Motion input device for portable terminal and operation method using the same

1. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a controller positioned inside the housing;

a wireless radio frequency (RF) circuit positioned inside the housing and electrically coupled to the controller;

a display exposed through the housing and electrically coupled to the controller, wherein the display comprises a touchscreen;

an audio process circuit positioned inside the housing and electrically coupled to the controller;

a sensor electrically coupled to the controller; and

a storage device which stores an operating system and an application,

wherein the storage device stores instructions that, when executed, cause the controller to

detect, using the sensor, a first tapping pattern provided by a user on the electronic device in a setting mode,

store the first tapping pattern in the storage device in association with the application,

receive, using the sensor, a second tapping pattern provided by a user on the electronic device while the display is in a screen-off state,

determine whether the second tapping pattern corresponds to the first tapping pattern, and

directly perform a function of the application from the screen-off state which is matched to the first tapping pattern, upon a determination that the second tapping pattern received during the screen-off state of the display corresponds to the first tapping pattern.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the application is a music player application.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the function is a playing function of the music player application.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the controller to determine whether the second tapping pattern corresponds to the first tapping pattern by comparing the second tapping pattern against the first tapping pattern, based at least partly on at least one of a tapping intensity, a tapping position, a frequency of tapping, a tapping recognition time, a time interval between tappings, or an entire tapping input time.

5. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a controller positioned inside the housing;

a wireless radio frequency (RF) circuit positioned inside the housing and electrically coupled to the controller;

a display exposed through the housing and electrically coupled to the controller, wherein the display comprises a touchscreen;

an audio process circuit positioned inside the housing and electrically coupled to the controller;

a sensor electrically coupled to the controller; and

a storage device which stores an operating system and an application,

wherein the storage device stores instructions that, when executed, cause the controller to

detect, using the sensor, a first tapping pattern provided by a user on the electronic device in a setting mode,

store the first tapping pattern in the storage device in association with the application,

receive, using the sensor, a second tapping pattern provided by a user on the electronic device while the display is in a screen-off state,

determine whether the second tapping pattern corresponds to the first tapping pattern, and

perform a function of the application which is matched to the first tapping pattern, when the second tapping pattern received during the screen-off state of the display corresponds to the first tapping pattern,

wherein upon receiving the second tapping pattern matching the first tapping pattern, a pop-up window is displayed on the display to inform a user of the function to be executed, prior to the execution of the function.

6. A method of operating an electronic device which comprises a controller, a touchscreen, a sensor and a storage device in which an operating system and an application are stored, the method comprising:

during a setting mode, receiving at least first and second tapping patterns provided by a user on the electronic device using the sensor, the first and second tapping patterns corresponding to first and second different functions, respectively, of the application;

storing, during the setting mode, the first and second tapping patterns in the storage device in association with the application;

receiving, while the application is executed, an input tapping pattern provided by a user on the electronic device using the sensor;

determining whether the input tapping pattern corresponds to the first or second tapping pattern;

performing the first function of the application when the input tapping pattern corresponds to the first tapping pattern; and

performing the second function of the application when the input tapping pattern corresponds to the second tapping pattern,

wherein the performance of the first function and second function each maintains execution of the application, and

wherein upon receiving a tapping pattern matching the first tapping pattern or the second tapping pattern, a pop-up window is displayed on a display to inform a user of the first or second function to be executed, prior to the execution of the first or second function.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the application is a music application, and the first or second function is activating an equalizer mode of the music application.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the application is a music application, and each of the first and second tapping patterns corresponds to a different one of plural equalizer modes, the input tapping pattern matches one of the first and second tapping patterns and activates a corresponding one of the equalizer modes.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first or second function is for generating a sound effect.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the application is a music player application, and the first or second function is for generating a sound effect which is mixed with music being played by the music player application.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein determining whether the input tapping pattern corresponds to the first or second tapping pattern comprises:

comparing the input tapping pattern against the first tapping based at least partly on at least one of a tapping intensity, a tapping position, a frequency of tapping, a tapping recognition time, a time interval between tappings, or an entire tapping input time.

12. A non transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform the method of claim 6 .

13. An electronic device comprising:

a controller;

a wireless radio frequency unit (RF) electrically coupled to the controller;

a touchscreen electrically coupled to the controller;

an audio processor electrically coupled to the controller;

a sensor electrically coupled to the controller; and

a storage unit that stores an operating system and an application,

wherein the storage unit stores instructions that, when executed, cause the controller to

receive, in a setting mode, at least first and second tapping patterns via at least one of the touchscreen, the audio processor, or the sensor,

store the first and second tapping patterns in the storage unit in association with first and second different functions, respectively, of the application,

while the application is executed, receive an input tapping pattern via at least one of the touchscreen, the audio processor, or the sensor,

determine whether the input tapping pattern corresponds to the first or second tapping patterns,

perform the first function of the application when the input tapping pattern corresponds to the first tapping pattern, and

perform the second function of the application when the input tapping pattern corresponds to the second tapping pattern,

wherein the performance of the first function and the second function each maintains execution of the application, and

wherein upon receiving a tapping pattern matching the first tapping pattern or the second tapping pattern, pop-up window is displayed on a display to inform a user of the first or second function to be executed, prior to the execution of the first or second function.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the application is a music player application.

15. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the application is a gaming application.

16. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the first and second tapping patterns are each received via the touchscreen.

17. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the first and second tapping patterns are each received via the sensor.

18. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the application is a music application, and the first or second function is activating an equalizer mode.

19. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the application is a music application, and each of the first and second tapping patterns corresponds to a different one of plural equalizer modes, the input tapping pattern matches one of the first and second tapping patterns and activates a corresponding one of the equalizer modes.

20. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the function is for generating a sound effect.

21. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the application is a music player application, and the first or second function is for generating a sound effect which is mixed with music being played by the music player application.