Mobile terminal and controlling method thereof

• US 8,682,391 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2010
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Min Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trandai, Scott
• Application Number:
  US12/704,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20110053615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,503 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.6, 455/457, 455/566, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 4555561-557, 455/414.2, 455/456.3, 348/207.99, 34820812-20814, 3482111-2112, 348/211.9, 348/221.1, 348/222.1, 348/240.99
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A mobile terminal including a user input unit configured to receive user-inputs; a wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one other terminal; at least one camera configured to capture images; a touchscreen configured to display a camera preview image captured by the camera; a position-location processor configured to obtain information on a current position of the mobile terminal; and a controller configured to search for textual object information corresponding to an object within the camera preview image based on the current position of the mobile terminal, to control the camera to photograph the camera preview image and to store the photographed camera preview image as a picture file, to output query information to query whether the searched textual object information is to be stored together with the picture file, and to store the picture file with or without the searched textual object information based on an answer to the output query information.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a user input unit configured to receive user-inputs;

a wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one other terminal;

a camera configured to capture images;

a touchscreen configured to display a camera preview image captured by the camera;

a position-location processor configured to obtain information on a current position of the mobile terminal; and

a controller configured to;

search for textual object information corresponding to an object within the camera preview image and within a searching distance from the current position of the mobile terminal,

control the camera to photograph the camera preview image,

store the photographed camera preview image as a picture file,

output query information to a user to query whether the searched textual object information is to be stored separate from the picture file, or within a synthesized picture file that includes the camera preview image and the searched textual object information,

determine whether to store the picture file and the searched textual object information, or only the synthesized picture file, based on an answer to the output query information,

store the picture file and the searched textual object information when the answer to the output query information is to not synthesize the camera preview image with the searched textual object information,

store only the synthesized picture file and not the searched textual object information when the answer to the output query information is to synthesize the camera preview image with the searched textual object information,

change the searching distance from the current position when the user input unit receives a specific user-input from the user,

assign a first identifier to the photographed camera preview image indicating a photographing time when the photographed camera preview image was captured and search a second identifier and textual object information corresponding to the second identifier by using the assigned first identifier and a position and direction of the mobile terminal when the camera preview image was captured and match the second identifier with the first identifier assigned to the photographed preview image,

control the touchscreen to display the searched textual object information with the picture file when the answer to the output query information is to not synthesize the camera preview image with the searched textual object information,

control the touchscreen to display only the synthesized picture file when the answer to the output query information is to synthesize the camera preview image with the searched textual object information,

obtain a first portion of the textual object information from the object information database including non-variable information regarding the object, and

download a second portion of the textual object information from an external server and including variable information regarding the object.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein if the answer to the output query information indicates the picture file is to be stored together with the textual object information, the controller is further configured to output synthesized information querying whether or not the textual object information is to be synthesized with the picture file.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein if an answer to the output synthesized information indicates the textual object information is not to be synthesized with the picture file, the controller is further configured to store the textual object information and the picture file as separate files, and to store linking information linking the picture file and the textual object information.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein if the stored picture file is selected to be displayed, the control unit is further configured to display the picture file together with the textual object information by using the linking information.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory configured to store an object information database including at least textual object information for objects within a predetermined vicinity of the current location of the mobile terminal,

wherein the control unit is further configured to search for and obtain the textual object information corresponding to the object within the camera preview image from the object information database stored in the memory.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to populate the object information database by downloading, via the wireless communication unit, said at least textual object information for objects within the predetermined vicinity of the current location of the mobile terminal from an external server.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the position-location module is further configured to obtain a direction of the mobile terminal, and the controller is further configured to search for the textual object information based on the direction and current location of the mobile terminal.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to automatically zoom the camera preview image in accordance with the changed searching distance.

9. A method of controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

allowing, via a wireless communication unit, wirelessly communication with at least one other terminal;

receiving user-inputs via a user input unit;

capturing, via a camera, a camera preview image;

displaying, on a touchscreen, the camera preview image;

obtaining, via a position-location processor, information on a current position of the mobile terminal;

photographing, via a controller, the camera preview image;

assigning a first identifier to the photographed camera preview image indicating a photographing time when the photographed camera preview image was captured;

storing, via the controller, the photographed camera preview image as a picture file;

searching, via the controller, the textual object information by using the assigned first identifier and a position and direction of the mobile terminal when the camera preview image was captured;

obtaining, via the controller, a second identifier and textual object information corresponding to the second identifier;

matching, via the controller, the second identifier with the first identifier assigned to the photographed preview image;

outputting, via the controller, query information to a user to query whether the searched textual object information is to be stored separate from the picture file, or within a synthesized picture file that includes the camera preview image and the searched textual object information;

storing, via the controller, the picture file and the searched textual object information when the answer to the output query information is to not synthesize the camera preview image with the searched textual object information;

storing, via the controller, only the synthesized picture file and not the searched textual object information when the answer to the output query information is to synthesize the camera preview image with the searched textual object information;

changing, via the controller, the searching distance from the current position when the user input unit receives a specific user-input from the user;

displaying the searched textual object information with the picture file when the answer to the output query information is to not synthesize the camera preview image with the searched textual object information; and

displaying only the synthesized picture file when the answer to the output query information is to synthesize the camera preview image with the searched textual object information,

wherein a first portion of the textual object information including non-variable information regarding the object within the camera preview image is obtained from the object information database, and a second portion of the textual object information including variable information regarding the object is obtained from an external server.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein if the answer to the output query information indicates the picture file is to be stored together with the textual object information, the method further comprises outputting synthesized information querying whether or not the textual object information is to be synthesized with the picture file, and

wherein if an answer to the output synthesized information indicates the textual object information is not to be synthesized with the picture file, the method further comprises storing the textual object information and the picture file as separate files, and storing linking information linking the picture file and the textual object information.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

storing, in a memory, an object information database including at least textual object information for objects within a predetermined vicinity of the current location of the mobile terminal; and

searching for and obtaining the textual object information corresponding to the object within the camera preview image from the object information database stored in the memory.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

populating the object information database by downloading, via the wireless communication unit, said at least textual object information for objects within the predetermined vicinity of the current location of the mobile terminal from an external server.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising automatically zooming the camera preview image in accordance with the changed searching distance.