KR101973622B1 - Mobile terminal and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal having a geomagnetic sensor and a control method thereof. A mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a main body; A geomagnetism sensor for detecting a geomagnetism direction of a point where the main body is located; A display unit displaying a menu image including a direction identifier indicating the detected geomagnetism direction and a plurality of menu items; And a controller for arranging the direction identifier in the menu image based on a direction in which a part of the main body is oriented, and selecting at least one of the plurality of menu items based on the position in which the direction identifier is arranged.

Description

[0001] MOBILE TERMINAL AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF [0002]

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, and more particularly, to a mobile terminal having a geomagnetic sensor and a control method thereof.

A terminal can be divided into a mobile or portable terminal and a stationary terminal depending on whether the terminal is movable or not. 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.

As the functions of such terminals are diversified, they are implemented in the form of a multimedia player having complex functions such as photographing and photographing of movies, reproduction of music and video files, games, and broadcasting reception . Further, in order to support and enhance the function of the terminal, it may be considered to improve the structural and software parts of the terminal.

With this improvement, the mobile terminal can detect and output geomagnetism information (e.g., azimuth angle) at the present location. In other words, an electronic compass that provides geomagnetic information in real time to the mobile terminal can be mounted.

An object of the present invention is to provide a user interface for controlling a mobile terminal by using geomagnetism information as an input of the mobile terminal.

A mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a main body; A geomagnetism sensor for detecting a geomagnetism direction of a point where the main body is located; A display unit displaying a menu image including a direction identifier indicating the detected geomagnetism direction and a plurality of menu items; And a controller for arranging the direction identifier in the menu image based on a direction in which a part of the main body is oriented, and selecting at least one of the plurality of menu items based on the position in which the direction identifier is arranged.

In an embodiment, the controller may perform a function corresponding to the at least one menu item if the time of the at least one menu item is greater than or equal to a reference time. The control unit may control the display unit to display another menu image including a plurality of sub items depending on the at least one menu item if the selected at least one menu item is longer than a reference time .

In an embodiment, the mobile terminal may further include an attitude sensor for sensing attitude information of the main body. The controller may determine a direction in which the screen of the display unit faces based on the attitude information, and determine whether to display the menu image according to a direction of the screen of the display unit.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the controller may be configured to calculate a rotation direction and an angle of the main body using the attitude information when the speakerphone function is executed, The volume of the call can be controlled based on the angle. The control unit may determine the increase or decrease of the volume of the call according to the rotation direction of the main body, and may determine the change amount of the volume of the call according to the rotation angle of the main body.

In an embodiment, the control unit may control the display unit to display a plurality of recommendation messages as the plurality of sub-items, if the at least one menu item corresponds to the text message transmission function.

In an embodiment, the control unit may control the display unit to display the menu image in response to receiving an incoming call signal.

In an embodiment, the plurality of menu items may be arranged at predetermined intervals surrounding the direction identifier. The direction identifier may rotate in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of the main body at the center of the menu image.

One embodiment of the present invention relates to a control method of a mobile terminal having a display unit on one side of a main body. The control method includes: detecting a geomagnetism direction of a point where the main body is located; Displaying a menu image including a direction identifier indicating the detected geomagnetism direction and a plurality of menu items; Placing the direction identifier in the menu image based on a direction that a part of the main body faces; And selecting at least one of the plurality of menu items based on the position where the direction identifier is disposed.

In an embodiment, the control method may further include executing a function corresponding to the at least one menu item if the time of the at least one menu item is greater than or equal to a reference time. The control method may further include displaying another menu image including a plurality of sub items depending on the at least one menu item if the time of selecting the at least one menu item is not less than a reference time have.

In an exemplary embodiment, the control method may include: sensing posture information of the main body; Determining a direction of a screen of the display unit based on the attitude information; And determining whether to display the menu image according to a direction of a screen of the display unit.

In an embodiment, the control method may include: calculating a rotation direction and an angle of the main body using the attitude information when the speakerphone function is executed, the function corresponding to the at least one menu item; And controlling the volume of communication based on the rotation direction and angle of the main body.

In the embodiment, in the step of controlling the volume of the call, the increase or decrease of the volume of the call is determined according to the direction of rotation of the body, and the amount of change of the volume of the call may be determined according to the angle of rotation of the body.

In one embodiment, when the at least one menu item corresponds to the text message transmission function, a plurality of recommendation messages may be displayed as the plurality of sub-items.

In an embodiment, in displaying the menu image, the menu image may be displayed in response to receiving an incoming call signal.

According to the invention, when receiving an incoming signal, a direction indicator indicating the geomagnetism direction is used to select a menu item related to the telephone conversation, so that the telephone conversation function can be executed without depending on the touch input of the user. In more detail, even if the touch of the user is not easy due to wetting of the user's hand or contamination by foreign substances, the direction indicator is rearranged according to the rotation of the main body of the terminal to point to the menu item desired by the user, The function of the item is executed, and as a result, the convenience of the user can be improved.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a mobile terminal according to the present invention.
2A and 2B are perspective views showing an appearance of a mobile terminal according to the present invention.
3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a user interface of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 to 8 are conceptual diagrams showing an operation example of a mobile terminal to which the control method of FIG. 4 is applied.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily carry out the technical idea of the present invention. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. In order to clearly explain the present invention, parts not related to the description are omitted, and like parts are denoted by similar reference numerals throughout the specification.

The mobile terminal described herein 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), a navigator, have. However, it should be understood 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 it is applicable only to a mobile terminal. It will be easy to see.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a mobile terminal 100 according to the present invention. 1, a mobile 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 controller 160, an interface unit 170, a controller 180, and a power supply unit 190. The components shown in Fig. 1 are not essential, so that a mobile terminal having more or fewer components can be implemented.

Hereinafter, the components 110 to 190 of the mobile terminal 100 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 distance communication module 114, and a location information module 115.

The broadcast receiving module 111 receives broadcast signals and broadcast related information from an external broadcast management server through a broadcast channel. Here, the broadcast-related information means information related to a broadcast channel, a broadcast program, or a broadcast service provider. The broadcast-related information can also be provided through a mobile communication network. In this case, the broadcast-related information may be received by the mobile communication module 112. The broadcast signal and the broadcast-related information received through the broadcast receiving module 111 may be stored in the memory 160.

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

The wireless Internet module 113 is a module for wireless Internet access, and may 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. As a short range communication technology, Bluetooth, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Ultra Wideband (UWB), ZigBee, and the like can be used.

The position information module 115 is a module for acquiring the position of the mobile terminal 100, and a representative example thereof is a Global Position System (GPS) module.

1, an A / V (Audio / Video) input unit 120 is for inputting an audio signal and a video signal, and may include a camera 121, a microphone 122, and the like. The camera 121 processes image frames such as still images and moving images obtained by the image sensor in the video communication mode or the photographing mode. The image frame processed by the camera 121 can be displayed on the display unit 151. [ The image frame may be stored in the memory 160 or transmitted to the outside through the wireless communication unit 110. [ More than two cameras 121 may be provided depending on the use environment.

The microphone 122 processes the sound signal input from the outside in the communication mode, the recording mode, the voice selection mode, and the like as electrical voice data. The voice data processed by the microphone 122 in the communication mode can be converted into a form that can be transmitted to the mobile communication base station through the mobile communication module 112 and output. The microphone 122 may be implemented with various noise reduction algorithms for eliminating noise generated when an external sound signal is input.

The user input unit 130 generates input data for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 100 by a user. The user input unit 130 may include a key pad, a dome switch, a touch pad (static pressure and static electricity), a jog wheel, a jog switch, and the like.

The sensing unit 140 senses the current state of the mobile terminal 100 such as presence or absence of a user, the open / close state of the mobile terminal 100, position, orientation, acceleration, deceleration, And generates a sensing signal. For example, when the mobile terminal 100 is in the form of a slide phone, the sensing unit 140 may detect whether the slide phone is opened or closed. The sensing unit 140 may sense whether the power supply unit 190 is powered on, whether the interface unit 170 is connected to an external device, and the like.

The sensing unit 140 may include a proximity sensor 141, a geomagnetic sensor 142, and an orientation sensor 143. The sensing unit 140 may include a touch sensor (not shown) for sensing a touch operation with respect to the display unit 151.

The touch sensor may have the form of a touch film, a touch sheet, a touch pad, or the like. The touch sensor may be configured to convert a pressure applied to a specific portion of the display portion 151 or a change in capacitance generated at a specific portion of the display portion 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 touch pressure.

When the touch sensor and the display unit 151 have a mutual layer structure, the display unit 151 can be used as an input device in addition to the output device. The display unit 151 may be referred to as a 'touch screen'.

If there is a touch input via the touch screen, corresponding signals are sent to a touch controller (not shown). The touch controller processes the signals transmitted from the touch sensor, and then transmits data corresponding to the processed signals to the controller 180. Thus, the control unit 180 can know which area of the display unit 151 is touched.

In the case where the touch screen is electrostatic, it can be configured to detect the proximity of the sensing object by a change of the electric field along the proximity of the sensing target. Such a touch screen may be classified as proximity sensor 141. [

The proximity sensor 141 refers to a sensor that detects the presence or absence of an object to be sensed without mechanical contact using an electromagnetic force or infrared rays. The proximity sensor 141 has a longer life than the contact type sensor and its utilization is also high. Examples of the proximity sensor 141 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.

Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, a proximity action is referred to as " proximity touch " while an object to be sensed does not touch the touch screen, and an action of touching the sensing object on the touch screen is called & touch ".

The proximity sensor 141 detects the presence or absence of a proximity touch and a proximity touch pattern (for example, a proximity touch distance, a proximity touch direction, a proximity touch speed, a proximity touch time, a proximity touch position, The information corresponding to the presence / absence of proximity touch and the proximity touch pattern can be output to the touch screen.

The geomagnetic sensor 142 is a sensor that detects geomagnetism information at a location where the mobile terminal 100 is located. The geomagnetic sensor 142 can sense the direction of the magnetic field generated by the earth and detect the orientation like a compass.

The posture sensor 143 refers to a sensor that detects variations, movements, and the like with respect to three axes perpendicular to each other across the center of gravity of the terminal body. For this purpose, the posture sensor 143 may include a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, and the like.

The output unit 150 generates an output related to visual, auditory, tactile, and the like. The output unit 150 may include a display unit 151, an audio output module 152, an alarm unit 153, and a haptic module 154.

The display unit 151 displays (outputs) information processed by the mobile terminal 100. For example, when the mobile terminal 100 operates in the call mode, the display unit 151 displays a UI (User Interface) or a GUI (Graphic User Interface) related to the call. When the mobile terminal 100 operates in the video communication mode or the photographing mode, the display unit 151 displays the photographed image, the received image, the UI, the GUI, and the like.

The display unit 151 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD), an organic light emitting diode (OLED), a flexible display display, a 3D display, and an e-ink display.

At least one display (or display element) included in the display unit 151 may be configured to be transparent or light transmissive so that the display can see the outside through it. This can be referred to as a transparent display. A typical example of such a transparent display is TOLED (Transparent OLED). 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 in 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 each other or positioned integrally with one another, and may be located on different surfaces.

The audio output module 152 may output audio data received from the wireless communication unit 110 or stored in the memory 160 in a call signal reception mode, a call mode or a recording mode, a voice selection mode, a broadcast reception mode, The sound output module 152 also outputs sound signals related to functions (e.g., call signal reception sound, 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 generated in the mobile terminal 100 include call signal reception, message reception, key signal input, touch input, and the like. The alarm unit 153 may output a signal for informing occurrence of an event in a form other than a video signal or an audio signal, for example, vibration. The display unit 151 and the audio output module 152 may be classified as a part of the alarm unit 153 because 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, pattern, and the like of the vibration generated by the hit module 154 are controllable. For example, different vibrations may be synthesized and output or sequentially output.

In addition to the vibration, the haptic module 154 may include a pin arrangement vertically moving with respect to the contact skin surface, a spraying force or a suction force of the air through the injection port or the suction port, a touch on the skin surface, contact with an electrode, Various effects can be generated such as the effect of heat generation and the effect of reproducing the cold sensation using the heat absorbing or heatable element.

The haptic module 154 can be configured to not only transmit the tactile effect through the direct contact but also to allow the user to feel the tactile effect through the muscular sense of the finger or arm. At least two haptic modules 154 may be provided according to the configuration of the mobile terminal 100.

The memory 160 may store a program for the operation of the controller 180 and temporarily store input and output data (e.g., a phone book, a message, a still image, a moving picture, etc.). The memory 160 may store data related to vibrations and sounds of various patterns that are output upon touch input on the touch screen.

The memory 160 may be a flash memory, a hard disk, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (e.g., SD or XD memory), a random access memory (RAM), static random access memory (SRAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM) And may include at least one storage medium. The mobile terminal 100 may operate in association with a web storage that performs storage functions of the memory 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 supplies power to each component in the mobile terminal 100 or transmits data to the external device. For example, the interface unit 170 may include 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, Input / output ports, video I / O ports, earphone ports, and the like.

The identification module is a chip for storing various information for authenticating the usage right of the mobile terminal 100 and includes a user identification module (UIM), a subscriber identity module (SIM), a general user authentication module Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM)). A device equipped with an identification module (hereinafter referred to as "identification device") can be manufactured in a smart card format. Accordingly, the identification device can be connected to the terminal 100 through the port.

The interface unit 170 may be a path through which the power from the cradle is supplied to the mobile terminal 100 when the mobile terminal 100 is connected to an external cradle or various command signals input from the cradle by the user, (Not shown). The various command signals or power supplied from the cradle may also act as a signal for recognizing that the mobile terminal 100 is correctly mounted in the cradle.

The controller 180 controls the overall operation of the mobile terminal 100. For example, control and processing related to 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 control unit 180 may perform pattern selection processing for selecting handwriting input and drawing input 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 implemented in a recording medium readable by a computer or similar device using software, hardware, or a combination thereof.

According to a hardware implementation, the embodiments described herein may be applied to various types of application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays Microprocessors, microprocessors, and other electronic units for performing other functions, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. In some cases, the embodiments described herein may be implemented by the controller 180 itself.

According to a software implementation, embodiments such as the procedures and functions described herein may be implemented with separate software modules. Each of the software modules may perform one or more of the functions and operations described herein. Software code may be implemented in a software application written in a suitable programming language. Such software codes may be stored in the memory 160 and executed by the control unit 180. [

Hereinafter, a method of processing user input to the mobile terminal 100 will be described.

The user input unit 130 is operated to receive a command for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 100, and may include a plurality of operation units. The operating units may also be referred to as manipulating portions and may be employed in any manner as long as they are operated in a tactile manner by the user's tactile sense.

Various kinds of time information can be displayed on the display unit 151. [ Such visual information can be displayed in the form of letters, numbers, symbols, graphics, icons, and the like, and can be formed as a three-dimensional stereoscopic image. At least one of a character, a number, a symbol, a graphic, and an icon may be displayed in a predetermined arrangement for inputting time information, thereby being implemented as a keypad. Such a keypad may be referred to as a so-called " soft key ".

The display unit 151 may operate as an entire area or may be divided into a plurality of areas and operated. In the latter case, the plurality of areas can be configured to operate in association with one another. For example, an output window and an input window may be displayed on the upper and lower portions of the display unit 151, respectively. The output window and the input window are areas allocated for outputting or inputting information, respectively. In the input window, a soft key with a number for inputting a telephone number may be output. When the soft key is touched, the number corresponding to the touched soft key is displayed in the output window. When the operating unit is operated, a call connection to the telephone number displayed in the output window may be attempted, or the text displayed in the output window may be entered into the application.

The display unit 151 or the touch pad may be configured to detect touch scrolling. The user can move the cursor or the pointer positioned on the displayed object, for example, the icon, on the display unit 151 by scrolling the display unit 151 or the touch pad. Further, when the finger is moved on the display unit 151 or the touch pad, the path along which the finger moves may be visually displayed on the display unit 151. [ This will be useful for editing the image displayed on the display unit 151. [

One function of the mobile terminal 100 may be executed in response to a case where the display unit 151 and the touch pad are touched together within a predetermined time range. In the case of being touched together, there may be a case where the user clamps the main body of the mobile terminal 100 using the thumb and index finger. At this time, one function of the mobile terminal 100 to be executed may be activation or deactivation for the display unit 151 or the touch pad, for example.

2A and 2B are perspective views showing an appearance of a mobile terminal 100 according to the present invention. FIG. 2A shows a front side and one side of the mobile terminal 100, and FIG. 2B shows a rear side and the other side of the mobile terminal 100. FIG.

Referring to FIG. 2A, the mobile terminal 100 includes a bar-shaped terminal body. However, the mobile terminal 100 is not limited thereto, and may be realized in various forms such as a slide type, a folder type, a swing type, and a swivel type in which two or more bodies are movably coupled to each other.

The terminal body includes a case (a casing, a housing, a cover, and the like) that forms an appearance. In the 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 of a synthetic resin or may be formed to have a metal material such as stainless steel (STS), titanium (Ti) or the like.

The display unit 151, the sound output unit 152, the camera 121, the user input unit 130 (see FIG. 1), the microphone 122, the interface 170, can do.

The display unit 151 occupies a main portion of the front case 101. [ The audio output unit 152 and the camera 121 are located in a region adjacent to one end of the display unit 151 and the first user input unit 131 and the microphone 122 are located in a region adjacent to the other end. The second user input unit 132 and the interface 170 may be located on the sides 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 mobile terminal 100. [ The user input unit 130 may include a plurality of operation units 131 and 132.

The first or second operating units 131 and 132 can receive various commands. For example, the first operation unit 131 can receive commands such as start, end, scroll, and the like. The second operation unit 132 can receive commands such as adjusting the size of the sound output from the sound output unit 152, switching to the touch selection mode of the display unit 151, and the like.

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

For example, the front camera 121 may be configured to have a low pixel, and the rear camera 121 'may be configured to have a high pixel. Accordingly, when the front camera 121 is used during a video call, when the user's face is photographed and the photographed image is transmitted to the other party in real time, the size of the transmitted data can be reduced. On the other hand, the rear camera 121 'can be used for the purpose of storing a high-quality image.

Meanwhile, the cameras 121 and 121 'may be installed in the terminal body so as to be rotated or popped up.

The flash 123 and the mirror 124 may be further positioned adjacent to the rear camera 121 '. The flash 123 emits light toward the subject when the user photographs the subject with the rear camera 121 '. The mirror 124 illuminates the user's face when the user photographs himself (self-photographing) using the rear camera 121 '.

A rear sound output unit 152 'may be additionally disposed on the rear surface of the terminal body. The rear sound output unit 152 'may perform a stereo function together with the front sound output unit 152 (see FIG. 2A), and may perform a speakerphone function during a call.

In addition to the antenna for communication, an antenna 116 for receiving broadcast signals may be additionally provided on the side surface of the terminal body. The antenna 116 constituting a part of the broadcast receiving module 111 (see FIG. 1) can be installed to be able to be drawn out from the terminal body.

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

The rear case 102 may further include a touch pad 135 for sensing a touch. The touch pad 135 may be of a light transmission type like the display unit 151 (see FIG. 2A). Further, a back display unit for outputting time information can be additionally mounted on the touch pad 135. [ At this time, information output from both sides of the front display unit 151 and the rear display unit can be controlled by the touch pad 135. [

The touch pad 135 operates in correlation with the display unit 151. [ The touch pad 135 may be positioned 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.

Hereinafter, the release of the lock mode using the face recognition function in the mobile terminal 200 (see Fig. 3) according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. Here, the lock mode refers to an operation state in which the function of the mobile terminal 200 is limited. For example, in the lock mode, the touch input can be recognized in a limited manner.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the mobile terminal 100 controlled according to the detected geomagnetism information (for example, the azimuth measured at the current position) will be described.

3 is a conceptual diagram showing a user interface of the mobile terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 3, the controller 180 (see FIG. 1) may control the display unit 151 to display a menu image upon reception of a call signal for a telephone call. The menu image may include a direction identifier 210, a plurality of menu items 222 to 228, a called number, and the like.

The direction identifier 210 is geomagnetism information sensed by the geomagnetic sensor 142 (see FIG. 1), and indicates the geomagnetism direction at the position where the terminal main body is located. The direction identifier 210 is embodied as an image of the compass-shaped shape of the compass, and either the N pole portion or the S pole portion of the direction identifier can be defined as a pointer. At least one of the plurality of menu items 222 to 228 can be selected based on the direction indicated by the pointer. The direction identifier 210 may indicate at least one menu item if it stops after rotating within the area where the plurality of menu items 222 to 228 are arranged.

The disposed position of the direction identifier 210 can be updated in the menu screen according to the rotation of the terminal main body. More specifically, as long as the position of the mobile terminal 100 is not changed, the direction of the geomagnetism indicated by the direction identifier 210 will be kept constant. Therefore, when the terminal body rotates in one direction (e.g., clockwise) (E.g., counterclockwise) with respect to the rotation direction of the terminal main body.

The menu items 222 to 228 may be implemented as objects for executing various functions related to the telephone call. For example, functions such as accepting a call, rejecting a call, transmitting a speakerphone, and transmitting a message can be executed through the menu items 222 to 228. The plurality of menu items 222 to 228 may be arranged at predetermined intervals around the direction identifier 210 in the menu image.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling the mobile terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 4, at the time of receiving an incoming signal, a step (S110) of detecting a geomagnetism direction at a point where a terminal body is located is performed through a geomagnetic sensor 142 (see FIG. 1).

Next, a menu image including a direction identifier 210 indicating the detected geomagnetism direction and a plurality of menu items 222 through 228 for executing a function related to the telephone conversation is displayed (S120). Whether or not the menu image is displayed can be determined according to a predetermined condition.

For example, when no user input is detected and a predetermined time has elapsed from the reception of the incoming signal, the menu image may be displayed. More specifically, upon receiving an incoming signal, an incoming screen image that is not based on geomagnetism information is displayed, and from the incoming screen image to the menu image when a predetermined time has elapsed from that time.

The direction of the screen of the display unit 151 is determined based on the attitude information of the terminal body detected through the attitude sensor 143 (see Fig. 1) at the time of displaying the incoming screen image, The display can be determined. More specifically, when the screen of the display unit 151 faces the gravity direction, the display of the menu image can be interrupted. On the other hand, when the screen of the display unit 151 faces the opposite direction of the gravity, it can be switched from the incoming screen image to the menu image. In other words, the user interface according to the embodiment of the present invention can be implemented so that the menu image can be displayed in a state in which the user can naturally see the screen of the display unit 151.

In addition, when the incoming call screen image is displayed, if a predetermined movement such as a swinging motion in both directions is detected, the incoming call screen image can be switched to the menu image. At this time, the movement of the main body of the terminal can be detected through the posture sensor 143. Therefore, the posture sensor 143 can be referred to as an operation sensor.

On the other hand, the menu image can be displayed in response to reception of the incoming signal. This means that the display of the incoming screen image can be omitted.

Next, a step (S130) of arranging the direction identifier 210 on the menu image based on the direction of a part of the terminal main body (for example, the top end of the main body) is performed. For example, when the terminal main body rotates at an arbitrary angle, the direction identifier 210 may be rotated by a rotation angle of the terminal main body in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the terminal main body in the menu image. This is because, as described above, the geomagnetism direction does not change even if the screen of the terminal main body and the display unit 151 is rotated.

Next, at least one of a plurality of menu items 222 to 228 surrounding the direction identifier 210 is selected (S140) based on the position where the direction identifier 210 is disposed. At this time, the selected menu item may correspond to the menu item indicated by the direction identifier 210 being rotated and stopped.

To perform the function corresponding to the selected menu item, it may be required to measure the selected time of the selected menu item and compare it with a predetermined reference time. Here, the selected time means the time at which the direction identifier indicates the selected menu item. If the selected time is longer than the reference time, the function corresponding to the selected menu item can be executed. In addition, a sub-menu image including a plurality of sub-items depending on the selected menu item may be displayed. This will be described in more detail with reference to Figs. 5 to 8. Fig.

As described above, according to the present invention, the direction indicator 210 indicating the geomagnetism direction is used at the time of receiving the incoming signal, and the menu item related to the telephone call is selected, Can be executed. In more detail, even if the user's hand is wetted with water or contaminated by foreign matter, the direction indicator 210 may be rearranged to indicate the desired menu item according to the rotation of the main body of the terminal , The function of the menu item is executed, and as a result, the user's convenience can be improved.

5 to 8 are conceptual diagrams showing an operation example of the mobile terminal 100 to which the control method of FIG. 4 is applied.

Referring to FIG. 5, upon receiving a call signal, the controller 180 may control the display unit 151 to display a menu image as shown in FIG. In the menu image, the plurality of menu items 222 to 228 include a first menu item 222 for rejecting an incoming signal, a second menu item 224 for executing a speakerphone function, A menu item 226, a fourth menu item 228 for the call accept function, and the like.

When the user rotates the terminal body and the direction indicator indicates at least one menu item, the controller 180 can select the menu item. In addition, if the selected time of the selected menu item is longer than the reference time, the control unit 180 can execute the function corresponding to the selected menu item.

For example, when receiving the incoming signal, when the direction indicator 210 indicates the first menu item 222 as the top of the main body rotates 180 degrees with the top of the main body facing the magnetic north, Menu item 222 can be selected. If the selected time of the first menu item 222, that is, the time that the direction indicator 210 points to the first menu item 222 is longer than the reference time, the control unit 180 determines that the currently received incoming signal .

When the incoming signal is interrupted, the control unit 180 executes the mode before the incoming signal is received and can control the display unit 151 to display the corresponding screen image. For example, a standby mode may be executed and a home screen image 302 including a plurality of application launch icons may be displayed.

6, if the selected time of the selected menu item is equal to or longer than the reference time, the controller 180 executes a function corresponding to the selected menu item, and displays a plurality of sub- 151 can be controlled.

For example, upon reception of an incoming signal, as the top of the main body rotates 90 degrees clockwise from the direction of the magnetic north, the direction indicator 210 rotates 90 degrees counterclockwise to the second menu item 224, The control unit 180 can select the second menu item 224. In this case, In addition, if the time pointing to the second menu item 224 is longer than the reference time, the control unit 180 can execute the speakerphone function. In other words, at the time of telephone conversation, the amplification rate for the strength of the user's outgoing voice and the other received voice can be increased.

When executing the speakerphone function, the controller 180 controls the first sub-item 232 for recording the telephone conversation contents, the second sub-item 234 for releasing the speakerphone function, and the telephone call volume (volume) And the volume level information 240 indicating the sub menu image, and the like.

If a sub item is selected in the same manner as selecting a menu item in a state where the sub menu image is displayed, the control unit 180 can execute the function corresponding to the selected sub item. For example, when the terminal main body is rotated, the first sub-item 232 is selected. When the reference time elapses, the telephone conversation contents are recorded in the speakerphone mode and the recorded file is stored in the memory 160 (see FIG. 1) . On the other hand, the second sub item 234 is selected as the terminal main body rotates, and when the reference time elapses, the speaker phone function is released and the normal call mode can be executed.

7, when executing the speakerphone function, the controller 180 calculates the rotation direction and the rotation angle of the terminal body using the attitude information sensed through the attitude sensor 143, Can be controlled. More specifically, an increase or a decrease in the volume of the telephone call is determined according to the rotation direction of the terminal main body, and a change amount of the telephone call volume can be determined according to the rotation angle of the terminal main body.

For example, when the terminal body rotates in the clockwise direction, the telephone call volume increases, whereas when the terminal body rotates counterclockwise, the telephone call volume may decrease. Also, as the rotation angle of the terminal main body increases, the increase or decrease amount of the telephone call volume may increase. At this time, the controller 180 may update the volume level information 240 in response to a change in the volume of the telephone call.

8, when the incoming signal is received, the direction indicator 210 rotates clockwise by 90 degrees as the top of the main body rotates 90 degrees counterclockwise in a state of facing the magnetic north, 226, the control unit 180 may select the third menu item 226. [ If the time pointing to the third menu item 226 is longer than the reference time, the control unit 180 displays a plurality of recommendation messages 252 to 258 as a plurality of sub items subordinate to the third menu item 226 The display unit 151 can be controlled.

The recommendation message can be preset by user input. For example, as shown in the figure, a recommendation message may be set as a recommendation message such as " Please wait, " " In a meeting, "

When a recommendation message is selected in the same manner as a menu item is selected, the control unit 180 can transmit the selected recommendation message 254 to the party corresponding to the called number. When the transmission of the selected recommendation message 254 is completed, the control unit 180 controls the display unit 151 to display guidance information 260 such as " text message has been transmitted " can do.

According to the embodiment disclosed herein, the above-described method can be implemented by a code that can be read by a processor on a medium on which the program is recorded. Examples of the medium that can be read by the processor include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, optical data storage, etc., and may be implemented in the form of a carrier wave (e.g., transmission over the Internet) .

In the mobile terminal disclosed in this specification, the configuration and method of the above-described embodiments are not limitedly applied, but all or some of the embodiments may be selectively combined so that various modifications can be made.

Claims (18)

main body;
A geomagnetism sensor for detecting a geomagnetism direction of a point where the main body is located;
A display unit displaying a menu image including a direction identifier indicating the detected geomagnetism direction and a plurality of menu items; And
And a controller for controlling the display such that the direction identifier rotates around a point of the display unit as the main body moves,
Wherein the plurality of menu items surround the direction identifier so that one of the menu items can be selected by the direction identifier rotating and is disposed along the edge of the display unit,
Wherein,
Wherein the function corresponding to any menu item located in a direction indicated by the direction identifier among the plurality of menu items is executed when a reference time passes after the movement of the main body stops. delete The method according to claim 1,
Wherein,
Wherein the control unit controls the display unit to display another menu image including a plurality of sub items dependent on the one menu item as the function is executed. The method of claim 3,
And an attitude sensor for sensing attitude information of the main body,
Wherein,
Determines a direction in which the screen of the display unit faces based on the attitude information, and determines whether to display the menu image according to a direction of the screen of the display unit. 5. The method of claim 4,
Wherein,
A controller for calculating a rotation direction and an angle of the main body using the attitude information and controlling a volume of a call based on a rotation direction and an angle of the main body when the speakerphone function is executed, Wherein the mobile terminal is a mobile terminal. 6. The method of claim 5,
Wherein,
Wherein the controller determines the increase or decrease of the volume of the call according to the rotation direction of the main body and determines the change amount of the volume of the call according to the rotation angle of the main body. The method of claim 3,
Wherein,
Wherein the control unit controls the display unit to display a plurality of recommendation messages as the plurality of sub items if any one of the menu items corresponds to the text message transmission function. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein,
And controls the display unit to display the menu image in response to receipt of an incoming call signal. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the plurality of menu items surround the direction identifier and are arranged at predetermined intervals. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the direction identifier rotates in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of the main body at the center of the menu image. delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete

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