Mouse function provision method and terminal implementing the same

• US 9,880,642 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2014
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jeong, Changjin, Kwak, Taewon
• Primary Examiner(s): Sasinowski, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US14/146,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20140184510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0383 Remote input, i.e. interface arrangements in which the signals generated by a pointing device are transmitted to a PC at a remote location, e.g. to a PC in a LAN
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A touch panel-equipped mobile terminal is configured to be used as a mouse according to a mouse function provision method. The mouse function provision method includes displaying a mouse operation image on a screen of the display unit in response to a mouse host application execution request; detecting a touch gesture made with a touch input tool on the mouse operation image; determining, when movement of the touch input tool is detected, whether a touch hold time counted from the detection of the touch gesture is greater than a first hold threshold; and transmitting, when the touch hold time is greater than the first hold threshold, an object move command to an output terminal and, when the touch hold time is not greater than the first hold threshold, a pointer move command.

Claims

1. A mouse function provision method of a terminal having a display equipped with a touch panel, the method comprising:

displaying a mouse operation image on a screen of the display in response to a mouse host application execution request;

detecting a touch gesture made with a touch input tool on the mouse operation image;

determining, when movement of the touch input tool is detected, whether a touch hold time counted from the detection of the touch gesture is greater than a first hold threshold or a second hold threshold; and

transmitting, when the touch hold time is greater than the first hold threshold, an object move command to an output terminal according to the movement of the touch input tool, when the touch hold time is not greater than the first hold threshold, a pointer move command according to the movement of the touch input tool, and, when the touch hold time is greater than the second hold threshold, a popup menu display command,

wherein the second hold threshold is greater than the first hold threshold,

wherein the touch hold time is counted until the detection of the movement of the touch input tool, and

wherein a popup menu includes a plurality of items corresponding to a plurality of functions, respectively.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a mouse guest application execution command in response to the mouse host application execution request.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first touch coordinate and a second touch coordinate from the touch panel simultaneously;

calculating a first distance between the first touch coordinate and the second touch coordinate;

receiving a third touch coordinate and a fourth touch coordinate from the touch panel simultaneously;

calculating a second distance between the third touch coordinate and the fourth touch coordinate; and

determining whether the second distance is less than the first distance.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

transmitting zoom-in command to the output terminal when the second distance is less than the first distance; and

transmitting zoom-out command to the output terminal when the second distance is equal to or greater than the first distance.

5. A mouse function provision method of a terminal, the method comprising:

displaying an object and a pointer on the object;

receiving first touch coordinate and second touch coordinate from a mobile terminal having a touch panel at an interval;

determining whether a touch input tool has moved, based on displacement between the first and second touch coordinate;

determining, when movement of the touch input tool is detected, whether a touch hold time counted from a time when the first touch coordinate have been received is greater than a first hold threshold;

displaying, when the touch hold time is greater than the first hold threshold, the object and pointer moved at a position corresponding to the second touch coordinate and, when the touch hold time is not greater than the first hold threshold, the pointer moved at a position corresponding to the second touch coordinate, wherein the touch hold time is counted until the detection of the movement of the touch input tool;

determining whether the touch hold time is greater than a second hold threshold; and

displaying a popup menu when the touch hold time is greater than the second hold threshold, wherein the second hold threshold is greater than the first hold threshold, and

wherein the popup menu includes a plurality of items corresponding to a plurality of functions, respectively.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein displaying the pointer comprises:

receiving a mouse guest application execution command from the mobile terminal; and

displaying the pointer in response to the mouse guest application execution command.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a first touch coordinate and a second touch coordinate from the mobile terminal simultaneously;

calculating a first distance between the first touch coordinate and the second touch coordinate;

receiving a third touch coordinate and a fourth touch coordinate from the mobile terminal simultaneously;

calculating a second distance between the third touch coordinate and the fourth touch coordinate; and

determining whether the second distance is less than the first distance.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

displaying zoom-in the object when the second distance is less than the first distance; and

displaying zoom-out the object when the second distance is equal to or greater than the first distance.

9. A mobile terminal comprising:

a display having a touch panel;

a communication interface configured to communicate with an output terminal displaying an object and a pointer; and

a controller operably connected to the display and the communication interface, the controller configured to;

display a mouse operation image on a screen of the display in response to a mouse host application execution request;

detect a touch gesture made with a touch input tool on the mouse operation image;

determine, when movement of the touch input tool is detected, whether a touch hold time counted from the detection of the touch gesture is greater than a first hold threshold;

transmit, when the touch hold time is greater than the first hold threshold, an object move command to an output terminal according to the movement of the touch input tool and, when the touch hold time is not greater than the first hold threshold, a pointer move command according to the movement of the touch input tool, wherein the touch hold time is counted until the detection of the movement of the touch input tool;

determine whether the touch hold time is greater than a second hold threshold; and

transmit, when the touch hold time is greater than the second hold threshold, a popup menu display command to the output terminal, the second hold threshold being greater than the first hold threshold, and

wherein a popup menu includes a plurality of items corresponding to a plurality of functions, respectively.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a mouse guest application execution command in response to the mouse host application execution request.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the communication interface comprises a Bluetooth module configured to communicate with the output terminal.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the output terminal is one of a projector, a Television (TV), a multimedia device, an electronic appliance, and a computer equipped with a display.

13. A terminal comprising:

a display configured to display an object and a pointer on the object;

a communication interface configured to receive first touch coordinate and second touch coordinate from a mobile terminal at an interval; and

a controller operably connected to the display and the communication interface, the controller configured to control to;

display an object and a pointer on the object;

receive first touch coordinate and second touch coordinate from a mobile terminal having a touch panel at an interval;

determine whether a touch input tool has moved, based on displacement between the first and second touch coordinate;

determine, when movement of the touch input tool is detected, whether a touch hold time counted from a time when the first touch coordinate have been received is greater than a first hold threshold;

display, when the touch hold time is greater than the first hold threshold, the object and the pointer moved at a position corresponding to the second touch coordinate and, when the touch hold time is not greater than the first hold threshold, the pointer moved at a position corresponding to the second touch coordinate, wherein the touch hold time is counted until the detection of the movement of the touch input tool;

determine whether the touch hold time is greater than a second hold threshold; and

display, when the touch hold time is greater than the second hold threshold, a popup menu, the second hold threshold being greater than a first threshold value, and

wherein the popup menu includes a plurality of items corresponding to a plurality of functions, respectively.

14. The terminal of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to receive a mouse guest application execution command from the mobile terminal and display the pointer in response to the mouse guest application execution command.

15. The terminal of claim 13, wherein the communication interface comprises a Bluetooth module configured to communicate with the mobile terminal.

16. The terminal of claim 13, wherein the terminal is one of a projector, a Television (TV), a multimedia device, an electronic appliance, and a computer equipped with a display.