Mobile terminal and method of selecting lock function

• US 8,909,195 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2008
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Chu, Se Youp
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Chuong A
• Application Number:
  US12/229,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20090061823A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,295 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/410, 455/411, 455/418, 455/550.1, 455/566, 455/557, 345/156, 345173-178
• US Class Current: 455/411
• 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 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• 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: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q

Abstract

A mobile terminal and a method of selecting a lock function thereof are provided. The method of selecting a lock function of a mobile terminal having a touch screen includes: measuring, when at least one touch occurs on the touch screen, at least one of a pressure, a current, and a capacitance of an area of the touch screen in which the touch occurs; and selecting, if at least one of the measured pressure, current, and capacitance is greater than or equal to a preset value, a lock function. Thus, by touching the touch screen in such a manner that a high current or capacitance may be measured in a specific area of the mobile terminal, a user can easily perform a desired function, thereby improving user convenience.

Claims

1. A method of initiating a lock function of a mobile terminal having a touch screen, the method comprising:

detecting, when a plurality of touches occur on the touch screen, whether the plurality of touches occur on a predetermined area of the touch screen;

measuring at least one of a pressure, a current, or a capacitance at a plurality of points corresponding to the plurality of touches;

calculating at least one of each sum of the pressure, the current, or the capacitance measured at the plurality of points; and

initiating a lock function when the at least one of the each sum is greater than or equal to a preset value.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

changing a mode of the mobile terminal to a silent mode after initiating the lock function.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring at least one of the pressure, the current, and the capacitance at the plurality of points comprises:

detecting the pressure at the plurality of points in which the plurality of touches occur and measuring at least one of the current and the capacitance according to the detected pressure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of points within the predetermined area of the touch screen correspond to a location of one of the plurality of touches.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring at least one of the pressure, the current, or the capacitance at the plurality of points within the predetermined area is performed when the mobile terminal is in a communication mode.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

displaying, when the mobile terminal is in the communication mode, available menus on the touch screen when at least one of the measured pressure, current, and capacitance is less than or equal to a preset value.

7. A mobile terminal comprising:

a touch screen including a predetermined area, the touch screen configured to detect a plurality of touches;

a measurement unit configured to measure at least one of a pressure, a current, or a capacitance at a plurality of points corresponding to the plurality of touches; and

a controller configured to calculate at least one of each sum of the pressure, the current, or the capacitance measured at the plurality of points and initiate a lock function when the at least one of the each sum is greater than or equal to a preset value.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to change a mode of the mobile terminal to a silent mode after initiating the lock function.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the measurement unit is further configured to detect a pressure at the plurality of points where the plurality of touches occur and measure at least one of a current and a capacitance according to the detected pressure.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of points within the predetermined area of the touch screen correspond to a location of one of the plurality of touches.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 7, further comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) unit configured to perform wireless communication with another terminal,

wherein, when the mobile terminal is in a communication mode using the RF unit, the controller drives the measurement unit.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to instruct the touch screen to display available menus on the touch screen when at least one of the measured pressure, current, or capacitance is less than or equal to a preset value in a communication mode.

13. A method of initiating a preset function of a mobile terminal having a touch screen, the method comprising:

detecting, when a plurality of touches occur on the touch screen, whether the plurality of touches occur on a predetermined area of the touch screen;

measuring at least one of a pressure, a current, or a capacitance at each of a plurality of points corresponding to the plurality of touches;

calculating at least one of each sum of the measured pressures at each of the plurality of points, the measured currents at each of the plurality of points, or the measured capacitances at each of the plurality of points; and

initiating the preset function when the at least one of the each sum is greater than or equal to a preset value.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the preset function is a lock function.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

changing a mode of the mobile terminal to a silent mode after initiating the preset function.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein measuring at least one of the pressure, the current, or the capacitance at each of the plurality of points of the touch screen in which the plurality of touches occur comprises:

detecting a pressure of an area of the touch screen in which the plurality of touches occur; and

measuring at least one of a current and a capacitance according to the detected pressure.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of points within the predetermined area of the touch screen correspond to a location of one of the plurality of touches.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein measuring at least one of the pressure, the current, or the capacitance at each of the plurality of points on the predetermined area is performed when the mobile terminal is in a communication mode.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

displaying, when the mobile terminal is in the communication mode, available menus on the touch screen when at least one of the measured pressure, current, and capacitance is less than or equal to a preset value.