Electronic device for executing different functions based on the touch patterns using different portions of the finger and control method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9430082-B2
Application number	US-201414152151-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

An electronic device and a method of controlling the same, where the electronic device includes a touchscreen, a sensing unit configured to sense a touch pattern applied to the touchscreen, a memory configured to store a function corresponding to the touch pattern, and a controller configured to sense a touch pattern of a touch input through the sensing unit upon reception of the touch input through the touchscreen and to execute a function corresponding to the sensed touch pattern, stored in the memory, wherein the sensing unit recognizes the touch pattern based on vibration generated when the touch input is received through the touchscreen. Accordingly, touch patterns can be discriminated based on portions of a finger, which come into contact with the touchscreen to apply the touch patterns, and different functions respectively corresponding to the touch patterns can be executed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising: a touchscreen; a sensing unit; a memory; and a controller operatively connected to the touchscreen, the sensing unit and the memory, the controller configured to sense, via the sensing unit, a touch input applied to the touchscreen, recognize a touch pattern based on the sensed touch input, and execute a function stored in the memory and corresponding to the recognized touch pattern, wherein the touch pattern is recognized based on a magnitude of a vibration of the electronic device generated when the touch input is applied to the touchscreen, a resonant frequency of the vibration, a location of the touch input on the touchscreen, contact area of the touch input on the touchscreen, and a pressure of the touch input applied on the touchscreen.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the sensing unit includes at least one of an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, or a touch sensor.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the touch pattern includes at least one of a touch pattern input using a fingertip, a touch pattern input using a fingernail, or a touch pattern input using a knuckle of a bent finger.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the function corresponding to the recognized touch pattern includes at least one of a function of executing a predetermined application, a function of displaying a menu window, or a function of selecting a menu.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising: a microphone, wherein the controller is configured to sense the touch pattern when the touch input is received during an operation of the microphone.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to recognize the touch pattern is one of a touch pattern input using a fingertip, a touch pattern input using a fingernail, or a touch pattern input using a knuckle of a bent finger based on a corresponding vibration generated when the touch input is a touch input using the fingertip, a vibration generated when the touch input is a touch input using the fingernail, or a vibration generated when the touch input is a touch input using the knuckle of the bent finger.

7. A method of controlling an electronic device that includes a touchscreen, a sensing unit, a processor and a memory, the method comprising: sensing, by the electronic device, a touch input applied to the touchscreen, recognizing, by the electronic device, a touch pattern based on the sensed touch input, and executing, by the electronic device, a function stored in the memory and corresponding to the recognized touch pattern, wherein the touch pattern is recognized based on a magnitude of a vibration of the electronic device generated when the touch input is applied to the touchscreen, a resonant frequency of the vibration, a location of the touch input on the touchscreen, contact area of the touch input on the touchscreen, and a pressure of the touch input on the touchscreen.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising: recognizing the touch pattern is one of a touch pattern input using a fingertip, a touch pattern input using a fingernail, or a touch pattern input using a knuckle of a bent finger based on a corresponding vibration generated when the touch input is a touch input using the fingertip, a vibration generated when the touch input is a touch input using the fingernail or a vibration generated when the touch input is a touch input using the knuckle of the bent finger.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Sohn Youngho
• Song Hyewon
• Lim Yeongkyu

Classifications

• G06F2200/1636

  Sensing arrangement for detection of a tap gesture on the housing · CPC title

• G06F3/0416 Primary

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title

• G06F2203/04808

  Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen · CPC title

• G06F3/0488

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