KR20100124113A - Mobile terminal capable of controlling operation using a touchless sensor and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A portable terminal capable of controlling operation by using a non-contact sensor and a method for controlling the same are provided to perform the display and the movement of a pointer on a screen without touch of a screen by the non-contact sensor, thereby executing the desired operation. CONSTITUTION: A control unit display a pointer on a operation screen if approaching object is detected(S205,S210). According to the movement of a approaching object, the control unit controls the display and the movement of the pointer(S215,S220). If impact or vibration is detected, the control unit controls the performance of a preset operation according to the selected object(S235,S240). If the touch input or user input occurs, the control unit controls the corresponding performance(S245,S250).

Description

Mobile terminal capable of controlling operation using a touchless sensor and control method

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable terminal and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to a portable terminal capable of controlling an operation using a touchless sensor and a control method thereof.

A portable terminal is a portable device that is portable and has one or more functions for making voice and video calls, inputting and outputting information, and storing data. As the functions of the portable terminal have diversified, they have complicated functions such as photographing and photographing, playing music files and video files, receiving games, receiving broadcasts, and wireless internet, and have developed a comprehensive multimedia player, .

In the portable terminal implemented in the form of such a multimedia device, new attempts have been applied in various ways in terms of hardware and software to implement complex functions. In addition, while a mobile terminal is regarded as a personal portable device for expressing a user's personality, various types of changes such as a double-sided LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and a front touch screen that are seen from both sides are also required, and a watch phone A new type of portable terminal such as) is also emerging.

By the way, in the case of the watch phone which is generally a watch type, the motion control method through the buttons is difficult for the user to intuitively use, and it takes time to master the operation method, and the button keys cause negative factors in terms of design. Can be.

In addition, the motion control method through the touch screen is convenient for the user to use through an intuitive touch, but in general, it is difficult to operate due to the small size of the touch screen applied to the wristwatch-type portable terminal. When touched, fingerprints remain on the screen, and a clear screen cannot be maintained.

Accordingly, in order to efficiently use various functions provided in a wristwatch type portable terminal, it is necessary to control the operation of the portable terminal through a new input / output method.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a portable terminal capable of controlling various operations in a touchless manner and a control method thereof.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control method of a portable terminal, the method comprising: displaying an operation screen on a display unit, providing a detection sensor for detecting a proximity object by an ultrasonic reflected wave, and detecting the output from the detection sensor Displaying the pointer on the operation screen when the proximity object is detected according to a signal; and displaying the pointer in response to the movement of the proximity object when the movement of the proximity object is detected according to a change of the detection signal. Moving the.

In addition, a sensor for detecting vibration may be provided, and when vibration is detected through the sensor, an operation corresponding to an object indicated by the pointer may be executed on the operation screen.

On the other hand, the portable terminal according to the present invention, a display unit for displaying an operation screen, a sensing unit for detecting a proximity object using an ultrasonic sensor, and when the proximity object is detected according to the detection signal output from the sensing unit, And a controller which displays a pointer on an operation screen and moves the display position of the pointer in response to the movement of the proximity object when the movement of the proximity object is detected according to the change of the detection signal.

According to the present invention, by using a detection sensor that detects a proximity object in a non-contact manner, such as an ultrasonic sensor, by displaying and moving the pointer on the screen without touching the screen, the user can perform the desired operation. Accordingly, even when a display unit having a small size is applied to the portable terminal, various operations can be conveniently controlled in a non-contact manner.

Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings will be described the present invention in more detail.

The portable terminal described in the present specification includes a mobile phone, a smart phone, a notebook computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP), navigation, and the like. In addition, suffixes "module" and " part "for the components used in the following description are given merely for convenience of description, and do not give special significance or role in themselves. Therefore, the "module" and "unit" may be used interchangeably.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a portable terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. Referring to FIG. 1, a portable terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in terms of components according to functions.

1, the portable terminal 100 includes a wireless communication unit 110, an A / V input unit 120, a user input unit 130, a sensing unit 140, an output unit 150, A memory 160, an interface unit 170, a control unit 180, and a power supply unit 190. Such components may be configured by combining two or more components into one component, or by dividing one or more components into two or more components as necessary when implemented in an actual application.

The wireless communication unit 110 may include a broadcast receiving module 111, a mobile communication module 113, a wireless Internet module 115, a short distance communication module 117, and a GPS module 119.

The broadcast receiving module 111 receives at least one of a broadcast signal and broadcast related information from an external broadcast management server through a broadcast channel. In this case, the broadcast channel may include a satellite channel, a terrestrial channel, and the like. The broadcast management server may refer to a server for generating and transmitting at least one of a broadcast signal and broadcast related information and a server for receiving at least one of the generated broadcast signal and broadcast related information and transmitting the broadcast signal to the terminal.

The broadcast related information may mean information related to a broadcast channel, a broadcast program, or a broadcast service provider. The broadcast signal may include not only a TV broadcast signal, a radio broadcast signal, and a data broadcast signal, but also a broadcast signal having a data broadcast signal combined with a TV broadcast signal or a radio broadcast signal. The broadcast related information may also be provided through a mobile communication network, and in this case, may be received by the mobile communication module 113. Broadcast related information may exist in various forms. For example, it may exist in the form of Electronic Program Guide (EPG) of Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) or Electronic Service Guide (ESG) of Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H).

The broadcast receiving module 111 receives broadcast signals using various broadcasting systems. In particular, the broadcast receiving module 111 may be a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Terrestrial (DMB-T), a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Satellite (DMB-S) ), Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H), Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial (ISDB-T), and the like. In addition, the broadcast receiving module 111 may be configured to be suitable for all broadcast systems providing broadcast signals as well as such digital broadcast systems. 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 113 transmits and receives a radio signal with at least one of a base station, an external terminal, and a server on a mobile communication network. Here, the wireless signal may include various types of data according to voice call signal, video call signal, or text / multimedia message transmission and reception.

The wireless Internet module 115 refers to a module for wireless Internet access, and the wireless Internet module 115 can be embedded in the mobile terminal 100 or externally. Wireless Internet technologies may include Wireless LAN (Wi-Fi), Wireless Broadband (Wibro), World Interoperability for Microwave Access (Wimax), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), and the like.

The short-range communication module 117 refers to a module for short-range communication. Bluetooth, radio frequency identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), ultra wideband (UWB), ZigBee, and the like can be used as the short distance communication technology.

A GPS (Global Position System) module 119 receives position information from a plurality of GPS satellites.

The A / V (Audio / Video) input unit 120 is for inputting an audio signal or a video signal, and may include a camera 121 and a microphone 123. The camera 121 processes image frames such as still images or moving images obtained by the image sensor in the video call mode or the photographing mode. The processed image frame may be displayed on the display unit 151.

The image frame processed by the camera 121 may be stored in the memory 160 or transmitted to the outside through the wireless communication unit 110. The camera 121 may be equipped with two or more cameras according to the configuration of the terminal.

The microphone 123 receives an external sound signal by a microphone in a communication mode, a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, or the like, and processes it as electrical voice data. The processed voice data can be converted into a form that can be transmitted to the mobile communication base station through the mobile communication module 113 and output when the voice data is in the call mode. The microphone 123 may be a variety of noise reduction algorithms for eliminating noise generated in receiving an external sound signal.

The user input unit 130 generates key input data input by the user for controlling the operation of the terminal. The user input unit 130 may include a key pad, a dome switch, a touch pad (static pressure / capacitance), a jog wheel, a jog switch, a finger mouse, and the like. Particularly, when the touch pad has a mutual layer structure with the display unit 151 described later, it can be called a touch screen.

The sensing unit 140 senses the current state of the portable terminal 100 such as the open / close state of the portable terminal 100, the position of the portable terminal 100, Thereby generating a sensing signal. For example, when the mobile terminal 100 is in the form of a slide phone, it may sense whether the slide phone is opened or closed. In addition, it may be responsible for sensing functions related to whether the power supply unit 190 is supplied with power, whether the interface unit 170 is coupled to an external device, and the like.

The sensing unit 140 may include a sensor 141, a pressure sensor 143, and an acceleration sensor 145. The sensor 141 may detect an approaching object or the presence or absence of an object present in the vicinity in a non-contact manner without mechanical contact. The detection sensor 141 may detect a proximity object by using ultrasonic waves, using a change in an alternating magnetic field or a change in a static magnetic field, or using a rate of change in capacitance. The sensor 141 may be provided with two or more according to the configuration aspect.

The pressure sensor 143 may detect whether pressure is applied to the portable terminal 100, the magnitude of the pressure, and the like. The pressure sensor 143 may be installed at a portion where the pressure of the portable terminal 100 is required depending on the use environment. If the pressure sensor 143 is installed in the display unit 151, a touch input through the display unit 151 and a greater pressure than the touch input are applied according to a signal output from the pressure sensor 143. The pressure touch input can be identified. Also, the magnitude of the pressure applied to the display unit 151 at the time of the pressure touch input can be determined according to the signal output from the pressure sensor 143. [

The acceleration sensor 145 converts an acceleration signal in one direction into an electrical signal, and is widely used with the development of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. The acceleration sensor 145 measures the acceleration of a large value embedded in an airbag system of a vehicle and used to detect a collision. There are many different types of measurements. The acceleration sensor 145 is usually configured by mounting two or three axes in one package, and depending on the use environment, only one Z axis may be required. Therefore, when the acceleration sensor in the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction is used instead of the Z-axis direction for some reason, the acceleration sensor may be mounted on the main substrate by using a separate piece substrate. Vibration or shock applied to the mobile terminal 100 may be detected through the acceleration sensor 145.

The output unit 150 is for outputting an audio signal, a video signal, or an alarm signal. The output unit 150 may include a display unit 151, an audio output module 153, an alarm unit 155, and a haptic module 157.

The display unit 151 displays and outputs information processed by the mobile terminal 100. For example, when the portable terminal 100 is in the call mode, a UI (User Interface) or a GUI (Graphic User Interface) associated with a call is displayed. When the portable terminal 100 is in the video communication mode or the photographing mode, the photographed or received images can be displayed individually or simultaneously, and the UI and the GUI are displayed.

Meanwhile, as described above, when the display unit 151 and the touch pad have a mutual layer structure and constitute a touch screen, the display unit 151 may be used as an input device in addition to the output device. If the display unit 151 is configured as a touch screen, it may include a touch screen panel, a touch screen panel controller, and the like. In this case, the touch screen panel is a transparent panel attached to the outside and may be connected to the internal bus of the portable terminal 100. The touch screen panel keeps a watch on the contact result, and if there is a touch input, sends the corresponding signals to the touch screen panel controller. The touch screen panel controller processes the signals and then transmits the corresponding data to the controller 180 so that the controller 180 can know whether there is a touch input and which area of the touch screen has been touched.

In addition, the display unit 151 may be configured of an electronic paper (e-Paper). Electronic paper (e-Paper) is a kind of reflective display, and has excellent visual characteristics such as high resolution, wide viewing angle and bright white background as conventional paper and ink. The electronic paper (e-paper) can be implemented on any substrate such as plastic, metal, paper, and the image is retained even after the power is shut off, and the battery life of the portable terminal 100 is long Can be maintained. As the electronic paper, a hemispherical twist ball filled with a telephone can be used, or an electrophoresis method and a microcapsule can be used.

In addition, the display unit 151 may include a liquid crystal display, a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display, an organic light-emitting diode, a flexible display, and a three-dimensional display. It may include at least one of (3D display). In addition, two or more display units 151 may exist according to the implementation form of the mobile terminal 100. For example, the external display unit (not shown) and the internal display unit (not shown) may be simultaneously provided in the portable terminal 100.

The audio output module 153 outputs audio data received from the wireless communication unit 110 or stored in the memory 160 in a call signal reception mode, a call mode or a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, a broadcast reception mode, In addition, the sound output module 153 outputs a sound signal related to a function performed in the portable terminal 100, for example, a call signal reception sound and a message reception sound. The sound output module 153 may include a speaker, a buzzer, and the like.

The alarm unit 155 outputs a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event of the portable terminal 100. Examples of events occurring in the mobile terminal 100 include call signal reception, message reception, key signal input, and the like. The alarm unit 155 outputs a signal for notifying occurrence of an event in a form other than an audio signal or a video signal. For example, the signal may be output in the form of vibration. The alarm unit 155 can output a signal to notify when a call signal is received or a message is received. Also. When the key signal is input, the alarm unit 155 may output the signal as a feedback to the key signal input. The user may recognize the occurrence of an event through the signal output from the alarm unit 155. A signal for notifying the occurrence of an event in the portable terminal 100 may also be output through the display unit 151 or the sound output module 153. [

The haptic module 157 generates various tactile effects that the user can feel. A typical example of the haptic effect generated by the haptic module 157 is a vibration effect. When the haptic module 157 generates vibration with a haptic effect, the intensity and pattern of the vibration generated by the haptic module 157 can be converted, and the different vibrations can be synthesized and output or sequentially output.

In addition to the vibration, the haptic module 157 may be operated by a pin array that vertically moves with respect to the contact skin surface, by the stimulation through the injection force or the suction force of the air through the injection or inlet, or by the stimulus that strikes the skin surface. Various tactile effects can be generated, such as effects of stimulation through contact of electrodes, effects of stimulation using electrostatic force, and effects of reproducing a sense of cold and warm using elements capable of endothermic or exothermic heat. The haptic module 157 can be implemented not only to transmit the tactile effect through direct contact but also to feel the tactile effect through the muscular sense of the user's finger or arm. Two or more haptic modules 157 may be provided according to a configuration aspect of the mobile terminal 100.

The memory 160 may store a program for processing and controlling the controller 180 and may provide a function for temporarily storing input or output data (for example, a phone book, a message, a still image, a video, etc.). It can also be done.

The memory 160 may be a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (for example, SD or XD memory), RAM The storage medium may include at least one type of storage medium. In addition, the mobile terminal 100 may operate a web storage that performs a storage function of the memory 160 on the Internet.

The interface unit 170 serves as an interface with all external devices connected to the portable terminal 100. Examples of external devices connected to the mobile terminal 100 include wired / wireless headsets, external chargers, wired / wireless data ports, memory cards, subscriber identification module (SIM) cards, and user identity module (UIM) cards. Card sockets, audio input / output (I / O) terminals, video input / output (I / O) terminals, and earphones. The interface unit 170 receives data from the external device or receives power from the external device and transmits the data to each component in the portable terminal 100 so that data in the portable terminal 100 can be transmitted to the external device .

The interface unit 170 is a path through which power from the cradle connected when the portable terminal 100 is connected to the external cradle is supplied to the portable terminal 100 or various command signals inputted from the cradle by the user are carried And may be a passage to be transmitted to the terminal 100.

The controller 180 typically controls the operation of the respective units to control the overall operation of the mobile terminal 100. For example, perform related control and processing for voice calls, data communications, video calls, and the like. In addition, the controller 180 may include a multimedia playback module 181 for multimedia playback. The multimedia playback module 181 may be configured in hardware in the controller 180 or may be configured in software separately from the controller 180.

The power supply unit 190 receives external power and internal power under the control of the controller 180 and supplies power necessary for operation of the respective components.

The mobile terminal 100 having such a configuration can be configured to be operable in a communication system capable of transmitting data through a frame or a packet, including a wired / wireless communication system and a satellite-based communication system. have.

The portable terminal related to the present invention has been described above in terms of its components. Hereinafter, referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the portable terminal related to the present invention will be further described in terms of components according to appearance. For convenience of description, a wristwatch type portable terminal that can be worn on a user's wrist among various types of portable terminals such as a folder type, a bar type, a swing type, a slider type, and the like will be described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to the wristwatch type portable terminal, but can be applied to all types of portable terminals including the aforementioned type.

2 is a front perspective view of a wristwatch type portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, the mobile terminal includes a case formed by the front case 100A-1 and the rear case 100A-2, and a band 100B extending from the case to be worn on the user's wrist. Include.

Various electronic components are embedded in the space formed by the front case 100A-1 and the rear case 100A-2. At least one intermediate case may be further disposed between the front case 100A-1 and the rear case 100A-2. Such cases may be formed by injecting synthetic resin, or may be formed to have a metal material such as stainless steel (STS) or titanium (Ti).

In the main body, specifically, the front case 100A-1, the display unit 151, the first sound output module 153a, the first camera 121a, the microphone 123, and the first to fourth detection sensors 141a, 141b, 141c, and 141d may be disposed.

The display unit 151 includes a liquid crystal display (LCD), organic light emitting diodes (OLED), and the like, which visually express information. The display unit 151 may be configured such that the touch pad overlaps the layer structure so that the display unit 151 operates as a touch screen to input information by a user's touch. The first acoustic output module 153a may be implemented in the form of a receiver or a speaker. The first camera 121a may be implemented to be suitable for capturing an image or a video of a user or the like. The microphone 123 may be implemented in a form suitable for receiving a user's voice, other sounds, and the like.

First to third user input units 130a, 130b, and 130c may be disposed on side surfaces of the rear case 100A-2. An interface unit (not shown) may be disposed in the front case 100A-1 or the second rear case 100B-2.

The first to third user input units 130a, 130b, and 130c may be collectively referred to as the user input unit 130, and may be employed in any manner as long as the user is operating in a tactile manner. For example, the user input unit 130 may be implemented as a dome switch or a touch pad that may receive a command or information by a user's push or touch operation, or may be operated by a wheel or jog method or a joystick that rotates a key. Or the like. In the functional aspect, the user input unit 130 is for inputting a command such as start, end, scroll, or the like, or for inputting numbers, letters, symbols, and the like. In addition, the user input unit 130 may operate as a hot-key for activating a special function in the mobile terminal 100.

3 is a rear perspective view of the mobile terminal shown in FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 3, an acceleration sensor capable of detecting vibrations or shocks applied to the mobile terminal 100 may be mounted on the rear of the rear case 100B-2, and the rear case 100B-2 may be mounted on the rear case 100A-2. Two cameras (not shown) may be further arranged.

The second camera may have a photographing direction substantially opposite to that of the first camera 121a, and may have different pixels from the first camera 121a. For example, in the case of a video call or the like, the first camera 121a has a low pixel so that the user's face is photographed and transmitted to the other party, and the second camera 121b photographs a general subject and does not transmit it immediately. In many cases, it is desirable to have a high pixel.

A flash (not shown) and a mirror (not shown) may be further disposed adjacent to the second camera. The flash shines toward the subject when the subject is photographed by the second camera. The mirror allows the user to see his / her own face or the like when the user wishes to photograph himself (self-photographed) using the second camera.

A second sound output module (not shown) may be further disposed on the rear case 100A-2. The second sound output module may implement the stereo function together with the first sound output module 153a, and may be used for talking in the speakerphone mode.

In addition, an antenna (not shown) for receiving a broadcast signal may be disposed on one side of the rear case 100A-2 in addition to an antenna for a call. The antenna may be installed to be pulled out of the rear case 100A-2.

In the above, the second camera or the like has been described as being disposed in the rear case 100A-2, but is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, at least one or more of the configurations described as being disposed in the rear case 100A-2, such as a second camera, may be mounted in the front case 100A-1. In addition, even if the second camera is not provided separately, the first camera 121a may be rotatably formed to be able to photograph up to the photographing direction of the second camera.

A power supply unit (not shown) for supplying power to the portable terminal is mounted on the rear case 100A-2. The power supply unit may be, for example, a rechargeable battery and detachably coupled to the rear case 100A-2 for charging.

4 is a flowchart provided to explain a method for controlling a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 4, the controller 180 displays an operation screen corresponding to the selected menu or operation on the display unit 151 (S200). At this time, examples of the operation screen to be displayed include a standby screen, a message reception screen, a message transmission screen, a main menu screen, an image or video viewer screen, a broadcast screen, a map screen, and a web page screen.

When the user's finger is close to the portable terminal 100 while the operation screen is displayed (S205), the controller 180 displays a pointer on the operation screen (S210).

In this case, a proximity object such as a user's finger or the like may be detected using an ultrasonic sensor as the detection sensor 141. The ultrasonic sensor generally uses a piezoelectric vibrator, and may be configured as a transmitter for applying an electric signal of a constant frequency to the vibrator to perform sound transmission, and a receiver for generating a voltage by the received acoustic vibration. The ultrasonic sensor can grasp the distance, the position, etc. to a near object by the time until an ultrasonic wave is emitted and a change in the period, amplitude, etc. of received ultrasonic wave.

 If the movement of the proximity object is detected according to the change of the detection signal output from the detection sensor 141 (S215), the controller 180 controls the pointer to be displayed in response to the movement of the proximity object (S215). S220). For example, in the case of a wristwatch type portable terminal, when the user touches the fingertip to the back of the hand while wearing the portable terminal, the pointer displayed on the operation screen may be moved by moving the back of the fingertip.

In addition, when the movement of the proximity object having a larger amount of reflected ultrasonic waves is detected than the normal case using the fingertip (S225), the controller 180 controls to perform a drag input operation corresponding to the movement of the proximity object (S230). . An example of the case where the reflected volume is larger than the general case may be a case using a finger node or a palm or the like.

When a shock or vibration is detected through the acceleration sensor 141 (S240), the controller 180 controls the preset operation to be performed in response to the object indicated by the pointer or the object selected by the drag input operation. (S245). In this case, examples of the object indicated by the pointer include a hyperlink object, a soft key, a menu icon, and the like. According to the operation mode, when the first vibration is detected, an object indicated by the pointer is selected, and when the second vibration is detected, an operation corresponding to the selected object may be performed. In addition, the object selected by the pointer or the pointer is located may be displayed in a different color or shape than other objects.

If there is another user input such as a touch input or a key input or an event such as a call reception occurs (S245), the controller 180 controls to perform an operation corresponding to the user input or event generation (S250).

This process is repeatedly performed until the end of the operation is selected (S235), it is possible to control the operation of the portable terminal by a non-contact method.

5 is a flowchart provided to explain a method for controlling a portable terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, a case in which the operation of the portable terminal is controlled by the three-dimensional method using the proximity depth indicating the proximity of the proximity object to the display unit 151 will be described.

Referring to FIG. 5, the controller 180 displays an operation screen corresponding to the selected menu or operation on the display unit 151 (S300). When the user's finger is close to the portable terminal 100 while the operation screen is displayed (S305), the controller 180 displays a pointer on the operation screen (S310).

If a finger or the like approaches the display unit 151 while the pointer is displayed on the operation screen (S305), the controller 180 displays the pointer on the operation screen (S310).

Next, when the movement of the proximity object is detected at the third proximity depth according to the change of the detection signal output from the detection sensor 141 (S315), the controller 180 moves the pointer in response to the movement of the proximity object. Control to be displayed (S320).

At this time, the first proximity depth when the location is located less than the D1 distance on the display unit 151, the second proximity depth when the distance is located more than the D1 distance or less than the D2 distance on the display unit 151, and the display unit If the distance is greater than or equal to D2 and less than or equal to the distance D3 on the reference numeral 151, the third proximity depth is set.

When the movement of the proximity object is detected at the second proximity depth according to the change of the detection signal output from the detection sensor 141 (S325), the controller 180 controls to perform a drag input operation corresponding to the movement of the proximity object. (S330).

When the proximity object is detected at the first proximity depth according to the change of the detection signal output from the detection sensor 141 (S335), the controller 180 may be configured to the object indicated by the pointer or the object selected by the drag input operation. Correspondingly, a predetermined operation is controlled to be performed (S340).

If there is another user input such as a touch input or a key input or an event such as a call reception occurs (S345), the controller 180 controls to perform an operation corresponding to the user input or event generation (S350).

This process is repeatedly performed until the end of the operation is selected (S355), it is possible to control the operation of the portable terminal by a contactless three-dimensional method.

6 to 10 are views referred to for describing the operation control method of the mobile terminal according to the present invention. Hereinafter, for convenience of description, a case of using an ultrasonic sensor will be described. However, in the present invention, the sensor used for detecting and moving the proximity object is not limited to the ultrasonic sensor, and various non-contact sensors may be used.

6 illustrates a case where the user's finger is in contact with the back of the hand of the user wearing the wristwatch-type portable terminal. In this case, the first and second detection sensors 141a and 141b may detect the user's finger as a proximity object.

In the case of a wristwatch type portable terminal, since the characteristic thereof is a watch, the portable terminal may be recognized as a two-dimensional plane when the portable terminal is worn on the wrist, thereby controlling the portable terminal in a non-contact manner.

7 is a diagram for explaining a case where a display position of a pointer displayed on an operation screen is moved. As shown in FIG. 7, when the user's finger is located at the first position 403 of the back of the hand, the distance between 1A and 2A is sensed by the first and second detection sensors 141a and 141b to display the operation screen. The pointer is displayed at the first position 413. Then, when the user's finger is moved to the second position 405 of the back of the hand, the distance between 1B and 2B is sensed by the first and second detection sensors 141a and 141b to the second position 415 of the operation screen. The display position of the pointer moves. Therefore, the pointer displayed on the operation screen may be moved according to the movement of the user's finger.

8 is a diagram for describing a case of executing an operation corresponding to an object indicated by a pointer. As shown in FIG. 8, when the finger 421 taps the back of the hand, vibration is detected by the acceleration sensor 145, and may be recognized as an operation corresponding to a mouse click. Accordingly, the preset operation may be performed corresponding to the object indicated by the pointer.

In addition to the vibration execution method, an operation corresponding to the object indicated by the pointer may be executed even when the user's finger is not moving for a predetermined time. That is, an operation corresponding to the click operation of the mouse may be performed according to the time elapsed.

9 is a diagram for describing a case of performing a drag input operation. As shown in FIG. 9, when two fingers are attached to the back of the hand and moved, the amount of ultrasonic waves that are emitted from the ultrasonic sensor, touches the finger, and is reflected by the finger is increased as compared with the case of using the fingertip. As such, when the amount of reflected ultrasonic waves is larger than the normal amount of reflection, a drag input operation may be performed.

In addition, as described above, the operation of the portable terminal can be controlled in a three-dimensional manner. As shown in FIG. 10, the first proximity depth, the second proximity depth, and the D2 distance when the mobile terminal 100 is spaced apart from the D1 distance by less than the D1 distance and are located below the D2 distance by more than D1 distance. If the distance is less than the distance D3 is set to the third proximity depth

When the user's finger approaches the D3 position, the user's finger may display a pointer on the operation screen. If the user moves between D2 and D1 of the user's finger, the drag input operation may be processed. If the user moves closer to D1 of the user's finger, the user may execute an operation corresponding to the object indicated by the pointer.

Such a portable terminal and a control method thereof according to the present invention are not limited to the configuration and method of the embodiments described as described above, but the embodiments are all or all of the embodiments so that various modifications can be made. Some may be optionally combined.

Meanwhile, the present invention can be embodied as processor readable codes on a processor readable recording medium provided in a mobile terminal such as a mobile station modem (MSM). The processor-readable recording medium includes all kinds of recording devices that store data that can be read by the processor. Examples of the processor-readable recording medium include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, optical data storage device, and the like, and also include a carrier wave such as transmission through the Internet. The processor-readable recording medium can also be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the processor-readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion.

In addition, although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but the technical field to which the invention belongs without departing from the spirit of the invention claimed in the claims. Of course, various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art, and these modifications should not be individually understood from the technical spirit or the prospect of the present invention.

1 is a block diagram of a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a perspective view of a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a rear perspective view of the mobile terminal shown in FIG. 2;

4 is a flowchart provided to explain a method for controlling a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;

5 is a flowchart provided to explain a method for controlling a portable terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

6 to 10 are views referred to for describing a control method of a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

110: wireless communication unit 120: A / V input unit

130: user input unit 140: sensing unit

150: output unit 151: display unit

160: memory 170: interface unit

180: control unit

Claims (15)

Displaying an operation screen on a display unit; Providing a detection sensor for detecting a proximity object by an ultrasonic reflected wave, and displaying the pointer on the operation screen when the proximity object is detected according to a detection signal output from the detection sensor; And And when the movement of the proximity object is detected according to the change of the detection signal, moving the display position of the pointer in response to the movement of the proximity object. The method of claim 1, And providing a sensor for detecting vibration, and if the vibration is detected through the sensor, executing an operation corresponding to an object indicated by the pointer on the operation screen. The method of claim 1, And performing a drag input operation in response to the movement of the proximity object when the amount of ultrasonic waves reflected from the proximity object is greater than or equal to a reference value. The method of claim 3, And changing the shape of the pointer during the drag input operation. The method of claim 1, And executing the operation corresponding to the object indicated by the pointer on the operation screen when the detection signal has not changed for a predetermined time. The method of claim 5, And setting the predetermined time based on a user command. The method of claim 1, And detecting that the proximity distance of the proximity object is less than or equal to the reference value according to the change of the detection signal, executing the operation corresponding to the object indicated by the pointer on the operation screen. Control method. The method of claim 1, And setting the shape of the pointer based on a user command. The method of claim 1, And displaying a control menu associated with the operation screen when the proximity object is detected. A display unit provided in the main body to display an operation screen; Sensing unit for detecting the proximity object using the ultrasonic sensor; And When the proximity object is detected according to the detection signal output from the sensing unit, a pointer is displayed on the operation screen, and when the movement of the proximity object is detected according to the change of the detection signal, the proximity object is moved in response to the movement of the proximity object. And a control unit for moving the display position of the pointer. The method of claim 10, Further comprising a sensor for detecting vibration, The control unit, when the vibration is detected through the sensor, characterized in that for controlling the execution of the operation corresponding to the object indicated by the pointer on the operation screen. The method of claim 10, The controller may be configured to perform a drag input operation corresponding to a change in the detection signal when the amount of ultrasonic waves reflected from the proximity object is greater than or equal to a reference value. The method of claim 10, The controller may be configured to control an operation corresponding to an object indicated by the pointer on the operation screen when the detection signal has not changed for a predetermined time. The method of claim 10, The controller may be configured to control to execute an operation corresponding to the object indicated by the pointer on the operation screen when it is detected that the proximity distance of the proximity object is lower than a reference value according to the change of the detection signal. terminal. The method of claim 10, The mobile terminal is provided to extend from the main body to be worn on the wrist, further comprising a band that can be adjusted in length.

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