Mobile device and method for controlling the same

• US 9,015,584 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2013
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Hyorim
• Primary Examiner(s): PITARO, RYAN F
• Application Number:
  US13/742,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20140082489A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 715/702
• US Class Current: 715/702
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A mobile device for providing a shortcut in the form of tactile feedback based on a user touch input and a method controlling the same are discussed. According to an embodiment, the method includes displaying a user interface; receiving a first touch input to the user interface for selecting an item from the displayed interface, wherein the first touch input is for setting a shortcut interface of the selected item; displaying a virtual image corresponding to the selected item in a first region based on the first touch input; receiving a second touch input to the user interface for moving the virtual image from the first region to a second region or for selecting the second region; and setting the shortcut interface of the selected item at the second region based on the second touch input.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an electronic device including a display, the method comprising:

displaying, on the display, a user interface including at least one item;

receiving a first touch input to the user interface for selecting a first item from the displayed at least one item, wherein the first touch input is for setting a shortcut interface of the selected first item, and the shortcut interface provides a shortcut to the selected first item;

temporarily displaying a virtual image corresponding to the selected first item in a first region of the display based on the first touch input, wherein the virtual image is displayed to distinguish the selected first item from a surrounding image of the selected first item;

receiving a second touch input to the user interface for moving the virtual image from the first region to a second region on the display or for selecting the second region in the display;

setting the shortcut interface of the selected first item at the second region based on the second touch input; and

changing the set shortcut interface invisible and providing a tactile feedback on the second region,

wherein the invisible shortcut interface is movable on the display by a third touch input to the display even after the shortcut interface is set at the second region, and

wherein when the invisible shortcut interface is moved, the invisible shortcut interface is temporarily changed to be visible only while the invisible shortcut interface is relocated from the second region to a third region on the display by the third touch input.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selected first item is a hypertext or at least one of icons corresponding to applications.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the setting step sets the shortcut interface at the second region which is a location to which the virtual image is moved from the first region by the second touch input.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, if the shortcut interface is set at the second region which overlaps at least one currently displayed item, the third touch input includes a sliding touch input in the second region.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, if the shortcut interface is set at the second region which overlaps at least one currently displayed item, the step of providing the tactile feedback includes providing tactile feedbacks at predetermined time intervals.

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

if the shortcut interface is set at the second region which overlaps at least one currently displayed item, moving the location of the shortcut interface within a predetermined range.

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

setting texture information of the tactile feedback prior to the step of providing the tactile feedback.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of setting the texture information of the tactile feedback includes setting predetermined texture information according to at least one of a pressure and speed of a drag input of the second touch input for moving the virtual image from the first region to the second region.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

a mode of the shortcut interface is changed between an active mode and an inactive mode according to a predetermined condition, and

the predetermined condition is determined by at least one of a kind of the selected first item, user settings and an execution time.

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

detecting a fourth touch input to the shortcut interface; and

executing an operation associated with the shortcut interface of the selected first item based on the fourth touch input.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selected first item includes a plurality of different items displayed on the display.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the shortcut interface provides a shortcut to a page on which the plurality of different items is displayed, and provides one tactile feedback representative of the plurality of different items.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the shortcut interface provides a plurality of shortcuts to the plurality of different items, respectively and provides a plurality of tactile feedbacks to the plurality of different items, respectively.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the electronic device enters a lock mode after the shortcut interface has been set, the method further comprises:

detecting a fifth touch input to the shortcut interface; and

based on the fifth touch input, unlocking the electronic device and then executing an operation associated with the shortcut interface of the selected first item.

15. An electronic device comprising:

a display; and

a controller configured to;

display, on the display, a user interface including at least one item;

receive a first touch input to the user interface for selecting a first item from the displayed at least one item, wherein the first touch input is for setting a shortcut interface of the selected first item, and the shortcut interface provides a shortcut to the selected first item;

temporarily display a virtual image corresponding to the selected first item in a first region of the display based on the first touch input, wherein the virtual image is displayed to distinguish the selected first item from a surrounding image of the selected first item;

receive a second touch input to the user interface for moving the virtual image from the first region to a second region on the display or for selecting the second region in the display;

set the shortcut interface of the selected first item at the second region based on the second touch input; and

change the set shortcut interface invisible and provide a tactile feedback on the second region,

wherein the invisible shortcut interface is movable on the display by a third touch input to the display even after the shortcut interface is set at the second region, and

wherein when the invisible shortcut interface is moved, the invisible shortcut interface is temporarily changed to be visible only while the invisible shortcut interface is relocated from the second region to a third region on the display by the third touch input.

16. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the selected first item is a hypertext or at least one of icons corresponding to applications.

17. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the controller sets the shortcut interface at the second region which is a location to which the virtual image is moved from the first region by the second touch input.

18. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein, if the shortcut interface is set at the second region which overlaps at least one currently displayed item, the third touch input includes a sliding touch input in the second region.

19. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein, if the shortcut interface is set at the second region which overlaps at least one currently displayed item, the controller provides the tactile feedback by providing tactile feedbacks at predetermined time intervals.

20. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to:

move the location of the shortcut interface within a predetermined range, if the shortcut interface is set at the second region which overlaps at least one currently displayed item.

21. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to:

set texture information of the tactile feedback prior to the providing the tactile feedback.

22. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the controller changes a mode of the shortcut interface between an active mode and an inactive mode according to a predetermined condition, and

the predetermined condition is determined by at least one of a kind of the selected first item, user settings and an execution time.

23. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to:

detect a fourth touch input to the shortcut interface; and

execute an operation associated with the shortcut interface of the selected first item based on the fourth touch input.

24. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein when the electronic device enters a lock mode after the shortcut interface has been set, the controller is further configured to:

detect a fifth touch input to the shortcut interface; and

based on the fifth touch input, unlock the electronic device and then execute an operation associated with the shortcut interface of the selected first item.