IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,285,989
Granted Patent B2
US 9,285,989 · App. 13/192,355 · Granted Mar 15, 2016

Mobile terminal and method of controlling the same

Inventors: Sungkyun Park (Seoul, KR); Hangyu Oh (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
G06F3/04886G06F3/0488
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,285,989
App. No.
13/192,355
Granted
Mar 15, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A mobile terminal and a method of controlling the same are provided. The method includes receiving a touch input from a side area on a touch screen for more than a predefined amount of time; setting a touch-lock area on the touch screen based on an area of the detection of the touch input; and displaying the touch-lock area differently from the rest of the touch screen so as to be easily distinguishable. Therefore, it is possible to effectively set a touch-lock area on the touch screen and thus to prevent the mobile terminal from performing an operation against the will of a user.

Claims (38)

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

setting a first touch-lock area corresponding to a first operating mode of the mobile terminal on a touchscreen, wherein no icons relating to the first operating mode are displayed within the first touch-lock area of the touchscreen;

setting a second touch-lock area on the touchscreen when a touch input is received at a side area of the touchscreen for more than a threshold length of time, wherein the second touch-lock area includes an area of the touchscreen that corresponds to the touch input and an additional area of the touchscreen;

modifying a size of the second touch-lock area of the touchscreen when the mobile terminal is changed from the first operating mode to a second operating mode; and

causing all displayed icons associated with the second operating mode to be displayed outside of the modified size of the second touch-lock area and within a touch-unlock area of the touchscreen after the mobile terminal is changed from the first operating mode to the second operating mode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the touch input is from the mobile terminal being gripped.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second touch-lock area is rectangular or semicircular.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second touch-lock area is a semicircle, wherein a center of the semi-circle is a first point on one side of the touch screen and a radius of the semi-circle is a distance between the first point and a second point in the area of the touch input.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting a drag input; and

performing an operation corresponding to the drag input if a drag distance of the drag input exceeds a threshold distance.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modifying the size of the second touch-lock area comprises expanding the second touch-lock area if a width of the area of the touch input is larger than a width of the first touch-lock area.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modifying the size of the second touch-lock area comprises reducing the second touch-lock area if a width of the area of the touch input is smaller than a width of the first touch-lock area.

8. A mobile terminal comprising:

a touchscreen;

a memory configured to store information; and

a controller configured to:

set a first touch-lock area corresponding to a first operating mode of the mobile terminal on the touchscreen, wherein no icons relating to the first operating mode are displayed within the first touch-lock area of the touchscreen;

set a second touch-lock area on the touchscreen when a touch input is received at a side area of the touchscreen for more than a threshold length of time, wherein the second touch-lock area includes an area of the touchscreen that corresponds to the touch input and an additional area of the touchscreen;

modify a size of the second touch-lock area of the touchscreen when the mobile terminal is changed from the first operating mode to a second operating mode; and

cause all displayed icons associated with the second operating mode to be displayed outside of the modified size of the second touch-lock area and within a touch-unlock area of the touchscreen after the mobile terminal is changed from the first operating mode to the second operating mode.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 8 , wherein the touch input is from the mobile terminal being gripped.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 8 , wherein the second touch-lock area is rectangular or semicircular.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 8 , wherein the second touch-lock area is a semicircle, wherein a center of the semi-circle is a first point on one side of the touch screen and a radius of the semi-circle is a distance between the first point and a second point in the area of the first touch input.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

detect a drag input; and

perform an operation corresponding to the drag input if a drag distance of the drag input exceeds a threshold distance.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

displaying the modified size second touch-lock area such that the modified size second touch-lock area is distinguishable from the touch-unlock area.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

changing a size of the modified size second touch-lock area in response to a drag input dragging a boundary line defined between the modified size second touch-lock area and the touch-unlock area.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein, when the first operating mode is a camera mode and the second operating mode is a text input mode, wherein the first touch-lock area corresponding to the camera mode is larger than the second touch-lock area corresponding to the text input mode.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modifying the size of the second touch-lock area comprises modifying at least one side area of the touchscreen corresponding to a location of the touch input.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

displaying the modified size second touch-lock area such that the modified size second touch-lock area is distinguishable from the touch-unlock area.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

changing a size of the modified size second touch-lock area in response to a drag input dragging a boundary line defined between the modified size second touch-lock area and the touch-unlock area.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 8 , wherein when the first operating mode is a camera mode and the second operating mode is a text input mode, the first touch-lock area corresponding to the camera mode is larger than the second touch-lock area corresponding to the text input mode.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 16, 2011
From: PARK, SUNGKYUN; OH, HANGYU
To: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
Reel/Frame 026760/0703 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2010-0093415 · Sep 27, 2010 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20120075212A1 · Mar 29, 2012