Mobile terminal capable of sensing proximity touch

• US 9,030,418 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2009
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Ku, Ja Hoon, Cho, Seon Hwi, Bang, Ki Soo, Kwon, Kwi Suk
• Primary Examiner(s): MARINELLI, PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US12/490,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20090315848A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,149 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 715/863, 178 1801- 2004
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04805 Virtual magnifying lens, i.e. window or frame movable on top of displayed information to enlarge it for better reading or selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0444 using a single conductive element covering the whole sensing surface, e.g. by sensing the electrical current flowing at the corners
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

The present disclosure is related to a mobile terminal comprising: a touch screen configured to display a plurality of objects, and to generate a proximity signal or a direct touch signal by using an input medium; and a controller configured to display changed sizes of a plurality of selected objects located within a range from the input medium among the plurality of objects according to the proximity signal.

Claims

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

displaying, on a touchscreen of the mobile terminal, a plurality of high level objects, wherein each of the plurality of high level objects is individually selectable via a proximity touch input received at a displayed location of a respective high level object of the plurality of high level objects, and wherein each high level object of the plurality of high level objects includes an associated plurality of low level objects that are displayable on the touchscreen;

displaying a preview object at a location of the touchscreen in response to receiving a proximity touch input, wherein the location of the displayed preview object overlays a portion of a first high level object of the plurality of high level objects, and wherein the displayed preview object includes a first partial group of low level objects among the plurality of low level objects that are associated with the first high level object;

displaying, in the preview object, a second partial group of low level objects among the plurality of low level objects that are associated with the first high level object, wherein the first partial group of low level objects is different than the second partial group of low level objects; and

discriminating the proximity touch input from a direct touch input, wherein the proximity touch input executes a function to display the preview object, and the direct touch input executes a function to open the first high level object and display a plurality of low level objects that are both associated with the first high level object and are displayed differently than the first and second partial groups of low level objects displayed in the preview object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying the preview object comprises displaying the preview object without displaying the first high level object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first high level object is a folder configured to store the associated plurality of low level objects.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the preview object in a new window automatically created in response to the proximity touch input.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of low level objects is an image file.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initially displaying the preview object at the location after the proximity touch input is maintained for a threshold time period.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of low level objects associated with the first high level object is a thumbnail image.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the location of the displayed preview object further overlays all of at least one additional object of the plurality of high level objects.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a number of the plurality of low level objects that are associated with the first high level object are different from a number of the low level objects of the first or second partial group of low level objects that are displayed in the preview object.

10. A mobile terminal comprising:

a touchscreen; and

a controller configured to;

cause displaying on the touchscreen a plurality of high level objects, wherein each of the plurality of high level objects is individually selectable via a proximity touch input received at a displayed location of a respective high level object of the plurality of high level objects, and wherein each high level object of the plurality of high level objects includes an associated plurality of low level objects that are displayable on the touchscreen;

cause displaying on the touchscreen a preview object at a location of the touchscreen in response to receiving a proximity touch input, wherein the location of the displayed preview object overlays a portion of a first high level object of the plurality of high level objects, and wherein the displayed preview object includes a first partial group of low level objects among the plurality of low level objects that are associated with the first high level object;

cause displaying, in the preview object, a second partial group of low level objects among the plurality of low level objects that are associated with the first high level object, wherein the first partial group of low level objects is different than the second partial group of low level objects; and

discriminate the proximity touch input from a direct touch input, wherein the proximity touch input executes a function to display the preview object, and the direct touch input executes a function to open the first high level object and display a plurality of low level objects that are both associated with the first high level object and are displayed differently than the first and second partial groups of low level objects displayed in the preview object.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the displaying the preview object includes displaying the preview object without displaying the first high level object.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the first high level object is a folder configured to store the associated plurality of low level objects.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause the displaying the preview object in a new window automatically created in response to the proximity touch input.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of low level objects is an image file.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the first high level object is at least a folder, a moving image or image, wherein the folder includes a video or image.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause the touchscreen to initial display the preview object at the location after the proximity touch input is maintained for a threshold time period.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of low level objects associated with the first high level object is a thumbnail image.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein displayed size of the preview object does not change, regardless of the number of low level objects of the first or second partial group of low level objects that are currently displayed in the preview object.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the location of the displayed preview object further overlays all of at least one additional object of the plurality of high level objects.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein a number of the plurality of low level objects that are associated with the first high level object are different from a number of the low level objects of the first or second partial group of low level objects that are displayed in the preview object.

21. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause the touchscreen to maintain the displaying of the preview object while the proximity touch input is maintained within a defined area and within a defined distance relative to the touchscreen; and

cause the touchscreen to terminate the displaying of the preview object when the proximity touch is no longer detected within the defined area and within the defined distance relative to the touchscreen.

22. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause the touchscreen to terminate the displaying of the first partial group of low level objects; and

cause the displaying of the second partial group of low level objects after the terminating of the displaying of the first partial group of low level objects.

23. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the touchscreen comprises a proximity sensor configured to detect the proximity touch input.