Method for activating user functions by types of input signals and portable terminal adapted to the method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016239169-A1
Application number	US-201615135681-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 22, 2016
Priority date	May 7, 2009
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for activating user functions by types of input signals and a portable terminal adapted to the method are disclosed. The input means of the portable terminal generate various types of input signals. The portable terminal activates and controls particular user functions according to corresponding input signals. In a multi-tasking situation where a plurality of user functions are simultaneously used, the portable terminal can activate and control the user functions according to the particular types of input signals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
a display; an input device; and a processor configured to:
activate a first application of the apparatus, with displaying information corresponding to the first application via the display;
receive an input with respect to the apparatus using the input device while the first application is activated;
perform a first function of the first application based at least in part on a determination that an input type of the input corresponds to a first input type; and
activate a second application different from the first application based at least in part on a determination that the input type of the input corresponds to a second input type.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
activate the second application while the at least one portion of the information corresponding to the first application is displayed.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
display, via the display, another information corresponding to the second application concurrently with at least one portion of the information corresponding to the first application.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
perform a second function of the second application.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to:
perform the second function based at least in part on the input.

6 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to:
perform the second function based at least in part on another input received with respect to the apparatus after the second application is activated.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the input device comprises a first input device and a second input device, the first input device adapted to receive one or more inputs of the first input type and the second input device adapted to receive one or more inputs of the second input type, and wherein the processor is configured to:
determine the input type of the input based at least in part on a corresponding input device of the first input device and the second input device via which the input is received.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first input device comprises a first one of a microphone, a motion sensor, a touch panel, or an input key, and the second input device comprises a second one of the microphone, the motion sensor, the touch panel, or the input key.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising memory to store a first function mapped with the first input type, and a second function mapped with the second input type, and wherein the processor is configured to:
select, as at least part of the function of the second application, a corresponding function of the first function and the second function based at least in part on the input type of the input.

10 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to:
access a voice recognition database operatively coupled with an electronic device based at least in part on a determination that the input type corresponds to a voice input; and perform the function of the second application based at least in part on a command recognized via the voice recognition database.

11 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to:
obtain another information corresponding to the function of the second application in a first output type; and output the other information as converted from the first output type to a second output type different from the first output type.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
output a notification in response to an event corresponding to the second application while the information corresponding to the first application is displayed.

13 . A method comprising:
activating a first application using a processor of an electronic device, the activating including displaying information corresponding to the first application via a display operatively coupled with the electronic device; receiving an input with respect to the electronic device using an input device operatively coupled with the electronic device while the first application is activated; performing, using the processor, a function of the first application based at least in part on a determination that an input type of the input corresponds to a first input type; and activating, using the processor, a second application different from the first application based at least in part on a determination that the input type of the input corresponds to a second input type.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the second application is activated while at least one portion of the information corresponding to the first application is displayed.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the activating comprises:
displaying, via the display, another information corresponding to the second application concurrently with at least one portion of the information corresponding to the first application.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the activating comprises:
performing a function of the second application based at least in part on the input.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the input device comprises a first input device and a second input device, the first input device adapted to receive one or more inputs of the first input type and the second input device adapted to receive one or more inputs of the second input type, and wherein the input type of the input is determined based at least in part on a corresponding input device of the first input device and the second input device via which the input is received.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising memory to store a first function mapped with the first input type, and a second function mapped with the second input type, wherein the performing of the function of the second application comprises:
selecting, as at least part of the function of the second application, a corresponding function of the first function and the second function based at least in part on the input type of the input.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the performing of the function of the second application comprises:
accessing a voice recognition database operatively coupled with the electronic device based at least in part on a determination that the input type corresponds to a voice input.

20 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations including:
activating a first application at an electronic device, the activating including displaying information corresponding to the first application via a display operatively coupled with the electronic device; receiving an input with respect to the electronic device using an input device operatively coupled with the electronic device while the first application is activated; performing a function of the first application based at least in part on a determination that an input type of the input corresponds to a first input type; and activating a second application different from the first application based at least in part on a determination that the input type of the input corresponds to a second input type.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Jin Yong
• Shin Dong Jun
• Kim Hee Woon

Classifications

• G06F3/167

  Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback · CPC title

• G06F3/0488

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

• G06F3/0346

  with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors · CPC title

• G10L25/72

  for transmitting results of analysis · CPC title

• H04M2250/22

  including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector · CPC title