KR20110067467A - Mobile terminal and operating method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method for operating a mobile terminal is provided to enable an accurate movement of a cursor without a touch pen by providing a direction key which moves a cursor by a character or column unit when entering a character. CONSTITUTION: A keypad for entering a character is displayed on one region of a motion screen(S320). The character entered through the keypad is displayed on a certain region of the motion screen (S330). If the region in which the character is displayed is selected, the keypad is changed to a direction key and displayed(S360). The cursor displayed on the motion screen is moved according to the direction that the direction key indicates, and then displayed(S370). If the command such as long touch, double touch, drag and multi-touch, and a switching key is entered in the region on which the character is displayed, the keypad is converted to the direction key, and then displayed.

Description

Mobile terminal and operating method

The present invention relates to a method of operating a mobile terminal, and more particularly, to a method of operating a mobile terminal capable of freely moving a cursor displayed on a screen.

A portable terminal is a portable device that is portable and has one or more functions of performing voice and video calls, inputting and outputting information, and storing data.

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.

The mobile terminal, which is being developed as a multimedia device, supports a function of immediately capturing multimedia data such as music data, pictures, and videos and transmitting it to the outside.

In addition, the portable terminal includes a recent touch screen, and supports the portable terminal by simply touching the touch screen.

Although the portable terminal is capable of touch recognition on the front of the display unit, convenience is improved, but there is a limitation in the touch manipulation using a finger unless a touch pen is used. You can always carry the touch pen with you, but it is cumbersome and lost, so it is not a reliable solution. In addition, even when the touch pen is used, movement to a desired position may not be easy depending on the shape of the touch pen.

In particular, when detailed manipulation is required, such as moving the cursor displayed on the screen in column or single character units, there is a limit in moving the cursor using a finger, and thus a method for supplementing the cursor is required.

An object of the present invention is to provide a portable terminal and an operation method capable of precise movement without a separate touch pen by supporting a direction key to move the cursor displayed on the screen in character units or column units when inputting characters.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a portable terminal, wherein when a character is input, a keypad for inputting a character is displayed on one region of an operation screen, and a character input through the keypad is displayed on a predetermined region of the operation screen. Displaying; Changing the keypad with a direction key to display the selected area on the screen; And moving and displaying a cursor displayed on the operation screen corresponding to a direction indicated by a selected key among the direction keys.

In addition, the portable terminal according to the present invention includes a display unit for displaying an operation screen; And displaying a keypad for text input in one region of the operation screen, and when the region in which the input character is displayed in the operation screen is selected, changes the keypad to an directional key, and displays a direction indicated by the selected key among the directional keys. And a control unit for moving and displaying a cursor displayed on the operation screen.

According to the present invention, a mobile terminal equipped with a front touch function displays a direction key on the screen to support cursor movement using the direction key, thereby allowing free movement of the cursor and fine movement of the cursor, and by simple operation during character input. Since the direction key can be displayed and changed to another input interface, user convenience can be improved.

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.

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.

Referring to FIG. 1, the mobile terminal 100 includes a wireless communication unit 110, an A / V input unit 120, a user input unit 130, a sensing unit 140, and an output unit 150. , A memory 160, an interface unit 170, a controller 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. The short-range communication module 117 refers to a module for short-range communication. As a short range communication technology, Bluetooth, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Ultra Wideband (UWB), ZigBee, etc. may be used. The 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 may be converted into a form transmittable to the mobile communication base station through the mobile communication module 113 and output in the call mode. The microphone 123 may use various noise removing algorithms for removing noise generated in the process of 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. In particular, when the touch pad has a mutual layer structure with the display unit 151 described later, this may be referred to as 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 motion sensor 143 and the like. In addition, it may include a proximity sensor (not shown) that can detect the presence of an object approaching, or the presence of an object in the vicinity without mechanical contact.

The motion sensor 143 detects the position or movement of the portable terminal 100. An acceleration sensor that can be used for the motion sensor 143 is an element that 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 measures the acceleration of a small value built in the airbag system of an automobile and recognizes the minute motion of the human hand and measures the acceleration of a large value used as an input means such as a game There are various types. Acceleration sensors are usually constructed by mounting two or three axes in one package. Depending on the usage environment, only one axis of Z axis is 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.

The output unit 150 is for outputting an audio signal, a video signal, or an alarm signal. The output unit 150 includes a display unit 151, an audio output module 153, an alarm unit 155, a haptic module 157, and the like. This may be included.

The display unit 151 displays and outputs information processed by the mobile terminal 100. For example, when the mobile terminal 100 is in a call mode, the mobile terminal 100 displays a user interface (UI) or a graphic user interface (GUI) related to the call. When the mobile terminal 100 is in a video call mode or a shooting mode, the mobile terminal 100 may display the captured or received images, respectively, or simultaneously, and display the UI and the GUI.

Meanwhile, as described above, when the display unit 151 and the touch pad form a mutual layer structure to form 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, the display unit 151 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 a bus inside the portable terminal. The touch screen panel keeps an eye on the contact result and sends corresponding signals to the touch screen panel controller when there is a touch input. 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 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 the display (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 sound output module 153 outputs 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, and the like. 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 portable terminal 100 include call signal reception, message reception, and key signal input. 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. When a call signal is received or a message is received, the alarm unit 155 may output a vibration to inform this. Alternatively, when a key signal is input, the alarm unit 155 may output a vibration in response to the key signal input. This vibration output allows the user to recognize the occurrence of the event. Of course, the signal for notification of event occurrence may 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 by the tactile effect, the intensity and pattern of the vibration generated by the haptic module 157 may be converted, and may be output by combining different vibrations or sequentially.

In addition to the vibration, the haptic module 157 may be provided with a function of stimulating by a pin arrangement vertically moving with respect to the contact skin surface, an effect of stimulating air through the injection or suction force of the air through the injection port or the suction port, The effect of stimulation through contact of an electrode (eletrode), the effect of stimulation by electrostatic force, and the effect of reproducing a cold sensation using a device capable of endothermic or exothermic can be generated. 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 150 on the Internet. Modified

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 a wired / wireless headset, an external charger, a wired / wireless data port, a memory card, a memory card, a SIM / UIM card, and the like, and an audio I / O (Input). / Output) terminal, video I / O (Input / Output) terminal, earphone, and the like. 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 .

When the external device is wirelessly connected to the mobile terminal 100, the interface 170 may process a signal transmitted from the external device. An example of an external device connected wirelessly is a remote controller capable of controlling the portable 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. The controller 180 may control the overall operation of the mobile terminal 100 according to a signal transmitted from the remote controller and processed by the interface unit 170.

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.

In addition, the power supply unit 190 receives external power and internal power under the control of the controller 180 to supply power required for the operation of each component.

The portable terminal related to the present invention has been described above in terms of components according to functions. 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. Hereinafter, for convenience of description, a bar type portable terminal having a front touch screen 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 bar type portable terminal, but can be applied to all types of portable terminals including the aforementioned type.

2 is a perspective view of a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a portable terminal including two display units. Referring to FIG. 2, the case forming the exterior of the portable terminal 100 is formed by the front case 100A-1 and the rear case 100A-2. Various electronic components are embedded in the space formed by the front case 100A-1 and the rear case 100A-2. The front case 100A-1 and the rear case 100A-2 may be connected in a folder type or may be connected in a slide type. 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).

The display unit 151, the first sound output module 153a, and the first camera 121a may be disposed in the main body, specifically, the front case 100A-1. The first user input unit 130c and the microphone 123 may be disposed on the side surface of the rear case 100A-2. In addition, a second user input unit such as a keypad may be disposed in the front case 100A-1 and the rear case 100A-2.

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 to allow input of information by a user's touch by operating as a touch screen by overlapping the touch pad in a layer structure.

The first sound 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.

The first to second user inputs may be collectively referred to as a user manipulating portion 130. 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 as a wheel or jog or a joystick that rotates a key. Or the like. In functional terms, the first user input 130c may act as a hot-key for activating a special function in the mobile terminal 100, and the second user input 130 may be used as a start, end, call, And inputting a selection of an operation mode, and the like.

3 is a rear perspective view of the mobile terminal shown in FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 3, a fourth user input unit 130d, a fifth user input unit 130e, and an interface unit 170 may be disposed on the side of the rear case 100A-2, and the rear case 100A-2 may be disposed. The second camera 121b may be additionally mounted on the rear side of the).

The second camera 121b 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.

The mirror 125 and the flash 126 may be further disposed adjacent to the second camera 121b. The flash 126 illuminates the subject when the subject is photographed by the second camera 121b. The mirror 125 allows the user to see his / her own face or the like when the user wants to photograph (self-photograph) the second camera 121b.

The second sound output module may be further disposed on the rear case 100A-2. The second sound output module may implement a stereo function together with the first sound output module 153a and may be used for a call in the speakerphone mode.

In addition, an antenna 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.

The interface unit 170 serves as a path for allowing the portable terminal 100 to exchange data with an external device. For example, the interface unit 170 may be at least one of a wired or wireless connection terminal for connecting to the earphone, a port for short-range communication, or a power supply terminal for supplying power to the mobile terminal 100. have. The interface unit 170 may be a card socket that accommodates an external card such as a subscriber identification module (SIM) or a user identity module (UIM) and a memory card for storing information.

In addition, a power supply unit 190 for supplying power to the portable terminal is mounted on the side of the rear case 100A-2. The power supply unit 190 is, for example, a rechargeable battery, and may be detachably coupled to the rear case 100A-2 for charging.

In the above description, the second camera 121b and the like are disposed on the rear case 100A-2, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In addition, even if the second camera 12b is not separately provided, the first camera 121a may be rotatably formed to be able to shoot up to the photographing direction of the second camera 121b.

4 is a flowchart referred to for describing a direction key display method of a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As a mobile terminal composes a message, writes an e-mail, or enters a search word while connecting to the Internet, or writes a memo, the mobile terminal inputs letters to other terminals or sites to communicate with each other. Or show the user the desired information.

When the user inputs a character in the mobile terminal, if a typo occurs or there is a word to add, the user moves to the position to be edited and edits it. In this case, the mobile terminal is provided with a touch screen to move the cursor to a point touched by the user, and to output a direction key on the screen to freely move the cursor according to the touched direction key.

As shown in FIG. 4, the mobile terminal displays a data input screen for text input on the display unit 151 at the time of writing a message, an e-mail, or a memo (S310). In the data input screen, a keypad for inputting characters is displayed on one region of the screen, and input characters are displayed on the screen (S320).

In this case, a handwriting recognition window or a keypad may be displayed and may be changed by changing an input mode.

When the key of the keypad is touched, the controller 180 recognizes and inputs a character corresponding to the selected key, and displays the input character in one area of the screen (S330). Characters are displayed in combination in the order in which the keys on the keypad are selected.

In the input window, a cursor indicating the input position is displayed. Cursor is located at the end of the inputted character, and when the characters are entered in order according to the order of the selected keys, the cursor is displayed at the end again to indicate the position to input the next character corresponding to the selected key. .

In a state in which a character input on the screen is displayed, when the region in which the character is input is touched, the controller 180 performs a predetermined operation corresponding to the touch method. At this time, even if the character is not displayed, the operation is performed as follows when the area where the character is to be displayed is touched.

When the area in which the input character is displayed is simply touched, the controller 180 moves and displays the cursor corresponding to the touched position (S350). When the touch area is large, a reference position according to the teach area may be calculated and the cursor may be moved to the position corresponding thereto.

On the other hand, when the area in which the character is displayed is long touched (S340), the controller 180 switches the keypad displayed in one area of the screen with the direction key to display (S360).

At this time, the up, down, left and right arrow keys and the OK key are displayed as the arrow keys.

As described above, when one of the direction keys is touched while the display unit 151 is long touched and a direction key is displayed in one region of the screen, the controller 180 moves and displays the cursor in response to the selected direction key (S370). ).

In this case, the controller 180 moves and displays the cursor in correspondence with at least one of the selected direction key, the number of touches, and the touch time. In addition, when the predetermined direction key is long touched for a predetermined time or more, the controller 180 causes the cursor to continuously move in the direction indicated by the selected direction key.

The controller 180 may change the movement unit of the cursor according to one direction key manipulation in response to the type of character or input mode currently input. For example, in alphabetical or numeric input mode, the user moves by one English letter unit, and in case of Korean input, the cursor moves by one Korean letter unit. When inputting special characters, move the cursor by character unit corresponding to special characters. In addition, when the predetermined direction key is long touched for a predetermined time or longer, the cursor may be displayed by moving the cursor in units of three or five characters in response to the touch time.

Therefore, the cursor can be moved in units of characters, and the cursor can be freely moved to a desired position without a separate touch pen, and detailed position movement is possible.

5 is a flowchart referred to for describing a method of switching an input interface of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the keypad is switched to the direction keys, the direction keys are displayed on the input screen displayed on the display unit 151 (S380), and the input characters are displayed on the screen (S390). In addition, the cursor may be displayed by moving the cursor corresponding to the selected direction key (S400). When the character is input again after moving the cursor as described above, the direction key can be displayed by switching to the keypad.

When selecting the confirmation key, the controller 180 changes the direction key displayed on the screen to a keypad for text input and displays it (S420). At this time, the position of the cursor remains unchanged.

The keypad is displayed on the screen, and when a predetermined key is selected from the keys of the keypad, the controller 180 inputs a character corresponding thereto and displays the character input on the screen (S430). At this time, the position of the cursor is displayed at the moved position, and the character input according to the key selection is input at the position of the cursor based on the cursor, not at the end of the input sentence.

That is, as described above, when the cursor is moved to a predetermined position on the screen by using the direction keys, the character input when the screen is switched back to the keypad is input at the changed cursor position.

6 to 9 are diagrams illustrating an operation of switching to a direction key in a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention together with a screen displayed on a display unit. 6 illustrates an example of a screen on which a change operation is displayed on a display unit using a keypad for direction input as a direction key for direction movement.

Referring to FIG. 6A, when writing a text, an email, or a memo, an input screen 510 corresponding thereto is displayed on the display unit 151.

In one area of the input screen 510, a keypad 511 for text input is displayed, and characters input through the keypad are displayed in a predetermined area 512 of the screen. Here, the keypad is not actually configured as a button, but is a touch type input interface displayed on the display unit 151 of the touch screen.

The keypad 511 may display any one of a keypad on which a plurality of keys are arranged, a qwerty keypad, or a letter recognition window through handwriting recognition according to a setting for a text input method, and may be changed through a setting. The keypad includes a plurality of keys corresponding to the characters, includes keys for inputting Korean, English, and numeric characters, includes keys for inputting special characters, and delete and confirmation keys, and for erasing the keypad from the screen. It also includes the key.

In the display unit 151, characters input through the keypad 511 are displayed in a predetermined area 512 of the screen. In this case, when the keypad 511 is closed, an input character may be displayed on the front of the screen. In some cases, while the input characters are displayed, the entire screen area of the display unit 151 may operate as a character recognition window.

When the character input through the keypad is displayed as described above, or when the area in which the character is to be displayed is long touched, as shown in FIG. 6B, the controller 180 controls the keypad 511 displayed on the screen. Changed to 521, the display is displayed.

At this time, when the keypad is switched to the direction key 521, the keypad 511 can be switched to the direction key 521 through menu selection, and in the case of double-touching the area 512 where the character is displayed, Can be switched to the direction key 521 according to the drag type. In addition, a separate switch key is provided so that the keypad 512 can be changed to the direction key 521 when the switch key is selected.

The up, down, left, and right keys are provided in the arrow keys, and an ok key is displayed. Also, a delete key, a space character key, and the like are provided. In the direction keys, the direction of movement indicated by each key is displayed as an image, and a number is displayed with it. The entered characters are retained even when the keypad is switched to the arrow keys.

In response to the selected key among the up, down, left, and right keys of the arrow keys, the controller 180 moves and displays the cursor displayed on the screen up, down, left, and right. In this case, the controller 180 moves and displays the cursor corresponding to at least one of the selected direction key, the number of touches, and the touch time. Particularly, when a predetermined key is long touched, the controller 180 continuously moves in the direction indicated by the selected key. Let's move.

The controller 180 allows the cursor to be moved by one letter according to one operation of the direction key corresponding to the type of the letter displayed in the area 522 where the letter is displayed. In this case, the movement unit may be changed according to a setting.

7 is an example of a screen in which an operation according to a movement of a cursor according to a direction key selection is displayed on a display unit. In the screen 530 on which the arrow keys are displayed, the controller 180 moves and displays the cursor corresponding to the selected key among the up, down, left, and right keys of the arrow key 532.

For example, as shown in a of FIG. 7, when the up key 532 is touched once, the controller 180 moves the cursor 531 up once to display the cursor 534 as shown in b of FIG. 7. do.

In addition, when the left key 533 is touched twice, the cursor moves two letters to the left as shown in FIG. At this time, the degree of movement may vary according to the type of the input characters. For example, English and Korean characters are different in size to form one letter, so it is generally preferable to move them by one letter unit.

In addition, when the right key is long touched, the controller 180 continuously moves the cursor to the right, and terminates the movement of the cursor when the touch ends. Alternatively, the cursor may be moved and displayed in response to the long touch time.

As shown in a of FIG. 8, when the OK key is selected on the screen 540 on which the directional key 541 is displayed, the controller 180 uses the directional key 541 as shown in b of FIG. 8. The display is switched to the keypad 553 again.

When the direction key is switched to the keypad as described above, the user can continue to input characters. At this time, a character is input corresponding to the position of the cursor, and when the cursor is located in the middle of the sentence rather than the back, a newly input character is displayed at the position.

On the screen 550 on which the keypad 553 is displayed, the cursor is displayed as it is at the position moved by the direction key 541. The position is changed according to the character input when the character is input using the keypad 553. The newly input character 551 is input at the position of the cursor 552 and the cursor 552 is positioned behind the newly input character 551.

If you want to move the position of the cursor, as described above, if you touch the area where the letter is displayed, the keypad is changed back to the direction key, so the cursor can be moved.

Referring to FIG. 9, the keypad and the direction keys may be switched in addition to the long touch depending on the setting.

If you want to change the keypad to the direction key, it can be changed through the menu selection as shown in Figure 9a in the input screen. In addition, when dragging the screen in a predetermined direction as shown in b of FIG. 9, the keypad may be changed and displayed by using a direction key. In some cases, when the screen is double touched or multi-touched, the keypad can be changed using the direction keys as described above. You can also change the direction key back to the keypad in the same way.

And the operating method of the mobile terminal according to the present invention is not limited to the configuration and method of the embodiments described as described above, the embodiments are all or part of each embodiment so that various modifications can be made It may alternatively be configured in combination.

On the other hand, the present invention can be implemented as a processor-readable code in a processor-readable recording medium provided in the mobile terminal, such as MSM (Mobile Station Modem). 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 viewed from the front,

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

4 is a flowchart referred to for explaining a direction key display method of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;

5 is a flowchart referred to for explaining a method of switching an input interface of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

6 to 9 are diagrams illustrating an operation of switching to a direction key in a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention together with a screen displayed on a display unit.

Claims (10)

Displaying a keypad for inputting a character in one region of an operation screen and displaying a character input through the keypad in a predetermined region of the operation screen when a character is input; Changing the keypad with a direction key to display the selected area on the screen; And And moving and displaying a cursor displayed on the operation screen corresponding to a direction indicated by a selected key among the direction keys. The method of claim 1, Switching the keypad to the direction key in response to at least one of long touch, double touch, dragging in a predetermined form, multitouch, and inputting a dedicated switch key. Operating method of a mobile terminal, characterized in that for displaying. The method of claim 1, And changing the direction key to the keypad when selecting a change while the direction key is displayed on the operation screen. The method of claim 1, And selecting and moving the cursor to correspond to the number of touches and the touch time. The method of claim 4, wherein When the direction key is selected, the operation method of the mobile terminal to display by moving the cursor in units of characters displayed on the operation screen. The method of claim 1, And a character corresponding to the selected key among the plurality of keys included in the keypad is input based on the position of the cursor and displayed. A display unit displaying an operation screen; And A keypad for inputting a text is displayed in one region of the operation screen, and when an area in which the input character is displayed is selected among the operation screens, the keypad is changed to a direction key and displayed. And a controller for moving and displaying a cursor displayed on the operation screen. The method of claim 7, wherein The controller may be configured to: long touch the operation screen, double touch, drag the operation screen in a predetermined form when inputting a dedicated switching key displayed on the operation screen, or multi touch the operation screen. In response to the portable terminal, characterized in that for switching the keypad to the direction key. The method of claim 7, wherein The control unit is characterized in that when the selection of the confirmation key in the center of the direction key, the direction key is changed back to the keypad to display. The method of claim 7, wherein The control unit moves and displays the cursor in units of characters displayed on the operation screen in a direction indicated by a predetermined key selected from the up, down, left, and right keys included in the direction key, in response to the number of touches and the touch time. A mobile terminal characterized by the above.

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