1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for detecting an input to a terminal. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for detecting a touch input to a touchscreen and distinguishing between different types of touch inputs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mobile terminals are developed to provide wireless communication between users. As technology has advanced, mobile terminals now provide many additional features beyond simple telephone conversation. For example, mobile terminals are now able to provide additional functions such as an alarm, a Short Messaging Service (SMS), a Multimedia Message Service (MMS), E-mail, games, remote control of short range communication, an image capturing function using a mounted digital camera, a multimedia function for providing audio and video content, a scheduling function, and many more. With the plurality of features now provided, a mobile terminal has effectively become a necessity of daily life.
A mobile terminal according to the related art includes an input means that enables a user to input an input to the mobile terminal by a touch or a motion. For example, the mobile terminal may have a display unit configured with a touch screen through which the user may input the input to the mobile terminal.
According to the related art, there are a variety of touch screen technologies that have different methods of sensing a user's touch. For example, touch screen sensing technologies includes a resistive sensing technology, a capacitive sensing technology, a surface acoustic wave sensing technology, an infrared sensing technology, optical imaging sensing technology, and an acoustic pulse recognition sensing technology.
A touch screen according to the related art includes a plurality of sensors formed in layers making up the touch screen or formed around the periphery of the touch screen. The sensors are configured to create and monitor a grid on the touchscreen according to x and y coordinates. For example, when a user touches the touchscreen, the sensors are configured to determine the x and y coordinates of the touch. The x and y coordinates may be used by the mobile terminal to determine the input desired by the user.
For example, a mobile terminal according to the related art using a touch screen including acoustic pulse recognition sensing technology has a plurality of acoustic sensors or transducers positioned around the edge of the touch screen. The acoustic sensors detect when a user touches the touch screen based on the sound created when the user touches the screen. Based on the detected sound created when a user touches the touch screen, the mobile terminal determines where the user touched the screen by triangulating the location at which the sound originated (e.g., the location at which the user made contact with the touch screen). Alternatively, the mobile terminal may compare the inputs from the plurality of sensors to a predefined table (e.g., a Look Up Table (LUT)) storing characteristics of sounds created at each location on a touch screen.
According to the related art, detection of a user's touch on the touch screen is used for a corresponding function associated with a location on the touch screen at which the user's touch is detected. In other words, a mobile terminal according to the related art does not distinguish between the type of touch on the touch screen. Rather, a mobile terminal according to the related art merely registers the location at which a touch occurs.
Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus and a method for detecting a touch input to a touchscreen and for determining the type of touch input to the touch screen and/or for distinguishing between different types of touch inputs.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present invention.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds