Electronic device including a plurality of input devices and control method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10528174-B2
Application number	US-201815977136-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2018
Priority date	May 12, 2017
Publication date	Jan 7, 2020
Grant date	Jan 7, 2020

Abstract

An electronic device includes a touch screen display; a pressure sensing circuit; a fingerprint sensing circuit at least partially overlapped with the pressure sensing circuit; a wireless communication circuit; at least one processor; and a memory electrically connected with the processor, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to detect a touch input through the touch screen display and a pressure input through the pressure sensing circuit, in a first state of the electronic device, in which the finger print sensing circuit is deactivated; activate the fingerprint sensing circuit in response to the touch input or the pressure input; detect a fingerprint of a finger of a user by using the fingerprint sensing circuit while detecting pressure of the finger of the user to the first plate; and induce the electronic device to become in a second state or third state based at least partially on the detected pressure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a housing;
a touch screen display positioned inside the housing;
a pressure sensing circuit configured to detect pressure applied to the touch screen display by external force;
a fingerprint sensing circuit at least partially overlapped with the pressure sensing circuit;
a wireless communication circuit;
a memory; and
a processor electrically connected with the display, the pressure sensing circuit, the fingerprint sensing circuit, the memory, and the communication circuit and configured to:
detect a touch input through the touch screen display and a pressure input through the pressure sensing circuit, in a first state of the electronic device, in which the fingerprint sensing circuit is deactivated;
activate the fingerprint sensing circuit in response to one of the touch input and the pressure input;
detect a fingerprint of a finger of a user using the fingerprint sensing circuit while detecting pressure of the finger of the user to the touch screen display; and
change the electronic device from the first state to a second state or third state based on the detected pressure, wherein the processor is further configured to:
change the electronic device from the first state to the second state, in which specified security information is not displayed on the display, when the strength of the pressure input is less than a threshold value; and
change the electronic device from the first state to the third state, in which the security information is displayed on the display, when the strength of the pressure input is greater than or equal to the threshold value.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first state includes a lock state.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second state includes a lock release state.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a security level of the second state is less than a security level of the third state.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine whether a strength of the pressure input is greater than or equal to a threshold value; and
change the electronic device from the first state to the second state or the third state based on the determination of the strength of the pressure input.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
compare the strength of the pressure input with a second threshold value when the strength of the pressure input is greater than or equal to the threshold value;
change the electronic device from the first state to the third state when the strength of the pressure input is less than the second threshold value; and
change the electronic device from the first state to a fourth state when the strength of the pressure input is greater than or equal to the second threshold value.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
when the touch input is used to specify one of objects displayed on the display,
change the electronic device from the first state to the second state, in which a first function corresponding to the specified object is performed, when the strength of the pressure input is less than a threshold value; and
change the electronic device from the first state to the third state, in which a second function corresponding to the specified object is performed, when the strength of the pressure input is greater than or equal to the threshold value.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein, when the object provides a plurality of information lists,
the first function includes hidden information of the information lists that is not displayed, and
the second function includes t the hidden information of the information lists that is displayed.

9. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein, when the object is a web-browser,
the first function executes a specified web-page in a logoff state, and
the second function executes the specified web-page in a login state.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the memory stores reference data for fingerprint authentication, which are registered in a plurality of pressure ranges, and
wherein the processor is further configured to:
identify a strength of the pressure of the finger while detecting the fingerprint of the finger;
select a reference data corresponding to the strength among the plurality of the reference data;
compare the fingerprint with the selected reference data; and
change the electronic device from the first state to the second state or the third state when the fingerprint matches the selected reference data.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensing circuit is configured to detect a position of the touch input to the display.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
change the electronic device from the first state to the second state or the third state based on one of a position of the touch input or the pressure input.

13. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
activate at least a part of the display and at least a partial region of the pressure sensing circuit; and
display a specified object on the at least a part of the display in the first state.

14. A method of an electronic device comprising:
detecting at least one of a touch input and a pressure input in a first state of the electronic device;
detecting pressure of a finger of a user and a fingerprint of the finger in response to at least one of the touch input and the pressure input; and
changing a state of the electronic device from the first state to a second state or a third state based on the detected pressure, wherein the electronic device is changed from the first state to the second state, in which specified security information is not displayed on a display, when the strength of the pressure input is less than a threshold value and the electronic device is changed from the first state to the third state, in which the security information is displayed on the display, when the strength of the pressure input is greater than or equal to the threshold value.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein changing the state of the electronic device includes:
changing the state of the electronic device from the first state to the second state or the third state when a specified operation is performed with respect to one of a position of the touch input and the pressure input.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein changing the state of the electronic device includes:
determining whether a strength of the pressure input is greater than or equal to a threshold value; and
changing the state of the electronic device from the first state to the second state or the third state based on the determination of the strength of the pressure input.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the second state is a state in which security information is not displayed on a display; and
wherein the third state is a state in which the security information is displayed on the display.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein, when the touch input specifies one of objects displayed on the display,
the second state is a state that a first function corresponding to the specified object is performed, and
the third state is a state that a second function corresponding to the specified object is performed.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
storing reference data for fingerprint auth

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Na Young
• Kim Dae Hwan
• Nam Seung Wook
• Shin Hyung Woo
• Lee Hye Mi
• Cho Jin Hoon
• Kim Kwang Tai
• Byeon Hyung Sup
• Yoon Pil Joo
• Lee Hae Dong

Classifications

• G06F21/6218

  to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database · CPC title

• G06F21/316

  by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour · CPC title

• G06F21/32 Primary

  using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints · CPC title

• G06F2203/04105

  Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position · CPC title

• G06F3/0414 Primary

  using force sensing means to determine a position · CPC title