MOBILE TERMINAL AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20130179784A1
• Filed: 12/14/2012
• Published: 07/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: BANG, Kisoo
• Granted Patent: US 9,182,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations

Abstract

A mobile terminal and a control method thereof are disclosed. The mobile terminal includes: a memory configured to store a plurality of sound sources; an output unit comprising an audio output module; and a controller configured to control the output of sound sources comprising at least another one of the plurality of sound sources, based on a specific event acquired when at least one of the plurality of sound sources is output to the audio output module or on standby for output. Accordingly, the output of a plurality of sound sources can be easily controlled.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a memory configured to store a plurality of sound sources;

an output unit comprising an audio output module; and

a controller configured to control the output of sound sources comprising at least another one of the plurality of sound sources, based on a specific event acquired when at least one of the plurality of sound sources is output to the audio output module or on standby for output.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller displays a control window for acquiring a user input to control the output of sound sources comprising the at least another one when the specific event is acquired, and controls the output of the sound sources based on the input acquired through the control window.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller divides the control window into a plurality of areas to correspond to the plurality of sound sources comprising the at least another one, and further displays a volume control bar that acquires a user input for controlling the output of the plurality of sound sources comprising the at least another one in each of the divided areas.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the controller divides the control window into a plurality of areas to correspond to the plurality of sound sources comprising the at least another one, and when a plurality of touches on at least two of the plurality of areas are dragged in a direction in which the touches become closer to each other, combine the at least two areas corresponding to the plurality of touches together.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein, when the at least two areas are combined together, the controller performs control on the plurality of sound sources corresponding to the plurality of areas based on a manipulation on the combined area.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein, when the plurality of touches on the displayed combined area are dragged in a direction in which the touches are separated from each other, the controller separates the combined area and displays the same in separate areas.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the controller adjusts the ratio of the output of each of the plurality of sound sources based on the acquired input.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein, when the output of a specific sound source of the sound sources comprising the at least another one is adjusted to a threshold value or less, the controller terminates the running of an application corresponding to the specific sound source.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the audio output module comprises a plurality of output devices, and

the controller outputs the plurality of sound sources to the plurality of output devices in a distributed fashion.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sound sources are the sounds of phone conversations with the users of a plurality of other devices, and when the output of at least one of the sounds of phone conversations is controlled to a threshold value or less, the controller terminates the call with the users of other devices corresponding to the phone conversation sound adjusted to the threshold value or less.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sound sources comprise at least either one of a content sound source associated with an operation of at least one specific application and a system source associated with an operation of the mobile terminal.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising a wireless communication unit,

wherein at least one of the plurality of sound sources is acquired in a streaming fashion through the wireless communication unit.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller further displays an equalizer screen for three-dimensionally displaying the output of at least one of the plurality of sound sources.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the output unit further comprises a display module, and the specific event is a touch input on at least one area of the display module.

15. A mobile terminal comprising:

a memory configured to store a plurality of sound sources;

an output unit comprising a display module and an audio output module; and

a controller configured to output at least one of the plurality of sound sources to the audio output module,

wherein if a specific event is acquired while an image associated with the at least one sound source is being output to the display module, the controller displays a screen for acquiring a user input to control the output of sound sources comprising at least another one of the plurality of sound sources.

16. A mobile terminal comprising:

an output unit;

a memory configured to store a plurality of sound sources; and

a controller configured to give priority to a specific one of the plurality of sound sources and output the same to the output unit,

wherein, if a specific event is acquired when priority is given to the specific sound source, the controller provides a screen for acquiring a user input to control the output of another sound source which is not given the priority.

17. A control method of a mobile terminal comprising:

storing a plurality of sound sources;

outputting at least one of the plurality of sound sources; and

controlling the output of sound sources comprising at least another one of the plurality of sound sources.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the controlling comprises:

if a specific event is acquired, displaying a control window for acquiring a user input to control the output of sound sources comprising the at least another one; and

controlling the output of the sound sources based on the input acquired through the control window.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the displaying of the control window comprises:

dividing the control window into a plurality of areas to correspond to the plurality of sound sources comprising the at least another one; and

further displaying a volume control bar that acquires a user input for controlling the output of the plurality of sound sources comprising the at least another one in each of the divided areas.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein, when the output of a specific sound source of the sound sources comprising the at least another one is adjusted to a threshold value or less, the controller terminates the running of an application corresponding to the specific sound source.