KR20150033301A - Terminal and operating method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for controlling the volume of a mobile terminal. A control unit determines the value of volume control trigger factors which induce volume control, and determines whether the value of the volume control trigger factors is changed or not. If the value of the volume control trigger factors is changed, the control unit determines whether a second volume set which is different with a first volume set applied before the value of the volume control trigger factors is changed is applied or not. If the second volume set is applied, the control unit determines that the volume of sound pressure of the second volume set is larger than or the same with the volume of sound pressure of the first volume set. If the volume of sound pressure of the second volume set is larger than or the same with the volume of sound pressure of the first volume set, the control unit changes the volume of sound pressure of the second volume set based on the volume of sound pressure of the first volume set or the volume of initial sound pressure corresponding to the second volume set. The volume control trigger factors include types of applications.

Description

[0001] TERMINAL AND OPERATING METHOD THEREOF [0002]

The present invention relates to a terminal and an operation method thereof, and more particularly to a volume control of a mobile terminal.

Due to the development of technology, a mobile terminal is used not only for a communication purpose but also for various purposes such as playing multimedia files such as music, video, and playing a game.

However, the magnitude of the sound output sound pressure of the mobile terminal according to the volume level in various applications varies according to application characteristics. Therefore, each application has a volume setting for each application. Therefore, when the application is automatically switched as in the case of receiving a telephone while playing a multimedia file, the user may be unable to adjust the volume setting of the converted application and may be surprised at the sudden increase in the sound output sound pressure. Users also connect audio output accessories such as earphones, headphones, etc. to mobile terminals so as not to disturb others in public places such as buses and subways. When using a mobile terminal with a sound output accessory connected, sudden changes in the magnitude of the sound output sound pressure are even more problematic. There is a need for a method of operating a mobile terminal and a mobile terminal that can solve such a problem.

One embodiment of the present invention provides a method of operating a mobile terminal and a mobile terminal that efficiently control a volume.

A method for controlling a volume of a mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: determining a value of a volume control trigger parameter that causes volume control; Determining whether the value of the volume control trigger parameter has changed; Determining whether a second volume setting different from the first volume setting applied before the value of the volume control trigger parameter is changed when the value of the volume control trigger parameter is changed; Determining whether a magnitude of the sound pressure of the second volume setting is greater than or equal to a magnitude of the sound pressure of the first volume setting when the second volume setting is applied; And when the magnitude of the sound pressure of the second volume setting is equal to or greater than the magnitude of the sound pressure of the first volume setting, the magnitude of the sound pressure of the second volume setting is set to the magnitude of the sound pressure of the first volume setting, And changing the second volume setting based on the magnitude of the initial sound pressure corresponding to the volume control trigger parameter, wherein the volume control trigger parameter includes the type of the application.

One embodiment of the present invention provides an operation method of a mobile terminal and a mobile terminal that efficiently control a volume according to an application and a situation.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows the number of volume steps and the magnitude of sound pressure according to the volume level of the multimedia file playing application and the call application according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
3 illustrates a volume control operation of a mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 illustrates that the mobile terminal informs the user of the volume control through a pop-up message after the volume control according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily carry out 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 illustrate the present invention, parts not related to the description are omitted, and similar parts are denoted by like reference characters throughout the specification.

Also, when an element is referred to as "comprising ", it means that it can include other elements as well, without departing from the other elements unless specifically stated otherwise.

1 is a block diagram illustrating 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 160, A controller 170, a controller 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, components 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 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 DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) or an ESG (Electronic Service Guide) of Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H).

For example, the broadcast receiving module 111 may be a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Terrestrial (DMB-T), a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Satellite (DMB-S), a Media Forward Link Only And a Digital Broadcasting System (ISDB-T) (Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial). Of course, the broadcast receiving module 111 may be adapted to other broadcasting systems 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 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 in response to a voice signal, a video call signal, or a text / multimedia message transmission / reception.

The wireless Internet module 113 is a module for wireless Internet access, and may be built in or externally attached to the mobile terminal 100. 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 is a module for short-range communication. Bluetooth, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), Ultra Wideband (UWB), ZigBee, and the like can be used as a short range communication technology.

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

Referring to FIG. 1, an A / V (Audio / Video) input unit 120 is for inputting an audio signal or a video signal, and may include a camera 121 and a microphone 122. The camera 121 processes image frames such as still images or moving images obtained by the image sensor in the video 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 160 or transmitted to the outside through the wireless communication unit 110. [ Two or more cameras 121 may be provided depending on the use environment.

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

The user input unit 130 generates input data for a user to control the operation of the terminal. The user input unit 130 may include a key pad dome switch, a touch pad (static / 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. It is also possible to sense 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 a proximity sensor 141.

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

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

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

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

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

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

If there is a touch input to the touch sensor, the corresponding signal (s) is sent to the touch controller. The touch controller processes the signal (s) and transmits the corresponding data to the controller 180. 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 141 may be disposed in an inner region of the mobile terminal or in the vicinity of the touch screen, which is surrounded by the touch screen. The proximity sensor 141 is a sensor that detects the presence or absence of an object approaching a predetermined detection surface or in the vicinity thereof without mechanical contact by using 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. 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 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 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 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 may be output through the display unit 151 or the audio output module 152 so that they may be classified as a part of the alarm unit 153.

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

The haptic module 154 can be implemented not only to transmit the tactile effect through the direct contact but also to allow the user to feel the tactile effect through the muscular sensation of the 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 160 may store a program for the operation of the controller 180 and temporarily store input / output data (e.g., a phone book, a message, a still image, a moving picture, etc.). The memory 160 may store data on vibration and sound of various patterns outputted when a touch is input on the touch screen.

The memory 160 may be a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (for example, SD or XD memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), PROM A disk, and / or an optical disk. The mobile terminal 100 may operate in association with a web storage that performs a storage function of the memory 160 on the Internet.

The interface unit 170 serves as a path for communication with all external devices connected to the mobile terminal 100. The interface unit 170 receives data from an external device or supplies power to each component in the mobile terminal 100 or transmits data to the 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 controller 180 typically controls the overall operation of the mobile terminal. For example, voice communication, data communication, video communication, and the like. The control unit 180 may include a multimedia module 181 for multimedia playback. The multimedia module 181 may be implemented in the control unit 180 or may be implemented separately from the control unit 180. [

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

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

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

According to a hardware implementation, the embodiments described herein may be implemented as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays May be implemented using at least one of processors, controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, and other electronic units for performing other functions. In some cases, May be implemented by the control unit 180.

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. The software codes are stored in the memory 160 and can be executed by the control unit 180. [

FIG. 2 shows the number of volume steps and the magnitude of sound pressure according to the volume level of a multimedia file playing application and a call application according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 2 (a) shows the magnitude of the sound pressure corresponding to the volume level of the multimedia file playing application of the mobile terminal 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention. 2B shows the magnitude of the sound pressure corresponding to the volume level of the call application of the mobile terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

If the sound pressure of the sound output of the mobile terminal 100 is excessively large, the user using the sound output may be damaged. Therefore, in order to prevent hearing damage of the user, a standard for the magnitude of the sound pressure of the sound output of the mobile terminal 100 (CE Safety, EN50332_1, etc.) is established for each country or region. Manufacturers of the mobile terminal 100 must manufacture the mobile terminal 100 in accordance with this standard. Therefore, the multimedia file playing application of the mobile terminal 100 operates according to this standard. However, the number of volume steps and the magnitude of the sound pressure according to the volume level may vary depending on the characteristics of each application.

In addition, the communication companies providing the communication network used by the mobile terminal 100 have their own standards regarding the call volume. Accordingly, the manufacturers of the mobile terminal 100 must set the number of volume steps of the voice application and the magnitude of the sound pressure corresponding to the volume level according to the standard of the communication volume of each communication company when the mobile terminal 100 is manufactured. Thus, each application can have a different volume setting. Therefore, if the volume setting is separately set for each application, as described above, since the volume setting for the converted application is not changed at the time of application switching, the size of the suddenly increased sound pressure is surprised. Also, the volume size setting is usually adjusted according to the size of the external noise users. The size of the external noise differs depending on the place and time when the mobile terminal 100 is used. Therefore, if the volume setting is separately set for each application and the current environment is different from the environment in which the currently executing application is last executed, the user has to set the volume for the application again.

In order to solve such a problem, the mobile terminal 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention may adjust the volume based on the volume level at the time of application switching. Specifically, the mobile terminal 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may maintain the same volume level or adjust the volume level according to a ratio of the current volume level to the total volume level. When the mobile terminal 100 adjusts the volume based on the volume level, when switching between applications, the user must re-adjust the volume adjusted for the previous application. In addition, the user can appeal to the ear pain due to the sudden increase in the sound output sound pressure. In particular, as in the embodiment of FIG. 2, the magnitude of the sound pressure corresponding to the volume level of the call application is generally set larger than the sound pressure level corresponding to the volume level of the multimedia file playback application. A large problem may arise if the application is automatically switched to a call application. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, when the multimedia file is reproduced by adjusting the volume to 8 levels, the phone is received and converted to the calling application. If the volume level is adjusted to 5 levels by the ratio of the volume level and the total volume level. The user will hear sound that is about four times larger in sound pressure than when playing a multimedia file. Especially when the user uses an acoustic output accessory such as an earphone, a change in the magnitude of the sound output sound pressure becomes a big problem. 3 to 4, an operation method of the mobile terminal 100 and the mobile terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, which can solve such a problem, will be described.

3 illustrates a volume control operation of a mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The controller 180 determines a value of a volume control trigger factor (S101). The volume control trigger argument can cause a change in the volume setting, thereby causing volume control of the control unit 180. The volume control trigger parameter may include at least one of an application type, location information, connection of a sound output accessory, type of a sound output accessory, and time information. In this case, the time information may include at least one of a date, a day of the week, and a time of day. Different volume settings may be applied depending on the type of application as described above. In addition to this, other volume settings can be applied depending on the location information, the connection of the audio output accessories, and the type of audio output accessory. Accordingly, when another volume setting is applied, the controller 180 needs to control the volume of the mobile terminal 100. If the volume control trigger argument includes position information, the control unit 180 may receive the position information from the position information module 115. If the volume control trigger argument includes the type of the application, the control unit 180 determines the type of the currently executed application. If the volume control trigger argument includes time information, the control unit 180 may receive time information from the clock application. The control unit 180 controls the output of the sound output accessory (not shown) connected to the interface unit 170 via the sensing unit 140, such that the sound output accessory is connected to the sound output accessory Can be detected. The audio output accessory may include an earphone, a headphone, a headset, a hands-free device, and the like. Even if it is an earphone, it can be recognized as a different kind of sound output accessory if there is a difference in the specific structure. For example, the earphone model A and the earphone model B, which have different internal structures, can be viewed as different types of sound output accessories. In a specific embodiment, the audio output accessory may be connected to the mobile terminal 100 via Bluetooth or WiFi.

The control unit 180 determines whether the volume control trigger parameter value has been changed (S103). At this time, the controller 180 may read the value of the previous volume control trigger parameter from the memory 160. In the specific embodiment, if the volume control trigger parameter includes the type of the application, the control unit 180 can determine whether the type of the application has been changed. For example, the control unit 180 may determine whether an application has been switched from the multimedia file playback application to the call application. Or whether the game application has been switched to the call application. In another specific embodiment, when the volume control trigger parameter includes position information, the controller 180 may determine whether the position information has been changed. For example, the control unit 180 may determine whether the location information has changed from work to home. In another specific embodiment, when the volume control trigger parameter includes time information, the controller 180 may determine whether the time information has changed. For example, the control unit 180 may determine whether the time information has changed from Monday to Tuesday. In another specific embodiment, if the volume control trigger factor includes a connection of a sound output accessory, the control unit 180 may determine whether the sound output accessory is connected to the mobile terminal. In another specific embodiment, if the volume control trigger argument includes the type of sound output accessory connected to mobile terminal 100, controller 180 may determine whether the type of sound output accessory connected to terminal 100 has changed have. For example, the control unit 180 can determine whether the earphone connected to the mobile terminal 100 is removed and the handsfree is connected.

If the trigger parameter value is changed, the controller 180 determines whether the volume control trigger parameter value is included in the trigger reference range before the trigger parameter value change (S105). The trigger reference range is a range of the value of the volume control trigger factor on which the volume control of the controller 180 is triggered. The trigger reference range may have a plurality of trigger reference ranges. Different volume settings can be applied depending on each trigger reference range. At this time, the controller 180 determines whether the volume control trigger value is included in a trigger reference range other than the trigger reference value before the trigger value change. In a specific embodiment, when the volume control trigger argument includes the type of the application, the control unit 180 determines whether the currently executed application corresponds to an application that triggers the volume control and corresponds to a trigger reference range different from the pre-change application have. Specifically, the application type of the trigger reference range may include at least one of a call application, a multimedia file playback application, a streaming player application, a digital broadcast receiving application, and a game application. The multimedia file playback application includes a video playback application and a music player application. Accordingly, if the currently running application is a call application and the previous application is a multimedia file playback application, the control unit 180 can determine whether the call application and the multimedia file playback application are included in different trigger reference ranges.

In another specific embodiment, when the volume control trigger parameter includes positional information, the control unit 180 may determine whether the measured positional information is included in an area range of the trigger reference range and is different from the trigger reference value change trigger reference range . Specifically, the area range of the trigger reference range can be set using at least one of concrete locations such as school, house, and the like, addresses on the administrative area, and coordinates including longitude and latitude. Accordingly, the controller 180 can determine whether the value of the local information has changed from school to home and the school and house are included in different trigger reference ranges.

In another specific embodiment, when the volume control trigger parameter includes time information, the controller 180 may determine whether the measured time information is included in the trigger reference range before the time information change. Specifically, the time information range of the trigger reference range may be a specific time zone such as 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. The time information range of a particular trigger reference range may be a specific day of the week, such as Sunday.

In another specific embodiment, if the volume control trigger factor includes a connection of a sound output accessory, the control unit 180 may determine if the sound output accessory is connected.

In another specific embodiment, if the volume control trigger factor includes the type of acoustic output accessory to which it is connected, the controller 180 may determine whether the earphone is disconnected and headphones included in the ear trigger and other trigger reference ranges are connected .

The control unit 180 receives the user input relating to the trigger reference range and can set the trigger reference range based on the user input. The trigger reference range may be set by the manufacturer of the mobile terminal 100 during manufacture of the mobile terminal 100. [

If the volume control trigger factor value is included in a trigger reference range that is different from the trigger reference range before the trigger parameter value is changed, the controller 180 determines that the volume of the sound pressure of the current volume setting does not exceed the volume control trigger parameter value before the value of the volume control trigger parameter is changed Is greater than or equal to the sound pressure value (S107).

If the magnitude of the sound pressure of the current volume setting is greater than or equal to the sound pressure value of the volume setting before the value of the volume control trigger parameter is changed, the controller 180 determines the magnitude of the sound pressure of the current volume setting, The current volume setting is changed based on the sound pressure value of the entire volume setting or the size of the initial sound pressure corresponding to the trigger range (S109). In a specific embodiment, the controller 180 may change the magnitude of the sound pressure of the current volume setting to be equal to or smaller than the magnitude of the sound pressure before the volume control trigger factor value is changed. For example, the control unit 180 may change the current volume setting to the volume level of the current volume setting having a magnitude of sound pressure smaller than that of the sound pressure before the volume control trigger argument value is changed. In another specific embodiment, the controller 180 may change the current volume setting to the volume level of the current volume setting having the magnitude of the sound pressure closest to the magnitude of the sound pressure before the volume control trigger factor value is changed.

In another specific embodiment, the control unit 180 may change the volume setting based on the magnitude of the initial sound pressure corresponding to the trigger range, that is, the magnitude of the initial sound pressure corresponding to the current volume setting. The control unit 180 may change the current volume setting to the volume level of the current volume setting having a magnitude of sound pressure smaller than the size of the initial sound pressure corresponding to the trigger range. In another specific embodiment, the controller 180 may change the current volume setting to the volume level of the current volume setting having the magnitude of the sound pressure most approximate to the magnitude of the initial sound pressure corresponding to the trigger range.

The control unit 180 determines whether there is volume adjustment by the user (S111). Specifically, the control unit 180 determines whether there is volume adjustment based on user input rather than volume control triggered by the volume control trigger argument. At this time, the user input may be the user input through the touch input and the button input.

If there is volume adjustment by the user, the controller 180 generates a record of the volume adjustment by the user (S113). Specifically, the control unit 180 may generate a record that includes the volume level adjusted by the user and the magnitude of the sound pressure corresponding to the volume level. The control unit 180 may also generate a record containing the value of the current volume control trigger factor. Specifically, when the volume control trigger argument includes the type of the application, the control unit 180 can generate a record including the type of the application currently being executed. Specifically, when the volume control trigger parameter includes position information, the control unit 180 receives the position information from the position information module 115 and generates a record including the position information. Specifically, when the volume control trigger parameter includes time information, the control unit 180 may receive time information from the clock application to generate a record including time information. At this time, the control unit 180 may store the generated record in the memory 160. FIG. Specifically, when the volume control trigger factor includes the type of the sound output accessory connected to the mobile terminal 100, the control unit 180 receives the identifier of the sound output accessory from the sensing unit 140, Can generate a record that includes.

The control unit 180 changes the magnitude of the initial sound pressure corresponding to the trigger reference range based on the record of the volume adjustment by the user (S113). The control unit 180 may change the magnitude of the initial sound pressure corresponding to the current trigger reference range to the magnitude of the sound pressure corresponding to the volume level changed by the user. In another specific embodiment, the controller 180 may change the magnitude of the set sound pressure corresponding to the trigger reference range based on the magnitude of the sound pressure of the volume step changed by the user and the magnitude of the set sound pressure corresponding to the trigger reference range. For example, the control unit 180 may change the magnitude of the sound pressure corresponding to the trigger reference range by averaging the magnitude of the sound pressure of the volume step changed by the user and the magnitude of the sound pressure corresponding to the trigger reference range. In another specific embodiment, the controller 180 may average the magnitudes of the sound pressure of the volume steps changed by the user for a certain period of time, and may set the average value as the magnitude of the initial sound pressure corresponding to the current trigger reference range have. The controller 180 may read the volume adjustment record stored in the memory 160 for this purpose.

The volume control operation of the mobile terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention prevents the sudden increase in the sound pressure of the sound output of the mobile terminal 100. [ Therefore, even if the mobile terminal 100 selectively applies a plurality of volume settings depending on the type of application or the connection of the sound output device, it is possible to prevent the user from being surprised by the sudden increase in the sound output sound pressure.

4 shows that the mobile terminal informs the user about the volume control through the pop-up message after the volume control according to the embodiment of the present invention.

When the control unit 180 performs volume control according to an embodiment of the present invention, the volume can be changed without user input. Therefore, the user can be confused, so that the control unit 180 can notify the user that the volume setting has been changed by volume control. In a specific embodiment, the control unit 180 may indicate that the volume setting has been changed through a pop-up message. At this time, the control unit 180 may display a volume display window 201 for displaying the changed volume. In yet another specific embodiment, the controller 180 may output a short beep to inform the user that the volume has changed. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the control unit 180 displays a pop-up message 203 indicating that the volume has been automatically adjusted to prevent hearing damage to the user. In addition, the control unit 180 displays a volume display window 201 for displaying the changed volume.

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

The mobile terminal described above can be applied to not only the configuration and method of the embodiments described above but also all or some of the embodiments may be selectively combined so that various modifications may be made to the embodiments It is possible.

Claims (10)

A method for controlling a volume of a mobile terminal,
Determining a value of a volume control trigger parameter that causes volume control;
Determining whether the value of the volume control trigger parameter has changed;
Determining whether a second volume setting different from the first volume setting applied before the value of the volume control trigger parameter is changed when the value of the volume control trigger parameter is changed;
Determining whether a magnitude of the sound pressure of the second volume setting is greater than or equal to a magnitude of the sound pressure of the first volume setting when the second volume setting is applied; And
When the magnitude of the sound pressure of the second volume setting is equal to or greater than the magnitude of the sound pressure of the first volume setting, the magnitude of the sound pressure of the second volume setting is set to the magnitude of the sound pressure of the first volume setting, And changing the second volume setting based on a magnitude of a corresponding initialization sound pressure,
The volume control trigger argument may include a type of application
Volume control method. The method according to claim 1,
The step of changing the second volume setting based on the magnitude of the sound pressure of the second volume setting based on the magnitude of the sound pressure of the first volume setting or the magnitude of the initial sound pressure corresponding to the second volume setting
Changing the second volume setting to a volume level of the second volume setting having a magnitude of sound pressure equal to or less than the magnitude of the sound pressure of the first volume setting
Volume control method. The method according to claim 1,
The step of changing the second volume setting based on the magnitude of the sound pressure of the second volume setting based on the magnitude of the sound pressure of the first volume setting or the magnitude of the initial sound pressure corresponding to the second volume setting
Changing the second volume setting to a volume level of the second volume setting having a magnitude of sound pressure most approximate to a magnitude of the sound pressure of the first volume setting
Volume control method. The method according to claim 1,
The step of changing the second volume setting based on the magnitude of the sound pressure of the second volume setting based on the magnitude of the sound pressure of the first volume setting or the magnitude of the initial sound pressure corresponding to the second volume setting
Changing the second volume setting to a volume step of the second volume setting having a magnitude of sound pressure equal to or smaller than a magnitude of the initial sound pressure corresponding to the second volume setting
Volume control method. 5. The method of claim 4,
Generating a record of volume adjustments by the user; And
And changing the magnitude of the initial sound pressure corresponding to the second volume setting based on the record of the volume adjustment by the user
Volume control method. 6. The method of claim 5,
Wherein the step of generating a record for volume adjustment by the user comprises:
Generating a record comprising a magnitude of sound pressure corresponding to the volume step adjusted by the user,
Wherein the step of changing the magnitude of the initial sound pressure corresponding to the second volume setting based on the record of the volume adjustment by the user
Changing the magnitude of the initial sound pressure corresponding to the second volume setting to the magnitude of the sound pressure of the volume step changed by the user
Volume control method. 6. The method of claim 5,
Wherein the step of generating a record for volume adjustment by the user comprises:
Generating a record comprising a magnitude of sound pressure corresponding to the volume step adjusted by the user,
Wherein the step of changing the magnitude of the initial sound pressure corresponding to the second volume setting based on the record of the volume adjustment by the user
Averaging magnitudes of sound pressure of the volume steps changed by the user for a predetermined period to generate an average value;
Changing the magnitude of the initial sound pressure corresponding to the second volume setting to the average value
Volume control method. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the volume control trigger argument further comprises position information
Volume control method. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the volume control trigger factor further comprises whether to connect a sound output accessory
Volume control method. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the volume control trigger argument further comprises time information
Volume control method.

Images