# US 2014/0192014 A1 · Electronic apparatus and method for determining validity of touch key input used for the electronic apparatus

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2014/0192014 A1
- Document ID: US20140192014A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/132,160
- Filed: 2013-12-18
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-04
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Sang-Yup LEE; Hark-Sang KIM; Jung-Won KIM; Jong-Dae PARK; Yeon-Hwan KIM; Hyong-Rae CHO
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192014A1

## CPC

- G06F 3/04886: by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
- G06F 3/0227: {Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer (G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence)}
- G06F 3/04186: {Touch location disambiguation}
- G06F 2203/04104: Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

Provided are an electronic apparatus for determining validity of touch key input and a method and apparatus for determining validity of touch key input for the electronic apparatus. The method includes determining whether a touch key is input to perform a preset function, determining whether a dummy key used to determine validity of input of the touch key is input, if determining that the touch key is input, and determining validity of input of the touch key based on whether the dummy key is input. According to the present invention, by determining whether touch key input is intended by a user, it is possible to prevent a function undesired by the user from being performed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electronic apparatus for determining validity of touch key input, the electronic apparatus comprising:
a display formed on a front surface of the electronic apparatus;
at least one touch key formed on at least one side of the display, and configured to sense an input; and
at least one dummy key formed on at least one side of the display, and configured to sense an input to determine whether the input of the at least one touch key is valid.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dummy key comprises at least one first dummy key located adjacent to at least one touch key, and the at least one first dummy key is formed at least one of on, under, to the left, and to the right of the respective at least one touch key.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dummy key comprises at least one second dummy key formed opposite the at least one touch key with respect to the display.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one dummy key comprises at least one transmission channel line and at least one reception channel line.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The electronic apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least one dummy key comprises multiple transmission channel lines or multiple reception channel lines, the multiple channel lines narrower intervals toward the at least one touch key.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The electronic apparatus of claim 4, wherein at least one of the at least one transmission channel line and the at least one reception channel line of the at least one dummy key extends from a channel line of the display.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The electronic apparatus of claim 4, wherein at least one of the at least one transmission channel line and the at least one reception channel line of the at least one dummy key is configured separately from a channel line of the display.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises:
a touch key input validity determining apparatus configured to determine whether the dummy key is input if determining that the touch key is input after analyzing a signal received from the at least one touch key and a signal received from the at least one dummy key, and determine validity of input of the touch key based on whether the dummy key is input.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The electronic apparatus of claim 8, wherein the touch key input validity determining apparatus determines that input of the touch key is valid when determining that the dummy key is not input.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The electronic apparatus of claim 8, wherein the touch key input validity determining apparatus determines that input of the touch key is invalid when the controller determines that the dummy key is input.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The electronic apparatus of claim 8, wherein the touch key input validity determining apparatus analyzes the signals received from the dummy key and the touch key, and determines that the dummy key or the touch key is input when a signal level for the dummy key or the touch key is changed by a predetermined threshold value or more.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The electronic apparatus of claim 11, wherein a first threshold value for determining whether the touch key is input and a second threshold value for determining whether the dummy key is input are different.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The electronic apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first threshold value is smaller than the second threshold value.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The electronic apparatus of claim 11, wherein the signal level is a capacitance value.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The electronic apparatus of claim 8, wherein the touch key input validity determining apparatus determines that input of the touch key is invalid when determining that a first dummy key is input, and determines input of the touch key is valid if determining that a second dummy key is input.

### Claim 16 (depends on 8)

The electronic apparatus of claim 8, wherein the touch key input validity determining apparatus determines that input of the touch key is invalid when determining that a first dummy key is input, determines that input of the touch key is invalid if determining that a second dummy key is input and the touch key is input by a predetermined first action, and determines that input of the touch key is valid if determining that the second dummy key is input and the touch key is input by a predetermined second action.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The electronic apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first action is a single-touch gesture and the second action is a double-touch gesture.

### Claim 18

An electronic apparatus configured to determine validity of touch key input, comprising:
a touch key for performing a preset function;
a dummy key for determining validity of input of the touch key;
a sensor unit for analyzing a signal received from the touch key and a signal received from the dummy key, and generating a key input signal indicating input of the touch key or the dummy key when determining that at least one of the touch key or the dummy key is input; and
a controller configured to analyze the key input signal received from the sensor unit, determine whether the dummy key is input if determining that the touch key is input, and determining validity of input of the touch key based on whether the dummy key is input,
wherein the controller is configured to perform the preset function when the touch key input is valid.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The electronic apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to determine that input of the touch key is valid when the controller determines that the dummy key is not input.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The electronic apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to determine that input of the touch key is invalid when the controller determines that the dummy key is input.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The electronic apparatus of claim 18, wherein the sensor unit is configured to analyze signals received from the dummy key and the touch key, and to determine that the dummy key or the touch key is input when a signal level for the dummy key or the touch key is changed by at least a predetermined threshold value.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The electronic apparatus of claim 21, wherein a first threshold value for determining whether the touch key is input and a second threshold value for determining whether the dummy key is input are different.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The electronic apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first threshold value is smaller than the second threshold value.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The electronic apparatus of claim 21, wherein the signal level is a capacitance value.

### Claim 25 (depends on 18)

The electronic apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to determine that input of the touch key is invalid when determining that a first dummy key is input, and to determine input of the touch key is valid if determining that a second dummy key is input.

### Claim 26 (depends on 18)

The electronic apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to determine that input of the touch key is invalid when the controller that a first dummy key is input, the controller determines that input of the touch key is invalid if determining that a second dummy key is input and the touch key is input by a predetermined first action, and to determine that input of the touch key is valid if the controller determines that the second dummy key is input and the touch key is input by a predetermined second action.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The electronic apparatus of claim 26, wherein the first action is a single-touch gesture and the second action is a double-touch gesture.

### Claim 28

A method for operating an electronic apparatus, the electronic apparatus comprising a touch key, a dummy key, and a controller, the method comprising:
determining whether the touch key is input by the controller to perform a preset function;
determining whether the dummy key is input by the controller;
determining validity of input of the touch key based on whether the dummy key is input by the controller; and
performing the preset function when the input of the touch key is valid.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28, wherein determining validity of input of the touch key comprises determining that input of the touch key is valid when determining that the dummy key is not input.

### Claim 30 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28, wherein determining validity of input of the touch key comprises determining that input of the touch key is invalid when determining that the dummy key is input.

### Claim 31 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28, wherein at least one of determining whether the touch key is input and determining whether the dummy key is input comprises determining that the touch key or the dummy key is input in response to a signal level for key changing by at least preset threshold value.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, wherein a first threshold value for determining whether the touch key is input and a second threshold value for determining whether the dummy key is input are different from each other.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32, wherein the first threshold value is smaller than the second threshold value.

### Claim 34 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, wherein the signal level is a capacitance value.

### Claim 35 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28, wherein determining whether the touch key is input comprises determining that input of the touch key is invalid when determining that a first dummy key is input, and determining input of the touch key is valid if determining that a second dummy key is input.

### Claim 36 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28, wherein determining whether the touch key is input comprises:
determining that input of the touch key is invalid when determining that a first dummy key is input,
determining that input of the touch key is invalid when determining that a second dummy key is input and the touch key is input by a predetermined first action, and
determining that input of the touch key is valid when determining that the second dummy key is input and the touch key is input by a predetermined second action.

### Claim 37 (depends on 36)

The method of claim 36, wherein at least one of the first action and the second action is a single-touch gesture and the second action is a double-touch gesture.