Mobile device and method for providing user interface (UI) thereof

• US 8,952,901 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2010
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Bo-min, Park, Yong-gook, Kim, Hyun-jin, Jung, Han-chul, Yang, Ji-sun, Cha, Sang-ok, Park, Min-kyu, Kang, Tae-young
• Primary Examiner(s): Pervan, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/914,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20110102345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• Field of Search: 178 1801- 1907, 345173-178, 715700-866
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• 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 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 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• 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: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A mobile device and a method for providing a User Interface (UI) thereof are provided. The mobile device activates a manipulation unit upon detecting pressure through a pressure detecting unit. Accordingly, the user is able to manipulate various types of UIs, using a combination of pressure and various manipulation units.

Claims

1. A mobile device, comprising:

a pressure detecting unit for detecting a magnitude of pressure;

a manipulation unit for receiving a user-manipulation; and

a control unit for controlling the manipulation unit to activate if the pressure detecting unit detects pressure and for determining a function to be performed in response to a manipulation input through the manipulation unit, in accordance with the magnitude of pressure detected at the pressure detecting unit.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the manipulation unit comprises:

a proximity sensor unit for detecting whether a user moves closer to the proximity sensor unit and detecting a presence of a proximate gesture;

a touch detecting unit for detecting a touch manipulation; and

a button unit for detecting a button manipulation,

wherein the control unit controls at least one of the proximity sensor unit, the touch detecting unit, and the button unit to activate if the pressure detecting unit detects pressure.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the manipulation unit includes a proximity sensor unit for detecting whether a user moves closer to the proximity sensor unit and detecting a presence of a proximate gesture,

wherein the control unit controls such that a function is performed if the pressure detecting unit detects pressure and the proximity sensor unit detects the presence of the proximate gesture, and

wherein the function to be performed is related to a specific application currently being executed.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the manipulation unit includes a touch detecting unit for detecting a touch manipulation,

wherein the control unit controls such that a function is performed if the pressure detecting unit detects pressure and the touch detecting unit detects the touch manipulation, and

wherein the function to be performed is related to a specific application currently being executed.

5. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the manipulation unit includes a button unit for detecting a button manipulation,

wherein the control unit controls such that a function is performed if the pressure detecting unit detects pressure and the button unit detects the button manipulation, and

wherein the function to be performed is related to a specific application which is currently being executed.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the pressure detecting unit includes at least one pressure detecting area, and

wherein the control unit determines the function to be performed in response to a manipulation input through the manipulation unit, in accordance with a pressure detecting area, from among the at least one pressure detecting area, that detects the pressure.

7. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the control unit determines the function to be performed in response to manipulation input through the manipulation unit, in accordance with a number of times the pressure detecting unit detects the pressure.

8. A method for providing a User Interface (UI), comprising:

detecting, at a pressure detecting unit, a magnitude of pressure;

activating a manipulation unit that receives a user-manipulation, if the pressure detecting unit detects pressure;

receiving the user-manipulation through the manipulation unit; and

determining a function to be performed in response to the manipulation input through the manipulation unit, in accordance with a magnitude of the pressure detected at the pressure detecting unit.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the manipulation unit includes a proximity sensor unit for detecting whether a user moves closer to the proximity sensor unit and detecting a presence of a proximate gesture, a touch detecting unit for detecting a touch manipulation, and a button unit for detecting a button manipulation, and

wherein activating the manipulation unit includes activating at least one of the proximity sensor unit, the touch detecting unit, and the button unit if the pressure detecting unit detects pressure.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising performing a function if the pressure detecting unit detects pressure and the proximity sensor unit detects the presence of the proximate gesture, and

wherein the function to be performed is related to a specific application which is currently being executed.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising performing a function if the pressure detecting unit detects pressure and the touch detecting unit detects the touch manipulation, and

wherein the function to be performed is related to a specific application which is currently being executed.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising performing a function if the pressure detecting unit detects pressure and the button unit detects the button manipulation, and

wherein the function to be performed is related to a specific application which is currently being executed.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving the user-manipulation through the manipulation unit; and

determining a function to be performed in response to the user-manipulation, in accordance with a pressure detecting area from among at least one pressure detecting area of the pressure detecting unit for detecting the pressure.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving the user-manipulation through the manipulation unit; and

determining a function to be performed in response to the user-manipulation, in accordance with a number of times the pressure detecting unit detects the pressure.