Mobile terminal capable of providing multiplayer game and operating method thereof

• US 8,761,590 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2011
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: An, Youngsoo, Cho, Songrae
• Primary Examiner(s): Laballe, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUTLER, KEVIN C
• Application Number:
  US13/156,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20110319131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 345/239, 345/619, 345/633, 382/103, 396/72, 709/217
• US Class Current: 396/72
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/08 adapted to co-operate with a remote control mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/10 by relative axial movement of several lenses, e.g. of varifocal objective lens
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/102 controlled by a microcomputer cameras with interchangeable lenses G03B17/14
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/00 Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor lens hoods or caps G03B11/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3245 of image modifying data, e.g. handwritten addenda, highlights or augmented reality information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3273 Display

Abstract

A mobile terminal and an operating method thereof are provided. The mobile terminal includes displaying a preview image provided by a camera module on a display module; searching for object information of an object within a predetermined distance of the mobile terminal; and displaying the object information on the display module when a user command generated by pressing a predetermined key is received. Therefore, it is possible to provide object information with high readability by displaying the object information only when receiving a predetermined user command.

Claims

1. An operating method of a mobile terminal set in an augmented reality (AR) mode, the operating method comprising:

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

searching for object information of at least one object existing within a predetermined distance from a current location of the mobile terminal;

displaying the object information on a first area of the display module in a first arrangement;

receiving a user command generated by pressing a predetermined key;

identifying one or more objects included in the preview image upon receiving the user command; and

changing an arrangement of the object information on the preview image from the first arrangement to a second arrangement based on a position of the identified objects while the user command is received.

2. The operating method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined key is a shutter key and the user command includes a half-press on the shutter key.

3. The operating method of claim 1, wherein the displaying the object information comprises displaying the object information in a predetermined area on the display module so as not to be moved around on the display module.

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

displaying the object information in a first size before receipt of the user command; and

displaying the object information in a second size, which is greater than the first size, during receipt of the user command.

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

setting at least one part of the preview image as a focus area and displaying a focus indicator representing the focus area on the display module; and

exclusively displaying object information of an object displayed within the focus area during receipt of the user command.

6. The operating method of claim 1, further comprising displaying different pieces of object information according to a depth to which the predetermined key is pressed.

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

if a first user command generated by pressing the predetermined key to a first depth is received, displaying object information of an object within a first distance of the mobile terminal; and

if a second user command generated by pressing the predetermined key to a second depth is received, displaying object information of an object more than the first distance apart from the mobile terminal.

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

dividing the object information into a plurality of segments and displaying the plurality of segments one after another at regular intervals of time; and

if the user command is received, displaying the segment displayed at the time of receipt of the user command until the user command is no longer received.

9. The operating method of claim 1, wherein the object information includes a map of a region where the at least one object is located.

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

re-displaying a screen image displayed before receiving the user command on the display module when receipt of the user command is terminated.

11. The operating method of claim 1, wherein the changing the arrangement comprises displaying the object information on a second area of the display module in the second arrangement during receipt of the user command.

12. The operating method of claim 11, wherein the first area is an area corresponding to the location of the at least one object and the second area is an area on a side of the display module.

13. The operating method of claim 11, wherein the first area is an area on a side of the display module and the second area is an area corresponding to the location of the at least one object.

14. A mobile terminal operating in an augmented reality (AR) mode comprising:

a camera module configured to capture images;

a display module configured to display a preview image provided by the camera module;

a user input unit configured to include a predetermined key; and

a controller configured to;

search for object information of at least one object existing within a predetermined distance from a current location of the mobile terminal;

display the object information on a first area of the display module in a first arrangement;

receive a user command generated by pressing the predetermined key;

identify one or more objects included in the preview image upon receiving the user command; and

change an arrangement of the object information on the preview image from the first arrangement to a second arrangement based on a position of the identified objects while the user command is received.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein the predetermined key is a shutter key and the user command includes a half-press on the shutter key.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein the controller displays the object information on a second area of the display module in the second arrangement during receipt of the user command.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein the controller displays the object information in a first size before receipt of the user command and displays the object information in a second size, which is greater than the first size, during receipt of the user command.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein the controller sets at least one part of the preview image as a focus area and displays a focus indicator representing the focus area on the display module, and exclusively displays an object information of an object displayed within the focus area during receipt of the user command.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein the controller displays different pieces of object information according to a depth to which the predetermined key is pressed.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein the controller re-displays a screen image displayed before receiving the user command on the display module when receipt of the user command is terminated.