TOUCH INPUT DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PORTABLE DEVICE

• US 20100085318A1
• Filed: 09/04/2009
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: HONG, Nho Kyung, LEE, Bong Won
• Granted Patent: US 9,047,003 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A touch input device and method for a portable device that is capable of inputting various user commands with diversified touch events detected on a touch screen is provided. A touch input method for a mobile terminal having a touch screen may include displaying a plurality of representative images representing content objects on the touch screen, selecting at least one representative image in response to a first command designated for a first touch event on the touch screen, and executing a second command designated for a second touch event on the touch screen. The second touch event may be defined by a movement direction, speed, a lift position of a touch, and the representative images selected by the first command.

Claims

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

displaying, on the touch screen, a plurality of representative images corresponding to content objects;

selecting, from the plurality of representative images, at least one representative image in response to a first command corresponding to a first touch event detected on the touch screen; and

executing a second command corresponding to a second touch event detected on the touch screen, the second touch event being defined by a movement direction, speed, a lift position of a touch, and the at least one representative image, the touch being associated with the first touch event and the second touch event.

2. The touch input method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, after selecting the at least one representative image, at least one command tip on a first boundary of the touch screen, the at least one command tip corresponding to second commands associated with available direction-specific touch events.

3. The touch input method of claim 2, wherein the second touch event is one of the available direction-specific touch events comprising movement of the touch in a direction towards a boundary of the touch screen at a speed faster than a threshold speed value, and a second command corresponding to the at least one of the command tip displayed on the first boundary.

4. The touch input method of claim 2, wherein the at least one command tip corresponds to at least a first set of commands or a second set of commands based on a number and type of the at least one representative image.

5. The touch input method of claim 1, wherein selecting at least one representative image comprises:

collecting data associated with contact points in response to a line being drawn, without lift, by the touch on the touch screen;

determining, based on the data associated with the contact points, whether a closed loop is drawn; and

selecting, in response to the drawn closed loop, at least one of a first set of the representative images located inside the closed loop, a second set of the representative images situated on the line, and a third set of the representative images, wherein each representative image of the third set comprises a portion placed inside of the closed loop, the portion corresponding to a first percentage being greater than a determined percentage.

6. The touch input method of claim 5, wherein selecting at least one representative image further comprises:

detecting another touch event corresponding to drawing a second closed loop, the another touch event adding representative images selected using the second closed loop; and

detecting a touch-down event for adding a representative image.

7. The touch input method of claim 5, wherein executing a second command comprises executing, if the at least one representative image comprises multiple representative images, the second command corresponding to the second touch event, the second touch event resulting in selection of multiple content objects.

8. The touch input method of claim 7, wherein executing the second command comprises creating a new content object by combining the content objects represented by the multiple representative images.

9. A touch input method for a mobile terminal having a touch screen, the method comprising:

collecting data associated with contact points in response to a line being drawn, without lift, by a touch on the touch screen;

determining, based on the data associated with the contact points, whether a closed loop is drawn; and

selecting, in response to the drawn closed loop, at least one of a first set of the representative images located inside of the closed loop, a second set of the representative images situated on the line, and a third set of the representative images, wherein each representative image of the third set comprises a portion placed inside of the closed loop, the portion corresponding to a first percentage being greater than a determined percentage.

10. The touch input method of claim 9, further comprising displaying, after selecting the at least one set of representative images, at least one command tip on a first boundary of the touch screen, the at least one command tip corresponding to commands associated with available direction-specific touch events.

11. The touch input method of claim 10, further comprising:

collecting data corresponding to a movement direction, speed, and a final position of a second touch event detected after selecting the at least one set of representative images; and

executing a command associated with the second touch event, the second touch event being one of the available direction-specific touch events.

12. The touch input method of claim 11, wherein the second touch event comprises a drag event detected when a touch placed on a first image in the at least one set of selected representative images moves toward a boundary of the touch screen at a speed faster than a threshold speed value.

13. The touch input method of claim 10, wherein the command tips correspond to at least a first set of commands or a second set of commands based on a number and type of representative images in the at least one selected set of representative images.

14. The touch input method of claim 13, further comprising:

detecting another touch event corresponding to drawing another closed loop for further selecting at least one representative image among unselected representative images; and

detecting a touch-down event to further select a representative image among the unselected representative images.

15. The touch input method of claim 13, further comprising creating a new content object by combining content objects corresponding to the selected at least one set of representative images.

16. A touch input device for a mobile terminal, the touch input device comprising:

a display unit to display a plurality of representative images, each representative image corresponding to a content object, the display unit comprising a touch screen to detect touch events comprising a touch-down event to select a representative image and a drag event to move the selected representative image; and

a control unit to execute a user command corresponding to a touch event detected on the touch screen, the execution being based on a movement direction, speed, and a final contact point.

17. The touch input device of claim 16, wherein the display unit displays, after selection of the representative image, at least one command tip on a first boundary of the touch screen, the at least one command tip corresponding to commands associated with available direction-specific touch events.

18. The touch input device of claim 17, wherein the control unit executes, when a drag event on the selected representative image moves in a direction toward a boundary of the touch screen at a speed faster than a threshold speed, a command corresponding to the at least one command tip displayed on the first boundary of the touch screen.

19. The touch input device of claim 16, wherein the control unit is configured to collect data associated with contact points in response to a line being drawn, without lift, by a touch on the touch screen, to determine whether a closed loop is drawn based on the data associated with the contact points, and to select, in response to the drawn closed loop, at least one of a first set of the representative images located inside the closed loop, a second set of the representative images situated on the line, and a third set of the representative images, wherein each representative image of the third set comprises a portion placed inside of the closed loop, the portion corresponding to a first percentage being greater than a determined percentage.

20. The touch input device of claim 19, wherein the control unit detects another touch event corresponding to drawing another closed loop, and a touch-down event to further select at least one representative image among unselected representative images.