# US 10,375,227 B2 · Mobile terminal > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,375,227 B2 - Document ID: US10375227B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/578,968 - Filed: 2016-01-29 - Published: 2018-05-17 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-04 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Applicants: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Byungki Kim; Haengchul Kwak; Hangshin Cho; Dongchul Jin; Eunmo Yang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10375227B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/0416: {Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers} - G06F 3/041: Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means - G06F 3/044: by capacitive means - H03K 17/96: Touch switches (specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08) - H04M 1/02: Constructional features of telephone sets - H04M 1/72454: according to context-related or environment-related conditions - H04M 1/72466: with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device - H04M 1/22: Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract A mobile terminal is disclosed. The mobile terminal comprises: a case; an input module installed at the case, the input module acquiring a touch input of a user; and a controller generating a control signal, wherein the input module includes: a button having a plurality of holes, the plurality of holes located on the case; a capacitive sensor located in the case, the capacitive sensor acquiring a variation of a electrostatic capacitance in accordance with the touch input; and a dielectric layer located between the button and the capacitive sensor; wherein the electrostatic capacitance includes: a first electrostatic capacitance generated between the user and the capacitive sensor through the plurality of holes; and a second electrostatic capacitance generated between the button and the capacitive sensor, and wherein the controller generates the control signal when the capacitive sensor acquires the variations of the first and second electrostatic capacitances. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A mobile terminal comprising: a case having an inner space, a metal surface and a plurality of holes formed on the metal surface, the plurality of holes communicating with an outside of the case and the inner space; a capacitive sensor positioned in the case, spaced apart from the metal surface, and facing the plurality of holes, the capacitive sensor acquiring a variation of an electrostatic capacitance; and a controller generating a control signal, wherein the plurality of holes acquires a touch input of a user, wherein the electrostatic capacitance includes: a first electrostatic capacitance generated between the user and the capacitive sensor through the plurality of holes; and a second electrostatic capacitance generated between the metal surface and the capacitive sensor, wherein the controller generates a control signal when the capacitive sensor acquires a variation of the first electrostatic capacitance and a variation of the second electrostatic capacitance, and wherein the mobile terminal further comprises: an input module installed at the case and a button having the plurality of holes, the input module acquiring the touch input of the user. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising a dielectric layer positioned between the metal surface and the capacitive sensor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensor acquires the variation of the first electrostatic capacitance in accordance with the touch input in the plurality of holes. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein the metal surface comprises a region adjacent to the plurality of holes, and wherein the capacitive sensor acquires the variation of the second electrostatic capacitance according to a distance variation between the region and the capacitive sensor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensor transforms the electrostatic capacitance into a voltage, and wherein the capacitive sensor acquires the variation of the electrostatic capacitance when the capacitive sensor measures the voltage. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the input module is located on a rear surface of the case. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the case includes a metal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of holes is filled with a first member, and wherein a substance of the first member is different from a substance of the case. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the first member is dielectric. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the first member is transparent. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the button includes a plurality of buttons, and wherein at least one of the plurality of buttons emits light through the first member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the button includes: a first channel forming at least one hole among the plurality of holes; and a second channel forming at least another hole among the plurality of holes, the second channel spaced apart from the first channel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the second channel is located at an outer circumference of the first channel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the controller generates the control signal when the touch input is applied on both the first and second channels. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising a push key acquiring an input from the user, wherein the button includes a first button and a second button, and wherein the push key is positioned between the first button and the second button. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller generates the control signal based on at least one of a moving speed of the touch input, an intensity of the touch input, a number of touches of the touch input, and a duration time of the touch input. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensor includes a plurality of sensor arrays electrically insulated from each other. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the control signal includes at least one of a signal for a voice recording, a signal for stopping the voice recording, a signal for photographing, a signal for focusing a picture, a signal for capturing a screen, a signal for converting into a silent mode, and a signal for converting into a vibration mode.