KR20140000931A - Mobile terminal and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal using a message service and a control method thereof. The mobile terminal according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: a wireless communication unit which exchanges messages between a plurality of participants who enter a chatting room through a message application; a control unit which converts the inputted message into a secret message and blocks the transmission of the secret message to the selected chatting participants if the input of the message is sensed in a secret chatting mode in which a part of the chatting participants are selected; and a display unit which separately displays the secret message and the different chatting message in the chatting room. [Reference numerals] (AA) Start; (BB) No; (CC) Yes; (DD) End; (S110) Opening a chat room through a message application; (S120) Executing a secret chatting mode in which a part of the chatting participants are selected; (S130) Inputting a chatting message?; (S140) Converting the inputted chatting message into a secret message; (S150) Blocking the transmission of the secret message to the selected chatting participants; (S160) Separately displaying the secret message and the different chatting message in the chat room

Description

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

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, and more particularly, to a mobile terminal using a message service and a control method thereof.

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 use a messenger service to perform message communication between a plurality of conversation participants. However, in order to exclude some of the plurality of conversation participants and perform message communication between the other conversation participants, the establishment of a new chat room is required. This is cumbersome for the user.

An object of the present invention is to provide a user interface of a mobile terminal for improving user convenience in performing a message communication between a plurality of chat participants in a chat room using a messenger service.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile terminal including: a wireless communication unit configured to perform message communication between a plurality of chat participants who enter a chat room opened through a messenger application; A controller for converting the input conversation message into a secret message and blocking transmission of the secret message to the selected conversation participant when an input of a conversation message is detected in a secret conversation mode in which at least some of the plurality of conversation participants are selected; ; And a display configured to display the secret message separately from other chat messages in the chat room.

In an embodiment, the controller may switch from the chat room to another chat room in response to a touch input applied to the display unit, and in the other chat room, a conversation that is not selected except for the selected chat participant among the plurality of chat participants. Message communication between the participants can be performed. The controller may control the display unit to display the chat message of the other chat room together with the chat message of the previous chat room when the other chat room is switched to the previous chat room.

The control unit may perform a lock function for the secret message when the messenger application is terminated. The controller may control the display unit to display the secret message by releasing the lock function according to whether the password set in the secret message is authenticated when the messenger application is executed.

The control unit may control the wireless communication unit to convert the displayed secret message into a public message and to transmit the public message to at least the selected conversation participant in response to a touch input of the displayed secret message. have.

The control unit may control the display unit to display, together with the secret message, notification information indicating a conversation participant whose confirmation of the secret message is blocked.

The control unit may control the display unit to change the guide information according to the execution of the secret conversation mode while the guide information for guiding the input of the conversation message is displayed in an input window. .

In an embodiment, the controller may execute the secret conversation mode in response to the selection of the at least some conversation participants.

In an embodiment, the secret message may include a chat message received from an unselected chat participant except for the selected chat participant among the plurality of chat participants.

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a control method of a mobile terminal having a display unit configured to sense a touch input and equipped with a messenger application. The control method may include converting the input conversation message into a secret message when an input of the conversation message is detected in a secret conversation mode in which at least some of a plurality of conversation participants who enter the chat room opened through the messenger application are selected. ; Blocking transmission of the secret message for the selected conversation participant; And displaying the secret message separately from other chat messages in the chat room.

The control method may further include switching from the chat room to another chat room in response to the touch input. In the other chat room, message communication between unselected chat participants other than the selected chat participant among the plurality of chat participants may be performed. The control method may further include displaying the chat message of the other chat room together with the chat message of the previous chat room when the other chat room is switched to the previous chat room.

The control method may further include setting a password for the secret message upon termination of the messenger application. In addition, in the displaying of the secret message, when the messenger application is executed, whether to display the secret message may be determined according to whether the set password is authenticated.

According to the mobile terminal according to the present invention, a secret chat mode may be provided for restricting message communication to at least some selected chat participants from among a plurality of chat participants who enter a chat room. In addition, when executing the secret chat mode, it may be determined whether to select a chat participant to limit message communication based on a touch input to the chat participant list included in the chat screen image.

Accordingly, there is no need for a new chat room to be opened separately in order to exclude some of the conversation participants and to conduct a confidential conversation between the other conversation participants. In other words, both a public conversation in which all the conversation participants participate and a secret conversation in which some conversation participants are excluded can be easily performed in one chat room. Therefore, user convenience may be improved in message communication between a plurality of conversation participants.

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 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a user interface of a mobile terminal associated with message communication according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5A and 5B are conceptual views illustrating an operation example of a mobile terminal according to the control method of FIG. 4.
6A and 6B are conceptual views illustrating a user interface of a mobile terminal associated with switching a chat room according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a user interface of a mobile terminal associated with a locking function for a secret message according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a user interface of a mobile terminal associated with partial release of a secret conversation mode according to an embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a conceptual diagram illustrating another operation example of a mobile terminal according to the control method of FIG. 4.

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. WLAN (Wi-Fi), Wibro (Wireless broadband), Wimax (World Interoperability for Microwave Access), HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) and the like can be used as wireless Internet technologies.

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 audio 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 mode, a call mode or a recording mode, a voice selection mode, a broadcast reception mode, The sound output module 152 also outputs sound signals related to functions (e.g., call signal reception sound, message reception sound, etc.) performed in the mobile terminal 100. [ The audio output module 152 may include a receiver, a speaker, a buzzer, and the like.

The alarm unit 153 outputs a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event of the 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 informing occurrence of an event in a form other than a video signal or an audio signal, for example, vibration. The display unit 151 and the audio output module 152 may be classified as a part of the alarm unit 153 because the video signal or the audio signal can also be output through the display unit 151 or the audio output module 152. [

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 hit module 154 are controllable. For example, different vibrations may be synthesized and output or sequentially output.

In addition to the vibration, the haptic module 154 may include 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, Various effects can be generated such as the effect of heat generation and the effect of reproducing the cold sensation using the heat absorbing or heatable element.

The haptic module 154 can be configured to not only 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 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 a software implementation, embodiments such as the procedures and functions described herein may be implemented with 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 for user convenience in performing a message communication between a plurality of conversation participants in one chat room using a messenger service in the mobile terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Here, the messenger service refers to a service that supports real-time chat. In addition, the conversation participant means a terminal of a user and a counterpart who perform message communication.

3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a user interface of a mobile terminal 100 related to message communication according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 3, the conversation screen image displayed by the display unit 151 (see FIG. 1) when the messenger application is executed is illustrated. The chat screen image may include a chat participant list 210, chat contents 220, and a message input window 230.

The conversation participant list 210 includes a plurality of profile information 211 to 213 and a menu button 214. The plurality of profile information 211 ˜ 213 respectively correspond to the plurality of conversation participants who entered the established chat room of the messenger application. Menu button 214 provides the ability to add new chat participants to the chat room. For example, in response to a touch input to the menu button 214, a list of a plurality of conversation candidates with accounts for the messenger service is displayed, and at least one of the plurality of conversation candidates is selected as a conversation participant to add to the chat room. Can be.

The conversation content 220 includes a conversation message 221 and an indicator 222 transmitted or received between a plurality of conversation participants. The conversation message 221 may be displayed within a graphical object, such as a speech bubble image, as shown. Indicator 222 indicates from which conversation participant the conversation message 221 was sent.

The chat message input through the message input window 230 is transmitted to a plurality of chat participants entering the chat room. In addition, as the message is input, the conversation contents 220 of the chat room may be updated in real time.

The message input window 230 may display guide information for guiding input of a conversation message. For example, the message input window 230 may display guide information “Enter Message” as shown.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a secret conversation mode in which a conversation is conducted secretly may be executed for at least some of the plurality of conversation participants who have entered the current chat room. Hereinafter, the operation of the mobile terminal 100 in relation to the secret conversation mode will be described in detail.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of the mobile terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 4, first, when a messenger application is executed, a step S110 of opening a chat room for message communication between a plurality of chat participants is performed.

Next, a step (S120) of executing a secret chat mode in which at least some of the plurality of chat participants who enter the opened chat room is selected is performed. For example, the secret chat mode may be executed in response to at least some chat participants being selected. Alternatively, at least some of the conversation participants may be selected after the secret conversation mode is executed in advance by a separate execution command. In this case, at least some of the conversation participants may be selected based on a touch input to the conversation participant list 210.

In addition, when the selection for the chat participant is released, the secret chat mode may also end. Alternatively, when the secret chat mode is terminated by a separate end command, the selection for the chat participant may be released.

Thereafter, in operation S130, it is determined whether a conversation message is input in the secret conversation mode. When a chat message is input in the secret chat mode, a step (S140) of converting the input chat message into a secret message is performed.

Next, the step S150 of blocking the transmission of the secret message for the selected conversation participant is performed. Accordingly, the selected chat participant in the chat room cannot check the secret message, but the other chat participant in the chat room can check the secret message.

In the foregoing, it has been described that the transmission of the secret message is blocked for the selected conversation participant in the secret conversation mode, but the transmission of the secret message according to the embodiment of the present invention may be blocked for the other conversation participants who are not selected. In this case, the selected chat participant in the chat room can see the secret message, while other chat participants in the chat room cannot see the secret message.

Meanwhile, the secret message may include not only a chat message sent by the chat participant corresponding to the user, but also a chat message received from another chat participant, for example, a chat participant not selected except the selected chat participant.

4, when the secret message is transmitted or received, displaying the secret message separately from other messages in the chat room (public message transmitted or received while the secret chat mode is not executed) (S160). Is performed. For example, when the border of the speech bubble image of the public message is displayed by a solid line, the border of the speech bubble image of the transmitted or received secret message is displayed by a dotted line, so that the public message and the secret message can be distinguished from each other. In addition, a graphic effect such as change of color, brightness, shape, etc., edge emphasis, flicker, or the like may be applied to the secret message or the speech bubble image, thereby distinguishing the public message from the secret message.

As described above, according to the mobile terminal 100 according to the present invention, a secret chat mode for limiting message communication to at least some selected chat participants from a plurality of chat participants who enter a chat room may be provided. In addition, when executing the secret chat mode, it may be determined whether to select a chat participant to limit message communication based on a touch input to the chat participant list 210 included in the chat screen image.

Accordingly, there is no need for a new chat room to be opened separately in order to exclude some of the conversation participants and to conduct a confidential conversation between the other conversation participants. In other words, both a public conversation in which all the conversation participants participate and a secret conversation in which some conversation participants are excluded can be easily performed in one chat room. Therefore, user convenience may be improved in message communication between a plurality of conversation participants. Here, examples of secret conversations include conversations about topics for specific people (eg, birthdays, graduations, etc.), gossip about specific people, praise, and the like.

5A and 5B are conceptual views illustrating an operation example of the mobile terminal 100 according to the control method of FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 5A, the controller 180 (see FIG. 1) may select at least some of a plurality of chat participants based on a touch input to the chat participant list 210. For example, when a long press gesture input is detected for any one of the plurality of profile information 211 to 213 of the conversation participant list 210, the conversation participant corresponding to any one profile information 213 may be selected. Can be selected. In this case, the controller 180 displays a graphic effect of changing the color, brightness, shape, etc., emphasizing the edge, and flickering to the profile information 213 of the selected conversation participant to indicate that the conversation participant is selected. Can be controlled.

The controller 180 may execute the secret conversation mode so that confirmation of the secret message is blocked for the selected conversation participant in response to the selection of the conversation participant. In addition, the controller 180 may control the display unit 151 to display state information 223 indicating execution of the secret conversation mode. Here, the status information 223 may include information about a conversation participant whose message communication is restricted in the secret conversation mode. For example, the status information 223 may be implemented as a phrase, "then a secret conversation between conversation participants except BEN is performed."

The controller 180 may control the display unit 151 to change the guide information according to the execution of the secret conversation mode while the guide information for guiding the input of the conversation message is displayed on the message input window 230. For example, when the secret conversation mode is executed, the guide information may be changed from “Enter Message” to “Enter Secret Message”. This allows the user to intuitively recognize that the conversation message to be entered will be converted into a secret message.

Referring to FIG. 5B, the controller 180 may convert a conversation message input through the message input window 230 into a secret message 224 in the secret conversation mode. The controller 180 may control the display unit 151 to display the secret message 224 separately from other public messages. For example, when a conversation message “BEN IS UGLY!” Is input in the secret conversation mode, it is converted into a secret message 224, and the secret message 224 may be displayed in a speech bubble image having a dotted border. .

6A and 6B are conceptual views illustrating a user interface of the mobile terminal 100 associated with switching of a chat room according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6A, the controller 180 may switch from the first chat room to the second chat room in response to a touch input (for example, a flicking gesture input) to the display unit 151 while the chat screen image is displayed. Can be. In other words, the conversation screen image of the first chat room may be switched from the conversation screen image of the second chat room.

The first chat room may be implemented such that the message communication of the selected chat participant in the secret chat mode is not withdrawn even if partially or temporarily restricted. The second chat room may be implemented such that message communication between non-selected chat participants other than the selected chat participants is performed. In other words, the second chat room may be implemented such that an unselected chat participant among the chat participants who enter the first chat room is invited. For this reason, the controller 180 may control the display unit 151 such that the profile information 213 of the chat participant selected in the chat participant list 210 ′ of the second chat room disappears.

Referring to FIG. 6B, the controller 180 may switch from the second chat room to the first chat room in response to a touch input (for example, a flicking gesture input) to the display unit 151 while the chat screen image is displayed. Can be. In this case, the controller 180 may control the display unit 151 to display the chat messages 224a and 224b of the second chat room together with the chat message 224c of the first chat room. At this time, the conversation messages 224a and 224b of the second chat room may be treated as secret messages. Therefore, the selected chat participant cannot confirm the chat messages 224a, 224b of the second chat room.

In addition, the controller 180 may arrange the chat messages 224a to 224c of the first and second chat rooms in the chat screen image in the order according to the time when they were transmitted or received. For example, the conversation message 224a that is relatively earlier sent or received may be placed above the conversation messages 224b and 224c that are relatively later sent or received.

7 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a user interface of a mobile terminal 100 associated with a locking function for a secret message according to an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller 180 may execute a lock function for restricting access to a secret message. For example, the controller 180 may execute a lock function by setting a password to a secret message at the end of the messenger application.

Referring to FIG. 7, the controller 180 may control the display unit 151 to display a screen image 310 for inputting a password when the messenger application is executed while a lock function for a secret message is executed. Can be. Thereafter, the controller 180 may control the display unit 151 to display the secret messages 224a and 224b according to whether the password set in the secret messages 224a and 224b is authenticated.

More specifically, if the password according to the user input matches the preset password (when the password authentication is successful), the locking function for the secret message 224a, 224b may be released to display the secret message 224a, 224b. have. On the other hand, if the password according to the user input does not match the preset password (when password authentication fails), the lock function for the secret messages 224a and 224b is maintained so that the secret messages 224a and 224b may not be displayed. have. This can enhance security for secret messages 224a and 224b. However, at this time, the conversation message 224c received from the selected conversation participant may be displayed.

8 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a user interface of a mobile terminal 100 associated with partial release of a secret conversation mode according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 8, the controller 180 converts the secret message 224a into a public message 224a 'in response to a touch input (for example, a long press gesture input) for the secret message 224a displayed on the conversation screen image. can do.

More specifically, first, when a touch input for the secret message 224a is detected, the controller 180 displays a popup menu 225 asking whether to convert the secret message 224a into a public message 224a '. The unit 151 may be controlled. Thereafter, when a conversion command is input using the pop-up menu 225, the controller 180 may convert the secret message 224a into a public message 224a '.

Next, the controller 180 can control the wireless communication unit 110 to transmit the public message 224a 'to at least the selected conversation participant. For example, the public message 224a 'may be sent to the selected chat participants or all chat participants who have entered the chat room. In addition, the public message 224a 'may be displayed on the conversation screen image. In this case, the disclosure message 224a 'may be displayed such that the speech bubble image has a border made of a solid line. In other words, the public message 224a 'may be displayed in the same manner as displaying the conversation message before execution of the secret conversation mode.

In this way, by utilizing the already displayed secret message 224a, even if a conversation message having the same content is not input separately, the public message 224a 'can be simply transmitted to at least the selected conversation participant.

9 is a conceptual diagram illustrating another operation example of the mobile terminal 100 according to the control method of FIG. 4. Referring to FIG. 9, the controller 180 displays the notification information 226a and 226b together with the secret messages 224a and 224b, indicating notification information 226a and 226b indicating a participant who is blocked from checking the secret messages 224a and 224b. ) Can be controlled. For example, the notification information 226a may be displayed along with the transmitted secret message 224a. In addition, the notification information 226b may be displayed along with the received secret message 224b. As a result, the user can intuitively recognize which conversation participant is secreted for each secret message.

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 (15)

A wireless communication unit configured to perform message communication between a plurality of chat participants who enter a chat room opened through a messenger application;
A controller for converting the input conversation message into a secret message and blocking transmission of the secret message to the selected conversation participant when an input of a conversation message is detected in a secret conversation mode in which at least some of the plurality of conversation participants are selected; ; And
And a display configured to display the secret message separately from other chat messages in the chat room. The method of claim 1,
The control unit,
Switch from the chat room to another chat room in response to a touch input applied to the display unit;
And the other chat room performs message communication between unselected chat participants except the selected chat participant among the plurality of chat participants. 3. The method of claim 2,
The control unit
And when the other chat room is switched to the previous chat room, controlling the display unit to display the chat message of the other chat room together with the chat message of the previous chat room. The method of claim 1,
The control unit,
And upon termination of the messenger application, lock the secret message. 5. The method of claim 4,
The control unit,
And executing the messenger application, controlling the display unit to display the secret message by releasing the lock function according to whether or not the password set in the secret message is authenticated. The method of claim 1,
The control unit,
Converting the displayed secret message into a public message in response to a touch input to the displayed secret message,
And control the wireless communication unit to send the public message to at least the selected conversation participant. The method of claim 1,
The control unit,
And the display unit to display, together with the secret message, notification information indicating a conversation participant whose confirmation of the secret message is blocked. The method of claim 1,
The control unit,
And the display unit controls the display unit to change the guide information according to execution of the secret conversation mode while the guide information for guiding the input of the conversation message is displayed in an input window. The method of claim 1,
The control unit,
And execute the secret chat mode in response to a selection of the at least some chat participants. The method of claim 1,
The secret message is,
And a chat message received from an unselected chat participant except the selected chat participant among the plurality of chat participants. In the control method of a mobile terminal having a display unit configured to sense a touch input, and equipped with a messenger application:
Converting the input conversation message into a secret message when an input of a conversation message is detected in a secret conversation mode in which at least some of a plurality of conversation participants who enter a chat room opened through the messenger application are selected;
Blocking transmission of the secret message for the selected conversation participant; And
And displaying the secret message separately from other chat messages in the chat room. The method of claim 11,
Switching from the chat room to another chat room in response to the touch input;
And in the other chat room, message communication is performed between unselected chat participants other than the selected chat participant among the plurality of chat participants. 13. The method of claim 12,
And displaying the chat message of the other chat room together with the chat message of the previous chat room when the other chat room is switched to the previous chat room. The method of claim 11,
And setting a password for the secret message upon termination of the messenger application. 15. The method of claim 14,
In displaying the secret message,
When the messenger application is executed, whether or not the secret message is displayed is determined according to whether the set password is authenticated.

Images