KR20140072752A - Mobile terminal and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal for controlling content outputted to a touchscreen, and a control method thereof. The method of the mobile terminal comprises the steps of outputting a plurality of content to a touchscreen; sensing a first and a second touch on the touchscreen; creating a first and a second trajectory as each of the first and second touches continuously moves; and selecting content outputted to an area surrounded by the first and second trajectories among the content.

Description

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

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, and more particularly, to a mobile terminal for controlling content output on a touch screen 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 can be divided into a handheld terminal and a vehicle mount terminal according to whether the user can directly carry the mobile terminal.

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.

At this time, the mobile terminal can control contents outputted on the touch screen based on the touch input. For example, it is possible to perform control functions such as deleting, copying, sharing, and transferring the content output to the external server to the touch screen. However, in order to perform any one of the control functions, a plurality of icons (or menus) corresponding to the control functions are output to the touch screen, and one of the plurality of displayed icons is selected based on the touch input It is necessary.

As the user experience (UX) design that emphasizes the user's experience develops, it is necessary to expand the performance of the mobile terminal to perform control functions related to contents without using icons.

The present invention provides a mobile terminal having a plurality of contents to be selected using touch inputs and a control method thereof.

The present invention also provides a mobile terminal and a control method thereof that can control contents output on a touch screen using various touch patterns.

One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method of controlling a mobile terminal. A method of controlling a mobile terminal, comprising: outputting a plurality of contents to a touch screen; sensing first and second touches on the touch screen; Generating a second trajectory, and selecting a content to be output in an area wrapped by the first and second trajectories among the plurality of contents.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the first and second touches may be diverted from a first area of the touch screen and released from a second area of the touch screen.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a mobile terminal, comprising: receiving a touch pattern corresponding to at least one of a symbol, a letter and a number in one area of the touch screen; And executing a control function corresponding to the touch pattern on the selected content. At this time, one area of the touch screen may be an area wrapped by the first and second trajectories.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the control method of the mobile terminal may further include outputting a graphic object corresponding to the touch pattern to the touch screen in response to the touch pattern.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the control method of the mobile terminal further comprises the step of, in response to the touch pattern, transmitting at least one of the total number of the selected contents, the name of the control function, And outputting the information related to the control function to the touch screen.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the control method of the mobile terminal further comprises the step of, when the first and second touches are released, outputting a control menu related to the selected content to one area of the touch screen .

As another embodiment of the present invention, the control method of the mobile terminal may further include a step of outputting the selected content and the other content separately.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the control method of the mobile terminal may further comprise the steps of: when the first and second touches are sensed, And locking the contents so that the position or the size is not changed.

Further, an embodiment of the present invention relates to a mobile terminal. The mobile terminal includes a touch screen configured to output a plurality of contents and detect a touch input, and first and second touches are sensed on the touch screen, and the first and second touches are continuously moved 1 and a second locus, the control unit may select a content to be output in an area enclosed by the first and second trajectories among the plurality of contents.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the first and second touches may be diverted from a first area of the touch screen and released from a second area of the touch screen.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, when the touch pattern corresponding to at least one of a symbol, a letter and a numeral is inputted to one area of the touch screen, the control unit controls the control function corresponding to the touch pattern Can be executed on the content. At this time, one area of the touch screen may be an area wrapped by the first and second trajectories.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, when the first and second touches are released, the control unit may output a control menu related to the selected content to one area of the touch screen.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, when the first and second touches are sensed, the control unit controls the position and size of each of the plurality of contents until the first and second touches are released The contents can be locked so as not to be changed.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the mobile terminal further includes a touch screen configured to output a plurality of contents, and configured to detect a touch input, and a touch screen configured to display at least one of the plurality of contents based on the touch input And a control unit for executing a control function for controlling the at least one content in response to the touch pattern when a touch pattern corresponding to at least one of a symbol, a letter and a number is input to one area of the touch screen And the control function is any one of a plurality of control functions for controlling the at least one content corresponding to the input touch pattern.

In an embodiment related to the present invention, the mobile terminal may further include a memory for storing together the plurality of control functions and at least one of symbols, letters, and numbers corresponding to each of the control functions. At this time, the control unit may output the list of control functions to the touch screen, and may edit at least one of the control functions output to the touch screen based on the user input.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, in response to the control command, the control unit may output information related to the control function to the touch screen. At this time, the information related to the control function may include at least one of a total number of contents selected based on the touch input, a name of the control function, and state information changed by the control function.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the touch input is a drag input that continues from a first point to a second point and forms a v-shaped or u-shaped locus, Can be selected.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the control unit may output a graphic object corresponding to a character input by the control command to the touch screen in response to the control command.

According to the present invention, since the first and second taps are continuously moved to generate the first and second traces, and the contents output in the area wrapped by the first and second trajectories can be selected, A plurality of contents can be selected in a simple manner.

Further, according to the present invention, a touch pattern corresponding to at least one of a symbol, a letter, and a number is input to one area of the touch screen, and a control function for the content is executed based on the touch pattern. New effects can be created that provide user experience (UX).

Further, according to the present invention, since the character corresponding to the specific control function and the specific control function can be stored in the memory and can be changed by user input, user convenience can be increased.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;
2A and 2B are perspective views showing the appearance of a mobile terminal according to the present invention.
3 is a flowchart showing a control method of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention
4 is a view for explaining a mobile terminal for selecting at least one content to be output to a touch screen according to an embodiment of the present invention;
5 is a view for explaining a mobile terminal that receives a touch pattern according to an embodiment of the present invention and executes a corresponding control function
6 to 8 are views illustrating an example of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a view for explaining a mobile terminal for outputting a graphic object corresponding to a touch pattern according to an embodiment of the present invention
10 to 12 are views for explaining a mobile terminal for editing a control command according to an embodiment of the present invention

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily carry out 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 order to clearly explain the present invention, parts not related to the description are omitted, and like parts are denoted by similar reference numerals 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 an embodiment of 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 sensed through the broadcast reception 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 can be configured to detect not only the position and area to be touched but also the touch pressure.

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 155'.

If there is a touch input through the touch screen 155, the corresponding signals 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.

When the touch screen 155 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 object. Such a touch screen 155 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, the proximity action is referred to as " proximity touch " while the sensing object is not touching the touch screen 155, and the act of contacting the sensing object with the touch screen 155 is referred to as &Quot; contact 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, Information corresponding to the presence or absence of the proximity touch and the proximity touch pattern may be output to the touch screen 155.

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. That is, the display unit 151 may include first and second surfaces to be overlapped, and the first and second surfaces may be configured as a transparent or light transmissive structure. 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. The display unit 151 may be referred to as a 'transparent display unit'.

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 sound 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 sound 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, 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 vibration and sound of various patterns that are output upon touch input on the touch screen 155.

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 or supplies power to each component in the mobile terminal 100 or transmits data to the 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 155 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 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 codes may be stored in the memory 160 and executed by the control unit 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, when the user's face is photographed and the photographed image is transmitted to the other party in real time, the size of the transmitted data can be reduced. 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.

Referring again to the touch screen 155 of the present invention, a plurality of contents can be output to the touch screen 155. At this time, the contents refer to all objects that can be displayed on the touch screen 155 of the mobile terminal 100. For example, the content may include a menu icon for selecting a function that can be performed in the mobile terminal 100, a multimedia icon for playing back the movie data or music data that can be played on the portable terminal, An image, a thumbnail image for displaying an image stored in the mobile terminal 100, a data name set for various data, and the like. The content may be displayed as an image or character.

The control unit 180 can select a plurality of contents output to the touch screen 155 based on the touch input. Further, at least one selected content can be controlled based on a touch pattern corresponding to at least one of a symbol, a letter and a number. This may mean executing control functions such as deleting, copying, sharing, transmitting, uploading to an external server, printing, and the like. Hereinafter, the control method of the mobile terminal for selecting and controlling the content output to the touch screen will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

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

Referring to FIG. 3, the control method of the mobile terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes outputting a plurality of contents to the touch screen 155 (S110). Next, a step S120 of sensing the first and second touches on the touch screen 155 may be performed. For example, first and second touches may be sensed at different points of the touch screen 155, respectively. The first and second touches may be sensed at the same time, or the remaining touches may be sensed in a state where a touch is sensed first.

Next, the first and second taps may sequentially move to generate the first and second trajectories (S130). The first and second touches can respectively move continuously from the starting point to the ending point. Accordingly, each touch can generate a locus from the start point to the end point, and the control unit 180 can calculate position information of the locus using the touch controller.

Next, a step S140 of selecting a content to be output in a region enclosed by the first and second trajectories of the plurality of contents may be performed. The control unit 180 may calculate the position information of the first and second trajectories and identify the area wrapped by the first and second trajectories. Then, it is possible to select a content to be output in an area wrapped by the first and second trajectories.

According to the present invention, it is possible to create an area wrapped in the first and second trajectories using the first and second taps, and to select the content to be output in that area. The user does not have to select a plurality of contents one by one, and since a plurality of contents can be selected by a simple method, user convenience can be increased.

Although not shown in the drawings, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the step of outputting at least one selected content and other contents may be performed. For example, when two contents are selected by the first and second touches while five contents are being output to the touch screen 155, the selected two contents and the remaining three contents can be distinguished and output have. There may be an example in which a different color is output to the border of the selected content, the selected content is moved at a fixed position, or the transparency of the selected content is changed.

In addition, a step of receiving a touch pattern corresponding to at least one of a symbol, a letter and a number may be performed in one area of the touch screen 155. In a state in which at least one content is selected, a touch pattern corresponding to at least one of a symbol, a letter and a number may be input to one area of the touch screen 155.

For example, the user can input a touch pattern corresponding to at least one of a symbol, a letter and a number to the touch screen 155 using a finger, a touch pen, or the like. At this time, the letters are not related to languages such as Korean, English, and Japanese. Also, uppercase and lowercase letters may or may not be distinguished. That is, "D" and "d" can be recognized as the same consonant or as other consonants.

In addition, a step of executing a control function corresponding to the touch pattern may be performed in response to the touch pattern. The control unit 180 can determine whether the input touch pattern corresponds to one of the touch patterns stored in the memory 160. [ If the touch pattern corresponds to one of the touch patterns stored in the memory 160, the corresponding control function can be performed. If it does not correspond to any one of them, a warning such as "a control command is input incorrectly" can be output to the touch screen 155 using a pop-up window.

That is, the user can control the content on the same principle as a short-cut shortcut to a touch pattern corresponding to at least one of a symbol, a letter and a number. A shortcut refers to an icon that you install on your desktop to conveniently run the program.

If the user inputs a touch pattern corresponding to at least one of a symbol, a letter, and a number on the touch screen 155 as if a program corresponding to the shortcut icon is clicked by clicking the shortcut icon, a control function corresponding to the touch pattern Lt; / RTI > A touch pattern corresponding to such a control function can be referred to as a 'shortcut touch pattern'.

In addition, since the shortcut icon is an icon, there is no effect on the program even if it is deleted or edited. Similarly, the user may add, edit, or delete shortcut touch patterns to memory 160. [ Details related to editing the shortcut touch pattern will be described later with reference to FIGS. 10 to 12.

The control function corresponding to the shortcut touch pattern and the shortcut touch pattern may be stored in the memory 160. [ For example, a touch pattern "c" corresponds to a function for copying content, and a touch pattern "b" can correspond to a function for uploading a content to a blog. That is, when the touch pattern "B" is input to the touch screen, the control unit 180 can upload the selected content to the blog.

The shortcut touch pattern can use the first consonant included in the name of the control function to enhance the intuitiveness of the user. For example, the letter corresponding to the "copy" function may be at least one of "f" and "c ". For the convenience of the user, a symbol such as "!" Or a number such as "3" can be used as a shortcut touch pattern.

According to the present invention, the user can execute a control function corresponding to the shortcut character by inputting the shortcut character on the touch screen 155. [ As a result, the intuitiveness of the user can be improved and the control function related to the content can be executed in a simple manner.

Further, according to the present invention, the interface for outputting the menu icon for executing the control function can be replaced with the user-centered design (UX) according to the present invention. That is, since the menu icons need not be output, the space of the touch screen can be used as a space for completely outputting the contents.

And, the complex process for executing the control function can be simply reduced. For example, three steps of "click menu → search for icon to execute among menu icons → click search icon" can be replaced by inputting a touch pattern corresponding to a control function to be executed.

4 is a diagram illustrating a mobile terminal for selecting at least one content to be output to a touch screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4A, the mobile terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a touch screen 155 for outputting a plurality of contents. The first touch 212 and the second touch 214 may be sensed on the touch screen 155 while a plurality of contents are being output. Thereafter, the first and second touches 212 and 214 move in succession and can produce a first trajectory 213 and a second trajectory 215, respectively.

At this time, the controller 180 may check the area 220 covered by the first and second trajectories 213 and 215. It can be said that the region formed between the first and second trajectories 213 and 215 is wrapped. However, the entire enclosed area need not necessarily be surrounded by the first and second trajectories.

For example, referring to FIG. 4A, first and second touches 212 and 214 are sensed adjacent to one side of the touch screen 155, and then continuously moved to the other side of the touch screen 155 And generate the first and second trajectories 213, 215. The control unit 180 controls the touch screen 155 and the other side of the touched touch screen 155 and the area 220 to be wrapped using the first and second traces 213 and 215 Can be determined.

4 (b), the first and second touches 232 and 234 are detected adjacent to the touch screen 155, and then continuously moved to one side of the touch screen 155, 1 < / RTI > and second trajectories 232,234. The control unit 180 may determine one side of the touched touch screen 155 and the area 220 to be wrapped using the first and second traces 213 and 215.

That is, the controller 180 can determine the area 220 to be wrapped using the edges of the touch screen 155 and the first and second traces 213 and 215.

When the area enclosed by the first and second trajectories is determined, the contents output to the enclosed area can be checked. The content output in the wrapped area may be at least one. When the first and second touches are released, the control unit 180 can select a content to be output in a region to be wrapped among a plurality of contents output to the touch screen 155. [ Thereafter, the selected function can be executed based on the user's input. The user's input for executing the control function will be described below with reference to Figs. 7 to 9.

In addition, the control unit 180 can output the content output from the area enclosed by the plurality of contents output to the touch screen 155, and other contents.

Although not shown in the drawing, generally, when a touch input is detected in a state where a plurality of contents are output to the touch screen 155, at least one content may be moved or its size may be changed according to a touch input sensed. However, according to the mobile terminal 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention, when the first and second touches are sensed, the position of each of the plurality of contents until the first and second touches are released The size may not change. That is, the controller 180 may keep the contents in a locked state such that the positions and sizes of the contents output to the touch screen 155 are not changed until the first and second taps are released.

5 is a diagram illustrating a mobile terminal that receives a touch pattern according to an embodiment of the present invention and executes a corresponding control function.

Referring to FIG. 5, the mobile terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a touch screen 155 outputting a plurality of contents. At this time, the controller 180 determines a region 320 to be wrapped based on the first and second taps 312 and 314, and can select a content to be output to the wrapped region 320. The selected content can be distinguished from other remaining content and output.

At this time, the user can input the shortcut touch pattern into at least one area of the touch screen 155. Referring to FIG. 5, an alphabetical character "C" may be input to the touch screen 155 with three contents selected.

Although not shown, the memory 160 of the mobile terminal 100 may store together a plurality of control functions related to control of contents and a touch pattern corresponding to each of the control functions.

For example, the "delete" function may be stored in the memory 160 together with at least one touch pattern of "g" In addition, you can copy, share, move, rotate to the right or left, send mail, print, print slide show, Various control functions such as a blog upload, a social network service, and the like can be stored together with a touch pattern associated with each control function.

At this time, the shortcut touch pattern corresponding to the control function may correspond to the first consonant among the phonemes constituting the name of the control function. As described above, regardless of the kind of the language, for example, the shortcut touch pattern corresponding to the "delete" function can be at least one of "g" and "D". In order to improve user convenience, shortcut characters can be changed in various ways, such as symbols and numbers.

The shortcut touch pattern corresponding to the control function can be used not only in at least one of a symbol, a letter and a number, but also a name of a control function itself. For example, when at least one of the words "delete "," delete ", and "delete" are input to the touch screen 155, a "delete ≪ / RTI > This may vary depending on what the shortcut touch pattern associated with the "delete" function in the memory 160 is stored as.

That is, the control unit 180 may compare the touch pattern input in response to the control command with the shortcut touch patterns stored in the memory 160. FIG. When the input touch pattern corresponds to any one of the shortcut touch patterns stored in the memory 160, the control function corresponding to the input touch pattern can be executed.

At this time, the control unit 180 may perform a control function on the selected content. Thus, at least one state can be changed with the selected content. For example, when the "delete" function is executed for the three contents selected from the five contents, the selected three contents can be deleted.

In addition, the controller 180 may output information 320 related to the control function to the touch screen 155 in response to the input touch pattern. Information 330 related to the control function may be output before or after the control function is executed, or simultaneously with the control function being executed.

For example, the information 330 related to the control function may include at least one of the total number of selected contents, the name of the control function, and the status information of the contents changed by the control function. 5, status information indicating that a control function called "copying " has been executed may be output to the touch screen 1550. Information related to the control function 330 may be output to the touch screen 155 in various manners depending on the control function.

6 to 8 are views illustrating an example of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a diagram illustrating a mobile terminal for selecting at least one content to be output to a touch screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6A, the first and second touches 402 and 404 are adjacent to each other and can be sensed in the first area 410 of the touch screen 155. The first and second touches 402 and 404 may be branched from the first area 410 and continuously move to the second area 420 of the touch screen. When the first and second touches 402 'and 404' that are moved are adjacent to each other in the second region 420 and then released, the control unit 180 controls the first and second touches 402 'and 404' The area 430 to be wrapped using the first and second trajectories can be determined.

Referring to FIG. 6B, two touches are sensed in the first area 440 and pinch-close to open in the first area 440 by moving at least one touch continuously. . Thereafter, the divided touches may be pinch-open to close in the second area 450 and released. The controller 180 can define the area 460 surrounded by the trajectories generated by the taps and select the content to be output to the area 460. [

7 is a diagram illustrating a mobile terminal that receives a touch pattern according to an embodiment of the present invention and executes a corresponding control function.

Referring to FIG. 7, a mobile terminal 100 is shown in which an area 530 to be wrapped by the touches is determined, and contents to be output to the wrapped area 530 are selected. At this time, a touch pattern 540 corresponding to at least one of a symbol, a letter, and a number may be input to the touch screen 155.

The control unit 180 analyzes the input touch pattern 540 and compares the input touch pattern 540 with the shortcut touch patterns stored in the memory 160. If the input touch pattern 540 is stored in the memory 160, the control function stored together can be executed on the selected content.

For example, "share" may be stored in the memory 160 with a shortcut touch pattern "S " and a corresponding control function. When "S" is input to the touch screen 155 with the touch pattern 540, the control unit 180 can execute a "share" When executing the "share" function, methods of sharing selected contents can be displayed in a pop-up window.

8 is a view for explaining a mobile terminal that outputs a control menu when a touch according to an embodiment of the present invention is released.

Referring to FIG. 8, the first and second taps are continuously moved from the first region 610 to the second region 620 to generate trajectories, and regions 630 to be wrapped by the trajectories are generated . The control unit 180 can select the content to be output in the wrapped area.

In this case, when the first and second touches are released in the second area 620, the control unit 180 may output the control menu 640 related to the selected content to one area of the touch screen 155.

The control menu 640 may output a list of control functions for controlling the selected content. For example, the control menu 640 may be output on a plurality of contents in a pop-up window.

Then, the user can select a control function to be executed from the list. In addition to the control functions described above with reference to FIG. 3, various control functions may be included in the control menu 640. For example, if the user selects a particular control function, have.

9 is a view for explaining a mobile terminal for outputting a graphic object corresponding to a touch pattern according to an embodiment of the present invention.

 Referring to FIG. 9, two contents 712 and 714 are selected based on the first and second trajectories 702 and 704 generated by the touches, and the selected contents can be displayed separately from the non-selected contents.

And a touch pattern 720 corresponding to at least one of a symbol, a letter, and a number may be input to one area of the touch screen 155. For example, a touch pattern called "D" may be input to the touch screen 155. At this time, the touch pattern "D" can correspond to the "delete" function. Accordingly, the control unit 180 can execute a "delete" function for the selected contents 712 and 714 in response to the input touch pattern.

At this time, the controller 180 may output the graphic object corresponding to the input touch pattern to the touch screen 155 in response to the input touch pattern. For example, the locus 722 of the touch pattern input to the touch screen 155 may be output as a graphic object. For another example, the name 724 of the control function corresponding to the input touch pattern may be output as a graphic object. For another example, changed state information after the control function has been executed may be output to the graphical object 726. [

10 to 12 are diagrams for explaining a mobile terminal for editing a control command according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 10, the mobile terminal 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a touch screen 155 that outputs a list of control functions stored in the memory 160.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a control function for controlling contents output to the touch screen 155 and a shortcut touch pattern corresponding to the control function may be stored together in the memory 160. [ After the content is selected by the first and second taps, a touch pattern may be input to the touch screen 155. At this time, the control unit 180 can execute a control function corresponding to the touch pattern in response to the input touch pattern.

The list of control functions may mean outputting the control functions stored in the memory 160 in a predetermined order. Each item included in the list may include at least one of a name of the control function, a description of the control function, and a shortcut touch pattern corresponding to the control function.

At this time, the control unit 180 may edit at least one of the control functions output to the touch screen 155 based on the user input. At this time, the edited item may be a shortcut touch pattern corresponding to the control function, not the control function. For example, the user can select one of the plurality of control functions stored in the memory 160 and edit the shortcut touch pattern corresponding to the selected one.

Referring to FIGS. 10A and 10B, in a state in which a list of control functions 810 is displayed on the touch screen 155, when the user input to the menu 812 is detected The user can output the menu 820 related to editing to the touch screen 155. [ The user can edit the shortcut touch pattern corresponding to the control function using the menu 820 related to editing.

11, the controller 180 can select any of the list of control functions 810 output to the touch screen 155 based on the touch input. In addition, the editing mode for any selected one can be executed. For example, the shortcut touch pattern corresponding to the "delete" function is "D", but the user can change the shortcut touch pattern to "g". Although not shown in the drawing, the user may change the shortcut touch pattern to various characters such as "delete "," delete ", and the like.

12 is a diagram for explaining a mobile terminal 100 that adds a character corresponding to a control function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 12, a user can add a character corresponding to a control function using a menu 820 related to editing output on the touch screen 155. For example, when a touch input for the "Add" icon is sensed, the control unit 180 may output at least one control function stored in the memory 160 as a list to the touch screen 155.

It is possible to select any one of the control functions for registering the shortcut touch pattern among the at least one control functions output to the list. The control unit 180 may change the output screen of the touch screen 155 to receive a shortcut touch pattern corresponding to any one of the control functions to be registered.

For example, the input window 850 of the shortcut touch pattern can be output to the touch screen 155. The user can input the shortcut character using the touch input in the shortcut character input window 280. [ In another example, a virtual keypad is output to the touch screen 155, and the user can input the shortcut touch pattern using the virtual keypad.

When a control function to be registered is selected and a shortcut touch pattern corresponding to the control function is inputted, the control unit 180 can add information about them to the memory 160. [ Thereafter, when a shortcut touch pattern added to the touch screen 155 is input, a control function corresponding to the input touch pattern can be executed for the selected content.

As described above, according to the present invention, the mobile terminal 100 registers a shortcut touch pattern corresponding to a control function to be executed and inputs a shortcut touch pattern to the touch screen 155 to correspond to a shortcut character A control function can be executed. Therefore, the control functions can be executed in a quick and simple way compared with the general method of executing the control function. In addition, since the user can register and edit various shortcut touch patterns according to the desire to use, the user's convenience can be improved.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims (15)

Outputting a plurality of contents to a touch screen;
Sensing first and second touches on the touch screen;
The first touch and the second touch continuously moving to generate first and second trajectories; And
And selecting a content to be output in an area enclosed by the first and second trajectories among the plurality of contents. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second touches include:
Wherein the first area of the touch screen is branched and released from the second area of the touch screen. The method according to claim 1,
Receiving a touch pattern corresponding to at least one of a symbol, a letter and a number in one area of the touch screen; And
And executing a control function corresponding to the touch pattern to the selected content in response to the touch pattern. 4. The touch screen of claim 3,
Wherein the first and second trajectories are regions covered by the first and second trajectories. The method of claim 3,
And outputting the graphic object corresponding to the touch pattern to the touch screen in response to the touch pattern. The method of claim 3,
And outputting at least one of the total number of the selected contents, the name of the control function, and the state information changed by the control function in response to the touch pattern to the touch screen as information related to the control function, / RTI > The method according to claim 1, wherein when the first and second touches are released,
And outputting a control menu associated with the selected content to one area of the touch screen. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising dividing the selected content and other content and outputting the separated content. The method according to claim 1,
Locking the contents so that the position and size of each of the plurality of contents are not changed until the first and second taps are released when the first and second touched are sensed, / RTI > A touch screen configured to output a plurality of contents and to detect a touch input; And
When first and second touches are sensed on the touch screen and the first and second touches continuously move to generate first and second loci,
And a controller for selecting a content to be output in an area wrapped by the first and second trajectories among the plurality of contents. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first and second touches comprise:
Wherein the touch screen is divided in a first area of the touch screen and released in a second area of the touch screen. 11. The apparatus according to claim 10,
Wherein a control function corresponding to the touch pattern is executed on the selected content when a touch pattern corresponding to at least one of a symbol, a letter and a number is inputted to one area of the touch screen. 13. The touch screen of claim 12,
Wherein the first and second trajectories are regions covered by the first and second trajectories. 11. The apparatus according to claim 10,
And outputs a control menu associated with the selected content to one area of the touch screen when the first and second touches are released. 11. The apparatus according to claim 10,
And locks the contents so that the position and size of each of the plurality of contents are not changed until the first and second taps are released, when the first and second touched are detected.

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