Mobile device and control method for a mobile device

• US 9,035,890 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2012
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Hwang, Myunghee, Hong, Jihee, Park, Kyoungryul, Kim, Ilkon
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Prabodh M
• Application Number:
  US13/349,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20120306781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 715/863, 715/769, 345156-184, 361/679.21
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile device capable of performing a touch input and a control method thereof. A mobile device according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a display unit configured to display a plurality of objects, a detector configured to detect a pattern surrounding at least one of the objects, and a controller configured to implement a function corresponding to the object surrounded by the pattern.

Claims

1. A mobile device, comprising:

a display unit configured to display a plurality of objects;

a detector configured to detect a pattern surrounding two or more objects of the displayed plurality of objects, the detected pattern a loop drawn in a drag manner on the display unit; and

a controller configured to;

determine one specific object of the at two or more surrounded objects based on overlapping areas between each of the two or more surrounded objects and an inner portion of the detected pattern; and

implement a function corresponding to the determined one specific object in response to a touch input,

wherein the determined one specific object is the object of the two or more surrounded objects having the largest overlapping area with the inner portion of the detected pattern.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

control the display unit to display the determined one specific object such that it is distinguishable from the other of the two or more surrounded objects;

detect a touch input on the distinguishably displayed object; and

implement a function corresponding to the distinguishably displayed object based on the detected touch input.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a size of the overlapping areas between each of the two or more surrounded objects and the inner portion of the detected pattern; and

implement the function based on the determined size.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display unit to display a trace of the drawn loop.

5. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to implement the function corresponding to the determined one specific object when a closed curve or figure is formed by the drawn loop.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

control the display unit to display the detected pattern;

detect a touch input applied on the displayed pattern; and

control the display unit to move the displayed pattern to surround at least one object of the displayed plurality of objects according to the detected touch input.

7. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to

detect release of the detected touch input;

and

implement a function corresponding to a specific object of the at least one object surrounded by the displayed pattern when the touch input is released.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

control the display unit to display a plurality of detected patterns each having a different shape; and

implement a different function corresponding to each of at least one of the displayed plurality of patterns that surround a same at least one object of the displayed plurality of objects.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to:

download data linked to the same at least one object when the same at least one object is surrounded by a specific one of the displayed plurality of patterns; and

upload the same at least one object to a social network service (SNS) site when the same at least one object is surrounded by another specific one of the displayed plurality of patterns.

10. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

control the display unit to display at least two objects of the two or more surrounded objects such that they are distinguishable from the other of the two or more surrounded objects, the at least two objects having the same largest overlapping area;

detecting a user selection of one of the at least two distinguishable displayed objects; and

determining the selected one object as the specific object.

11. A method of controlling a mobile device, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of objects on a display unit;

detecting a pattern surrounding two or more objects of the displayed plurality of objects, the detected pattern a loop drawn in a drag manner on the display unit;

determining one specific object of the two or more surrounded objects based on overlapping areas between each of the at two or more surrounded objects and an inner portion of the detected pattern; and

implementing a function corresponding to the determined one specific object in response to a touch input,

wherein the determined one specific object is the object of the two or more surrounded objects having the largest overlapping area with the inner portion of the detected pattern.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying the determined one specific object on the display unit such that it is distinguishable from the other of the two or more surrounded surrounded objects;

detecting a touch input applied on the distinguishably displayed object; and

implementing a function corresponding to the distinguishably displayed object based on the detected touch input.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying at least two objects of the two or more surrounded objects on the display unit such that they are distinguishable from the other of the two or more surrounded objects, the at least two objects having the same largest overlapping area;

detecting a user selection of one of the at least two distinguishably displayed objects; and

determining the selected one object as the one specific object.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining a size of the overlapping areas between each of the two or more surrounded objects and the inner portion of the detected pattern; and

implementing the function based on the determined size.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying a trace of the drawn loop on the display unit.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying the detected pattern on the display unit;

detecting a touch input applied on the displayed pattern; and

moving the displayed pattern on the display unit to surround at least one object of the displayed plurality of objects according to the detected touch input.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

detecting release of the detected touch input; and

implementing a function corresponding to a specific object of the at least one object surrounded by the displayed pattern when the detected touch input is released.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying a plurality of detected patterns on the display unit each having a different shape; and

implementing a different function corresponding to each of at least one of the displayed plurality of patterns that surround a same at least one object of the displayed plurality of objects.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

downloading data linked to the same at least one object when the same at least one object is surrounded by a specific one of the displayed plurality of patterns; and

uploading the same at least one object to a social network service (SNS) site when the same at least one object is surrounded by another specific one of the displayed plurality of patterns.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising implementing the function corresponding to the determined one specific object when a closed loop or figure is formed by the drawn loop.