Mobile terminal and method for controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10055633-B2
Application number	US-201514706119-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2015
Priority date	Jun 17, 2014
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal and a method for controlling the same. The present invention determines whether received touch input is touch input by a finger of a user and, when a function executed by the touch input requires authentication, provides a user interface necessary for authentication differently according to whether the touch input is touch input by the user's finger. Accordingly, fingerprint authentication is processed as necessary, thereby improving processor efficiency.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:
a touchscreen displaying a plurality of icons, the plurality of icons including a first icon corresponding to a first application requiring authentication to execute the first application and provided on a first region of the touchscreen, the touchscreen including:
a plurality of Tx lines in a touch sensing layer, wherein the plurality of Tx lines include a plurality of primary Tx lines and a plurality of subsidiary Tx lines, and the plurality of subsidiary Tx lines are provided between neighboring ones of the plurality of primary Tx lines;
a plurality of Rx lines intersecting the plurality of Tx lines in the touch sensing layer, wherein the plurality of Rx lines include a plurality of primary Rx lines and a plurality of subsidiary Rx lines, and the plurality of subsidiary Rx lines are provided between neighboring ones of the plurality of primary Rx lines,
a first sensor formed at the touchscreen, the first sensor including the plurality of primary Tx lines and the plurality of primary Rx lines;
a second sensor formed at the touch screen, the second sensor including a first portion of the plurality of primary Tx lines and the plurality of subsidiary Tx lines provided between neighboring Tx lines of the first portion of the plurality of primary Tx lines, and a first portion of the plurality of primary Rx lines and the plurality of subsidiary Rx lines provided between neighboring Rx lines of the first portion of the plurality of primary Rx lines, wherein the second sensor is overlapping with the first region and is activated in response to a touch input received via the first sensor on the first region of the touchscreen; and
a controller configured to:
receive a touch input via the first sensor and activate the second sensor;
receive touch input signals via the second sensor and binarize the touch input signals to determine whether the touch input signals correspond to a finger touch input or a non-finger touch input;
receive first fingerprint information via the second sensor when the touch input signals are determined to correspond to a finger touch input and execute the first application when the first fingerprint information matches reference fingerprint information; and
control the touchscreen to display a prescribed user interface for authentication when the touch input signals are determined to correspond to a non-finger touch input.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to provide, on the touchscreen, a notification indicating that acquisition of the first fingerprint information of the user through the second sensor is in progress.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the prescribed user interface includes a window for inputting a signature when the touch input is an input using a stylus pen.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the prescribed user interface includes a window for inputting a password or passcode.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive the first fingerprint information when the binarized touch input signals include a fingerprint pattern.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 5 , wherein a distance between the neighboring ones of the primary Tx lines is a first distance, a distance between the neighboring ones of the primary Rx lines is a second distance, a distance between neighboring ones of the subsidiary Tx lines is a third distance, and a distance between neighboring ones of the subsidiary Rx lines is a fourth distance.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6 , wherein the first distance is greater than the third distance, and wherein the second distance is greater than the fourth distance.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 5 , wherein the prescribed user interface includes a window for inputting a signature when the binarized touch input signals do not include a fingerprint pattern.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of Tx lines, the plurality of Rx lines, and the first and second touch sensors are provided in a single layer.

10. A method for controlling a mobile terminal, comprising:
receiving a touch input via a first sensor when the touch input is applied on a first region of a touchscreen, wherein the touchscreen displays a plurality of icons including a first icon corresponding to a first application requiring authentication to execute the first application, the first icon is displayed on the first region of the touchscreen, the touchscreen includes a plurality of Tx lines and a plurality of Rx lines intersecting the plurality of Tx lines in a touch sensing layer, the plurality of Tx lines include a plurality of primary Tx lines and a plurality of subsidiary Tx lines, the plurality of subsidiary Tx lines are provided between neighboring ones of the plurality of primary Tx lines, the plurality of Rx lines include a plurality of primary Rx lines and a plurality of subsidiary Rx lines, the plurality of subsidiary Rx lines are provided between neighboring ones of the plurality of primary Rx lines, and the first sensor includes the plurality of primary Tx lines and the plurality of primary Rx lines;
receiving touch input signals via a second sensor in response to the touch input received via the first sensor on the first region of the touchscreen and binarizing the touch input signals to determine whether the touch input signals correspond to a finger touch input or a non-finger touch input, wherein the second sensor includes a first portion of the plurality of primary Tx lines and the plurality of subsidiary Tx lines provided between neighboring Tx lines of the first portion of the plurality of primary Tx lines, and a first portion of the plurality of primary Rx lines and the plurality of subsidiary Rx lines provided between neighboring Rx lines of the first portion of the plurality of primary Rx lines, wherein the second sensor is overlapping with the first region; and
receiving first fingerprint information via the second sensor when the touch input signals are determined to correspond to a finger touch input and executing the first application when the first fingerprint information matches reference fingerprint information; and
displaying a prescribed user interface for authentication on the touchscreen when the touch input signals are determined to correspond to a non-finger touch input.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the prescribed user interface includes a window for inputting a signature when the touch input is an input using a stylus pen.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the prescribed user interface includes a window for inputting a password or passcode.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein a distance between the neighboring ones of the primary Tx lines is a first distance, a distance between the neighboring ones of the primary Rx lines is a second distance, a distance between neighboring ones of the subsidiary Tx lines is a third distance, and a distance between neighboring ones of the subsidiary Rx lines is a fourth distance.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first distance is greater than the third distance, and the second distance is greater than the fourth distance.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Ahn Yehan
• Kim Cheegoog
• Cho Hangshin
• Sin Mansoo

Classifications

• G06F3/0446 Primary

  using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes · CPC title

• G06F3/044

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• H04W88/02

  Terminal devices · CPC title

• G06F3/0488

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title

• G06F3/04883

  for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text · CPC title