MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS TERMINAL HAVING A TOUCH INPUT UNIT AND CONTROLLING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20070046646A1
• Filed: 08/24/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Ko, Dong-Seuck, Lee, Hyung-Woon, Kwon, Yong-Man, Kim, Jin-Chul, Tak, Yong-Sang
• Granted Patent: US 9,244,602 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A method and apparatus for scrolling a display includes detecting contact relative to a touch pad having a plurality of regions which individually correspond to a plurality of different scrolling directions, and determining which region of the plurality of regions the contact is detected. If the contact is maintained for a first threshold time period, the method further includes scrolling an associated display in a direction corresponding to the previously determined region. Alternatively, scrolling a display includes receiving input responsive to contact relative to a plurality of regions of a touch pad, in which each of the plurality of regions individually correspond to a plurality of different scrolling directions, and scrolling an associated display in a direction corresponding to a scrolling direction associated with a last-contacted region of the plurality of regions.

Claims

1. A method for scrolling a display, said method comprising:

(a) detecting contact relative to a touch pad comprising a plurality of regions which individually correspond to a plurality of different scrolling directions;

(b) determining in which region of said plurality of regions said contact is detected in operation (a), wherein if said contact is maintained for a first threshold time period, said method further comprises;

(c) scrolling an associated display in a direction corresponding to said region determined in operation (b).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein after said first threshold time period, said method further comprises:

terminating said scrolling operation (c) after a second threshold time period has elapsed.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein if said contact detected in operation (a) is maintained for a second threshold time period, said method further comprises:

terminating said scrolling operation (c).

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining if said contact detected in operation (a) is maintained for said first threshold time period.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

(d) detecting simultaneous contact relative to said touch pad at a plurality of different regions, wherein if said simultaneous contact is continuously maintained for a second threshold time period, said method further comprises;

(e) terminating scrolling resulting from said scrolling operation (c).

6. A method for scrolling a display, said method comprising:

(a) receiving input responsive to contact relative to a plurality of touch pads individually associated with one of a plurality of different scrolling directions; and

(b) scrolling an associated display in a direction corresponding to a scrolling direction associated with a last-contacted touch pad of said plurality of touch pads.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising.

performing said scrolling operation (b) only if said plurality of touch pads for which input is received in operation (a) have associated scrolling directions which are mutually opposing.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

repeatedly performing said scrolling operation (b) for as long as said input is continuously received.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein each of said plurality of different scrolling directions is one of upwards, downwards, leftwards, and rightwards.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein said input received in operation (a) results from contact relative to said plurality of touch pads which is simultaneous for a period of time.

11. The method according to claim 6, wherein said input received in operation (a) results from discrete contact relative to each of said plurality of touch pads.

12. A method for scrolling a display, said method comprising:

(a) receiving input within a first threshold period of time responsive to contact relative to a plurality of touch pads;

(b) determining a general direction of travel of said contact;

(c) associating said general direction of travel with one of a plurality of different scrolling directions to determining a scrolling parameter; and

(d) scrolling an associated display in a direction according to said scrolling parameter.

13. A method for scrolling a display, said method comprising:

receiving input responsive to contact relative to a plurality of regions of a touch pad, in which each of said plurality of regions individually correspond to a plurality of different scrolling directions; and

scrolling an associated display in a direction corresponding to a scrolling direction associated with a last-contacted region of said plurality of regions.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising,

performing said scrolling of said associated display only if said plurality of regions of said input have associated scrolling directions which are mutually opposing.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein each of said plurality of different scrolling directions is one of upwards, downwards, leftwards, and rightwards.

16. An apparatus for scrolling a display, said apparatus comprising:

a first touch pad for generating a touch signal responsive to contact relative to said touch pad, said touch pad comprising a plurality of regions which individually correspond to a plurality of different scrolling directions; and

a processor for determining in which region of said plurality of regions said contact is detected responsive to said touch signal, wherein if said contact is maintained for a first threshold time period, said processor is further configured to cause an associated display to scroll in a direction corresponding to said region determined by said processor.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising,

a touch pad strip for generating a touch signal responsive to sliding contact relative to said touch pad strip;

and

wherein said processor is further configured to;

determine general direction of said sliding contact; and

cause said display to scroll in a direction corresponding to said general direction of said sliding contact.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said touch pad strip is arranged either vertically relative to either side of said display, or horizontally relative to a bottom edge of said display.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising:

a plurality of touch pad strips for individually generating a touch signal responsive to sliding contact relative to each of said plurality of touch pad strips; and

wherein said processor is further configured to;

determine, for each of said plurality of touch pad strips, a general direction of said sliding contact; and

cause said display to scroll in a direction determined by said general direction of said sliding contact.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said plurality of touch pad strips comprise three touch pad strips each arranged either vertically relative to either side of said display, or horizontally relative to a bottom edge of said display.

21. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein at least one of said plurality of touch pad strips is located along a side wall of a housing containing said display, wherein said side wall is located at an end of said housing.

22. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein at least one of said plurality of touch pad strips is located along a side wall of a housing containing said display, wherein said side wall is located along a length of said housing.

23. The apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising:

a touch pad strip for generating a touch signal responsive to contact, wherein said touch pad strip is proximately located relative to at least three sides of said display;

first and second regions associated with said touch pad strip, wherein each of said first and second regions is defined by an area which includes both a substantially vertical portion and a substantially horizontal portion of said touch pad strip;

wherein said processor is further configured to;

cause said display to scroll in a first direction determined by a general direction of sliding contact with said touch pad strip;

cause said display to scroll in two directions responsive to contact relative to said first region; and

cause said display to scroll in two directions responsive to contact relative to said second region.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein each of said first and second regions are associated with scrolling said display both horizontally and vertically.

25. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said touch pad is structured to be positioned relative to a bottom side of a cover comprising a plurality of optically transmissive input regions, each defined by portions of opaque material, and wherein said touch pad comprises a separate light guide associated with each of said plurality of optically transmissive input regions;

and

at least one light source positioned relative to a bottom side of said touch pad, each of said at least one light source being associated with one or more of said plurality of light guides to provide light to said plurality of optically transmissive input regions.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising:

an optical waveguide positioned relative to said bottom side of said touch pad, said optical waveguide structured to transmit said light.

27. An apparatus for scrolling a display, said method comprising:

a plurality of touch pads for individually generating a touch signal responsive to contact relative to each of said plurality of touch pads, said plurality of touch pads individually associated with one of a plurality of different scrolling directions; and

a processor for causing an associated display to scroll in a direction corresponding to a scrolling direction associated with a last-contacted touch pad of said plurality of touch pads.

28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said plurality of touch pads are positioned relative to a housing in a circular arrangement.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said plurality of touch pads are positioned so that opposing touch pads of said plurality of touch pads have associated scrolling directions which are also opposing.

30. The apparatus according to claim 28 further comprising,

a secondary touch pad positioned so that said plurality of touch pads are proximately located relative to a perimeter of said secondary touch pad;

and

wherein said processor is further structured to determine contact relative to said secondary touch pad.