Mobile terminal and method of controlling the operation of the mobile terminal

Abstract

A mobile terminal and a method of controlling the operation of the mobile terminal are provided. The method includes placing the mobile terminal in lock mode; if a multi-touch signal including first and second touch signals is detected from a display module, releasing the mobile terminal from the lock mode, the first and second touch signals being touch signals detected from first and second areas, respectively, on the display module; and entering an operating mode which is set to enter upon the touching of the second area. Therefore, it is possible to unlock the mobile terminal and then readily enter a predefined operating mode in response to a multi-touch input detected from certain areas on the display module.

1 . A method of controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising:
 placing the mobile terminal in a lock mode;   detecting at least one signal via the mobile terminal to determine whether the mobile terminal is to be released from the lock mode; and   releasing the mobile terminal from the lock mode and controlling the mobile terminal to operate in a predefined operating mode when the at least one signal is detected.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the at least one signal comprises:
 detecting a multi-touch signal including a first touch signal on a first area of a display module of the mobile terminal and a second touch signal on a second area of the display module of the mobile terminal.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 setting the first and second areas of the display module in advance according to a user command.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second touch signals are received at the same time. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second touch signals are received sequentially. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 providing a menu to set the predefined operating mode corresponding to the second touch signal.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 selecting the predefined operating mode in advance according to a user command via the provided menu.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 outputting an alarm signal indicating that the mobile terminal is placed in the lock mode.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 setting a plurality of second areas on the display module in advance according to a user command; and   setting a different operating mode for corresponding to each of the plurality of second areas.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting a signal greater than a predetermined amount of time; and   placing the mobile terminal back in the lock mode.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a user command at the mobile terminal to place the mobile terminal back in the lock mode.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the at least one signal comprises:
 detecting a touch signal from a display module of the mobile terminal and a predefined movement of the mobile terminal.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the predefined movement is based on a variation in a sensing signal provided by a motion sensor in the mobile terminal. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 detecting a number of specific motions via the motion sensor; and   storing the number of detected specific motions as the predefined movement in a memory of the mobile terminal.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 outputting an alarm signal indicating that the mobile terminal is placed in the lock mode.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 selecting the predefined operating mode in advance according to a user command via a menu provided on the display module of the mobile terminal.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the at least one signal comprises:
 receiving a gesture input through a display module of the mobile terminal.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein releasing the mobile terminal from the lock mode corresponds to a predefined input order and shape. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 registering a particular gesture input received through the display module in advance to predefine an input order and shape; and   comparing the registered gesture input with the received gesture input to determine whether the received gesture input corresponds to the predefined input order and shape of the registered gesture input.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the at least one signal comprises:
 displaying a plurality of slider bars on a display module of the mobile terminal;   detecting a touch-and-drag input from the display module; and   manipulating each of the plurality of slider bars according to the detected touch-and-drag input.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the mobile terminal is released from the lock mode when the plurality of slider bars is positioned in a specific combination to match a predefined combination. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the at least one signal comprises:
 displaying first and second icons on a display module of the mobile terminal;   detecting a touch-and-drag input from the display module; and   manipulating the first icon according to the detected touch-and-drag input such that the first icon is repositioned from a first location to a second location on the display module.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the predefined operating mode corresponds to an overlapping area on the display module when the first icon is repositioned to overlap the second icon at the overlapping area. 
     
     
         24 . A mobile terminal comprising:
 a display module; and   a controller module configured to place the mobile terminal in a lock mode, detect at least one signal via the mobile terminal to determine whether the mobile terminal is to be released from the lock mode, release the mobile terminal from the lock mode and control the mobile terminal to operate in a predefined operating mode when the at least one signal is detected.   
     
     
         25 . The mobile terminal of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one signal is a multi-touch signal including a first touch signal on a first area of the display module and a second touch signal on a second area of the display module. 
     
     
         26 . The mobile terminal of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one signal is a touch signal from the display module and a predefined movement of the mobile terminal. 
     
     
         27 . The mobile terminal of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one signal is a gesture input having a specific stroke order and shape. 
     
     
         28 . The mobile terminal of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one signal is a touch-and-drag input from the display module for manipulating a plurality of slider bars displayed on the display module such that the plurality of manipulated slider bars having a specific combination match a predefined combination. 
     
     
         29 . The mobile terminal of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one signal is a touch-and-drag input from the display module for manipulating a first icon displayed on the display module to be repositioned from a first location to a second location on the display module such that the first icon overlaps a second icon displayed on the display module.