Mobile terminal and controlling method thereof

• US 9,532,723 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2015
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Youngsik, Shim, Hongjo
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghulamali, Qutbuddin
• Application Number:
  US14/795,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20160029899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/423
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4809 Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/025 for measuring physiological data
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/04 using radio waves radio-controlled time-pieces G04R
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/015 Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03 Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 : Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 : using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 : with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 : using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 : including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/005 : Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication

Abstract

A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, by which a function adaptive to a situation can be provided by detecting a blood flow rate in a wrist having a watch type mobile terminal worn thereon. The present invention includes a display, a band configured to be worn on a wrist of a user, a sensing unit configured to measure a blood flow rate in the wrist having the band worn thereon, and a controller controlling the display to display a running screen of a prescribed function if a variation of the measured blood flow rate is generated.

Claims

1. A wearable mobile terminal comprising:

a display;

a sensing unit configured to measure a blood flow rate at a wrist of a user wearing the wearable mobile terminal; and

a controller configured to;

execute a first function and cause the display to display a screen corresponding to the first function when a state of fingers of the user is changed from a completely unfolded state to a fist state such that a variation of the measured blood flow rate meets or exceeds a first threshold value; and

execute a second function and cause the display to display a screen corresponding to the second function that is different than the first function when the state of fingers of the user is changed from the fist state to the completely unfolded state such that the variation of the measured blood flow rate meets or exceeds a second threshold value,

wherein the state of fingers of the user is determined as the completely unfolded state or the fist state based on the variation of the measured blood flow rate.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the controller is further configured to determine whether an activity state of the user is a sleep state or an exercising state based on the measured blood flow rate; and

the first or second function corresponds to the determined state of fingers and the determined activity state.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to:

detect a heart rate of the user based on the measured blood flow rate to determine the activity state of the user; and

determine the activity state as the exercising state when the detected heart rate is equal to or greater than a prescribed numerical value.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to:

detect a heart rate of the user based on the measured blood flow rate to determine the activity state of the user; and

determine the activity state as the sleep state when the detected heart rate is less than a prescribed numerical value.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the screen corresponding to the first or second function comprises exercise summary information when the activity state is determined as the exercising state.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein:

the controller is further configured to cause the display to display a first notification in response to a first prescribed event that occurs while the determined activity state is not the sleep state or exercising state; and

when a second prescribed event occurs while the determined activity state is the sleep state or exercising state, a second notification corresponding to the second prescribed event is not displayed until the activity state is determined to be a state other than the sleep state or exercising state.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, further comprising a memory, wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause the memory to store the second notification when the measured blood flow is determined to be in a first range such that the activity state is determined to be the sleep state or exercising state; and

cause the display to display the stored second notification when the measured blood flow is determined to be in a second range such that the activity state is determined to be the state other than the sleep state or exercising state.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the display to display the screen corresponding to the first or second function based on the variation of the measured blood flow rate without requiring a user input.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising a wireless communication unit, wherein the first or second function comprises a function of responding to a call signal received via the wireless communication unit.

10. A method for controlling a wearable mobile terminal, the method comprising:

measuring a blood flow rate at a wrist of a user wearing the wearable mobile terminal;

executing a first function and displaying a screen corresponding to the first function when a state of fingers of the user is changed from a completely unfolded state to a fist state such that a variation of the measured blood flow rate meets or exceeds a first threshold value; and

executing a second function and displaying a screen corresponding to the second function that is different than the first function when the state of fingers of the user is changed from the fist state to the completely unfolded state such that the variation of the measured blood flow rate meets or exceeds a second threshold value,

wherein the state of fingers of the user is determined as the completely unfolded state or the fist state based on the variation of the measured blood flow rate.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining whether an activity state of the user is a sleep state or an exercising state based on the measured blood flow rate, wherein the first or second function corresponds to the determined state of fingers and the determined activity state.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining the activity state comprises:

detecting a heart rate of the user based on the measured blood flow rate; and

determining the activity state as the exercising state when the detected heart rate is equal to or greater than a prescribed numerical value.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining the activity state comprises:

detecting a heart rate of the user based on the measured blood flow rate; and

determining the activity state as the sleep state when the detected heart rate is less than a prescribed numerical value.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the screen corresponding to the first or second function comprises exercise summary information when the activity state is determined as the exercising state.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying a first notification in response to a first prescribed event that occurs while the determined activity state is not the sleep state or exercising state, wherein when a second prescribed event occurs while the determined activity state is the sleep state or exercising state, a second notification corresponding to the second prescribed event is not displayed until the activity state is determined to be a state other than the sleep state or exercising state.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

storing the second notification in a memory when the measured blood flow is determined to be in a first range such that the activity state is determined to be the sleep state or exercising state; and

displaying the stored second notification when the measured blood flow is determined to be in a second range such that the activity state is determined to be the state other than the sleep state or exercising state.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the screen corresponding to the first or second function is displayed based on the variation of the measured blood flow rate without requiring a user input.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the first or second function comprises a function of responding to a call signal received via a wireless communication unit.