Mobile terminal and control method thereof

• US 9,024,870 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2013
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Kyung Jin, Jo, Hang Ah, Kim, Ji Hyun, Park, Yong Man, Park, Sae Kyu, Hwang, Jung Ah, Chun, Jee Young, Park, Min Su
• Primary Examiner(s): Tzeng, Fred
• Application Number:
  US13/759,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20130147706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173, 345/178, 345/647, 345/676, 345/684, 455/418, 455/566
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/011 Emotion or mood input determined on the basis of sensed human body parameters such as pulse, heart rate or beat, temperature of skin, facial expressions, iris, voice pitch, brain activity patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T

Abstract

A control method of a mobile terminal is disclosed. The control method of a mobile terminal includes: acquiring a pressure signal through a pressure sensing module for sensing a change in pressure applied to at least one part of the body in at least two degrees; and generating an event for changing a display state of a display unit through a control signal to be matched to the pressure signal. Emotional quality can be improved by changing a display state of a display unit in response to a change in pressure applied to the body.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a body;

a display unit configured to be located on the body;

a sensing module configured to be located on at least one surface of the body comprising a lateral surface of the body and configured to sense a user'"'"'s touch applied to at least one part of the sensing module, wherein the sensing module includes a plurality of sensing elements; and

a control unit configured to;

obtain, from the sensing module, at least two signals from at least two positions on the lateral surface,

change a state of the mobile terminal based on the at least two signals, wherein the state reflects touches to the at least two positions,

display an image switching between a first image and a second image based on an intensity of touch sensed through at least one sensing region of the sensing module, wherein the first image and second image are separated from each other,

increase a size of the second image displayed on the display unit and decrease a size of the first image displayed on the display unit based on an increase in the intensity of touch sensed through the at least one sensing region,

remove the second image from the display unit when the intensity of the touch fails to exceed a predetermined value during the image switching, and

substitute the second image for the first image when the intensity of the touch exceeds the predetermined value during the image switching.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

remove the second image from the display unit and display only the first image when the intensity of touch is less than a first threshold value and the intensity of touch sensed through the at least one sensing region is eliminated during the switch of the displayed image on the display unit from the first image to the second image; and

substitute the second image for the first image when the intensity of the touch sensed through the at least one sensing region is greater than a second threshold value.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the control unit is configured to substitute the second image for the first image based on the intensity of the touch sensed through the at least one sensing region being greater than a third threshold value.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein:

the at least one sensing region includes a first sensing region and a second sensing region, and

the control unit is further configured to switch between the first image and the second image based on the at least two signals being simultaneously sensed through both the first sensing region and the second sensing region.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein:

the at least one sensing region includes a first sensing region and a second sensing region, and

the control unit is further configured to determine a direction of image switching based on a difference of intensity of touches sensed through the first sensing region and second sensing region.

6. A mobile terminal comprising:

a body;

a display unit configured to be located on the body;

a sensing module configured to be located on at least one surface of the body comprising a lateral surface of the body and configured to sense a user'"'"'s touch applied to at least one part of the sensing module, wherein the sensing module includes a plurality of sensing elements; and

a control unit configured to;

obtain, from the sensing module, at least two signals from at least two positions on the lateral surface,

change a state of the display unit based on the at least two signals, wherein changing the state of the display is initiated around the at least two positions,

display an image switching between a first image and a second image based on an intensity of touch sensed through at least one sensing region of the sensing module, wherein the first image and second image are separated from each other,

increase a size of the second image displayed on the display unit and decrease a size of the first image displayed on the display unit based on an increase in the intensity of touch sensed through the at least one sensing region,

remove the second image from the display unit when the intensity of the touch fails to exceed a predetermined value during the image switching, and

substitute the second image for the first image when the intensity of the touch exceeds the predetermined value during the image switching.