KR20130088611A - Mobile terminal and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A mobile terminal and a control method thereof are provided to control a vehicle mode in order to automatically execute a terminal function, which is frequently used in a vehicle or is able to interwork with the vehicle, based on a vehicle status signal. CONSTITUTION: A sensing unit (140) senses a vehicle status signal provided from a vehicle. A control unit (180) controls a vehicle mode based on the vehicle status signal. When the vehicle mode is executed, the control unit activates a preset terminal function. A display unit (151) displays the activated terminal function. The control unit executes the vehicle mode in response to a vehicle start signal. The control unit releases the vehicle mode in response to a vehicle stop signal. [Reference numerals] (110) Wireless communication unit; (111) Broadcasting receiving unit; (112) Mobile communication unit; (113) Wireless internet module; (114) Short distance communication unit; (115) Location information module; (120) A/V input unit; (121) Camera; (122) Microphone; (130) User input unit; (140) Sensing unit; (141) Proximity sensor; (150) Output unit; (151) Display unit; (152) Sound output unit; (153) Alarming unit; (154) Haptic module; (160) Memory; (170) Interface unit; (180) Control unit; (181) Multimedia module; (190) Power supply unit

Description

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

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, and more particularly to a mobile terminal and a control method thereof that can be linked to the vehicle.

A terminal can be divided into a mobile or portable terminal and a stationary terminal depending on whether the terminal is movable or not. The mobile terminal 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 . Further, in order to support and enhance the function of the terminal, it may be considered to improve the structural and software parts of the terminal.

Thanks to this improvement, the mobile terminal can provide various functions that can be linked with the vehicle. However, the user tends to feel inconvenient in the operation for performing such a function due to the driving of the vehicle.

An object of the present invention is to provide a user interface of a mobile terminal so that a user can conveniently use the mobile terminal in a vehicle.

A mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention, the sensing unit for detecting a vehicle status signal provided from a vehicle; A controller for controlling a vehicle mode based on the vehicle state signal and activating a preset terminal function when the vehicle mode is executed; And a display unit displaying the activated terminal function.

In an embodiment, the vehicle state signal may include a vehicle start signal generated in an engine start state of the vehicle and a vehicle stop signal generated in an engine stop state of the vehicle. The controller may execute the vehicle mode in response to the vehicle start signal and release the vehicle mode in response to the vehicle stop signal. In addition, when the vehicle mode is released during the execution of the activated terminal function, the controller may store the execution state information of the activated terminal function in a memory and stop the activated terminal function. In addition, when the vehicle mode is executed again after the vehicle mode is released, the controller may resume the suspended terminal function using the execution state information.

The mobile terminal may include: a playback module configured to play media content to generate a playback signal; And a communication module configured to perform short range wireless communication with the vehicle. The controller may activate the playback module and the communication module when the vehicle mode is executed. The communication module may transmit the reproduction signal to the vehicle through the short range wireless communication under the control of the controller.

In an embodiment, the control unit may release the lock mode when the vehicle mode is executed in the lock mode.

A control method of a mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes detecting a vehicle status signal provided from a vehicle; Controlling a vehicle mode based on the vehicle status signal; Activating a preset terminal function when the vehicle mode is executed; And displaying the activated terminal function.

The vehicle state signal may include a vehicle start signal generated in an engine start state of the vehicle and a vehicle stop signal generated in an engine stop state of the vehicle. The controlling of the vehicle mode may include: executing the vehicle mode in response to the vehicle start signal; And releasing the vehicle mode in response to the vehicle stop signal.

The control method may further include: storing performance state information of the activated terminal function in a memory and stopping the activated terminal function when the vehicle mode is released during the execution of the activated terminal function. It may further include. The control method may further include resuming the suspended terminal function by using the execution state information when the vehicle mode is executed again after the vehicle mode is released.

The activating of the preset terminal function may include: activating a play module that plays media content to generate a play signal; Activating a communication module for performing near field communication with the vehicle; And transmitting the reproduction signal to the vehicle through the short range wireless communication.

In an embodiment, the control method may further include releasing the lock mode when the vehicle mode is executed in the lock mode.

According to the mobile terminal according to the present invention, the vehicle mode is controlled to automatically execute a terminal function mainly used in the vehicle or interoperable with the vehicle based on the vehicle status signal, thereby eliminating troublesome operations for executing a specific terminal function in the vehicle. Can be. In other words, user convenience may be improved when using a mobile terminal in a vehicle.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a mobile terminal according to the present invention.
2A and 2B are perspective views showing an appearance of a mobile terminal according to the present invention.
3 and 4 are flowcharts illustrating a control method of a mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
5 and 6 are conceptual views illustrating an operation example of a mobile terminal to which the control method of FIG. 3 is applied.
7 and 8 are conceptual views illustrating an operation example of a mobile terminal to which the control method of FIG. 4 is applied.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art may easily implement the technical idea of the present invention. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. In the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted in order to clearly describe the present invention, and like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the specification.

The mobile terminal described herein may include a mobile phone, a smart phone, a laptop computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants), a PMP (Portable Multimedia Player), a navigator, have. However, it should be understood that the configuration according to the embodiments described herein may be applied to a fixed terminal such as a digital TV, a desktop computer, and the like, unless it is applicable only to a mobile terminal. It will be easy to see.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a mobile terminal 100 according to the present invention. 1, a mobile terminal 100 includes a wireless communication unit 110, an A / V input unit 120, a user input unit 130, a sensing unit 140, an output unit 150, A controller 160, an interface unit 170, a controller 180, and a power supply unit 190. The components shown in Fig. 1 are not essential, so that a mobile terminal having more or fewer components can be implemented.

Hereinafter, the components 110 to 190 of the mobile terminal 100 will be described in order.

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

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

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

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

The short range communication module 114 refers to a module for short range communication. As a short range communication technology, Bluetooth, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Ultra Wideband (UWB), ZigBee, and the like can be used.

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

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

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

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

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

The sensing unit 140 may include a proximity sensor 141. The sensing unit 140 may include a touch sensor (not shown) for sensing a touch operation with respect to the display unit 151.

The touch sensor may have the form of a touch film, a touch sheet, a touch pad, or the like. The touch sensor may be configured to convert a pressure applied to a specific portion of the display portion 151 or a change in capacitance generated at a specific portion of the display portion 151 into an electrical input signal. The touch sensor may be configured to detect a touch pressure as well as a touched position and area.

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

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

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

The proximity sensor 141 refers to a sensor that detects the presence or absence of an object to be sensed without mechanical contact using an electromagnetic force or infrared rays. The proximity sensor 141 has a longer life than the contact type sensor and its utilization is also high. Examples of the proximity sensor 141 include a transmission type photoelectric sensor, a direct reflection type photoelectric sensor, a mirror reflection type photoelectric sensor, a high frequency oscillation type proximity sensor, a capacitive proximity sensor, a magnetic proximity sensor, and an infrared proximity sensor.

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

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

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

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

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

At least one display (or display element) included in the display unit 151 may be configured to be transparent or light transmissive so that the display can see the outside through it. This can be referred to as a transparent display. A typical example of such a transparent display is TOLED (Transparent OLED). The rear structure of the display unit 151 may also be of a light transmission type. With this structure, the user can see an object located behind the terminal body through the area occupied by the display unit 151 in the terminal body.

There may be two or more display units 151 according to the embodiment of the mobile terminal 100. [ For example, in the mobile terminal 100, a plurality of display portions may be spaced apart from each other or positioned integrally with one another, and may be located on different surfaces.

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

The alarm unit 153 outputs a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event of the mobile terminal 100. Examples of events generated in the mobile terminal 100 include call signal reception, message reception, key signal input, touch input, and the like. The alarm unit 153 may output a signal for notifying occurrence of an event by vibration, in addition to a video signal or an audio signal. Since the video signal or the audio signal may also be output through the display unit 151 or the audio output module 152, the display unit 151 and the audio output module 152 may be classified as part of the alarm unit 153.

The haptic module 154 generates various tactile effects that the user can feel. Vibration is a representative example of the haptic effect generated by the haptic module 154. The intensity, pattern, and the like of the 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 the jetting or suction port, grazing to the skin surface, contact of the electrode, electrostatic force, and the like. Various tactile effects can be generated, such as effects due to endothermic or reproducing a sense of cold using a heat generating element.

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

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

The memory 160 may be a flash memory, a hard disk, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (e.g., SD or XD memory), a random access memory (RAM), static random access memory (SRAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM) And may include at least one storage medium. The mobile terminal 100 may operate in association with a web storage that performs storage functions of the memory 160 on the Internet.

The interface unit 170 serves as a path for communication with all external devices connected to the mobile terminal 100. The interface unit 170 receives data from an external device, 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, the interface unit 170 may include a wired / wireless headset port, an external charger port, a wired / wireless data port, a memory card port, a port for connecting a device having an identification module, Input / output ports, video I / O ports, earphone ports, and the like.

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

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

The controller 180 controls the overall operation of the mobile terminal 100. For example, control and processing related to voice communication, data communication, video communication, and the like. The control unit 180 may include a multimedia module 181 for multimedia playback. The multimedia module 181 may be implemented in the control unit 180 or may be implemented separately from the control unit 180. [ The control unit 180 may perform pattern selection processing for selecting handwriting input and drawing input on the touch screen as characters and images, respectively.

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

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

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

According to 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 may be implemented in a software application written in a suitable programming language. Such software code may be stored in the memory 160 and executed by the controller 180.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The display unit 151 occupies a main portion of the front case 101. [ The audio output unit 152 and the camera 121 are located in a region adjacent to one end of the display unit 151 and the first user input unit 131 and the microphone 122 are located in a region adjacent to the other end. The second user input unit 132 and the interface 170 may be located on the sides of the front case 101 and the rear case 102. [

The user input unit 130 is operated to receive a command for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 100. [ The user input unit 130 may include a plurality of operation units 131 and 132.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The touch pad 135 operates in correlation with the display unit 151. [ The touch pad 135 may be positioned parallel to the rear of the display unit 151. The touch pad 135 may have a size equal to or smaller than that of the display unit 151.

Hereinafter, a user interface of the mobile terminal 100 provided so that a user can conveniently use the mobile terminal 100 in a vehicle will be described.

3 and 4 are flowcharts illustrating a control method of the mobile terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, first, a step (S110) of detecting a vehicle status signal provided from a vehicle is performed. The vehicle status signal may include various signals and information about the vehicle such as, for example, a vehicle start signal, a vehicle stop signal, vehicle instrument information (eg, driving speed, driving distance, RPM, and the like) and vehicle identification information. .

The vehicle start signal and the vehicle stop signal may include electrical signals generated in an engine start state and an engine stop state of the vehicle, respectively, by the electronic control device provided in the vehicle. The vehicle start signal and the vehicle stop signal may be transmitted from the vehicle to the mobile terminal 100 through a wired cable connecting the interface unit 170 (see FIG. 1) provided in the mobile terminal 100 and the signal terminal provided in the vehicle. Can be.

In addition, the vehicle start signal and the vehicle stop signal may include a short range wireless signal (hereinafter, referred to as a “remote control signal”) transmitted from a device (eg, a smart key) for remotely controlling the vehicle to the vehicle. The mobile terminal 100 may be provided with a wireless signal sensing device tuned to a frequency of the remote control signal in order to detect such a remote control signal.

Next, a step (S120) of controlling the vehicle mode based on the vehicle state signal is performed. For example, the vehicle mode may be executed in response to the vehicle start signal, and the vehicle mode may be released in response to the vehicle stop signal. Here, the vehicle mode refers to a state in which a specific control option is set in the mobile terminal 100 so that a user can use the mobile terminal 100 more conveniently in a vehicle.

Next, a step (S130) of determining whether to execute the vehicle mode is performed. As a result of the determination, when the vehicle mode is executed, the step S140 of activating a preset terminal function is performed. The terminal function activated in the vehicle mode may be displayed on the screen of the display unit 151.

As an example of a preset terminal function, near field communication or GPS function such as Bluetooth ^™ , Near Field Communication (NFC), RFID, or the like may be activated. Here, the adjacent magnetic field communication refers to a short range wireless communication technology that transmits data between mobile terminals at low power at a certain distance, for example, 10 cm to several hundred m. Adjacent magnetic field communication is a variant of RFID that uses frequencies in the 13.56 MHz band and transmits data at 424 Kbits (424 Kbps) per second. Near field communication is specified in accordance with ISO / IEC, ECMA, and ETSI international standards and is compatible with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi / 802.11, and UWB.

In addition, as another example of the preset terminal function, a playback function or navigation function of the media content may be activated. Here, digital content may also be referred to as multimedia content, and refers to information for digitally producing, processing, and distributing text, images, videos, and audio. The navigation function refers to a function of displaying a vehicle's current location, starting point, and destination on a map using a GPS function.

However, the terminal function according to an embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above description and may be variously set. In addition, a plurality of terminal functions can be activated and linked in the vehicle mode. This will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 below.

As described above, according to the mobile terminal 100 according to the present invention, the vehicle mode is controlled so that a terminal function mainly used in the vehicle or interoperable with the vehicle is automatically executed based on the vehicle state signal, so that the specific terminal function in the vehicle is controlled. Cumbersome operation to execute the operation can be omitted. In other words, user convenience may be improved in using the mobile terminal 100 in a vehicle.

4 illustrates an embodiment of a control method of the mobile terminal 100 associated with the release and re-execution of the vehicle mode. First, the terminal function activated in the vehicle mode is performed (S210). Thereafter, a step (S220) of determining whether to release the vehicle mode is performed.

When the vehicle mode is released during the execution of the activated terminal function, storing the execution state information of the activated terminal function in the memory 160 (see FIG. 1) (S230) and stopping the activated terminal function (S240). Is performed. For example, when the vehicle mode is released during playback of the media content, the playback point of the media content corresponding to the release time of the vehicle mode is stored, and the playback of the media content may be stopped.

Next, after the vehicle mode is released, a step (S250) of determining whether to re-execute the vehicle mode is performed. When the vehicle mode is re-executed, step S260 of resuming the suspended terminal function using the previously stored execution state information is performed. Accordingly, the terminal function can be performed after the interruption point.

5 and 6 are conceptual views illustrating an operation example of the mobile terminal 100 to which the control method of FIG. 3 is applied.

5 and 6, a sensing unit (not shown) of the mobile terminal 100 may detect a vehicle start signal provided from the vehicle 300 in a lock mode. Here, the lock mode refers to an operating state of limiting user input such as a touch input applied to the display unit 151. And, this lock mode can be released based on the limited user input. The display unit 151 may display the lock screen 202 in the lock mode, and display the lock mode indicator 210 indicating that the current state of the mobile terminal 100 is the lock mode.

The controller 180 (see FIG. 1) may execute the vehicle mode in response to the vehicle start signal. In addition, when the vehicle mode is executed in the lock mode, the controller 180 may release the lock mode and activate a preset function.

For example, when the vehicle mode is executed, the controller 180 may activate a playback module that plays media content and generates a playback signal, and a communication module that performs near field communication with the vehicle 300. In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the controller 180 may control the communication module to transmit the playback signal of the media content to the vehicle 300 through short-range wireless communication, for example, Bluetooth. The vehicle 300 may output a playback signal of media content received through Bluetooth using audio equipment provided therein. In addition, the controller 180 displays the display screen 204 of the media content, the vehicle mode indicator 220 indicating that the vehicle mode is running, the Bluetooth indicator 230 indicating that the Bluetooth is activated, and the like. ) Can be controlled.

For another example, when the vehicle mode is executed, the controller 180 may perform a navigation function using the location information module 115 (refer to FIG. 1) that receives the GPS signal and the GPS signal (hereinafter referred to as a navigation module). May be activated. In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, the controller 180 displays the performance screen 206 of the navigation function, the vehicle mode indicator 220, and the GPS indicator 240 indicating that the reception of the GPS signal is activated. The unit 151 may be controlled.

7 and 8 are conceptual views illustrating an operation example of the mobile terminal 100 to which the control method of FIG. 4 is applied.

7 and 8, the sensing unit may detect a vehicle stop signal provided from the vehicle 300 during an activated function, for example, as shown in FIG. The controller 180 may release the vehicle mode in response to the detection of the vehicle stop signal. When the vehicle mode is released, the controller 180 may store the play state information of the media content in the memory 160 and stop the play of the media content and the Bluetooth function. In addition, the controller 180 may execute the lock mode again, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, before the vehicle mode is executed in response to the release of the vehicle mode.

Thereafter, the controller 180 may re-execute the vehicle mode in response to the vehicle start signal detected in the lock mode. When the vehicle mode is re-executed, the controller 180 can resume playing the interrupted media content by using the previously stored playback state information. In addition, the controller 180 may resume the Bluetooth function and transmit a playback signal of the media content to the vehicle 300 via Bluetooth.

In addition, the controller 180 displays the popup window 208 asking whether to release the vehicle mode, as shown in FIG. 8, in response to the vehicle stop signal detected during the playback of the media content and the performance of the Bluetooth function. 151 can be controlled. Subsequently, when a release command of the vehicle mode is detected according to a touch input to the pop-up window 208, the controller 180 may release the vehicle mode.

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

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

Claims (12)

A detector configured to detect a vehicle status signal provided from the vehicle;
A controller for controlling a vehicle mode based on the vehicle state signal and activating a preset terminal function when the vehicle mode is executed; And
A mobile terminal comprising a display unit for displaying the activated terminal function. The method of claim 1,
The vehicle state signal includes a vehicle start signal generated in an engine start state of the vehicle and a vehicle stop signal generated in an engine stop state of the vehicle,
The control unit,
And executing the vehicle mode in response to the vehicle start signal, and releasing the vehicle mode in response to the vehicle stop signal. 3. The method of claim 2,
The control unit,
When the vehicle mode is released during the execution of the activated terminal function, the mobile terminal, wherein the execution state information of the activated terminal function is stored in a memory, and the activated terminal function is stopped. The method of claim 3, wherein
The control unit,
And when the vehicle mode is executed again after the vehicle mode is released, resuming the suspended terminal function using the performance state information. The method of claim 1,
A playback module for playing back media content to generate a playback signal; And
Further comprising a communication module for performing near field communication with the vehicle,
The control unit,
When the vehicle mode is executed, the regeneration module and the communication module are activated,
The communication module,
And the reproduction signal is transmitted to the vehicle through the short range wireless communication under the control of the controller. The method of claim 1,
The control unit,
And when the vehicle mode is executed in the lock mode, canceling the lock mode. Detecting a vehicle status signal provided from the vehicle;
Controlling a vehicle mode based on the vehicle status signal;
Activating a preset terminal function when the vehicle mode is executed; And
And displaying the activated terminal function. The method of claim 7, wherein
The vehicle state signal includes a vehicle start signal generated in an engine start state of the vehicle and a vehicle stop signal generated in an engine stop state of the vehicle,
Controlling the vehicle mode,
Executing the vehicle mode in response to the vehicle start signal; And
Canceling the vehicle mode in response to the vehicle stop signal. The method of claim 8,
If the vehicle mode is released during execution of the activated terminal function, storing the execution state information of the activated terminal function in a memory, and stopping the activated terminal function. The method of claim 9,
If the vehicle mode is executed again after the vehicle mode is released, resuming the suspended terminal function using the performance state information. The method of claim 7, wherein
Activating the preset terminal function,
Activating a playback module for playing the media content to generate a playback signal;
Activating a communication module for performing near field communication with the vehicle; And
And transmitting the reproduction signal to the vehicle through the short range wireless communication. The method of claim 11,
If the vehicle mode is executed in the lock mode, further comprising releasing the lock mode.

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