Mobile terminal and operation method thereof

• US 8,648,877 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2011
• Issued: 02/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Bumbae
• Primary Examiner(s): AMIN, JWALANT B
• Application Number:
  US13/016,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20110273473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/629
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/028 Multiple view windows (top-side-front-sagittal-orthogonal)
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

A mobile terminal and an operating method thereof are provided. The operating method includes displaying a preview image provided by a camera module on a display module; obtaining position information of the mobile terminal; obtaining a map of an area displayed in the preview image and its relevant areas based on the obtained position information; and displaying an image into which the preview image and the map are combined on the display module. Therefore, it is possible for a user to view a preview image and a map at the same time and determine his or her location with an enhanced sense of reality.

Claims

1. An operating method of a mobile terminal, the operating method comprising:

displaying a preview image provided by a camera module on a display module;

obtaining position information of the mobile terminal;

obtaining a map of an area relevant to an area displayed in the preview image based on the obtained position information;

receiving a touch input on the display module while the preview image is being displayed; and

in response to reception of the touch input, displaying an image into which the preview image and the map are combined on the display module,

wherein a manner of combining the preview image and the map is varied according to a type of the received touch input.

2. The operating method of claim 1, wherein the areas relevant to the area displayed in the preview image include areas surrounding the area displayed in the preview image.

3. The operating method of claim 1, wherein the image into which the preview image and the map are combined includes an image in which the preview image and the map are geo-referenced to each other.

4. The operating method of claim 1, wherein, when the touch input is a multi touch input, the displaying the image comprises reducing the preview image and the map and displaying the reduced preview image in one region on the display module and displaying the reduced map on the rest of the display module.

5. The operating method of claim 4, wherein the smaller the size of the preview image on the display module, the larger the area covered by the map.

6. The operating method of claim 4, wherein the reducing the preview image comprises gradually increasing a rate at which the preview image is reduced from the center of the preview image to the edges of the preview image and reducing the map at the same rate as that applied to the edges of the preview image.

7. The operating method of claim 4, wherein the reducing the preview image comprises reducing the preview image at a uniform rate.

8. The operating method of claim 1, wherein, when the touch input is a drag input, the displaying the image comprises reducing a portion of the preview image, displaying the reduced preview image portion in one region on the display module and displaying a map of areas relevant to an area displayed in the reduced preview image portion such that the map can be combined seamlessly with the reduced preview image portion.

9. The operating method of claim 1, wherein, when the touch input is a drag input, the displaying the image comprises displaying a portion of the preview image in one region on the display module and displaying a map of areas relevant to an area displayed in the preview image portion on the rest of the display module such that the map can be combined seamlessly with the preview image portion.

10. The operating method of claim 1, wherein the map includes a symbol map, in which symbols or characters are used to represent geographic information of each of the areas displayed in the map, and a captured image of each the areas displayed in the map.

11. The operating method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining the map comprises obtaining the map from a map database based on the position information of the mobile terminal.

12. The operating method of claim 11, wherein the map database is stored in a memory of the mobile terminal or in an external device that can communicate with the mobile terminal.

13. The operating method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing shape recognition on an object detected from the preview image; and

combining the preview image and the map based on the position information of the mobile terminal and the results of shape recognition of the object.

14. The operating method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining direction information of the camera module; and

combining the preview image and the map based on the position information of the mobile terminal and the direction information of the camera module.

15. The operating method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining direction information of the camera module;

performing shape recognition on an object detected from the preview image; and

combining the preview image and the map based on the position information of the mobile terminal, the direction information of the camera module and the results of shape recognition of the object.

16. A mobile terminal comprising:

a camera module;

a touch screen configured to display a preview image provided by the camera module and receive a touch input;

a wireless communication unit configured to communicate with an external device; and

a controller configured to;

obtain position information of the mobile terminal,

obtain a map of an area relevant to an area displayed in the preview image based on the position information of the mobile terminal,

detect the touch input received on the touch screen while the preview image is being displayed, and

in response to detection of the touch input, display an image into which the preview image and the map are combined,

wherein a manner of combining the preview image and the map is varied according to a type of the received touch input.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the areas relevant to the area displayed in the preview image include areas surrounding the area displayed in the preview image.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the image into which the preview image and the map are combined includes an image in which the preview image and the map are geo-referenced to each other.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein if a multi-touch input is detected from the touch screen, the controller reduces the preview image and the map and displays the reduced preview image in one region on the display module and displays the reduced map on the rest of the display module.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein, if a drag input is detected from the touch screen, the controller displays a portion of the preview image in one region on the display module and displays a map of areas relevant to an area displayed in the preview image portion on the rest of the display module such that the map can be combined seamlessly with the preview image portion.

21. An operating method of a mobile terminal, the operating method comprising:

displaying a preview image provided by a camera module on a display module;

obtaining position information of the mobile terminal;

obtaining a map of an area relevant to an area displayed in the preview image based on the obtained position information;

receiving a single touch input to the displayed preview image; and

in response to reception of the single touch input, removing the preview image from the display module and displaying a map image of a place touched by the single touch input on the display module.