Patent ID: 8169411

Claim:
A method of operating a touch screen device in portable electronic equipment, the touch screen device including an earphone having a switch mounted thereon configured to be manually manipulated by a user, and main body configured to be electronically connected to the earphone, the main body comprising a touch screen having a predetermined viewing area configured to display images thereon and a detector configured to detect a touch on the touch screen and generate a signal corresponding to the touch, and a controller configured to control the main body in accordance with signals received from the detector, the method comprising: controlling the main body to remain in a holding mode in which the main body does not respond to any touch on the touch screen except an activation touch for transitioning from the holding mode to an activation mode, comprising deactivating at least two functions of the main body including a first function and a second function in the holding mode; detecting a partial activation signal input at the switch on the earphone; and in response to the partial activation signal, controlling the main body to transition from the holding mode to a partial activation mode in which the main body continues not to respond to any touch on the touch screen except a holding touch for transitioning from the partial activation mode to the holding mode, comprising activating only a predefined function of the at least two functions in the partial activation mode such that the first function is activated while the second function remains deactivated in the partial activation mode, wherein when the switch on the earphone is manipulated in a first way, the main body is transitioned from the holding mode to the activation mode, and when the same switch on the earphone is manipulated in a second way, the main body is transitioned from the holding mode to the partial activation mode.