Mobile terminal and event processing method

• US 9,203,950 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2007
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Choi, Kyu-Ok, Bang, Won-Chul
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, MAHENDRA R
• Application Number:
  US11/777,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20080032748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,063 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/428, 455/417, 455/426.1, 370/321, 380/321
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/048 Arrangements providing optical indication of the incoming call, e.g. flasher circuits
• 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: H04W 68/005 Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication

Abstract

Provided is a mobile terminal having a sensor detecting movement thereof and an event processing method. The mobile terminal includes: an orientation detector for monitoring, in response to detection of an event, movement of the mobile terminal for a preset time duration to identify an orientation of the mobile terminal; and a controller for processing the event in an operating mode corresponding to the identified orientation. As a result, the user can readily switch operating modes of the mobile terminal by changing orientations thereof.

Claims

1. A method for a mobile terminal, comprising:

detecting an incoming call;

activating an audible ringing signal associated with the incoming call;

detecting whether an orientation of the mobile terminal, during the activation of the audible ringing signal, is changed to a predetermined orientation if an automatic change feature for silencing the audible ringing signal caused by the incoming call in the predetermined orientation is set; and

silencing the audible ringing signal caused by the incoming call in response to the orientation of the mobile terminal being changed to the predetermined orientation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined orientation comprises at least one of the front of the mobile terminal facing downward, the front of the mobile terminal facing upward, and a side of the mobile terminal facing downwards.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein whether the orientation of the mobile terminal is changed to the predetermined orientation is determined using signals from at least one three-axis acceleration detector in the mobile terminal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined orientation was set by a manufacturer of the mobile terminal.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether an automatic change feature for silencing the audible ringing signal caused by the incoming call in the predetermined orientation is set, when the incoming call is detected.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

indicating the incoming call by at least one of a lamp light and vibration of the mobile terminal when the audible ringing signal caused by the incoming call is silenced.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

turning off a display of the mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is in the predetermined orientation.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

displaying a pop-up message to indicate the incoming call to the user if the predetermined orientation is the front of the mobile terminal facing upward and the audible ringing signal caused by the incoming call is silenced.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

switching between the silencing operation and the activating operation corresponding to the change in orientation of the mobile terminal.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

turning off the display of the mobile terminal if the predetermined orientation is the front of the mobile terminal facing downward and the audible ringing signal caused by the incoming call is silenced.

6. A method for a mobile terminal comprising:

detecting an incoming call;

activating an audible ringing signal associated with the incoming call;

detecting whether an orientation of the mobile terminal, during the activation of the audible ringing signal, is changed to a predetermined orientation and, if it has changed to the predetermined orientation, detecting whether the mobile terminal is in the predetermined orientation for a predetermined period of time; and

silencing the audible ringing signal caused by the incoming call if the mobile terminal is detected in the predetermined orientation for the predetermined period of time.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

detecting whether there is a change in orientation of the mobile terminal from the predetermined orientation to another orientation; and

reactivating the audible ringing signal caused by the incoming call when a change in orientation of the mobile terminal from the predetermined orientation to another orientation is detected.

11. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a communication unit;

an orientation detector; and

a controller which;

activates an audible ringing signal associated with an incoming call in response to the incoming call being received;

if an automatic change feature for silencing the audible ringing signal caused by the incoming call in a predetermined orientation is set, determines whether an orientation of the mobile terminal, during activation of the audible ringing signal, is changed to the predetermined orientation; and

silences the audible ringing signal caused by the incoming call in response to the orientation of the mobile terminal being changed to the predetermined orientation.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the predetermined orientation comprises at least one of a front of the mobile terminal facing downward, the front of the mobile terminal facing upward, and a side of the mobile terminal facing downward.

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

at least one three-axis acceleration detector which is used to determine whether there is a change in orientation of the mobile terminal to the predetermined orientation.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the predetermined orientation was set by a manufacturer of the mobile terminal.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller determines whether an automatic change feature for silencing the audible ringing signal caused by the incoming call in the predetermined orientation is set, when the incoming call is detected.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller indicates the incoming call by at least one of a lamp light and vibration of the mobile terminal when the audible ringing signal caused by the incoming call is silenced.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller turns off a display of the mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is in the predetermined orientation.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller controls a display unit to display a pop-up message to indicate the incoming call to the user if the predetermined orientation is the front of the mobile terminal facing upward and the audible ringing signal caused by the incoming call is silenced.

26. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller transitions between the silence operation and the activates operation corresponding to the changing orientation of the mobile terminal.

16. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a communication unit;

an orientation detector; and

a controller which;

activates an audible ringing signal associated with an incoming call in response to an incoming call being received;

detecting whether an orientation of the mobile terminal, during the activation of the audible ringing signal, is changed to a predetermined orientation;

if it has changed to the predetermined orientation, detecting whether the mobile terminal is in the predetermined orientation for a predetermined period of time; and

silences the audible ringing signal caused by the incoming call if it is detected that the mobile terminal is in the predetermined orientation for the predetermined period of time.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the controller detects whether there is a change in orientation of the mobile terminal from the predetermined orientation to another orientation, and does not silence the audible ringing signal caused by the incoming call when a change in orientation of the mobile terminal from the predetermined orientation to another orientation is detected.

21. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a communication unit;

an orientation detector; and

a controller which;

activates an audible ringing signal associated with an incoming call when the incoming call is detected;

determines whether an automatic change feature for silencing the audible ringing signal caused by the incoming call when the mobile terminal is in a predetermined orientation is set; and

if the automatic change feature for silencing the audible ringing signal caused by the incoming call when the mobile terminal is in the predetermined orientation is set;

detects whether the mobile terminal is in the predetermined orientation during the incoming call; and

silences the audible ringing signal caused by the incoming call when the mobile terminal is detected in the predetermined orientation.

22. The mobile terminal of claim 21, wherein the controller detects whether the mobile terminal remains in the predetermined orientation during the event for a predetermined period of time.

23. The mobile terminal of claim 21, wherein the controller silences the audible ringing signal when the mobile terminal remains in the predetermined orientation for the predetermined period of time.

27. The mobile terminal of claim 21, wherein the controller turns off the display of the mobile terminal if the predetermined orientation is the front of the mobile terminal facing downward and the audible ringing signal caused by the incoming call is silenced.