KR20130011000A - Mobile terminal and method for controlling the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A portable terminal and a control method thereof are provided to supply prediction termination time to a user by calculating prediction termination time of a portable terminal. CONSTITUTION: A battery calculating unit(182) calculates prediction termination time of a portable terminal based on the residual quantity of a battery. A display unit(151) displays information which indicates the prediction termination time calculated by the battery calculating unit. If the time for extending the prediction termination time is set up, a control unit(180) searches for set values of the portable terminal. The control unit changes the set values. [Reference numerals] (110) Wireless communication unit; (111) Broadcasting reception module; (112) Mobile communication module; (113) Wireless internet module; (114) Local communication module; (115) Location information module; (120) A/V input unit; (121) Camera; (122) Microphone; (130,160) User input unit; (140) Sensing unit; (141) Proximity sensor; (150) Output unit; (151) Display unit; (152) Sound output module; (153) Alarm unit; (154) Haptic module; (155) Projector module; (170) Interface unit; (180) Control unit; (181) Multimedia module; (182) Battery calculating unit; (190) Battery

Description

MOBILE TERMINAL AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME

The present invention relates to a portable terminal and a control method thereof, in which the use of the terminal can be realized by further considering the convenience of the user.

Terminals such as personal computers, laptops, mobile phones, etc. may be configured to perform various functions. Examples of such various functions include a data and voice communication function, a function of photographing a video or a moving image through a camera, a voice storage function, a music file playback function through a speaker system, and an image or video display function. Some terminals include additional functionality to play games, while others are implemented as multimedia devices. Moreover, recent terminals can receive a broadcast or multicast signal to watch a video or television program.

In general, the terminal is movable The mobile terminal can be divided into a mobile terminal and a stationary terminal depending on whether the mobile terminal is portable or not, and the mobile terminal can be divided into a handheld terminal and a vehicle mount terminal.

The terminal includes a battery for supplying power required to provide various functions to the user.

The battery is also called a secondary battery, and a nickel cadmium (Ni-Cd) battery, a nickel hydride (Ni-Mh) battery, a lithium ion (Li-Ion) battery, a lithium ion polymer (Li-Ion Polymer) battery, and the like are used.

In addition, the battery included in the terminal is a rechargeable battery that can be continuously charged and used repeatedly.

The user should check the remaining battery capacity for the continuous use of the terminal, if the battery is exhausted, the battery should be charged via a charger inserted into the stationary charger or the contact terminal.

To this end, the terminal displays an indicator icon indicating the remaining battery level to the user through the display unit, thereby informing the user of the current battery level through the indicator icon.

However, the current terminal provides only the remaining amount of battery to the user, so that the user may not know the expected end time of the terminal when the terminal is actually turned off because the remaining amount of the battery is exhausted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a portable terminal and a method of controlling the same, which are provided to a user by calculating an expected end time of the portable terminal based on the remaining battery level.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile terminal and a control method thereof for controlling a setting value associated with the operation of the functions currently being executed in the portable terminal or the exhaustion of the battery so that the expected end time of the portable terminal is extended to the time set by the user. It is.

Still another object of the present invention is to display a user interface (UI) for setting the expected end time and the extended time, and to extend the estimated end time of the battery through the UI; The present invention provides a portable terminal and a method of controlling the same, which can collectively perform saving and management.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable terminal comprising: a battery for supplying power to the portable terminal; A battery calculator configured to calculate an expected end time of the portable terminal based on the remaining amount of the battery; A display unit which displays information indicating an estimated end time calculated by the battery calculator; If a time for extending the expected end time is set, the additional functions currently operating in the portable terminal and the setting values of the portable terminal associated with the exhaustion of the battery are retrieved, and the operation and the set values of the retrieved additional functions are retrieved. And a control unit for changing the control unit so that the estimated end time is extended beyond the set time.

In addition, the control method of the portable terminal according to the present invention comprises the steps of: calculating an expected end time of the portable terminal based on the remaining amount of battery for supplying power to the portable terminal; Displaying information indicative of the calculated expected end time; Retrieving additional functions currently operating in the portable terminal and setting values of the portable terminal associated with the exhaustion of the battery when a time for extending the expected end time is set; And controlling the expected end time to extend beyond the set time by changing the operation of the searched additional functions and the set values.

The portable terminal and the control method thereof according to the present invention provide the following effects.

First, there is an effect that can inform the user of the expected end time of the mobile terminal on the basis of the current battery level.

Second, by controlling a setting value associated with the operation of the functions currently running on the mobile terminal or the exhaustion of the mobile terminal to extend the estimated end time of the mobile terminal to the time set by the user, the user may substantially The effect is to manage the available time.

Third, as the user provides a user interface (UI) for setting the expected end time and the extension time, the user can extend and save the estimated end time of the battery through the UI. And management can be integrated.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2A is a front perspective view of an example of a mobile terminal according to the present invention;
FIG. 2B is a rear perspective view of the portable terminal shown in FIG. 2A.
3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of controlling battery management of a portable terminal according to the present invention.
4 to 11 are explanatory views illustrating a process of controlling battery management of a portable terminal according to the present invention.

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

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

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

The mobile terminal 100 includes a wireless communication unit 110, an 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 battery 190 may be included. The components shown in Fig. 1 are not essential, and a portable 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 wireless terminal 100 and the wireless communication system or between the wireless terminal 100 and a network in which the wireless terminal 100 is located. For example, the wireless communication unit 110 may include a broadcast receiving module 111, a mobile communication module 112, a wireless Internet module 113, a short range communication module 114, and a location information module 115 .

The broadcast receiving module 111 receives 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 refer to a server for generating and transmitting broadcast signals and / or broadcast related information, or a server for receiving broadcast signals and / or broadcast related information generated by the broadcast management server and transmitting the generated broadcast signals and / or broadcast related information. The broadcast signal may include a TV broadcast signal, a radio broadcast signal, a data broadcast signal, and a broadcast signal in which a data broadcast signal is combined with a TV broadcast signal or a radio broadcast signal.

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

The broadcast related information may exist in various forms. For example, 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).

For example, the broadcast receiving module 111 may be a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Terrestrial (DMB-T), a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Satellite (DMB-S), a Media Forward Link Only A digital broadcasting system such as DVB-CB, OMA-BCAST, or Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial (ISDB-T). Of course, the broadcast receiving module 111 may be adapted to other broadcasting systems as well as the digital broadcasting system described above.

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

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

The wireless Internet module 113 refers to a module for wireless Internet access, and may be built in or externally mounted in 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. Bluetooth, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), Ultra Wideband (UWB), ZigBee, and the like can be used as a short range communication technology.

The location information module 115 is a module for acquiring the location of the portable terminal, and a representative example thereof is a GPS (Global Position System) module. According to the current technology, the GPS module 115 calculates distance information and accurate time information from three or more satellites, and then applies trigonometry to the calculated information to obtain a three-dimensional string of latitude, longitude, The location information can be accurately calculated. At present, a method of calculating position and time information using three satellites and correcting an error of the calculated position and time information using another satellite is widely used. In addition, the GPS module 115 can calculate speed information by continuously calculating the current position in real time.

Referring to FIG. 1, an A / V (Audio / Video) input unit 120 is for inputting an audio signal or a video signal, and may include a camera 121 and a microphone 122. The camera 121 processes image frames such as still images or moving images obtained by the image sensor in the video call mode or the photographing mode. The processed image frame can be displayed on the display unit 151. [

The image frame processed by the camera 121 may be stored in the memory 160 or transmitted to the outside through the wireless communication unit 110. [ Two or more cameras 121 may be provided depending on the use environment.

The microphone 122 receives an external sound signal through a microphone in a communication mode, a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, or the like, and processes it as electrical voice data. The processed voice data can be converted into a form that can be transmitted to the mobile communication base station through the mobile communication module 112 when the voice data is in the call mode, and output. Various noise reduction algorithms may be implemented in the microphone 122 to remove noise generated in receiving an external sound signal.

The user input unit 130 generates input data for a user to control the operation of the terminal.

The user input unit 130 may receive a signal from a user, which designates two or more contents among the displayed contents according to the present invention. In addition, a signal specifying two or more contents may be received through a touch input or may be received through a hard key and a soft key input.

The user input unit 130 may receive an input for selecting one or more contents from the user. In addition, the user may receive an input for generating an icon related to a function that the portable terminal 100 can perform.

As described above, the user input unit 130 may be composed of a direction key, a key pad, a dome switch, a touch pad (static pressure / capacitance), a jog wheel, a jog switch, and the like.

The sensing unit 140 senses the current state of the portable terminal 100 such as the open / close state of the portable terminal 100, the position of the portable terminal 100, the presence of the user, the orientation of the portable terminal, And generates a sensing signal for controlling the operation of the portable 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. It is also possible to sense whether the battery 190 is powered on, whether the interface unit 170 is connected to an external device, and the like. Meanwhile, the sensing unit 140 may include a proximity sensor 141. The proximity sensor 141 will be described later in relation to the touch screen.

The output unit 150 is for generating an output relating to visual, auditory or tactile sense and includes a display unit 151, an acoustic output module 152, an alarm unit 153, a haptic module 154, 155, and the like.

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

As described above, the display unit 151 may include a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), The display device may include at least one of a flexible display and a 3D display.

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

There may be two or more display units 151 according to the embodiment of the portable terminal 100. [ For example, in the portable terminal 100, a plurality of display units may be spaced apart from one another or may be disposed integrally with each other, 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 configured in addition to an output device. Can also be used as an input device. The touch sensor may have the form of, for example, a touch film, a touch sheet, a touch pad, or the like.

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

If there is a touch input to the touch sensor, the corresponding signal (s) is sent to the touch controller (not shown). The touch controller processes the signal (s) and 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.

The proximity sensor 141 may be disposed in an inner area of the portable terminal or in the vicinity of the touch screen, which is enclosed by the touch screen. The proximity sensor refers to a sensor that detects the presence or absence of an object approaching a predetermined detection surface or a nearby object without mechanical contact using the force of an electromagnetic field or infrared rays. The proximity sensor has a longer life span than the contact sensor and its utilization is also high.

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

Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the act of 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 pointer is proximately touched on the touch screen means a position where the pointer is vertically corresponding to the touch screen when the pointer is touched.

The proximity sensor detects a proximity touch and a proximity touch pattern (e.g., a proximity touch distance, a proximity touch direction, a proximity touch speed, a proximity touch time, a proximity touch position, a proximity touch movement state, and the like). Information corresponding to the detected proximity touch operation and the proximity touch pattern may be output on the touch screen.

The 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 also outputs sound signals related to functions (e.g., call signal reception tones, message reception tones, etc.) performed in the portable terminal 100. The audio output module 152 may include a receiver, a speaker, a buzzer, and the like.

The alarm unit 153 outputs a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event of the portable terminal 100. Examples of events occurring in the portable terminal include receiving a call signal, receiving a message, inputting a key signal, and touch input. The alarm unit 153 may output a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event in a form other than the video signal or the audio signal, for example, vibration. The video signal or the audio signal may also be output through the display unit 151 or the audio output module 152. In this case, the display unit 151 and the audio output module 152 may be a kind of alarm unit 153. May be classified.

The haptic module 154 generates various tactile effects that the user can feel. A typical example of the haptic effect generated by the haptic module 154 is vibration. The intensity and pattern of vibration generated by the haptic module 154 can be controlled. For example, different vibrations may be synthesized and output or 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 an injection or inlet port, grazing to the skin surface, contact of an 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 can be implemented not only to transmit the tactile effect through the direct contact but also to allow the user to feel the tactile effect through the muscular sensation of the finger or arm. The haptic module 154 may include two or more haptic modules 154 according to the configuration of the portable terminal 100.

The projector module 155 is a component for performing an image project function using the portable terminal 100 and is the same as an image displayed on the display unit 151 according to a control signal of the controller 180. Or at least partially different images may be displayed on an external screen or wall.

Specifically, the projector module 155 includes a light source (not shown) that generates light (for example, laser light) for outputting an image to the outside, a light source And a lens (not shown) for enlarging and outputting the image at a predetermined focal distance to the outside. Further, the projector module 155 may include a device (not shown) capable of mechanically moving the lens or the entire module to adjust the image projection direction.

The projector module 155 can be divided into a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) module, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) module and a DLP (Digital Light Processing) module according to the type of the display means. In particular, the DLP module may be advantageous for miniaturization of the projector module 151 by enlarging and projecting an image generated by reflecting light generated from a light source on a DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) chip.

Preferably, the projector module 155 may be provided in the longitudinal direction on the side, front, or back of the portable terminal 100. Of course, the projector module 155 may be provided at any position of the mobile terminal 100 as necessary.

The memory 160 may store a program for processing and controlling the controller 180 and may store the input / output data (e.g., a telephone directory, a message, an audio, a still image, an electronic book, History, and the like). The memory 160 may also store a frequency of use of each of the data (eg, a phone number, a message, and a frequency of use of each multimedia). In addition, the memory unit 160 may store data on vibration and sound of various patterns output when the touch is input on the touch screen.

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, etc.) ), A random access memory (RAM), a static random access memory (SRAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a programmable read- A magnetic disk, an optical disk, a memory, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk. The portable terminal 100 may operate in association with a web storage that performs a storage function of the memory 160 on the Internet.

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

The identification module is a chip that stores various types of information for authenticating the use authority of the mobile terminal 100, and includes a user identification module (UIM), a subscriber identification module (SIM), and a universal user authentication module ( Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM), and the like. Devices with identification modules (hereinafter referred to as "identification devices") can be manufactured in a smart card format. Accordingly, the identification device can be connected to the terminal 100 through the port.

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

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

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

The battery calculator 182 calculates the remaining amount of power charged in the battery 190 under the control of the controller 180, and outputs the calculated result to the controller 180.

The battery 190 supplies power required for the operation of each component of the mobile terminal 100 under the control of the controller 180.

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

The disclosed portable terminal 100 has a bar-shaped main body. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and can be applied to various structures such as a slide type, a folder type, a swing type, and a swivel type in which two or more bodies are relatively movably coupled.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In addition to the antenna for communication, a broadcast signal receiving antenna 116 may be additionally disposed on the side of the terminal body. The antenna 116 constituting a part of the broadcast receiving unit 111 (refer to FIG. 1) may be installed to be pulled out from the terminal body.

The terminal body is equipped with a battery unit 190 for supplying power to the portable terminal 100. The battery 190 may be built in the terminal body or may be directly detachable from the outside of the terminal body.

The rear case 102 may further include a touch pad 135 for sensing a touch. The touch pad 135 may be of a light transmission type for the display unit 151. [ In this case, if the display unit 151 is configured to output visual information on both sides (i.e., in both the front and rear sides of the mobile terminal), the visual information can be recognized through the touch pad 135 as well. do. The information output on both sides may be all controlled by the touch pad 135. [

Meanwhile, the display for exclusive use of the touch pad 135 may be separately installed, so that the touch screen may be disposed in the rear case 102 as well.

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

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

According to a hardware implementation, the embodiments described herein 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. The described embodiments may be implemented by the controller 180 itself.

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

The portable terminal referred to herein may include at least one of the components shown in FIG. 1. In addition, the controller 180 may control an individual operation of an element or a link operation between a plurality of elements in order to perform an operation using a component (for example, a touch screen, a wireless communication unit, or a memory).

The mobile terminal 100 of the present invention provides the following three user interface (UI) for managing the battery 190.

First, the portable terminal 100 according to the present invention calculates an estimated end time of the portable terminal 100 based on the remaining amount of the battery 190, information indicating the estimated end time of the portable terminal 100 By displaying, it is possible to inform the user of the expected end time of the current portable terminal 100.

In this case, the expected end time refers to a time when the portable terminal 100 is turned off when the remaining amount of the battery 190 is exhausted and the battery 190 is in a low voltage state.

Secondly, when the extension time for extending the expected end time is set by the user, the portable terminal 100 according to the present invention does not terminate the portable terminal 100 until the extension time. The ON / OFF operation of the additional functions in operation may be controlled or the setting values of the portable terminal 100 associated with the exhaustion of the battery 190 may be changed. In this case, the on / off operation of the additional functions and the change of the setting values may be performed by a user.

Third, the mobile terminal 100 according to the present invention displays a UI for setting the extension time, on / off operation of the additional functions, and changing the setting values, and displays the UI for the expected end time of the battery through the UI. Extension, saving and management can be integrated.

Hereinafter, the control process of the mobile terminal 100 according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 11.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of controlling battery management of a portable terminal according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, when the battery management menu according to the present invention is selected from the menu items, the controller 180 of the portable terminal 100 drives the battery calculator 182 to record the remaining amount of the current battery 190. It catches every set cycle [S110].

The controller 180 calculates an estimated end time of the mobile terminal 100 based on the remaining amount of the battery 190 determined by the battery calculator 182 [S120], and indicates the calculated end time. Is displayed on the touch screen 151 [S130].

Next, the controller 180 detects whether an extension time for extending the estimated end time is set, and if the extension time is set through the user input unit 130 or the touch screen 151 [S150], The additional functions currently operating in the mobile terminal 100 and the set values associated with the exhaustion of the battery 190 are searched for (S160).

The additional functions are "phonebook", "message", "music", "video", "image", "schedule", "contact information", "document file", "game", "calculator", "web page It includes all the functions available to the user in the mobile terminal 100 such as "," electronic dictionary "," application "and" internet function ".

In addition, the setting values associated with the exhaustion of the battery 190 are all the setting values that increase the amount of exhaustion of the battery 190 as the setting values such as the screen brightness setting value, the sound volume setting value, and the vibration sound volume setting value are increased. Included.

Next, the controller 180 controls the on / off operation of the retrieved additional functions and / or controls the change of the retrieved setting values so that the calculated expected end time is extended to the set extension time [S170]. ].

In this case, in step S150 to S170, when the extension time is set, the controller 180 determines the amount of power consumption of additional functions currently operating in the portable terminal and setting values associated with the exhaustion of the battery 190. The operation of the additional functions may be turned off or the set values may be automatically changed so that the determined power consumption amount satisfies the power consumption amount corresponding to the set extension time.

For example, when the "Bluetooth" function and the "Wi-Fi" function are running on the mobile terminal 100 and the screen brightness setting value is "100% of the overall brightness", the estimated end time calculated is "current time." 30 minutes from the " and the extension time set by the user is “1 hour after the current time”, the controller 180 causes the mobile terminal 100 to terminate 30 minutes after the expected end time. Turn off the execution of the "function and" Wi-Fi "function, or automatically change the screen brightness setting value from the" 100% of full brightness "to" 30% of full brightness ".

In this case, the controller 180 may preferentially turn off the functions selected by the user among the additional functions currently executed in order to extend the expected end time to the set time. In addition, the controller 180 may preferentially change a predetermined setting value selected by a user from among the setting values in order to extend the expected end time to the set time.

In addition, when the extension time is set, the controller 180 determines the amount of power consumption of the additional functions currently operating in the portable terminal and the set values associated with the exhaustion of the battery 190, and the identified additional functions. And a list including all set values on a screen on which the expected end time is displayed.

In this case, the controller 180 displays the power consumption amount of the additional functions and the power consumption amount of the set values together in the list, thereby providing the user with the estimated end time, the power consumption amount of the additional functions currently being operated, and the setting. The power consumption of the values can be informed intuitively.

That is, the user may check the power consumption amount of the additional functions and the power consumption amount of the set values, and select the additional function that the user wants to directly end the operation in order to extend the estimated end time to the time set by the user. That is, the controller 180 may end the additional function selected by the user, and display information indicating a state in which the expected end time approaches the predetermined time whenever the additional function is terminated. In addition, the user may directly select and change the set values to extend the expected end time to the time set by the user. That is, when a specific setting value is selected by the user, the controller 180 displays a setting value changing window for changing the setting value, and finishes the expected every time the selected setting value is changed through the setting value changing window. Information indicating a state in which the time approaches the set time may be displayed.

In addition, when the extension time is set, the controller 180 determines the amount of power consumption of the additional functions currently operating in the portable terminal and the set values associated with the exhaustion of the battery 190, and the identified additional functions. And a list including additional functions and setting values that must be terminated and changed in order for the expected end time to be extended to the set time, among the set values, on the screen on which the expected end time is displayed.

That is, the controller 180 may display a list including additional functions and setting values of which the battery consumption is greater than or equal to a predetermined level among the identified additional functions and setting values, and the user ends the expected end in the list. In order to extend the time to the time set by the user, the user may select an additional function to directly terminate the operation or select a setting value to change directly.

In addition, the controller 180 may display a list including additional functions having a low frequency of use more than a preset number of times among the identified additional functions and setting values, and the user may set the estimated end time within the list. In order to extend the set time, you can select additional functions that you want to terminate.

In addition, the controller 180 may display a list including additional functions having a priority frequency lower than a preset level, which is preset by the user, among the identified additional functions and setting values. In order to extend the expected end time to the time set by the user, the user may select an additional function that wants to end the operation directly.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 4 to 11.

4 to 11 are explanatory views illustrating a process of controlling battery management of a portable terminal according to the present invention.

First, FIG. 4 illustrates a current time and an expected end time of the mobile terminal 100 on an analog clock-shaped image.

That is, referring to FIG. 4, when the battery management menu according to the present invention is selected by the user, the controller 180 drives the battery calculator 182 to determine the remaining amount of the current battery 190 at predetermined intervals. The estimated end time 220 of the mobile terminal 100 is calculated based on the remaining amount of the battery 190 determined by the battery calculator 182.

In addition, the controller 180 displays the current time 210 and the calculated expected end time 220 on the analog clock-shaped image 200.

For example, FIG. 4 illustrates that the hour and minute hands corresponding to the current time and the expected end time 220 are displayed on the clock image 200.

In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the user may set a time 230 for extending the expected end time 220 on the clock-shaped image 200.

FIG. 5 illustrates a process of setting a time for extending the expected end time 220 on the clock image 200 in which the expected end time 220 is displayed.

For example, as shown in (a) of FIG. 5, when the user drags the hour or minute hand indicating the expected end time 220 on the clock image 200 to the desired time 230, FIG. As shown in b), the controller 180 recognizes the dragged time 230 as a time 230 for extending the expected end time 220.

In addition, the controller 180 determines the amount of power consumption of the additional functions currently operating in the portable terminal and the set values associated with the exhaustion of the battery 190, and the determined amount of power consumption is the set extension time 230. The operation of the additional functions is turned off or the set values are automatically changed to satisfy the corresponding amount of power consumption.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6A, when the extension time 230 for extending the expected end time 220 is set, the controller 180 is shown in FIG. 6B. As described above, the amount of power consumption of the additional functions 310, 330, and 340 currently operating in the mobile terminal 100 and the set value 320 associated with the exhaustion of the battery 190 may be determined, and the identified addition may be performed. A list including all of the functions 310, 330, 340 and the set value 320 may be displayed on the clock image 200 in which the expected end time 220 is displayed.

In this case, the controller 180 displays the power consumption amounts 311, 331 and 341 of the additional functions 310, 330 and 340 and the power consumption amount 321 of the set value 320 together in the list. The user may intuitively inform the user of the expected end time, power consumption of the additional functions currently being operated, and power consumption of the set values.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7A, the user directly sets a desired setting value 320 in the list to extend the expected end time 220 to the time 230 set by the user. You can change it by selecting.

For example, when the screen brightness setting value 320 is selected by the user, the controller 180 displays a change window 322 for changing the screen brightness setting value 320 and through the change window 322. When the screen brightness setting value 320 is changed, the changed screen brightness setting value 320 is applied to the display unit 151, and the estimated end time 220 according to the change of the screen brightness setting value 320 is determined. It is calculated again and displayed on the clock image 200.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 7B, the user wants to directly end the operation in order to extend the estimated end time 220 to the time 230 set by the user. Can be selected.

For example, the controller 180 may set a setting window 312 for setting an on / off operation of the “SNS” message application 310 when a user is currently executing the “SNS” message application 310 in the list. ) And when the off of the "SNS" message application 310 is set through the setting window 312, the estimated end time 220 according to the off of the "SNS" message application 310 is calculated again. It is displayed on the clock image 200.

Next, as shown in (a) of FIG. 8, the mobile terminal 100 according to the present invention provides a battery manager menu function 400 capable of managing the use of the battery 190.

That is, when the battery manager menu function 400 is selected from the user in the menu item, the controller 180 calls and displays the selected battery manager menu 400 as shown in FIG.

In this case, the battery manager menu function 400 includes a battery monitoring menu 410 for monitoring the usage status of the battery 190, and the mobile terminal 100 as described above with reference to the processes of FIGS. 3 to 7. The battery saving mode menu 420 extends an expected end time of the portable terminal 100 by controlling the additional functions and setting values which are in operation or set in the operation.

When the battery monitoring menu 410 is selected by the user, the controller 180 determines the remaining amount of the battery 190 through the battery calculator 182 and identifies the battery as shown in FIG. 8B. The estimated end time 250 of the portable terminal 100 is determined and displayed based on the remaining amount of the battery 190 and the current time 240.

In addition, as shown in (b) of FIG. 8, the controller 180 identifies the additional functions 350, 360, and 370 currently operating in the mobile terminal 100, and the identified additional functions 350. , 360, 370 will be displayed.

In addition, the controller 180 determines the available times 351, 361, and 371 for each of the identified additional functions 350, 360, and 370 from the current time 240 to the estimated end time 250. The available hours (351, 361, 371) identified above are displayed.

In addition, although not shown in FIG. 8B, the controller 180 may further display an image indicating the remaining amount of the battery 190 in the battery monitoring menu 410.

In addition, although not shown in FIG. 8B, the controller 180 does not currently operate the mobile terminal 100, but searches for an additional function that is frequently used by a user or consumes a lot of power of the battery 190. In addition, the available time for the searched additional function may be identified and displayed from the current time 240 to the expected end time 250.

Meanwhile, when the battery saving mode menu 420 is selected in the battery manager menu 400, the controller 180 displays the battery 190 through the battery calculator 182, as shown in FIG. 8C. Based on the remaining amount of the battery 190, the estimated end time 250 of the mobile terminal 100 is displayed based on the remaining amount of the battery 190 and the current time 240.

In addition, as shown in (c) of FIG. 8, the controller 180 may include a UI 430 for setting an extension time for extending the expected end time 250 of the battery saving mode menu 420. Display on the screen.

In this case, the UI 430 may be a rotary drum type, and a user may set an hour and a minute of a time for extending the expected end time 250 by manipulating the UI 430. . In addition, the UI 430 may be a clock-shaped image 200 as described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7.

When the extension time is set through the UI 430, the controller 180 checks additional functions and setting values currently in operation, as shown in FIG. 8D, and at the current time 240. The operation control of the additional functions and the setting values are changed so that the portable terminal 100 is not terminated until the set extension time.

And, as shown in (d) of FIG. 8, the controller 180 displays the state of the operation control and changed additional functions and setting values on the screen of the battery saving mode menu 420.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 9A, the controller 180 displays the current time 240 and the expected end time 250 on the image 450 representing the shape and remaining amount of the battery 190. And the extension time 260 set by the user.

In addition, the controller 180 may add additional functions 311, 331, and 341 to be terminated in order to extend the expected end time 250 among the additional functions currently operating in the mobile terminal 100 to the extension time 260. ), And the searched additional functions 311, 331, and 341 are displayed inside the battery shape image 450.

In this case, the searched additional functions 311, 331, and 341 may consume additional power of the battery 190, or may be additional functions corresponding to a priority set by a user or a frequency of use.

When the additional functions 311, 331, and 341 are selected, the controller 180 ends the operation of the selected additional functions 311, 331, and 341, and sets the expected end time 250 to the extension time ( 260).

Next, as shown in (a) of FIG. 10, the controller 180 displays an indication of an expected end time 461 of the mobile terminal 100 and an extension time for extending the expected end time 461. A UI 460 for setting 462 is displayed.

In this case, the UI 460 is displayed in the form of a progressive bar representing the expected end time 461 and the extension time 462 in a time zone.

In addition, the controller 180 determines the additional functions 350, 360, and 370 currently operating in the mobile terminal 100, and each of the additional functions 350, 360, and 370 during the expected end time 461. After identifying the available time of the display on the UI 461.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 10B, when the extension time 462 is set to extend the expected end time 461 on the UI 460, the controller 180 of FIG. As shown in FIG. 13, the additional function 360 is searched among the additional functions 350, 360, and 370 in which the expected end time 461 is to be terminated in order to be extended to the extension time 462. Information 362 is displayed that induces an end of the additional function 360.

When the induction information 362 is selected, the controller 180 terminates the additional function 360 corresponding to the induction information 362, and as illustrated in FIG. 10D, the UI 460. The expected end time 461 is changed to the extension time 462 and displayed on the image.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 11A, the controller 180 executes a plurality of additional functions 350, 360, and 370 on the portable terminal 100, and the additional functions 350. When a low voltage state (for example, when the remaining amount remains 10%) of the battery 190 occurs while displaying an execution screen of the specific first additional function 350 among 360, 370, and the UI 460. The expected end time 461 and the currently executed additional functions 350, 360, 370.

In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 11B, when the extension time 462 is set to extend the expected end time 461 on the UI 460, the additional functions 350 may be set. And information 362 and 372 for inducing the termination of the second and third additional functions 360 and 370 except for the first additional function 350 in which the current execution screen is displayed, 360 and 370, respectively.

When the induction information 362 and 372 is selected, the controller 180 terminates the second and third additional functions 360 and 370 corresponding to the induction information 362 and 372, and (c) of FIG. 11. As shown in FIG. 6, the expected end time 461 is changed to the extension time 462 on the UI 460 to be displayed.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof.

The present invention described above can be embodied as computer-readable codes on a medium on which a program is recorded. The computer readable medium includes all kinds of recording devices in which data that can be read by a computer system is stored. Examples of computer-readable media include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disks, optical data storage devices, and the like, which are also implemented in the form of carrier waves (eg, transmission over the Internet). It also includes. Also, the computer may include a control unit 180 of the terminal.

Accordingly, the above detailed description should not be construed as limiting in all aspects and should be considered as illustrative. The scope of the invention should be determined by reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all changes within the equivalent scope of the invention are included in the scope of the invention.

The above-described mobile terminal and its control method are not limited to the configuration and method of the above-described embodiments, but the embodiments may be modified such that all or some of the embodiments are selectively And may be configured in combination.

100: mobile terminal 110: wireless communication unit
111: broadcast receiver 112: mobile communication module
113 wireless Internet module 114 short-range communication module
115: Position information module 120: A / V input section
121: camera 122: microphone
130: user input unit 140: sensing unit
141: proximity sensor 150: output section
151: Display unit 152: Acoustic output module
153: Alarm module 154: Haptic module
155: Projector Module 160: Memory
170: interface unit 180: control unit
181: multimedia module 182: battery calculator
190: battery

Claims (5)

A battery for supplying power to the mobile terminal;
A battery calculator configured to calculate an expected end time of the portable terminal based on the remaining amount of the battery;
A display unit displaying information indicating an estimated end time calculated by the battery calculator; And
When a time for extending the expected end time is set, the additional functions currently operating in the portable terminal and the setting values of the portable terminal associated with the exhaustion of the battery are retrieved, and the operation and the set values of the retrieved additional functions are retrieved. And a controller for changing the control unit so that the estimated end time is extended beyond the set time. The method according to claim 1,
The information is an analog clock-shaped image,
The controller is configured to indicate the expected end time on the analog clock and to receive the extension time from the user on the analog clock. The method according to claim 1,
The controller may be configured to search for additional functions and setting values that should be turned off or changed to extend the expected end time to the set time among the additional functions and setting values, and the retrieved additional functions. And turning off and changing the setting values. The method of claim 3,
The controller may be configured to search for additional functions and setting values having a larger amount of exhaustion of the battery than a predetermined amount of exhaustion or a predetermined priority among the additional functions and setting values. Calculating an expected end time of the portable terminal based on the remaining amount of battery supplying power to the portable terminal;
Displaying information indicative of the calculated expected end time;
Retrieving additional functions currently operating in the portable terminal and setting values of the portable terminal associated with the exhaustion of the battery when a time for extending the expected end time is set; And
And controlling the expected end time to extend beyond the set time by changing the operation of the searched additional functions and the set values.

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