KR20150067919A - Mobile terminal and rear input unit operating method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal and a method for operating a rear input unit thereof to guide a function executable on a current screen to a front surface according user interaction for a rear input unit, wherein the method comprises the steps of: displaying content on a front display unit; sensing user interaction for a rear input unit; determining a function executable on a current screen among multi-functions set for the rear input unit based on the type of the sensed user interaction; and guiding the determined function to the front display unit.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a mobile terminal and a rear input unit of the mobile terminal,

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mobile terminal and a method of operating a rear input unit of the mobile terminal for guiding a function that can be executed in a current screen to the front according to a user interaction with a rear input unit.

The mobile terminal may be configured to perform various functions. Examples of such various functions include a data and voice communication function, a function of photographing a video or a moving image through a camera, a voice storage function, a music file playback function through a speaker system, and an image or video display function. Some mobile terminals include additional functions to execute games, and some other mobile terminals are also implemented as multimedia devices. Moreover, recent mobile terminals can receive a broadcast or multicast signal to view a video or television program.

In order to implement the functions of the multimedia device, various attempts have been made in terms of hardware or software in mobile terminals. For example, a user interface environment is provided for a user to easily and conveniently search for or select a function.

In addition, mobile terminals are regarded as personal items for expressing individuality, and various design forms are required. The design form also includes structural changes and improvements for the user to use the mobile terminal more conveniently. One such structural change and improvement can be considered for the operating unit.

On the other hand, the operation unit disposed on the front side of the mobile terminal can hinder the slim design of the terminal and the simple design. In addition, there may be a problem that the display area is reduced by the operation unit disposed on the side of the mobile terminal.

Therefore, in order to solve such a problem, a new structure of the operation unit (rear input unit) and its input method provided in the sleeping state of the mobile terminal can be considered. Since the rear input unit is not visible when the user executes predetermined contents through the display unit on the front side, it is not easy to accurately recognize and manipulate the positions of the plurality of buttons (or keys) provided on the rear input unit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a mobile terminal and a method of operating a rear input unit of the mobile terminal, which can guide the use of a rear input unit disposed on the rear surface to the front side.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a mobile terminal and a method of operating a rear input unit of the mobile terminal, which can guide a function capable of performing a rear input unit corresponding to a running application to the front side.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a mobile terminal and a method of operating a rear input unit of the mobile terminal, which can easily operate the rear input unit by guiding the indicator indicating the rear input unit at the front position corresponding to the rear input unit.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile terminal including: a display unit disposed on a front surface and displaying contents on a screen; A rear input unit disposed on the rear surface to sense a user interaction; And a controller for guiding a function executable in the current screen to the front display unit based on the displayed content type and the interaction type applied to the rear input unit.

The rear input unit is implemented as a push button or a touch button.

The user interaction includes pressing and touching at least one button provided on the rear input unit.

The type of the content includes a standby screen, a text, an image, a web page, and a functional application screen of the mobile terminal, and the interaction type is one of a short or long press, a short touch long touch and a scrolling.

The control unit determines and guides a function based on the type of content and the type of interaction applied to the rear input unit among the multi functions set in the rear input unit.

The controller guides the function through an indicator having the same shape and size as the rear input unit.

The indicator is displayed at the same position of the display unit corresponding to the rear input unit, and is set to be movable according to user input.

The control unit displays the indicator until the user interaction ends, and executes the corresponding function when the user interaction ends.

The control unit displays at least one icon indicating a corresponding function in the indicator, and the icon includes function information and direction information.

The controller displays the position of the button with the current finger on the indicator in the rear input unit.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a rear input unit of a mobile terminal, the method comprising: displaying content on a front display unit; Sensing a user interaction with a rear input unit; Determining a function executable in the current screen among the multi functions set in the rear input unit based on the detected user interaction type; And guiding the determined function to the front display unit.

The rear input unit is implemented as a push button or a touch button.

The user interaction includes pressing and touching at least one button provided on the rear input unit.

The type of the content includes a standby screen, a text, an image, a web page, and a functional application screen of the mobile terminal, and the interaction type is one of a short or long press, a short touch long touch and a scrolling.

The functions that can be executed in the current screen are determined according to the type of the content among the multi functions set in the rear input unit and the type of the interaction applied to the rear input unit.

The executable function of the current screen is guided through an indicator having the same shape and size as the rear input unit.

The indicator is displayed at the same position of the display unit corresponding to the rear input unit, and is set to be movable according to user input.

The indicator is displayed from when the user interaction is started until when it ends.

The indicator includes at least one icon indicating a corresponding function, and the icon includes function information and direction information.

The determined function is executed when the user interaction ends.

In the present invention, a multi-function is set in the rear input unit, a currently executable function is determined according to the user's interaction with the rear input unit and the type of the content displayed on the screen, and guided to the display unit on the front, There is an effect that it is possible to easily confirm which button is currently input and which function is selected and executed even if it is not directly viewed.

In addition, the present invention has an advantage that the user can easily operate the rear input unit without directly viewing the rear input unit by guiding the rear input unit at the same front position corresponding to the rear input unit and displaying the position of the finger.

1 is a block diagram of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figures 2A-2C are conceptual diagrams illustrating operations implemented by the present invention.
FIG. 3A is a perspective view of an example of a mobile terminal according to the present invention. FIG.
FIG. 3B is a rear perspective view of the mobile terminal shown in FIG. 3A. FIG.
FIGS. 4A to 4C illustrate an example in which a function of the rear input unit is visually guided during image reproduction.
FIGS. 5A to 5C illustrate an embodiment that visually guides a function that can be performed by a rear input unit when a message is displayed.
6 is an embodiment that visually guides a function that can be performed by a rear input unit when a time-related application is displayed.
7A and 7B show an embodiment in which the display unit is turned on and off using a rear input unit.
8A and 8B illustrate an embodiment in which the locking state of the screen is controlled using the rear input unit.
FIG. 9 illustrates an example of screen scrolling using a rear input unit. FIG.
10 illustrates an example of performing a call reception using a rear input unit;
11 is a view showing an embodiment in which the position of a button where a finger is placed is guided to the front face portion in a rear input portion.
12 is a view showing an example of performing a screen capture operation while viewing a finger position guide;
13 to 16 illustrate examples of performing various functions of the mobile terminal according to the interaction with the rear input unit.
17 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating a rear input unit of a mobile terminal according to an 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.

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 module 151. [

The image frame processed by the camera 121 may be stored in the memory 160 or transmitted to the outside through the wireless communication unit 110. [ Two or more cameras 121 may be provided depending on the use environment.

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

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

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

The output unit 150 is for generating output related to 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 (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 (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 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 modules may be spaced apart or integrally arranged on one surface, and may be disposed on different surfaces, respectively.

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

The touch sensor may be configured to convert a change in a pressure applied to a specific portion of the display 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 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 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 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 module 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. [

Referring again to the user input unit 130, in the present invention, the user input unit 130 is disposed at the rear of the terminal, so that the front display can be formed as a larger screen. Hereinafter, the detailed structure in which the user input unit 130 is disposed on the rear side and the operations performed thereby will be described in more detail.

FIGS. 2A to 2C are conceptual diagrams illustrating operations implemented by the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2A, the terminal includes a display unit 251 disposed on one side of the main body, for example, the front side. A graphic user interface (GUI) of an application currently being executed may be output to the display unit 251. The display unit 251 may be provided with a touch sensor for sensing a touch input have. The display unit 251 outputs time information implemented in the form of images, texts, and icons as shown in the GUI, but may be switched to a disabled state after a predetermined time elapses or by input of a specific control command have. The state of FIG. 2A is such a state, and illustrates a state in which the display portion 251 is inactivated during execution of the music reproduction application.

Referring to FIG. 2B, the rear input unit 232 is disposed on the other surface of the main body, for example, the rear surface. A control command for the display unit 251 is received from the rear input unit 232. More specifically, when a push input is applied to any button 233 of the rear input unit 232, the display unit 251 is switched to the activated state. That is, the rear input unit 232 may be a power key for turning the display unit 251 on and off. Accordingly, the ON / OFF of the terminal itself can also be performed by the button 233. In the illustrated example, the display unit 251 is activated to output the GUI of the music playback application.

Referring to FIG. 2C, when a push input is applied to another button 234a (up button) of the rear input unit 232 in the state of FIG. 2B, the volume bar VB is outputted and the operation of the other button 234a To adjust the volume. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the above process, and the push input to the other button 234 of the rear input unit 232 may be an input to the volume control in the state of FIG. 2A.

According to the above example, the user can input a control command in the form of a push on the rear surface of the terminal while looking at the display unit 251. As a result, the rear input unit on the rear side of the terminal can receive the push input, and can act as a power key and a volume key of the terminal.

Hereinafter, the hardware configuration of the terminal performing the operations of FIGS. 2A to 2C will be described in detail. FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3B is a rear perspective view of the mobile terminal shown in FIG. 3A.

The disclosed mobile terminal 200 has a bar-shaped mobile phone 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 and a rear case. Various electronic components are embedded in the space formed between the front case and the rear case.

A display unit 251, an audio output unit 252, a camera module 221, and the like may be disposed in the terminal body (mainly, the front case). The interfaces 270 and the like may be disposed on the side surfaces of the front case and the rear case.

The display unit 251 occupies most of the main surface of the front case 201. That is, the display unit is disposed on the front side of the terminal and is configured to display time information. An acoustic output unit 252 and a camera module 221 are disposed in an area adjacent to one end of the display unit 251 and a front input unit 231 and a microphone 222 are disposed in an area adjacent to the other end.

The front input unit 231 may include a plurality of operation units as an example of the user input unit 130 (see FIG. 1). The operating units may also be referred to as manipulating portions and may be employed in any manner as long as the user is operating in a tactile manner with a tactile impression. In this embodiment, the front input unit 231 is configured as a touch key. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the front input unit 231 may be provided with a fusible unit.

In addition, the display unit 251 may form a touch screen together with the touch sensor. In this case, the touch screen may be a user input unit. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a configuration without a front input unit on the front surface of the terminal. In this case, the mobile terminal can be configured such that the input operation to the main body of the mobile terminal can be performed only through the display unit 251 and the rear input unit 232 described later.

Referring to FIG. 3B, a camera module 221 'may be further mounted on the rear surface of the terminal body, that is, the rear case. The camera module 221 'may have a photographing direction substantially opposite to that of the camera 221 (see FIG. 3A), and may be a camera having different pixels from the camera module 221.

For example, the camera module 221 has low pixels so that it is easy to capture a face of a user in the case of a video call or the like and send it to the other party, and the camera module 221 ' It is preferable to have a high pixel. The camera modules 221 and 221 'may be installed in the terminal body such that they can be rotated or pop-up.

A flash and a mirror may be additionally disposed adjacent to the camera module 221 '. The flash illuminates the subject when the subject is photographed by the camera module 221 '. The mirror enables the user to illuminate the user's own face or the like when the user intends to take a picture of himself / herself (self-photographing) using the camera module 221 '.

An acoustic output unit (not shown) may be further disposed on the rear surface of the terminal body. The rear audio output unit may implement the stereo function together with the front audio output unit 252 (see FIG. 3A), and may be used for the implementation of the speakerphone mode in a call.

A power supply unit 290 for supplying power to the portable terminal 200 is mounted on the terminal body. The power supply unit 290 may be built in the terminal body or may be detachable from the outside of the terminal body.

In the illustrated example, a rear input unit 232 is disposed on the rear surface of the terminal body. The rear input unit 232 may be located, for example, below the camera module 221 '.

The rear input unit 232 is operated to receive a command for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 200, and input contents can be variously set. For example, a command such as a command such as power on / off, start, end, scrolling and the like, adjustment of the size of sound outputted from the sound output unit 252, or switching to the touch recognition mode of the display module 251 Can receive.

The rear input unit 232 of the present invention is implemented in a form capable of push input or touch input. More specifically, the rear input unit 232 may be configured as a mechanical or physical button, which is a concept relative to the touch screen, and may be configured as a touch button.

As described above, the display unit 251 is disposed on the front surface of the main body, and the rear input unit 232 is disposed on the rear surface. The display unit 251 is provided with at least one button 233, 234a, or 234b for displaying a running application and allowing the rear input unit 232 to input a control command for the display unit 251 . The at least one button 233, 234a, and 234b may be implemented as a push button or a touch button, for example, a home button, a volume up button, or a volume down button, respectively.

Also, the rear input unit 232 may include a single button. In this case, the function defined by the input of any one of the plurality of buttons may be equally applied to a single button.

The user can input a control command in the form of a touch through the rear input unit 232 disposed on the rear side of the terminal while looking at the display unit 251. [ The rear input unit is configured to receive a push input or a touch input. The function and menu are determined according to a function (eg, character, telephone, idle screen, etc.) being executed in the display unit 251, Such functions and menus can be changed according to the function setting.

Since the rear input unit 232 is not visible when the user is looking at the display unit 251, a user who is unfamiliar with the operation can see the positions of the plurality of buttons (or a plurality of keys) of the rear input unit 232 It is not easy to recognize and manipulate correctly. For example, when a specific button on the rear input unit 232 is touched or touched, there is no feedback on the button, so it can not be confirmed whether the button is properly recognized. When the multi-function is mapped to the rear input unit 232, It is impossible to know which function is selected and executed.

When a plurality of functions are assigned to the rear input unit 232, the function of the rear input unit 232, that is, the role of the user is determined according to what application the user uses on the current screen. For example, when the user is listening to music, it is used as a volume control function. When watching a movie, it is used as a brightness or volume control function. However, it is not easy for the user to memorize the various functions of the rear input unit 232 according to the currently displayed application and to release it.

Therefore, the present invention provides a method of automatically guiding functions (or menus) that can be performed on the current screen to the front based on the user's interaction with the rear input unit.

That is, the present invention guides a function (or a menu) that the rear input unit 232 can perform in each module (application) to the display unit 251 on the front face so that the user can easily operate the rear input unit 232 . This method is advantageous in that the user can directly control the position of the rear input unit 232 from the front side even if he or she does not look directly at the rear side.

The term module refers to a hardware element, a software element, or a combination of hardware and software elements, but in the present invention means a software element stored in a memory, that is, a content or an application displayed on the screen.

 The rear input unit 232 is implemented as a physical button (or key) or a touch button.

A multi-function is set in the rear input unit 232, and the functions that can be executed in the current screen are determined according to the type of the user interaction and the application (or function) being executed in the front display unit 251. [

The interaction includes a button touch (short touch long touch) of a user, a button press, a button scroll, and the like.

Functions that can be performed on the screen are guided through an indicator.

The indicator may be displayed corresponding to the shape of the rear input unit 232, and may include at least one icon indicating a function executable in the current screen.

The indicator is displayed at the same position of the front display unit 251 corresponding to the rear input unit 232. The display position may be changed through a menu setting or changed by a touch operation.

The indicator is displayed when an input is applied to the rear input unit 232 by a finger, and disappears when the input is released. The input includes a short press, a long press, and a hold (hold & drag).

FIGS. 4A to 4C illustrate an example of a visual guidance of a function that can be performed by the rear input unit during image reproduction.

As described above, the up button 234a and the down button 234b of the rear input unit 232 can perform various functions according to the type of content being executed on the display unit 251. [ Figs. 4A and 4B show an example in which the rear input unit is implemented with a physical key, and Fig. 4C shows an example implemented with a touch button.

Referring to this figure, various contents (moving images, images, texts) executed by the user can be displayed on the display unit 251 of the mobile terminal. An indicator 60 (or a guide portion) for guiding a function that the rear input unit 232 can perform in the currently displayed application when the user holds his or her finger on the rear input unit 232 on the rear side is displayed on the display unit 251).

The function of the indicator 60 is determined according to the user interface type and the type of the currently executing content in the rear input unit 232.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, when the up button 234a of the rear input unit 232 is pressed while the music is currently being reproduced on the display unit 251, An indicator 60 capable of performing a volume up function is displayed on the indicator 60 of the display device. Accordingly, the user can press the up button 234a to increase the volume of the music. At this time, the indicator 60 displays an icon indicating a "volume up" function.

4B, if the down button 234b of the rear input unit 232 is pressed while music is being reproduced on the display unit 251, the indicator of the display unit 251 (60) is provided with an indicator (61) capable of performing a volume down function. Accordingly, the user can press the up button 234a to increase the volume of the music. Likewise, the indicator 60 shows possible functions as icons.

4C, when one of the buttons of the rear input unit 232 is touched while music is currently being reproduced on the display unit 251, the indicator 62 of the display unit 251 is displayed on the display unit 251, An indicator 62 for guiding the volume up and down functions is displayed. Accordingly, the user can touch the up button 234a or the down button 234b to adjust the volume of the corresponding music.

FIGS. 5A to 5C show an embodiment that visually guides a function that can be performed by a rear input unit when a message is displayed. FIGS. 5A and 5B show an example in which the rear input unit is implemented with a physical key, and FIG. 5C shows an example implemented with a touch button.

Referring to FIG. 5, a message or a web page sent by a user to another user may be displayed on the display unit 251. 5A, when the user presses the up button 234a of the rear input unit 232 with the finger while viewing the message contents, the up button 234a of the rear input unit 232 zooms in ) Is displayed on the display unit 251 on the front side. The user can press the up button 234a to enlarge the message to a desired size.

 When the user presses the down button 234b of the rear input unit 232 again with the size of the message enlarged, the down button 234b of the rear input unit 232 displays text The indicator portion 251 displays an indicator 64 indicating that zooming can be performed.

5C, when one of the buttons of the rear input unit 232 is touched while a message is currently displayed on the display unit 251, the display unit 251 displays an enlargement and reduction function An indicator 65 for guiding is displayed. Accordingly, the user can touch the up button 234a or the down button 234b to adjust the volume of the corresponding music.

In the present invention, for convenience of description, the functions displayed on the display unit 251 are limited to music and messages, and functions performed by the rear input unit 232 using the specific buttons 234a and 234b as examples, But is equally applicable to the home button 233 in the center and various other contents and applications.

6 is an embodiment for visually guiding a function that can be performed by a rear input unit when a time-related application is displayed.

The user can display applications related to the time (year, month, day, hour, minute) and day of the week such as calendar or alarm setting. When the user presses the button 233 of the rear input unit 232 while the above-described application is being displayed, an indicator 66 indicating that the current rear input unit 232 can perform the time control function is displayed on the display unit 251, . Accordingly, the user can set a desired time using the up button 234a and the down button 234b.

As described above, the push input or touch input to the rear input unit 232 may be a control command for the display unit 251 as well as a function for the content displayed on the display unit 251. [ More specifically, the activation state of the display unit 251 may be switched when a push input is applied to the button 233 of the rear input unit 232. [ That is, in another embodiment, the rear input unit 232 may be a power key for turning the display unit 251 on and off.

7A and 7B show an embodiment in which the display unit is turned on and off using the rear input unit.

7A, when the user holds the terminal with one hand and presses the button 233 of the rear input unit 232 with a finger, the display unit 251 on the front side is powered off An indicator 67 indicating the power-off menu is displayed, followed by a power-off menu. When the user selects the power off item with the other hand and selects OK, the display unit 251 is powered off.

7B, when the button 233 of the rear input unit 232 is pressed and held while the display unit 251 is powered off, an indicator (not shown) 68 are displayed and the display unit 251 is powered off.

In the above description, the rear input unit is mainly of the push type, but the rear input unit may be modified into various forms. That is, the rear input unit may be at least one of a touch pad module, a track ball module, an optical sensor module, a wheel key module, and a fingerprint scanner module, and can perform the above-described control operations using them.

On the other hand, the state of the mobile terminal is divided into a 'locked state' and a 'released state' depending on whether the user inputs a control command. Accordingly, the present invention provides a method for performing the switching between the locked state and the released state by the rear input unit 232. [ Here, the locked state is a state for restricting the input of the user's control command to the applications included in the terminal. This is to prevent the functions and applications of the mobile terminal from being activated or deactivated by inputting a control command that is not intended by the user in a mobile terminal mainly capable of touch input.

Hereinafter, embodiments illustrating functions that can be performed by a scroll-up or scroll-down operation of the rear input unit will be described. The scroll-off or scroll-down represents a hold-and-drag operation for a specific key of the rear input unit.

8A and 8B illustrate an embodiment of controlling the lock state of the screen using the rear input unit.

8A, when the user holds a finger on the up button of the rear input unit 232 while the idle screen is displayed on the display unit, the control unit detects the finger contact and displays an indicator 69 indicating the locking function Display. In this state, when a finger is dragged downward (scrolled) again, a lock icon is displayed on the indicator 69 at the start of dragging, and when the drag operation is completed, the idle screen is switched to a lock screen.

8B, in a state that the lock screen is displayed on the display unit, the user holds the finger on the down button of the rear input unit 232 and an indicator 70 indicating the locked state and the released direction is displayed . In this state, when the user again scrolls the finger (scrolls), the lock release icon is displayed on the indicator 70 at the start of dragging, and when the drag operation is completed, the lock screen is switched back to the standby screen.

FIG. 9 is an embodiment for performing screen scrolling using a rear input unit.

When the web browser is displayed on the display unit of the mobile terminal held by the user, the indicator 70 is displayed and the screen is moved downward when the rear input unit is scrolled down (up key hold & drag down) as shown in FIG. 8A.

Then, when the user scrolls up (down key hold & drag up) the rear input unit as shown in FIG. 8B, the indicator 72 is displayed and the screen is moved upward. Therefore, the present invention can scroll up or down the screen by using the rear input unit.

In Fig. 9, the downward movement is indicated by "+" and the upward movement is indicated by the "-" icon, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be displayed alternately.

As another example, the present invention may also allow the user to select when the specific button of the rear input unit is touched by displaying both the up and down movement icons in one indicator.

FIGS. 10A and 10B show an embodiment of performing telephone reception using a rear input unit.

As shown in FIG. 10A, when the user touches the rear input unit when a telephone call is received or an indicator 73 indicating a telephone receiving function is displayed on the display unit 251, the display unit 251 displays an indicator. Since the indicator 73 includes a phone call acceptance and a call rejection icon, the user can select a desired icon and perform a call reception.

As shown in FIG. 10C, when a call is received, the user can immediately receive a call by scrolling down the rear input unit (up and hold & drag). In this case, An indicator 74 indicating the user is displayed and the call is connected to the counterpart user. The indicator 74 displays an icon indicating that the telephone receiving function has been executed.

In the present invention, the position of the button where the finger is located on the rear input unit is guided to the front face so that the user can easily control the button. The guide is displayed through an indicator as described above, and the indicator is displayed at a position corresponding to the rear input, and can be moved to a desired position according to a touch input of the user because the visual field of the content can be hidden.

11 shows an embodiment in which the position of the button where the finger is located on the rear input unit is guided to the front face.

11, when the user holds the mobile terminal with one hand and one of the hands touches a specific button on the rear input unit, the control unit 180 controls the display unit 251 on the front side to move the finger position Information is displayed on the indicator 75. For example, when the finger is positioned on the up key of the rear input unit, the control unit 180 displays the position of the current finger in a color different from that of the remaining buttons. In addition, the indicator 75 can be moved to a desired position by touching and dragging.

The user can perform various functions as described above while viewing the position of the finger displayed on the indicator 75. [

12 is an example of performing a screen capture operation while viewing the finger position guide.

When the user holds the mobile terminal with one hand and touches the up button of the rear input unit with the index finger, the up button on the indicator 76 of the front display unit 251 is displayed to be distinguished from the other buttons. The distinction means to be displayed or highlighted in a different color. In this state, when the user touches the down button displayed on the indicator 76 with the thumb, the currently displayed screen is automatically captured.

In this way, the user can know which button is currently touched through the indicator 76, so that even if the rear input is not visible, the user can further select another button in the indicator 76 to display a desired function ) Can be conveniently performed.

13 to 16 illustrate an embodiment of performing various functions of the mobile terminal according to the interaction with the rear input unit.

The interaction includes touch input and key press and scrolling.

13 is an example of performing the self-camera function by touching the rear input unit.

The user selects the camera function while holding the mobile terminal and then touches the rear input unit and an indicator 77 indicating the camera function is displayed on the front display unit 251. [ The indicator 77 includes icons indicating zoom in, zoom out, and camera functions, so that the user can perform self-camera photographing in which the front touch is difficult while zooming in or zooming out.

14 is an example of zooming in / out of an image using a long touch.

When the user selects a specific picture in the album, the selected picture is displayed on the display unit 251. In this state, the user can perform an enlargement / reduction process on the picture by touching the up button or the wide button on the rear input unit. Also in this case, the controller 180 displays the position of the user's finger and the corresponding function through the indicator.

For example, as shown in FIG. 14, when the user touches the up button, an indicator for indicating the finger position is displayed. When the user touches the button for a long time, the indicator is switched to the indicator 63 indicating the zoom- do. The enlargement ratio of the photograph is determined by the long touch time, and the enlargement ratio is displayed on one side.

On the other hand, when the user touches the down button for a long time, the photograph is switched to the indicator indicating the zoom-out function and the picture is displayed in a reduced size.

In addition, although the present invention has been described by way of example when a specific button is touched, the present invention is not limited to this, and the user may select the zoom-in and zoom-out icons by displaying all the zoom-in and zoom-out icons in one indicator as shown in FIG. 5C.

Fig. 15 shows another embodiment of Fig. 9 as an example of performing image flicking using scrolling.

Referring to FIG. 15, when the user views a specific picture selected in the album and then drags down while the up button of the rear input unit is touched, that is, when scrolling down the rear input unit, the indicator 70 is displayed, And a different picture is displayed on the display unit 251. [0150] FIG. On the other hand, if the user presses the down button of the rear input unit and then scrolls up, that is, scrolls up the rear input unit, the currently displayed picture is flicked again and another picture is displayed on the display unit 251.

16 is an example of adjusting the point size of a brush using scrolling.

As shown in FIG. 16, after the user executes the sketch application, he can hold the mobile terminal with one hand and sketch with the other hand. In this case, the user can change the point size of the brush by scrolling the up button or the down button of the rear input unit. In this case, the control unit 180 can display the finger position and the brush selection function through the indicator 78. [

In addition, although the present invention has been described by way of example when a specific button is touched, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the user may select an increase or decrease icon for the point size of the brush in one indicator.

17 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating a rear input unit of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

17, the user can grasp (grasp) the mobile terminal with one hand and display the predetermined content on the display unit (151 or 251) (S100). The predetermined content is displayed on the display unit The content may be a selected content or an application, or may be a content or an application activated by an external event (receiving an incomming call, receiving a mail). The content may include an image, an image (including a moving image), text,

When an interaction with the rear input unit is detected from the user at step S110, the controller 180 determines the type of the currently displayed content and the type of the user interaction, (S120). For example, when a picture is currently displayed on the display unit 251 and the user interaction is scrolled, the control unit 180 recognizes (determines) the selection of the photo flicking and displays an indicator on the front display unit 251 Indicating that current photo flicking is possible (S130). The indicator is displayed until the perceived (determined) function is started and completed, i.e., until flicking begins and ends.

When the flicking of the rear input unit is completed, the controller 180 performs the selected photo flicking so as to switch the currently displayed picture to another picture and display it (S140).

As described above, according to the present invention, a multi-function is set in the rear input unit, a currently executable function is determined according to the user's interaction with the rear input unit and the type of content displayed on the screen, There is an effect that it is possible to easily confirm which button is currently input and which function is selected and executed even if the rear operation is not directly viewed.

In addition, the present invention has an advantage that the user can easily operate the rear input unit without directly viewing the rear input unit by guiding the rear input unit at the same front position corresponding to the rear input unit and displaying the position of the finger.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the above-described method can be implemented as a computer-readable code on a medium on which a program is recorded. The computer readable medium includes all kinds of recording devices in which data that can be read by a computer system is stored. Examples of the computer-readable medium include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, optical data storage, and the like, and also implemented in the form of a carrier wave (for example, transmission over the Internet) . Further, the computer may include a control unit of the terminal.

The above-described mobile terminal and its method of operating the rear input unit are not limited to the configuration and method of the above-described embodiments, but the embodiments may be modified so that all or some of the embodiments are variously modified Or may be selectively combined.

60 to 78: indicator 180; The control unit
234a, 234b, 233: buttons on the rear input unit
151, 251:

Claims (20)

A display unit disposed on the front surface and displaying contents on a screen;
A rear input unit disposed on the rear surface to sense a user interaction; And
And a controller for guiding a function executable on the current screen to the front display unit based on the displayed content type and the interaction type applied to the rear input unit. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the back input
A push button or a touch button. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interaction comprises:
And a touch and a touch of at least one button provided on the rear input unit. The method of claim 1,
Wherein the interaction type is one of a short or long press, a short touch long touch, and a scrolling. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit
Wherein one function is determined and guided based on the type of content and the type of interaction applied to the rear input unit among the multi functions set in the rear input unit. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit
And guides the function through an indicator having the same shape and size as the rear input unit. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the indicator
Wherein the mobile terminal is displayed at a position of the same display unit corresponding to the rear input unit and is movable according to a user input. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control unit
And displays the indicator until the end of the user interaction from the start of the user interaction, and executes the function when the user interaction ends. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control unit
Wherein at least one icon indicating a corresponding function is displayed in the indicator, and the icon includes function information and direction information. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control unit
And the position of the button with the current finger is displayed on the indicator in the rear input unit. Displaying contents on a front display unit;
Sensing a user interaction with a rear input unit;
Determining a function executable in the current screen among the multi functions set in the rear input unit based on the detected user interaction type; And
And guiding the determined function to the front display unit. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the back input
A push button or a touch button. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the user interaction comprises:
And a touch and a touch of at least one button provided on the rear input unit. 12. The method of claim 11,
Wherein the interaction type is one of a short or long press, a short touch long touch, and a scrolling. The method of claim 1, wherein the interaction type is one of a short press, a long touch, a short touch long touch and a scrolling. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the executable functions on the current screen include:
And the type of the content among the multi functions set in the rear input unit and the type of the interaction applied to the rear input unit. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the executable functions on the current screen include:
Wherein the guide is guided through an indicator having the same shape and size as the rear input unit. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the indicator
Wherein the second input unit is displayed at a position of the same display unit corresponding to the rear input unit and is movable according to a user input. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the indicator
Wherein the user interface is displayed from the start to the end of the user interaction. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the indicator
And at least one icon indicating a corresponding function, wherein the icon includes function information and direction information. The method of claim 11, further comprising: performing a determined function when the user interaction ends.

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