KR101629711B1 - Mobile terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

A mobile terminal is disclosed. A mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a touch screen that displays a plurality of virtual key buttons and generates a proximity touch signal in accordance with a proximity touch; And a controller for displaying the at least one virtual key button corresponding to the position where the proximity touch signal is generated so as to be distinguished from at least one of the virtual key buttons. According to the present invention, a virtual key button that is touched in proximity to the virtual key button is distinguished from other virtual key buttons, so that a user of the mobile terminal can easily identify the key button touched by the user.

Virtual key button, proximity touch, proximity touch signal

Description

[0001] MOBILE TERMINAL [0002]

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, and more particularly, to a mobile terminal capable of easily distinguishing a key button that is touched by a user of the mobile terminal, .

A terminal such as a personal computer, a notebook computer, or a mobile phone has various functions, for example, a multimedia device having a complex function such as photographing or photographing of a moving picture, reproduction of music or a moving picture file, (Multimedia player).

A terminal can be divided into a mobile terminal and a stationary terminal depending on whether the terminal is movable. The mobile terminal can be divided into a handheld terminal and a vehicle mount terminal according to whether the user can directly carry the mobile terminal.

In order to support and enhance the functionality of the terminal, it is contemplated to improve the structural and / or software portion of the terminal.

Recently, a variety of terminals including mobile terminals provide a complex and various functions, and the menu structure is also becoming complicated. In addition, a function of displaying various digital documents including a web page is added to a mobile terminal.

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal in which a user of a mobile terminal can easily distinguish a key button that is touched by a user by displaying a virtual key button that is touched in proximity to other virtual key buttons.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile terminal comprising: a touch screen displaying a plurality of virtual key buttons and generating a proximity touch signal in accordance with a proximity touch; And at least one virtual key button corresponding to a position at which the proximity touch signal is generated is distinguished from at least one of the virtual key buttons, And a control unit for displaying a word or a sentence starting from a key value corresponding to the specified virtual key button among the words or sentences stored in the memory.

The controller may specify one virtual key button corresponding to a position closest to a position where the proximity touch signal is received among the plurality of virtual key buttons and enlarge and display the size of the specified virtual key button .

The controller may enlarge and display the size of at least one virtual key button adjacent to the specified virtual key button.

The control unit may display at least one of the specified virtual key button and at least one of the size, font, and hue of at least one virtual key button adjacent to the specified virtual key button.

delete

The word or sentence may be a word or sentence that was entered at least once in the past.

The mobile terminal according to the present invention displays the virtual key buttons that are touched in proximity to other virtual key buttons so that the user of the mobile terminal can easily identify the key buttons touched by the user.

The above objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and similarities. Like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the specification. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention in unnecessary detail. In addition, numerals (e.g., first, second, etc.) used in the description process of this specification are only an identifier for distinguishing one component from another component

Hereinafter, a mobile terminal related to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The suffix "module" and " part "for the components used in the following description are given or mixed in consideration of ease of specification, and do not have their own meaning or role.

The mobile terminal described in this specification may include a mobile phone, a smart phone, a laptop computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants), a PMP (Portable Multimedia Player), navigation and the like. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the configuration according to the embodiments described herein may be applied to a fixed terminal such as a digital TV, a desktop computer, and the like, unless the configuration is applicable only to a mobile terminal.

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

The mobile terminal 100 includes a wireless communication unit 110, an audio / video input unit 120, a user input unit 130, a sensing unit 140, an output unit 150, a memory unit 160, An interface unit 170, a control unit 180, a power supply unit 190, and the like. The components shown in Fig. 1 are not essential, and a mobile terminal having more or fewer components may be implemented.

Hereinafter, the components will be described in order.

The wireless communication unit 110 may include one or more modules for enabling 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 receiving 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 broadcast signals 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 refer to a server for generating and transmitting broadcast signals and / or broadcast related information, or a server for receiving broadcast signals and / or broadcast related information generated by the broadcast management server and transmitting the generated broadcast signals and / or broadcast related information. The broadcast signal may include a TV broadcast signal, a radio broadcast signal, a data broadcast signal, and a broadcast signal in which a data broadcast signal is combined with a TV broadcast signal or a radio broadcast signal.

The broadcast-related information may refer to a broadcast channel, a broadcast program, or information related to 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, an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) of DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) or an ESG (Electronic Service Guide) of Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H).

The broadcast receiving module 111 receives broadcasting signals using various broadcasting systems. In particular, the broadcasting receiving module 111 may be a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Terrestrial (DMB-T), a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Satellite (DMB-S) Only Digital Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H), Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial (ISDB-T), and the like. Of course, the broadcast receiving module 111 may be adapted to other broadcasting systems that provide broadcast signals 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 unit 160.

The mobile communication module 112 transmits and receives radio signals to 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 depending on a voice call signal, a video call signal or a text / multimedia message transmission / reception.

The wireless Internet module 113 refers to a module for wireless Internet access, and the wireless Internet module 113 can be embedded in the mobile terminal 100 or externally. WLAN (Wi-Fi), Wibro (Wireless broadband), Wimax (World Interoperability for Microwave Access), HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) and the like can be used as wireless Internet technologies.

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, and the like can be used as the short distance communication technology.

The location information module 115 is a module for confirming or obtaining the location of the mobile terminal. A typical example of the location information module is a GPS (Global Position System) module. According to the current technology, the GPS module 115 calculates information on a distance (distance) from three or more satellites to one point (entity), information on the time when the distance information is measured, , Three-dimensional position information according to latitude, longitude, and altitude of one point (individual) in one hour can be calculated. Further, a method of calculating position and time information using three satellites and correcting the error of the calculated position and time information using another satellite is also used. The GPS module 115 continues to calculate the current position in real time and uses it to calculate speed information.

Referring to FIG. 1, an 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 122. The camera 121 processes image frames such as still images or moving images obtained by the image sensor in the video communication mode or the photographing mode. The processed image frame can be displayed on the display unit 151. [

The image frame processed by the camera 121 may be stored in the memory unit 160 or may be 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 122 receives an external sound signal through 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 112 when the voice data is in the call mode, and output. Various noise reduction algorithms may be implemented in the microphone 122 to remove noise generated in receiving an external sound signal.

The user input unit 130 generates input data for a user to control the operation of the terminal. The user input unit 130 may include a key pad dome switch, a touch pad (static / static), a jog wheel, a jog switch, and the like.

The sensing unit 140 senses the current state of the mobile terminal 100 such as the open / close state of the mobile terminal 100, the position of the mobile terminal 100, the presence or absence of user contact, the orientation of the mobile terminal, And generates 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 is possible to sense whether the slide phone is opened or closed. In addition, it may be responsible for a sensing function related to whether the power supply unit 190 is powered on, whether the interface unit 170 is connected to an external device, and the like. Meanwhile, the sensing unit 140 may include a proximity sensor.

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

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

The display unit 151 may be a liquid crystal display, a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display, an organic light-emitting diode, a flexible display, a three-dimensional display 3D display).

Some of these displays may be transparent or light transmissive so that they can be seen through. This may be referred to as a transparent display. A typical example of the transparent display is a transparent LCD or the like. The rear structure of the display unit 151 may also be of a light transmission type. With this structure, the user can see an object located behind the terminal body through the area occupied by the display unit 151 of the terminal body.

There may be two or more display units 151 according to the embodiment of the mobile terminal 100. For example, in the mobile terminal 100, a plurality of display portions may be spaced apart from one another or may be disposed integrally with each other, or may be disposed on different surfaces.

The display unit 151 is connected to a display unit 151 and a sensor for sensing a touch operation (hereinafter, referred to as 'touch sensor') having a mutual layer structure It can also be used as an input device. The touch sensor may take the form of, for example, a touch film, a touch sheet, a touch pad, or the like.

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

If there is a touch input to the touch sensor, the corresponding signal (s) is sent to the touch controller. The touch controller processes the signal (s) and transmits the corresponding data to the controller 180. Thus, the control unit 180 can know which area of the display unit 151 is touched or the like.

Referring to FIG. 1, a proximity sensor may be disposed in an inner region of the mobile terminal or in the vicinity of the touch screen, which is enclosed by 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 a nearby object without mechanical contact using the force of an electromagnetic field or infrared rays. The proximity sensor has a longer life span than the contact sensor and its utilization is also high.

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 proximity sensor, a magnetic proximity sensor, and an infrared proximity sensor.

And to detect the proximity of the pointer by the change of the electric field along the proximity of the pointer when the touch screen is electrostatic. In this case, the touch screen (touch sensor) may be classified as a proximity sensor.

Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the act of recognizing that the pointer is positioned on the touch screen while the pointer is not in contact with the touch screen is referred to as "proximity touch & The act of actually touching the pointer on the screen is called "contact touch. &Quot; The position where the pointer is proximately touched on the touch screen means a position where the pointer is vertically corresponding to the touch screen when the pointer is touched.

The proximity sensor detects a proximity touch and a proximity touch pattern (e.g., a proximity touch distance, a proximity touch direction, a proximity touch speed, a proximity touch time, a proximity touch position, a proximity touch movement state, and the like). Information corresponding to the detected proximity touch operation and the 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 unit 160 in a call signal reception mode, a call mode or a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, a broadcast reception mode, The sound output module 152 outputs an acoustic signal related to a function (e.g., a call signal reception sound, a message reception sound, etc.) performed in the mobile terminal 100. The audio output module 152 may include a receiver, a speaker, a buzzer, and the like.

The alarm unit 153 outputs a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event of the mobile terminal 100. Examples of events that occur in the mobile terminal include call signal reception, message reception, key signal input, touch input, and the like. The alarm unit 153 may output a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event in a form other than the video signal or the audio signal, for example, vibration. The video signal or the audio signal can also be output through the display unit 151 or the audio output module 152.

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

In addition to the vibration, the haptic module 154 may be configured to perform various functions such as an effect of stimulation by a pin arrangement vertically moving with respect to a contact skin surface, an effect of stimulation by air spraying force or suction force through a jet opening or a suction opening, A variety of tactile effects such as an effect of stimulation through contact of an electrode, an effect of stimulation by an electrostatic force, and an effect of reproducing a cold sensation using a heat absorbing or exothermic element can be generated.

The haptic module 154 can be implemented not only to transmit the tactile effect through the direct contact but also to feel the tactile effect through the muscles of the user's finger or arm. The haptic module 154 may include two or more haptic modules 154 according to the configuration of the portable terminal 100.

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

The memory unit 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) (Random Access Memory), SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), PROM A disk, and / or an optical disk. The mobile terminal 100 may operate in association with a web storage that performs a storage function of the memory unit 160 on the Internet.

The interface unit 170 serves as a path for communication with all external devices connected to the mobile terminal 100. The interface unit 170 receives data from an external device or receives power from the external device to transfer the data to each component in the mobile terminal 100 or to transmit data in the mobile terminal 100 to an external device. For example, a wired / wireless headset port, an external charger port, a wired / wireless data port, a memory card port, a port for connecting a device having an identification module, an audio 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 for storing various information for authenticating the use right of the mobile terminal 100 and includes a user identification module (UIM), a subscriber identity module (SIM), a general user authentication module A Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM), and the like. A device equipped with an identification module (hereinafter referred to as "identification device") may be manufactured in a smart card format. Accordingly, the identification device can be connected to the terminal 100 through the port.

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

The control unit 180 typically controls the overall operation of the mobile terminal. For example, voice communication, data communication, video communication, and the like. The control unit 180 may include a multimedia module 181 for multimedia playback. The multimedia module 181 may be implemented in the control unit 180 or may be implemented separately from the control unit 180. [

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

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 various embodiments described herein may be embodied in a recording medium readable by a computer or similar device using, for example, software, hardware, or a combination thereof.

According to a hardware implementation, the embodiments described herein may be implemented as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays May be implemented using at least one of processors, controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, and electrical units for performing functions. In some cases, And may be implemented by the control unit 180.

According to a software implementation, embodiments such as procedures or functions may be implemented with separate software modules that perform at least one function or operation. The software code may be implemented by a software application written in a suitable programming language. Also, the software codes may be stored in the memory unit 160 and executed by the control unit 180. [

2A is a perspective view of an example of a mobile terminal or a mobile terminal according to the present invention.

The disclosed mobile terminal 100 has a bar-shaped terminal body. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, 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 relatively movably coupled.

The body includes a case (a casing, a housing, a cover, and the like) which forms an appearance. In this embodiment, the case may be divided into a front case 101 and a rear case 102. A variety of electronic components are embedded in the space formed between the front case 101 and the rear case 102. At least one intermediate case may be additionally disposed between the front case 101 and the rear case 102. [

The cases may be formed by injection molding a synthetic resin, or may be formed to have a metal material such as stainless steel (STS) or titanium (Ti) or the like.

The display unit 151, the sound output unit 152, the camera 121, the user input units 130/131 and 132, the microphone 122, the interface 170, and the like may be disposed in the front body 101 have.

The display unit 151 occupies most of the main surface of the front case 101. A sound output unit 152 and a camera 121 are disposed in an area adjacent to one end of both ends of the display unit 151 and a user input unit 131 and a microphone 122 are disposed in an area adjacent to the other end. The user input unit 132, the interface 170, and the like are disposed on the side surfaces of the front case 101 and the rear case 102.

The user input unit 130 is operated to receive a command for controlling the operation of the portable terminal 100 and may include a plurality of operation units 131 and 132.

The operation units 131 and 132 may be collectively referred to as a manipulating portion and may be employed in any manner as long as the user operates in a tactile manner.

The contents input by the operation units 131 and 132 can be variously set. For example, the first operation unit 131 receives commands such as start, end, scroll, and the like, and the second operation unit 132 controls the size of the sound output from the sound output unit 152 or the size of the sound output from the display unit 151 To the touch recognition mode of the touch screen.

FIG. 2B is a rear perspective view of the portable terminal shown in FIG. 2A.

Referring to FIG. 2B, a camera 121 'may be further mounted on the rear surface of the terminal body, that is, the rear case 102. The camera 121 'may have a photographing direction substantially opposite to the camera 121 (see FIG. 2A), and may be a camera having different pixels from the camera 121.

For example, the camera 121 may have a low pixel so that the face of the user can be photographed and transmitted to the other party in case of a video call or the like, and the camera 121 ' It is preferable to have a large number of pixels. The cameras 121 and 121 'may be installed in the terminal body so as to be rotatable or pop-upable.

A flash 123 and a mirror 124 are additionally disposed adjacent to the camera 121 '. The flash 123 illuminates the subject when the subject is photographed by the camera 121 '. The mirror 124 allows the user to illuminate the user's own face or the like when the user intends to shoot himself / herself (self-photographing) using the camera 121 '.

An acoustic output 152 'may be additionally disposed on the rear surface of the terminal body. The sound output unit 152 'may implement the stereo function together with the sound output unit 152 (see FIG. 2A), and may be used for the implementation of the speakerphone mode during a call.

In addition to the antenna for a call or the like, a broadcast signal reception antenna 124 may be additionally disposed on the side of the terminal body. The antenna 124 constituting a part of the broadcast receiving module 111 (see FIG. 1) may be installed to be able to be drawn out from the terminal body.

A power supply unit 190 for supplying power to the portable terminal 100 is mounted on the terminal body. The power supply unit 190 may be built in the terminal body or may be detachable from the outside of the terminal body.

The rear case 102 may further include a touch pad 135 for sensing a touch. The touch pad 135 may also be of a light transmission type like the display unit 151. [ In this case, if the display unit 151 is configured to output time information on both sides, the time information can be recognized through the touch pad 135 as well. The information output on both sides may be all controlled by the touch pad 135. [ Alternatively, a display may be additionally mounted on the touch pad 135, and a touch screen may be disposed on the rear case 102.

The touch pad 135 operates in correlation with the display portion 151 of the front case 101. The touch pad 135 may be disposed parallel to the rear of the display unit 151. The touch pad 135 may have a size equal to or smaller than that of the display unit 151.

FIGS. 2C and 2D are views showing various embodiments of the mobile terminal 100 and the display unit 151. FIG.

The display unit 151 may include a first display unit in which display panels are physically divided as shown in FIG. 2C, and a second display unit. In a folding or sliding type mobile terminal in which two bodies are fastened by a hinge or a slide, a first display portion (or a main display portion) may be formed on an inner surface or an outer surface of either body, Or the auxiliary display portion, the external display portion) may be formed on the inner surface or the outer surface of the other body. The auxiliary display unit is a display unit separated from the mobile terminal, and can be detachably connected to the mobile terminal body through an interface unit to display data from the mobile terminal.

In addition, the display unit 151 may include a first display unit and a second display unit logically divided in the display panel as shown in FIG. 2C.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation procedure of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating operations of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a conceptual view for explaining the proximity depth of the proximity sensor, and FIG. 6 is a view illustrating the operation of the mobile terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown, the mobile terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a step S10 of displaying a virtual key button VK.

The virtual key button VK may be a QWERTY keyboard displayed on the display module 151 of the mobile terminal 100. The mobile terminal 100 may be provided with a user input unit 131 as a physical button. However, the mobile terminal 100 is increasingly receiving letters and the like through the virtual key button VK displayed on the touch screen 151. [

The virtual key button (VK) can be advantageous in terms of design in terms of physical key buttons. In addition, it is also possible to vary the display form in consideration of the character required for the current input. That is, if the current number needs to be input, the virtual key button VK displayed only in the number can be displayed. Also, in a situation where Hangul is to be input, the display can be changed to the virtual key button VK displayed only in Hangul.

The virtual key button VK can be selectively displayed in a situation in which input of characters is required. That is, the first pop-up window P1 may be displayed in a state in which character input is required during the operation of the mobile terminal 100. [ The first pop-up window P1 is displayed to receive a character input, so that when the first pop-up window P1 is displayed, the virtual key button VK can be displayed at the same time. In the first pop-up window P1, a cursor C may be displayed in a state of waiting for a character input from the user.

The virtual key button VK can be displayed even when the background screen of the mobile terminal 100 is displayed on the touch screen 151. [ That is, when the user desires to search using the web, a first popup window P1 that can be used for searching immediately on the currently used background screen is displayed without entering a separate menu for web search It means that a virtual key button VK for inputting a character in the first popup window P1 can be displayed. When the input of necessary characters is completed, the virtual key button VK can disappear by the action of the user's selection or control unit (180 in FIG. 1).

A step S20 may be performed to determine whether a proximity touch signal to the touch screen 151 of the mobile terminal 100 has been received.

The touch screen 151 receives the touch input of the user and can output a touch signal corresponding thereto. Various virtual key buttons (VK) for guiding a touch input of a user are displayed on the touch screen 151 to guide a touch input to an appropriate position. In the mobile terminal 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the touch screen 151 may sense a proximity touch using a proximity sensor.

The proximity touch through the proximity sensor will be described with reference to the concept 5 for explaining the proximity depth of the proximity sensor.

As shown in FIG. 5, when a pointer such as a user's finger F approaches the touch screen, the proximity sensor disposed in or near the touch screen senses the proximity sensor and outputs a proximity signal. The proximity sensor may be configured to output different proximity signals according to a distance between the proximity-touched pointer and the touch screen (hereinafter referred to as "proximity depth").

A distance at which the proximity signal is output when the pointer approaches the touch screen is referred to as a detection distance. In short, by using a plurality of proximity sensors having different detection distances, the proximity signals output from the proximity sensors are compared, . In FIG. 5, for example, a cross section of a touch screen having proximity sensors capable of sensing three proximity depths is illustrated. Of course, proximity sensors that detect less than three or more than four proximity depths are also possible. Specifically, when the pointer is completely in contact with the touch screen (d0), it is recognized as a contact touch. If the pointer is located on the touch screen at a distance less than the distance d1, it is recognized as a proximity touch of the first proximity depth. If the pointer is located on the touch screen at a distance d1 or more and less than the distance d2, it is recognized as a proximity touch of the second proximity depth. If the pointer is located on the touch screen at a distance d2 or more and less than the distance d3, it is recognized as a proximity touch of the third proximity depth. If the pointer is located at a distance d3 or more on the touch screen, it is recognized that the proximity touch is released. Accordingly, the control unit 180 may recognize the proximity touch as various input signals according to the proximity distance and proximity position of the pointer to the touch screen, and perform various operation control according to the various input signals .

As described above, when the touch screen 151 using the proximity sensor is used, not only the direct touch to the touch screen 151 but also the degree of approach to the touch screen 151 can be detected.

When the proximity touch signal is received, step S30 of specifying the virtual key button VK corresponding to the received proximity touch signal may be performed.

The user of the mobile terminal 100 can select the virtual key button VK corresponding to the key he / she wants to input by using the finger F or the like. On the other hand, the proximity sensor can sense the approach of the finger F or the like before it comes into contact with the touch screen 151. [ When the proximity touch signal is generated through the proximity sensor, the control unit (180 in FIG. 1) can specify the virtual key button VK corresponding to the generated proximity touch signal. That is, since the proximity touch signal through the proximity sensor may be a specific coordinate value of the touch screen 151, it is determined whether the virtual key button VK displayed at the coordinates of the virtual key button VK is what, (VK) can be specified.

If the virtual key button VK corresponding to the proximity touch signal is specified, step S40 may be performed to display the specified virtual key button VK to be distinguished from the other.

The fact that the user moves the finger F on a specific virtual key button VK can be regarded as an action for selecting the virtual key button VK. However, when the finger F is moved on the touch screen 151 for selection, the virtual key button VK to be touched may be hidden by the finger F, and may not be seen. Therefore, a final touch may occur at a position other than the virtual key button VK that was initially desired. In order to prevent such a phenomenon, when the proximity touch signal is generated, the virtual key button VK corresponding to the proximity touch key is differentiated from the other virtual key buttons VK in the mobile terminal 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention Can be displayed.

As shown in FIG. 6, when the finger F approaches Y of the virtual key button VK, the Y button corresponding to the touch signal generated by the proximity sensor can be enlarged and displayed. The virtual key button VK corresponding to the position where the proximity signal is generated is enlarged and displayed so that the user can clearly recognize which virtual key button VK the user's finger F is located at . Accordingly, when the enlarged key button EF is not the virtual key button VK desired by the user, the user can move the finger F to an appropriate position, and the enlarged key button EF can move the virtual key button VK), the virtual key button VK can be selected by touching and touching the finger F with the touch screen 151 as it is. As a result, according to the mobile terminal 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the user can precisely select the virtual key button VK corresponding to the key value desired to be input by the user without making a mistake.

7 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a mobile terminal according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

As described above, according to the mobile terminal 100 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, when the user approaches the touch screen 151 with the finger F, a part of the enlarged key button EF It can be displayed transparent or translucent. That is, to indicate that the virtual key button VK determined to be the proximity touch is the Y button, it means that the Y is enlarged and displayed while the other part is displayed transparent or translucent. It is possible for the user to select another virtual key button VK more easily by displaying another virtual key button VK that is enlarged and displayed only in the characters and the other area is not enlarged.

8 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a mobile terminal according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

According to the mobile terminal 100 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, when a user approaches the touch screen 151 with the finger F, a plurality of enlarged key buttons EF Can be displayed. This will be described in detail as follows. That is, when the user places the finger F on the Y button EF1 of the virtual key button VK, not only the Y corresponding to the position where the proximity touch signal is generated but also the T and U buttons EF2 , EF3) are also enlarged and displayed. Not only the virtual key button VK currently generating the proximity touch signal but also the virtual key button VK adjacent to the virtual key button VK are displayed together so that the user places the finger F at a position slightly displaced from a desired position It is also possible to select the virtual key button VK which the user actually desires to select. That is, even if the user places the finger F on the current Y button EF1, since the size of the virtual key button VK is small, the user may mistakenly set the position of the finger F have. In such a case, the virtual key button VK that the user really wants to touch is likely to be the Y button EF1 and the adjacent T button EF2 or U button EF3. According to the mobile terminal 100 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, by displaying a plurality of enlarged key buttons EF together, it is possible to more easily select the virtual key button VK that the user desires to select by designation .

9 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a mobile terminal according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

The mobile terminal 100 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention can display a plurality of enlarged key buttons EF on the touch screen 151, And is similar to the mobile terminal 100 according to FIG. However, in the mobile terminal 100 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of enlarged key buttons EF may have different sizes, fonts, and colors.

Of the plurality of enlarged key buttons EF, the Y button EF1 corresponding to the strongest position of the proximity touch signal by the finger F can be displayed most clearly and clearly. On the other hand, the T button EF2 and the U button EF3 located at an adjacent distance from this can be displayed in a relatively small size. Further, the T button EF2 and the U button EF3 can be displayed in a form that is less noticeable than the U-button EF1 which is relatively blurred.

10 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a mobile terminal according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the mobile terminal 100 according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention can display information related to a character in which the proximity touch signal is generated on the touch screen 151. This will be described in detail as follows. That is, when the user brings the finger F closer to a specific position on the virtual key button VK, the virtual key button VK corresponding to the position is displayed by the enlarged key button EF, A pop-up window P2 is displayed.

The second pop-up window P2 may list words or phrases that have been recently entered by the user. Further, words or sentences displayed on the second pop-up window P2 may be associated with words related to the virtual key button VK touched by the current user. For example, when the user places the finger on the current Y button, it means that words starting with Y among the words recently input by the user can be displayed on the second popup window P2.

With reference to the word displayed in the second popup window P2, the user can select a character to be input next. Alternatively, it is possible to directly select a word displayed in the second pop-up window P2. In this case, the completed word can be inputted quickly and easily without inputting the characters included in the word one by one.

11 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a mobile terminal according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the mobile terminal 100 according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention can enlarge and display characters expected to be input next by the user. This will be described in detail as follows.

As shown in FIG. 11A, the user can select a character to be input from the virtual key button VK displayed on the touch screen 151. The Y button EF1, which is a character selected by the user, is enlarged and displayed, and a corresponding key value can be input to the first popup window P1.

As shown in FIG. 11B, the control unit (180 in FIG. 1) can determine whether the character to be input next is to be considered in consideration of the character inputted up to now by the user. For example, when the user inputs new y, the control unit (180 in FIG. 1) can search for a word including a word currently applied in the database stored in the memory (160 in FIG. 1). Hereinafter, it is assumed that a word containing new y is not a word other than two words new year and new york.

As shown in FIG. 11C, the E and O buttons EF2 and EF3 included in the two words that can be displayed after new y can be displayed on the touch screen 151 in an enlarged scale. The user can select one of the E and O buttons EF2 and EF3 to correctly input the word he / she has intended to input without error.

In the above-described embodiments, the case where the virtual key button is the QWERTY keyboard has been described as an example, but it is needless to say that the virtual key button is not limited to the QWERTY keyboard.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, such modifications or variations are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

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

2A is a front perspective view of a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2B is a rear perspective view of a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2C and 2D are views of an embodiment of a mobile terminal and a display screen according to various embodiments of the present invention.

3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation procedure of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a diagram illustrating operations of a mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the proximity depth of the proximity sensor.

6 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the mobile terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

7 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a mobile terminal according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

8 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a mobile terminal according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

9 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a mobile terminal according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a mobile terminal according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

11 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a mobile terminal according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

Description of the Related Art

100: mobile terminal 110: wireless communication unit

140: sensing unit 151: display unit

180:

Claims (6)

A touch screen displaying a plurality of virtual key buttons and generating a proximity touch signal in accordance with a proximity touch; And Wherein at least one virtual key button corresponding to a position at which the proximity touch signal is generated is displayed so as to be distinguished from at least one of the virtual key buttons, And a control unit for specifying one virtual key button corresponding to the closest position and displaying a word or a sentence beginning with a key value corresponding to the specified virtual key button among words or sentences stored in the memory, Wherein the word or sentence is a word or sentence that has been input at least once in the past. The method according to claim 1, Wherein, A virtual key button corresponding to a position closest to a position where the proximity touch signal is received among the plurality of virtual key buttons is specified and the size of the specified virtual key button is enlarged and displayed. . 3. The method of claim 2, Wherein, And enlarges and displays the size of at least one virtual key button adjacent to the specified virtual key button. The method of claim 3, Wherein, Wherein at least one of the specified virtual key button and at least one virtual key button adjacent to the specified virtual key button is displayed differently from at least one of the size, font and color. delete delete

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