Mobile terminal and method of controlling the same

• US 8,917,158 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2011
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Bong, Byungeun
• Primary Examiner(s): GIRMA, FEKADESELASS
• Application Number:
  US13/087,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20110273267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/572.1, 340/568.1, 340/5.53, 382/124, 382/107, 382/312, 345/174, 345/173, 345/156, 713/202, 713/186
• US Class Current: 340/5.53
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

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; receiving a fingerprint-touch input through a user input unit capable of identifying a fingerprint; and if fingerprint information of the received fingerprint-touch input matches any one of a plurality of pieces of previously-stored fingerprint information, displaying a character corresponding to the combination of a location of the detection of the received fingerprint-touch input and the previously-stored fingerprint information that matches the fingerprint information of the received fingerprint-touch input on the operation screen. Therefore, it is possible to enter different characters or symbols by generating different fingerprint-touch inputs using different fingers.

Claims

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

displaying an operation screen on a display module of the mobile terminal;

receiving a fingerprint-touch input through a user input unit of the mobile terminal, the user input unit being configured to identify a fingerprint, the user input unit including first keys for entering a character and second keys for entering different control commands;

if fingerprint information of a fingerprint-touch input received through one of the first keys corresponds to a first of a plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, displaying on the operation screen a character corresponding to a combination of a detected location of the fingerprint-touch input received through one of the first keys and the first of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information; and

if fingerprint information of a fingerprint-touch input received through one of the second keys corresponds to a second of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, performing a control operation at a first predefined speed and if the fingerprint information of the fingerprint-touch input received through said one of the second keys corresponds to a third of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, performing the control operation at a second predefined speed different than the first predefined speed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information is stored in a memory of the mobile terminal on at least one of a finger-by-finger basis, a user-by-user basis, and a pattern-by-pattern basis.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, by the mobile terminal, a haptic effect corresponding to the displayed character.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying on the operation screen a menu for associating combinations of each of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information and different parts on the user input unit with different characters or symbols.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if none of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information match the fingerprint information of the received fingerprint-touch input, performing an operation corresponding to the detected location of the received fingerprint-touch input.

6. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a display module configured to display an operation screen thereon;

a user input unit configured to identify a fingerprint, the user input unit including first keys for entering a character and second keys for entering different control commands;

a memory configured to store a plurality of fingerprint information therein; and

a controller configured to;

receive a fingerprint-touch input through the user input unit,

if fingerprint information of fingerprint-touch input received through one of the first keys corresponds to a first of the previously stored plurality of fingerprint information, display on the operation screen a character corresponding to a combination of a detected location of the fingerprint-touch input received through one of the first keys and the first of the stored plurality of fingerprint information, and

if fingerprint information of fingerprint-touch input received through one of the second keys corresponds to second of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, perform a control operation at a first predefined speed corresponding to the fingerprint-touch input received through one of the second keys and if the fingerprint information of the fingerprint-touch input received through said one of the second keys corresponds to a third of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, perform the control operation at a second predefined speed different than the first predefined speed.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the memory stores the plurality of fingerprint information on at least one of a finger-by-finger basis, a user-by-user basis, and a pattern-by-pattern basis.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the display module is disposed on a first body of the mobile terminal and the user input unit is disposed on a second body of the mobile terminal, the second body being slidably coupled to the first body.

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

displaying an operation screen on a display module of the mobile terminal, the operation screen including an indicator region for displaying a number of indicators corresponding to a state of the mobile terminal, the display module configured to identify a fingerprint, the number of indicators being classified into a predefined number of indicator groups according to a user command;

detecting, by the display module, a fingerprint-touch input to the indicator region; and

if fingerprint information of the detected fingerprint-touch input corresponds to a first one of a plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, displaying in a display area on the operation screen a first indicator group including at least one indicator corresponding to the first one of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, and if the fingerprint information of the detected fingerprint-touch input corresponds to a second one of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, displaying in the display area a second indicator group including at least one indicator corresponding to the second one of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, wherein the second indicator group includes different indicators than the first indicator group.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information are stored in a memory of the mobile terminal on at least one of a finger-by-finger basis, a user-by-user basis, and a pattern-by-pattern basis.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

setting, by the mobile terminal, the display area below the indicator region in response to a drag input followed by the detected fingerprint-touch input, the display area having a size corresponding to a distance of the drag input.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

setting, by the mobile terminal, the display area on one side of the operation screen.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

displaying additional information on the displayed at least one indicator.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

removing, by the mobile terminal, the display area from the operation screen in response to a touch input detected in the display area.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

generating, by the mobile terminal, a haptic effect in connection with the displaying of the at least one indicator belonging to the predefined indicator group.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the predefined number of indicator groups comprise at least one of the following:

an indicator group related to a state of a connection of the mobile terminal to a network;

an indicator group related to a state of a connection of the mobile terminal to an external device;

an indicator group related to an operating state of the mobile terminal; and

an indicator group for alerting a user to an occurrence of an event.

17. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a display module configured to identify a fingerprint and display an operation screen including an indicator region for displaying a number of indicators corresponding to a state of the mobile terminal, the number of indicators being classified into a predefined number of indicator groups according to a user command;

a memory configured to store a plurality of fingerprint information therein; and

a controller configured to;

detect a fingerprint-touch input to the indicator region, and

if fingerprint information of the detected fingerprint-touch input corresponds to one of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, display in a display area on the operation screen a first indicator group including at least one indicator corresponding to the first one of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, and if the fingerprint information of the detected fingerprint-touch input corresponds to a second one of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, display in the display area a second indicator group including at least one indicator corresponding to the second one of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, wherein the second indicator group includes different indicators than the first indicator group.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the memory stores the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information on at least one of a finger-by-finger basis, a user-by-user basis, and a pattern-by-pattern basis.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to remove the display area from the operation screen in response to a touch input detected from the display area.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the predefined number of indicator groups comprise at least one of the following:

an indicator group related to a state of a connection of the mobile terminal to a network;

an indicator group related to a state of a connection of the mobile terminal to an external device;

an indicator group related to an operating state of the mobile terminal; and

an indicator group for alerting a user to an occurrence of an event.