial keys, wherein the dragging user input represents an input number that corresponds to the number of the selected one of the dialed keys,

generating, responsive to each instance of the receiving of the dragging user input, a third haptic feedback at the mobile terminal, the third haptic feedback repeating a number of times which correspond to the input number; and

repeatedly performing the receiving of the dragging user input to form a call number comprising a plurality of the input numbers.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second haptic feedback begins at a point of time that occurs after the first haptic feedback has ceased.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second haptic feedback occurs during a point of time that partially overlaps in time the generated first haptic feedback.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second user inputs represent actual user contact with the mobile terminal.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second user inputs represent a proximity touch input that is non-actual contact proximate to the display of the mobile terminal.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second user inputs comprise a dragging input or a tap input.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second haptic feedbacks are vibration effects.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a plurality of objects on the display of the mobile terminal;

detecting a third user input relative to a displayed location of a selected object of the plurality of objects;

changing the displayed location of the selected object corresponding to a location at which the third user input is detected;

initiating a drop operation when the third user input ceases, the drop operation causing the selected object to be displayed at a last displayed location corresponding to the location at which the third user input was last detected; and

generating a fourth haptic feedback at third and fourth locations of the mobile terminal when the last displayed location of the selected object overlaps with at least a portion of a displayed location of any of the other displayed plurality of objects.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of objects represent an image.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of objects represent a window.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying one of a plurality of images on the display of the mobile terminal;

receiving a further dragging user input relative to a displayed location of a selected image of the plurality of images, the further dragging user input comprising a velocity;

generating, responsive to the further dragging user input, a fourth haptic feedback at the mobile terminal, the fourth haptic feedback occurring at a plurality of locations and having an intensity which corresponds to the velocity of the further dragging user input; and

displaying another one of the plurality of images on the display responsive to the further dragging user input.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying one of a plurality of images on the display of the mobile terminal;

receiving a further dragging user input relative to a displayed location of a selected image of the plurality of images, the further dragging user input comprising a direction;

generating, responsive to the further dragging user input, a fourth haptic feedback at the mobile terminal, the fourth haptic feedback occurring at a plurality of locations in a staggered manner that generally reflects the direction of the further dragging user input; and

displaying another one of the plurality of images on the display responsive to the further dragging user input.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a map on the display of the mobile terminal, the map representing a general location at which the mobile terminal is located; and

providing fourth haptic feedback at one of a plurality of different locations of the mobile terminal to reflect a suggested and corresponding change in travel direction along a suggested travel path, wherein each of the plurality of different locations corresponds to a different direction of travel along the suggested travel path.

14. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the screen comprises a character input screen;

and

wherein the first user input is for selecting a consonant letter, which is one of the one or more first user-selectable items of the first group, and the second user input is for selecting a vowel, which is one of the one or more second user-selectable items of the second group.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first user input is for

dragging a user-selectable item of the first input group.

16. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the screen comprises a playback screen of a multimedia file;

and

wherein one user-selectable item of the first input group is for rewinding the multimedia file currently being played, and one user-selectable item of the second input group is for forwarding the multimedia file currently being played.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a message interface to permit user entry of a message, wherein the first user- selectable items comprise a first plurality of alphabetic characters and the second user-selectable items comprise a second plurality of alphabetic characters that are different from the first plurality of alphabetic characters.

18. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a display;

an input sensor configured to detect first and second user inputs relative to a location of the display;

a first haptic device configured to generate a first haptic feedback at a first location;

a second haptic device configured to generate a second haptic feedback at a second location, wherein the first and second haptic devices are disposed at different locations in the mobile terminal; and

a controller configured to;

cause the display to display a screen comprising a first input group and a second input group, wherein the first input group includes one or more first user-selectable items and the second input group includes one or more second user-selectable items;

detect, via the input sensor, the first user input relative to a displayed location of a user-selectable item of the first input group, wherein the first user input comprises a single touch input;

control, responsive to the first user input, the first haptic device to generate a first haptic feedback at a first location of the mobile terminal;

detect, via the input sensor, the second user input relative to a displayed location of a user-selectable item of the second input group, wherein the second user input comprises a single touch input, and wherein the first user input occurs at a time that is different than a time that the second user input occurs;

control, responsive to the second user input, the second haptic device to generate a second haptic feedback at a second location of the mobile terminal;

wherein the first and second haptic devices are disposed at different locations in the mobile terminal, and wherein the first and second haptic feedbacks are differentiated from each other in terms of at least one of direction, intensity, or pattern; and

cause the display to display dial keys in a substantially circular arrangement on the display of the mobile terminal, wherein each of the dial keys relates to a particular number;

receive a dragging user input initiating at a third location which generally corresponds to a selected one of the dial keys and extending in a generally counter- clockwise manner about a center-point defined by the dial keys, wherein the dragging user input represents an input number that corresponds to the number of the selected one of the dialed keys,

cause generating, responsive to each instance of the receiving of the dragging user input, a third haptic feedback at the mobile terminal, the third haptic feedback repeating a number of times which correspond to the input number; and

repeatedly perform the receiving of the dragging user input to form a call number comprising a plurality of the input numbers.

19. A method for providing feedback, the method comprising:

receiving, at a mobile terminal, a first communication event occurred from one or more other mobile terminals;

controlling, responsive to the first communication event, a first haptic device to generate a first haptic feedback;

receiving, at the mobile terminal, a second communication event occurred from one or more other mobile terminals;

controlling, responsive to the second communication event, a second haptic device to generate a second haptic feedback;

in response to reception of a third communication event, controlling the first and second haptic device at the same time to generate a third haptic feedback that is a combination of the first and second haptic feedbacks,

wherein the first and second haptic device are disposed at different locations in the mobile terminal, and wherein the first, second and third haptic feedbacks are differentiated from each other in terms of at least one of direction, intensity, or pattern; and

displaying dial keys in a substantially circular arrangement on a display of the mobile terminal, wherein each of the dial keys relates to a particular number;

receiving a dragging user input initiating at a first location which generally corresponds to a selected one of the dial keys and extending in a generally counter- clockwise manner about a center-point defined by the dial keys, wherein the dragging user input represents an input number that corresponds to the number of the selected one of the dialed keys,

generating, responsive to each instance of the receiving of the dragging user input, a fourth haptic feedback at the mobile terminal, the fourth haptic feedback repeating a number of times which correspond to the input number; and

repeatedly performing the receiving of the dragging user input to form a call number comprising a plurality of the input numbers.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the first and second communication events are different communication types, and the first and second communication events are one of a plurality of communication types including a short message service (SMS), a multimedia messaging service (MMS), email, a voice call, or a video call.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the first communication event requests from a third party and the second communication event requests from another third party.