KR20130071204A - Keyboard controlling apparatus for mobile terminal and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A keyboard control device of a mobile terminal and a method thereof are provided to display a keyboard on a flexible display unit when an input window is displayed and the flexible display unit is folded. CONSTITUTION: When an input area is displayed on a flexible display unit, a sensing unit(140) detects a folded position and an angle of the flexible display unit. A control unit(180) displays a first keyboard on the flexible display unit based on the folded position and the angle. The control unit detects whether or not the flexible display unit is folded at a predetermined angle based on the folded angle. When the flexible display unit is folded at the predetermined angle, the control unit displays the first keyboard in a folded display area of the flexible display unit. [Reference numerals] (110) Wireless communication unit; (111) Broadcasting reception module; (112) Mobile communication module; (113) Wireless Internet module; (114) Local area communication module; (115) Location information module; (120) A/V input unit; (121) Camera; (122) Microphone; (130) User input unit; (140) Sensing unit; (141) Proximity sensor; (142) 3D touch sensing unit; (143) Ultrasound wave sensing unit; (144) Camera sensing unit; (145) Band sensor; (150) Output unit; (151) Display unit; (151') 3D display unit; (152) Sound output module; (153) Alarm unit; (154) Haptic module; (160) Memory; (170) Interface unit; (180) Control unit; (181) Multimedia module; (190) Power supplying unit

Description

KEYBOARD CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR MOBILE TERMINAL AND METHOD THEREOF

The present disclosure relates to a keyboard control device and a method of a mobile terminal.

In general, a terminal may be divided into a mobile / portable terminal and a stationary terminal according to whether or not it is movable. The mobile terminal may be further classified into a handheld terminal and a vehicle mount terminal according to whether a user can directly carry it.

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

2. Description of the Related Art [0002] In general, terminals evolve into various types of designs, and accordingly, flexible displays are attracting attention due to their light and non-breakable characteristics. Flexible displays may allow for the creation of new user interface areas that are limited or impossible to apply with existing glass substrate based displays.

However, various methods for providing a user-friendly user interface using the characteristics of the flexible display have not yet been proposed in the mobile terminal field.

Accordingly, an object of the present specification is to move a display that can display a keyboard quickly and easily without selecting the input window by displaying a keyboard on the flexible display unit when the input window is displayed and the flexible display unit is folded. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for controlling a keyboard (eg, an on-screen keyboard, a soft keyboard, or a virtual keyboard) of a terminal and a method thereof.

Keyboard control apparatus of a mobile terminal according to embodiments of the present disclosure, a flexible display unit; A sensing unit configured to detect a folded position and an angle of the flexible display unit when an input area is displayed on the flexible display unit; The controller may include a controller configured to display a first keyboard on the flexible display unit based on the detected folded position and the folded angle.

As an example related to the present specification, the control unit detects whether the flexible display unit is folded to a preset size based on the detected folded position, and the flexible display unit is preset based on the detected folded angle. When the flexible display unit is detected to be folded at an angle and the flexible display unit is folded at the preset angle by the predetermined size, the first keyboard may be displayed on the folded display area of the flexible display unit.

As an example related to the present specification, the controller detects the size of the folded display area of the flexible display unit, controls the size of the first keyboard according to the detected size, and controls the size of the first keyboard. May be displayed on the folded display area.

As an example related to the present specification, the control unit displays the first keyboard in a horizontal direction on the folded display area when the screen mode of the mobile terminal is in a horizontal viewing mode, and when the screen mode is a vertical viewing mode, the folding. The second keyboard may be displayed in a vertical direction on the displayed display area, and the first keyboard and the second keyboard may be different from each other.

As an example related to the present specification, the controller may detect an upper direction and a lower direction of the flexible display unit when the flexible display unit is folded and display the first keyboard on the folded display area in the lower direction. .

According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a keyboard control method of a mobile terminal may include detecting a folded position and an angle of a flexible display unit when an input area is displayed on the flexible display unit; And displaying a first keyboard on the flexible display unit based on the detected folded position and the folded angle.

An apparatus and method for controlling a keyboard (eg, an on-screen keyboard, a soft keyboard, or a virtual keyboard) of a mobile terminal according to embodiments of the present disclosure may be used when an input window is displayed and the flexible display unit is folded. By displaying the keyboard on the display unit, the keyboard can be displayed on the flexible display unit quickly and easily without selecting the input window.

Keyboard control apparatus and method of a mobile terminal according to embodiments of the present invention, by controlling the size of the keyboard according to the size of the folded display area of the flexible display unit, the user can conveniently and easily through the size-controlled keyboard There is also the effect that you can enter (for example, letters, numbers, symbols, etc.).

According to embodiments of the present disclosure, an apparatus and a method for controlling a keyboard of a mobile terminal may display a keyboard matching the screen mode of the mobile terminal by detecting the screen mode of the mobile terminal when the flexible display unit is folded. There is also an effect.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a mobile terminal according to one embodiment disclosed herein.
2A is a front perspective view of an example of a mobile terminal according to the present invention, and FIG. 2B is a rear perspective view of the mobile terminal shown in FIG. 2A.
3A and 3B are exemplary views illustrating a flexible display for explaining embodiments of the present invention.
4A to 4E are exemplary diagrams illustrating other flexible displays for describing embodiments of the present invention.
5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a keyboard (eg, an on-screen keyboard, a soft keyboard, or a virtual keyboard) according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
6 is an exemplary view showing a keyboard displayed on the flexible display unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a keyboard (eg, an on-screen keyboard, a soft keyboard, or a virtual keyboard) according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
8 is an exemplary view illustrating a keyboard displayed on a flexible display unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a keyboard (eg, an on-screen keyboard, a soft keyboard, or a virtual keyboard) according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to designate identical or similar elements, and redundant description thereof will be omitted. 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. In the following description of the embodiments of the present invention, a detailed description of related arts will be omitted when it is determined that the gist of the embodiments disclosed herein may be blurred. In addition, it should be noted that the attached drawings are only for easy understanding of the embodiments disclosed in the present specification, and should not be construed as limiting the technical idea disclosed in the present specification by the attached drawings.

The mobile terminal described herein may include a mobile phone, a smart phone, a laptop computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, a personal digital assistant, a portable multimedia player (PMP), navigation, and the like. However, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the configuration according to the embodiments described herein may also be applied to fixed terminals such as digital TVs, desktop computers, etc., except when applicable only to mobile terminals.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a mobile terminal according to one embodiment disclosed herein.

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

Hereinafter, the components will be described.

The wireless communication unit 110 may include one or more modules for enabling wireless communication between the mobile terminal 100 and the wireless communication system or between the mobile terminal 100 and the network in which the mobile terminal 100 is located. For example, the wireless communication unit 110 may include a broadcast receiving module 111, a mobile communication module 112, a wireless Internet module 113, a short 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-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 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 is a module for wireless Internet access, and may be built in or externally attached 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. 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 position information module 115 is a module for obtaining the position of the mobile terminal, and a representative example thereof is a Global Position System (GPS) module.

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 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 senses the current state of the mobile terminal 100 such as the open / close state of the mobile terminal 100, the position of the mobile terminal 100, the presence or absence of user contact, the orientation of the mobile terminal, And generates a sensing signal for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 100. For example, when the mobile terminal 100 is in the form of a slide phone, it may sense whether the slide phone is opened or closed. In addition, whether the power supply unit 190 is supplied with power, whether the interface unit 170 is coupled to the external device may be sensed. The sensing unit 140 may include a proximity sensor 141 and a band sensor 145.

The band sensor 145 is an element that converts information about a position (direction and angle) at which the flexible display unit 151 is folded or bent into an electrical signal. In addition, the band sensor 145 may output different signals according to the degree to which the flexible display unit 151 is folded or bent. Therefore, the controller 180 can know the position (direction and angle) at which the flexible display unit 151 is folded or bent using the output value of the band sensor 145. In general, the band sensor 145 is in close contact with the flexible display unit 151 and is uniformly distributed in the flexible display unit 151. Since the band sensor 145 is also disclosed in Korean Patent Application No. 10-2008-0086441, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The output unit 150 is used to generate an output related to visual, auditory or tactile senses, and may include a display unit 151, an audio output module 153, an alarm unit 154, and a haptic module 155. have.

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

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

Some of these displays (or display elements) may be configured to be transparent or light transmissive so that they can be seen from the outside. 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 mobile terminal 100. For example, in the mobile terminal 100, a plurality of display portions may be spaced apart from one another, or may be disposed integrally with one another, and may be disposed on different surfaces, respectively.

(Hereinafter, referred to as a 'touch screen') in which a display unit 151 and a sensor for sensing a touch operation (hereinafter, referred to as 'touch sensor') form a mutual layer structure, It 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. 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.

Referring to FIG. 1, a proximity sensor 141 may be disposed in an inner region of the mobile terminal or in the vicinity of the touch screen, which is surrounded 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 an object present in the vicinity (hereinafter, referred to as a sensing object) without using mechanical force 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. When the touch screen is capacitive, the touch screen is configured to detect the proximity of the sensing object by a change in an electric field according to the proximity of the sensing object. In this case, the touch screen (touch sensor) may be classified as a proximity sensor.

Also, the display unit 151 may be configured as a stereoscopic display unit 152 for displaying a stereoscopic image.

Here, a stereoscopic image represents a 3-dimensional stereoscopic image, and a 3-dimensional stereoscopic image represents a progressive depth and reality in which objects are located on a monitor or a screen, It is an image that makes you feel the same as the space. 3D stereoscopic images are implemented using binocular disparity. The binocular parallax is a parallax made by the position of two eyes about 65 millimeters apart, and when two eyes see different two-dimensional images and the images are transmitted to the brain through the retina and merged, they can feel the depth and reality of the stereoscopic image. It becomes possible.

The stereoscopic display unit 152 may be applied to a three-dimensional display system such as a stereoscopic system (glasses system), an autostereoscopic system (no-glasses system), and a projection system (holographic system). The stereoscopic method, which is widely used in home television receivers, includes a Wheatstone stereoscopic method.

Examples of the auto stereoscopic method include a parallax barrier method, a lenticular method, an integrated imaging method, and the like. The projection method includes a reflection type holographic method and a transmission type holographic method.

Generally, 3D stereoscopic images consist of left image (left eye image) and right image (right eye image). A top-down method of arranging a left image and a right image in one frame according to a method in which a left image and a right image are combined into a three-dimensional stereoscopic image, A checker board system in which pieces of a left image and a right image are arranged in a tile form, a left-to-right (right-side) Or an interlaced method in which rows are alternately arranged, and a time sequential (frame-by-frame) method in which right and left images are alternately displayed in time.

In addition, the 3D thumbnail image can generate a left image thumbnail and a right image thumbnail from the left image and right image of the original image frame, respectively, and combine them to generate one 3D thumbnail image. In general, a thumbnail means a reduced image or a reduced still image. The left image thumbnail and the right image thumbnail generated in this way are displayed on the screen with a difference of the left and right distance by the depth corresponding to the parallax between the left image and the right image, thereby exhibiting a stereoscopic spatial feeling.

According to the illustration, the left and right images necessary for the implementation of the 3D stereoscopic image are displayed on the stereoscopic display unit 152 by the stereoscopic processing unit 152a. The stereo processor 152a receives the 3D image and extracts the left and right images therefrom, or receives the 2D image and converts it to the left and right images.

In the case where the three-dimensional display unit 152 and the touch sensor have a mutual layer structure (hereinafter referred to as a 'three-dimensional touch screen') or a three-dimensional sensor that detects the touch operation and the stereoscopic display unit 152 are combined with each other The stereoscopic display unit 152 may also be used as a three-dimensional input device.

The sensing unit 140 may include a proximity sensor 141, a three-dimensional touch sensing unit 142, an ultrasonic sensing unit 143, and a camera sensing unit 144 as an example of the three-dimensional sensor.

The proximity sensor 141 measures the distance between a sensing object (for example, a user's finger or a stylus pen) and a detection surface to which a touch is applied without mechanical contact by using an electromagnetic force or infrared rays. The terminal recognizes which part of the stereoscopic image has been touched using the distance. In particular, when the touch screen is capacitive, the proximity of the sensing object is detected by the change of the electric field according to the proximity of the sensing object, and the touch screen is used to recognize the three-dimensional touch.

The stereoscopic touch sensing unit 142 is configured to detect the strength or duration of the touch applied to the touch screen. For example, the three-dimensional touch sensing unit 142 senses a pressure to apply a touch, and when the pressing force is strong, recognizes the touch as a touch to an object located further away from the touch screen toward the inside of the terminal.

The ultrasonic sensing unit 143 uses ultrasonic waves to recognize positional information of the sensing object. The ultrasonic sensing unit 143 may be formed of, for example, an optical sensor 121 and a plurality of ultrasonic sensors.

The light sensor is configured to sense light. For example, the light may be infrared, and the optical sensor may be an infrared data association (IRDA).

The ultrasonic sensor is configured to detect ultrasonic waves. The plurality of ultrasonic sensors are disposed to be spaced apart from each other, whereby the plurality of ultrasonic sensors have a time difference for detecting ultrasonic waves generated from the same or adjacent points.

Ultrasound and light originate from wave sources. The wave source is provided in a sensing object, for example, a stylus pen. Since light is much faster than ultrasonic waves, the time it takes for light to reach the optical sensor is much faster than the time it takes for the ultrasonic waves to reach the ultrasonic sensor. Therefore, it is possible to calculate the position of the wave generating source using the time difference with the time when the ultrasonic wave reaches the reference signal.

The time at which the ultrasonic waves generated from the wave generation source reach the plurality of ultrasonic sensors has a difference. Thus, when the stylus pen moves, a change occurs in the difference in time to reach. By using this, position information can be calculated according to the movement path of the stylus pen.

The camera sensing unit 144 includes at least one of a camera, a photo sensor, and a laser sensor. For example, the camera and the laser sensor are combined with each other to sense the touch of the sensing object with respect to the 3D stereoscopic image. When the distance information detected by the laser sensor is added to the two-dimensional image photographed by the camera, three-dimensional information can be obtained.

As another example, a photosensor may be stacked on a display element. The photo sensor is configured to scan the movement of the sensing object in proximity to the touch screen. More specifically, the photosensor mounts photo diodes and TRs (Transistors) in a row / column and scans the contents loaded on the photosensor using an electrical signal that varies according to the amount of light applied to the photo diode. That is, the photo sensor calculates coordinates of the sensing object according to the amount of light change, thereby obtaining position information of the sensing object.

The audio output module 153 can output audio data received from the wireless communication unit 110 or stored in the memory 160 in a call signal reception mode, a call mode or a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, a broadcast reception mode, The sound output module 153 also outputs sound signals related to functions (e.g., call signal reception sound, message reception sound, etc.) performed in the mobile terminal 100. [ The sound output module 153 may include a receiver, a speaker, a buzzer, and the like.

The alarm unit 154 outputs a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event of the mobile terminal 100. Examples of events that occur in the mobile terminal include call signal reception, message reception, key signal input, touch input, and the like. The alarm unit 154 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 153, so that they 151 and 153 may be classified as part of the alarm unit 154.

The haptic module 155 generates various tactile effects that the user can feel. A typical example of the haptic effect generated by the haptic module 155 is vibration. The intensity and pattern of vibration generated by the haptic module 155 can be controlled. For example, different vibrations may be synthesized and output or sequentially output.

In addition to the vibration, the haptic module 155 may be configured to perform various functions such as a pin arrangement vertically moving with respect to the contact skin surface, a spraying force or a suction force of the air through the injection port or the suction port, a touch on the skin surface, contact with an electrode, And various tactile effects such as an effect of reproducing a cold sensation using an endothermic or exothermic element can be generated.

The haptic module 155 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 sense of the finger or arm. At least two haptic modules 155 may be provided according to the configuration of the mobile terminal 100.

The memory 160 may store a program for the operation of the controller 180 and temporarily store input / output data (e.g., a phone book, a message, a still image, a moving picture, etc.). The memory 160 may store data on vibration and sound of various patterns outputted when a 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), 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 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 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, 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 for storing various information for authenticating the usage right of the mobile terminal 100 and includes a user identification module (UIM), a subscriber identity module (SIM), a general user authentication module a 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.

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. The various command signals or the power source input from the cradle may be operated as a signal for recognizing that the mobile terminal is correctly mounted on the cradle.

The controller 180 typically controls the overall operation of the mobile terminal. For example, 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 power supply unit 190 receives external power and internal power under the control of the controller 180 and supplies power necessary for operation of the respective components.

The various embodiments described herein may be 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 may be implemented as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays , Microprocessors, microprocessors, microprocessors, and other electronic units for carrying out other functions. In some cases, the embodiments described herein 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 following describes a method of processing user input to a mobile terminal.

The user input unit 130 is operated to receive a command for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 100 and may include a plurality of operation units. The 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 tactile in the manner of tactile feeling.

Various types of time information can be displayed on the display unit 151. [ These information may be displayed in the form of letters, numbers, symbols, graphics, or icons, and may be formed of a 3D stereoscopic image.

At least one of the letters, numbers, symbols, graphics, or icons may be displayed in a predetermined arrangement for inputting such information, thereby being implemented as a keypad. Such a keypad may be called a so-called " soft key ".

The display unit 151 may operate as an entire area or may be divided into a plurality of areas and operated. In the latter case, the plurality of areas can be configured to operate in association with each other.

For example, an output window and an input window may be displayed on the upper and lower portions of the display unit 151, respectively. The output window and the input window are areas allocated for outputting or inputting information, respectively. In the input window, a softkey displaying a number for inputting a telephone number or the like may be output. When the softkey is touched, a number or the like corresponding to the touched softkey is displayed in the output window. When the operation unit is operated, call connection to the telephone number displayed in the output window may be attempted or text displayed in the output window may be input to the application.

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

In response to the display unit 151 (touch screen) and the touch pad being touched together within a predetermined time range, one function of the terminal may be executed. In the case of being touched together, there may be a case where the user clamps the terminal body using the thumb and index finger. For example, the function may be activation or deactivation of the display unit 151 or the touch pad.

Hereinafter, a mechanism for more accurately recognizing a touch input for a stereoscopic image in the mobile terminal 100 will be described in detail.

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

The disclosed mobile terminal 200 has a bar-shaped mobile phone 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 201 and a rear case 202. [ Various electronic components are embedded in the space formed between the front case 201 and the rear case 202. At least one intermediate case may be additionally disposed between the front case 201 and the rear case 202. [

The cases may be formed by injecting synthetic resin or may be formed of a metal material, for example, a metal material such as stainless steel (STS) or titanium (Ti).

The terminal body, mainly the front case 201, has a stereoscopic display unit 252, a sensor unit 240, an audio output unit 253, a camera 221, a user input unit 230/231, 232, a microphone 222, an interface ( 270) may be disposed.

The stereoscopic display unit 252 occupies most of the main surface of the front case 201. The sound output unit 253 and the camera 221 are disposed in areas adjacent to one end of both ends of the stereoscopic display unit 252, and the user input unit 231 and the microphone 222 are disposed in areas adjacent to the other end. The user input unit 232 and the interface 270 may be disposed on side surfaces of the front case 201 and the rear case 202.

The user input unit 230 is manipulated to receive a command for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 200, and may include a plurality of manipulation units 231 and 232. The operation units 231 and 232 may be collectively referred to as a manipulating portion and may be employed in any manner as long as the user operates in a tactile manner.

The contents inputted by the first or second operation units 231 and 232 can be variously set. For example, the first operation unit 231 receives a command such as start, end, scroll, and the like, and the second operation unit 232 adjusts the volume of the sound output from the sound output unit 253 or the stereoscopic display unit ( A command such as switching to the touch recognition mode of 252 may be input. The stereoscopic display unit 252 forms a stereoscopic touch screen together with the sensing unit 240, and the stereoscopic touch screen may be an example of the user input unit 230.

The sensing unit 240 is configured to sense a 3D position of a sensing object applying a touch as a 3D sensor. The detector 240 may include a camera 221 and a laser sensor 244. The laser sensor 244 is mounted on the terminal body, scans the laser, detects the reflected laser, and detects the separation distance between the terminal body and the sensing object. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be in the form of a proximity sensor, a stereoscopic touch sensing unit, an ultrasonic sensing unit, and the like.

Referring to FIG. 2B, a camera 221 ′ may be additionally mounted on the rear of the terminal body, that is, the rear case 202. The camera 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 221.

For example, the camera 221 has a low pixel so that it is easy to capture a face of a user in the case of a video call or the like and transmits the face to the other party, and the camera 221 ' It is preferable to have a large number of pixels. The cameras 221 and 221 'may be installed in the terminal body to be rotatable or pop-up.

A flash 223 and a mirror 224 are further disposed adjacent to the camera 221 ′. The flash 223 illuminates the subject when the subject is photographed by the camera 221 '. The mirror 224 allows the user to see his / her face or the like when the user wishes to photograph (self-photograph) the user using the camera 221 '.

The sound output unit may be additionally disposed at the rear of the terminal body. The rear audio output unit may implement a stereo function together with the front audio output unit 253 (see FIG. 2A), and may be used to implement a speakerphone mode during a call.

A power supply unit 290 for supplying power to the portable terminal 200 is mounted on the terminal body. The power supply unit 290 may be built in the terminal body or may be detachable from the outside of the terminal body.

In addition to an antenna for a call, the terminal body may further include an antenna for receiving a broadcast signal, a Bluetooth antenna, a satellite signal receiving antenna, and a data receiving antenna for wireless Internet. The terminal body has a built-in mechanism for implementing the mobile terminal shown in FIG.

The terminal 100 may be configured to be operable in a communication system capable of transmitting data through a frame or packet, including a wired / wireless communication system and a satellite based communication system.

Hereinafter, the flexible display will be described.

In general, CRTs, LCDs, and PDPs are all implemented on rigid substrates and cannot be used as displays on curved surfaces. In order to overcome this disadvantage, a flexible display has been developed as a flexible display device. The flexible display having the bending property uses a plastic substrate instead of a hard glass substrate. Accordingly, the flexible display has an advantage of being able to bend (fold, fold) and roll (wind). The flexible display includes a flexible organic light emitting diode (FOLED) and a curved LCD as one type of the display unit 151 of the present invention.

The band sensor 145 outputs different signals to the controller 180 according to the polling direction and angle of the flexible display, and the controller 180 is configured to output the signals based on the signal output from the band sensor 145. The folding direction and the folding angle of the flexible display may be detected.

3A and 3B are exemplary views illustrating a flexible display for explaining embodiments of the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the left and right or upper and lower edge surfaces of the flexible display may be folded in an unfixed state, and an inner portion of the non-folding flexible display may be fixed to ensure safety.

On the other hand, since the flexible display is made of a plastic substrate, not only curved folding (3a and 3b) but also split folding (flat folding) are possible. The split folding refers to folding each divided portion by dividing the front surface of the flexible display into a plurality of surfaces. The divided folding includes long wallet type folding, folding screen structure folding and fan folding. The folding of the flexible display includes both folding according to a user's input (button or key) or by touch (touch, touch & drag, and flicking) of an area to be folded.

4A to 4E are exemplary diagrams illustrating other flexible displays for describing embodiments of the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the flexible display may be divided and folded in the form of a long wallet. For example, the long wallet-type folding may be folded at an angle to the left and right wings (edge surfaces) of the plurality of divided flexible displays inwardly, or may be folded to form a long wallet when folded several times. In this case, the locking may be performed in hardware according to the angle of folding the left and right wings, and the shaving may be changed according to the number of divided surfaces to be folded.

As shown in FIG. 4C, the flexible display may be divided and folded into a folding screen structure. For example, the divided surface may be folded as if the flexible display is multiplied (N-divided) to spread the screen while the edge of the left or right powder name is fixed. The screen structure is a structure in which a divided area can be selected and folded. When the user selects a divided area, the control unit 180 can display a folding line in a predetermined color or shape on the flexible display.

The controller 180 may lock the terminal 100 in hardware according to the folding (folding) angle of the flexible display having the folding screen structure.

As shown in FIG. 4D, the flexible display may be divided and folded into a fan shape. For example, the flexible display may have a structure in which the flexible display is folded in a fan shape and spread to the left and right sides. The spreading area in the structure may be adjusted according to a user setting or an input, and the controller 180 may lock the terminal 100 in hardware according to the spreading degree.

As shown in FIG. 4E, the flexible display may be folded along the outer edge of the terminal 100. Such a structure has an advantage of displaying an image in various directions through each folded surface. The outer folding structure is a structure in which at least one surface may be folded and unfolded while one surface is fixed, and an image may be displayed by selecting each folded surface.

Hereinafter, an apparatus and method for controlling a keyboard (eg, an on-screen keyboard, a soft keyboard, or a virtual keyboard) according to embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a keyboard (eg, an on-screen keyboard, a soft keyboard, or a virtual keyboard) according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

First, the controller 180 displays various information (web page, document, content, input window, photo, etc.) on the flexible display unit 151 according to a user's request (S11).

The controller 180 determines whether an input window is displayed on the flexible display unit 151 (S12). The input window may be various input areas such as an input window for inputting a search word, an input window for inputting a message, an input window for inputting an ID / password, and the like.

When the input window is displayed on the flexible display unit 151, the controller 180 determines whether the flexible display unit is folded by a user (S13). For example, the sensing unit (eg, the band sensor) 140 detects the folded angle and the folded position of the flexible display unit 151, and the controller 180 detects the detected folded angle. And / or determine whether the flexible display unit 151 is folded based on the folded position.

When the flexible display unit 151 is folded, the controller 180 displays a keyboard on the flexible display unit 151 for inputting information into the input window (S14).

6 is an exemplary view showing a keyboard displayed on the flexible display unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, when the input window 6-1 is displayed on the flexible display unit 151 and the flexible display unit 151 is folded, the controller 180 displays the input window 6. A keyboard 6-2 capable of inputting information to the display device 1-1 is displayed at a predetermined position of the flexible display unit 151 (for example, at the bottom of the input window). When the input window 6-1 displayed on the flexible display unit 151 is selected by the user and the flexible display unit 151 is folded, the controller 180 selects the keyboard 6-2. It may be displayed on the flexible display unit 151.

The controller 180 determines whether the flexible display unit 151 is folded to a predetermined size (for example, 1/2, 1/3, 2/3, etc.) based on the detected folded position. In addition, an input window 6-1 is displayed on the flexible display unit 151, and the flexible display unit 151 has a predetermined size (for example, 1/2, 1/3, 2/3, etc.). When folded to, the keyboard 6-2 may be displayed on the folded display area. For example, when the user folds the flexible display unit 151 on which the input window 6-1 is displayed in half, the keyboard is displayed on the folded display area (the display area where the input window 6-1 is not displayed). (6-2) is displayed. The controller 180 determines whether the flexible display unit 151 is folded in half or 2/3 size based on the folding position of the flexible display unit 151 detected by the sensing unit 140. You can judge.

The controller 180 may determine whether the flexible display unit 151 is folded at a predetermined angle (for example, 35 to 90 degrees) based on the detected folded angle. For example, the controller 180 may display the input window 6-1 on the flexible display unit 151, and the flexible display unit 151 may display the preset angle by the predetermined size. For example, when folded at 35 ° to 90 °, a keyboard 6-2 for inputting information into the input window 6-1 may be displayed on a coded display area of the flexible display unit 151. .

Accordingly, in the keyboard (for example, on-screen keyboard, soft keyboard, or virtual keyboard) control device and method thereof according to the first embodiment of the present invention, an input window is displayed and the flexible display unit 151 is folded. When the keyboard is displayed on the flexible display unit 151, the keyboard can be displayed on the flexible display unit 151 quickly and easily without selecting the input window. Thus, a user can quickly and easily enter information (eg, letters, numbers, symbols, etc.) through the keyboard.

7 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a keyboard (eg, an on-screen keyboard, a soft keyboard, or a virtual keyboard) according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

First, the controller 180 displays various information (web page, document, content, input window, photo, etc.) on the flexible display unit 151 according to a user's request (S21).

The controller 180 determines whether an input window is displayed on the flexible display unit 151 (S22). The input window may be various input areas such as an input window for inputting a search word, an input window for inputting a message, an input window for inputting an ID / password, and the like.

When the input window is displayed on the flexible display unit 151, the controller 180 determines whether the flexible display unit is folded by the user (S23). For example, the sensing unit (eg, the band sensor) 140 detects the folded position of the flexible display unit 151, and the controller 180 determines the based on the detected folded position. It is determined whether the flexible display unit 151 is folded.

When the flexible display unit 151 is folded, the controller 180 detects the size of the folded display area of the flexible display unit 151 (S24). The folded display area represents a display area in which the input window is not displayed. Here, the controller 180 can know the size of the folded display area of the flexible display unit 151 based on the folded position of the flexible display unit 151. For example, if the folded position of the flexible display unit 151 is half of the flexible display unit 151, the controller 180 may have a size of the folded display unit. It can be seen that the size of 1/2 of the entire display area of 151.

The controller 180 controls the size of the keyboard according to the size of the folded display area (S25). For example, the controller 180 controls the size of the keyboard such that the size of the folded display area matches that of the keyboard.

The controller 180 displays the keyboard whose size is controlled in the folded display area of the flexible display unit (S26).

8 is an exemplary view illustrating a keyboard displayed on a flexible display unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, the controller 180 may assume that the folded position 8-1 of the flexible display unit 151 is half of the flexible display unit 151. In this case, it may be understood that the size of the folded display area is half the size of the entire display area of the flexible display unit 151. Accordingly, the controller 180 controls (enlarges or reduces) the size of the keyboard 8-2 according to the size of the folded display area, thereby controlling the size of the folded display area and the keyboard 8-2. The size of the keyboard 8-2 is controlled to match the size of. The controller 180 displays the keyboard 8-2 of which the size is controlled in the folded display area of the flexible display unit.

Therefore, the keyboard control apparatus and method thereof according to the second embodiment of the present invention are convenient for a user through a keyboard whose size is controlled by controlling the size of the keyboard according to the size of the folded display area of the flexible display unit 151. Information (eg, letters, numbers, symbols, etc.) can be easily entered.

9 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a keyboard (eg, an on-screen keyboard, a soft keyboard, or a virtual keyboard) according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

First, the controller 180 displays various information (web page, document, content, input window, photo, etc.) on the flexible display unit 151 according to a user's request (S31).

The controller 180 determines whether an input window is displayed on the flexible display unit 151 (S32). The input window may be various input areas such as an input window for inputting a search word, an input window for inputting a message, an input window for inputting an ID / password, and the like.

When the input window is displayed on the flexible display unit 151, the controller 180 determines whether the flexible display unit is folded by the user (S33). For example, the sensing unit (eg, the band sensor) 140 detects the folded position of the flexible display unit 151, and the controller 180 determines the based on the detected folded position. It is determined whether the flexible display unit 151 is folded.

When the flexible display unit 151 is folded, the controller 180 determines whether the screen mode of the mobile terminal is a landscape view or a portrait view (S34 and S36). Since the horizontal view mode and the portrait portrait (orientation portrait) itself is a known technique, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

If the screen mode of the mobile terminal is the landscape view mode, the controller 180 displays a first keyboard in a horizontal direction on the folded display area (S35). For example, when the screen mode of the mobile terminal is a landscape view mode, the controller 180 may include a first keyboard (eg, a number, a letter, a symbol, a special character key, etc.) in a horizontal direction in the folded display area. , Keyboard containing common keys).

On the other hand, if the screen mode of the mobile terminal is a portrait view mode, the controller 180 displays a second keyboard in a vertical direction on the folded display area (S37). For example, when the screen mode of the mobile terminal is a vertical viewing mode, the controller 180 may include a second keyboard (eg, a character, a symbol, a special character key, etc. except for a numeric key in a vertical direction) in the folded display area. For example, the mini keyboard) is displayed. Accordingly, the number of keys of the first keyboard and the number of keys of the second keyboard are different from each other, and the number of keys of the first keyboard may be greater than the number of keys of the second keyboard.

Meanwhile, when the flexible display unit 151 is folded, the controller 180 detects a top direction and a bottom direction of the flexible display unit 151 and folds the folded display area in the lower direction. The keyboard may be displayed on the screen. Here, the controller 180 detects the top direction and the bottom direction of the flexible display unit 151 by detecting the top direction and the bottom direction of the mobile terminal through a gravity sensor (not shown). In addition, since the method itself for detecting the upper direction and the lower direction of the mobile terminal through the gravity sensor (not shown) is already known, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Accordingly, the keyboard control apparatus and method thereof according to the third exemplary embodiment of the present invention detect a screen mode of a mobile terminal when the flexible display unit 151 is folded, thereby detecting a keyboard matching the screen mode of the mobile terminal. 151 can be displayed.

As described above, the keyboard (for example, on-screen keyboard, soft keyboard, or virtual keyboard) control apparatus and method of the mobile terminal according to the embodiments of the present invention, the input window is displayed, the flexible display unit When 151 is folded, the keyboard is displayed on the flexible display unit 151 so that the keyboard can be displayed on the flexible display unit 151 quickly and easily without selecting the input window. Thus, a user can quickly and easily enter information (eg, letters, numbers, symbols, etc.) through the keyboard.

Keyboard control apparatus and method of a mobile terminal according to embodiments of the present invention, the user is convenient through the size-controlled keyboard by controlling the size of the keyboard according to the size of the folded display area of the flexible display unit 151 Information (eg, letters, numbers, symbols, etc.) can be easily entered.

According to embodiments of the present disclosure, an apparatus and a method for controlling a keyboard of a mobile terminal may include detecting a screen mode of a mobile terminal when the flexible display unit 151 is folded, thereby converting a keyboard matching the screen mode of the mobile terminal to the flexible display unit. 151 can be displayed.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are intended to illustrate rather than limit the scope of the present invention, and the scope of the technical idea of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The protection scope of the present invention should be interpreted by the following claims, and all technical ideas within the equivalent scope should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention.

110: wireless communication unit 111: broadcast receiving module
112: mobile communication module 113: wireless Internet module
115: location information module 150: output unit
151: display unit 160: memory
180:

Claims (10)

A flexible display unit;
A sensing unit configured to detect a folded position and an angle of the flexible display unit when an input area is displayed on the flexible display unit;
And a controller configured to display a first keyboard on the flexible display unit based on the detected folded position and the folded angle. The apparatus of claim 1,
Detect whether the flexible display unit is folded to a preset size based on the detected folded position; detect whether the flexible display unit is folded at a predetermined angle based on the detected folded angle; And folding the first keyboard in the folded display area of the flexible display unit when the predetermined size is folded by the predetermined angle. The apparatus of claim 1,
Detecting the size of the folded display area of the flexible display unit, controlling the size of the first keyboard according to the detected size, and displaying the size controlled first keyboard on the folded display area; Keyboard control device of the mobile terminal. The apparatus of claim 1,
If the screen mode of the mobile terminal is a landscape view mode, the first keyboard is displayed in a horizontal direction on the folded display area. If the screen mode is a portrait view mode, the second keyboard is displayed in a vertical direction on the folded display area. And the first keyboard and the second keyboard are different from each other. The apparatus of claim 1,
And detecting the upper direction and the lower direction of the flexible display unit when the flexible display unit is folded, and displaying the first keyboard on the folded display area in the lower direction. Detecting a folded position and angle of the flexible display unit when an input region is displayed on the flexible display unit;
And displaying a first keyboard on the flexible display unit based on the detected folded position and the folded angle. The method of claim 6, wherein displaying the first keyboard comprises:
Detecting whether the flexible display unit is folded to a predetermined size based on the detected folded position;
Detecting whether the flexible display unit is folded at a predetermined angle based on the detected folded angle;
And displaying the first keyboard in the folded display area of the flexible display unit when the flexible display unit is folded at the predetermined angle by the predetermined size. The method of claim 6, wherein displaying the first keyboard comprises:
Detecting a size of a folded display area of the flexible display unit;
Controlling the size of the first keyboard according to the detected size;
And displaying the size-controlled first keyboard on the folded display area. The method according to claim 6,
Displaying the first keyboard in a horizontal direction on the folded display area when the screen mode of the mobile terminal is a horizontal viewing mode;
And displaying the second keyboard in a vertical direction on the folded display area when the screen mode is a vertical viewing mode, wherein the first keyboard and the second keyboard are different from each other. Control method. The method according to claim 6,
Detecting an upper direction and a lower direction of the flexible display unit when the flexible display unit is folded;
And displaying the first keyboard on the folded display area in the lower direction.

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