KR20150043831A - Terminal and operating method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A mobile terminal can be combined with a terminal case including a full cover with a full cutting unit. The mobile terminal comprises: a display unit; a full cover condition sensing unit which senses conditions of the full cover; a color sensor which detects color of the full cover; and a control unit which controls the display unit based on the conditions and color of the full cover.

Description

[0001] TERMINAL AND OPERATING METHOD THEREOF [0002]

The present invention relates to a terminal and its operating method, and more particularly to the setting of an application in a terminal.

A terminal can be divided into a mobile terminal (mobile / portable terminal) and a stationary terminal according to whether the terminal can be moved. 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.

Such a terminal has various functions, for example, in the form of a multimedia device having multiple functions such as photographing and photographing of a moving picture, reproduction of a music or video file, reception of a game and broadcasting, etc. .

In order to protect the mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is dropped, the mobile terminal may be used in combination with the terminal case.

As the use ratio of the terminal case increases, such a terminal case requires a function for user convenience beyond the protection function of the mobile terminal.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a terminal providing a user interface intuitively and easily compatible with a terminal case without a complicated procedure and an operation method of the terminal.

In one embodiment, a mobile terminal capable of engaging with a terminal case including a front cover having a front incision part comprises: a display part; A front cover state sensing unit for sensing a state of the front cover; A color sensor for detecting the color of the front cover; And a controller for controlling the display unit based on the state of the front cover and the color of the front cover.

In one embodiment, a method of operating a mobile terminal capable of engaging with a terminal case including a front cover having a front cutout includes sensing a state of the front cover; Detecting color of the front cover through a color sensor; And controlling the display unit based on the state of the front cover and the color of the front cover.

The terminal according to various embodiments of the present invention can provide a user interface that matches the terminal case intuitively and easily without a complicated procedure.

1 is a block diagram of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a perspective view illustrating a terminal case with a front cover opened in a state where a mobile terminal is not coupled according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a perspective view illustrating a state where a mobile terminal and a terminal case are coupled in a state that the terminal case is opened according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a state where a mobile terminal and a terminal case are coupled in a state where the terminal case is closed according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a front view showing a state in which a mobile terminal and a terminal case are coupled in a state that the terminal case according to the embodiment of the present invention is closed. FIG.
6 shows a structure of a proximity sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention and a peripheral structure thereof.
7 shows a structure of a proximity sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention and its peripheral structure.
8 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a flowchart illustrating a method of detecting a color of a front cover according to an embodiment of the present invention.
10 is a flowchart showing a method of detecting a color of a front cover according to another embodiment of the present invention.

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

The mobile terminal described in this specification may include a mobile phone, a smart phone, a laptop computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants), a PMP (Portable Multimedia Player), and navigation. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the configuration according to the embodiments described herein may be applied to a fixed terminal such as a digital TV, a desktop computer, and the like, unless the configuration is applicable only to a mobile terminal.

Hereinafter, a structure of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

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

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

Hereinafter, the components will be described in order.

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

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

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

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

The broadcast-related information may exist in various forms. For example, an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) of 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 depending on a voice call 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 refers to a module for short-range communication. Bluetooth, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), Ultra Wideband (UWB), ZigBee, and the like can be used as 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.

The sensing unit 140 may include a proximity sensor 141, an optical sensor 142, a front cover state sensing unit 143, and a touch sensor 144.

The optical sensor 142 can sense the optical characteristics, and in particular, the optical sensor 142 can sense the optical characteristics of the front cover. The light sensor 142 may include another proximity sensor, a color sensor, a visible light intensity sensor, an infrared light intensity sensor, an image sensor, and a reflectance sensor.

The front cover state sensing unit 143 can sense the state of the front cover. In particular, the front cover state sensing unit 143 can detect whether the front cover is in a closed state or in an open state.

In this case, a magnetic body is provided on the front cover, and the hall sensor senses a change in the magnetic field due to a change in the state of the front cover to detect the state of the front cover. have.

The front cover state sensing unit 143 may include a plurality of visible light intensity sensing electrodes disposed two-dimensionally and a gesture sensor formed of a proximity sensor 141. In this case, The state of the front cover can be sensed based on the sensing values sensed by the proximity sensor 141 and the plurality of visible light intensity sensing electrodes when the state of the cover is changed.

The front cover state sensing unit 143 may include an acceleration sensor. In this case, the front cover state sensing unit 143 can detect the state of the front cover based on the acceleration value according to the inherent impact when the state of the front cover is changed.

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), a flexible display display, and a 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 (hereinafter, referred to as a 'touch sensor') 144 It can be used as an input device in addition to an output device. The touch sensor 144 may have the form of, for example, a touch film, a touch sheet, a touch pad, or the like.

The touch sensor 144 may be configured to convert a change in a pressure applied to a specific portion of the display portion 151 or a capacitance generated in a specific portion of the display portion 151 into an electrical input signal. The touch sensor 144 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 144, 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 refers to a sensor that detects the presence of an object approaching a predetermined detection surface or an object existing in the vicinity of the detection surface without mechanical contact using an electromagnetic force or an infrared ray. 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) 144 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. [

Next, a terminal case according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5. FIG.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a terminal case with a front cover opened in a state where a mobile terminal is not coupled according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a mobile terminal, FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a mobile terminal and a terminal case coupled to each other in a state where the terminal case according to the embodiment of the present invention is closed, FIG. 5 is a perspective view FIG. 3 is a front view showing a state in which the mobile terminal and the terminal case are coupled while the terminal case is closed.

2 to 5, the terminal case 200 includes a front cover 210, a rear cover 220, and a mobile terminal fixing unit 230.

The proximity sensor 141, the optical sensor 142, the front cover state sensing unit 143, the display unit 151, and the sound output module 152 are exposed on the front surface of the mobile terminal 100.

The front cover 210 may be a plate-like opaque member having a shape corresponding to the front surface of the mobile terminal 100 and protecting the front surface of the mobile terminal 100.

The front cover 210 may be provided with a first front cutout 211, a second front cutout 212, a third front cutout 213 and a front cover magnetic body 215.

The first front cutout 211 is formed by cutting a part of the front cover 210. In a state where the front cover 210 is closed, the first front cutout part 211 exposes a part of the display part 151. Accordingly, the user may view an image or an image displayed on a part of the display unit 151 of the mobile terminal 100 through the first front cutout unit 211, or may perform touch input.

The second front incision part 212 is formed by cutting a part of the front cover 210. The second front cutout portion 212 exposes the sound output module 152 when the front cover 210 is closed. Accordingly, the user can hear the sound output from the sound output module 152 of the mobile terminal 100 through the second front cutout 212. [

The third front incision 213 is formed by cutting a part of the front cover 210. When the front cover 210 is closed, the third front cutout 213 exposes the proximity sensor 141. Accordingly, the mobile terminal 100 can detect the approach of the object by using the proximity sensor 141 through the third front cutout 213.

Two or more of the first frontal incision 211, the second frontal incision 212 and the third frontal incision 213 may be made of a single Can be implemented as an incision. In particular, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the second front incision part 212 and the third front incision part 213 can be realized as a single incision part.

In consideration of the strength and design of the front cover 210, the front cover 210 may have various materials and colors.

In one embodiment, some or all of the first frontal incision 211, the second frontal incision 212, and the third frontal incision 213 may be left uncut and thus have no members. In yet another embodiment, some or all of the first frontal incision 211, the second frontal incision 212, and the third frontal incision 213 may be filled with a transparent member.

A front cover magnetic body 215 may be mounted on the front cover 210. The front cover 210 may be a permanent magnet. When the front cover magnetic body 215 is mounted on the front cover 210, the magnetic field changes as the front cover 210 is opened and closed. The control unit 180 of the mobile terminal 100 may detect the state of the front cover through the front cover state sensing unit 143 when the front cover state sensing unit 143 is a sensor, It is possible to detect whether the open / closed state is the open state or the closed state.

The surface of the front cover 210 which contacts the front surface of the mobile terminal 100 may be subjected to static electricity prevention processing to prevent unintended touch input by the user. A material for preventing generation of static electricity may be applied to the front cover 210 or a film for preventing generation of static electricity may be attached to the front cover 210 for preventing the generation of static electricity.

The rear cover 220 protects the rear surface of the mobile terminal 100.

The mobile terminal fixing unit 230 provides fixing of the terminal case 200 and the mobile terminal 100.

On the other hand, the optical sensor 142 may be disposed adjacent to the proximity sensor 141. Specifically, the proximity sensor 141 and the optical sensor 142 may be disposed in the same direction with respect to the display unit 151. In the embodiment of Fig. 3, both the proximity sensor 141 and the optical sensor 142 are disposed in the upper direction with respect to the display unit 151. [ The proximity sensor 141 and the optical sensor 142 may be disposed in the same direction with respect to the vertical center line 21 of the mobile terminal 100. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, in the embodiment of FIG. 3, both the proximity sensor 141 and the optical sensor 142 are disposed in the leftward direction with respect to the display portion 151. At this time, the proximity sensor 141 may be disposed closer to the vertical center line 21 of the mobile terminal 100 than the optical sensor 142. The second front incision part 212 and the third front incision part 213 (see FIG. 3) are arranged such that the front cover 210 covers the optical sensor 142 but does not cover the proximity sensor 141 when the front cover 210 is closed. Can be easily designed. More specifically, the distance between the center point of the optical sensor 142 and the center point of the proximity sensor 141 is 20% (more specifically, 15% or 10% of the length of the short side of the transverse side and longitudinal side of the mobile terminal 100) Or 5%).

6 and 7, a structure of a proximity sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention and a peripheral structure thereof will be described.

6 shows a structure of a proximity sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention and a peripheral structure thereof.

6, the proximity sensor 141 includes a substrate 31, a light emitting element 32, and a light receiving element 33. The mobile terminal 100 includes a shock absorber 41, a partition wall 42, , And a windshield (43).

The substrate 31 mounts the light emitting element 32 and the light receiving element 33.

The light emitting element 32 is mounted on the substrate 31 and irradiates light for confirming the proximity state of the object. In particular, the light emitting element 32 can emit infrared light.

The light receiving element 33 is mounted on the substrate 31. The light receiving element 33 receives the emitted light generated by reflecting the light irradiated by the light emitting element 32 and generates a signal according to the intensity of the received light. In particular, the light receiving element 33 can receive the infrared light and sense the illuminance of the infrared light. As will be described later, the light receiving element 33 may include an infrared light intensity sensor. In particular, the light receiving element 33 may further include a visible light illuminance sensor. The visible light illuminance sensor may include a red light illuminance sensor, a green light illuminance sensor, a blue light illuminance sensor, and a clear light illuminance sensor.

The partition wall 42 generates a path of light irradiated by the light emitting element 32 and a path of light to be received by the light receiving element 33.

The shock absorber 41 prevents the proximity sensor 141, particularly the substrate 31, from being damaged by the pressure applied to the windshield 43.

In particular, the proximity sensor 141 of FIG. 6 can also detect proximity as well as proximity, and is therefore also referred to as a muscle strength sensor.

6, the light receiving element 33 includes an optical sensor 142, and the optical sensor 142 includes a color sensor and an infrared illuminance sensor.

The color sensor includes a red light intensity sensor, a green light intensity sensor, a blue light intensity sensor, and a clear light intensity sensor. The color sensor can sense the color of light entering the color sensor. In addition, the color sensor can sense the illuminance of the light entering the color sensor.

The red light intensity sensor includes one or more red light intensity sensing electrodes. Each red light intensity sensing electrode can sense the intensity of the red light. The plurality of red light intensity sensing electrodes of the red light intensity sensor may be two-dimensionally arranged.

The green light intensity sensor includes one or two or more green light intensity sensing electrodes. Each green light intensity sensing electrode can sense the illuminance of the green light. The plurality of green light intensity sensing electrodes of the green light intensity sensor may be two-dimensionally arranged.

The blue light intensity sensor includes one or two or more blue light intensity sensing electrodes. Each blue light intensity sensing electrode can sense the intensity of blue light. The plurality of blue light intensity sensing electrodes of the blue light intensity sensor can be two-dimensionally arranged.

The clear light intensity sensor includes one or two or more clear light intensity sensing electrodes. Each clear light intensity sensing electrode can sense the illuminance of the clear light. The plurality of clear light intensity sensing electrodes of the clear light intensity sensor can be two-dimensionally arranged. Clear light corresponds to light that is sensed when no color filter is used.

The infrared illuminance sensor includes one or two infrared illuminance detection electrodes. Each infrared illuminance sensing electrode can sense the illuminance of infrared rays. The plurality of IR illuminance detection electrodes of the IR illuminance sensor can be two-dimensionally arranged.

When the infrared illuminance sensor has a plurality of infrared illuminance detection electrodes, the luminous means 32 and the infrared illuminance sensor can operate as a horizontal movement sensor for detecting a horizontal gesture corresponding to the horizontal movement of the surrounding object. For example, the plurality of infrared illuminance sensing electrodes sense the infrared ray emitted from the light emitting device 32 and sense the upward movement direction, the downward movement direction, the right movement direction, and the left movement direction of the surrounding object, respectively.

6, the light emitting device 32 and the infrared illuminance sensor may form a proximity sensor 141 that senses a proximity corresponding to a vertical movement of an object moving in the surroundings.

In addition, when the object is skin, the light emitting device 32 and the IR illuminance sensor can form a PPG sensor that detects photoplethysmography (PPG) of the skin.

The proximity sensor 141 and the horizontal motion sensor may form a gesture sensor that senses a gesture including vertical and horizontal movement of an object moving in the vicinity. At this time, when the object is the front cover, the gesture sensor may serve as the front cover state sensing unit 143.

The red light intensity sensor, the green light intensity sensor, the blue light intensity sensor and the clear light intensity sensor can form a color sensor and a visible light intensity sensor.

6 may include a proximity sensor, a PPG sensor, a horizontal movement sensor, a gesture sensor, a color sensor, and a visible light intensity sensor.

7 shows a structure of a proximity sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention and its peripheral structure.

In particular, the proximity sensor 141 of Fig. 7 can also detect the illuminance as well as the proximity, so that it is also referred to as a myoelectricity sensor.

The contents overlapping with FIG. 6 will be omitted while explaining FIG.

The proximity sensor 141 includes a substrate 31, a light emitting element 32, a first light receiving element 35 and a second light receiving element 36. The mobile terminal 100 includes a shock absorber 41, (42), and a windshield (43).

The substrate 31 mounts the light emitting element 32, the first light receiving element 35 and the second light receiving element 36.

7, the first light receiving element 35 of the embodiment of FIG. 7 includes the color sensor without the infrared light illuminance sensor, and the second light receiving element 36 does not include the color sensor And an infrared illuminance sensor. Other descriptions are the same as or similar to those in Fig. 9 and thus will be omitted.

8 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The control unit 180 detects the color of the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 (S110). A method of detecting the color of the front cover 210 will be described later.

The control unit 180 detects the state of the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 through the front cover state sensing unit 143 at step S121.

In this case, the values of the state of the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 may include a closed state and an open state. The opening of the terminal case 200 can be controlled not only when the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 is completely removed from the front surface of the mobile terminal 100 but also when the angle of the front cover 210 and the front surface of the mobile terminal 100 Is greater than a predetermined angle. The closing of the terminal case 200 is performed not only when the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 completely covers the front surface of the mobile terminal 100 but also when the angle of the front surface of the front cover 210 and the front surface of the mobile terminal 100 Is less than a predetermined angle. In particular, the values of the state of the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 may include a plurality of closed states including a first closed state and a second closed state. At this time, the angle between the front cover 210 and the front surface of the mobile terminal 100 may be smaller than the angle between the front cover 210 and the front surface of the mobile terminal 100 in the first closed state.

The control unit 180 may detect the state of the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 through the front cover state sensing unit 143. When the front cover magnetic sensor 215 of the front cover approaches the hall sensor, the sensing value of the hall sensor changes, and the controller 180 controls the Hall sensor Can be compared with the reference value. The controller 180 may sense the state of the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 based on a comparison between the sensing value of the hall sensor and the reference value. For example, when the front cover magnetic body 215 approaches the hall sensor, the sensing value of the hall sensor may increase. If the sensing value of the Hall sensor is larger than the reference value, the controller 180 may detect the state of the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 as being closed. If the sensing value of the Hall sensor is smaller than the reference value, the controller 180 can detect the state of the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 as being open.

The reference angle between the front cover 210 and the front surface of the mobile terminal 100 when the state of the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 is changed between the closing and opening is determined by the sensing value of the hall sensor The setting of the reference value to be compared, the intensity of the front cover magnetic body 215, and the sensitivity of the hall sensor.

As described above, the front cover state sensing unit 143 may include a plurality of infrared illuminance sensing electrodes arranged two-dimensionally and a gesture sensor formed by the proximity sensor 141. In this case, The controller 143 can detect the state of the front cover based on the sensing values sensed by the plurality of IR illuminance sensing electrodes and the proximity sensor 141 when the state of the front cover is changed.

The front cover state sensing unit 143 may include an acceleration sensor. In this case, the front cover state sensing unit 143 can detect the state of the front cover based on the acceleration value according to the inherent impact when the state of the front cover is changed.

The control unit 180 checks whether the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 is in the closed state (S123).

If the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 is in the closed state, the controller 180 changes the display mode of the mobile terminal 100 to the display mode for the front cutout 213 (S131).

In the display mode for the front cutout unit 215, the control unit 180 displays image information including icons, text, and images on the display unit 151 in the area corresponding to the front cutout unit 215, It may not display any information on the display unit 151 in the remaining area that does not correspond to the unit 215. When the display unit 151 can be dividedly driven, the controller 180 controls one or more of the liquid crystal module, the backlight, and the touch sensor 144 of the display unit 151 in the area corresponding to the front cutout unit 215 And turn off at least one of the liquid crystal module, the backlight, and the touch sensor 144 of the display unit 151 in the remaining area that does not correspond to the front cutout unit 215. [ At this time, the control unit 180 may change the mode of the mobile terminal 100 to a low power mode such as a sleep mode.

The control unit 180 checks whether the mobile terminal 100 is set to operate according to the color of the front cover in the display mode for the front cutout unit 213 (S133). This can be set by the user or the manufacturer.

If the mobile terminal 100 is set to operate according to the color of the front cover in the display mode for the front cutout 213, the control unit 180 controls the front cutout unit 213 (Step S135).

In one embodiment, the controller 180 determines the color of one or more graphic user interface (GUI) elements on the display area corresponding to the front cutout 213 based on the color of the front cover 210 , And apply the determined color to one or more graphical user interface (GUI) elements.

In another embodiment, the control unit 180 notifies the application to execute the color of the front cover 210 and the current display mode (display mode for the front cutout) while the application is running, To determine the color of one or more graphical user interface (GUI) elements on the display area corresponding to the front cutout 213 and to determine the color of one or more graphic user interfaces (GUIs) ) Element to apply the determined color.

At this time, one or more graphical user interface (GUI) elements may include one or more of a background, an icon, a text, a virtual button, a scroll bar, and an image.

When the color of one or more GUI elements is determined based on the color of the front cover 210, a color that is the same as or similar to the color of the front cover 210 may be determined. At this time, when the first color is the same as or similar to the second color, the difference between the wavelength of the first color and the wavelength of the second color may be within the reference value.

When the color of one or more GUI elements is determined based on the color of the front cover 210, a color in a complementary relationship with the color of the front cover 210 may be determined.

When the color of one or more GUI elements is determined based on the color of the front cover 210, a color lookup table may be used. At this time, the color look-up table may include a relationship between the color of the front cover 210 and the color of the GUI element.

Color of front cover Text color Background color icon WHITE BLACK WHITE RED RED WHITE RED BLUE YELLO BLUE YELLO RED GREEN RED GREEN BLUE BLUE WHITE BLUE RED BLACK WHITE BLACK RED

In one embodiment, the color to be applied to one GUI element may be similar to the color to be applied to another GUI element. The color to be applied to the text may be similar to the color to be applied to the background. Also, the color to be applied to the icon may be similar to the color to be applied to the background.

In another embodiment, the color to be applied to one GUI element may be different from the color to be applied to the other GUI element. For example, the color to be applied to the text may be different from the color to be applied to the background. Also, the color to be applied to the icon may be different from the color to be applied to the background.

If the mobile terminal 100 is not set to operate according to the color of the front cover in the display mode for the front cutout 213, the controller 180 controls the front cutout part 213) (S137).

At this time, the controller 180 may apply the color designed regardless of the color of the front cover 210 to one or more GUI elements on the display area corresponding to the front cutout part 213. [

If the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 is opened, the controller 180 changes the display mode of the mobile terminal 100 to the display mode for the entire display unit 151 (S141).

In the display mode for the entire display unit 151, the controller 180 controls one or more of the liquid crystal module, the backlight, and the touch sensor 144 of the display unit 151 in an area corresponding to the entire display unit 151 And displays image information including an icon, text, and an image in an area corresponding to the entire display unit 151. [ At this time, the controller 180 may change the mode of the mobile terminal 100 to a high power mode such as a normal operation mode.

The control unit 180 checks whether the mobile terminal 100 is set to operate according to the color of the front cover in the display mode for the entire display unit 151 (S143). This can be set by the user or the manufacturer.

If the mobile terminal 100 is set to operate in accordance with the color of the front cover in the display mode for the entire display unit 151, the control unit 180 controls the entire display area based on the color of the front cover 210 (S145).

In one embodiment, the controller 180 may determine the color of one or more GUI elements on the entire display area, based on the color of the front cover 210, and apply the determined color to one or more GUI elements.

In another embodiment, the control unit 180 notifies the application to execute the color of the front cover 210 and the current display mode (full mode) while the application is running, To determine the color of one or more GUI elements on the entire display area and to apply the determined color to one or more GUI elements.

The step S145 is similar to or similar to the step S135 except that the display mode is different, so that a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

However, in one embodiment, in the display mode for the front incision part, the display area corresponding to the front incision part can be controlled based on the color of the front cover. That is, in the display mode for the front incision part, the control of the display area irrespective of the color of the front cover may not be supported. In the full display mode, the entire display area can be controlled regardless of the color of the front cover. That is, in the full display mode, the control of the display area may not be supported depending on the color of the front cover.

If the mobile terminal 100 is not set to operate according to the color of the front cover in the display mode for the entire display unit 151, the controller 180 controls the entire display area 151, regardless of the color of the front cover 210, (S147).

At this time, the control unit 180 may apply the color designed regardless of the color of the front cover 210 to one or more GUI elements on the entire display area.

Next, a method of detecting the color of the front cover 210 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. FIG.

9 is a flowchart illustrating a method of detecting a color of a front cover according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The controller 180 detects the state of the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 (S301).

The control unit 180 checks whether the state of the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 is changed from the open state to the closed state based on the state detection of the front cover 210 at step S303.

When the state of the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 is changed from the open state to the closed state, the control unit 180 turns off the display unit 151 (S305). At this time, the controller 180 may turn off the liquid crystal module and the backlight of the display unit 151. FIG. As such, the display unit 151 can be turned off to reduce errors in color measurement. However, if the error in the color measurement is not large, the control unit 180 may not turn off the display unit 151. [

When the state of the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 is changed from the opened state to the closed state, the control unit 180 controls the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 through the color sensor or the image sensor of the optical sensor 142, (Step S307).

Specifically, the controller 180 may measure the color of the terminal case 200 within a reference time from when the closed state of the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 is sensed. In other words, the time between the detection of the closed state of the front cover 210 and the measurement time point of the color (measurement start time or measurement completion time) may be smaller than the reference time. Since it is necessary to enter the low power mode as soon as the front cover 210 is closed, waste of electric power can be prevented, so that the smaller the reference time, the better. For example, the reference time may be 1 second, 0.5 second, 0.2 second, 0.1 second, and so on.

10 is a flowchart showing a method of detecting a color of a front cover according to another embodiment of the present invention.

In the embodiment of Fig. 10, the optical sensor 142 or the proximity sensors of Figs. 6 and 7 may be provided alone or additionally on the rear surface of the mobile terminal 100. Fig.

The controller 180 detects the state of the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 (S401).

In this case, the values of the state of the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 are not limited to the closed state and the open state, but also the front cover 210 may be positioned on the rear side of the mobile terminal 100 And a backside folding state indicating folding.

The control unit 180 checks whether the state of the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 is changed to the rear folded state (S403).

The control unit 180 controls the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 through the color sensor or the image sensor of the optical sensor 142. When the front cover 210 of the terminal case 200 is folded back, (S405).

Specifically, the controller 180 may measure the color of the terminal case 200 within a reference time from when the back cover 210 of the terminal case 200 is detected. In other words, the time between the detection time of the back side folded state of the front cover 210 and the measurement time point of the color (measurement start time or measurement completion time) may be smaller than the reference time. For example, the reference time may be 1 second, 0.5 second, 0.2 second, 0.1 second, and so on.

In particular, in the embodiment of FIG. 10, the color of the front surface of the front cover 210 can be sensed, so that when the front cover 210 is closed, Can be used.

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 (12)

A mobile terminal capable of being coupled with a terminal case including a front cover having a front incision part,
A display unit;
A front cover state sensing unit for sensing a state of the front cover;
A color sensor for detecting the color of the front cover; And
And a control unit for controlling the display unit based on the state of the front cover and the color of the front cover
Mobile terminal. The method according to claim 1,
When the front cover is in the closed state, the controller controls the first display area corresponding to the front incision part based on the color of the front cover
Mobile terminal. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the controller determines a color of one or more graphical user interface (GUI) elements on the first display area based on the color of the front cover
Mobile terminal. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the controller determines a color of the same or similar range as the color of the front cover as the color of the one or more GUI elements
Mobile terminal. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the control unit determines the color of the one or more GUI elements using a lookup table
Mobile terminal. The method of claim 3,
The control unit informs the application of the color of the front cover while the application is running so that the application determines the color of the one or more GUI elements on the first display area based on the color of the front cover
Mobile terminal. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the one or more GUI elements comprise text and a background,
Wherein the control unit determines the color of the text on the first display area and the color of the background based on the color of the front cover,
The color determined for the text is different from the color determined for the background
Mobile terminal. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the color sensor is provided on a front surface of the mobile terminal,
Wherein the controller detects the color of the front cover through the color sensor when the front cover is in a closed state
Mobile terminal. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the color sensor is provided on a rear surface of the mobile terminal,
Wherein the controller detects the color of the front cover through the color sensor when the state of the front cover is in a folded state toward the rear side of the mobile terminal
Mobile terminal. 1. A method of operating a mobile terminal capable of being coupled to a terminal case including a front cover having a front incision,
Sensing a state of the front cover;
Detecting color of the front cover through a color sensor; And
And controlling the display unit based on the state of the front cover and the color of the front cover
A method of operating a mobile terminal. The method according to claim 1,
The step of controlling the display unit
And controlling a first display area corresponding to the front incision part based on the color of the front cover when the front cover is in a closed state
A method of operating a mobile terminal. 3. The method of claim 2,
The step of controlling the first display area
Determining a color of one or more graphical user interface (GUI) elements on the first display area based on the color of the front cover
A method of operating a mobile terminal.

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