Mobile terminal and control method thereof

• US 9,529,471 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2014
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Mooyoung, Yang, Hongseok
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson, Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abebe, Sosina
• Application Number:
  US14/280,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20140340338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

One or more embodiments provide a mobile terminal and a control method for setting a touch ignoring region on a touch screen of the mobile terminal. In the method, the mobile terminal detects a user'"'"'s grip signal from at least one lateral side thereof. Then, based on the grip signal, the mobile terminal sets a touch ignoring region on the touch screen. In embodiments, the mobile terminal checks a gripped state thereof through a sensor and then sets the touch ignoring region. This not only prevents a wrong operation caused by an unintended touch due to a thin bezel of the mobile terminal, but also obviates any inconvenience.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a mobile terminal comprising a touch screen, the method comprising:

detecting a grip signal of a user and a pressure signal of the grip, from at least one lateral side of the mobile terminal;

recognizing a plurality of specific portions of the lateral side of the mobile terminal where a touch signal is detected;

setting a touch ignoring region based on the plurality of specific portions, wherein the touch ignoring region is only set to areas adjacent to the plurality of specific portions; and

setting a width of the touch ignoring region based on a strength of the pressure signal,

wherein the setting the touch ignoring region includes;

determining whether a value of the grip signal is equal to or greater than a predefined value; and

if the value of the grip signal is equal to or greater than the predefined value, setting the touch ignoring region based on the grip signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the grip signal includes detecting a touch signal from the lateral side of the mobile terminal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the setting of the touch ignoring region includes:

determining whether the touch signal is received from the lateral side of the mobile terminal for a given time or more; and

if the touch signal is received for the given time or more, setting the touch ignoring region based on the touch signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the setting of the touch ignoring region includes:

measuring the strength of the pressure signal;

determining whether the measured strength is equal to or greater than a given strength; and

if the measured strength is equal to or greater than the given strength, setting the touch ignoring region based on the pressure signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the setting of the touch ignoring region includes:

measuring the strength of the pressure signal at each of the plurality of specific portions; and

setting the width of the touch ignoring region based on the strength of the pressure signal at each of the plurality of specific portions adjacent to each of the areas of the touch ignoring region.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the grip signal is removed; and

if the grip signal is removed, releasing the touch ignoring region.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the grip signal includes detecting the grip signal from a peripheral zone of the touch screen of the mobile terminal.

8. A mobile terminal comprising:

a display unit including a touch screen;

a sensor unit configured to detect a grip signal of a user and a pressure signal of the grip, from at least one lateral side of the mobile terminal; and

a control unit configured to

recognize a plurality of specific portions of the lateral side of the mobile terminal where a touch signal is detected;

set a touch ignoring region based on the plurality of specific portions, wherein the touch ignoring region is only set to areas adjacent to the plurality of specific portions; and

set a width of the touch ignoring region based on a strength of the pressure signal,

wherein the control unit setting the touch ignoring region further comprises the control unit configured to;

determine whether a value of the grip signal is equal to or greater than a predefined value, and

if the value of the grip signal is equal to or greater than the predefined value, set the touch ignoring region based on the grip signal.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

determine whether a value of the grip signal is equal to or greater than a predefined value, and

if the value of the grip signal is equal to or greater than the predefined value, set the touch ignoring region based on the grip signal.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the control unit is further configured to detect a touch signal from the lateral side of the mobile terminal.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

determine whether the touch signal is received from the lateral side of the mobile terminal for a given time or more, and

if the touch signal is received for the given time or more, set the touch ignoring region based on the touch signal.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

determine whether the strength of the pressure signal is equal to or greater than a given strength, and

if the strength of the pressure signal is equal to or greater than the given strength, set the touch ignoring region based on the pressure signal.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

recognize a specific portion from which the pressure signal is detected,

measure the strength of the pressure signal, and

set the touch ignoring region based on both the specific portion and the strength of the pressure signal.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

determine whether the grip signal is removed, and

if the grip signal is removed, release the touch ignoring region.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the sensor unit is disposed along a peripheral zone of the touch screen and configured to detect the grip signal from the peripheral zone.