ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND OPERATING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20170255314A1
• Filed: 03/02/2017
• Published: 09/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Seung-Min
• Granted Patent: US 10,739,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/015 Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path

Abstract

A electronic device can include at least one sensor, a touch panel that is configured to be disposed to detect a touch corresponding to the sensor, a display, and a processor configured to identify an area where a touch is detected, identify a sensor corresponding to the area, control the display to display a user interface to control a function corresponding to the identified sensor; and control the function corresponding to the identified sensor. Other embodiments may be provided.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

at least one sensor;

a touch panel configured to be disposed to detect a touch corresponding to the at least one sensor;

a display; and

a processor configured to;

identify an area where a touch is detected;

identify a sensor corresponding to the area;

control the display to display a user interface to control a function corresponding to the identified sensor; and

control the function corresponding to the identified sensor.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

identify a central point of the area where the touch is detected;

identify a position of the touch based on the central point; and

identify a sensor corresponding to the position of the touch.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a proximity sensor, an illuminance sensor, a camera, a biometric sensor, a receiver, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an ultraviolet sensor, or soft keys.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to convert, based on the touch, the sensor into one of either an activated state or an inactivated state, which is the function corresponding to the identified sensor.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to control, based on the touch, one of either a display brightness or a sound volume, which is the function corresponding to the sensor.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a pressure sensor, wherein the processor is configured to:

identify a pressure change in the area where the touch is detected;

identify a position of the touch based on the pressure change; and

identify a sensor corresponding to the position of the touch.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to convert, based on the pressure change, the sensor into one of either an activated state or an inactivated state, which is a function corresponding to the sensor.

8. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to control, based on the pressure change, one of either a display brightness or a sound volume, which is the function corresponding to the identified sensor.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to update the displayed user interface according to a control request.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to update the displayed user interface according to the function control.

11. An operating method of an electronic device, the method comprising:

identifying a sensor corresponding to an area where a touch is detected among at least one sensor included in the electronic device;

displaying a user interface to control a function corresponding to the identified sensor; and

controlling the function corresponding to the identified sensor.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the identifying of the sensor comprises:

identifying at central point of the area where the touch is detected;

identifying a position of the touch based on the central point; and

identifying a sensor corresponding to the position of the touch.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a proximity sensor, an illuminance sensor, a camera, a biometric sensor, a receiver, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an ultraviolet sensor, or soft keys.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the controlling of the function comprises converting, based on the touch, the sensor into one of either the activated state or an inactivated state, which is the function corresponding to the identified sensor.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the controlling of the function comprises controlling, based on the touch, one of either the display brightness or the sound volume, which is a function corresponding to the identified sensor.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the identifying of the sensor further comprises:

identifying a pressure change in the area where the touch is detected;

identifying a position of the touch based on the pressure change; and

identifying a sensor corresponding to the position of the touch.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the controlling of the function comprises converting, based on the pressure change, the sensor into one of either an activated state or an inactivated state, which is a function corresponding to the sensor.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the controlling of the at least one sensor comprises controlling, based on the pressure change, one of either a display brightness or a sound volume, which is the function corresponding to the identified sensor.

19. The method according to claim 11, further comprising updating the displayed user interface according to a control request.

20. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

controlling the function; and

updating the displayed user interface according to the control.