KR20100095256A - Mobile terminal and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A mobile terminal and a control method thereof are provided to control various operations by using the combination of the touch input and the proximity touch input. CONSTITUTION: A touch screen displays an operation screen, and a proximity sensor(141) outputs a proximity signal corresponding to a proximity touch input. If a touch input is detected, a control unit(180) selects an object corresponding to the touch input on the operation screen. If the proximity touch input is detected according to the proximity signal in the touch input state, the control unit performs the operation set up in the selected object.

Description

Mobile terminal and control method thereof

The present invention relates to a portable terminal and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to a portable terminal and a control method capable of controlling various operations using a combination of a touch input and a proximity touch input.

A portable terminal is a portable device that is portable and has one or more functions for making voice and video calls, inputting and outputting information, and storing data. As the functions of the portable terminal have diversified, they have complicated functions such as photographing and photographing, playing music files and video files, receiving games, receiving broadcasts, and wireless internet, and have developed a comprehensive multimedia player, .

In the portable terminal implemented in the form of such a multimedia device, new attempts have been applied in various ways in terms of hardware and software to implement complex functions. For example, a user interface environment for a user to search for or select a function easily and conveniently, or use of a front touch screen as an input / output device.

However, since the mobile terminal has to consider mobility and portability, there is a limitation in allocating space for a user interface such as a display or a keypad, and the size of the mobile terminal is limited even if the touch screen is applied to the mobile terminal. none. Therefore, in order to efficiently use various functions executable in the portable terminal, a new input method different from the existing input method is required.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a portable terminal capable of controlling various operations using a combination of a touch input and a proximity touch input and a control method thereof.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a mobile terminal, the method including: displaying an operation screen on a touch screen, and when an input is performed through the touch screen, an object corresponding to the touch input is selected on the operation screen; And in the touch input state, performing a preset operation in response to the selected object when the proximity touch is input.

In addition, the control method of the mobile terminal according to the present invention for achieving the above object, displaying a list including a plurality of items on the touch screen, any one item in the list is selected by the touch input, and In the touch input state, in the proximity touch input, fixing the selected item in the list, and scrolling the remaining items corresponding to the proximity touch input.

According to the present invention, displaying a first screen corresponding to a first operation mode among the operation modes executable in the selected operation menu, detecting a touch input through a predetermined area of the first screen, and In the sensing state, when the proximity touch input, the control method of the mobile terminal comprising the step of switching from the first operation mode to the second operation mode, and displaying a second screen corresponding to the second operation mode do.

Meanwhile, the portable terminal according to the present invention includes a touch screen displaying an operation screen, a proximity sensor outputting a proximity signal corresponding to a proximity touch input, and a touch input through the touch screen, when the touch input is detected. And a control unit for selecting an object corresponding to the input and performing a preset operation in response to the selected object when the proximity touch input is detected according to the proximity signal in the touch input state.

In addition, the portable terminal according to the present invention includes a touch screen for displaying a list including a plurality of items, a proximity sensor for outputting a proximity signal corresponding to a proximity touch input, and an item selected from the list by a touch input. In a state, when a proximity touch input is detected according to the proximity signal, the selected item is fixed in the list, and the remaining items include a controller for scrolling in response to the proximity touch input.

According to the present invention, a touch screen for displaying a first screen corresponding to a first operation mode among the operation modes executable in the selected operation menu, a proximity sensor for outputting a proximity signal corresponding to a proximity touch input, and the first screen. When a touch input through the touch input is detected, when a proximity touch input is detected according to the proximity signal, the touch screen is switched to a second operation mode among the executable operation modes, and a second screen corresponding to the second operation mode is displayed on the touch screen. There is provided a portable terminal including a control unit displayed on the screen.

According to the present invention, various operations can be controlled in the mobile terminal by a combination of a touch input and a proximity touch input. In addition, a combination of a touch input and a proximity touch input may be used together with other user inputs or may be used sequentially to utilize various functions executable in the portable terminal.

Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings will be described the present invention in more detail.

The portable terminal described in the present specification includes a mobile phone, a smart phone, a notebook computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP), navigation, and the like. In addition, suffixes "module" and " part "for the components used in the following description are given merely for convenience of description, and do not give special significance or role in themselves. Therefore, the "module" and "unit" may be used interchangeably.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a portable terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. Referring to FIG. 1, a portable terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in terms of components according to functions.

Referring to FIG. 1, the mobile terminal 100 includes a wireless communication unit 110, an A / V input unit 120, a user input unit 130, a sensing unit 140, and an output unit 150. , A memory 160, an interface unit 170, a controller 180, and a power supply unit 190. Such components may be configured by combining two or more components into one component, or by dividing one or more components into two or more components as necessary when implemented in an actual application.

The wireless communication unit 110 may include a broadcast receiving module 111, a mobile communication module 113, a wireless Internet module 115, a short distance communication module 117, and a GPS module 119.

The broadcast receiving module 111 receives at least one of a broadcast signal and broadcast related information from an external broadcast management server through a broadcast channel. In this case, the broadcast channel may include a satellite channel, a terrestrial channel, and the like. The broadcast management server may refer to a server for generating and transmitting at least one of a broadcast signal and broadcast related information and a server for receiving at least one of the generated broadcast signal and broadcast related information and transmitting the broadcast signal to the terminal.

The broadcast related information may mean information related to a broadcast channel, a broadcast program, or a broadcast service provider. The broadcast signal may include not only a TV broadcast signal, a radio broadcast signal, and a data broadcast signal, but also a broadcast signal having a data broadcast signal combined with a TV broadcast signal or a radio broadcast signal. The broadcast related information may also be provided through a mobile communication network, and in this case, may be received by the mobile communication module 113. Broadcast related information may exist in various forms. For example, it may exist in the form of Electronic Program Guide (EPG) of Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) or Electronic Service Guide (ESG) of Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H).

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-Terrestrial (DMB-T), a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Satellite (DMB-S) ), Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H), Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial (ISDB-T), and the like. In addition, the broadcast receiving module 111 may be configured to be suitable for all broadcast systems providing broadcast signals as well as such digital broadcast systems. 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 113 transmits and receives a radio signal with at least one of a base station, an external terminal, and a server on a mobile communication network. Here, the wireless signal may include various types of data according to voice call signal, video call signal, or text / multimedia message transmission and reception.

The wireless Internet module 115 refers to a module for wireless Internet access, and the wireless Internet module 115 can be embedded in the mobile terminal 100 or externally. Wireless Internet technologies may include Wireless LAN (Wi-Fi), Wireless Broadband (Wibro), World Interoperability for Microwave Access (Wimax), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), and the like.

The short-range communication module 117 refers to a module for short-range communication. As a short range communication technology, Bluetooth, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), Ultra Wideband (UWB), ZigBee, etc. may be used.

A GPS (Global Position System) module 119 receives position information from a plurality of GPS satellites.

The 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 123. The camera 121 processes image frames such as still images or moving images obtained by the image sensor in the video call mode or the photographing mode. The processed image frame may be displayed on the display unit 151.

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

The microphone 123 receives an external sound signal by 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 113 and output when the voice data is in the call mode. The microphone 123 may be a variety of noise reduction algorithms for eliminating noise generated in receiving an external sound signal.

The user input unit 130 generates key input data input by the user for controlling the operation of the terminal. The user input unit 130 may include a key pad, a dome switch, a touch pad (static pressure / capacitance), a jog wheel, a jog switch, a finger mouse, and the like. Particularly, when the touch pad has a mutual layer structure with the display unit 151 described later, it can be called a touch screen.

The sensing unit 140 senses the current state of the portable terminal 100 such as the open / close state of the portable terminal 100, the position of the portable terminal 100, Thereby generating a sensing signal. For example, when the mobile terminal 100 is in the form of a slide phone, it may sense whether the slide phone is opened or closed. In addition, it may be responsible for sensing functions related to whether the power supply unit 190 is supplied with power, whether the interface unit 170 is coupled to an external device, and the like.

The sensing unit 140 may include a proximity sensor 141, a pressure sensor 143, and an acceleration sensor 145. The proximity sensor 141 may detect the presence or absence of an approaching object or an object present in the vicinity without mechanical contact. The proximity sensor 141 may detect a proximity object by using a change in an alternating magnetic field or a change in a static magnetic field, or by using a change rate of capacitance. Two or more proximity sensors 141 may be provided according to the configuration aspect.

The pressure sensor 143 may detect whether pressure is applied to the portable terminal 100, the magnitude of the pressure, and the like. The pressure sensor 143 may be installed at a portion where the pressure of the portable terminal 100 is required depending on the use environment. If the pressure sensor 143 is installed in the display unit 151, a touch input through the display unit 151 and a greater pressure than the touch input are applied according to a signal output from the pressure sensor 143. The pressure touch input can be identified. Also, the magnitude of the pressure applied to the display unit 151 at the time of the pressure touch input can be determined according to the signal output from the pressure sensor 143. [

The acceleration sensor 145 converts an acceleration signal in one direction into an electrical signal, and is widely used with the development of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. The acceleration sensor 145 measures the acceleration of a large value embedded in an airbag system of a vehicle and used to detect a collision. There are many different types of measurements. The acceleration sensor 145 is usually configured by mounting two or three axes in one package, and in some cases, only one Z axis is required depending on the use environment. Therefore, when the acceleration sensor in the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction is used instead of the Z-axis direction for some reason, the acceleration sensor may be mounted on the main substrate by using a separate piece substrate.

The output unit 150 is for outputting an audio signal, a video signal, or an alarm signal. The output unit 150 may include a display unit 151, an audio output module 153, an alarm unit 155, and a haptic module 157.

The display unit 151 displays and outputs information processed by the mobile terminal 100. For example, when the portable terminal 100 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 a video call mode or a photographing mode, the mobile terminal 100 may display a captured or received image, respectively, or simultaneously, and display a UI and a GUI.

Meanwhile, as described above, when the display unit 151 and the touch pad have a mutual layer structure and constitute a touch screen, the display unit 151 may be used as an input device in addition to the output device. If the display unit 151 is configured as a touch screen, it may include a touch screen panel, a touch screen panel controller, and the like. In this case, the touch screen panel is a transparent panel attached to the outside and may be connected to the internal bus of the portable terminal 100. The touch screen panel keeps a watch on the contact result, and if there is a touch input, sends the corresponding signals to the touch screen panel controller. The touch screen panel controller processes the signals, and then transmits corresponding data to the controller 180 so that the controller 180 can determine whether the touch input has been made and which area of the touch screen has been touched.

In addition, the display unit 151 may be configured of an electronic paper (e-Paper). Electronic paper (e-Paper) is a kind of reflective display, and has excellent visual characteristics such as high resolution, wide viewing angle and bright white background as conventional paper and ink. The electronic paper (e-paper) can be implemented on any substrate such as plastic, metal, paper, and the image is retained even after the power is shut off, and the battery life of the portable terminal 100 is long Can be maintained. As the electronic paper, a hemispherical twist ball filled with a telephone can be used, or an electrophoresis method and a microcapsule can be used.

In addition, the display unit 151 may include a liquid crystal display, a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display, an organic light-emitting diode, a flexible display, and a three-dimensional display. It may include at least one of (3D display). In addition, two or more display units 151 may exist according to the implementation form of the mobile terminal 100. For example, the external display unit (not shown) and the internal display unit (not shown) may be simultaneously provided in the portable terminal 100.

The audio output module 153 outputs 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 153 outputs sound signals related to functions performed in the portable terminal 100, for example, a call signal reception tone, a message reception tone, and the like. The sound output module 153 may include a speaker, a buzzer, and the like.

The alarm unit 155 outputs a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event of the portable terminal 100. Examples of events occurring in the mobile terminal 100 include call signal reception, message reception, key signal input, and the like. The alarm unit 155 outputs a signal for notifying occurrence of an event in a form other than an audio signal or a video signal. For example, the signal may be output in the form of vibration. The alarm unit 155 can output a signal to notify when a call signal is received or a message is received. Also. When the key signal is input, the alarm unit 155 may output the signal as a feedback to the key signal input. The user may recognize the occurrence of an event through the signal output from the alarm unit 155. The signal for notifying the event occurrence in the mobile terminal 100 may also be output through the display unit 151 or the sound output module 153.

The haptic module 157 generates various tactile effects that the user can feel. A typical example of the haptic effect generated by the haptic module 157 is a vibration effect. When the haptic module 157 generates vibration with a haptic effect, the intensity and pattern of the vibration generated by the haptic module 157 can be converted, and the different vibrations can be synthesized and output or sequentially output.

In addition to the vibration, the haptic module 157 may be provided with a function of stimulating by a pin arrangement vertically moving with respect to the contact skin surface, an effect of stimulating air through the injection or suction force of the air through the injection port or the suction port, The effect of stimulation through contact of an electrode (eletrode), the effect of stimulation by electrostatic force, and the effect of reproducing a cold sensation using a device capable of endothermic or exothermic can be generated. The haptic module 157 can be implemented not only to transmit the tactile effect through direct contact but also to feel the tactile effect through the muscular sense of the user's finger or arm. Two or more haptic modules 157 may be provided according to a configuration aspect of the mobile terminal 100.

The memory 160 may store a program for processing and controlling the controller 180 and may provide a function for temporarily storing input or output data (for example, a phone book, a message, a still image, a video, etc.). It can also be done.

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), RAM The storage medium may include at least one type of storage medium. In addition, the mobile terminal 100 may operate a web storage that performs a storage function of the memory 150 on the Internet.

The interface unit 170 serves as an interface with all external devices connected to the portable terminal 100. Examples of external devices connected to the mobile terminal 100 include a wired / wireless headset, an external charger, a wired / wireless data port, a memory card, a memory card, a SIM / UIM card, and the like. / Output) terminal, video I / O (Input / Output) terminal, earphone, and the like. The interface unit 170 receives data from the external device or receives power from the external device and transmits the data to each component in the portable terminal 100 so that data in the portable terminal 100 can be transmitted to the external device .

The interface unit 170 is a path through which power from the cradle connected when the portable terminal 100 is connected to the external cradle is supplied to the portable terminal 100 or various command signals inputted from the cradle by the user are carried And may be a passage to be transmitted to the terminal 100.

The controller 180 typically controls the operation of the respective units to control the overall operation of the mobile terminal 100. For example, perform related control and processing for voice calls, data communications, video calls, and the like. In addition, the controller 180 may include a multimedia playback module 181 for multimedia playback. The multimedia playback module 181 may be configured in hardware in the controller 180 or in software separately from the controller 180.

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 mobile terminal 100 having such a configuration can be configured to be operable in a communication system capable of transmitting data through a frame or a packet, including a wired / wireless communication system and a satellite-based communication system. have.

The portable terminal related to the present invention has been described above in terms of components according to functions. Hereinafter, referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the portable terminal related to the present invention will be further described in terms of components according to appearance. Hereinafter, for convenience of description, a slider type portable terminal having a touch screen among various types of portable terminals such as a folder type, a bar type, a swing type, a slider type, etc. will be described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to the slider type portable terminal, but can be applied to all types of portable terminals including the aforementioned type.

2 is a perspective view of a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention viewed from the front. Referring to FIG. 2, the portable terminal includes a first body 100A and a second body 100B configured to be slidable in at least one direction on the first body 100A.

A state in which the first body 100A is disposed to overlap the second body 100B may be referred to as a closed configuration. As shown in FIG. 2, the first body 100A may be referred to as the second body 100B. The exposed state of at least a portion of the N may be referred to as an open configuration.

Although the mobile terminal 100 operates mainly in the standby mode (Standby Mode) in the closed state, the standby mode may be released by the user's operation. In addition, although the mobile terminal 100 operates mainly in a call mode or the like in an open state, the portable terminal 100 may be switched to a standby mode by a user's operation or a lapse of a predetermined time.

The case forming the outer appearance of the first body 100A is formed by the first front case 100A-1 and the first rear case 100A-2. Various electronic components are embedded in the space formed by the first front case 100A-1 and the first rear case 100A-2. At least one intermediate case may be further disposed between the first front case 100A-1 and the first rear case 100A-2. Such cases may be formed by injecting synthetic resin, or may be formed to have a metal material such as stainless steel (STS) or titanium (Ti).

The display unit 151, the first sound output module 153a, the first camera 121a, and the first user input unit 130a may be disposed in the main body, specifically, the first front case 100A-1.

The display unit 151 includes a liquid crystal display (LCD), organic light emitting diodes (OLED), and the like, which visually express information. The display unit 151 may be configured such that the touch pad is overlapped in a layer structure so that the display unit 151 operates as a touch screen to input information by a user's touch. The first sound output module 153a may be implemented in the form of a receiver or a speaker. The first camera 121a may be implemented to be suitable for capturing an image or a video of a user or the like.

Like the first body 100A, the case forming the external appearance of the second body 100B is formed by the second front case 100B-1 and the second rear case 100B-2. The second user input unit 130b may be disposed on the front surface of the second body 100B, specifically, the second front case 100B-1. The third and fourth user input units 130c and 130d, the microphone 123, and the interface unit 170 are disposed on at least one of the second front case 100B-1 or the second rear case 100B-2). Can be.

The first to fourth user input units 130a, 130b, 130c, and 130d may be collectively referred to as the user input unit 130, and may be adopted in any manner as long as the user is tactile manner in a tactile manner. have.

For example, the user input unit 130 may be implemented as a dome switch or a touch pad that may receive a command or information by a user's push or touch operation, or may be operated by a wheel or jog method or a joystick that rotates a key. Or the like.

In functional terms, the first user input unit 130a is for inputting a command such as start, end, scroll, etc., and the second user input unit 130b is for inputting numbers, letters, symbols, and the like. In addition, the third and fourth user input units 130c and 130d may operate as hot-keys for activating a special function in the mobile terminal 100.

The microphone 123 may be implemented in a form suitable for receiving a user's voice, other sounds, and the like. The interface unit 170 serves as a passage for allowing the portable terminal according to the present invention to exchange data with an external device. For example, the interface unit 170 may be at least one of a wired or wireless connection terminal for connecting to the earphone, a port for short-range communication, or a power supply terminal for supplying power to the mobile terminal 100. have. The interface unit 170 may be a card socket that accommodates an external card such as a subscriber identification module (SIM) or a user identity module (UIM) and a memory card for storing information.

3 is a rear perspective view of the mobile terminal shown in FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 3, a wheel type fifth user input unit 130e and a second camera 121b may be additionally mounted on the rear surface of the second rear case 100B-2 of the second body 100B. The sixth user input unit 130f may be disposed on the side surface of the second body 100B.

The second camera 121b may have a photographing direction substantially opposite to that of the first camera 121a, and may have different pixels from the first camera 121a. For example, in the case of a video call or the like, the first camera 121a has a low pixel so that the user's face is photographed and transmitted to the other party, and the second camera 121b photographs a general subject and does not transmit it immediately. In many cases, it is desirable to have a high pixel.

The flash 125 and the mirror 126 may be additionally disposed adjacent to the second camera 121b. The flash 125 shines light toward the subject when the subject is photographed by the second camera 121b. The mirror 126 allows a user to see his / her own face or the like when the user wants to photograph himself (self-photographing) using the second camera 121b.

A second sound output module (not shown) may be further disposed on the second rear case 100B-2. The second sound output module may implement the stereo function together with the first sound output module 153a, and may be used for talking in the speakerphone mode.

In addition, an antenna (not shown) for receiving a broadcast signal may be disposed on one side of the second rear case 100B-2 in addition to an antenna for a call. The antenna may be installed to be pulled out of the second body 100B. A portion of the slide module 100C for slidably coupling the first body 100A and the second body 100B is disposed on the first rear case 100A-2 side of the first body 100A. The other part of the slide module 100C may be disposed on the second front case 100B-1 side of the second body 100B and may not be exposed to the outside as shown in FIG. 3.

In the above description, the second camera 121b and the like are disposed on the second body 100B, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, at least one or more of the components described as disposed in the second rear case 100B-2, such as the second camera 121b, may be the first body 100A, mainly the first rear case 100A-2. It is also possible to mount on). In such a configuration, there is an advantage that the components disposed in the first rear case 100A-2 in the closed state are protected by the second body 100B. In addition, even if the second camera 121b is not separately provided, the first camera 121a may be rotatably formed to be able to photograph up to the photographing direction of the second camera 121b.

The rear case 100A-2 is provided with a power supply unit 190 for supplying power to the portable terminal. The power supply unit 190 is, for example, a rechargeable battery, and may be detachably coupled to the rear case 100A-2 for charging.

4 is a diagram referred to describe a proximity touch input. As shown in FIG. 4, when a pointer such as a user's finger or a pen approaches the display unit 151, a proximity sensor 141 installed inside or adjacent to the display unit 151 detects the proximity signal to detect a proximity signal. Output

The proximity sensor 141 may be configured to output different proximity signals according to a distance between the pointer touched by the proximity touch and the display unit 151 (hereinafter, referred to as "proximity depth"). For example, a distance in which a detection object approaches a proximity sensor and a proximity signal is output is called a detection distance Sn. As such, a proximity signal output from each proximity sensor using a plurality of proximity sensors having different detection distances is used. Comparing to it can be seen how close to the proximity object.

In FIG. 4, a cross section in which a proximity sensor is disposed to detect three proximity depths is illustrated, but a proximity sensor may be arranged to detect less than three or four or more proximity depths. Specifically, when the pointer is completely in contact with the display unit 151 (D0), it is recognized as a contact touch. When the pointer is positioned below the D1 distance on the display unit 151, the pointer is recognized as a proximity touch of the first proximity depth. When the pointer is positioned to be spaced apart from the D1 distance by more than the D2 distance on the display unit 151, the pointer is recognized as a proximity touch of the second proximity depth. When the pointer is positioned to be spaced apart from the D2 distance by more than the D3 distance on the display unit 151, the pointer is recognized as the proximity touch of the third proximity depth. When the pointer is positioned at a distance greater than or equal to the distance D3 on the display unit 151, it is recognized that the proximity touch is released.

In addition, a plurality of proximity sensors having different detection areas may be arranged to determine which proximity sensor is output from among the proximity sensors to determine where the pointer approaches the display unit 151 and whether the pointer is displayed. Whether to move closer to the unit 151 may be identified.

Therefore, the controller 180 may recognize the proximity touch as various input signals according to the proximity depth and the proximity position of the pointer, and perform various operation control according to the various input signals. In the present invention, the proximity touch input and the touch input are used in various operation control.

5 is a flowchart provided to explain a method for controlling a portable terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5, the controller 180 displays an operation screen corresponding to the selected menu or operation on the display unit 151 (S200). At this time, examples of the operation screen to be displayed include a standby screen, a message reception screen, a main menu screen, an image or video viewer screen, a broadcast screen, a map screen, and a web page screen.

When there is a touch input while the operation screen is displayed, the controller 180 allows an object corresponding to the touch input to be selected on the operation screen (S202). Examples of the object selected by the touch input on the operation screen include an image, a menu icon, a touch key, an input window or an output window. The selected object may be displayed in a different color or form from another object, or may be displayed differently from other objects by displaying a shaded color or a border differently. It is also possible to generate a haptic effect corresponding to the selected entity.

In the state in which the object is selected by the touch input, when there is a proximity touch input (S206), the controller 180 causes an operation of a predetermined control operation related to the selected object to be performed (S208). Examples of the control operation performed at this time include enlarging or reducing the selected object, displaying the selected object by rotating it, displaying a menu related to the selected object, and switching the horizontal and vertical screens of the selected object.

In addition, once a predetermined control operation is performed on the selected object, the control operation performed by the proximity touch input may be maintained even if the touch input is not continued. In addition, if the proximity touch input does not persist, the object may be configured to return to the selected state by the touch input.

If there is another user input such as a touch input or a key input in addition to the proximity touch input (S210), the controller 180 controls to perform an operation corresponding to the user input (S212). If no other operation mode is selected, the process after step S202 is repeatedly performed (S214).

By such a process, according to the combination of the touch input and the proximity touch input, the specific control operation may be performed only on the object selected from the plurality of objects.

6 is a flowchart provided to explain a method for controlling a portable terminal according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 6, when a menu for displaying a list including a plurality of items such as a phone book menu, a mail box, an MP3 player menu, a video player menu, an image view menu, and the like is selected by the user, the controller 180 is selected. ) Displays a list corresponding to the selected menu on the display unit 151 configured as a touch screen (S250).

In a state where a list including a plurality of items is displayed, the controller 180 determines whether there is a proximity touch input in a touch input state after any item is selected from the list by touch input (S252 and S254).

If a close touch input is performed while any item is selected from the list by the touch input, the controller 180 controls to scroll the remaining items except the selected item (S256). That is, the item selected by the touch input is fixed, and the remaining items are controlled to scroll in correspondence to the moving direction of the proximity position with respect to the proximity touch input.

Depending on the setting, the scroll speed may be controlled to change in response to the change of the proximity depth with respect to the proximity touch input. For example, the scroll speed may be increased when the proximity touch input approaches the display unit 151, and the scroll speed may decrease when the proximity touch input moves away from the display unit 151. In addition, the selected item may be displayed to be distinguishable from other items, and when the selected item is touched again or when the proximity position of the proximity touch input is fixed for a predetermined time, an operation related to the selected item may be performed. have.

When there is another user input such as a key input or another touch input (S258), the controller 180 controls to perform an operation corresponding to the user input (S260). If no other operation mode is selected, the process after step S252 is repeatedly performed (S262).

 In this manner, only the remaining items except the selected item may be scrolled according to the combination of the touch input and the proximity touch input.

7 is a flowchart provided to explain a method for controlling a portable terminal according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 7, when an operation menu capable of executing a plurality of operation modes such as camera, multimedia file playback, DMB viewing, etc. is selected according to a user command (S300), the controller 180 operates by default in the selected operation menu. The operation screen corresponding to the mode is displayed on the display unit 151 (S302).

In the state in which the operation screen is displayed, when there is a touch input in a specific area of the operation screen (S304) and when there is a proximity touch input in the touch input state (S306), the controller 180 is configured to execute an operation mode in the selected operation menu. Control to switch to the operation mode different from the currently set operation mode (S308).

For example, when the phone book menu is selected, the operation mode may be switched in the order of integrated search → group view → view by consonant view → picture view → integrated search in accordance with the proximity touch input. When the input menu is selected, the operation mode may be switched in the order of the emoticon input mode → input mode → emoticon input mode according to the proximity touch input.

In this case, the operation mode or the switching order of the operation mode switched according to the proximity touch input may be configured to vary according to the touch input area, and may also generate a tactile effect corresponding to the switching of the operation mode. In addition, the operation mode to be switched depending on the movement direction of the proximity position of the proximity touch input may be configured to vary. For example, when the proximity position of the proximity touch input moves to the left direction and when the proximity position of the proximity touch input moves to the right direction, the operation mode may be switched to different operation modes.

If there is another user input such as a key input or another touch input (S310), the controller 180 controls to perform an operation corresponding to the user input (S312). If no other operation menu is selected, the process after step S302 is repeatedly performed (S262).

By this process, it is possible to quickly switch from the selected operation menu to another operation mode according to the combination of the touch input and the proximity touch input.

8 to 14 are views for explaining a method of controlling a mobile terminal according to the present invention together with a screen displayed on a display unit.

First, FIGS. 8 to 10 are views for explaining a process of performing a specific operation using a combination of a touch input and a proximity touch input in a method of controlling a mobile terminal according to the present invention.

8A illustrates a case in which the proximity touch input 415 is selected as the second image 425 after the first image 420 is selected by the touch input 410 on the screen 400 in which a plurality of images are displayed. It is shown. When there is such an input, as shown in (b) of FIG. 8, the first image 420 and the second image 425 may be displayed by changing their positions.

9A illustrates a proximity touch input in which a proximity position moves in the same direction as 443 after the first image 450 is selected by the touch input 440 on the screen 430 on which a plurality of images are displayed. 445) is shown. When there is such an input, as shown in FIG. 9B, the first image 450 may be rotated and displayed in response to the movement of the proximity position of the proximity touch input 445.

FIG. 10A illustrates a proximity touch input 485 in which a proximity position is moved in the same direction as 483 after the image 490 is selected by the touch input 480 on the screen 470 on which the image 490 is displayed. ) Is shown. If there is such an input, as shown in FIG. 10B, the image 491 may be displayed by switching from the horizontal view to the vertical view. In addition, the object selected by the touch input may be enlarged or reduced according to the change in the proximity depth of the proximity touch input, or the object selected by the touch input may be displayed by moving the object selected by the proximity touch input.

FIG. 11 is a diagram for describing a process of performing a selective scrolling operation using a combination of a touch input and a proximity touch input in a method of controlling a mobile terminal according to the present invention.

FIG. 11A illustrates a case in which there is a proximity touch input 515 in which the proximity position moves downward in a downward direction of the screen after a specific item 520 is selected by the touch input 510 on the received text box screen 500. It is shown. When there is such an input, as shown in (b) of FIG. 11, the selected item 520 is not scrolled, and only the remaining items may scroll in the proximity position moving direction of the proximity touch input 515. In this case, when there is a touch input again to the item 520 selected by the touch input 515 or when the proximity position of the proximity touch input 515 is fixed for a predetermined time, the corresponding item 520 may correspond to the selected item 520. The content can be displayed.

12 and 13 are views for explaining a process of switching an operation mode using a combination of a touch input and a proximity touch input in a method of controlling a mobile terminal according to the present invention.

12A illustrates a touch input 610 through a specific area on a first operation mode screen 600 of an operation mode executable in a selected operation menu, and a proximity touch input in which a proximity position moves in a right direction of the screen ( 6150) 575). When there is such an input, as shown in FIG. 12B, the second operation mode screen 620 of the operation modes executable in the selected operation menu is displayed. Similarly, when the touch input 620 and the proximity touch input 635 are present on the second operation mode screen 620, as shown in FIG. 12C, the third operation screen 640 is displayed.

By this process, it is possible to quickly switch from the selected operation menu to another operation mode. For example, when the DMB viewing menu is selected, the operation mode can be switched in order from TV mode → radio mode → TV mode or SBS → MBC → KBS → YTN → SBS according to the combination of touch input and proximity touch input. You can switch channels. When the camera shooting menu is selected, the operation mode can be switched to photo shooting mode → video shooting mode → special shooting mode → photo shooting mode. When the video call menu is selected, the operation mode can be switched in the following order: view only the other party's video → view the other's video → view the other's video → view only the other's video → view the other's video only. You can also switch the operation mode. In addition, when a menu such as an electronic dictionary is selected, the operation mode may be switched in the order of Korean-English mode → English-Korean mode → English-English mode → Korean-English mode.

13 illustrates a screen to which a widget is switched. As shown in FIG. 13, the widget may be switched in the same manner as the operation mode switching using the touch input and the proximity touch input. In addition, the background screen candidate group list may be displayed by using a combination of touch input and proximity touch input, and the background screen may be switched to a screen corresponding to an item for which the proximity touch input at a point in time is displayed among the displayed candidate group list.

In addition, the combination of the touch input and the proximity touch input can be used in the portable terminal to control an IPTV, a PC, or the like connected to the portable terminal.

Meanwhile, the above-described operation has been described in which the proximity touch input is input to the display unit, but is not limited thereto. That is, as shown in FIG. 14, the proximity pad areas 710, 720, and 730 capable of proximity touch input are set only in one area instead of the entire area of the display unit 151. By using the proximity touch input through 730, operation control as described above is possible.

In addition, the mobile terminal and its control method according to the present invention are not limited to the configuration and method of the embodiments described as described above, the embodiments are all or all of the embodiments so that various modifications can be made Some may be optionally combined.

Meanwhile, the present invention can be embodied as processor readable codes on a processor readable recording medium provided in a mobile terminal such as a mobile station modem (MSM). The processor-readable recording medium includes all kinds of recording devices that store data that can be read by the processor. Examples of the processor-readable recording medium include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, optical data storage device, and the like, and also include a carrier wave such as transmission through the Internet. The processor-readable recording medium can also be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the processor-readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion.

In addition, although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but the technical field to which the invention belongs without departing from the spirit of the invention claimed in the claims. Of course, various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art, and these modifications should not be individually understood from the technical spirit or the prospect of the present invention.

1 is a block diagram of a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a perspective view of a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a rear perspective view of the mobile terminal shown in FIG.

4 is a view referred to for explaining a proximity touch input;

5 is a flowchart provided to explain a method for controlling a mobile terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

6 is a flowchart provided to explain a method for controlling a mobile terminal according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

7 is a flowchart provided to explain a method for controlling a portable terminal according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

8 to 10 are views for explaining a process of performing a specific operation using a combination of a touch input and a proximity touch input in a method of controlling a mobile terminal according to the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a diagram for describing a process of performing a selective scrolling operation using a combination of a touch input and a proximity touch input in a method of controlling a mobile terminal according to the present invention; FIG.

12 and 13 are views for explaining a process of switching an operation mode using a combination of a touch input and a proximity touch input in a control method of a portable terminal according to the present invention; and

14 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of various proximity pad areas in a mobile terminal according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

110: wireless communication unit 120: A / V input unit

130: user input unit 140: sensing unit

141: proximity sensor 150: output unit

151: display unit 160: memory

170: interface unit 180: control unit

Claims (20)

Displaying an operation screen on a touch screen; Selecting an object corresponding to the touch input on the operation screen when the touch input is performed through the touch screen; And And performing a predetermined operation with respect to the selected object when the proximity touch is input in the touch input state. The method of claim 1, The preset operation is controlled according to at least one of the proximity depth and the proximity position of the proximity touch input. The method of claim 1, And the selected entity is displayed to be distinguishable from other entities. The method of claim 1, And generating a haptic effect corresponding to the selected object. The method of claim 1, And the predetermined operation is set based on a user command. A touch screen displaying an operation screen; A proximity sensor for outputting a proximity signal corresponding to a proximity touch input; And When a touch input through the touch screen is detected, an object corresponding to the touch input is selected on the operation screen, and when a proximity touch input is detected according to the proximity signal in the touch input state, in relation to the selected object A mobile terminal comprising a control unit for performing a predetermined operation. Displaying a list including a plurality of items on a touch screen; Selecting one item from the list by a touch input; And And fixing the selected item in the list when the proximity touch is input in the touch input state, and scrolling the remaining items in response to the proximity touch input. The method of claim 7, wherein And the list is a list associated with any one of a phone book menu, a mail box, an MP3 player menu, a video player menu, and an image view menu. The method of claim 7, wherein And performing an operation related to the selected item when the proximity touch input lasts for a predetermined time. The method of claim 7, wherein The scroll speed of the remaining items is changed according to the moving speed of the proximity position with respect to the proximity touch input. The method of claim 7, wherein The scroll speed of the remaining items is changed according to the depth of proximity to the proximity touch input. The method of claim 7, wherein And the selected item is displayed to be distinguishable from other items. A touch screen displaying a list including a plurality of items; A proximity sensor for outputting a proximity signal corresponding to a proximity touch input; And When any one item in the list is selected by a touch input, when a proximity touch input is detected according to the proximity signal, the selected item is fixed in the list and the other item scrolls in response to the proximity touch input. Mobile terminal comprising a. The method of claim 13, The controller may be configured to perform an operation related to the selected item when the proximity touch input lasts for a predetermined time. Displaying a first screen corresponding to the first operation mode among the operation modes executable in the selected operation menu; Detecting a touch input through a predetermined area of the first screen; And And switching from the first operation mode to the second operation mode and displaying a second screen corresponding to the second operation mode when the touch input is detected while the touch input is detected. Control method. The method of claim 15, And wherein the second operation mode is an operation mode selected according to the touch input area on the first screen. The method of claim 15, And wherein the second operation mode is an operation mode selected according to a moving direction of the proximity position of the proximity touch input. The method of claim 15, And generating a haptic effect corresponding to the switching of the second operation mode. A touch screen displaying a first screen corresponding to the first operation mode among the operation modes executable in the selected operation menu; A proximity sensor for outputting a proximity signal corresponding to a proximity touch input; And When a touch input through the first screen is sensed and a proximity touch input is detected according to the proximity signal, a switch is made to a second operation mode among the executable modes and a second corresponding to the second operation mode. And a controller for displaying a screen on the touch screen. The method of claim 19, It further includes a haptic module for generating a haptic effect, The controller controls the haptic module to generate a haptic effect corresponding to the switching of the second operation mode.

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