KR102053197B1 - 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 output visual information, and a rear input unit disposed on the rear surface and operable to receive a control command. The rear input unit may include a button unit exposed to the outside from the rear surface and receiving a push input of a first function, and first and second touch keys respectively disposed on both sides of the button unit. Provided is a mobile terminal including a touch unit for receiving a touch input of another second function.

Description

Mobile terminal {MOBILE TERMINAL}

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

Mobile terminals are portable electronic devices that are portable and have one or more functions such as voice and video calling, information input and output, and data storage.

As the functions are diversified, mobile terminals are being implemented in the form of a multimedia player having complex functions such as photographing a picture or video, playing a music or video file, receiving a broadcast, and playing a game.

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 includes structural changes and improvements for the user to use the mobile terminal more conveniently. As one of such structural changes and improvements, the user input unit may be considered.

For example, the user input unit may be implemented as a touch screen on a front surface or a key provided separately to receive a user input. However, the touch screen has a disadvantage in that the manipulation target is covered by a finger or a stylus pen. In order to eliminate this drawback, the key provided separately on the front or side of the terminal Darby inhibits the slimming and simple design of the terminal. Therefore, a new structure of user input that can solve these disadvantages can be considered.

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

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile terminal to which a new design can be applied to the rear of the terminal.

A mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention for realizing the above object is a terminal body having a front and a rear, a display unit disposed on the front and formed to output visual information, and is disposed on the rear And a rear input unit operatively formed to receive a control command, wherein the rear input unit is disposed on both sides of the button unit, the button unit being exposed to the outside from the rear surface and receiving a push input of a first function; And a touch unit including first and second touch keys and receiving a touch input of a second function different from the first function.

According to an example related to the present disclosure, the touch unit may include a window formed of a light transmissive material and having a through hole corresponding to the button unit, and disposed on a rear surface of the window to detect a touch input to the window. It includes a touch sensor.

According to an example related to this, the window is formed to completely surround the outer circumference of the button part accommodated in the through hole.

According to another example related to this, the touch sensor is formed in the form of a sheet having a hole corresponding to the button portion, it is made to completely surround the outer periphery of the button portion accommodated in the hole.

According to another example related to this, an adhesive member formed of a conductive material is disposed between the window and the touch sensor to couple the window and the touch sensor and to transmit a touch input to the touch sensor. .

According to another example related to this, a camera module formed to photograph an image is disposed at one side of the first touch key, and the window is formed to cover the lens unit of the camera module. The window may be opaque except for a portion corresponding to the lens unit. In addition, the camera module, the first touch key, the button unit, and the second touch key may be arranged in one direction in order. In addition, a raised spot may be formed to protrude between a portion corresponding to the lens unit and a portion corresponding to the first touch key in the window.

According to another example related to this, the button unit includes a key top exposed to the outside through the through hole, and an elastic member disposed on a rear surface of the key top and including an actuator, and both ends of the elastic member Is coupled to the case of the body is formed to elastically support the key top during the pressing operation of the key top.

In the key top, a surface exposed to the outside through the through hole may be formed as a curved surface, and an opposite surface of the curved surface may be formed as a flat surface. In addition, the window may be formed to protrude in a curved shape toward the key top so that the surface of the window and the surface of the key top smoothly connected to each other.

The button unit may further include a flexible circuit board having a switch formed to be pressed by the actuator when the key top is pressed and disposed between the shield can and the elastic member installed on the circuit board. The shield can may include a support part protruding from an inner side surface to be supported on the circuit board so as to support the switch when the actuator is pressurized.

According to another example related to the present invention, the first and second touch keys are formed to generate control commands that are opposite to each other.

According to another example related to the present invention, the display unit is configured to detect a touch input, and a touch key and a push key are not disposed on the front surface.

According to another example related to the present invention, the mobile terminal further includes a control unit for controlling a function of the mobile terminal, wherein the display unit is configured to detect a touch input, and the control unit comprises the display unit and the touch unit. It is configured to generate a control command by a touch input applied to the.

According to another example related to the present invention, the apparatus may further include a controller for controlling a function of the mobile terminal, wherein the controller controls an input operation applied to the rear input unit according to an operation mode of the mobile terminal. Process as command.

According to another example related to the present invention, information indicating which of the first and second touch keys is being touched is output to the display unit. For example, an image related to the rear input unit may be output to the display unit, and an icon related to the information may be displayed inside the image. The icon may change shape in conjunction with a touch input applied to the first and second touch keys.

According to another embodiment related to the present invention, the control unit further includes a control unit for controlling a function of the mobile terminal, wherein the control unit generates a control command based on a duration of a push input applied to the button unit, and displays the display. The section outputs information which varies according to the duration.

According to another example related to the present invention, driving of the touch unit is determined by a push input of the button unit.

According to the present invention having the above configuration, a user input unit is provided at the rear of the terminal body to implement a new type of user interface using the same. In addition, when the key is not placed on the front surface by replacing at least some functions of a key provided on the front surface, the front display unit may be configured to have a larger screen.

The window receiving the touch input from the user input unit includes a through hole in which the button unit is accommodated so that the user input unit can be configured more simply. Furthermore, when the window is configured to cover the lens portion of the camera module, a simpler design of the rear surface may be implemented.

In addition, the user input unit has a shape that distinguishes each part, so that the user can input each part by using the tactile sense without looking at the rear side.

1 is a block diagram of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2a is a front perspective view of an example of a mobile terminal according to the present invention.
Figure 2b is a rear perspective view of the mobile terminal shown in Figure 2a.
3 is an exploded view of the mobile terminal shown in FIG. 2B;
4A and 4B are detailed exploded views and cross-sectional views of the rear input unit shown in FIG. 3, respectively.
5 is a conceptual view showing a structure in which the button unit shown in Figure 4a is coupled to the rear case.
6a and 6b are conceptual views showing examples of the configuration of the support provided on the inner surface of the shield can shown in Figure 4a.
7A through 11 are conceptual views illustrating examples of operations implemented by the mobile terminal of FIG. 2B.

Hereinafter, a mobile terminal according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In the present specification, the same or similar reference numerals are assigned to the same or similar configurations in different embodiments, and the description thereof is replaced with the first description. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In addition, the suffixes "module" and "unit" for the components used in the following description are given or mixed in consideration of ease of specification, and do not have distinct meanings or roles from each other.

The mobile terminal described herein includes a mobile phone, a smart phone, a laptop computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP), an e-book, Navigation and the like.

1 is a block diagram of a mobile terminal 100 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 the mobile terminal 100 may have more components or fewer components.

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 the mobile terminal 100, 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 unit 151.

The image frame processed by the camera 121 may be stored in the memory 160 or transmitted to the outside through the wireless communication unit 110. 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 is a mobile terminal 100 such as an open / closed state of the mobile terminal 100, a location of the mobile terminal 100, a user contact, a bearing of the mobile terminal 100, an acceleration / deceleration of the mobile terminal 100, and the like. A sensing signal for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 100 is generated by detecting the current state. 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 unit 151, an audio output module 152, an alarm unit 153, and a haptic module 154. Can be.

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

The display unit 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 may be configured to be transparent or light transmissive so that they can be seen through them. 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 unit 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 unit 151 of the terminal body.

According to an implementation form of the mobile terminal 100, two or more display units 151 may exist. 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 unit 151 and a sensor for detecting a touch operation (hereinafter, referred to as a “touch sensor”) form a mutual layer structure (hereinafter referred to as a “touch screen”), the display unit 151 may be used 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 unit 151 or capacitance generated at a specific portion of the display unit 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 know which area of the display unit 151 is touched.

Referring to FIG. 1, a proximity sensor 141 may be disposed in an inner region of the mobile terminal 100 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 generated in the mobile terminal 100 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 be output through the display unit 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 tactile 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 configuration aspects 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 100. 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.

Referring to the user input unit 130 again, in the present invention, the user input unit 130 may be disposed at the rear of the terminal, and thus the front display may be formed into a larger screen. Hereinafter, the detailed structure in which the user input unit 130 is disposed on the rear surface and the operation implemented by the same will be described in more detail.

2A is a front perspective view of an example of a mobile terminal 200 according to the present invention, and FIG. 2B is a rear perspective view of the mobile terminal 200 shown in FIG. 2A.

The disclosed mobile terminal 200 has a terminal 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 terminal body includes a casing (casing, housing, cover, etc.) forming an external appearance. In this embodiment, the case may be divided into a front case 201, a rear case 202, and a battery cover 203. Various elements are built in the space formed between the front case 201 and the rear case 202. At least one middle case may be further disposed between the front case 201 and the rear case 202.

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

The display unit 251, the audio output module 252, the camera module 221, and the like may be disposed in the terminal body, mainly the front case 201. A microphone 222, a side input unit 232, an interface 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 251 is disposed on the front surface of the terminal body to output visual information. The sound output module 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 is disposed in the region 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 with a touch key. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a push key may be added to the front input unit 231.

In addition, the display unit 251 may form a touch screen together with a touch sensor, and in this case, the touch screen may be the user input unit 130. Through this, the configuration without the front input unit 231 on the front of the terminal is also possible. In this case, the mobile terminal 200 may be configured such that an input operation to the terminal body is possible only through the display unit 251 and the rear input unit 233 to be described later.

The side input unit 232 configured as another example of the user input unit 130 may input a command such as adjusting the volume of the sound output from the sound output module 252 or switching to the touch recognition mode of the display unit 251. I can receive it.

Referring to FIG. 2B, 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. 2A), and may be a camera having different pixels from the camera module 221.

For example, the front camera module 221 has a low pixel so that it is easy to photograph the user's face and transmit it to the other party in case of a video call, and the rear camera module 221 'captures a general subject. It is desirable to have a high pixel because it is often not transmitted immediately. The camera modules 221 and 221 ′ may be installed in the terminal body in a rotatable or pop-up manner.

A flash 223 and a mirror (not shown) may be further disposed adjacent to the camera module 221 ′. The flash 223 emits light 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 module 252 'may be further disposed on the rear of the terminal body. The rear audio output module 252 ′ may implement a stereo function together with the front audio output module 252 (see FIG. 2A), 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 mobile 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 233 is disposed on the rear of the terminal body. The rear input unit 233 may be located adjacent to the camera module 221 ′, for example.

The rear input unit 233 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, commands such as power on / off, start, end, scrolling, adjusting the volume of sound output from the audio output modules 252 and 252 ', or switching to the touch recognition mode of the display module 251. You can get the same command.

The rear input unit 233 of the present invention is implemented in a form capable of push and touch input. Hereinafter, the configuration of the rear input unit 233 will be described in more detail.

3 is an exploded view of the mobile terminal 200 shown in FIG. 2B.

Referring to FIG. 3, a circuit board (PCB) 280 is embedded in the terminal body. The circuit board 280 may be mounted to, for example, the front case 201 or the rear case 202, or may be mounted on a separate structure. The separate structure may be a middle case (not shown). Hereinafter, a structure in which the front case 201 and the rear case 202 are separately provided will be described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the cases 201 and 202 may be integrally formed.

The circuit board 280 is configured as an example of the controller 180 (see FIG. 1) for operating various functions of the mobile terminal 200. The circuit board 280 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 280 is equipped with various electronic devices.

The rear case 202 is formed with a battery accommodating portion 292 for accommodating the battery 291, the battery cover 203 is detachably configured to the rear case 202 to cover the battery accommodating portion 292. Unlike the above structure in which the battery 291 is detachable, the battery 291 may be built in the terminal body to be detachable.

According to the illustration, the camera module 221 ′ is electrically connected to the circuit board 280. The camera module 221 'includes a lens unit 221a' for capturing an image through a lens and is exposed to the rear of the terminal body to capture an external image of the rear surface.

The rear of the terminal body is provided with a rear input unit 233 that is operable to receive a control command. The rear input unit 233 may be disposed to overlap the front display unit 251 in the thickness direction of the terminal body, and may be disposed between the camera module 221 ′ and the battery 291 on the rear surface. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and the position of the rear input unit 233 may be changed. Through holes 202a and 203a corresponding to the rear input unit 233 may be formed in the rear case 202 and the battery cover 203, respectively.

Since the rear input unit 233 is provided on the rear side of the terminal body, a new type user interface using the same may be implemented. In addition, the rear input unit 233 replaces at least some functions of the keys provided in the existing front, and when the front input unit 231 is not placed on the front side, the front display unit 251 has a larger screen. It may be configured as. Hereinafter, the detailed structure of the rear input unit 233 will be described in more detail.

4A and 4B are detailed exploded views and cross-sectional views of the rear input unit 233 shown in FIG. 3, respectively.

Referring to the drawings together with FIG. 3, the rear input unit 233 includes a button unit 234 and a touch unit 235.

The button unit 234 is exposed to the outside from the rear of the terminal body, and is made to receive a push input of the first function. The first function may be a function related to on / off of power or activation of the display unit 251. In this case, the button unit 234 may be a power key of the mobile terminal 200.

The touch unit 235 includes first and second touch keys 235a and 235b disposed at both sides of the button unit 234, respectively, and receives a touch input of a second function different from the first function. . The first and second touch keys 235a and 235b may be formed to generate control commands that are opposite to each other. As described above, the second function may be a function related to adjusting the volume of the sound output from the mobile terminal 200.

Looking at the structure in more detail, the touch unit 235 includes a window 235c and a touch sensor 235g.

The window 235c is mounted on the rear case 202 and is configured to be exposed to the outside through the through hole 203a formed in the battery cover 203. The window 235c is formed of a light-transmissive material (eg, a synthetic resin such as polycarbonate, acrylic, glass, etc.) and has a through hole 235d corresponding to the button part 234. The window 235c is formed to completely surround the outer circumference of the button portion 234 accommodated in the through hole 235d. In order to minimize the gap between the window 235c and the button portion 234, the shape and size of the through hole 235d may be formed to be substantially the same as the shape and size of the button portion 234.

In addition, the window 235c may be formed to cover the lens unit 221a 'of the camera module 221' disposed adjacent to one side of the first touch key 235a. According to the above structure, the lens unit 221a 'may be protected from the external environment, and a simpler design of the rear surface may be implemented. As shown, the camera module 221 ', the first touch key 235a, the button portion 234, and the second touch key 235b in one order (eg, the longitudinal direction of the terminal body) in that order. When placed alongside, a more advanced rear design can be implemented giving a sense of unity.

The window 235c may be opaque except for a portion corresponding to the lens unit 221a '. For example, the opaque material may be formed to cover the rear surface of the window 235c except for a portion corresponding to the lens unit 221a 'by printing or deposition. In addition, a raised spot 235e may protrude between a portion of the window 235c corresponding to the lens unit 221a 'and a portion corresponding to the first touch key 235a. According to this, the user can intuitively distinguish the part corresponding to the first touch key 235a and the lens unit 221a 'through the tactile sense felt when the finger touches the jaw 235e. Accordingly, a fingerprint may be prevented from being applied to the lens unit 221a 'by touching the first touch key 235a and then touching the lens unit 221a'. In addition, when the mobile terminal 200 is placed with the rear facing the floor, the jaw 235e contacts the bottom surface, thereby preventing the camera module 221 'and the touch unit 235 from directly contacting the bottom surface. have.

The touch sensor 235g is disposed on the rear surface of the window 235c, that is, between the rear case 202 and the window 235c and is configured to sense a touch input to the window 235c. The touch sensor 235g is electrically connected to the circuit board 280 by a connector, and may be configured as a capacitive or static pressure touch sensor. The touch sensor 235g is configured to enable individual touch recognition for each of the first and second touch keys 235a and 235b.

In this drawing, the touch sensor 235g is formed in the form of a sheet having a hole 235h corresponding to the button portion 234. In this case, the touch sensor 235g may be formed to completely surround the outer circumference of the button part 234 accommodated in the hole 235h. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto. The touch sensor 235g may be implemented as two touch sensors corresponding to each of the first and second touch keys 235a and 235b, and a form in which a touch pattern is directly implemented on the rear surface of the window 235c instead of a sheet form. It may be formed as.

An adhesive member 235j may be disposed between the window 235c and the touch sensor 235g. The adhesive member 235j is preferably formed of a conductive material to transmit the touch input to the window 235c to the touch sensor 235g. The adhesive member 235j may be formed in various forms such as adhesive, tape, form pad, and the like. In addition, an adhesive member 235k may be disposed between the touch sensor 235g and the rear case 202.

The button part 234 inserted into the through hole 235d of the window 235c may include a key top 234a and an elastic member 234b.

The key top 234a is exposed to the outside through the through hole 235d and is formed of a rigid material. The surface exposed to the outside through the through hole 235d in the key top 234a may be formed of the curved surface 234f, and the opposite surface of the curved surface (that is, the back surface of the key top 234a) may be formed in a plane. Through this, the user can recognize the operation position of the button unit 234 by the touch. In addition, the portion of the window 235c corresponding to the curved surface 234f of the keytop 234a is curved toward the keytop 234a so that the surface of the window 235c and the surface of the keytop 234a are smoothly connected to each other. It may be formed to protrude in the form.

The elastic member 234b is disposed on the back surface of the key top 234a and includes an actuator 234c for pressing the switch 234e in response to the pressing operation of the key top 234a. Referring to FIG. 5, which shows a structure in which the button part 234 is coupled to the rear case 202, the key top 234a may include a hole 235h of the touch sensor 235g and a through hole 235d of the window 235c. Passed through and exposed to the outside, both ends 234b 'of the elastic member 234b are coupled to the rear case 202 and are formed to elastically support the keytop 234a when the keytop 234a is pressed. As shown, both ends 234b 'of the elastic member 234b are disposed to overlap the rear surface of the rear case 202, and to bosses 202b or bosses that protrude from the rear case 202, or to separate fastening members. It can be fixed to the rear case 202 by. In the case of the fastening structure using the boss 202b, the end of the boss 202b may be configured such that the elastic member 234b does not fall by being fused after the elastic member 234b is fitted.

The button unit 234 may further include a flexible circuit board (FPCB, 234d) having a switch 234e that is pressed by the actuator 234c when the key top 234a is pressed. The flexible circuit board 234d is electrically connected to the circuit board 280 by a connector. The switch 234e may be, for example, a dome switch, a piezoelectric switch, or the like. The flexible circuit board 234d may be supported on a supportable internal structure or may be installed on a shield can 281 installed on the circuit board 280 as shown. The shield can 281 is disposed to cover at least one electronic device to shield the EMI, and serves to supplement the rigidity of the circuit board 280.

6A and 6B showing the inner surface of the shield can 281, the ends of the shield can 281 formed of a metal material are bent in the form of a wall 281a and supported on the circuit board 280. do.

The shield can 281 may include support parts 281b and 281c that protrude from the inner side and are supported on the circuit board 280. Supports 281b and 281c are configured to support switch 234e when pressurizing actuator 234c together with wall 281a. The support parts 281b and 281c may protrude in the form of a boss as shown in FIG. 6A or protrude in the form of a bar as shown in FIG. 6B. In order to effectively support the switch 234e, the supports 281b and 281c may be disposed to overlap the switch 234e.

7A to 11 are conceptual views illustrating examples of an operation implemented by the mobile terminal 200 of FIG. 2B.

The controller 180 controlling the functions of the mobile terminal 200 processes the input operation applied to the rear input unit 233 as control commands having different functions according to the operation mode of the mobile terminal 200. For example, the input to the rear input unit 233 may be a volume operation or switching of a playback file in a music or video playback mode, a zoom, an exposure value operation in a shooting mode, a zoom, Scroll operations, and the like.

7A to 7C, a graphic user interface (GUI) of an application currently being executed may be output to the display unit 251, and the display unit 251 may be a touch screen to enable a touch input to the GUI. Can be configured. The display unit 251 outputs visual information implemented in the form of the GUI, that is, an image, text, or icon. However, as illustrated in FIG. That is, the display can be switched off). FIG. 7A illustrates a state in which the display unit 251 is deactivated while the music playing application is executed.

Referring to FIG. 7B, when a push input is applied to the button unit 234 in the state shown in FIG. 7B, the display unit 251 is switched to an activated state. That is, the button unit 234 may be a power key for turning on / off the display unit 251. In addition, the on / off of the mobile terminal 200 itself may be performed by the button unit 234. In this figure, as the display unit 251 is activated, the GUI of the music reproduction application is output.

Referring to FIG. 7C, when a touch input is applied to the touch unit 235 in the state shown in FIG. 7B, the volume bar VB is output and the volume is adjusted. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the above process. Even in the state shown in FIG. 7A, the touch input to the touch unit 235 may be an input for adjusting the volume.

As such, the user may manipulate the rear input unit 233 to control the display unit 251 while uncovering the entire display unit 251.

8A to 8C, information indicating which touch key of the first and second touch keys 235a and 235b is being touched may be output to the display unit 251. For example, an image related to the rear input unit 233 (hereinafter, a key image 251a) is output to the display unit 251, and an icon related to the information is displayed inside the key image 251a.

The displayed icons may be formed in pairs to correspond to the first and second touch keys 235a and 235b. For example, when receiving control commands related to up / down (eg, volume, zoom, etc.), a pair of icons become + and-(see FIG. 8A), and they are the length of the key image 251a. It may be disposed at both ends of the key image 251a in the direction (the longitudinal direction of the terminal body). In this case, when the first touch key 235a is touched, it may be zoomed in, and when the second touch key 235b is touched, it may be set to zoom out.

Referring to FIG. 8B, when a web page is output in the Internet mode, the first and second touch keys 235a and 235b receive a control command related to scrolling, and the displayed icon may be an image related thereto. . For example, the icon associated with scrolling may be △, ▽.

Referring to FIG. 8C, the icon may change shape in conjunction with a push input applied to the button unit 234. Hereinafter, the music mode will be described as an example, but it may be applied to other modes. According to the figure, the first and second touch keys 235a and 235b may receive a control command related to volume control while the icons are + and-indicating volume operation. In this state, when a push input is applied to the button unit 234, the icon is switched to icons representing forward and forward, and the first and second touch keys 235a and 235b are associated with the forward and forward. It can be switched to receive a control command.

Referring to FIG. 9, the display unit 251 may output information related to a push input or a touch input duration of the button unit 234 or the touch unit 235.

For example, the controller 180 may generate a control command based on the duration of the push input applied to the button unit 234, and the display unit 251 may output information that varies according to the duration. When the push input is applied to the button unit 234, when the power of the mobile terminal 200 is turned off, the icon moves from one end of the key image 251a to the other end as the push input is applied. If the push is applied until the set time, the icon moves to the other end of the key image 251a and the off command is executed.

Such a user interface may be modified in various forms. For example, in the photographing mode in which the preview screen is output to the display unit 251, the recording is not immediately performed by the push input of the button unit 234, but the icon moves according to the duration of the push input. When the icon moves to the end of the key image 251a, a user interface in which shooting is performed may be implemented.

10A to 10C illustrate a user interface associated with controlling activation of the touch unit 235 by an input to the button unit 234.

As shown, driving of the touch unit 235 may be determined by a push input to the button unit 234. More specifically, the push input may be defined as an input for a power on / off command of the mobile terminal 200. That is, the mobile terminal 200 is turned on by the push input to the button unit 234 while the mobile terminal 200 is turned off (see FIG. 10A). The touch unit 235 may be activated only when the mobile terminal 200 is turned on.

As another example, the push input may be defined as an input for an on / off command of the display unit 251. In the state in which the display unit 251 is inactivated, the touch unit 235 does not sense a touch input, and when there is a push input to the button unit 234, the display unit 251 is activated (see FIG. 10B). The touch unit 235 is also activated only when the display unit 251 is activated, and according to such an operation, misoperation with respect to the mobile terminal 200 may be prevented. This is mainly to prevent a control command not intended by a user from being input in the mobile terminal 200 capable of touch input, thereby activating or deactivating a function and an application of the mobile terminal 200.

As another example, the push input may be an input related to unlocking a locked state. The state of the mobile terminal 200 is classified into a 'locked state' and a 'released state' according to whether a control command is input or not, and the push input may switch between the locked state and the released state. 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 button unit 234, the lock is released (see FIG. 10C). When the lock is released, the touch input to the display unit 251 as well as the touch unit 235 may be performed. It will be done.

Referring to FIG. 11, when a touch input to the display unit 251 and a touch input to the touch unit 235 are simultaneously performed, the controller 180 generates a control command corresponding thereto.

For example, as shown, when the display unit 251 and the first touch key 235a are touched together, the 2D image output on the display unit 251 may be configured to be converted into a 3D image. Meanwhile, when the display unit 251 and the second touch key 235b are touched together, the 3D image output on the display unit 251 may be configured to be converted into a 2D image.

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

Claims (17)

A terminal body having a front side and a rear side;
A display unit disposed on the front surface to output visual information and detect a touch input; And
A rear input unit disposed on the rear surface and operatively formed to receive a control command;
The rear input unit,
A button unit exposed to the outside from the rear surface and receiving a push input of a first function; And
A first touch unit and a second touch key disposed on both sides of the button unit, the touch unit receiving a touch input of a second function different from the first function;
The rear input unit is disposed to overlap the display unit in the thickness direction of the terminal body.
The key is not placed on the front side,
The button unit,
A key top exposed to the outside through the through hole; And
It is disposed on the back of the key top, and includes an elastic member having an actuator,
Both ends of the elastic member is coupled to the case of the terminal body, it is made to elastically support the key top during the pressing operation of the key top,
In the key top, the surface exposed to the outside through the through-hole is made of a curved surface, the mobile terminal, characterized in that the opposite surface of the curved surface is formed in a plane. The method of claim 1,
The touch unit,
A window formed of a light-transmissive material and having a through hole corresponding to the button part; And
And a touch sensor disposed on the rear surface of the window to detect a touch input to the window. The method of claim 2,
On one side of the first touch key is disposed a camera module that is formed to shoot an image,
The window is a mobile terminal, characterized in that formed to cover the lens of the camera module. The method of claim 3,
And the camera module, the first touch key, the button unit, and the second touch key are arranged in one direction in order. The method of claim 3,
And a raised spot protrudes between a portion corresponding to the lens portion and a portion corresponding to the first touch key in the window. delete The method of claim 1,
The button unit,
And a switch formed to be pressed by the actuator when the key top is pressed, and further comprising a flexible circuit board disposed between the shield can and the elastic member installed on the circuit board. The method of claim 7, wherein
The shield can has a support portion which protrudes from an inner surface and is supported on the circuit board so as to support the switch when the actuator is pressurized. delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete

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