KR20140068427A - Mobile terminal and control method therof - Google Patents

Abstract

A mobile terminal and a control method thereof are disclosed. The mobile terminal according to the present invention includes: a touchscreen; a user input unit; and a control unit to perform a plurality of functions, based on an input signal received from the user input unit, wherein the control unit divides the input signal into a plurality of stages according to time when the input signal is held, and displays, on the touchscreen, a first item corresponding to an input signal of a first stage and a second item corresponding to an input signal of a second stage. According to the present invention, a user interface can be provided to display performance of different functions according to time when an input signal is held, thereby improving a user′s accessibility to each function.

Description

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

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to a mobile terminal and a control method thereof, which provide a user interface indicating that different functions are performed according to a time when an input signal is maintained, Of the present invention.

A terminal such as a personal computer, a notebook computer, or a mobile phone has various functions, for example, a multimedia device having a complex function such as photographing or photographing of a moving picture, reproduction of music or a moving picture file, (Multimedia player).

A terminal can be divided into a mobile terminal and a stationary terminal depending on whether the terminal is movable. The mobile terminal can be divided into a handheld terminal and a vehicle mount terminal according to whether the user can directly carry the mobile terminal.

In order to support and enhance the functionality of the terminal, it is contemplated to improve the structural and / or software portion of the terminal.

Recently, a variety of terminals including mobile terminals provide a complex and various functions, and the menu structure is also becoming complicated. In addition, a function of displaying various digital documents including a web page is added to a mobile terminal.

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal and a control method thereof, which can enhance a user's accessibility to each function by providing a user interface indicating that different functions are performed according to a time when an input signal is held .

The technical objects to be achieved by the present invention are not limited to the technical matters mentioned above, and other technical subjects which are not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. There will be.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile terminal including: a touch screen; A user input section; And a control unit for performing a plurality of functions based on the input signal received from the user input unit, wherein the control unit divides the input signal into a plurality of steps according to a time during which the input signal is held, The first item corresponding to the input signal of the first stage and the second item corresponding to the input signal of the second stage may be displayed on the touch screen.

The input signal of the second stage may be input to the input signal of the first stage.

The control unit may execute the first item when the input signal of the first step is released.

The control unit may execute the second item when the input signal of the second step is released after the input signal of the first step is held.

The plurality of functions may include a first function corresponding to the first item and a second function corresponding to the second item.

The plurality of functions may include a function for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal and a function for executing different kinds of applications.

The controller may further include a proximity sensor, and the controller may sense a time at which the input signal is maintained through the proximity sensor.

The controller may set a time in which the input signal is to be held to distinguish the plurality of steps.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a mobile terminal, including: receiving an input signal from a user input unit; Displaying a first item corresponding to the input signal of the first step and a second item corresponding to the input signal of the second step on the touch screen; And performing a plurality of functions based on the received input signal, wherein the step of receiving the input signal may divide the input signal into a plurality of steps according to a time during which the input signal is held.

The performing of the plurality of functions may perform a first function corresponding to the first item and a second function corresponding to the second item.

The step of performing the plurality of functions may perform a function of controlling the operation of the mobile terminal and a function of executing different kinds of applications.

The mobile terminal and its control method according to the present invention have the following effects.

According to the present invention, a user interface indicating that different functions are performed according to a time during which an input signal is held can be provided, thereby making it possible to enhance the user's accessibility to each function.

1 is a block diagram of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2A is a front perspective view of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2B is a rear perspective view of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2C and 2D are views of an embodiment of a mobile terminal and a display screen according to various embodiments of the present invention.
3 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the proximity depth of the proximity sensor.
4 is a block diagram of a CDMA wireless communication system in communication with the mobile terminal shown in FIG.
5 is a flowchart of a method of controlling a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 to 11 are views for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.
12 is a view for explaining another embodiment of the present invention.

The above objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and similarities. Like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the specification. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention in unnecessary detail. Further, numerals (e.g., first, second, etc.) used in the description process of this specification are only an identifier for distinguishing one component from another component

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

The mobile terminal described in this specification may include a mobile phone, a smart phone, a laptop computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants), a PMP (Portable Multimedia Player), and navigation. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art 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 the configuration is applicable only to a mobile terminal.

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

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

Hereinafter, the components will be described 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 range communication module 114, and a location information module 115 .

The broadcast receiving module 111 receives broadcast signals and / or broadcast-related information from an external broadcast management server through a broadcast channel.

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

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

The broadcast-related information may exist in various forms. For example, an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) of a DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) or an ESG (Electronic Service Guide) of a DVBH (Digital Video BroadcastHandheld).

The broadcast receiving module 111 receives broadcast signals using various broadcasting systems. In particular, the broadcast receiving module 111 may be a digital multimedia broadcasting broadcasting (DMBT), a digital multimedia broadcasting satellite (DMBS), a media forward link only (MediaFLO), a digital video broadcasting ), And ISDBT (Integrated Services Digital Broadcast Terrestrial). Of course, the broadcast receiving module 111 may be adapted to other broadcasting systems that provide broadcast signals as well as the digital broadcasting system described above.

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

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

The wireless Internet module 113 refers to a module for wireless Internet access, and the wireless Internet module 113 can be embedded in the mobile terminal 100 or externally. WLAN (WiFi), 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. Bluetooth, radio frequency identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), ultra wideband (UWB), ZigBee, and the like can be used as the short distance communication technology.

The location information module 115 is a module for confirming or obtaining the location of the mobile terminal. A typical example of the location information module is a GPS (Global Position System) module. According to the current technology, the GPS module 115 calculates information on a distance (distance) from three or more satellites to one point (entity), information on the time when the distance information is measured, , Three-dimensional position information according to latitude, longitude, and altitude of one point (individual) in one hour can be calculated. Further, a method of calculating position and time information using three satellites and correcting the error of the calculated position and time information using another satellite is also used. The GPS module 115 continues to calculate the current position in real time and uses it to calculate speed information.

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

The image frame processed by the camera 121 may be stored in the memory unit 160 or may be transmitted to the outside through the wireless communication unit 110. [ The camera 121 may be equipped with two or more cameras according to the configuration of the terminal.

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

The user input unit 130 generates input data for a user to control the operation of the terminal. The user input unit 130 may include a key pad dome switch, a touch pad (static / static), a jog wheel, a jog switch, and the like.

The sensing unit 140 senses the current state of the mobile terminal 100 such as the open / close state of the mobile terminal 100, the position of the mobile terminal 100, the presence or absence of user contact, the orientation of the mobile terminal, And generates a sensing signal for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 100. For example, when the mobile terminal 100 is in the form of a slide phone, it is possible to sense whether the slide phone is opened or closed. In addition, it may be responsible for a sensing function related to whether the power supply unit 190 is powered on, whether the interface unit 170 is connected to an external device, and the like. Meanwhile, the sensing unit 140 may include an orientation sensor 141 and / or a proximity sensor.

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

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

The display unit 151 may be a liquid crystal display, a thin film transistor liquid crystal display, an organic light emitting diode, a flexible display, a 3D display And may include at least one.

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

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

The display unit 151 is connected to a display unit 151 and a sensor for sensing a touch operation (hereinafter, referred to as 'touch sensor') having a mutual layer structure It can also be used as an input device. The touch sensor may have the form of, for example, a touch film, a touch sheet, a touch pad, or the like.

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

If there is a touch input to the touch sensor, the corresponding signal (s) is sent to the touch controller. The touch controller processes the signal (s) and transmits the corresponding data to the controller 180. Thus, the control unit 180 can know which area of the display unit 151 is touched or the like.

Referring to FIG. 1, a proximity sensor may be disposed in an inner region of the mobile terminal or in the vicinity of the touch screen, which is enclosed by the touch screen. The proximity sensor refers to a sensor that detects the presence or absence of an object approaching a predetermined detection surface or a nearby object without mechanical contact using the force of an electromagnetic field or infrared rays. The proximity sensor has a longer life span than the contact sensor and its utilization is also high.

Examples of the proximity sensor include a transmission 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.

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

Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the act of recognizing that the pointer is positioned on the touch screen while the pointer is not in contact with the touch screen is referred to as "proximity touch & The act of actually touching the pointer on the screen is called "contact touch. &Quot; The position where the pointer is proximately touched on the touch screen means a position where the pointer is vertically corresponding to the touch screen when the pointer is touched.

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

The audio output module 152 may output audio data received from the wireless communication unit 110 or stored in the memory unit 160 in a call signal reception mode, a call mode or a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, a broadcast reception mode, The sound output module 152 outputs an acoustic signal related to a function (e.g., a call signal reception sound, a 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 that occur in the mobile terminal include call signal reception, message reception, key signal input, touch input, and the like. The alarm unit 153 may output a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event in a form other than the video signal or the audio signal, for example, vibration. The video signal or the audio signal 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. A typical example of the haptic effect generated by the haptic module 154 is vibration. The intensity and pattern of the vibration generated by the hit module 154 can be controlled. For example, different vibrations may be synthesized and output or sequentially output.

In addition to the vibration, the haptic module 154 may be configured to perform various functions such as an effect of stimulation by a pin arrangement vertically moving with respect to a contact skin surface, an effect of stimulation by air spraying force or suction force through a jet opening or a suction opening, A variety of tactile effects such as an effect of stimulation through contact of an electrode, an effect of stimulation by an electrostatic force, and an effect of reproducing a cold sensation using a heat absorbing or exothermic element can be generated.

The haptic module 154 can be implemented not only to transmit the tactile effect through the direct contact but also to feel the tactile effect through the muscles of the user's finger or arm. The haptic module 154 may include two or more haptic modules 154 according to the configuration of the portable terminal 100.

The memory unit 160 may store a program for the operation of the controller 180 and temporarily store input / output data (e.g., a phone book, a message, a still image, a moving picture, etc.). The memory unit 160 may store data related to vibration and sound of various patterns outputted when a touch is input on the touch screen.

The memory unit 160 may be a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (for example, SD or XD memory) At least one of a random access memory (RAM), a static random access memory (SRAM), a read only memory (ROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a programmable read- Lt; / RTI > type of storage medium. The mobile terminal 100 may operate in association with a web storage that performs a storage function of the memory unit 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 or receives power from the external device to transfer the data to each component in the mobile terminal 100 or to transmit data in the mobile terminal 100 to an external device. For example, a wired / wireless headset port, an external charger port, a wired / wireless data port, a memory card port, a port for connecting a device having an identification module, an audio I / O port, A video input / output (I / O) port, an earphone port, and the like may be included in the interface unit 170.

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

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

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

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

The power supply unit 190 receives external power and internal power under the control of the controller 180 and supplies power necessary for operation of the respective components.

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

According to a hardware implementation, the embodiments described herein may be implemented as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays May be implemented using at least one of processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, and electrical units for performing functions. In some cases such embodiments may be implemented using a controller 180 < / RTI >

According to a software implementation, embodiments such as procedures or functions may be implemented with separate software modules that perform at least one function or operation. The software code may be implemented by a software application written in a suitable programming language. Also, the software codes may be stored in the memory unit 160 and executed by the control unit 180. [

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

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

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

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

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

The display unit 151 occupies most of the main surface of the front case 101. A sound output unit 152 and a camera 121 are disposed in an area adjacent to one end of both ends of the display unit 151 and a user input unit 131 and a microphone 122 are disposed in an area adjacent to the other end. The user input unit 132, the interface 170, and the like are disposed on the side surfaces of the front case 101 and the rear case 102.

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

The operation units 131 and 132 may be collectively referred to as a manipulating portion and may be employed in any manner as long as the user operates in a tactile manner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

In addition to the antenna for a call or the like, a broadcast signal reception antenna 124 may be additionally disposed on the side of the terminal body. The antenna 124 constituting a part of the broadcast receiving module 111 (see FIG. 1) may be installed to be able to be drawn out from the terminal body.

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

The rear case 102 may further include a touch pad 135 for sensing a touch. The touch pad 135 may also be of a light transmission type like the display unit 151. [ In this case, if the display unit 151 is configured to output time information on both sides, the time information can be recognized through the touch pad 135 as well. The information output on both sides may be all controlled by the touch pad 135. [ Alternatively, a display may be additionally mounted on the touch pad 135, and a touch screen may be disposed on the rear case 102.

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

FIGS. 2C and 2D are views showing various embodiments of the mobile terminal 100 and the display unit 151. FIG.

The display unit 151 may include a first display unit physically divided into display panels, and a second display unit. In a folding or sliding type mobile terminal in which two bodies are fastened by a hinge or a slide, a first display portion (or a main display portion) may be formed on an inner surface or an outer surface of either body, Or the auxiliary display portion, the external display portion) may be formed on the inner surface or the outer surface of the other body. The auxiliary display unit is a display unit separated from the mobile terminal, and can be detachably connected to the mobile terminal body through an interface unit to display data from the mobile terminal.

In addition, the display unit 151 may include a first display unit and a second display unit logically divided in the display panel as shown in FIG. 2C.

3 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the proximity depth of the proximity sensor.

As shown in FIG. 3, when a pointer such as a finger of a user approaches the touch screen, the proximity sensor disposed in or near the touch screen senses the proximity sensor and outputs a proximity signal.

The proximity sensor may be configured to output different proximity signals according to a distance between the proximity-touched pointer and the touch screen (hereinafter referred to as "proximity depth").

A distance at which the proximity signal is output when the pointer approaches the touch screen is referred to as a detection distance. In short, by using a plurality of proximity sensors having different detection distances, the proximity signals output from the proximity sensors are compared, .

In FIG. 3, for example, a cross-section of a touch screen having proximity sensors capable of sensing three proximity depths is illustrated. Of course, proximity sensors that detect less than three or more than four proximity depths are also possible.

Specifically, when the pointer is completely in contact with the touch screen (d0), it is recognized as a contact touch. If the pointer is located on the touch screen at a distance less than the distance d1, it is recognized as a proximity touch of the first proximity depth.

If the pointer is located on the touch screen at a distance d1 or less and less than the distance d2, the pointer is recognized as a proximity touch of the second proximity depth. If the pointer is located on the touch screen at a distance d2 or more and less than the distance d3, it is recognized as a proximity touch of the third proximity depth. If the pointer is located at a distance d3 or more on the touch screen, it is recognized that the proximity touch is released.

Accordingly, the controller 180 can recognize the proximity touch as various input signals according to the proximity and proximity positions of the pointer to the touch screen, and perform various operation controls according to the various input signals.

4, a CDMA wireless communication system includes a plurality of mobile terminals 100, a plurality of base stations 270, Base Station Controllers (BSCs) 275, and a Mobile Switching Center Centers (MSCs, 280). The mobile switching center 280 is configured to be connected to a Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN) 290. The mobile switching center 280 is also configured to be coupled to the base station controllers 275. The base station controllers 275 are connected to the base stations 270 via backhaul lines. The backhaul lines may be configured according to E1 / T1, ATM, IP, PPP, Frame Relay, HDSL, ADSL, or xDSL known to those skilled in the art. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the system may include more than one base station controller 275.

Each of the base stations 270 may include one or more sectors and each sector may include an omnidirectional antenna or a specific radially tuned antenna from the base station 270 . Alternatively, each sector may include two antennas for diversity reception. Each base station 270 is configured to accommodate a plurality of frequency assignments, and the frequency assignments may have a specific spectrum (e.g., 1.25 MHz, 5 MHz).

The intersection of sector and frequency assignment can be referred to as a CDMA channel.

The base stations 27 may also be referred to as base station transceiver subsystems (BTSs). In some instances, the term "base station" may be used to refer collectively to a base station controller 275 and one or more base stations 270. The base stations may also be denoted "cell sites ". Alternatively, individual sectors of a given base station 270 may be referred to as cell sites.

The terrestrial DMB transmitter 295 can broadcast to the mobile terminals 100 operating in the system. The broadcast receiving module 111 of the mobile terminal 100 is generally configured to receive broadcast signals transmitted by the DMB transmitter 295. This may be similarly applied to other types of broadcast and multicast signaling as described above.

FIG. 4 shows various GPS (Global Positioning System) satellites 300. These satellites 300 may track the location of some or all of the mobile terminals 100. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that although two satellites are shown, location information can be obtained from more or fewer satellites. Other types of location tracking techniques (e.g., location tracking techniques that may be used in place of or in addition to GPS technology) may be used. If desired, some or all of the GPS satellites 300 may be configured to separately or additionally support satellite DMB transmission.

During operation of the wireless communication system, the base stations 270 receive reverse link signals from a plurality of mobile terminals 100. The mobile terminals 100 may be busy, are sending messages, and are performing other communications. Each reverse link signal received by the base station is processed at the base station. The processed data is transmitted to the connected base station controller 275. The base station controller 275 provides call resource allocation and provides mobility management functionality including orchestration of soft handoffs between the base stations 270. [ ). The base station controllers 275 also transmit the received data to the mobile switching centers (MSCs) 280. The mobile switching center 280 provides additional routing services for interfacing with the public switched telephone network (PSTN) 290. Similarly, the public switched telephone network 290 interfaces with the mobile switching center 280 and the mobile switching center interfaces with the base station controllers 275. The base station controllers 275 in turn control the base stations 270 to transmit forward link signals to the mobile terminals 100.

5 is a flowchart of a method of controlling a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The control unit 180 of the mobile terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may receive an input signal from the user input unit 130 (S101).

The user input unit 130 may include a power key, a side key, a volume key, and the like included in the body of the mobile terminal 100 and a touch screen 115. The user input unit 130 generates an input signal for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 100 by the user. That is, the control unit 180 may receive an input signal for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 100 from the user input unit 130. [

The control unit 180 may divide the input signal into a plurality of steps according to the time during which the input signal received from the user input unit 130 is held. The controller 180 may classify the input signal of the first stage and the input signal of the second stage according to the time during which the input signal is held.

The control unit 180 may set a time at which the input signal should be maintained to distinguish the plurality of steps. The input signal of the second stage may be input to the input signal of the first stage. That is, if the input signal is maintained for a predetermined time, if the input signal is the first-stage input signal, the input signal may be divided into the input signal of the second-stage if the input signal is extended beyond the predetermined time.

The controller 180 may display the first item corresponding to the input signal of the first stage and the second item corresponding to the input signal of the second stage on the touch screen 151 (S103). The first item indicates what function can be performed from the input signal of the first stage. That is, it means that different functions can be performed according to input signals of respective stages.

The control unit 180 may perform a plurality of functions based on the received input signal (S105). The control unit 180 can execute the first item when the input signal of the first step is released. The control unit 180 can execute the second item when the input signal of the second step is released after the input signal of the first step is held.

That is, the plurality of functions may include a first function corresponding to the first item and a second function corresponding to the second item. The plurality of functions may include a function for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal and a function for executing different types of applications.

The function for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal may include a silent mode setting of the mobile terminal, a vibration mode setting, a wi-fi setting, a GPS setting, and the like.

The mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may perform various functions according to a time during which a signal input from a user input unit, e.g., a side key, is held. The control unit 180 may classify the steps of the input signal according to the pressed time of the side key, and may display an item that can be executed according to each step on the touch screen. As a result, the user can confirm in advance which function can be executed according to the time of pressing the side key.

By confirming that different functions can be performed depending on the time the user presses the side key, the accessibility of each function can be enhanced.

6 to 11 are views for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.

6 illustrates an example in which executable items 14, 15, 16 are displayed on the touch screen 151 as the side key 132 is pressed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

When the input signal is received (F1) through the side key 132, the control unit 180 can display items 14, 15, and 16 that can be executed for each step of the input signal on the touch screen.

The control unit 180 can execute the function of controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 100 as each item is selected. The first item 14 is an item for setting the mobile terminal 100 to the silent mode. The second item 15 is an item for setting the mobile terminal 100 in the vibration mode. The third item 16 is an item for setting the mobile terminal 100 to the sound mode.

While the input signal through the side key 132 is held, the colors of the first, second, and third items may be sequentially changed in proportion to the time the input signal is held. For example, when the user holds down the side key 132, the color, etc. may be sequentially changed in the order of the first item 14, the second item 15, and the third item 16.

The user can know what item to be executed when the input signal is released from the side key 132 by touching the finger F1 while watching the color of the item sequentially change. That is, an item whose color is changed when the input signal is released can be an execution item.

The first item 14 is executed when the input signal is released when there is a color change in the P11 region and the second item 15 can be executed when the input signal is released when there is a color change in the P12 region.

That is, when the user desires to execute the second item 15, the user can input the input signal through the user input unit 132 and sequentially change the color from the first item 14 to the second item 15, The second item can be executed by releasing the input signal with the finger F1 when the color of the second item is changed.

7 illustrates an example in which input signals are classified according to the retention time of an input signal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 7 (a), the input signal can be divided into a plurality of steps according to the time during which the input signal is held. The time at which the input signal should be maintained to distinguish the plurality of steps may be predetermined.

The control unit 180 executes the first function when the input signal of the first step is released, executes the second function when the input signal of the second step is released, and when the input signal of the third step is released, 3 function can be executed.

As shown in FIG. 7B, the control unit 180 includes a first item 11 corresponding to the input signal in the first step, a second item 12 corresponding to the input signal in the second step, The third item 13 corresponding to the input signal of the third stage can be displayed on the touch screen 151. [

The first item 11 is executed when the input signal is released in the P15 area, the second item 12 is executed when released in the P16 area, and the third item 13 when released in the P17 area, Can be executed.

Fig. 8 shows an example in which different applications are executed according to the time at which the input signal is held.

As shown in FIG. 8A, when the control unit 180 acquires an input signal through the user input unit 132, the control unit 180 displays an application executed on the touch screen 151 according to the time when the input signal is maintained .

The controller 180 may display an indicator a2 on the touch screen 151 to indicate the time at which the input signal is held. As the input signal is input from the user input unit 132, the color of the indicator a2 may be changed. The indicator a2 may be displayed so as to correspond to the first item 17 and the second item 18. That is, when the color of the P18 area of the indicator a2 changes, the first item 17 is executed when the input signal is released. When the color of the P19 area of the indicator a2 changes, Item 18 is executed.

Different applications may be executed with the selection of the first item 17 and the second item 18, respectively. For example, as shown in (b) of FIG. 8, when the first item is executed, the screen can be switched to a screen for multitasking. As shown in FIG. 8 (c), when the second item is executed, the screen can be switched to a screen for voice recognition function.

9 shows an example of receiving input signals in different directions according to user inputs 132 ', 132.

As shown in FIG. 9A, when the control unit 180 receives an input signal through the first user input unit 132 ', as the time for which the input signal is held is lengthened, Direction and can be displayed.

That is, the control unit 180 may change the color of the third item 21, the second item 20, and the first item 19 in order in proportion to the time during which the input signal is held. When the input signal is received through the first user input unit 132 ', the third item 21 is executed when the input signal is released in the P20 area. When the input signal is released within the P21 area, 20) can be executed. For example, if the third item 21 is in the silent mode, the mobile terminal may be set to the silent mode by releasing the input signal within the P20 region.

9 (b), when the control unit 180 receives the input signal through the second user input unit 132, as the time for which the input signal is held is longer, And can be displayed.

That is, when the input signal is inputted through the second user input unit 132, the control unit 180 can execute the first item 19 when the input signal is released in the P23 region, The second item 20 can be executed. For example, the control unit 180 may change the mobile terminal 100 to the sound mode 19 when the input signal is released from the P23 area.

Fig. 10 shows an example of brightness control of the touch screen 151. Fig.

As shown in the figure, the controller 180 may adjust the brightness of the touch screen 151 in three steps based on the input signal received from the user input unit 130.

An indicator a5 indicating the time at which the input signal is held may be displayed on the touch screen 151 so as to correspond to the first, second and third items 27, 28 and 29. [ That is, the first item 27 is executed when the input signal is released from the P31 region, and the second item 28 is executed when the input signal is released from the P32 region. For example, the brightness can be adjusted to 30 when the input signal is released in the P31 region.

That is, it means that the operation of the mobile terminal 100 can be controlled differently based on the time during which the input signal is maintained through one user input unit 130.

11 shows an example of alarm control according to the time when an input signal received through the user input unit 130 is held.

For example, if the input signal is short, it is set to be notified again, and if the input signal is long, the alarm may be stopped. The controller 180 may display an indicator a4 on the touch screen 151 indicating the time at which the input signal is held. The first item 25 is executed when the input signal is released from the P29 area, and the second item 26 is executed when the input signal is released from the P30 area. That is, when the first item 25 is selected, the function of being set to be notified again can be executed, and when the second item 26 is selected, the notification can be stopped.

12 is a view for explaining another embodiment of the present invention.

The mobile terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a proximity sensor 142 and the controller 180 may sense the time at which the input signal is maintained through the proximity sensor 142. [

12 (a) and 12 (b), when the finger F5 comes close to the user input units 132 and 132 ', the control unit 180 detects the corresponding position through the proximity sensor 142 .

12 (c), the control unit 180 displays the executable items 23, 24, and 25 set on the user input unit 132 in which the proximity touch is detected on the touch screen 151 can do.

The controller 180 executes the first item 23 when the proximity touch is released in the P26 area and can execute the second item 24 when the proximity touch is released in the P27 area. For example, when the first item 23 is in the silent mode, the mobile terminal 100 may be set to the silent mode when the input signal is released from the P26 area.

Although the user input unit 130 described above is mainly described with the side keys 132 and 132 'included in the body of the mobile terminal 100 as an example, the means by which the control unit 180 can receive the input signals are all included Of course.

The above-described method of controlling a mobile terminal according to the present invention can be provided by being recorded in a computer-readable recording medium as a program for execution in a computer.

The control method of the mobile terminal according to the present invention can be executed through software. When executed in software, the constituent means of the present invention are code segments that perform the necessary tasks. The program or code segments may be stored in a processor readable medium or transmitted by a computer data signal coupled with a carrier wave in a transmission medium or a communication network.

A computer-readable recording medium includes all kinds of recording apparatuses in which data that can be read by a computer system is stored. Examples of the computer-readable recording device include a ROM, a RAM, a CD-ROM, a DVD 占 ROM, a DVD-RAM, a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, a hard disk, The computer-readable recording medium may also be distributed to networked computer devices so that computer readable code can be stored and executed in a distributed manner.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. The present invention is not limited to the drawings. In addition, the embodiments described in this document can be applied to not only the present invention, but also all or some of the embodiments may be selectively combined so that various modifications can be made.

100: mobile terminal 130: user input unit
151: touch screen 142: proximity sensor
180:

Claims (11)

touch screen;
A user input section; And
And a controller for performing a plurality of functions based on an input signal received from the user input unit,
Wherein,
A first item corresponding to the input signal of the first stage and a second item corresponding to the input signal of the second stage are divided into a plurality of stages according to the time during which the input signal is held, And displays the displayed information.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the input signal of the second stage comprises:
Wherein the input signal is extended and input to the input signal of the first stage.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein,
And when the input signal of the first step is released, executes the first item.
The method of claim 3,
Wherein,
Wherein when the input signal of the second step is released after the input signal of the first step is held, the mobile terminal executes the second item.
The method according to claim 1,
The plurality of functions include:
A first function corresponding to the first item and a second function corresponding to the second item.
The method according to claim 1,
The plurality of functions include:
Wherein the mobile terminal includes a function for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal and a function for executing different types of applications.
The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising a proximity sensor,
Wherein,
And detects the time at which the input signal is maintained through the proximity sensor.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein,
And sets a time at which the input signal should be maintained to distinguish the plurality of steps.
Receiving an input signal from a user input;
Displaying a first item corresponding to the input signal of the first step and a second item corresponding to the input signal of the second step on the touch screen; And
And performing a plurality of functions based on the received input signal,
Wherein the step of receiving the input signal comprises:
Wherein the input signal is divided into a plurality of stages according to a time during which the input signal is maintained.
10. The method of claim 9,
Wherein the performing the plurality of functions comprises:
Wherein the first function corresponds to the first item and the second function corresponds to the second item.
10. The method of claim 9,
Wherein the performing the plurality of functions comprises:
Wherein the mobile terminal performs a function for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal and a function for executing different kinds of applications.

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