Apparatus and method for driving communication terminal using proximity sensor for dialing

• US 9,083,787 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2011
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Sim, Jae Kwang, Kim, Hark Sang, Park, Sang Ryul
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, MAHENDRA R
• Application Number:
  US13/033,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20110300881A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,602 Days
• Field of Search: 455/564, 455/563, 455/193, 455/417, 455/456.3, 455/556.1, 379/211.02, 379/202.01, 348/14.02, 714/807, 345/174
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/26 Devices for calling a subscriber H04M1/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72481 for visually impaired users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for driving a communication terminal are provided. A method for driving a communication terminal according to the present invention includes determining, when a proximity of an object is detected, data based on a proximity duration for which the proximity is maintained, and executing, when an execution request is detected, a function corresponding to the data. Since a specific function is executed in response to the information on the proximity of an object to the communication terminal, there is no need to display touch keys on the screen, resulting in improvement of user'"'"'s convenience.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating interactive feedback while driving a communication terminal, the method comprising:

detecting a proximity of an object to a proximity sensor of the communication terminal by a proximity sensor included in the communication terminal;

measuring a proximity duration of the object;

determining a data mapped to the measured proximity duration;

repeating the measuring of the proximity duration and the determining of the data in response to the proximity release before an execution request input is detected;

notifying a retrieved indication number based on the data mapped to the proximity duration; and

executing a function based on the determined data in response to the execution request input.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a proximity release of the object from the proximity sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises a part of a phone number and the executing of the function comprises making a call to the phone number.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the data comprises:

retrieving an indication number based on the data mapped to the proximity duration to be the retrieved indication number; and

determining the retrieved indication number as a digit of the phone number.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the notifying of the retrieved indication number comprises outputting the indication number as a voice sound.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the retrieving of the indication number comprises confirming the indication number as a digit of the phone number.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the object comprises a finger of a user, a stylus, or a physical object configured to provide a user input.

7. An apparatus for facilitating interactive feedback while driving a communication terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a proximity sensor for sensing a proximity of an object to the communication terminal; and

a control unit for measuring a proximity duration of the object through the proximity sensor, for determining a data mapped to the measured proximity duration, for repeating the measuring of the proximity duration and the determining of the data in response to the proximity release before an execution request input is detected, for notifying a retrieved indication number based on the data mapped to the proximity duration, and for executing, when the execution request input is detected, a function based on the determined data.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the control unit detects a proximity release of the object from the proximity sensor.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a radio frequency unit for transmitting a call to a phone number as a series of the data under the control of the control unit, wherein the data is a part of the phone number.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control unit retrieves an indication number based on the data mapped to the proximity duration to be the retrieved indication number, and determines the retrieved indication number as one of digits of the phone number.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising an audio processing unit for outputting the retrieved indication number as a voice sound under the control of the control unit.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the control unit confirms the indication number as a digit of the phone number.

14. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the object comprises a finger of a user, a stylus, or a physical object configured to provide a user input.