US-12619334-B2 - Electronic device and method for executing designated function according to contact of external object

Abstract

An electronic device, according to one embodiment, may receive an input for a first button from among a plurality of buttons. The electronic device may execute, in response to the input, a first function from among a plurality of functions assigned to the first button, while being in a first state in which an external object contacting at least some region of a housing is identified on the basis of a sensor. The electronic device may execute, in response to the input, a second function from among the plurality of functions assigned to a combination of the first button and a second button different from the first button from among the plurality of buttons, while being in a second state in which release of the external object is identified on the basis of the sensor, the second state being different from the first state.

Inventors

• Sangbum YOUM

Assignees

• SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20241203

Priority Date

20220622

Claims (20)

1. 1 . An electronic device comprising: a housing; a plurality of key buttons protruded from an exterior surface of the housing to be exposed to outside of the electronic device; a grip sensor; memory comprising one or more storage media storing instructions; and at least one processor comprising processing circuitry, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: identify, via the grip sensor, whether that an external object is contacted on at least a portion of the exterior surface; receive an input with respect to a first key button from among the key buttons; based on the input being received while an external object is identified via the grip sensor as contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface, execute a first function assigned to the first key button; and based on the input being received while an external object is identified via the grip sensor as not contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface, execute a second function assigned to a combination of the first key button and a second key button from key buttons.
2. 2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a another grip sensor, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: identify, via the another grip sensor, whether that an external object is contacted on at least a portion of the exterior surface; based on the input being received while an external object is identified via the grip sensor as contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface and an external object is identified via the another grip sensor as contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface, execute the first function among a plurality of functions assigned to the first key button; and based on the input being received while an external object is identified via the grip sensor as contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface and an external object is identified via the another grip sensor as not contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface, execute a third function assigned to a combination of the first key button and a third key button from among the key buttons.
3. 3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , further comprising a LED, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: activate the LED while an external object is identified via the another grip sensor as contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface.
4. 4 . The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: deactivate the LED while an external object is identified via the another grip sensor as not contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface.
5. 5 . The electronic device of claim 2 , further comprising a display, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: display, via the display, a pop-up indicating execution of the third function while an external object is identified via the grip sensor as contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface and an external object is identified via the another grip sensor as not contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface.
6. 6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a light emitting diode (LED), and wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: activate the LED while an external object is identified via the grip sensor as contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface.
7. 7 . The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: deactivate the LED while an external object is identified via the grip sensor as not contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface.
8. 8 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a display, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: display, via the display, a pop-up indicating execution of the second function while an external object is identified via the grip sensor as not contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface.
9. 9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the grip sensor includes a proximity sensor.
10. 10 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: based on the input being received while an external object is identified via the grip sensor as not contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface, even if an input is not received with respect to the second key button, execute the second function.
11. 11 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: based on an input being concurrently received with respect to both the first key button and the second key button, execute the second function independently of whether an external object is not contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface.
12. 12 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: based on the input being received while an external object is identified via the grip sensor as not contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface, recognize an external object being not contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface as another input received with respect to the second key button; and based on the recognition, execute the second function.
13. 13 . A method executed in an electronic device comprising a housing, a plurality of key buttons protruded from an exterior surface of the housing to be exposed to outside of the electronic device, and a grip sensor, the method comprising: identifying, via the grip sensor, whether that an external object is contacted on at least a portion of the exterior surface; receiving an input with respect to a first key button from among the key buttons; based on the input being received while an external object is identified via the grip sensor as contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface, executing a first function assigned to the first key button; and based on the input being received while an external object is identified via the grip sensor as not contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface, executing a second function assigned to a combination of the first key button and a second key button from among the key buttons.
14. 14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the electronic device further comprises another grip sensor, the method further comprising: identify, via the another grip sensor, whether that an external object is contacted on at least a portion of the exterior surface; based on the input being received while an external object is identified via the grip sensor as contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface and an external object is identified via the another grip sensor as contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface, executing the first function among a plurality of functions assigned to the first key button; and based on the input being received while an external object is identified via the grip sensor as contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface and an external object is identified via the another grip sensor as not contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface, executing a third function assigned to a combination of the first key button and a third key button from among the key buttons.
15. 15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the electronic device further comprises a light emitting diode (LED), wherein the method further comprises: activating the LED while an external object is identified via the grip sensor as contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface.
16. 16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the electronic device further comprises a LED, wherein the method further comprises: deactivating the LED while an external object is identified via the grip sensor as not contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface.
17. 17 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising: based on the input being received while an external object is identified via the grip sensor as not contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface, even if an input is not received with respect to the second key button, executing the second function.
18. 18 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising: based on an input being concurrently received with respect to both the first key button and the second key button, executing the second function independently of whether an external object is not contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface.
19. 19 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising: based on the input being received while an external object is identified via the grip sensor as not contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface, recognizing an external object being not contacted on at least the portion of the exterior surface as another input received with respect to the second key button; and based on the recognition, executing the second function.
20. 20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the grip sensor includes a proximity.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/KR2023/005832, designating the United States, filed on Apr. 27, 2023, in the Korean Intellectual Property Receiving Office and claiming priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0087223 filed on Jul. 14, 2022 in the Korean Intellectual Property Receiving Office and to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0076483 filed on Jun. 22, 2022, in the Korean Intellectual Property Receiving Office, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. BACKGROUND Field Various embodiments relate to an electronic device and a method for executing a designated function according to a contact of an external object. Description of Related Art An electronic device may include a plurality of buttons. The electronic device may selectively execute functions assigned to the plurality of buttons based on an input with respect to at least one of the plurality of buttons. For example, based on a gesture of pressing each of the plurality of buttons, the electronic device may execute any one of the different functions assigned to each of the plurality of buttons. SUMMARY According to an embodiment, an electronic device may comprise a plurality of buttons, a housing including a first area where the plurality of buttons are exposed to an outside, a sensor to identify an external object being contacted on a second area different from the first area of the housing, memory to store instructions, and at least one processor operably coupled to the plurality of buttons, the sensor, and the memory. The at least one processor, when the instructions are executed, may be configured to receive an input with respect to a first button among the plurality of buttons. The at least one processor, when the instructions are executed, may be configured to, in response to the input in a first state identifying the external object being contacted on the second area based on the sensor, execute a first function among a plurality of functions assigned to the first button. The at least one processor, when the instructions are executed, may be configured to, in response to the input in a second state, that is different from the first state, identifying a release of the external object based on the sensor, execute a second function included in the plurality of functions assigned to a combination of the first button and a second button different from the first button among the plurality of buttons. According to an embodiment, a method of an electronic device may comprise receiving an input with respect to a first button among a plurality of buttons included in a first area that is exposed to an outside of a housing. The method of the electronic device may comprise, in response to the input in a first state identifying an external object being contacted on a second area based on a sensor to identify the external object being contacted on the second area different from the first area of the housing, executing a first function among a plurality of functions assigned to the first button. The method of the electronic device may comprise, in response to the input in a second state, that is different from the first state, identifying a release of the external object based on the sensor, executing a second function included in the plurality of functions assigned to a combination of the first button and a second button different from the first button among the plurality of buttons. According to an embodiment, an electronic device may comprise a first display included in a first housing, a second display included in a second housing different from the first housing, a sensor to identify an external object on at least a partial area of the first housing, memory to store instructions, and at least one processor operably coupled to the first display, the second display, the sensor, and the memory. The at least one processor, when the instructions are executed, may be configured to display a keyboard in a first area of the first display. The at least one processor, when the instructions are executed, may be configured to receive an input with respect to a first button among a plurality of buttons included in the keyboard. The at least one processor, when the instructions are executed, may be configured to, in response to the input in a first state identifying the external object being contacted on a second area, which is at least a partial area of the housing based on the sensor, execute a first function among a plurality of functions assigned to the first button. The at least one processor, when the instructions are executed, may be configured to, in response to the input in a second state, that is different from the first state, identifying a release of the external object based on the sensor, execute a second function included in the plurality of functions assigned to a combination of the first button and a second b