Electronic apparatus and operating method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10635223-B2
Application number	US-201715643093-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2017
Priority date	Jul 6, 2016
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for controlling an operation of an electronic device by using a fingerprint image in the electronic device. The electronic device includes a display and a processor configured to detect a fingerprint image corresponding to a user input; determine an input direction of the user input based on the fingerprint image; determine a motion direction of the user input based on the input direction of the user input in response to a motion of the user input; and execute a first function corresponding to the motion direction of the user input.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a display; and
a processor configured to:
detect a contact between a finger and the display;
while the contact between the finger and the display is maintained:
detect a fingerprint image corresponding to the finger;
determine an orientation of the finger based on an angle between the fingerprint image and a reference image corresponding to the fingerprint image;
identify a motion of the finger that moves from a first position at which the fingerprint image is detected to a second position; and
in response to identifying the motion of the finger, determine a motion direction of the finger user relative to the orientation of the finger; and

execute a first function corresponding to the motion direction.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a touch device configured to detect a touch input; and
a pressure device configured to detect a pressure input,
wherein the processor is further configured to detect the contact based on at least one of the touch input and the pressure input via at least one of the touch device and the pressure device in a low power mode of the electronic device.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein at least one part of the touch device and at least one part of the pressure device are disposed to the display in an overlapping manner.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to detect the contact in a low power mode of the electronic device.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
detect a rotation angle of a reference image matched to the fingerprint image; and
determine the orientation of the finger based on the rotation angle of the reference image.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to detect the rotation angle of the reference image based on a feature point of the fingerprint image.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
perform a user authentication by using the fingerprint image;
determine a rotation angle of a reference image used in the user authentication, in response to the user authentication being successful; and
determine the orientation of the finger based on the rotation angle of the reference image.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the first function based on at least one of an application running in the electronic device, the motion direction, and a location of the finger.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute a second function in response to an additional user input being detected while the first function is executed.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to detect the additional user input based on a change in an input value of a user input corresponding to the contact or another user input.

11. A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising:
detecting a contact between a finger and a display of the electronic device;
while the contact between the finger and the display is maintained:
detecting a fingerprint image corresponding to the finger;
determining an orientation of the finger based on an angle between the fingerprint image and a reference image corresponding to the finger;
identifying a motion of the finger that starts from a first position at which the fingerprint image to a second position; and
in response to identifying the motion of the finger, determining a motion direction of the finger relative to the orientation of the finger; and

executing a first function corresponding to the motion direction.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein detecting the contact comprises detecting, in a low power mode of the electronic device, the contact based on at least one of a touch input and a pressure input via at least one of a touch device and a pressure device, which are operatively connected to the electronic device.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein detecting the fingerprint image comprises:
detecting, in a low power mode of the electronic device, the contact on the display of the electronic device; and
detecting the fingerprint image corresponding to the finger that is contacting the display.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the orientation of the finger comprises:
detecting a rotation angle of a reference image matched to the fingerprint image; and
determining the orientation of the finger based on the rotation angle of the reference image.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein determining the rotation angle of the reference image comprises:
extracting a feature point of the fingerprint image; and
detecting the rotation angle of the reference image matched to the fingerprint image based on the feature point of the fingerprint image.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the orientation of the finger comprises:
performing a user authentication by using the fingerprint image;
detecting a rotation angle of a reference image used in the user authentication, in response to the user authentication being successful; and
determining the orientation of the finger based on the rotation angle of the reference image.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein executing the first function comprises:
selecting a function list corresponding to an application running in the electronic device or a location of the finger;
selecting the first function corresponding to the motion direction of the finger from the function list; and
executing the first function.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first function comprises at least one of an application execution, a content playback control, a notification information display, and an external device control.

19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
detecting an additional user input; and
executing a second function in response to detecting the additional user input.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein detecting the additional user input comprises detecting the additional user input based on a change in an input value of a user input corresponding to the contact or another user input during the first function is executed.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Hye-Jin
• Kang Donggoo
• Kim Changwon
• Kim Hyunkyung
• Park Joohee
• Yoo Seonwoo
• Lee Sangah
• Choi Bokun

Classifications

• G06F2203/0338

  Fingerprint track pad, i.e. fingerprint sensor used as pointing device tracking the fingertip image · CPC title

• G06K9/00355

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06K9/00087

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F3/0416 Primary

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title

• G06K9/00013

  Physics · mapped topic