KR20150065511A - Mobile terminal and method for controlling of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A mobile terminal and a method for controlling the same are disclosed. A terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention can display at least one virtual key on a first area of a touch screen; can display an execution screen of an application including at least one content on a second area of the touch screen; and can perform a function related to a specific virtual key about specific content in the case of receiving an input of dragging to the specific content displayed in the second area from the specific virtual key displayed in the first area.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a mobile terminal and a control method of the mobile terminal,

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal having a virtual key on a touch screen and a control method of the mobile terminal.

In the conventional function key area, an icon is printed on a transparent window, and when a user touches an icon, the light source is blinked to give feedback on whether or not to touch the icon. Printing of the icon is performed by semi-transmission printing, ≪ / RTI >

However, the formation of the function key area by the above-described printing method deteriorates the esthetics in terms of design and restricts the variety of the user interface by fixing the number and types of icons to be arranged in the function key area.

As a result, the function key area is integrated in the display area, and an icon displayed in a conventional function key area in a part of the display area is realized in the form of a virtual key. However, the virtual key included in such a display area has a problem that the readability of the content displayed in the display area is degraded or an input error occurs.

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal for generating a virtual key included in a display area of a touch screen and performing a function related to a virtual key in connection with a specific content, and a control method for the mobile terminal.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a mobile terminal including at least one virtual key in a first area of a touch screen and a touch screen, An execution screen of an application containing one content is displayed and when an input for dragging from a specific virtual key displayed in the first area to a specific content displayed in the second area is received, a function relating to a specific virtual key is performed And a control unit.

The control unit may display a result screen of performing a function related to a specific virtual key on at least a part of the area of the touch screen when the input to be dragged is released.

The control unit may overlap and display an icon capable of selecting a specific content at a point where the drag input is released when the function related to the specific virtual key displayed in the first area is a function of editing a specific content.

When receiving a slide input for a screen as a result of performing a function associated with a specific virtual key, the control unit may control the result screen to be hidden on one side of the touch screen according to the direction of the slide input.

Here, the specific virtual key may have a function of executing at least one application, a function of editing an execution screen of an application displayed in the second area, a function of creating a shortcut icon for an application displayed in the second area, And editing at least one content of an execution screen of the displayed application.

The control unit executes a specific application, generates a virtual key associated with at least one function sequentially executed through a specific application, adds the created virtual key to the first area when the execution screen of the specific application is displayed in the second area, As shown in FIG.

The control unit may generate a virtual key corresponding to the function key used in the execution screen of the application displayed in the second area and display the preset basic virtual key and the generated virtual key in the first area.

The controller may scroll and display the virtual key displayed in the first area when receiving the drag input for the first area.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile terminal for executing a touch screen and at least one application in the background and displaying a specific virtual key in a first area of a touch screen And displays an execution screen of the first application in the second area of the touch screen. When the touch input of the specific virtual key is received, the execution screen of the first application displayed in the second area is displayed on the at least one application To the execution screen of the second application.

The control unit may select a second application to replace the execution screen of the first application displayed in the second area according to the execution order of at least one application.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a mobile terminal, including: displaying at least one virtual key in a first area of a touch screen; Displaying an execution screen of a specific application including at least one content in a second area of the touch screen in a state in which the virtual key is displayed in the first area, displaying the execution screen of the specific application in the second area of the touch screen from the specific virtual key displayed in the first area to the specific content displayed in the second area Receiving an input for dragging, and performing a function associated with a specific virtual key for a specific content when the input to be dragged is received.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising: receiving at least one virtual key in a first area of a touch screen, Displaying an execution screen of the first application in a second area of the touch screen in a state where the virtual key is displayed in the first area when the first application is executed, And replacing the execution screen of the first application displayed in the second area with the execution screen of the second application among at least one application executed in the background.

The details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a function to be performed using a selected content as well as a content selection can be selected at once through an input for dragging from a virtual key displayed in a part of a display area of a touch screen to a specific content.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a virtual key can be generated according to information displayed on a touch screen or a virtual key can be created by integrating various functions, thereby improving user's convenience.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, multitasking execution of a plurality of applications running in the background can be easily controlled through touch input to a specific virtual key.

1 is a block diagram of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2A is a front perspective view of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2B is a rear perspective view of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a flowchart of a control method of a mobile terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
4 to 6 are views for explaining a method of displaying a virtual key in a mobile terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 7 to 14 are diagrams for explaining a method for performing a function related to a specific virtual key on a specific content in a mobile terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining a method of displaying a screen as a result of performing a function related to a specific virtual key on a specific content in a mobile terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
16 is a diagram for explaining a method of generating a virtual key in a mobile terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
17 is a flowchart of a method of controlling a mobile terminal according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
18 is a diagram for explaining a control method of a mobile terminal according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

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

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

The mobile terminal described in this specification may include a mobile phone, a smart phone, a laptop computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants), a PMP (Portable Multimedia Player), and navigation.

However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the configuration according to the embodiments described herein may be applied to a fixed terminal such as a digital TV, a desktop computer, and the like, unless the configuration is applicable only to a mobile terminal.

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

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

Hereinafter, the components will be described in order.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The wireless Internet module 113 refers to a module for wireless Internet access, and the wireless Internet module 113 can be embedded in the mobile terminal 100 or externally. WLAN (WiFi), Wibro (Wireless broadband), Wimax (World Interoperability for Microwave Access), HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) and the like can be used as wireless Internet technologies.

The short-range communication module 114 refers to a module for short-range communication. Bluetooth, radio frequency identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), ultra wideband (UWB), ZigBee, and the like can be used as the short distance communication technology.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Some of these displays may be transparent or light transmissive so that they can be seen through. This may be referred to as a transparent display. A typical example of the transparent display is a transparent LCD or the like. The rear structure of the display module 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 module 151 of the terminal body.

There may be two or more display modules 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.

In a case where the display module 151 and the sensor for sensing the touch operation (hereinafter, referred to as 'touch sensor') have a mutual layer structure (hereinafter referred to as 'touch screen' 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 module 151 or a capacitance generated in a specific portion of the display module 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 module 151 is touched or the like.

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

Examples of the proximity sensor include a transmission type photoelectric sensor, a direct reflection type photoelectric sensor, a mirror reflection type photoelectric sensor, a high frequency oscillation type proximity sensor, a capacitive proximity sensor, a magnetic proximity sensor, and an infrared proximity sensor.

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

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

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

The audio output module 152 may output audio data received from the wireless communication unit 110 or stored in the memory unit 160 in a call signal reception mode, a call mode or a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, a broadcast reception mode, The sound output module 152 outputs an acoustic signal related to a function (e.g., a call signal reception sound, a message reception sound, etc.) performed in the mobile terminal 100. The audio output module 152 may include a receiver, a speaker, a buzzer, and the like.

The alarm unit 153 outputs a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event of the mobile terminal 100. Examples of events that occur in the mobile terminal include call signal reception, message reception, key signal input, touch input, and the like. The alarm unit 153 may output a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event in a form other than the video signal or the audio signal, for example, vibration. The video signal or audio signal may also be output through the display module 151 or the audio output module 152.

The haptic module 154 generates various tactile effects that the user can feel. A typical example of the haptic effect generated by the haptic module 154 is vibration. The intensity and pattern of the vibration generated by the hit module 154 can be controlled. For example, different vibrations may be synthesized and output or sequentially output.

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

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

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

The memory unit 160 may be a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (for example, SD or XD memory) At least one of a random access memory (RAM), a static random access memory (SRAM), a read only memory (ROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a programmable read- Lt; / RTI > type of storage medium. The mobile terminal 100 may operate in association with a web storage that performs a storage function of the memory unit 160 on the Internet.

The interface unit 170 serves as a path for communication with all external devices connected to the mobile terminal 100. The interface unit 170 receives data from an external device or receives power from the external device to transfer the data to each component in the mobile terminal 100 or to transmit data in the mobile terminal 100 to an external device. For example, a wired / wireless headset port, an external charger port, a wired / wireless data port, a memory card port, a port for connecting a device having an identification module, an audio I / O port, A video input / output (I / O) port, an earphone port, and the like may be included in the interface unit 170.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.

3 is a flowchart of a control method of a mobile terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the controller 180 (FIG. 1) may display at least one virtual key in the first area of the touch screen (S110).

Specifically, the control unit may set the touch screen as a first area in which contents are displayed and a second area in a side of the first area. The control unit may set the lower side of the first area or the side surface of the first area as the second area according to the direction of the mobile terminal (e.g., the horizontal direction or the vertical direction).

The control unit may display a basic virtual key set at the time of manufacturing the terminal, for example, a home key, a back key, and a menu key in the first area. In addition, when the specific application is executed, the control unit can display the virtual key corresponding to the function key used in the execution screen of the specific application with the virtual key of the first area. In addition, the control unit may execute a specific application, generate a virtual key associated with at least one function sequentially executed through a specific application, and display the generated virtual key in the first area.

At this time, the specific virtual key has a function of executing at least one application, a function of editing an execution screen of an application displayed in the second area, a function of creating a shortcut icon for an application displayed in the second area, And editing at least one content included in the execution of the application.

When receiving the drag input for the first area, the controller scrolls the virtual key displayed in the first area in the left or right direction.

The control unit 180 of FIG. 1 executes the installed specific application (S120) and displays an execution screen of a specific application including at least one content in the second area of the touch screen in a state where the virtual key is displayed in the first area (S130).

That is, the control unit may display the execution screen of the specific application in the first area except the first area of the touch screen in order to display the virtual key in the first area.

The control unit (180 in FIG. 1) receives an input for dragging from the specific virtual key displayed in the first area to the specific content displayed in the second area (S140). When the input for dragging is received, a specific virtual key A related function can be performed (S150).

Specifically, when receiving a drag input whose start point is a specific virtual key representing a function to be performed and whose end point is a point of a specific content displayed in the second area, the control unit performs a function related to a specific virtual key can do. At this time, the control unit may automatically select a specific content as an object of a word, a phrase, a sentence, or an image corresponding to an end point of the drag input, or may display a menu icon for selecting a specific content. The control unit may display a menu icon overlapping a menu icon for selecting a specific content at a point where the drag input is released when the function related to the specific virtual key is a function of editing a specific content. When a menu icon for selecting a specific content is displayed, the user can determine the range of the specific content to be selected using the menu icon.

For example, the control unit may select a person's face as a specific content when the drag input is terminated at one point in the face region of the person included in the image. In addition, the control unit displays a menu icon for selecting a specific content at a point where the drag input ends, and when receiving an input pinch-out to include a specific content to be selected, So that a specific content can be selected.

The control unit may display a result screen of performing a function related to a specific virtual key on at least a part of the area of the touch screen when the input to be dragged is released. Depending on the function, the control unit may display the result screen so that a part of the result screen overlaps with the upper part of the execution screen of the application, or may display the result screen over the entire second area.

4 to 6 are views for explaining a method of displaying a virtual key in a mobile terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the controller 180 includes a first area R1 for displaying a virtual key, a second area for displaying a background screen, an application execution screen, a touch screen 151 of the mobile terminal 100, (R2).

More specifically, the control unit adds a back key V1, a home key V2, and a menu key V3 to the bezel area of the mobile terminal 100, It can be set as the basic virtual key and displayed in the first area R1 of the touch screen 151. [

The control unit may display the background screen, the widgets W1 and W2, the icons I1 and I2 in the second area R2 of the touch screen 151 and the widgets W1 and W2 or the icons I1 and I2, I2), the execution screen of the corresponding application can be displayed in the second area R2.

Referring to FIG. 5, the control unit 180 of FIG. 1 includes at least one virtual key that can be added when a touch input to the additional key V4 displayed in the first area R1 of the touch screen 151 is received. (V5, V6, V7) can be displayed in the third area R3 (see Fig. 5 (a)).

The controller hides the virtual key displayed in the third area R3 according to the drag input direction d for the third area R3 and stores the virtual keys not currently displayed in the third area R3 in the third area R3 ). ≪ / RTI >

The controller may further display the specific virtual key V5 in the first area R1 when the touch input for the specific virtual key V5 is received from among the virtual keys displayed in the third area R3 5 (b)). At this time, the controller may display the added specific virtual key V5 in the first area R1 when the drag input to the first area R1 is received, or display the dragged input to the first area R1 in the first area R1 The virtual key currently displayed in the first area R1 may be scrolled and the added specific virtual key V5 may be controlled to be displayed.

Referring to FIG. 6, when receiving a drag input for the first area R1 of the touch screen 151, the control unit 180 of FIG. 1 displays the virtual keys V1 through V7 displayed in the first area R1, Can be moved and displayed in the drag direction.

When the controller moves the position of the virtual keys V1 to V7 displayed in the first area R1 according to the drag input, the additional key V4 is moved in the fixed state to the position of the other virtual keys V1 to V3, V5 to V7 Only the position can be moved in the drag direction.

FIGS. 7 to 14 are diagrams for explaining a method for performing a function related to a specific virtual key on a specific content in a mobile terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 7 to 14, the control unit 180 of FIG. 1 touches a specific virtual key among the virtual keys displayed in the first area R1 of the touch screen 151, R2), it is possible to perform a function related to a specific virtual key with respect to a specific content.

When the control unit receives the release of the drag input, the control unit can display a screen resulting from performing a function related to the specific virtual key with respect to the specific content.

In addition, the controller may display a menu icon for selecting a specific content at an end point of the drag input in which the drag input continuously input is stopped for a set time. At this time, if a specific content is selected, the control unit can display and change the display characteristic of the specific content. For example, the border of a specific content can be highlighted, or the contrast of a region in which a specific content is displayed can be displayed differently from other regions.

Referring to FIG. 7, the control unit 180 of FIG. 1 displays the virtual key V1 corresponding to the 'enlarge' function among the virtual keys displayed in the first area R1 as the specific content C1 ).

Specifically, when the control unit touches the specific virtual key V1 of the first region R1 and receives an input to drag to the face C1 of a specific person of the image displayed in the second region R2, (Refer to FIG. 7 (a)).

At this time. The control unit may select a content which can be divided into one of the content areas including the end point of the drag input as the specific content. For example, if the controller determines that the face of the person in the content area includes the end point of the drag input, the face area of the person can be selected as the specific content.

In addition, the control unit can display a menu icon for selecting a specific content at the end point of the drag input, and can select a specific content through pinch-in or pinch-out with respect to the menu icon.

The control unit can display the result screen of the enlargement function, which is a function related to the specific virtual key V1 for the specific content C1, in the second area R2 when the drag input is released (Fig. 7 (b) Reference). At this time, the control unit can display the result screen in an overlapping manner on the upper part of the execution screen of the specific application displayed in the second area R2, or display the result screen on the entire screen of the second area R2.

Referring to FIG. 8, the control unit 180 of FIG. 1 stores the virtual key V3 corresponding to the 'search' function among the virtual keys displayed in the first area R1 as the specific content C1 ).

Specifically, when the control unit touches the specific virtual key V3 of the first area R1 and receives an input for dragging to the part C1 of the text of the notepad displayed in the second area R2, the end point of the drag input (Refer to FIG. 8 (a)).

At this time. The control unit may select a content which can be divided into one of the content areas including the end point of the drag input as the specific content. For example, the control unit may select a word, a phrase, or a sentence of the content area including the end point of the drag input as the specific content.

In addition, the control unit can display a menu icon for selecting a specific content at the end point of the drag input, and can select a specific content through pinch-in or pinch-out with respect to the menu icon.

The control unit can display a result screen that is a function related to the specific virtual key V3 for the specific content C1 in the second region R2 when the drag input is released (Fig. 8 (b) Reference). At this time, the control unit can display the result screen in an overlapping manner on the upper part of the execution screen of the specific application displayed in the second area R2, or display the result screen on the entire screen of the second area R2.

Referring to FIG. 9, the controller 180 of FIG. 1 accesses the virtual key V2 corresponding to the 'page shift' function among the virtual keys displayed in the first area R1 to an arbitrary point in the second area R2 .

When the controller touches the specific virtual key V2 of the first area R1 and receives an input to drag to a certain point in the second area R2, the controller can move the page according to the drag direction.

At this time. The control unit can move the execution screen of the specific application displayed in the second area R2 to the previous page or the next page according to the drag direction. Specifically, if the drag direction is right, the controller moves to the next page and displays the guide window. If the drag direction is not right, the controller can display a guide window indicating that the page can not be moved.

For example, when the current page is the 'entertainment' page, the previous page is the 'news' page, and the next page is the 'sports' page, if the controller determines that the drag direction is the left direction (Refer to FIG. 9 (b)), and move to the previous page and display the previous page 'News' page. 9 (c)), the control unit can move to the next page and display the next page, the 'sports' page (see FIG. 9 (d)).

Referring to FIG. 10, the control unit 180 of FIG. 1 transmits the virtual key V3 corresponding to the 'capture' function among the virtual keys displayed in the first region R1 to the specific content C1 ).

Specifically, when the control unit touches the specific virtual key V3 of the first area R1 and receives an input to drag the face to the face C1 of a specific person of the image displayed in the second area R2, (Refer to FIG. 10 (a)).

At this time. The control unit may select a content which can be divided into one of the content areas including the end point of the drag input as the specific content. For example, the control unit can select the human face of the content area including the end point of the drag input as the specific content.

In addition, the control unit can display a menu icon for selecting a specific content at the end point of the drag input, and can select a specific content through pinch-in or pinch-out with respect to the menu icon.

The control unit can display the screen S1 as a result of performing the screen capture function which is a function related to the specific virtual key V3 for the specific content C1 in the second area R2 when the drag input is canceled (B)). At this time, the control unit can display the result screen S1 overlapping the upper part of the execution screen of the specific application displayed in the second area R2, or display the result screen S1 on the entire screen of the second area R2.

Referring to FIG. 11, the control unit 180 of FIG. 1 displays the virtual key V2 corresponding to the 'move to home' function among the virtual keys displayed in the first area R1 to a specific application To an arbitrary point on the execution screen of the screen.

Specifically, when the controller touches the specific virtual key V2 of the first area R1 and receives an input to drag to a certain point on the execution screen of the specific application displayed in the second area R2 (see FIG. 11A), a shortcut icon for a specific application displayed in the second area can be created on the home screen (see FIG. 11B).

When the drag input is released, the control unit can display the result screen in an overlapping manner on the upper part of the execution screen of the specific application displayed in the second area R2 or on the entire screen of the second area R2. That is, the control unit can display a shortcut icon of a specific application on the upper part of the execution screen of the specific application displayed in the second area R2 or display a home screen in which the shortcut icon of the specific application is displayed in the second area R2 have.

Referring to FIG. 12, the control unit 180 of FIG. 1 displays the virtual key V1 corresponding to the 'move backward' function among the virtual keys displayed in the first area R1, And drag to an arbitrary point on the execution screen.

Specifically, when the control unit receives an input for dragging the specific virtual key V1 of the first area R1 to an arbitrary point on the execution screen of the specific application displayed in the second area R2 The specific application displayed in the second area can be terminated and the home screen can be displayed (see Fig. 12 (b)). In addition, the control unit can display the home screen in the second area R2 when the drag input is released.

If the virtual key V1 corresponding to the 'move back' function displayed in the first area R1 is touched for less than the set time, the control unit 180 of FIG. 1 displays the previously displayed page in the second area R2 However, if a long touch and a drag input for the virtual key V1 corresponding to the 'move backward' function are received, a new function of 'application termination and home screen display' can be performed.

Referring to FIG. 13, the controller (180 of FIG. 1) touches the virtual key V2 corresponding to the 'move to groove' function among the virtual keys displayed in the first area R1, To an arbitrary point on the execution screen of the specific application shown in Fig.

When the control unit receives an input for dragging the specific virtual key V2 of the first area R1 to an arbitrary point on the execution screen of the specific application displayed in the second area R2 )), A shortcut icon for the execution screen of the specific application displayed in the second area can be created, and the created shortcut icon can be displayed on the home screen (refer to FIG. 13 (b)). In addition, when the drag input is released, the control unit may display the home screen including the shortcut icon in the second area R2.

Specifically, the control unit performs a long touch of the specific virtual key V2 during the execution of the 'group chat A' in the execution screen of the instant messaging application, A shortcut icon for 'group chat A' is generated and a home screen including a shortcut icon of 'group chat A' can be displayed in the second area R2.

In general, when the virtual key V2 corresponding to the 'move to groove' function shown in the first area R1 is touched for less than the set time, the control unit 180 of FIG. . According to the present invention, when the touch and drag input for the virtual key V2 corresponding to the 'move to the home screen' function is received, the controller generates a shortcut icon for the specific application displayed in the second area R2, The home screen including the application shortcut icon can be displayed in the second area R2. In addition, when receiving the long touch & drag input for the virtual key V2 corresponding to the 'move to home screen' function, the control unit generates a shortcut icon I4 of the execution screen of the specific application, A new function of displaying the home screen including the shortcut icon 14 on the screen in the second area R2 can be performed.

Referring to FIG. 14, the control unit 180 of FIG. 1 displays the virtual key V3 corresponding to the 'menu call' function among the virtual keys displayed in the first region R1, And drag to an arbitrary point on the execution screen.

Specifically, when the control unit touches the specific virtual key V3 of the first area R1 and receives an input to drag to a certain point on the execution screen of the specific application displayed in the second area R2 (see FIG. 14A), the application information W1 of the specific application displayed in the second area can be additionally displayed (see FIG. 14B). In addition, the control unit can display the application information W1 in the second area R2 when the drag input is released.

At this time, the control unit can display the application information in an overlapping manner with a part of the execution screen of the specific application or in a full screen of the second area R2.

Therefore, according to the present invention, a new function different from the inherent function of the virtual key can be given to one virtual key through the touch of the virtual key, the long touch, and the drag input.

FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining a method of displaying a screen as a result of performing a function related to a specific virtual key on a specific content in a mobile terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 15, the control unit (180 in FIG. 1) performs a function of performing a function related to a specific virtual key with respect to a specific content, and displays the screen as a full screen on the execution screen of the specific application displayed in the second area R2 Yes.

The control unit gradually moves the result screen in the drag direction so that the execution screen of the specific application displayed at the bottom is displayed when the input unit receives an input for dragging in a specific direction with respect to an arbitrary area of the result screen (see Fig. 15A) (See Fig. 15 (b)).

In addition, when the control unit receives an input for dragging the result screen to the end of the touch screen 151, the controller can hide the result screen and display the indicator area D1 in the area where the result screen is hidden. The control unit can additionally display the icon Ia representing the application corresponding to the result screen hidden in the indicator area D1 and the shortcut icons Ib and Ic displayed on the result screen.

Although not specifically shown, the controller may further display a 'play', a 'pause' icon, or a keyword displayed on the result screen for music reproduction in the indicator area D1 when the application corresponding to the result screen is a music reproduction application .

16 is a diagram for explaining a method of generating a virtual key in a mobile terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 16, the control unit (180 in FIG. 1) executes a specific application, performs a series of functions on a specific content in a specific application, and then drags a specific virtual key (V3) , It is possible to generate a specific virtual key V3 corresponding to a series of functions.

Specifically, the control unit displays a first image in a specific application, performs a first function (a2) for displaying a frame on a border of the first image, and a second function (a1) for inserting speech bubbles on the first image (See (a) of FIG. 16), when the input of dragging from the specific virtual key V3 to the first image is received after the execution of the specific virtual key V3, Key V3 can be generated.

When the control unit displays the second image in the second area R2 in the specific application and receives an input for dragging from the generated specific virtual key V3 to the new image, 1 function a2 and a second function a1 for inserting speech bubbles on the second image.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart of a method of controlling a mobile terminal according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a control method of a mobile terminal according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 17, the control unit 180 of FIG. 1 executes at least one application in the background (S210). In the state where at least one application is executed in the background, at least one virtual key (S220).

When the first application is executed (S230), the controller (180 of FIG. 1) may display an execution screen of the first application in the second area of the touch screen in a state where the virtual key is displayed in the first area (S240).

For example, when the control unit sequentially executes the first application, the second application, and the third application, the control unit displays an execution screen of the third application most recently executed in the second area, 1 application and the second application can be executed in the background. Also, the control unit may display the home screen in the second area, and may execute the first application, the second application, and the third application in the background. Therefore, the control unit can display the execution screen of the third application or the home screen in the second area in a state where at least one virtual key is displayed in the first area.

The control unit (180 in FIG. 1) receives the touch input for the specific virtual key displayed in the first area (S250), and displays the execution screen of the first application displayed in the area in the second application (S260). ≪ / RTI >

The control unit may select a second application to be substituted for the execution screen of the first application displayed in the second area in accordance with the execution order of the application. In addition, when the touch input to the specific virtual key is received again, the control unit can replace the execution screen of the second application with the execution screen of the third application.

That is, when one application is executed in the foreground in the mobile terminal and three applications are running in the back-gound, the execution screens of the four applications are sequentially displayed in accordance with the touch input of the specific virtual key Can be displayed in the second area.

Referring to FIG. 18, the control unit 180 of FIG. 1 displays the execution screen of the information search application in the second region R2 in the foreground, and displays the execution result of the specific virtual key V3 displayed in the first region R1 The execution screen of the notepad application running in the background can be displayed in the second area R2.

When the execution screen of the notepad application is displayed in the second area R2 and the touch input to the specific virtual key V3 displayed in the first area R1 is received again, And can be displayed in the second area R2.

Likewise, the control unit can continuously display an execution screen of another application running in the background in the second area R2 by continuously touching the specific virtual key V3 displayed in the first area R1. The control unit may divide the second area R2 of the touch screen 151 into two or more pieces of the application in the background when the touch input to the specific virtual key V3 displayed in the first area R1 is received An execution screen can be displayed.

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

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

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

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

100: mobile terminal 151: display module
180:

Claims (12)

touch screen; And
Displaying at least one virtual key in a first area of the touch screen and displaying an execution screen of an application including at least one content in a second area of the touch screen, A control unit for performing a function related to the specific virtual key with respect to the specific content when an input for dragging from a specific virtual key to a specific content displayed in the second area is received;
.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the controller displays a result screen of performing a function related to the specific virtual key on the specific content on at least a part of the area of the touch screen when the input to be dragged is released.
3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the control unit overlaps and displays an icon capable of selecting the specific content at a point where the drag input ends when the function related to the specific virtual key displayed in the first area is a function of editing the specific content Mobile terminal.
3. The method of claim 2,
The control unit controls the result screen to be hidden on one side of the touch screen according to the direction of the slide input when the slide input for the screen is received as a result of performing the function associated with the specific virtual key .
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the specific virtual key has a function of executing at least one application, a function of editing an execution screen of an application displayed in the second area, a function of creating a shortcut icon for an application displayed in the second area, And a function of editing at least one content of an execution screen of the application displayed in the second area.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the control unit executes a specific application and generates a virtual key associated with at least one function sequentially executed through the specific application, and when an execution screen of the specific application is displayed in the second area, Is additionally displayed in the first area.
The method according to claim 1,
The control unit generates a virtual key corresponding to a function key used in an execution screen of an application displayed in the second area and displays a preset basic virtual key and the generated virtual key in the first area .
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the controller scrolls and displays the virtual key displayed in the first area when receiving a drag input for the first area.
touch screen; And
Displaying at least one application in the background, displaying a specific virtual key in a first area of the touch screen, displaying an execution screen of the first application in a second area of the touch screen, A control unit for replacing the execution screen of the first application displayed in the second area with the execution screen of the second application among at least one application executed in the background when the touch input for the key is received;
.
10. The method of claim 9,
Wherein the controller selects a second application to replace the execution screen of the first application displayed in the second area in accordance with the execution order of the at least one application.
Displaying at least one virtual key in a first area of the touch screen;
Displaying an execution screen of a specific application including at least one content in a second area of the touch screen in a state where a virtual key is displayed in the first area when a specific application is executed;
Receiving an input to drag from a specific virtual key displayed in the first area to a specific content displayed in the second area; And
Performing a function related to the specific virtual key with respect to the specific content when the dragging input is received;
And transmitting the control information to the mobile terminal.
Displaying at least one virtual key in a first area of the touch screen in a state of executing at least one application in the background;
Displaying an execution screen of a first application in a second area of the touch screen in a state where a virtual key is displayed in the first area when the first application is executed;
Receiving a touch input for a specific virtual key displayed in the first area; And
Replacing the execution screen of the first application displayed in the second area with the execution screen of the second application among at least one application executed in the background;
And transmitting the control information to the mobile terminal.

Images