KR101649162B1 - Operating a Mobile Termianl - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a portable terminal and an operation method thereof. The portable terminal confirms the current state of the external terminal (whether or not a telephone call is available, whether it is connected to a network, etc.) that can be connected wirelessly or by wire. Also, the portable terminal displays the status information of the confirmed external terminal on the display unit. The user can check the status information of the external terminal through the portable terminal. In addition, an application execution icon or menu displayed on the portable terminal changes according to the current status of the identified external terminal. Accordingly, the user can easily check the status of the external terminal, and different kinds of application execution icons are displayed on the portable terminal according to the status of the external terminal.

Mobile terminal, external terminal, status information

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a mobile terminal,

The present invention relates to a portable terminal and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to a portable terminal capable of easily confirming the status of an external terminal that can be connected to the portable terminal and automatically displaying an application execution icon or the like related to the external terminal, And to a method of operation.

A portable terminal is a portable device having one or more functions capable of carrying out voice and video communication, capable of inputting and outputting information, and storing data, while being portable. As the functions of the portable terminal have diversified, they have complicated functions such as photographing and photographing of a movie, playback of a music file or a video file, reception of a game, reception of broadcasting, wireless Internet, etc., and a comprehensive multimedia device .

In order to implement a complex function in a portable terminal implemented in the form of multimedia devices, various attempts have been made in terms of hardware and software. For example, there is a user interface environment in which a user can easily and conveniently search for or select a function. In addition, while the portable terminal is regarded as a personal portable device for expressing the user's personality, various forms of design changes such as a double-sided LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or a front touch screen are required.

However, since the portable terminal needs to consider mobility and portability, there is a restriction on space allocation for a user interface such as a display or a keypad. Therefore, in order to efficiently use various functions provided in the portable terminal, it is necessary to control the operation of the portable terminal through a new input / output method instead of sequentially selecting a menu having a complicated structure.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a portable terminal capable of easily confirming status information of an external terminal, which can be connected to the portable terminal, and an operation method thereof.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable terminal capable of providing an intuitive and convenient interface so that an application corresponding to state information of an external terminal can be easily executed, and an operation method thereof.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a mobile terminal, the method comprising: displaying an object corresponding to an external terminal; Receiving status information of the external terminal; Determining whether at least two or more objects are selected; And displaying an application execution icon or menu corresponding to the state information of the selected object if it is determined that at least two or more objects have been selected.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable terminal including: a display unit capable of displaying an object corresponding to an external terminal; And a controller for receiving the status information of the external terminal and displaying an application execution icon or menu corresponding to the status information of the selected object on the display unit when it is determined that at least two objects have been selected.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a recording medium readable by a processor that records a program for causing the processor to execute the method.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a portable terminal capable of checking status information of an external terminal that can be connected by wire or wireless. The application execution icon or menu displayed on the portable terminal may differ depending on the current state information of the identified external terminal. The user can attempt to make a phone call or send a message to an external terminal by using an application execution icon or a menu. In addition, the portable terminal can be operated through an intuitive and simple user interface, so that the portable terminal can be controlled in a short time.

The portable terminal described in this specification includes a mobile phone, a smart phone, a notebook computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants), a PMP (Portable Multimedia Player), and navigation.

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 mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in terms of its functional components.

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. When such components are implemented in practical applications, two or more components may be combined into one component, or one component may be divided into two or more components as necessary. For example, the A / V input unit 120 or the sensing unit 140 may be combined into the user input unit 130.

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. At this time, 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 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 can also be provided through a mobile communication network, in which case it can be received by the mobile communication module 113. Broadcast-related information can 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 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 broadcasting systems that provide broadcasting signals, as well as the digital broadcasting system. 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 to 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 depending on a voice call signal, an image call signal, or a text / multimedia message transmission / 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. 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 communication mode or the photographing mode. Then, 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 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 audio 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 that the user inputs to control the operation of the terminal. The user input unit 130 may include a key pad, a dome switch, a touch pad (static / static), 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 portable 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, a sensing function related to whether or not the power supply unit 190 is powered on, whether the interface unit 170 is coupled to an external device, and the like can be handled.

The sensing unit 140 may include a proximity sensor 141. The proximity sensor 141 is capable of detecting an object to be approached or the presence or absence of an object in the vicinity without mechanical contact. The proximity sensor 141 can detect a nearby object by using a change in the alternating magnetic field or a change in the static magnetic field, or a rate of change in capacitance. The proximity sensor 141 may be equipped with two or more sensors according to the configuration.

The sensing unit 140 may include a gyro sensor 142. The gyrosensor 142 is a concept including a sensor for sensing the movement of an object, an inertial sensor, and an acceleration sensor using a gyroscope. Gyroscopes include mechanical gyroscopes, ring laser gyroscopes, and fiber optic gyroscopes. The gyro sensor 142 senses the movement of the portable terminal and provides a signal for controlling the portable terminal.

The output unit 150 is for outputting an audio signal, a video signal or an alarm signal and includes a display unit 151 and an audio output module 153, an alarm unit 155, a vibration module 157 May be included.

The display unit 151 displays and outputs the information processed by the portable 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 to constitute a touch screen, the display unit 151 can 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 can 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 corresponding data to the controller 180 so that the controller 180 can determine whether the touch input has been made and which area of the touch screen has been touched.

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 transparent display (Tranparent display), and a three-dimensional display (3D display). There may be two or more display units 151 according to the implementation mode of the portable terminal 100. [ For example, the portable terminal 100 may include an external display unit (not shown) and an internal display unit (not shown) at the same time.

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, The sound output module 153 outputs sound signals related to functions performed in the portable terminal 100, for example, a call signal reception tone, a message reception tone, and the like. 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 the occurrence of an event in a form other than an audio signal or a video signal. For example, it is possible to output a signal in a vibration mode. The alarm unit 155 may output a signal for notifying a call signal when a call signal is received or a message is received. Also, when the key signal is inputted, the alarm unit 155 can output the signal as the feedback to the key signal input. The user can recognize the occurrence of an event through the signal output by the alarm unit 155. Of course, a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event may also be output through the display unit 151 or the sound output module 153.

The vibration module 157 may generate vibrations of various intensities and patterns by the vibration signal transmitted by the controller 180. [ The intensity, pattern, frequency, moving direction, moving speed, etc. of the vibration generated by the vibration module 157 can be set by a vibration signal, and two or more vibration modules 157 may be provided according to the configuration.

The memory 160 may store a program for processing and controlling the control unit 180 and may store a function for temporarily storing input or output data (e.g., a phone book, a message, a still image, .

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), a RAM , And a ROM. ≪ / RTI > In addition, the portable terminal 100 may operate a web storage for storing the memory 150 on the Internet.

The interface unit 170 serves as an interface with all the external devices connected to the portable terminal 100. Examples of the external device connected to the portable terminal 100 include a card socket such as a wired / wireless headset, an external charger, a wired / wireless data port, a memory card, a SIM / UIM card, / Output, Video I / O, and Earphone. 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 controller 180 typically controls the operation of the respective units to control the overall operation of the mobile terminal 100. For example, voice communication, data communication, video communication, and the like. In addition, the control unit 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 separately from software in 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 portable terminal according to the present invention has been described in terms of components according to functions. Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the portable terminal related to the present invention will be described in more detail from the viewpoint of the components according to the external form. Hereinafter, 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, and a slider type will be described as an example for convenience of explanation. However, the present invention is not limited to a bar-type portable terminal, but can be applied to all types of portable terminals including the above-mentioned type.

2 is a perspective view of a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, the case of the present portable terminal 100 is formed by a front case 100A-1 and a rear case 100A-2. Various electronic components are incorporated in the space formed by the front case 100A-1 and the rear case 100A-2. At least one intermediate case may be additionally disposed between the front case 100A-1 and the rear case 100A-2. Such cases may be formed by injection molding of a synthetic resin, or may be formed of a metal material, for example, a metal material such as stainless steel (STS) or titanium (Ti).

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

The display unit 151 includes a liquid crystal display (LCD), an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes), and the like that visually express information. The display unit 151 may be configured to operate as a touch screen by inputting information by a user's touch by superimposing the touch pad on the display unit 151 in a layer structure.

The first acoustic output module 153a may be implemented in the form of a receiver or a speaker. The first camera 121a may be adapted to photograph an image or a moving image of a user or the like. The microphone 123 may be implemented in a form suitable for receiving voice, sound, etc. of the user.

The first to third user input units 130a, 130b, and 130c may be collectively referred to as a user input unit 130 and may be employed in any manner as long as the user operates in a tactile manner with a tactile impression.

For example, the user input unit 130 may be embodied as a dome switch or a touch pad capable of receiving a command or information by a push or touch operation of a user, or may be a wheel, a jog type, a joystick, Or the like. In terms of functions, the first user input unit 130a is for inputting a command such as start, end, and call, and the second user input unit 130b is for inputting an operation mode selection or the like. Also, the third user input unit 130c may operate as a hot-key for activating a special function in the portable terminal 100. [

When the user's finger is close to the display unit 151, the proximity sensor 141 installed on the first body or the like senses it and outputs a proximity signal. At this time, it is possible to configure to output different proximity signals depending on the distance that the user's finger is located. That is, in general, a distance at which a proximity sensor approaches an object to be detected and outputs a proximity signal is referred to as a detection distance. By using a plurality of proximity sensors having different detection distances as described above and comparing the proximity signals output from the proximity sensors It can be known how close the detected object is.

It is also possible to arrange a plurality of proximity sensors having different detection areas to determine whether proximity signals are output from which proximity sensors among the proximity sensors and to determine which area of the display unit 151 the proximity object approaches, Whether or not the display unit 151 is moving close to the display unit 151, and the like. Accordingly, the control unit 180 may select a touch key corresponding to a position close to the user's finger or the like, and control to output a corresponding vibration signal.

When the user tilts or shakes the portable terminal, the gyro sensor 142 detects the movement of the portable terminal. The gyro sensor 142 generates a signal corresponding to the motion of the portable terminal and outputs the signal to the controller 180. The controller 180 detects motion related information such as a direction, an angle, a velocity, an intensity, and a current position of the portable terminal from signals generated by the gyro sensor 142.

The control unit 180 tracks the movement of the portable terminal through the information detected from the signal generated by the gyro sensor 142. The information that can be detected from the signal generated by the gyro sensor may be different depending on the components constituting the gyro sensor 142. [ The portable terminal is provided with a gyro sensor 142 according to motion information of the portable terminal to be detected. At least one or more gyro sensors 142 may be provided in the portable terminal. The control unit 180 can control the gyro sensor 142 to operate only when a specific application is executed corresponding to the information to be detected.

3 is a rear perspective view of the portable terminal shown in FIG. 3, the fourth user input unit 130d, the fifth user input unit 130d, and the interface unit 170 may be disposed on the side of the rear case 100A-2, and the rear case 100A- 2 may be further provided with a second camera 121b.

The second camera 121b has a photographing direction substantially opposite to that of the first camera 121a, and may have pixels different from those of the first camera 121a. For example, the first camera 121a has low pixels so that it is easy to capture a face of a user in the case of a video call or the like and transmit the face to the other party. The second camera 121b photographs a general object and immediately transmits It is preferable to have a high pixel.

A mirror 125 and a flash 126 may be further disposed adjacent to the second camera 121b. The mirror 125 enables the user to illuminate the user's own face or the like when the user intends to take a picture of himself / herself (self-photographing) using the second camera 121b. The flash 126 illuminates the subject when the subject is photographed by the second camera 121b.

A second sound output module (not shown) may be further disposed in 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.

An antenna (not shown) for receiving broadcasting signals may be disposed on one side of the second rear case 100A-2 in addition to the antenna for communication. The antenna may be installed to be capable of being drawn out from the rear case 100A-2.

The interface unit 170 is 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 connection terminal for connecting to an earphone, a port for short-range communication, or power supply terminals for supplying power to the portable terminal 100, have. The interface unit 170 may be a card socket that accommodates an external card such as a SIM (subscriber identification module) or a UIM (user identity module), a memory card for information storage, and the like.

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

In the above description, the second camera 121b and the like are disposed in the rear case 100A-2, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Also, the second camera 12b may be separately provided, but the first camera 121a may be configured to be rotatable so that the first camera 121a can be photographed up to the photographing direction of the second camera 121b.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a portable terminal T1 and at least two external terminals T11, T12, and T13 that can be connected to a T1 portable terminal by wire or wireless, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the figure, objects 202, 203, and 204 corresponding to T11, T12, and T13 external terminals are displayed on the screen 201 displayed on the display unit 151 of the T1 portable terminal. Each of the objects 202, 203, and 204 of the present embodiment is an icon made up of a user picture of the corresponding external terminal. In addition, an object displayed on the portable terminal to correspond to an external terminal may be various other OSDs, widgets, and the like, and the embodiments of the present invention do not limit the scope of rights of the present invention.

The photograph included in the 202 object of this embodiment is a photograph of the T11 terminal user. Similarly, the photographs included in the 203 and 204 objects are photographs of the T12 and T13 terminal users, respectively.

The 201 screen displayed on the display unit 151 of the portable terminal of FIG. 4 may be a standby screen of the portable terminal. As another example, the 201 screen may be a phone book screen stored in the portable terminal. As another example, the 201 screen may be a screen displayed when a number of external terminal users are selected from the phone book list stored in the portable terminal. In addition, the 201 screen may be another kind of screen including an object corresponding to an external terminal, and does not limit the scope of the right of the present invention.

5 to 7 are flowcharts illustrating a method of operating the portable terminal of the present invention. The portable terminal of the present invention receives status information of an external terminal. The status information indicates information on the current status of the external terminal. The status information may include information about whether the terminal is capable of voice telephone connection or video telephone connection. In addition, the status information may include information on whether the terminal is capable of receiving a message, whether it is capable of accessing a messenger, or is capable of accessing a network.

When the user selects an object corresponding to the external terminal, the portable terminal displays an application icon or menu that can be executed in association with the selected object. The control unit 180 can display an application that can be executed in association with the selected object based on the status information of the external terminal corresponding to the selected object.

For example, if the terminal is capable of connecting a voice telephone or a video telephone, the controller 180 displays an icon or a menu capable of executing an application for voice or telephone connection to the terminal. Also, if the terminal is in a state capable of receiving a message, the controller 180 displays an icon or a menu capable of executing an application capable of transmitting a message to the terminal.

In addition, the controller 180 may display an icon representing the status information of the external terminal around the object corresponding to the external terminal. The icon indicating the state information may change to correspond to the current state of the external terminal. The user can know the status information of the terminal from the icon displayed around the object, that is, whether the terminal can make a call to the terminal or can transmit a message.

5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of a portable terminal according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the T1 wireless terminal receives the status information of the external terminal (S10). The status information of the external terminal can be transmitted to the T1 portable terminal according to the Bluetooth, RF, or IR communication standard. As another example, the wireless communication service provider may periodically transmit the status information of the external terminal to the T1 portable terminal.

The T1 wireless terminal displays an icon corresponding to the received status information of the external terminal around the object corresponding to the external terminal (S15). The icons corresponding to the status information change corresponding to the status information of the external terminal. For example, if the user of the external terminal can not receive a call by attending the conference, the icon indicates that the external terminal can not make a call.

The user of the T1 portable terminal can select an object corresponding to the external terminal (S20). If the display unit 151 is a touch screen, the user can select an object by touching a predetermined object among the objects displayed on the touch screen. As another example, the user can select an object by operating a soft key or a hard key corresponding to the object displayed on the display unit 151. [

When the control unit 180 detects the object selection, it determines the current state of the external terminal corresponding to the selected object (S30). The current state of the external terminal can be determined based on the state information of the corresponding external terminal periodically received.

The control unit 180 displays an application icon or menu that can be executed around the selected object in accordance with the current state of the external terminal (S35). For example, if the user of the external terminal can not receive a telephone call, the control unit 180 displays a message transmission application execution icon, an external terminal user's schedule viewing application execution icon, etc. . As another example, if the user of the external terminal can not receive any communication, the control unit 180 displays only the schedule viewing application execution icon of the corresponding external terminal user instead of the dialing application execution icon and the message transmission application execution icon . In addition, the controller 180 may display various types of application execution icons corresponding to the status information of the external terminal.

In the first embodiment of FIG. 5, the control unit 180 displays an application execution icon around the selected object. In another example, the control unit 180 may display a menu list consisting of menu items capable of executing an application corresponding to the status information around the selected object. In addition, the control unit 180 can display various application execution icons or menus that can be executed in response to the status information, around the object, and does not limit the scope of the present invention.

If the user of the T1 portable terminal does not select the object displayed on the display unit 151, the control unit 180 receives the status information of the external terminal corresponding to the object displayed on the display unit 151, (S25, S10, S15)

6 is a flowchart showing a flow of an operation method of the portable terminal according to the second embodiment of the present invention. According to the second embodiment, the icon or menu displayed in response to the status information of the external terminal may be different according to an event occurring in association with the external terminal. For example, if the external terminal user's birthday is selected, the control unit 180 may display an icon for executing a congratulatory message transmission application when an object of the external terminal is selected. In addition, the user can set the kind of event and the application execution icon or menu to be added or deleted when the event occurs.

 When it is detected that the object displayed on the display unit 151 is selected as in the first embodiment, the control unit 180 determines the current state of the external terminal from the state information of the external terminal corresponding to the selected object (S30) .

If it is detected that the object displayed on the display unit 151 is selected, the controller 180 detects whether an external terminal related event corresponding to the selected object has occurred (S50). The external terminal related event may occur when the external terminal user is a birthday or anniversary related to the external terminal user arrives. In addition, the user can set the T1 portable terminal to generate an event at various times.

If an external terminal related event corresponding to the selected object does not occur, the controller 180 displays an application execution icon or menu corresponding to the current state of the external terminal on the display unit 151. [

Meanwhile, when an external terminal related event corresponding to the selected object is generated, the controller 180 adds an application execution icon or menu corresponding to the current state of the external terminal to the icon or menu list corresponding to the current state, From the icon or menu list corresponding to the status (S55). For example, if the birthday is the birthday of the user of the external terminal, the control unit 180 may add a congratulatory message transmission application execution icon to the application execution icon to be displayed around the object. As another example, if the user is an anniversary of the user of the external terminal, the control unit 180 may add an application execution icon that can transmit contents such as a sound source to an application execution icon to be displayed around the object. In addition, the type of the application execution icon or menu to be added or deleted may be different depending on the kind of event, and does not limit the scope of rights of the present invention.

When the control unit 180 detects the object selection, the application execution icon or menu is displayed around the selected object (S60). The displayed application execution icon or menu is an application execution icon or menu added or deleted in step S55.

7 is a flowchart showing a flow of an operation method of the portable terminal according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment is an embodiment of an operation method of the portable terminal when at least two objects to be displayed on the T1 portable terminal are selected.

The control unit 180 receives the status information of the external terminal corresponding to the object displayed on the T1 portable terminal (S10), and displays an icon corresponding to the received status information of the external terminal around the object corresponding to the external terminal (S15). If the object corresponding to the external terminal is not selected, the controller 180 receives the status information of the external terminal corresponding to the external terminal again after a predetermined time elapses, and updates the icon corresponding to the status information (S25, S10, S15 ).

If an object corresponding to the external terminal is selected, the control unit 180 determines whether at least two objects are selected (S70). For example, when the user touches at least two or more objects displayed on the display unit 151, at least two objects are selected.

If it is determined that at least two objects are not selected, the controller 180 displays an application execution icon or menu according to the current state of the external terminal corresponding to the selected object (S75).

If it is determined that at least two objects are selected, the controller 180 determines the current state of the external terminals corresponding to the selection object (S80). The current state of the external terminals can be grasped from the received state information.

The control unit 180 adds an icon or a menu capable of executing an application applicable to all selected external terminals to the icon or menu list corresponding to the current status (S85). The application applicable to all selected terminals can be determined from the status information of all selected terminals. For example, if all selected external terminals are in a state in which they can make telephone calls, the application applicable to all selected terminals is a multi-currency application. In addition, when the message is able to be transmitted to all selected external terminals, an application applicable to all selected terminals is an application capable of simultaneously transmitting a message to all selected terminals.

The control unit 180 deletes an icon or a menu capable of executing an application that is not applicable to all selected external terminals from the icon or menu list corresponding to the current status (S90). For example, when some of the selected external terminals can not make a telephone call, the icon for executing the telephone application execution icon is deleted from the icon or menu list corresponding to the current status. Also, if some of the selected external terminals can not receive the message, the message transmission application execution icon is deleted from the icon or menu list corresponding to the current status.

The control unit 180 displays an application execution icon or menu in which a predetermined application execution icon or a menu is added or deleted from the icon or menu list corresponding to the current state (S95) around the selected objects.

8 to 12 are diagrams illustrating screens displayed on a display unit of the portable terminal of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a screen displayed on a mobile terminal operating according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 8 (a), the controller 180 of the T1 portable terminal displays objects 202, 203, and 204 corresponding to the external terminal on the display unit 151. FIG. In this embodiment, the objects 202, 203, and 204 are icons made up of user pictures of corresponding external terminals. As another example, the object corresponding to the external terminal may be an OSD, a widget, or an emoticon composed of a user of the T1 portable terminal or a user of the external terminal. The specific examples of the objects of the present embodiment do not limit the scope of rights of the present invention.

The user can select one of the objects 202, 203, and 204 displayed on the display unit 180 as shown in FIG. 8 (b). When the control unit 180 determines the selection of the object, the object is highlighted and displayed as shown in the figure. The user can know that the object is selected through the highlighted object 202a. The control unit 180 can display the user name 211 of the selected external terminal around the object.

In addition, the control unit 180 displays application execution icons 212 and 213 around the highlighted object 202a. The application execution icons 212 and 213 shown in FIG. 8 (b) are execution icons of the application corresponding to the current state of the corresponding external terminal. In this embodiment, the external terminal corresponding to the selected object 202a is in a state capable of making a telephone call, and is capable of transmitting a message. Therefore, the control unit 180 displays the dialing application execution icon 212, the message transmission application execution icon 212, and the like around the highlighted object 202a.

As shown in Fig. 8 (c), the user can select 203 objects. The control unit 180 determines the selection of the object, and displays the highlighted object. The user can know that the object is selected through the highlighted object 203a. The control unit 180 can display the user name 216 of the selected external terminal around the object.

In addition, the control unit 180 displays an application execution icon 217 around the highlighted object 203a. The application execution icon 217 shown in FIG. 8 (c) is an execution icon of the application corresponding to the current state of the external terminal. In the present embodiment, the external terminal corresponding to the selected object 203a is in a state in which the external terminal can not make a call, but the message can be transmitted. Therefore, the control unit 180 does not display the telephone application execution icon around the highlighted object 203a. The control unit 180 displays an execution icon of an application which is determined to be executable according to the current state of the external terminal such as the message transmission application execution icon 217 around the highlighted object 203a.

FIG. 9 shows a screen displayed on a mobile terminal operating according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 9, the control unit 180 displays icons 221, 222, and 223 corresponding to the current state of the objects 202, 203, and 204 displayed on the display unit around the objects 202, 203, and 204 Can be displayed. The icons 221, 222, and 223 corresponding to the current state correspond to the received state information, and are changed when the state of the external terminal is changed.

In FIG. 9A, the icon 221 displayed around the 202 object indicates that the external terminal corresponding to the object 202 is in a state in which the telephone call connection is possible, and the message transmission / reception is possible. The icon 222 displayed around the object 203 indicates that the user of the external terminal corresponding to the object 203 is currently in a foreign country or is in a flight. Accordingly, the external terminal corresponding to the object 203 can not receive the telephone call, but can receive the message. The icon 223 displayed around the object 204 indicates that the external terminal corresponding to the object 204 can not be connected by phone call and can not send / receive a message.

The user can grasp the current state of the external terminal corresponding to the objects 202, 203, and 204 through the icons 221, 222, and 223 displayed around the objects 202, 203, and 204. Further, the user can guess an application execution icon or menu to be displayed when a predetermined object is selected through the icon displayed around the object.

FIG. 9B shows a screen in which an icon displayed around the object is changed as the state of the external terminal is changed. As shown, the user of the external terminal corresponding to the 202 object is in a foreign country or is on a flight, and 226 icons are displayed around the 202 object. When the external terminal corresponding to the object 203 is currently connected to the messenger or the network, a 227 icon is displayed around the 203 object.

The status information of the external terminal corresponding to the object displayed on the display unit 151 of the T1 portable terminal is periodically received. The control unit 180 changes the icon displayed around the object periodically according to the received status information. Through the changed icon, the user can know the current status of the external terminal corresponding to the object displayed on the T1 portable terminal. When the object is selected, the control unit 180 displays the status information of the object or an application execution icon or menu corresponding to the icon displayed in the vicinity of the object.

FIG. 10 shows a screen displayed on a mobile terminal operating according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. When an event related to an external terminal corresponding to an object occurs, the T1 mobile terminal can display an icon corresponding to the event around the object. In addition, an application execution icon or menu displayed around the object can correspond to an event. This will be described below.

As shown in FIG. 10 (a), the controller 180 determines whether an event related to the external terminal corresponding to the object 202 has occurred. If the current day is the birthday of the external terminal user corresponding to the object 202, the controller 180 determines that an event corresponding to the object 202 has occurred. Accordingly, the control unit 180 displays an icon 221 corresponding to the status information of the external terminal 202 and an icon 231 corresponding to the event generated in association with the external terminal.

The user can see the external terminal related event by looking at the 231 icon. More specifically, the user can know that it is the birthday of the user of the external terminal.

When the user selects the object 202, the control unit 180 can display an application execution icon that can send a birthday present to the external terminal. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 10 (b), the control unit 180 displays a content transmission application execution icon 232 that can transmit a sound source and the like to the external terminal around the highlighted icon 202a.

10, when an object corresponding to the external terminal is selected, the control unit 180 displays an application execution icon or menu list corresponding to the status information of the external terminal in an application You can add an action icon or menu. As another example, when the object corresponding to the external terminal is selected, the control unit 180 can delete a predetermined application execution icon or menu in association with the generated event from the application execution icon or menu list corresponding to the state information of the external terminal . Accordingly, the application execution icon or the object displayed when the object is selected can be changed according to the state information of the external terminal and the event generated in association with the external terminal.

11 and 12 show screens displayed on a mobile terminal operating according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the user of the T1 portable terminal selects at least two objects among the objects displayed on the display unit 151. [ If it is determined that at least two objects are selected, the control unit 180 displays an application execution icon or menu corresponding to the selected object.

Since at least two objects are selected, the control unit 180 determines an application execution icon or menu list to be displayed with reference to the status information of the external terminal corresponding to all selected objects. For example, when all of the external terminals corresponding to the selected object can be connected to the telephone, the control unit 180 can display the multi-user application execution icon on the display unit 151. As another example, if the external terminal corresponding to the selected object is not in a state in which the telephone connection is possible, the control unit 180 does not display the multi-currency application execution icon on the display unit 151. [

As shown in FIG. 11 (a), among the objects displayed on the display unit of the T1 mobile terminal, the external terminals corresponding to the objects 202 and 203 are in a state in which a telephone call can be connected. The control unit 180 receives the status information of the external terminal corresponding to the objects 202 and 203, determines the current status of the external terminal corresponding to the objects 202 and 203, and displays the 241 icon around the objects 202 and 203.

As shown in FIG. 11B, when the 202 object and the 203 object are selected, the control unit 180 highlights the 202 object and the 203 object to display. The control unit 180 displays an application execution menu list 243 related to the external terminal corresponding to the selected object around the highlighted objects 202a and 203a.

In the present embodiment, the external terminal corresponding to the highlighted objects 202a and 203a is in a state in which the telephone call is connectable and the message can be transmitted and received. Therefore, the application execution menu list 243 displayed by the control unit 180 includes a menu item for executing the conference call application, a menu item for executing the message transmission application, and an application execution menu item for sharing the schedule among the external terminal users.

As shown in FIG. 12 (a), among the objects displayed on the display unit of the T1 portable terminal, the external terminal corresponding to the 204 object is in a state in which the telephone call can not be connected. In addition, the 204 object corresponding external terminal can not transmit / receive a message. The control unit 180 receives the status information of the external terminal corresponding to the object 204, determines the current status of the external terminal corresponding to the object 204, and displays the 242 icon around the object 204. [

As shown in FIG. 12 (b), when all of the objects 202, 203, and 204 are selected, the control unit 180 highlights the objects 202, 203, and 204. The control unit 180 displays an application execution menu list 247 related to the external terminal corresponding to the selected object in the vicinity of the highlighted objects 202a, 203a, and 204a.

In this embodiment, only the external terminals corresponding to the objects 202a, 203 among the highlighted objects 202a, 203a, 204a are in a state in which the telephone call connection is possible and the message can be transmitted and received. Therefore, the application execution menu list 247 displayed by the control unit 180 is made up of an application execution menu item that allows users to share a schedule. The control unit 180 does not display the menu item for executing the multi-currency application and the menu item for executing the message transmission application, unlike the one shown in FIG. 11 (b).

13 is a diagram referred to in explanation of another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the user can select at least two or more objects. The controller 180 determines the current state of the external terminal selected from the state information of the external terminal corresponding to the selected object. The control unit 180 can determine that a predetermined external terminal among the selected external terminals can not receive a call or can not transmit or receive a message. In this case, the control unit 180 can display only the application execution icon or the application execution icon or menu applicable to all the external terminals among the menu on the display unit 151. In addition, the controller 180 may display a Noti message or a Noti window on the display unit 151, which describes an application applicable to only some of the selected external terminals.

13 (a), the controller 180 displays icons 202, 203, and 204 corresponding to the external terminal and icons 241 and 242 corresponding to the current state of the external terminal corresponding to the object (151). The user can select the objects 202, 203, and 204 displayed on the display unit 151. [ When the display unit 151 is a touch screen, the user can touch the objects 202, 203, and 204 displayed on the display unit 151 to select an external terminal corresponding to the object.

The 204-object corresponding external terminal of the external terminal corresponding to the selected object can not receive the current call and can not transmit / receive the message. 13B, the control unit 180 displays an application execution menu list 247 made up of execution menu items, which is an application applicable to all the objects 202, 203, and 204, to the display unit 151 Display. In this embodiment, an application that can be applied to all the objects 202, 203, and 204 is a schedule sharing application.

Also, the control unit 180 may display a Noti message or a Noti window on the display unit 151 including information on applications applicable to the objects 202, 203, and 204 among the objects 202, 203, and 204. In this embodiment, the 202 and 203 object-capable external terminals are in a state capable of receiving a telephone call. Accordingly, the control unit 180 displays on the display unit 151 a Noti message 248 for confirming whether or not to execute a confidential communication application targeting an external terminal 202, 203. Accordingly, the user can make a multi-party call with a predetermined object-corresponding external terminal capable of receiving a telephone call among the selected objects.

14 is a drawing referred to in the description of another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the control unit 180 may display a menu item of an application applicable to all selected objects and a menu item of an application that can not be applied to all selected objects.

14A, the control unit 180 displays the icons 202, 203, and 204 corresponding to the external terminal and the icons 241 and 242 corresponding to the status information of the object-corresponding external terminal on the display unit 151 . When the user selects the object 202, 203, or 204, the control unit 180 displays the highlighted object.

14 (b), the control unit 180 can display the application execution menu list 251 on the display unit 151. [ In this embodiment, the control unit 180 displays the application execution menu list 251 in association with the state information of the selected object.

That is, the 204-object-corresponding external terminal of the selected object-corresponding external terminal can not receive the current call and can not transmit / receive the message. Accordingly, the mobile terminal can not execute a multi-user application or a message transmission application targeting all 202, 203, and 204 object-capable external terminals.

The control unit 180 deactivates the multi-user application execution menu item and the message transmission application execution menu item that can not be applied to all of the 202, 203, and 204 object-corresponding external terminals among the application execution menu items constituting the application execution menu list 251 Display. The control unit 180 activates and displays a schedule sharing application execution menu item applicable to all 202, 203, and 204 object-corresponding external terminals among the application execution menu items constituting the application execution menu list 251. [

Fig. 15 is a diagram referred to in explanation of another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the control unit 180 displays a Noti message or a Noti window including information on an application currently not executable on the display unit 151. [ Accordingly, the user can check which application menu item can not be applied to the selected object-corresponding external terminal.

15 (a) shows icons 202, 203, 204 corresponding to an external terminal and icons 241, 242 corresponding to status information of an external terminal. When the user selects the objects 202, 203, and 204, the control unit 180 can display the application execution menu list 251 as shown in FIG. 15 (b). In this embodiment, an application execution menu item constituting the application execution menu list 251 is displayed corresponding to the state information of the selected object. That is, an application execution menu item applicable to all currently selected objects is displayed as active, and an application execution menu item not applicable to all currently selected objects is displayed as inactive.

15 (b), the control unit 180 displays on the display unit 151 a Noti message 252 containing information on an application that can not be applied to all currently selected objects. Accordingly, the user can confirm information about an application currently not executable among the application execution menus or icons set to be displayed when at least two objects are selected.

16 is a diagram referred to in explanation of another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the control unit 180 can change the display state of the object to correspond to the state information of the selected object. In FIG. 16, the object selected by the user is highlighted (202a, 203a, 204a). Among the external terminals 202a, 203a, and 204a that are highlighted in the present embodiment, the external terminal 204a corresponding to the object can not receive a call, and can not transmit / receive a message.

In FIG. 16A, the controller 180 may display an application execution menu list 247 including application execution menu items applicable to all selected objects on the display unit 151. In FIG. 16B, the control unit 180 displays an application execution menu item applicable to all selected objects and an application execution menu item that can not be applied to all selected objects in the application execution menu list 251 differently.

In FIG. 16A, the control unit 180 displays a notify message 248 informing that the object 202a, 203a among the highlighted objects 202a, 203a, and 204a can be executed with respect to the object. At this time, the controller 180 differently displays the 204a object to which the multi-call application included in the Noti message 248 can not be applied. Accordingly, the user can identify an object to which the application displayed in the Noti message 248 can not be applied. In the present embodiment, the user can know that the multi-user application and the message transmission application can not be applied to the external terminal corresponding to the 204a object.

16B, the controller 180 changes the display state of the 204a object to which the multi-user application and the message transmission application can not be applied among the highlighted objects 202a, 203a, and 204a. 204a The multi-currency application and message transmission application menu items that can not be applied to the object are deactivated in the application menu list 251. [ Accordingly, the user can confirm that the application corresponding to the disabled menu item can not be applied to the external terminal corresponding to the object 204a.

The controller 180 of the portable terminal of the present invention displays status information of a predetermined external terminal on the display unit 151. Therefore, the user can easily grasp the state of the external terminal.

When an object corresponding to a predetermined external terminal is selected, another type of application execution icon or menu is displayed on the display unit 151 according to the state of the external terminal. That is, different types of application execution icons or menus are displayed on the display unit 151 according to the status of the external terminal, whether an event related to the external terminal is generated, and the status of other selected external terminals simultaneously. Therefore, the user interface is automatically changed according to the state of the external terminal or the like.

In addition, the configuration and method of the embodiments described above can be applied to a portable terminal and its operation control method according to the present invention, Or some of them may be selectively combined.

Meanwhile, the present invention can be implemented as a processor-readable code on a processor-readable recording medium such as an MSM (Mobile Station Modem). The processor-readable recording medium includes all kinds of recording apparatuses in which data that can be read by the processor is stored. Examples of the recording medium readable by the processor include a ROM, a RAM, a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, an optical data storage device, and the like, and also a carrier wave such as transmission over the Internet. In addition, the processor readable recording medium may be distributed over networked computer systems so that code readable by the processor in a distributed manner can be stored and executed.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, but, on the contrary, It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

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

2 is a front perspective view of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention,

3 is a rear perspective view of a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a screen in which an object corresponding to an external terminal is displayed on a screen of a mobile terminal according to an operation method of the mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 to 7 are flowcharts illustrating a method of operating a mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

8 to 16 are diagrams illustrating a method of operating a mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Description of the Related Art [0002]

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

130: user input unit 140: sensing unit

150: output unit 160: memory

170: interface unit 180: control unit

Claims (22)

Claim 1 has been abandoned due to the setting registration fee. Claim 1 has been abandoned due to the setting registration fee. Periodically receiving status information of the external terminals; Changing a status icon displayed in a neighboring area of the object according to the change of the received status information; Determining an application applicable to all external terminals selected based on the detected status information and an application applicable to only some of the selected external terminals; And Wherein the object is an icon including a user image of a corresponding external terminal stored in an address book. Claim 2 has been abandoned due to the setting registration fee. Claim 2 has been abandoned due to the setting registration fee. Determining an application that is not applicable to all selected external terminals based on the detected status information; And Claim 3 has been abandoned due to the setting registration fee. Claim 3 has been abandoned due to the setting registration fee. And displays an execution icon or menu of an application determined to be applicable to all selected external terminals and an execution icon or menu of an application that is determined to be not applicable to all selected external terminals to be different from each other Way. Claim 4 has been abandoned due to the setting registration fee. Claim 4 has been abandoned due to the setting registration fee. The execution icon or menu of the application applicable to all selected external terminals is activated and displayed so that the user can input a selection command, and the execution icon or menu of the application which is not applicable to all selected external terminals is displayed on the display unit The mobile terminal is inactivated so that it can not be input. delete Claim 6 has been abandoned due to the setting registration fee. Claim 6 has been abandoned due to the setting registration fee. Displaying a Noti message or Noti window including information on an application that can not be executed when it is determined that there is an execution icon or menu of an application that is not applicable to all of the selected external terminals . Claim 7 has been abandoned due to the setting registration fee. Claim 7 has been abandoned due to the setting registration fee. Wherein the object is linked to corresponding external terminal related information among the information stored in the portable terminal, and the execution icon or menu is selected from the status information of the selected external terminal among the applications corresponding to the selected external terminal related information, And an execution icon or menu of an application that is determined to be executable. Claim 8 has been abandoned due to the setting registration fee. Claim 8 has been abandoned due to the setting registration fee.  Wherein the status information includes at least one of voice and video call availability, message transmission availability, messenger accessibility, availability, access to a network, and availability of a corresponding external terminal. Claim 9 has been abandoned due to the setting registration fee. Claim 9 has been abandoned due to the setting registration fee. The execution icon or menu may be an icon or a menu capable of transmitting a message to the selected external terminal, connecting the selected external terminal to the selected external terminal through a messenger or a network, or executing an application capable of multi- The method comprising the steps of: Claim 10 has been abandoned due to the setting registration fee. Claim 10 has been abandoned due to the setting registration fee. Determining whether the external terminal related event is generated; And Claim 11 has been abandoned due to the set registration fee. Claim 11 has been abandoned due to the set registration fee. Further comprising changing the display state of the object to correspond to reception information of the corresponding external terminal. A display unit capable of displaying a plurality of objects corresponding to external terminals; And A status icon corresponding to the status information of each external terminal is periodically displayed in the adjacent area of the corresponding object, and the status icon is displayed in the adjacent area of the object according to the change of the received status information And when the at least two of the plurality of objects are selected, highlighting the selected objects, detecting current state information of external terminals corresponding to the highlighted objects, And a controller for determining an application applicable to all selected external terminals based on the information and an application applicable to only some of the selected external terminals, The control unit displays on the display unit a Noti indicator including information on an application applicable to only some of the selected external terminals, together with an execution icon or menu of an application applicable to all selected external terminals, Wherein the object is an icon including a user image of a corresponding external terminal stored in an address book. 13. The method of claim 12, Wherein, Determines an application that is not applicable to all selected external terminals based on the detected status information, And displays an execution icon or a menu of an application determined to be not applicable to all the selected external terminals on the display unit. 14. The method of claim 13, Wherein, An execution icon or menu of an application determined to be applicable to all the selected external terminals and an execution icon or menu of an application determined to be not applicable to all selected external terminals are displayed differently on the display unit Mobile terminal. 14. The method of claim 13, Wherein, The execution icon or menu of the application applicable to all selected external terminals is activated and displayed so that the user can input a selection command, and the execution icon or menu of the application which is not applicable to all selected external terminals is displayed on the display unit Is displayed in a disabled state so that it can not be input. delete 13. The method of claim 12, Wherein, And displays a Noti message or Noti window including information on an application that can not be executed on the display unit when it is determined that there is an execution icon or menu of an application which is not applicable to all selected external terminals . 13. The method of claim 12, Wherein the object is linked to corresponding external terminal related information among the information stored in the portable terminal, Wherein the execution icon or menu is an execution icon or menu of an application that determines that the application is currently executable from state information of the selected external terminal among applications corresponding to the selected external terminal related information. 13. The method of claim 12,  Wherein the status information includes at least one of voice and video call availability, message transmission availability, messenger accessibility, availability, network connection, and availability of a corresponding external terminal. 13. The method of claim 12, The execution icon or menu may be an icon or a menu capable of transmitting a message to the selected external terminal, connecting the selected external terminal to the selected external terminal through a messenger or a network, or executing an application capable of multi- Wherein the portable terminal is a portable terminal. 13. The method of claim 12, Wherein, Whether or not the external terminal related event is generated, And changes the displayed execution icon or menu to correspond to the event when it is determined that the event has occurred. 13. The method of claim 12, Wherein, And changes the display state of the object to correspond to reception information of the corresponding external terminal.

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