KR102138531B1 - Mobile terminal and method for controlling thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, and more particularly, to a mobile terminal having a touch screen formed at least partially of a side surface and a control method thereof. A mobile terminal related to an embodiment of the present invention includes a main body having front, rear and side surfaces; A touch screen disposed on the front surface and having a curved edge to form at least a part of the side surface; And a first index displayed on at least one display item in a first area corresponding to the front surface of the touch screen and a second area corresponding to a side surface of the touch screen, and the first sub index being removed from the first index. When selected through one touch, the at least one display item may be rearranged according to the first sub-index, and a control unit may be controlled to display a second index on the second area.

Description

Mobile terminal and its control method{MOBILE TERMINAL AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THEREOF}

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, and more particularly, to a mobile terminal having a touch screen formed at least partially of a side surface and a control method thereof.

Terminal is mobile Depending on whether or not it can be divided into a mobile terminal (mobile/portable terminal) and a fixed terminal (stationary terminal). Again, the mobile terminal may be divided into a handheld terminal and a vehicle mount terminal according to whether the user can directly carry it.

As the function is diversified, such a terminal is a multimedia player type having multiple functions such as taking a picture or a video, playing a music or video file, receiving a game, or broadcasting. Is being implemented.

Various new attempts have been applied in terms of hardware or software to implement the complex functions of the multimedia device. For example, a user interface environment is provided for a user to easily or conveniently search for or select a function.

In addition, while the mobile terminal is regarded as a personal portable product for expressing one's personality, various design forms are required. The design form also includes structural changes and improvements for the user to use the mobile terminal more conveniently. As one of these structural changes and improvements, at least a part of the side forms a curved surface so that a touch as well as a front touch of the terminal is possible, and a touch screen connected to the front may be applied. When a touch screen having such a structure is applied, functions capable of more conveniently using a side surface area formed by a curved surface are required.

One object of the present invention is to provide a more convenient user interface in a mobile terminal capable of front and side touch with a new structure different from the conventional one.

The technical problems to be achieved in the present invention are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs from the following description. Will be able to.

A mobile terminal related to an embodiment of the present invention for realizing the above-described problems includes a main body having front, rear and side surfaces; A touch screen disposed on the front surface and having a curved edge to form at least a part of the side surface; And a first index displayed on at least one display item in a first area corresponding to the front surface of the touch screen and a second area corresponding to a side surface of the touch screen, and the first sub index being removed from the first index. When selected through one touch, the at least one display item may be rearranged according to the first sub-index, and a control unit may be controlled to display a second index on the second area.

A control method of a mobile terminal related to an embodiment of the present invention for realizing the above-described problems includes displaying at least one display item in a first area corresponding to a front side of the touch screen; Displaying a first index on a second area corresponding to a side surface of the touch screen; Relocating the at least one display item according to the first sub-index when a first sub-index is selected from the first index through a first touch; And displaying a second index on the second area. At this time, the touch screen is disposed on the front of the body having the front, rear and side surfaces, it is preferable that the edge is formed in a curved shape to form at least a portion of the side.

According to the present invention, various functions may be performed according to a location where a touch is input through a mobile terminal having a touch screen in which at least a part of a side surface is formed as a curved surface.

The effects that can be obtained in the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects that are not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. will be.

1 is a block diagram of a mobile terminal related to an embodiment of the present invention (block diagram).
2 is a conceptual diagram showing the operation implemented by the present invention.
3A is a perspective view of an example of a mobile terminal related to the present invention as viewed from the front.
3B is a rear perspective view of the portable terminal shown in FIG. 3A.
4A is a flowchart illustrating an example of a search process using an index displayed on a second area in a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4B is a view for explaining an example of a form in which a first command and a second command are input according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 shows an example of a method of searching a phonebook in a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 shows an example of a method for searching an e-book in a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 shows an example of a method of searching a schedule in a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 shows an example of a scrolling method using a second area in a mobile terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention.
9 shows another example of a method for searching an e-book in a mobile terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention.
10 shows an example of a form in which a second area is used as an auxiliary display area in a mobile terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention.
11 shows an example of a menu selection method using a second area in a mobile terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, a mobile terminal related to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. The suffixes "modules" and "parts" for components used in the following description are given or mixed only considering the ease of writing the specification, and do not have meanings or roles distinguished from each other in themselves.

The mobile terminal described in this specification may include a mobile phone, a smart phone, a laptop computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, personal digital assistants (PDA), portable multimedia player (PMP), navigation, and the like.

1 is a block diagram of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention (block diagram).

The mobile terminal 100 includes a wireless communication unit 110, an audio/video (A/V) input unit 120, a user input unit 130, a sensing unit 140, an output unit 150, a memory 160, and an interface. It may include a unit 170, the control unit 180 and the power supply unit 190. The components shown in FIG. 1 are not essential, so a mobile terminal with more or fewer components may be implemented.

Hereinafter, the components will be described in turn.

The wireless communication unit 110 may include one or more modules that enable wireless communication between the mobile terminal 100 and the wireless communication system or between the mobile terminal 100 and the network in which the mobile terminal 100 is located. For example, the wireless communication unit 110 may include a broadcast reception module 111, a mobile communication module 112, a wireless Internet module 113, a short-range communication module 114, and a location information module 115. .

The broadcast receiving module 111 receives a broadcast signal and/or broadcast related information from an external broadcast management server through a broadcast channel.

The broadcast channel may include a satellite channel and a terrestrial channel. The broadcast management server may mean a server that generates and transmits broadcast signals and/or broadcast-related information or a server that receives previously generated broadcast signals and/or broadcast-related information and transmits them to a terminal. The broadcast signal may include a TV broadcast signal, a radio broadcast signal, and a data broadcast signal, and may also include a TV broadcast signal or a radio broadcast signal combined with a data broadcast signal.

The broadcast-related information may mean information related to a broadcast channel, a broadcast program, or a broadcast service provider. The broadcast-related information may also be provided through a mobile communication network. In this case, it may be received by the mobile communication module 112.

The broadcast-related information may exist in various forms. For example, it may exist in the form of an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) of Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) or an Electronic Service Guide (ESG) of Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H).

The broadcast receiving module 111, for example, DMB-T (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Terrestrial), DMB-S (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Satellite), MediaFLO (Media Forward Link Only), DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcast) Digital broadcasting signals can be received using digital broadcasting systems such as -Handheld) and ISDB-T (Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial). Of course, the broadcast receiving module 111 may be configured to be suitable for other broadcasting systems as well as the digital broadcasting system described above.

The broadcast signal and/or broadcast-related information received through the broadcast receiving module 111 may be stored in the memory 160.

The mobile communication module 112 transmits and receives wireless signals to and from at least one of a base station, an external terminal, and a server on a mobile communication network. The wireless signal may include various types of data according to transmission and reception of a voice call signal, a video call signal, or a text/multimedia message.

The wireless Internet module 113 refers to a module for wireless Internet access, and may be built in or external to the mobile terminal 100. Wireless Internet technology (Wireless LAN) (Wi-Fi), Wibro (Wireless broadband), Wimax (World Interoperability for Microwave Access), HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) may be used.

The short-range communication module 114 refers to a module for short-range communication. Bluetooth, radio frequency identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), ultra wideband (UWB), ZigBee, etc. may be used as short range communication technology.

The location information module 115 is a module for obtaining a location of a mobile terminal, and a representative example thereof is a Global Position System (GPS) module.

Referring to FIG. 1, an audio/video (A/V) input unit 120 is for inputting an audio signal or a video signal, which may include a camera 121 and a microphone 122. The camera 121 processes image frames such as still images or moving images obtained by an image sensor in a video call mode or a shooting mode. The processed image frame may be displayed on the display module 151.

The image frames processed by the camera 121 may be stored in the memory 160 or transmitted to the outside through the wireless communication unit 110. Two or more cameras 121 may be provided according to the use environment.

The microphone 122 receives an external sound signal by a microphone in a call mode, a recording mode, or a voice recognition mode, and processes it as electrical voice data. The processed voice data may be converted into a form transmittable to a mobile communication base station through the mobile communication module 112 and output. Various noise reduction algorithms for removing noise generated in the process of receiving an external sound signal may be implemented in the microphone 122.

The user input unit 130 generates input data for the user to control the operation of the terminal. The user input unit 130 may be configured with a key pad dome switch, a touch pad (static pressure/blackout), a jog wheel, a jog switch, or the like.

The sensing unit 140 detects the current state of the mobile terminal 100 such as the open/closed state of the mobile terminal 100, the location of the mobile terminal 100, the presence or absence of user contact, the orientation of the mobile terminal, and acceleration/deceleration of the mobile terminal. By generating a sensing signal for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 100. For example, when the mobile terminal 100 is in the form of a slide phone, it can sense whether the slide phone is opened or closed. In addition, it is also possible to sense whether the power supply unit 190 supplies power, whether the interface unit 170 is coupled to external devices, or the like. Meanwhile, the sensing unit 140 may include a proximity sensor 141.

The output unit 150 is for generating output related to vision, hearing, or tactile sense, and includes a display module 151, an audio output module 152, an alarm unit 153, and a haptic module 154. Can.

The display module 151 displays (outputs) information processed by the mobile terminal 100. For example, when the mobile terminal is in a call mode, a UI (User Interface) or a GUI (Graphic User Interface) related to the call is displayed. When the mobile terminal 100 is in a video call mode or a shooting mode, it displays a photographed and/or received video, UI, or GUI.

The display module 151 includes a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), and a flexible display (flexible). display) and a 3D display.

Some of these displays may be of a transparent type or a light transmissive type so that the outside can be seen through them. This may be referred to as a transparent display, and a typical example of the transparent display is TOLED (Transparant OLED). The rear structure of the display module 151 may also be configured as a light transmissive structure. With this structure, the user can see an object located behind the terminal body through an area occupied by the display module 151 of the terminal body.

Two or more display modules 151 may exist depending on the implementation form of the mobile terminal 100. For example, in the mobile terminal 100, a plurality of display modules may be spaced apart or integrally disposed on one surface, or may be disposed on different surfaces.

When the display module 151 and a sensor for sensing a touch operation (hereinafter referred to as a “touch sensor”) form a mutual layer structure (hereinafter referred to as a “touch screen”), the display module 151 may be used in addition to an output device. It can also be used as an input device. The touch sensor may have, for example, a form of a touch film, a touch sheet, and a touch pad.

The touch sensor may be configured to convert changes in pressure applied to a specific portion of the display module 151 or capacitance generated in a specific portion of the display module 151 into an electrical input signal. The touch sensor may be configured to detect not only the touched position and area, but also the pressure at the time of touch.

When there is a touch input to the touch sensor, the signal(s) corresponding thereto is sent to the touch controller. The touch controller processes the signal(s) and then transmits corresponding data to the controller 180. Accordingly, the controller 180 can know which area of the display module 151 has been touched, and the like.

Referring to FIG. 1, a proximity sensor 141 may be disposed in an inner region of a mobile terminal surrounded by the touch screen or near the touch screen. The proximity sensor refers to a sensor that detects the presence or absence of an object approaching a predetermined detection surface or an object present in the vicinity without mechanical contact using electromagnetic force or infrared rays. Proximity sensors have a longer lifespan and higher utilization than contact sensors.

Examples of the proximity sensor include a transmission type photoelectric sensor, a direct reflection type photoelectric sensor, a mirror reflection type photoelectric sensor, a high frequency oscillation type proximity sensor, a capacitive type proximity sensor, a magnetic type proximity sensor, and an infrared proximity sensor. When the touch screen is capacitive, it is configured to detect the proximity of the pointer due to a change in electric field according to the proximity of the pointer. In this case, the touch screen (touch sensor) may be classified as a proximity sensor.

Hereinafter, for convenience of description, the act of causing the pointer to be recognized as being located on the touch screen without being touched by the pointer on the touch screen is referred to as a “proximity touch”, and the touch The act of actually touching the pointer on the screen is referred to as "contact touch". The location on the touch screen that is a proximity touch with a pointer refers to a location where the pointer is perpendicular to the touch screen when the pointer is touched close.

The proximity sensor detects a proximity touch and a proximity touch pattern (eg, proximity touch distance, proximity touch direction, proximity touch speed, proximity touch time, proximity touch position, proximity touch movement state, etc.). Information corresponding to the sensed proximity touch operation and proximity touch pattern may be output on the touch screen.

The audio output module 152 may output audio data received from the wireless communication unit 110 or stored in the memory 160 in a call signal reception, a call mode or a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, a broadcast reception mode, or the like. The sound output module 152 may also output sound signals related to functions (for example, call signal reception sound, message reception sound, etc.) performed in the mobile terminal 100. The sound output module 152 may include a receiver, a speaker, and a buzzer.

The alarm unit 153 outputs a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event in the mobile terminal 100. Examples of events generated in the mobile terminal include call signal reception, message reception, key signal input, and touch input. The alarm unit 153 may output a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event by other forms, for example, vibration, in addition to a video signal or an audio signal. The video signal or the audio signal may also be output through the display module 151 or the audio output module 152, so that they 151 and 152 may be classified as part of the alarm unit 153.

The haptic module 154 generates various tactile effects that the user can feel. A typical example of the tactile effect generated by the haptic module 154 is vibration. The intensity and pattern of vibration generated by the haptic module 154 are controllable. For example, different vibrations may be synthesized and output or sequentially output.

In addition to vibration, the haptic module 154 is used for stimulation such as pin arrangement that vertically moves with respect to the contact skin surface, jet or suction power of air through a spray or intake, grazing on the skin surface, contact with an electrode, and electrostatic force. Various tactile effects can be generated, such as the effect caused by and the effect of reproducing the feeling of cold and warm using an element capable of absorbing heat or generating heat.

The haptic module 154 may not only deliver the tactile effect through direct contact, but may also be implemented so that the user can feel the tactile effect through muscle sensations such as fingers or arms. Two or more haptic modules 154 may be provided according to a configuration aspect of the portable terminal 100.

The memory 160 may store a program for the operation of the controller 180, and may temporarily store input/output data (eg, a phone book, a message, a still image, a video, etc.). The memory 160 may store data related to various patterns of vibration and sound output when a touch is input on the touch screen.

The memory 160 is a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a memory of a card type (for example, SD or XD memory), RAM (Random Access Memory, RAM), Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM), magnetic memory, magnetic It may include a storage medium of at least one type of disk, optical disk. The mobile terminal 100 may operate in relation to a web storage that performs a storage function of the memory 160 on the Internet.

The interface unit 170 serves as a passage with all external devices connected to the mobile terminal 100. The interface unit 170 receives data from an external device, receives power, transfers it to each component inside the mobile terminal 100, or allows data inside the mobile terminal 100 to be transmitted to the external device. For example, wired/wireless headset port, external charger port, wired/wireless data port, memory card port, port for connecting devices equipped with an identification module, audio input/output (I/O) port, A video input/output (I/O) port, an earphone port, and the like may be included in the interface unit 170.

The identification module is a chip that stores various information for authenticating the usage rights of the mobile terminal 100, a user identification module (UIM), a subscriber identification module (SIM), and a universal user authentication module ( Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM). The device provided with the identification module (hereinafter referred to as an'identification device') may be manufactured in a smart card format. Therefore, the identification device may be connected to the terminal 100 through a port.

When the mobile terminal 100 is connected to an external cradle, the interface unit is a passage through which power from the cradle is supplied to the mobile terminal 100, or various command signals input from the cradle by the user are moved. It can be a passage to the terminal. Various command signals or power inputted from the cradle may be operated as signals for recognizing that the mobile terminal is correctly mounted on the cradle.

The controller (controller, 180) usually controls the overall operation of the mobile terminal. For example, it performs related control and processing for voice calls, data communication, video calls, and the like. The controller 180 may include a multimedia module 181 for multimedia playback. The multimedia module 181 may be implemented in the controller 180, or may be implemented separately from the controller 180.

The controller 180 may perform a pattern recognition process capable of recognizing handwriting input or picture drawing input performed on the touch screen as text and images, respectively.

The power supply unit 190 receives external power and internal power under the control of the controller 180 and supplies power required for the operation of each component.

The various embodiments described herein can be implemented in a computer- or similar device-readable recording medium using, for example, software, hardware, or a combination thereof.

According to a hardware implementation, embodiments described herein include application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), It may be implemented using at least one of processors, controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, and electrical units for performing other functions. These may be implemented by the controller 180.

According to a software implementation, embodiments such as procedures or functions can be implemented with separate software modules that perform at least one function or operation. The software code can be implemented by software applications written in the appropriate programming language. The software code is stored in the memory 160 and may be executed by the controller 180.

2 is a conceptual diagram showing the operation implemented by the present invention.

Referring to these drawings, the display unit 251 includes a first area A disposed on the front surface of the terminal body and a second area B extending from the first area A and disposed on the side surface of the main body. To be equipped. According to the illustration, the first area (A) and the second area (B) are areas that have different types of displayed information and are divided according to different types of user graphic interfaces (GUIs).

In addition, the second area B includes a left area B1 and a right area B2 respectively disposed on the left and right sides of the terminal. Therefore, the second region B is formed in a symmetrical structure in the center of the first region A.

Referring to (a) of FIG. 2, a home screen page page may be displayed on the display unit 251 of the mobile terminal. The screen page may include at least one object, and the object may be an icon or widget of an application installed in a mobile terminal. In this case, the home screen page may be output across the first and second areas A and B. However, the present invention is not limited to this, for example, the home screen page may be output only in the first area, and the second area may be a target area to which a touch input is applied without outputting information.

Referring to (b) of FIG. 2, the control unit detects when a touch input is applied to the second area B, and performs a control operation related to the touch input. In this example, when a touch is applied to the notification icon I notifying the occurrence of an event, information related to the event is displayed on the first area A.

The operation related to the side touch described above needs to be supported by hardware. Hereinafter, a hardware configuration of the terminal performing the operation of FIG. 2 will be described in more detail. In addition to this, the present invention proposes a structure for realizing the above operation in hardware while realizing a large screen by thinning the bezel.

3A is a perspective view of an example of a mobile terminal related to the present invention as viewed from the front, and FIG. 3B is a rear perspective view of the portable terminal shown in FIG. 3A.

The disclosed mobile terminal 200 has a bar-shaped mobile phone body. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to various structures such as a slide type, a folder type, a swing type, and a swivel type in which two or more bodies are movably coupled.

The body includes a case (casing, housing, cover, etc.) forming an exterior. In this embodiment, the case may be divided into a front case 201 and a rear case 202 (refer to FIGS. 3A and 3B above). Various electronic components are embedded in the space formed between the front case 201 and the rear case 202. At least one intermediate case may be additionally disposed between the front case 201 and the rear case 202.

The cases may be formed by injecting synthetic resin or may be formed to have a metal material, for example, a metal material such as stainless steel (STS) or titanium (Ti).

A display unit 251, an audio output unit 252, a camera module 221, etc. may be disposed on the terminal body, mainly the front case 201. Interfaces 270 and the like may be disposed on side surfaces of the front case 201 and the rear case 202.

The display unit 251 occupies most of the main surface of the front case 201. That is, the display unit is disposed on the front of the terminal and is formed to display visual information. The display unit 251 of the present invention is formed in an extended form not only to the front side of the terminal, but also to the other side of the terminal. More specifically, the display unit 251 includes a first area 251-1 (corresponding to A in FIG. 2) disposed on the front surface, and extends from the first area A and is left and right on the side of the main body, respectively. And second regions 251-2 (corresponding to B1 and B2 in FIG. 2).

For example, the window disposed on the upper surface of the display unit 251 is formed in a curved shape on both sides, through which the exterior of the front and side surfaces of the main body is formed by the window. Accordingly, the first region 251-1 and the second region 251-2 may be connected to each other in a form without a physical boundary surface. In this case, the display unit 251 may be provided with a display device that is formed in a curved shape and is built to correspond to the window.

As another example, the display unit 251 may be a flexible display. The flexible display unit includes a display that can be bent, bendable, twistable, collapsible, and curlable by an external force. Here, the flexible display unit may include both a general flexible display and electronic paper.

Here, a general flexible display is a light and unbreakable sturdy display made on a thin, flexible substrate that can be bent, bent, foldable, or rolled like paper, while maintaining the display characteristics of a conventional flat panel display.

In addition, electronic paper is a display technology to which general ink characteristics are applied, and a point in which reflected light is used may be different from a general flat panel display. The electronic paper can change pictures or characters by using a twist ball or electrophoresis using a capsule.

In this way, the terminal body in a form in which both sides of the display unit are bent may be configured by flexible material characteristics.

An acoustic output unit 252 and a camera module 221 are disposed in an area adjacent to one end of both ends of the display unit 251, and a front input unit (not shown) and a microphone 222 are arranged in the area adjacent to the other end. Can.

The front input unit is an example of the user input unit 130 (see FIG. 1 ), and may include a plurality of operation units. The operation units may also be collectively referred to as a manipulation portion, and any method may be employed as long as the user operates with a tactile feeling.

Further, the display unit 251 may form a touch screen together with a touch sensor, and in this case, the touch screen may be a user input unit. Through this, a configuration without a front input unit on the front of the terminal is also possible. That is, the first region 252 may be the only input unit located in front of the terminal.

Referring to FIG. 3B, a camera module 221 ′ may be additionally mounted on the rear surface of the terminal body, that is, the rear case 202. The camera module 221 ′ has a photographing direction substantially opposite to the camera 221 (see FIG. 3A ), and may be a camera having different pixels from the camera module 221.

For example, the camera module 221 has a low pixel so as not to overwhelm the user's face in the case of a video call, etc., and transmits it to the other party, and the camera module 221' does not immediately shoot a general subject. In many cases, it is desirable to have high pixels. The camera modules 221 and 221' may be installed on the terminal body to be rotatable or pop-up.

A flash and a mirror may be additionally disposed adjacent to the camera module 221'. When the flash photographs the subject with the camera module 221', light is directed toward the subject. The mirror allows the user to reflect on the user's own face, etc. when the user wants to take a picture (self-shot) using the camera module 221'.

An audio output unit (not shown) may be additionally disposed on the rear side of the terminal body. The rear sound output unit may implement a stereo function together with the front sound output unit 252 (refer to FIG. 3A ), or may be used to implement a speakerphone mode during a call.

That is, a second sound output unit composed of the rear or speaker may be formed together with the sound output unit 252 (first sound output unit) of the front side of the terminal composed of a receiver. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the second sound output unit may be provided on the side of the terminal.

The terminal body is equipped with a power supply unit 290 for supplying power to the portable terminal 200. The power supply unit 290 may be built in the terminal body or configured to be detachable directly from the outside of the terminal body.

According to the drawing, a rear input unit 232 may be disposed on a rear side of the terminal body. The rear input unit 232 may be located below the camera module 221', for example.

The rear input unit 232 is operated to receive a command for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 200, and the input content may be variously set. For example, input commands such as power on/off, start, end, scroll, and the like, or adjust the volume of sound output from the sound output unit 252, or switch to the touch recognition mode of the display module 251. Can receive However, the present invention is not necessarily limited to this, and the terminal may include only one of the front input unit and the rear input unit 232.

Referring to FIG. 3A again, in the present invention, at least a portion of the second region 253 forms a side input. The side input unit includes a touch sensor, and may be selectively combined with the display unit. For example, the side input unit may be a touch screen together with the display unit or a touch sensing area other than the display unit.

In the embodiments described below, it is assumed that the mobile terminal has a shape as shown in FIG. 3A, and unless otherwise specified, the term "second region" refers to the second region on the right side of the mobile terminal. Is assumed. Of course, this is for convenience of description, and it is needless to say that display objects/functions displayed or executed in the second area on the right side can be similarly applied to the second area on the left side.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a mobile terminal and a control method thereof for conveniently scrolling or searching a menu using a mobile terminal having a touch screen including the first and second regions described above are provided. .

First, a step-by-step search method using an index displayed on a second area according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7.

4A is a flowchart illustrating an example of a search process using an index displayed on a second area in a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4A, first, at least one item may be displayed on the first area of the touch screen 251 (S410). Here, the items can be displayed in order, such as individual schedule or calendar date set in the schedule application, contacts in the phone book application, each page of the e-book, bulletin board posts, thumbnail images of multimedia contents, and icons in the application list. Can mean an object. These items may be displayed through a horizontal/vertical/lattice type arrangement in a list form, or only one item may be displayed at a time. Of course, these items are not necessarily displayed in the first area, and at least a part may be displayed over the second area. In addition, when there are multiple items, it is not necessarily displayed on one screen, and only a predetermined number is displayed, and the remaining items may be sequentially displayed through a method such as page switching or scrolling.

In this state, the first index may be displayed on the second area (S420). The first index may be displayed together with the item being displayed, or may be displayed when there is a touch input at any point on the second area. In addition, the first index may refer to a criterion for changing the sorting state of at least one item displayed, such as date order, alphabetical order (alphabet) order, recent use order, content capacity, and type. The first index may include one or more sub-indexes depending on the type.

When a specific sub-index (first specific index) of the first indexes is selected through the first command (S430), the display state of at least one item may be changed, that is, relocated according to the selected sub-index (S440).

Thereafter, a second index is displayed in the second area instead of the first index (S450). The second index may be the same as or different from the first index. In other cases, the second index may be a lower index of the first index. For example, when the first index includes year as a sub-index, the second index may include month as a sub-index.

In this state, when a specific sub-index (second specific index) of the second index is selected through the first command (S460), the items re-arranged according to the first specific index may be re-arranged according to the second specific index again ( S470).

If a second command is input onto the second area while the second index is displayed (S480), the first index may be displayed again on the second area (S420).

In the above-described process, the first command and the second command may be touch inputs input on the second area. Hereinafter, an example of the first command and the second command will be described with reference to FIG. 4B.

4B is a view for explaining an example of a form in which a first command and a second command are input according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4B, the first command may be a touch-drag or flicking touch input from the second area 251-2 in the opposite direction 491 of the first area 251-1. Also, the second command may be a touch-drag or flicking touch input in the direction 493 of the first area 251-1 in the second area 251-2. Of course, the directions of the first command and the second command may be set opposite to each other.

Hereinafter, referring to FIGS. 5 to 7, a search method in a phone book, an e-book, and a schedule application through the above-described method will be described in more detail.

5 shows an example of a method of searching a phonebook in a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5, it is assumed that indexes of the first and second all are in alphabetical order (that is, sub-indexes are consonants), and the first index corresponds to the first syllable and the second index corresponds to the second syllable. In addition, it is assumed that the contact information that the user wants to search for is a "LG Electronics" item.

Referring to (a) of FIG. 5, a phonebook application is executed on the touch screen 251 to display contacts. Also, in the second region 252-2, consonants are arranged in the vertical direction as the first index. Here, the user drags the slider 510 displayed on the first index to the position of the vowel (ie, “o”) corresponding to the first syllable “L” of the desired search item, and then inputs the first command. Accordingly, with the visual effect 521 indicating the selected index as shown in FIG. 5(b), the arrangement is changed such that items starting with the first syllable "o" among the contact items are displayed from the top. Here, the user drags the slider 510 to the position of the vowel ("ㅈ") corresponding to the second syllable "ji" again, and then inputs the first command. Accordingly, as shown in (c) of FIG. 5, with the visual effect 523 indicating the selected index, the sorting is performed so that items starting with the second syllable among the contact items starting with “ㅇ” are displayed from the top. can be changed. If the second command is input to the second area 251-2 in the state as shown in FIG. 5(c), the contact items may be rearranged as shown in FIG. 5(b). When input, a contact item in which a third syllable starts with a consonant corresponding to the location where the first command is input may be disposed at the top.

6 shows an example of a method for searching an e-book in a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 6, it is assumed that the first index is a chapter and the second index is a page. In addition, it is assumed that the item the user is looking for is any page of 3 chapters.

Referring to (a) of FIG. 6, the e-book application is executed and a cover page is displayed. Of course, the default page or the last read page may be displayed instead of the cover page. In the second area 252-2, the chapter list is arranged in the vertical direction as the first index. Here, when the user inputs the first command at a position corresponding to 3 chapters in the first index, the first page of 3 chapters is displayed as shown in FIG. 6B. Accordingly, pages are arranged in the vertical direction in the second area 251-2 as the second index. Here, as the user touches and drags the pointer (ie, the finger) down along the second index, a visual effect of turning pages in response to the position of the pointer as shown in FIG. 6C may be displayed. When a user releases a finger at a location corresponding to a specific page or inputs a first command, the corresponding page may be displayed in full screen.

7 shows an example of a method of searching a schedule in a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 7, it is assumed that the first index is a year, the second index is a month, and the third index is a date. In addition, it is assumed that the item the user is looking for is May 14, 2012.

When the calendar application is executed and the calendar is displayed, the year list may be listed in the vertical direction as the first index in the second area 252-2. Here, when the user inputs the first command at the location corresponding to 2012, the calendar of January 2012 is displayed along with the visual effect 710 indicating that 2012 is selected as shown in FIG. 7A. Subsequently, each month from January to December is listed in the vertical direction in the second area 251-2. Here, when the user inputs the first command at the location corresponding to May, the May 2012 calendar may be displayed along with the visual effect 720 indicating that May is selected as shown in FIG. 7B. Thereafter, dates of May are arranged in the vertical direction in the second area 251-2 as the third index. Here, when the user inputs the first command at a location corresponding to 14 days, as shown in (c) of FIG. 7, with the visual effect 730 indicating that 14 days are selected, the schedule of May 14 may be checked or input. A screen that can be displayed may be displayed.

Meanwhile, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the second area may be used to input a scroll command. This will be described with reference to FIG. 8.

8 shows an example of a scrolling method using a second area in a mobile terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to (a) of FIG. 8, as the map/navigation application is executed, a map is displayed on the touch screen 251, and an indicator 810 indicating the current location of the mobile terminal can be displayed thereon. At this time, when a touch-drag input is input in the direction of the arrow 820 onto the first area 251-1 to search around the current location, a general scroll function is executed to generate a map as shown in FIG. 8(b). Can be scrolled. Here, when the touch-drag input is again input to the first area in the direction 830 similar to the previous one, the indicator 810 and its surroundings may no longer be visible as shown in (c) of FIG. 8. In order to solve this problem, when there is a touch-drag input on the second area 251-2, a certain area 840 centers on the indicator 810 as shown in FIG. 8D, regardless of scrolling. In the screen, it can be displayed continuously without disappearing from the screen. Of course, the region 840 may be displayed in another location (for example, in the center of the screen).

Next, another scrolling method of the e-book will be described with reference to FIG. 9.

9 shows another example of a method for searching an e-book in a mobile terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to (a) of FIG. 9, as the e-book application is executed, a cover page of a specific e-book is displayed on the first area 251-1, and the second area 251-2 is the side of the actual book. As shown, the remaining pages may be displayed in the thickness direction. At this time, when the user wants to turn over about 1/4 of the entire page, when the mobile terminal is shaken in the direction of the arrow while touching the point 910 of the second area, the user can shake the mobile terminal in FIG. 9 (b). As shown, page scrolling may be performed. In addition, when the user wants to turn over half of the entire page in the state as shown in FIG. 9(a), the mobile terminal is shaken in the direction of the arrow while touching the pointer 920 of the 1/2 point of the second area. When it does, as shown in FIG. 9(c), page scrolling may be performed.

Meanwhile, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the second area may be used as an auxiliary display area. This will be described with reference to FIG. 10.

10 shows an example of a form in which a second area is used as an auxiliary display area in a mobile terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 10, it is assumed that a text is received at the mobile terminal.

Referring to (a) of FIG. 10, a notification area may be displayed as a touch-drag input is sensed downward in an indicator area at the top of the touch screen. Here, the notification area (notification region or quick panel) may generally mean an area in which icons and event information that can determine whether to activate various functions are toggled. In the notification area, information 1010 of the received text may be displayed. Here, when the user drags the information 1010 of the text displayed in the notification area to the second area, the information 1010 of the text disappears from the notification area as shown in FIG. 10(b), and the text message is displayed on the second area. The corresponding icon 1020 may be displayed. Here, when the icon 1020 is touched, the content of the character may be displayed on the second area as shown in FIG. 10(c), and when the icon 1020 is dragged to the first area again, as shown in FIG. 10(d). The text application can be executed.

Further, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the display object displayed in the first area may be selected through the second area at a position parallel thereto. This will be described with reference to FIG. 11.

11 shows an example of a menu selection method using a second area in a mobile terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to (a) of FIG. 11, a web browser application is executed on the touch screen 251 to display a web page. Four category tabs 1110 are displayed at the top of the webpage, and the first tab 1111 is selected by default, and contents corresponding to the first tab are displayed at the bottom of the category tabs. At this time, when the user inputs the first command on the position 1120 parallel to the category tabs 1110 in the second area 251-2, the second tab 1112 is selected as shown in FIG. 11B. Below the content corresponding to the second tab may be displayed. In this state, when the second command is input to the corresponding position 1120, the state as shown in FIG. 11(a) may be returned.

Also, as shown in (c) of FIG. 11, when the user touches the pointer at a position 1140 parallel to the position where the menu buttons at the bottom of the web page are disposed in the second area, indicating that the first menu button is selected by default. The visual effect 1131 may be displayed. Here, when the user inputs the first command to the corresponding location 1140 again, a visual effect 1132 indicating that the second menu is selected may be displayed.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to implement the above-described method as code readable by a processor on a medium in which a program is recorded. Examples of the medium readable by the processor include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, optical data storage device, and the like, and implemented in the form of a carrier wave (for example, transmission through the Internet). Includes.

The mobile terminal described above is not limited to the configuration and method of the above-described embodiments, the embodiments may be configured by selectively combining all or part of each embodiment so that various modifications can be made have.

Claims (16)

A body having front, rear and side surfaces;
A touch screen disposed on the front surface and having a curved edge to form at least a part of the side surface; And
At least one display item in the first area corresponding to the front of the touch screen and a first index are displayed in the second area corresponding to the side of the touch screen,
When the first sub index included in the first index displayed in the second area is touched and dragged in the opposite direction of the first area, the at least one display item is rearranged along the first sub index,
Control to display the second index in the second area,
Includes; a control unit for controlling the first index is displayed in the second area instead of the second index when the second area where the second index is displayed is touched and dragged in the direction of the first area. delete delete delete According to claim 1,
The at least one display item,
A mobile terminal comprising at least one of an individual schedule or calendar date set in a schedule application, a contact in a phone book application, a page in an e-book, a bulletin board post, a thumbnail image of multimedia content, and an icon in the application list. According to claim 1,
The mobile terminal, wherein the first index and the second index include a plurality of identical sub-indexes, According to claim 1,
The second index is a lower layer index of the first index, the mobile terminal. According to claim 1,
The control unit,
When the first sub-index is touched and dragged in the opposite direction of the first area, the mobile terminal controls to display a visual effect corresponding to the first sub-index. delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete

Images