MOBILE TERMINAL AND CONTROL METHOD OF THE SAME

• US 20130102279A1
• Filed: 08/21/2012
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: LEE, Sanghyuck, LEE, Eunju, KIM, Byeongwook
• Granted Patent: US 9,008,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72472 wherein the items are sorted according to specific criteria, e.g. frequency of use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/66 user interface aspects for indicating selection options for a communication line

Abstract

A mobile terminal that may be able to access a wireless communication network and a control method thereof are provided. The mobile terminal includes: a wireless communication unit configured to access a wireless communication network; a detection unit configured to detect a connectable wireless communication network through the wireless communication unit; and a controller outputting icons each corresponding to one or more wireless communication networks detected by the detection unit to a locked screen displayed in a locked state in which inputting of a control command with respect to an application is limited, releasing the locked state when selecting of any one of the output icons is detected, and controlling the wireless communication unit to access a wireless communication network corresponding to the selected icon.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a mobile terminal main body;

a wireless communication unit configured to access a wireless communication network;

a detection unit configured to detect a connectable wireless communication network through the wireless communication unit; and

a controller processing information related to a wireless communication network detected by the detection unit, such that the information is associated with the mobile terminal main body.

2. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller outputs icons each corresponding to one or more wireless communication networks detected by the detection unit to a locked screen displayed in a locked state in which inputting of a control command with respect to an application is limited,

releases the locked state when selecting of any one of the output icons is detected, and

controls the wireless communication unit to access a wireless communication network corresponding to the selected icon.

3. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 2, wherein the selecting is performed through a touch input applied to the locked screen, and

the touch input is a touch input corresponding to a release condition for releasing the locked state.

4. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 3, wherein the touch input is a drag input that starts from a pre-set reference point and ends at any one of the icons, and

the controller controls the wireless communication unit to access a wireless communication network corresponding to an icon positioned at a point at which the drag input ends.

5. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 2, wherein the detection unit measures the strength of radio signals transmitted and received between the wireless communication unit and the detected wireless communication network.

6. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 5, wherein the controller determines the positions of the icons output to the locked screen by using the measurement results.

7. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 5, wherein the icons are disposed such that an icon corresponding to a wireless communication network having greater strength of a radio signal, the icon is closer to the reference point.

8. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 5, wherein the controller sets the icons output to the locked screen such that transparency of each icon is different, based on the measurement results.

9. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 2, wherein the controller displays an icon corresponding to a wireless communication network restricted from being used among the wireless communication networks detected by the detection unit, such that the icon is differentiated from the other icons.

10. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 9, wherein when the icon corresponding to the wireless communication network restricted from being used by a user is selected, notification information is output.

11. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 10, wherein the controller maintains the locked state.

12. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 2, wherein the controller searches for an application associated with the wireless communication corresponding to the selected icon, and

when the locked state is released, the controller displays information related to the searched application on the display unit.

13. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 12, wherein an icon of the searched application is displayed on the display unit.

14. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 2, wherein the controller displays data usage information on the icon output to the locked screen or a region adjacent to the icon, and

the data usage information is related to the wireless communication network corresponding to the icon.

15. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detection unit detects communication mode information corresponding to at least one application installed in the main body and matches the detected communication mode information and the application, and

the controller performs processing to associate an icon corresponding to the application and the communication mode information by using matching information related to the matching.

16. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 15, wherein the communication mode information is information related to a communication mode optimized most to execute a function of the application among a plurality of communication modes available for accessing the main body.

17. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 15, wherein the icon corresponding to the application is displayed on a display unit, and

the controller displays the communication mode information matched to the application on a region adjacent to the icon corresponding to the application.

18. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 15, wherein the main body further comprises a wireless communication unit connectable to a wireless communication network, and

the controller checks a communication mode of the wireless communication network connected to the wireless communication unit,

searches for an application matched to the checked communication mode from the matching information, and displays an icon of the searched application such that the icon is differentiated from icons of other applications.

19. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 18, wherein the controller changes the disposition of icons displayed on the display unit on the basis of the checked communication mode and the matching information.

20. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 15, wherein the controller groups the one or more applications on the basis of the fact that they are matched to the same communication mode information, and

icons of the applications are disposed on the display unit on the basis of the grouping.

21. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 20, wherein the controller checks a communication mode of the wireless communication network connected to the wireless communication unit, and preferentially disposes a group corresponding to the checked communication mode on the display unit over other groups.

22. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 21, wherein the controller displays an icon of an application included in the group corresponding to the checked communication mode such that the icon is differentiated from an icon of an application included in a different group.

23. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detection unit detects a communication mode of a wireless communication network connected to the wireless communication unit, and

the main body further comprises an illumination unit provided in the main body and outputting light beams of different colors, and

the controller controls the color of light output from the illumination unit, such that light beams of different colors are output according to the detected communication mode.

24. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 23, wherein the controller extracts color information matched to the detected communication mode from a memory, and

controls the illumination unit to output light of a color corresponding to the extracted color information.

25. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 23, wherein the detection unit measures the strength of a radio signal transmitted or received through the wireless communication unit, and

the controller controls the intensity of light output from the illumination unit on the basis of the measurement results.

26. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 25, wherein the intensity of light output from the illumination unit is stronger as the strength of the radio signal is greater.

27. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 25, wherein the detection unit detects at least one wireless communication network having a communication mode different from that of the connected wireless communication network, and measures the strength of the radio signal transmitted and received through the detected wireless communication network, and

when the strength of the radio signal of the detected wireless communication network is greater than that of the radio signal transmitted and received through the connected wireless communication network, the controller changes the wireless communication network connected to the wireless communication unit, to the detected wireless communication network, and

changes the color of light output from the illumination unit such that light of a color matched to the communication mode of the changed wireless communication network is output.

28. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 27, wherein when the strength of a radio signal of the detected wireless communication network is greater than that of a radio signal transmitted and received through the connected wireless communication network, the controller controls the wireless communication unit to automatically access the detected wireless communication network.

29. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 27, wherein when the strength of a radio signal of the detected wireless communication network is greater than that of a radio signal transmitted and received through the connected wireless communication network, the controller outputs information regarding the detected wireless communication network to a user and

controls the wireless communication unit to access the detected wireless communication network on the basis of the user selection.

30. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 23, wherein the main body includes a front surface, a lateral surface, and a rear surface, a display unit is provided on the front surface,

the illumination unit is disposed to be adjacent to the edge of the rear surface and include an optical waveguide element, and outputs light beams of different colors according to the detected communication mode through the optical waveguide element.

31. A control method of a mobile terminal including an illumination unit configured to output light beams of different colors, the method comprising:

detecting a communication mode of a wireless communication network connected to a wireless communication unit;

extracting color information matched to the detected communication mode; and

controlling the color of light output from the illumination unit such that light of a color corresponding to the extracted color information is output.

32. A control method of a mobile terminal, comprising:

detecting communication mode information corresponding to at least one application;

matching the detected communication mode and the application; and

performing processing to associate an icon corresponding to the application and the communication mode information by using matching information related to the matching.

33. The method as claimed in claim 32, wherein, in the processing to associate the icon and the communication mode, communication mode information matched to the application is displayed on a region adjacent to the icon corresponding to the application.

34. The method as claimed in claim 32, wherein, in the processing to associate the icon and the communication mode, matching information corresponding to a communication mode of a wireless communication network connected to a wireless communication unit is searched, and

an icon of an application related to the searched matching information is displayed to be differentiated from an icon of a different application.

35. A control method of a mobile terminal, comprising:

detecting connectable wireless communication networks through a wireless communication unit;

outputting icons corresponding to the detected wireless communication networks to a locked screen displayed in a locked state in which inputting of a control command with respect to an application is limited; and

when any one of the output icons is selected, releasing the locked state and controlling the wireless communication unit to access a wireless communication network corresponding to the selected icon.