US 2013/0095886 A1 · MOBILE TERMINAL FOR DISTINGUISHING AN EAR DURING A CALL AND METHOD THEREOF

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling a mobile terminal based on an ear to which a user puts the mobile terminal in close proximity is provided. The method includes detecting a direction of a movement of the mobile terminal through use of a sensing unit when a call event occurs, determining an ear corresponding to the direction of the movement, and controlling a function of the mobile terminal based on the determined ear. When capturing through a camera is available to determine the direction of the movement, an image captured while the user puts the mobile terminal close to the ear is additionally used. Therefore, whether the ear to which the user puts the mobile terminal in close proximity corresponds to the left ear or the right ear is determined and thus, an operation corresponding to the recognized left or right ear may be performed.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method for a mobile terminal to distinguish an ear during a call, the method comprising:

determining whether a call event occurs;
driving at least one of a sensing unit and a camera to detect a movement of the mobile terminal when the call event occurs;
determining whether a proximity of a user's face to the mobile terminal is sensed as the user's face approaches the mobile terminal;
determining a direction of the movement of the mobile terminal based on at least one of sensing data from the sensing unit and a captured image from the camera when the proximity is sensed;
determining the ear corresponding to the direction of the movement;
and
performing a predetermined function corresponding to the determined ear.

4 more elements

A mobile terminal for distinguishing an ear during a call, the mobile terminal comprising:

a sensing unit that is driven when a call event occurs, senses a proximity of a user's face to the mobile terminal as the user's face approaches the mobile terminal, and outputs sensing data for detecting a movement of the mobile terminal when the proximity is sensed;
a camera that is driven when the call event occurs and outputs a captured image obtained until the proximity is sensed;
and
a controller to drive at least one of the sensing unit and the camera when the call event occurs, to determine whether the proximity is sensed as the user's face approaches the mobile terminal, to determine a direction of the movement of the mobile terminal based on at least one of the sensing data from the sensing unit and the captured image from the camera when the proximity is sensed, to determine the ear corresponding to the direction of the movement, and to control a function that is set for the determined ear in advance to be performed.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Mobile terminal for distinguishing an ear during a call and method thereof

Life of this patent

Mobile terminal for distinguishing an ear during a call and method thereof

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15