MOBILE TERMINAL AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE MOBILE TERMINAL

• US 20100225607A1
• Filed: 03/03/2010
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jong Hwan
• Granted Patent: US 8,745,490 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/40 by quorum, i.e. whereby two or more security principals are required
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A mobile terminal and a method of controlling the mobile terminal are provided. The method includes displaying an operation screen on a display module capable of identifying a fingerprint; if a multi-fingerprint-touch input including first and second fingerprint-touch inputs is received through the display module, selecting a locked operation menu from the operation screen; and if fingerprint information of the multi-fingerprint-touch input is authenticated, unlocking and then executing the selected operation menu. Therefore, it is possible to perform fingerprint authentication and the execution of an operation at the same time in response to a multi-fingerprint-touch input.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

displaying an operation screen on a display module configured to identify a fingerprint;

selecting a locked operation menu from the operation screen when a multi-fingerprint-touch input including first and second fingerprint-touch inputs is received through the display module; and

unlocking and then executing the selected operation menu when fingerprint information of the multi-fingerprint-touch input is authenticated.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, requesting a password for unlocking the selected operation menu when the fingerprint information of the multi-fingerprint-touch input is not authenticated.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, displaying a menu asking whether to execute the selected operation menu when the fingerprint information of the multi-fingerprint-touch input is authenticated.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting an alarm signal indicating whether the fingerprint information of the multi-fingerprint-touch input is authenticated.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing a plurality of pieces of fingerprint information for use in authenticating the fingerprint information of the multi-fingerprint-touch input.

6. A mobile terminal comprising:

a display module configured to identify a fingerprint and display an operation screen; and

a controller configured to receive a multi-fingerprint-touch input including first and second fingerprint-touch inputs via the display module, select a locked operation menu from the operation screen when the multi-fingerprint-touch input is received, and unlock and execute the selected operation menu when fingerprint information of the multi-fingerprint-touch input is authenticated.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to display a menu asking for a password to unlock the selected operation menu on the display module when the fingerprint information of the multi-fingerprint-touch input is not authenticated.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 6, further comprising a memory configured to store a plurality of pieces of fingerprint information for use in the authentication of the fingerprint information of the multi-fingerprint-touch input.

9. A method of controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

displaying an operation screen on a display module configured to identify a fingerprint;

selecting a locked operation menu from the operation screen when a fingerprint-touch input is received through the display module; and

unlocking and executing the selected operation menu when fingerprint information of the fingerprint-touch input matches previously-stored fingerprint information.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing a plurality of pieces of fingerprint information related to at least a specific finger, a specific user or a specific pattern.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising, requesting a password for unlocking the selected operation menu when the fingerprint information of the fingerprint-touch input in not authenticated.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying a menu asking whether to execute the selected operation menu when the fingerprint information of the fingerprint-touch input is authenticated.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising outputting an alarm signal indicating whether the fingerprint information of the fingerprint-touch input is authenticated.

14. A mobile terminal comprising:

a display module configured to identify a fingerprint and display an operation screen;

a memory configured to store a plurality of pieces of fingerprint information related to at least a specific finger, a specific user, or a specific pattern; and

a controller configured to receive a fingerprint-touch input via the display module, select a locked operation menu from the operation screen, and unlock and execute the selected operation menu when fingerprint information of the fingerprint-touch input matches one of the plurality of pieces of stored fingerprint information.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to display a menu on the display module asking for a password for unlocking the selected operation menu when the fingerprint information of the fingerprint-touch input does not march one of the plurality of pieces of stored fingerprint information.

16. A method of controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

displaying an operation screen on a display module configured to identify a fingerprint;

selecting an item corresponding to a first fingerprint-touch input from the operation screen when the first fingerprint-touch input is received via the display module and first fingerprint information of the first fingerprint-touch input is authenticated; and

performing a predefined operation on the selected item when a second fingerprint-touch input is received via the display module and second fingerprint information of the second fingerprint-touch input is authenticated.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying the selected item such that the selected item may be easily distinguished from non-selected items displayed on the operation screen.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising generating a haptic effect corresponding to the selected item.

19. A mobile terminal comprising:

a display module configured to identify a fingerprint and display an operation screen; and

a controller configured to receive a first fingerprint-touch input via the display module, select an item corresponding to the first fingerprint-touch input from the operation screen when first fingerprint information of the first fingerprint-touch input is authenticated, and perform a predefined operation on the selected item when a second fingerprint-touch input is received via the display module and second fingerprint information of the second fingerprint-touch input is authenticated.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising a memory configured to store a plurality of pieces of fingerprint information for use in authenticating the first fingerprint information and the second fingerprint information.