Mobile terminal

• US 8,810,548 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2010
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Ko, Dong Seuck
• Primary Examiner(s): Sim, Yong H
• Application Number:
  US12/899,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20110096033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 345175-178
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94111 having more than one emitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• 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

Abstract

A mobile terminal comprising a case; a display within the case for displaying visual information; a sensing unit for detecting an object in proximity of the display, wherein the sensing unit comprises a proximity sensor having a plurality of light emitting devices and a light receiving device, wherein the sensing unit detects the object'"'"'s location when light emitted by at least one of the light emitting devices is reflected by the object and enters the light receiving device, and wherein the sensing unit detects the object'"'"'s movement pattern when lights emitted by at least one of the light emitting devices are sequentially reflected by the object and enter the light receiving device; and a controller for generating a signal corresponding to an input based on the object'"'"'s detected location and movement pattern.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a case;

a display within the case for displaying visual information;

a sensing unit comprising a proximity sensor for detecting an object in proximity of the display, the proximity sensor having a light receiving device and a plurality of light emitting devices arranged in a circular pattern around the light receiving device; and

a controller configured to;

control the plurality of light emitting devices to emit light such that each of the plurality of light emitting devices emits light in a sequential order in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, one light emitting device emitting the light at a time;

control the sensing unit to detect the object'"'"'s location and movement when at least first light emitted by a first one of the plurality of light emitting devices and second light emitted by a second one of the plurality of light emitting devices are sequentially reflected by the object and the reflected light is received by the light receiving device; and

generate a signal corresponding to an input based on the detected location and movement of the object.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the input comprises at least a numeral key, a character key, a direction key, a direction shift, a scroll key, or a function key.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein a number of the plurality of light emitting devices ranges from 2 to 8.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensor further comprises a compensation light emitting device configured to emit light toward the light receiving device.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit comprises a plurality of proximity sensors, wherein the proximity sensors are arranged horizontally or vertically on the display, and wherein horizontal or vertical movement of the object is detected by at least two proximity sensors that are adjacent to each other.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensor is located at a lower end or a peripheral area of the display.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to generate the signal based on the object'"'"'s proximity to the display by detecting the object'"'"'s proximity to the display.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the input comprises enlargement or reduction of a character, a numeral, a symbol, a graphic, or an icon on the display.

9. A mobile terminal comprising:

a case;

a display within the case for displaying visual information;

a sensing unit comprising a proximity sensor for detecting an object in proximity of the display, the proximity sensor having a light receiving device and a plurality of light emitting devices arranged in a circular pattern around the light receiving device;

a haptic module within the case for generating a haptic effect; and

a controller within the case configured to;

control the plurality of light emitting devices to emit light sequentially in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, one light emitting device emitting the light at a time;

control the sensing unit to detect the object'"'"'s location and movement when the light emitted by at least two of the plurality of light emitting devices is sequentially reflected by the object and the reflected light is received by the light receiving device; and

generate a signal corresponding to an input based on the detected location and movement of the object.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein number of the light emitting devices ranges from 2 to 8.

11. A mobile terminal comprising:

a case;

a display within the case for displaying visual information;

a sensing unit for detecting an object in proximity to the display,

wherein the sensing unit comprises a light receiving device and a plurality of light emitting devices arranged in a circular pattern around the light receiving device,

wherein the sensing unit detects the object'"'"'s location and proximity to the display when light emitted by at least one of the light emitting devices is reflected by the object and the reflected light is received by the light receiving device; and

a controller configured to;

control the plurality of light emitting devices to emit light sequentially in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, one light emitting device emitting the light at a time;

control the sensing unit to detect the object'"'"'s location and proximity to the display when the light emitted by at least two of the plurality of light emitting devices is sequentially reflected by the object and the reflected light is received by the light receiving device;

generate a signal corresponding to an input based on the detected location and proximity of the object;

control the sensing unit to detect the object'"'"'s location and movement when the light emitted by at least two of the plurality of light emitting devices is sequentially reflected by the object and the reflected light is received by the light receiving device; and

generate a signal corresponding to an input based on the detected location and movement of the object,

wherein user input is provided to the mobile terminal by way of moving the object in one or more directions in proximity of the sensing unit.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the input comprises at least a numeral key, a character key, a direction key, a direction shift, a scroll key, or a function key.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to convert a previously selected input to the input associated with the light emitting device from which the reflected light was emitted.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust an enlargement or reduction ratio of the input according to the object'"'"'s proximity to the display.