KR102007242B1 - Mobile terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention includes a terminal body having a front surface and a rear surface, a display unit disposed on the front surface and configured to display visual information, and a rear input unit disposed on the rear surface and configured to sense an input of a control command, The rear input unit is disposed to overlap the button member exposed to the outside from the rear surface, the button member, the first sensing unit sensing a push input applied to the button member, and the button member overlapped with the button member. Provided is a mobile terminal including a second sensing unit configured to sense a touch input applied to the button member.

Description

Mobile terminal {MOBILE TERMINAL}

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal having a user input unit for receiving a control command.

Terminals may be divided into mobile / portable terminals and stationary terminals according to their mobility. The mobile terminal may be further classified into a handheld terminal and a vehicle mount terminal according to whether a user can directly carry it.

As the terminal functions are diversified, for example, such a terminal is a multimedia player having a complex function such as taking a picture or a video, playing a music or video file, playing a game, or receiving a broadcast. Is being implemented.

Various new attempts have been applied in terms of hardware or software to implement the complex functions of such multimedia devices. For example, a user interface environment is provided for a user to search for or select a function easily and conveniently.

In addition, while the mobile terminal is regarded as a personal portable device for expressing its personality, various design forms are required. The design form also includes structural changes and improvements for the user to use the mobile terminal more conveniently. One of such structural changes and improvements can be considered for the operation unit.

For example, the operation unit generally receives a user input in the form of a touch screen or provided separately. However, the form of the touch screen has a problem that the operation object is covered by a finger or a stylus pen. In order to eliminate this problem, the operation unit provided separately on the front or side of the terminal hinders the slimming and simple design of the terminal. Therefore, a new structure input method that can solve all these problems can be considered.

An object of the present invention is to provide a mobile terminal capable of user input of a new type different from the conventional.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile terminal which minimizes the number of operation units in appearance of the terminal without covering the touch screen.

In order to achieve the above object, the mobile terminal according to the present invention, a terminal body having a front and rear, a display unit disposed on the front and formed to display visual information, and a control command disposed on the rear It includes a rear input unit is formed to detect the input of. The rear input unit may include a button member exposed to the outside from the rear surface, a first sensing unit disposed to overlap the button member and sensing a push input applied to the button member, and overlapped with the button member. And a second sensing unit configured to sense a touch input applied to the button member.

In addition, the present invention, the terminal body having a front and rear, a rear input unit disposed on the rear and formed to sense the input of the control command, any input operation applied to the rear input unit according to the operation mode of the terminal A control unit for processing control commands having different functions, and a display unit disposed on the front surface and configured to display visual information. The display unit includes information indicating which function the rear input unit receives a control command. The mobile terminal outputted is disclosed.

The present invention implements various operations with a minimum device in a mobile terminal through a rear input unit configured to receive input of control commands in a touch and push type. In addition, a new type of user interface may be implemented through this.

In addition, according to the present invention, the rear input unit is disposed on the rear of the terminal, the front display can be formed in a larger screen. In addition, through the structure in which the push type sensing unit is disposed on the front of the touch type sensing unit, a rear input unit in which the touch and push type is determined according to the structure in which the sensing units overlap or the position at which the button is pressed is implemented.

1 is a block diagram of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2A-2C are conceptual diagrams illustrating operations implemented by the present invention.
3A is a front perspective view of an example of a mobile terminal related to the present invention;
3B is a rear perspective view of the mobile terminal shown in FIG. 3A.
4 is an exploded view of the mobile terminal of FIG. 3B;
5 is a detailed exploded view of the rear input unit of FIG.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 3B.
7 is a cross-sectional view of the rear input unit according to another embodiment of the present invention.
8A to 14B are conceptual views illustrating another example of an operation implemented by the terminal of FIG. 3B.

Hereinafter, a mobile terminal according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The suffixes "module" and "unit" for components used in the following description are given or used in consideration of ease of specification, and do not have distinct meanings or roles from each other.

The mobile terminal described herein may include a mobile phone, a smart phone, a laptop computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP), navigation, and the like.

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

The mobile terminal 100 includes a wireless communication unit 110, an A / V input unit 120, a user input unit 130, a sensing unit 140, an output unit 150, a memory 160, and an interface. The unit 170, the controller 180, and the power supply unit 190 may be included. The components shown in FIG. 1 are not essential, so that a mobile terminal having more or fewer components may be implemented.

Hereinafter, the components will be described in order.

The wireless communication unit 110 may include one or more modules that enable wireless communication between the mobile terminal 100 and the wireless communication system or between the mobile terminal 100 and a network in which the mobile terminal 100 is located. For example, the wireless communication unit 110 may include a broadcast receiving module 111, a mobile communication module 112, a wireless internet module 113, a short range communication module 114, a location information module 115, and the like. .

The broadcast receiving module 111 receives a broadcast signal and / or broadcast related information from an external broadcast management server through a broadcast channel.

The broadcast channel may include a satellite channel and a terrestrial channel. The broadcast management server may mean a server that generates and transmits a broadcast signal and / or broadcast related information or a server that receives a previously generated broadcast signal and / or broadcast related information and transmits the same to a terminal. The broadcast signal may include not only a TV broadcast signal, a radio broadcast signal, and a data broadcast signal, but also a broadcast signal having a data broadcast signal combined with a TV broadcast signal or a radio broadcast signal.

The broadcast related information may mean information related to a broadcast channel, a broadcast program, or a broadcast service provider. The broadcast related information may also be provided through a mobile communication network. In this case, it may be received by the mobile communication module 112.

The broadcast related information may exist in various forms. For example, it may exist in the form of Electronic Program Guide (EPG) of Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) or Electronic Service Guide (ESG) of Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H).

The broadcast receiving module 111 may include, for example, Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Terrestrial (DMB-T), Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Satellite (DMB-S), Media Forward Link Only (MediaFLO), and Digital Video Broadcast (DVB-H). Digital broadcast signals can be received using digital broadcasting systems such as Handheld and Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial (ISDB-T). Of course, the broadcast receiving module 111 may be configured to be suitable for not only the above-described digital broadcasting system but also other broadcasting systems.

The broadcast signal and / or broadcast related information received through the broadcast receiving module 111 may be stored in the memory 160.

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

The wireless internet module 113 refers to a module for wireless internet access and may be embedded or external to the mobile terminal 100. Wireless Internet technologies may include Wireless LAN (Wi-Fi), Wireless Broadband (Wibro), World Interoperability for Microwave Access (Wimax), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), and the like.

The short range communication module 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 may be used.

The location information module 115 is a module for obtaining a location of a mobile terminal, and a representative example thereof is a GPS (Global Position System) module.

Referring to FIG. 1, the A / V input unit 120 is for inputting an audio signal or a video signal, and may include a camera 121 and a microphone 122. The camera 121 processes image frames such as still images or moving images obtained by the image sensor in the video call mode or the photographing mode. The processed image frame may be displayed on the display module 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. Two or more cameras 121 may be provided according to the use environment.

The microphone 122 receives an external sound signal by a microphone in a call mode, a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, etc., and processes the external sound signal into electrical voice data. The processed voice data may be converted into a form transmittable to the mobile communication base station through the mobile communication module 112 and output in the call mode. The microphone 122 may implement various noise removing algorithms for removing noise generated in the process of receiving an external sound signal.

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

The sensing unit 140 detects a current state of the mobile terminal 100 such as an open / closed state of the mobile terminal 100, a location of the mobile terminal 100, presence or absence of a user contact, orientation of the mobile terminal, acceleration / deceleration of the mobile terminal, and the like. To generate a sensing signal for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 100. For example, when the mobile terminal 100 is in the form of a slide phone, it may sense whether the slide phone is opened or closed. In addition, whether the power supply unit 190 is supplied with power, whether the interface unit 170 is coupled to the external device may be sensed. The sensing unit 140 may include a proximity sensor 141.

The output unit 150 is used to generate an output related to sight, hearing, or tactile sense, and includes a display module 151, a sound output module 152, an alarm unit 153, and a haptic module 154. Can be.

The display module 151 displays (outputs) information processed by the mobile terminal 100. For example, when the mobile terminal is in a call mode, the mobile terminal displays a user interface (UI) or a graphic user interface (GUI) related to the call. When the mobile terminal 100 is in a video call mode or a photographing mode, the mobile terminal 100 displays a photographed and / or received image, a UI, and a GUI.

The display module 151 includes a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), and a flexible display (flexible). and at least one of a 3D display.

Some of these displays can be configured to be transparent or light transmissive so that they can be seen from the outside. This may be referred to as a transparent display. A representative example of the transparent display is TOLED (Transparant OLED). The rear structure of the display module 151 may also be configured as a light transmissive structure. With this structure, the user can see the object located behind the terminal body through the area occupied by the display module 151 of the terminal body.

There may be two or more display modules 151 according to the implementation form of the mobile terminal 100. For example, a plurality of display modules may be spaced apart or integrally disposed on one surface of the mobile terminal 100, or may be disposed on different surfaces.

When the display module 151 and a sensor for detecting a touch action (hereinafter, referred to as a touch sensor) form a mutual layer structure (hereinafter referred to as a touch screen), the display module 151 may be configured in addition to an output device. Can also be used as an input device. The touch sensor may have, for example, a form of a touch film, a touch sheet, a touch pad, or the like.

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

When there is a touch input to the touch sensor, the corresponding signal (s) is sent to the touch controller. The touch controller processes the signal (s) and then transmits the corresponding data to the controller 180. As a result, the controller 180 can determine which area of the display module 151 is touched.

Referring to FIG. 1, a proximity sensor 141 may be disposed in an inner region of a mobile terminal surrounded by the touch screen or near the touch screen. The proximity sensor refers to a sensor that detects the presence or absence of an object approaching a predetermined detection surface or an object present in the vicinity without using a mechanical contact by using an electromagnetic force or infrared rays. Proximity sensors have a longer life and higher utilization than touch sensors.

Examples of the proximity sensor include a transmission photoelectric sensor, a direct reflection photoelectric sensor, a mirror reflection photoelectric sensor, a high frequency oscillation proximity sensor, a capacitive proximity sensor, a magnetic proximity sensor, and an infrared proximity sensor. When the touch screen is capacitive, the touch screen is configured to detect the proximity of the pointer by the change of the electric field according to the proximity of the pointer. In this case, the touch screen (touch sensor) may be classified as a proximity sensor.

Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the act of allowing the pointer to be recognized without being in contact with the touch screen so that the pointer is located on the touch screen is referred to as a "proximity touch", and the touch The act of actually touching the pointer on the screen is called "contact touch." The position where the proximity touch is performed by the pointer on the touch screen refers to a position where the pointer is perpendicular to the touch screen when the pointer is in proximity proximity.

The proximity sensor detects 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, and a proximity touch movement state). Information corresponding to the sensed proximity touch operation and proximity touch pattern may be output on the touch screen.

The sound 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, a call mode or a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, a broadcast reception mode, and the like. The sound output module 152 may also output a sound signal related to a function (eg, a call signal reception sound, a message reception sound, etc.) performed in the mobile terminal 100. The sound output module 152 may include a receiver, a speaker, a buzzer, and the like.

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

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

In addition to vibration, the haptic module 154 may be configured to provide a pin array that vertically moves with respect to the contact skin surface, a jetting force or suction force of air through the jetting or suction port, grazing to the skin surface, contact of the electrode, electrostatic force, and the like. Various tactile effects can be generated, such as effects by the endothermic and the reproduction of a sense of cold using the elements capable of endotherm or heat generation.

The haptic module 154 may not only deliver the haptic effect through direct contact, but also may implement the user to feel the haptic effect through a muscle sense such as a finger or an arm. Two or more haptic modules 154 may be provided according to a configuration aspect of the mobile terminal 100.

The memory 160 may store a program for the operation of the controller 180 and may temporarily store input / output data (for example, a phone book, a message, a still image, a video, etc.). The memory 160 may store data regarding vibration and sound of various patterns output when a touch input on the touch screen is performed.

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

The interface unit 170 serves as a path with all external devices connected to the mobile terminal 100. The interface unit 170 receives data from an external device, receives power, transfers the power to each component inside the mobile terminal 100, or transmits data inside the mobile terminal 100 to an external device. For example, wired / wireless headset ports, external charger ports, wired / wireless data ports, memory card ports, ports for connecting devices with identification modules, audio input / output (I / O) ports, The video input / output (I / O) port, the earphone port, and the like may be included in the interface unit 170.

The identification module is a chip that stores various types of information for authenticating the usage rights of the mobile terminal 100, and includes a user identification module (UIM), a subscriber identify module (SIM), and a universal user authentication module ( Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM), and the like. A device equipped with an identification module (hereinafter referred to as an 'identification device') may be manufactured in the form of a smart card. Therefore, the identification device may be connected to the terminal 100 through a port.

The interface unit may be a passage through which 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 a user may be transferred. It may be a passage that is delivered to the terminal. Various command signals or power input from the cradle may be operated as signals for recognizing that the mobile terminal is correctly mounted on the cradle.

The controller 180 typically controls the overall operation of the mobile terminal. For example, perform related control and processing for voice calls, data communications, video calls, and the like. The controller 180 may include a multimedia module 181 for playing multimedia. The multimedia module 181 may be implemented in the controller 180 or may be implemented separately from the controller 180.

The controller 180 may perform a pattern recognition process for recognizing a writing input or a drawing input performed on the touch screen as text and an image, respectively.

The power supply unit 190 receives an external power source and an internal power source under the control of the controller 180 to supply power for operation of each component.

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

According to a hardware implementation, the embodiments described herein include application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and the like. It may be implemented using at least one of processors, controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, and electrical units for performing other functions. These may be implemented by the controller 180.

In a software implementation, embodiments such as procedures or functions may be implemented with separate software modules that allow at least one function or operation to be performed. The software code may be implemented by a software application written in a suitable programming language. The software code may be stored in the memory 160 and executed by the controller 180.

2A through 2C are conceptual diagrams illustrating operations implemented by the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2A, the terminal includes a display unit 251 disposed on one surface, for example, a front surface of the main body. The display unit 251 may include a touch sensor that senses a touch input. The visual information output from the display unit 251 may be implemented in the form of images, texts, icons, and the like, and a web page including the same may be output.

Referring to FIG. 2B, a rear input unit 232 is disposed on the other surface of the main body, for example, a rear surface thereof. The rear input unit 232 receives a control command for the web page. More specifically, when dragging or flicking is applied to the rear input unit 232, the web page is scrolled.

As another example, the user may move a cursor or a pointer located on an object displayed on the display unit 251, for example, an icon or the like, by scrolling the rear input unit 232. In addition, when the finger is moved on the rear input unit 232, a path in which the finger moves may be visually displayed on the display unit 251. This may be useful for editing an image displayed on the display unit 251.

Referring to FIG. 2C, when the user clicks the rear input unit 232 in the webpage mode, that is, applies a push input, the webpage of the display unit 251 is switched to the home screen page.

Here, the home screen page may also be referred to as an idle screen, and the home screen page may be output on the display unit 251 when the terminal is in the standby state. More specifically, the home screen page may display an icon or a widget of an application installed in the mobile terminal. In addition, a plurality of home screen pages may be configured according to a user's selection or the number of applications installed in the terminal.

As such, the control command for returning to the home screen page may be performed by a separate home key. However, in the present invention, the rear input unit 232 serves as a home key without a separate home key.

In conclusion, the rear input unit at the rear of the terminal is configured to receive both touch and push inputs, and in some cases, serves as a touch sensor for the display unit 251 and a home key of the terminal.

Hereinafter, the hardware configuration of the terminal performing the operations of FIGS. 2A to 2C will be described in more detail. 3A is a front perspective view of an example of a mobile terminal according to the present invention, and FIG. 3B is a rear perspective view of the mobile terminal shown in FIG. 3A.

The disclosed mobile terminal 200 has a mobile phone body in the form of a bar. However, the present invention is not limited thereto and may be applied to various structures such as a slide type, a folder type, a swing type, a swivel type, and two or more bodies are coupled to be relatively movable.

The body includes a casing (casing, housing, cover, etc.) that forms an exterior. In this embodiment, the case may be divided into a front case 201 and a rear case 202. Various electronic components are embedded in the space formed between the front case 201 and the rear case 202. At least one intermediate case may be further disposed between the front case 201 and the rear case 202.

The cases may be formed by injecting 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 251, the audio output unit 252, the camera module 221, and the like may be disposed in the terminal body, mainly the front case 201. Interfaces 270 and the like may be disposed on side surfaces of the front case 201 and the rear case 202.

The display unit 251 occupies most of the main surface of the front case 201. That is, the display unit is disposed in front of the terminal and is configured to display visual information. The sound output unit 252 and the camera module 221 are disposed in regions adjacent to one end of both ends of the display unit 251, and the front input unit 231 and the microphone 222 are disposed in regions adjacent to the other end.

The front input unit 231 may include a plurality of manipulation units as an example of the user input unit 130 (see FIG. 1). The manipulation units may also be referred to collectively as a manipulating portion, and may be employed in any manner as long as the user is operating with a tactile feeling. In this embodiment, the front input unit 231 is configured as a touch key. In addition, the display unit 251 may form a touch screen together with a touch sensor. In this case, the touch screen may be a user input unit. Through this, the front surface of the terminal is formed of a form factor in which a push key is not placed at the bottom of the touch screen. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the front input unit 231 may be configured only with a push key, or the front input unit may not be provided at the front of the terminal.

Referring to FIG. 3B, a camera module 221 ′ may be additionally mounted on the rear of the terminal body, that is, the rear case 202. The camera module 221 ′ has a photographing direction substantially opposite to the camera 221 (see FIG. 3A) and may be a camera having different pixels from the camera module 221.

For example, the camera module 221 has a low pixel so that the user's face is photographed and transmitted to the counterpart in case of a video call, and the camera module 221 'photographs a general subject and does not transmit it immediately. In many cases, it is desirable to have a high pixel. The camera modules 221 and 221 ′ may be installed in the terminal body in a rotatable or pop-up manner.

A flash and a mirror may be further disposed adjacent to the camera module 221 ′. The flash shines toward the subject when the subject is photographed by the camera module 221 ′. The mirror allows the user to see his / her face or the like when photographing (self-photographing) the user using the camera module 221 '.

The sound output unit may be additionally disposed at the rear of the terminal body. The rear sound output unit may implement a stereo function together with the front sound output unit 252 (see FIG. 3A), and may be used to implement a speakerphone mode during a call.

The terminal body is equipped with a power supply unit 290 for supplying power to the portable terminal 200. The power supply unit 290 may be built in the terminal body or may be directly detachable from the outside of the terminal body.

According to the illustration, the rear input unit 232 is disposed on the rear of the terminal body. The rear input unit 232 may be, for example, located under the camera module 221 ′.

The rear input unit 232 is manipulated to receive a command for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 200, and the input content may be variously set. For example, a command such as a start, end, scroll, or the like, a volume control of the sound output from the sound output unit 252, or a switch to the touch recognition mode of the display module 251 may be input.

The rear input unit 232 of the present invention is implemented as a new type of operation unit. Hereinafter, the configuration of the rear input unit 232 will be described in more detail. 4 is an exploded view of the mobile terminal of FIG. 3B, FIG. 5 is a detailed exploded view of the rear input unit of FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 3B.

The periphery of the rear input unit 232 will be described first with reference to the drawings. The circuit board 281 is built in the terminal body. The circuit board 281 may be mounted to, for example, the front case 201 or the rear case 202, or may be mounted to a separate structure 203. The separate structure may form an intermediate case. Hereinafter, the front case 201 or the rear case 202 will be described based on a separate configuration, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the cases 201, 202, and 203 may be integrally formed.

The circuit board 281 is configured as an example of the controller 180 (see FIG. 1) for operating various functions of the mobile terminal. The circuit board 281 may be provided in plural and may perform a function of the controller 180 by combining with each other. In order to perform this function, the circuit board 281 is equipped with various electronic devices.

In addition, the circuit board 281 is electrically connected to an antenna (not shown), and is configured to process a radio signal corresponding to radio electromagnetic waves transmitted and received by the antenna. The antenna is disposed between the structure 203 and the circuit board 281 mainly through the rear case 202 to transmit and receive a radio signal.

According to an illustration, the circuit board 281 may be electrically connected to the camera module 221 ′. In addition, a through hole is formed in the rear case 202 or the battery cover 204, and the camera module 221 ′ is disposed to face the outside through the through hole. The camera module 221 ′ is disposed on a side opposite to the antenna with the battery interposed therebetween, so as to capture an external image through the rear surface of the terminal.

Again, referring to the rear input unit 232, the rear input unit 232 is disposed between the camera module 221 ′ and the battery. The position of the rear input unit 232 may be a position overlapping the front display unit 251 (see FIG. 3A). As a result, a feeling of using the input device on the rear surface of the display unit 251 may be realized.

Referring to FIG. 5, the rear input unit 232 includes a button member 233, a first sensing unit 234, and a second sensing unit 235.

The button member 233 is exposed to the outside from the rear of the terminal, and the user's manipulation is directly applied. According to the illustration, the button member 233 is a surface exposed to the outside is made of a curved surface, the opposite surface of the curved surface may be formed in a plane. Through this, a new type of input device capable of dragging along a curved surface is implemented.

The first sensing unit 234 is disposed to overlap the button member 233 and is configured to sense a push input applied to the button member 233. In this example, the first sensing unit 234 may be a dome switch. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and the first sensing unit 234 may be another type of input device such as a piezoelectric element.

In addition, the curved surface exposed to the outside from the button member 233 is formed so that the edge protrudes from the center, the first sensing unit 234 is disposed to correspond to the center. Through this, a push input structure may be more easily implemented.

In addition, the second sensing unit 235 is disposed to overlap the button member 233 to sense a touch input applied to the button member 233. In this example, the second sensing unit 235 may be a touch pad, a touch film, a touch sensor, or the like.

5 and 6, a first sensing unit 234 is disposed between the second sensing unit 235 and the button member 233, and the button member 233 and the second sensing unit 235 are disposed. The intermediate member 236 made of a rubber material is disposed between the. That is, the first sensing unit 234 is disposed between the intermediate member 236 and the second sensing unit 235.

In addition, the touch input applied to the button member 233 is transmitted to the second sensing unit 235 via the intermediate member 236. One region of the second sensing unit 235 is covered by the first sensing unit 234. The touch input for the one region is transmitted via the first sensing unit 234, and the touch input for the region except for the one region is applied to the second sensing unit 235 via only the intermediate member 236. All.

For example, the second sensing unit 235 may be a positive pressure touch sensor, and the first sensing unit 234 may be a dome switch covering a part of the positive pressure touch sensor. In this case, the dome switch covers any part of the positive pressure touch sensor, and thus the other part of the positive pressure touch sensor directly faces the intermediate member 236. When the user presses the portion corresponding to the dome switch in the button member, touch input is applied in the order of the button member-intermediate member-dome switch-touch sensor, and when the user presses a portion which does not overlap with the dome switch, the button member-intermediate member -Touch input is applied in the order of touch sensor.

More specifically, a plurality of manipulation protrusions 236a and 236b are formed on one surface of the intermediate member 236, and some portion 236a of the manipulation protrusions 236a and 236b is the first sensing unit 234. The pressure sensor may be disposed to press the other part, and the other part 236b of the manipulation protrusions 236a and 236b may be disposed to press the second sensing unit 235.

For an effective touch input, any part 236a and the other part 236b of the manipulation protrusions 236a and 236b may have different heights protruding from one surface of the intermediate member 236. For example, in order to compensate for the height difference due to the overlap of the first sensing unit 234 and the second sensing unit 235, the manipulation protrusion 236a for pressing the first sensing unit 234 may include the second sensing unit. It may be formed shorter than the operation projection (236b) for pressing the 235.

According to the illustration, the rear case 202 of the terminal is equipped with a support member 237 for supporting the rear input unit 232, specifically, the first and second sensing units 234 and 235.

A receiving groove 237a in which the second sensing unit 235 is accommodated is formed in the central region of the supporting member 237, and an edge region of the supporting member 237 is fastened to the rear case 202. The receiving groove 237 may be formed with a through hole for connecting the circuit board and the sensing units.

In addition, a guide member 238 for guiding the movement of the button member 233 is seated in the edge region of the support member 237. The guide member 238 extends in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the button member 233 from the guide portion 238a into which the button member 233 is inserted, and from the guide portion 238a to the support member 237. ) And an extension 238b coupled thereto. According to the drawing, the extension part 238b is covered by the battery cover 204 together with the support member 237, and the button member 233 and the guide part 238a are exposed to the outside by the through hole of the battery cover. do. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and only the button member 233 may be exposed through the through hole.

According to the above-described structure, the rear input unit in which the touch and push type is determined according to the structure in which the sensing units are overlapped or the position at which the button is pressed is implemented.

In addition, the rear input unit capable of both touch and push inputs may be modified in various forms. Hereinafter, a modification of the rear input unit will be described with reference to FIG. 7. In the modifications or embodiments described, the same or similar reference numerals are assigned to the same or similar configurations as the foregoing examples, and the description is replaced with the first description.

7 is a cross-sectional view of a rear input unit according to another embodiment of the present invention.

According to the illustration, the second sensing unit 335 may be disposed between the button member 333 and the first sensing unit 334. For example, they are arranged in sequence in the order of button members, touch sensors, and dome switches.

In addition, a flexible circuit board 339 may be disposed between the first and second sensing units 334 and 335. In this case, the touch sensor may have a form in which a touch pattern is formed on the flexible circuit board 339. Unlike the previous embodiment, in the present invention, the second sensing unit 335 may be a capacitive touch sensor.

According to the mechanism of the present embodiment, the push input to the first sensing unit 334 is always made after the touch input to the second sensing unit 335 is performed. Therefore, the touch input is sensed until the force applied to the button member 333 reaches the set value, and the push input is sensed when it exceeds the set value. In this case, the set value may be the force to which the dome switch is switched.

According to the illustration, a recess groove 305 is formed in the rear case 302, and the first and second sensing units 334 and 335 overlap each other and are accommodated in the recess groove 305. In this case, the button member 333 is formed to be movable along the sidewall of the recess groove 305. According to this structure, the advantage that there is no separate part for the movement of the button member 333 can be exhibited.

The rear input unit configured as described above provides a new type of user interface as well as the operations shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C. Hereinafter, the user interfaces will be described by way of example.

8A through 14B are conceptual views illustrating user interfaces implemented by the terminal of FIG. 3B.

8A to 8C illustrate a user interface associated with controlling activation of a second sensing unit by an input to the first sensing unit.

For example, whether to drive the second sensing unit is determined by a push input to the first sensing unit. More specifically, the push input may be defined as an input for a power on / off command of the terminal body. That is, the on of the terminal is performed by the push input to the button member in the state in which the terminal is turned off (see FIG. 8A). The second sensing unit can be activated only when the terminal is turned on.

As another example, the push input may be defined as an input for an on-off command of the display unit. In the deactivated state of the display unit, the second sensing unit does not sense a touch input, and if there is a push input to the first sensing unit, the display unit is activated (see FIG. 8B). Only when the display unit is activated, the second sensing unit is also activated, and according to this operation, an erroneous manipulation of the terminal can be prevented. This is mainly to prevent a control command not intended by a user from being input in a mobile terminal capable of touch input, thereby activating or deactivating functions and applications of the mobile terminal.

As another example, the push input may be an input related to unlocking a locked state. The state of the mobile terminal is divided into a 'locked state' and a 'released state' according to whether a user inputs a control command or not, and the lock state and the unlocked state may be switched by the push input. Here, the locked state is a state of limiting input of a user's control command to applications included in the terminal.

As such, when there is a push input to the first sensing unit, the lock is released (see FIG. 8C). When the lock is released, the touch input to the display unit as well as the touch input to the rear input unit are possible.

9 shows how the button member performs the function of the call button.

The second sensing unit detects the drag applied to the button member and takes the role of the call button. In other words, when a vibration, a signal tone or a pop-up window indicating that a call is received is applied to the button member, the terminal connects the received call.

In this case, the operation unit for receiving the control command is not formed on the front of the terminal except for the display unit. That is, the front input unit 231 (refer to FIG. 3) is not disposed on the front of the terminal, and a large screen may be implemented through the front input unit.

Furthermore, information related to the other party to be connected, for example, a name, a phone number, a picture, and the like, is displayed on the display unit, but a virtual button for connecting a phone is not output. This is to display more information related to the counterpart on the display unit.

10A to 10C illustrate a user interface for outputting information related to a rear input unit to a display unit.

Referring to the drawings, the control unit for controlling the function of the terminal processes the input operation applied to the rear input unit as a control command of different functions according to the operation mode of the terminal. For example, the input to the rear input unit may be a volume operation or switching of a playback file in a music or video playback mode, and a scroll operation in an internet mode.

In this case, the display unit may output information indicating which function the rear input unit is currently sensing. More specifically, an image (hereinafter, referred to as a button image) corresponding to the appearance of the button member is output to the display unit, and an icon related to the information is displayed inside the image.

The displayed icons may be formed in pairs. For example, when receiving input related to up-down (e.g., volume, zoom, etc.), the pair of icons will be +,-(see Figure 10a), and they will be the length of the button image (the length of the terminal). Direction) may be disposed at both ends of the button image.

For example, in the case of a volume operation, dragging the button member may raise or lower the volume. In addition, when one end of both ends of the button member is touched, the volume is up, and when the other end is touched, the volume is turned down.

As another example, when a web page is output in the Internet mode, the button member receives a scroll, and the displayed icon may be an image related thereto. As a more specific example, the icons may be Δ, ▽ when the input is related to scrolling (see FIG. 10B).

Referring to FIG. 10C, the icon may be changed in shape in response to a touch input applied to the button member. Although the music mode is described by way of example, it is applicable to other modes. According to the figure, the rear input unit can sense the adjustment of the volume while the icon is +,-indicating the volume operation. In this state, when a push input is applied to the button member, the icon is switched to rewind, play, and fast playback, and the rear input unit can be switched to sense an input for commanding rewind and fast playback.

11A through 11C, information indicating an input degree of a control command may be output to the display unit.

For example, the second sensing unit may be configured to detect a drag applied to the button member, and information related to the progress of the drag may be output to the display unit. More specifically, the control unit of the terminal executes one function through the drag, and the display unit displays information indicating a process of executing the one function according to the progress of the drag.

Referring to FIG. 11A, when the volume is manipulated, an indicator in which the size of the volume varies as the drag progresses may be output.

As another example, referring to FIG. 11B, an icon moving along a drag may be output inside the button image. The unlocking proceeds according to the drag applied to the button member in the lock mode, and the movement of the icon is linked according to the progress of the release. Through this, the user can recognize the process of unlocking. As such, the movement of the icon may be applied in other forms.

For example, when a call is received as shown in FIG. 11C, a command for connecting a call may be input by dragging the button member. The user can recognize the extent to which the phone is connected in the state of informing the incoming call by moving the icon.

Referring to FIG. 12, information related to a duration of a push may be output to the display unit.

The controller may generate a control command based on the duration of the push applied to the button member, and the display unit may output information that varies according to the duration.

For example, when a push is applied, when the terminal is powered off, the icon moves as the push is applied. If the push is applied until the set time, the icon moves to the end of the button image and the off command is executed.

Such a user interface may be modified in various forms. For example, in the camera mode, when the preview screen is displayed on the display unit, shooting is not immediately performed when the button member is pushed, but the icon moves according to the duration of the push, and the icon moves to the end of the button image. In this case, a user interface in which shooting is performed may be implemented.

13 through 14B illustrate a user interface associated with simultaneously applying a touch to the display unit and a touch to the rear input unit. In this case, the controller generates a control command by a touch input applied together with the display unit and the rear input unit.

For example, as shown in FIG. 13, when dragging is applied to the display unit and the rear input unit in opposite directions, the image output to the display unit rotates along the drag direction. By this rotation, the 2D image may be converted into a 3D image.

As another example, as shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, when an input is applied together with a display unit and a rear input unit, any one of the inputs may be a limitation on the other input. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 14A, a drag input may be performed to the display unit when the rear input unit is not pushed or touched, but when the rear input unit is pushed or touched as shown in FIG. The input can be locked. For example, even if there is a drag or flicking to the display unit while the rear input unit is touched, the processing is not performed. According to such a linkage relationship, erroneous manipulation to the display unit can be prevented.

The above-described mobile terminal is not limited to the configuration and method of the above-described embodiments, but the embodiments may be configured by selectively combining all or some of the embodiments so that various modifications can be made. have.

Claims (10)

A bar type terminal body having a front side and a rear side;
A wireless communication unit for transmitting and receiving a wireless signal;
A touch screen having a display unit configured to display visual information and a touch sensor and disposed on the front surface of the touch screen;
battery;
A cover having a first hole and a second hole disposed below the first hole, the cover disposed on the rear surface to cover the battery;
A front camera disposed at the front;
A rear camera disposed in the first hole at the rear surface;
A rear touch input unit disposed in the second hole and sensing a rear touch input;
Control unit; And
A memory storing a program for the operation of the controller,
The front surface has no front input unit except for the touch screen,
The control unit releases the lock in response to the first rear input received in the rear touch input unit in the lock mode when the rear input is received through the rear touch input unit.
In the state that the preview screen is output on the touch screen, photographing is performed in response to the second rear input received from the rear touch input unit.
And a scroll function if the third rear input received at the rear touch input is a drag input. The method of claim 1,
The control unit,
And turning on the power of the terminal based on a push input to the rear touch input unit in a state where the power of the terminal is turned off. The method of claim 2,
The control unit,
And turning off the power of the terminal when a push input is applied to the rear touch input unit while the power of the terminal is turned on based on the push input. The method of claim 3,
The controller is configured to turn off the power of the terminal in response to a push input being applied to the rear touch input unit for a preset time while the power of the terminal is turned on. Mobile terminal. The method of claim 1,
And a fourth function of the different functions connects the phone in response to a fourth rear input applied to the rear touch input when a call is received. The method of claim 1,
The fifth function of the different functions is a mobile terminal, characterized in that for performing a volume operation or switching of the playback file in response to the fifth rear input applied to the rear touch input unit in the music playback mode. The method of claim 1,
And a support member overlapping at least a portion of the rear touch input unit to support the touch input unit. The method of claim 1,
And a touch controller configured to process a signal generated by a touch input to the rear touch input unit, and transmit data corresponding to the signal to the controller. A bar type terminal body having a front side and a rear side;
A wireless communication unit for transmitting and receiving a wireless signal;
A touch screen having a display unit configured to display visual information and a touch sensor and disposed on the front surface of the touch screen;
battery;
A cover having a first hole and a second hole disposed below the first hole, the cover disposed on the rear surface to cover the battery;
A front camera disposed at the front;
A rear camera disposed in the first hole at the rear surface;
A rear touch input unit disposed in the second hole and configured to sense a rear touch input;
Control unit; And
A memory storing a program for the operation of the controller,
The front surface has no front input unit except for the touch screen,
The control unit releases the lock in response to the first rear input received in the rear touch input unit in the lock mode when the rear input is received through the rear touch input unit.
In the state that the preview screen is output on the touch screen, photographing is performed in response to the second rear input received from the rear touch input unit.
Execute a scroll function in response to a third rear input received at the rear touch input unit, or perform a volume operation or switching of a playback file in response to a fourth rear input received at the rear touch input unit in a music playback mode; A mobile terminal further comprising. The method of claim 9,
And a support member overlapping at least a portion of the rear touch input unit to support the rear touch input unit.

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