Method and apparatus for operating electronic device with cover

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9438713-B2
Application number	US-201414214069-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2014
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Sep 6, 2016
Grant date	Sep 6, 2016

Abstract

A method includes detecting whether a cover covers the at least one portion of the display, receiving a call signal, displaying an information related to the reception of the call signal on the at least one portion of the display in response to the reception of the telephone call reception signal, detecting an external object that is adjacent to a surface of the display, and connecting a call in response to the detection of the adjacency of the external object. An electronic device includes a controller configured to cause the display to display receiving a call through the window in response to receiving the call while the cover is detected to cover the display, and control the call to be connected in response to detecting an external object that is adjacent to a surface of the display.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating an electronic device comprising a display, the method comprising:
detecting whether a flip cover having a window covers at least one portion of the display;
detecting an occurrence of an event while the flip cover is detected to cover the at least one portion of the display;
displaying information related to the detection of the event occurrence on a region of the display, the region corresponding to the window;
in response to detecting an opening and a closing of the flip cover within a threshold time, performing, at the electronic device, a function in association with the event.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting an adjacent external object is performed by at least one sensor provided to the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting an adjacent external object is performed by a user gesture of moving the electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
acquiring sensing information on a first gesture of a user is detected.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the sensing information comprises an illumination value.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting whether a first gesture of a user is made after receiving a user input, and performing a function corresponding to the first gesture of the user.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the user input is generated by a key input.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
terminating the function when a second set gesture of the user is detected.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second gesture of the user is a user gesture having a different direction from that of the first gesture.

10. A method of operating an electronic device comprising a display, the method comprising:
detecting whether a flip cover has covered at least one portion of the display;
displaying a user interface according to a preset screen mode on the at least one portion of the display while the flip cover is detected to cover the at least one portion of the display;
detecting an occurrence of an event while the flip cover covers the at least one portion of the display;
detecting a gesture of a user, the gesture comprising an opening and a closing the flip cover within a threshold time while the at least one portion of the display is covered with the flip cover; and
displaying a second user interface in association with the event in response to the detection of the gesture.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the gesture comprises a flicking gesture.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second user interface comprises at least one of a recently used application list, an address list, a music playback list, or a recent incoming/outgoing list.

13. A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising:
detecting an opening or closing of a flip cover, the flip cover configured to cover at least one portion of the display and has a window;
detecting, at the electronic device, an event occurring while the flip cover is detected to cover the at least one portion of the display;
displaying an information related to the detection of the event occurrence on a region of the display, the region corresponding to the window;
in response to detecting an opening and a closing of the flip cover within a threshold time, performing, at the electronic device, a function
performing, at the electronic device, a preset function corresponding to the event.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein performing the function comprises:
displaying a first user interface through the window on the display when the flip cover is detected to be closed.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first user interface is resized to be a second user interface when the flip cover is open.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the second user interface is of a full size of the display.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein performing the function comprises:
generating a photography image taken at the time when the flip cover is detected to be open.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
storing the generated photography image or transmitting the generated photography image to an outside device.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the performing the set function comprises:
executing at least one application when the flip cover is detected to be open.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the at least one application comprises at least one of a most recently used application and an application set by a user.

21. The method of claim 13 , wherein performing the set function comprises:
establishing a call when it is detected that the flip cover is open and then, is closed within a set period of time.

22. The method of claim 13 , wherein the performing the set function comprises:
entering a mode for hovering detection when the flip cover is detected to be closed.

23. An electronic device comprising:
a display configure to display an image or video;
a first sensor configured to detect an opening and closing of a flip cover with a window, the flip cover covering at least portion of the display;
a second sensor configured to detect a user's gesture; and
a controller configured to:
detect an event occurring while the flip cover covers the display;
cause the display to indicate a detection of the event occurrence on the display, and
in response to detecting an opening and a closing of the flip cover within a threshold time, performing a function in association with the event.

24. The electronic device of claim 23 , wherein the first sensor is configured to acquire set sensing information, the second sensor is configured to detect a first gesture of a user, and the controller is configured to perform a function corresponding to the first gesture when the sensing information is lower than or equal to a threshold value.

25. The electronic device of claim 24 , wherein the sensing information comprises an illumination value.

26. The electronic device of claim 23 , wherein the controller is configured to determine whether a first gesture of a user is made and perform the function when the first gesture of the user is made.

27. The electronic device of claim 26 , wherein the user input is generated by a key input.

28. The electronic device of claim 26 , wherein the controller is configured to control the function to be terminated when a second set gesture of the user is detected after the function is performed.

29. The electronic device of claim 28 , wherein the second gesture of the user is a user gesture having a different direction from that of the first gesture.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Woo-Yong
• Lee Eun-Ju
• Choi Min-Sheok
• Ha Seung-Tae
• Choi Jin-Woo

Classifications

• H04M2250/12

  including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion · CPC title

• H04B1/3888 Primary

  Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers · CPC title

• H04M1/0266

  for a display module assembly · CPC title

• H04M1/0245

  using open/close detection · CPC title

• H04M1/575 Primary

  Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party · CPC title