EXECUTING FUNCTIONS THROUGH TOUCH INPUT DEVICE

• US 20080204423A1
• Filed: 02/04/2008
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jong Hwan
• Granted Patent: US 8,723,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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: H04M 1/26 Devices for calling a subscriber H04M1/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72475 specially adapted for disabled users
• 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 of executing a function through a touch input device. The method includes displaying a plurality of soft keys on a screen of the touch input device, and executing a function when one of the soft keys is touched and slid on the screen of the touch input device and an input instruction is entered to execute the assigned function.

Claims

1. A method of executing a function through a touch input device, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of soft keys on a screen of the touch input device; and

executing a function when one of the soft keys is touched and slid on the screen of the touch input device and an input instruction is entered to execute the assigned function.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the input instruction corresponds to one of the touched and slid soft key being slid to a predetermined position on the screen of the touch input device, the touched and slid soft keys being slid past a predetermined reference distance, and none of the soft keys being touched for a predetermined period after the soft key is being touched and slid.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying step displays the soft keys in a circular pattern such that the touched and slid soft key is slid in an arc-shaped sliding direction.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the displaying step further displays a rotary dial casing that includes the soft keys such that the soft keys are displayed in a circular shape on the screen, said rotary dial casing including a rotary dial stopper at the predetermined position, and

wherein the executing step only executes the function when the touched and slid soft key is slid all the way to the rotary dial stopper.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

inputting a number or character assigned to the touched and slid soft key when the touched and slid soft key is not slid all the way to the rotary dial stopper but is released before the rotary dial stopper.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

displaying information about the function corresponding to the touched and slid soft key.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the information corresponds to a dialing function that is executed when the touched and slid soft key is slid to the rotary stopper.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying all of the plurality of soft keys as being slid on the screen in concert with the touched and slid soft key.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying only the touched and slid soft key as being slid on the screen and not displaying other soft keys as being slid in concert with the touched and slid soft key.

10. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

generating an alarm signal when the touched and slid soft key is slid to the predetermined position.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying step displays the touched and slid soft key being rotated back to its original position after the touched and soft key is released.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein displaying step displays the touched and slid soft being rotated back to its original position with an accelerated speed, said accelerated speed being previously set by a user.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a distance the touched and slid soft key is slid is longer than a predetermined reference,

wherein the executing step executes the function if the determining step determines the touched and slid soft key is slid past the predetermined reference and does not execute the function if the touched and slid soft key is not slid past the predetermined reference.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the function corresponds to one of a phone dialing function, a message editing function, a searching function and an Internet accessing function.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the executing step executes the function when the touched and slid soft key is slid to a menu option displayed On the screen.

16. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a touch screen display configured to display a plurality of soft keys; and

a controller configured to execute a function on the terminal when one of the soft keys is touched and slid on the touch screen display and an input instruction is entered to execute the assigned function.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the input instruction corresponds to one of the touched and slid soft key being slid to a predetermined position on the touch screen display, the touched and slid soft keys being slid past a predetermined reference distance, and none of the soft keys being touched for a predetermined period after the soft key is being touched and slid.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the controller controls the touch screen display to display the soft keys in a circular pattern such that the touched and slid soft key is slid in an arc-shaped sliding direction.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the controller controls the touch screen display to display a rotary dial casing that includes the soft keys such that the soft keys are displayed in a circular shape on the screen, said rotary dial casing including a rotary dial stopper at the predetermined position, and

wherein the controller only executes the function when the touched and slid soft key is slid all the way to the rotary dial stopper.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the controller inputs a number or character assigned to the touched and slid soft key when the touched and slid soft key is not slid all the way to the rotary dial stopper but is released before the rotary dial stopper.

21. The mobile terminal of claim 19, the controller controls the touch screen display to display information about the function corresponding to the touched and slid soft key.

22. The mobile terminal of claim 21, wherein the information corresponds to a dialing function that is executed when the touched and slid soft key is slid to the rotary stopper.

23. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the controller controls the touch screen display to display all of the plurality of soft keys as being slid on the screen in concert with the touched and slid soft key.

24. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the controller controls the touch screen display to display only the touched and slid soft key as being slid on the touch screen display and not displaying other soft keys as being slid in concert with the touched and slid soft key.

25. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the controller generates an alarm signal when the touched and slid soft key is slid to the predetermined position.

26. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the controller controls the touch screen display to display the touched and slid soft key being rotated back to its original position after the touched and soft key is released.

27. The mobile terminal of claim 26, wherein the controller controls the touch screen display to display the touched and slid soft being rotated back to its original position with an accelerated speed, said accelerated speed being previously set by a user.

28. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the controller determines whether a distance the touched and slid soft key is slid is longer than a predetermined reference, and executes the function if the controller determines the touched and slid soft key is slid past the predetermined reference and does not execute the function it the touched and slid soft key is not slid past the predetermined reference.

29. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the function corresponds to one of a phone dialing function, a message editing function, a searching function and an Internet accessing function.

30. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the controller executes the function when the touched and slid soft key is slid to a menu option displayed on the touch screen display.