Mobile terminal having a touch screen and method for providing a user interface therein

Abstract

A mobile terminal having a touch screen and a method present a user interface in the mobile terminal having a touch screen. The method includes: detecting a touched area corresponding to a touch when the touch is sensed in the touch screen; and executing different functions according to whether the detected touched area is equal to or greater than a preset area threshold. Various touch inputs are sensed through a touch screen in the mobile terminal, and the mobile terminal and method present user interfaces corresponding to the respective touch inputs.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 detecting, at an electronic device, a touch input received via a touch screen operatively coupled with the electronic device, the detecting including determining a size of a portion of the touch screen touched by the touch input;   executing a first operation based at least in part on a determination that the size of the portion satisfies a specified condition; and   refraining from executing the first operation based at least in part on a determination that the size of portion doesn't satisfy the specified condition.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detecting is performed based at least in part on a determination that a specified application is executed. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the executing of the first operation comprises:
 adjusting a volume of a sound associated with an image displayed on the touch screen, capturing an image displayed on the touch screen, or terminating a specified application executed via the touch screen.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the executing of the first operation comprises:
 determining, as at least part of the specified condition, whether the size of the portion satisfies a specified size.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the executing of the first operation comprises:
 identifying a direction of movement by the touch input; and   determining that the direction corresponds to a specified direction.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the executing of the first operation comprises:
 determining whether a moving direction of the touch input is twisted.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the executing of the first operation comprises:
 determining whether the touch input is detected for a specified time.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the executing of the first operation comprises:
 determining whether the touch input corresponds to a touch by a specified area of a body of a user, the specified area including a palm of the user.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the refraining from the first operation comprises:
 executing a second operation different from the first operation.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first operation comprises a first one of adjusting a volume of a sound associated with an image displayed on the touch screen, capturing an image displayed on the touch screen, or terminating a specified application executed via the touch screen, and wherein the second operation comprises a second one of rotating of an image, or presenting a folding effect at an image displayed on the touch screen. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 outputting a sound at the electronic device prior to the detecting.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the outputting is performed based at least in part on receiving a phone call from another electronic device external to the electronic device. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus comprising:
 a touch screen to display an image; and   a controller, the controller configured to:
 detect a touch input received via the touch screen operatively coupled with the apparatus, the detecting including determining a size of a portion of the touch screen touched by the touch input; 
 execute a first operation based at least in part on a determination that the size of the portion satisfies a specified condition; and 
 refrain from executing the first operation based at least in part on a determination that the size of portion doesn't satisfy the specified condition. 
   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 mute a sound corresponding to a phone call received from an electronic device external to the apparatus, adjust a volume of a sound associated with an image displayed on the touch screen, capture an image displayed on the touch screen, or terminate a specified application executed via the touch screen as at least part of the executing.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine as at least part of the specified condition, whether the size of the portion satisfies a specified size.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 identify a direction of movement by the touch input; and   determine that the direction corresponds to a specified direction.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine whether the touch input is detected for a specified time.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine whether the touch input corresponds to a touch by a specified area of a body of a user, the specified area including a palm of the user.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 execute a second operation different from the first operation as at least part of the refraining.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 detecting, at an electronic device, a touch input received via a touch screen operatively coupled with the electronic device, the detecting including determining a size of a portion of the touch screen touched by the touch input;   executing a first operation based at least in part on a determination that the size of the portion satisfies a specified condition; and   refraining from executing the first operation based at least in part on a determination that the size of portion doesn't satisfy the specified condition.