User interface for mobile devices

• US 8,195,220 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2008
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Joo Min, Kwon, Youk
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro, Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nair, Sowmini
• Application Number:
  US12/197,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20090197615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,380 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/550.1, 715/702
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/605 involving control of the receiver volume to provide a dual operational mode at close or far distance from the user
• 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 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A device and method for controlling the user interface of a mobile device, are discussed. According to an embodiment, the method includes determining a distance relationship between a user'"'"'s body and the mobile device, and changing a configuration of at least one of at least one input unit and at least one output unit depending upon the determined distance relationship.

Claims

1. A method for controlling user interface for a mobile device including at least one input unit and at least one output unit, the method comprising:

determining a distance relationship between a user'"'"'s body and the mobile device; and

changing a configuration of at least one of the at least one input and output units depending upon the determined distance relationship, wherein the output unit comprises a display, and wherein the changing step comprises turning off the display, when the determined distance relationship indicates that a distance between the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device is in a first predetermined range; and

turning on the display, when the determined distance relationship indicates that the distance between the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device is in a second predetermined range as the mobile device goes further away from the user'"'"'s body beyond the first predetermined range and into the second predetermined range;

wherein the turning on step comprises determining whether or not the mobile device is used currently for a phone call;

turning on the display to display a common menu displayed during a standby mode, when the mobile device is not used currently for the phone call; and

turning on the display to display a phone call menu different from the common menu, when the mobile device is used currently for the phone call, wherein the determining a distance relationship step determines the distance relationship by comparing an actual distance between the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device with a first or second distance reference depending on a movement of the mobile device, the movement of the mobile device being moving from a first range to a second range with respect to the user'"'"'s body or moving from the second range to the first range with respect to the user'"'"'s body.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second distance references are different, the first distance reference is used when the mobile device is moved from the first to the second range, and the second distance reference is used when the mobile device is moved from the second to the first range.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the changing step comprises at least one of the following:

(i) deactivating a touch screen of the mobile device, when the determined distance relationship indicates that a distance between the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device is in the first predetermined range; and

(ii) activating the touch screen, when the determined distance relationship indicates that the distance between the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device is in the second predetermined range.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein in the step (i) the touch screen is deactivated first before the display is turned off, and in the step (ii) the display is turned on first before the touch screen is activated.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the first predetermined range is closer to the user'"'"'s body than the second predetermined range.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the first and second predetermined ranges are variably set by the user.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein the first predetermined range is approximately 10-15 cm and the second predetermined range is approximately 15-20 cm, or the first predetermined range is approximately 15-20 cm and the second predetermined range is approximately 20-30 cm.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one output unit comprises at least one speaker, and the changing step comprises:

outputting sounds at a first output level, via the at least one speaker, when the determined distance relationship indicates that a distance between the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device is in a first predetermined range; and

outputting sounds at a second output level, via the at least one speaker, when the determined distance relationship indicates that the distance is in a second predetermined range.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the at least one speaker is a single speaker, and the outputting step variably outputs the sounds at the first and second output levels through the single speaker.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the at least one speaker includes first and second speakers, and the outputting step outputs the sounds at the first and second output levels respectively through the first and second speakers.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined range is closer to the user'"'"'s body than the second predetermined range.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second predetermined ranges are variably set by the user.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined range is approximately 10-15 cm and the second predetermined range is approximately 15-20 cm, or the first predetermined range is approximately 15-20 cm and the second predetermined range is approximately 20-30 cm.

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

outputting a feedback to the user to indicate that the configuration of at least one of the at least one input and output units is changed.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the feedback is one of vibration, sound, or optical signal.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the changing step, the configuration of at least one of the at least one input and output units is changed after waiting for a predetermined time duration.

17. A mobile device, comprising:

at least one input unit comprising a display;

at least one output unit;

a distance information detector configured to determine a distance relationship between a user'"'"'s body and the mobile device; and

a controller configured to change a configuration of at least one of the at least one input and output units depending upon the determined distance relationship, wherein the controller turns off the display when the determined distance relationship indicates that a distance between the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device is in a first predetermined range, and turns on the display when the determined distance relationship indicates that the distance between the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device is in a second predetermined range as the mobile device goes further away from the user'"'"'s body beyond the first predetermined range and into the second predetermined range;

wherein, when the display is turned on by the controller, the display displays a common menu displayed during a standby mode, when the mobile device is not used currently for the phone call, and wherein, when the display is turned on by the controller, the display displays a phone call menu different from the common menu, when the mobile device is used currently for the phone call, wherein the determining a distance relationship step determines the distance relationship by comparing an actual distance between the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device with a first or second distance reference depending on a movement of the mobile device, the movement of the mobile device being moving from a first range to a second range with respect to the user'"'"'s body or moving from the second range to the first range with respect to the user'"'"'s body.