Abstract:
Disclosed is a mobile communication terminal including a touch screen as an input and output means is controlled by a processor on a computer as a mobile station of a mobile communication network, and screen information is output through the display of the mobile communication terminal. A screen display unit of the computer switches to a sleep mode corresponding to the sleep mode of the mobile communication terminal, and the sleep mode of the mobile communication terminal is disabled by manipulating the computer. Accordingly, erroneous manipulation can be prevented in the control process.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-0002773 filed on Jan. 10, 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     In the present invention, a mobile communication terminal having a touch screen as an input and output means is controlled by a computer as a mobile station of a mobile communication network, and screen information is output through a screen display unit of the mobile communication terminal implemented on the screen of the computer. The screen display unit of the computer switches to a sleep mode when the display of the mobile communication terminal switches to a sleep mode, and the mobile communication terminal can be powered back on by manipulating the computer. 
     2. Related Art 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , with the advancement in the mobile communication technology, communication methods limited to voice communications or short message services (SMS) have evolved into Internet connections through mobile communication networks  21  based on communication protocols, such as the wireless application protocol (WAP) or the like. As high-functional mobile communication terminals  10  having input and output devices such as a high-resolution touch screen, and a high-performance control and operation device and a memory device, are distributed through the mobile communication networks  21 , high-resolution image processing and execution of various application programs supporting multimedia, and Internet connections based on TCP/IP (Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) through a wireless LAN  22 , are enabled. 
     The high-functional mobile communication terminals  10 , referred to as a smart phone, use a high resolution touch screen and a related control and operation device, and thus a graphic user interface (GUI) comparable to that of a desktop computer  41  and a conventional keypad type device is implemented. Accordingly, user convenience has been improved in manipulation of the mobile communication terminals  10 , and application programs capable of performing various tasks can be installed and executed in the mobile communication terminals  10  based on the improvement of control and operation capability and memory capacity. 
     Particularly, as Internet connections of the high-functional mobile communication terminals  10  through the mobile communication networks  21  and the wireless LANs  22  are generalized and social networking services (SNS) continue to expand, exchange of information increases among users of mobile communication terminals  10 . In addition, as the mobile communication terminals  10  use functions beyond the conventional functions (e.g., limited to communication devices) and evolve into a multimedia device or a portable computer  41 , the number of users voluntarily providing or exchanging various kinds of information through the Internet based on the functions and portability of the mobile communication terminals  10  increases. 
     In addition, since convenience, functions and user interfaces for manipulating the mobile communication terminals  10 , and processing capacity of hardware and operating systems, are becoming increasingly advanced compared to conventional methods, it is possible to create and read various types of electronic documents and process multimedia data. Accordingly, qualitative and quantitative expansion of information that is processed continues to increase. 
     Therefore, as shown in  FIG. 1 , techniques for establishing a session between a mobile communication terminal  10  and a computer  41 , controlling the mobile communication terminal  10  through the computer  41 , and distributing data between the mobile communication terminal  10  and the computer  41  have been developed to increase the efficiency of mobile communication terminal  10  use. 
     Control of the mobile communication terminal  10  through the computer  41  is performed by a computer control program installed on the computer  41  and a mobile control program installed on the mobile communication terminal  10 , and both the control programs can be modularized into an operating system or installed as an application program. 
     When the control program of the computer  41  is executed, a screen display unit  50  is implemented on the screen of the computer  41  as shown in  FIG. 1  while a session is established between the computer  41  and the mobile communication terminal  10 , and the output on the display of the mobile communication terminal  10  is output on the screen display unit  50 . A user of the computer  41  may manipulate the mobile communication terminal  10  through the screen display unit  50  controlled by the computer control program using an input device such as a mouse or the like and may perform a task similar to directly manipulating the mobile communication terminal  10 , such as copying information stored in the mobile communication terminal  10  onto the computer  41  or capturing an image output on the display of the mobile communication terminal  10 . 
     The session between the mobile communication terminal  10  and the computer  41  can be established in a variety of methods, and representative examples are shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
       FIG. 2  shows the mobile communication terminal  10  and the computer  41  directly connected through a USB (Universal Serial Bus) or the like. The mobile communication terminal  10  operates as a USB device, and the computer  41  operates as a USB host. In particular, the control program installed on the computer  41  can be a USB system program or a USB client device driver embedded in the operating system. 
     The direct connection between the mobile communication terminal  10  and the computer  41  as shown in  FIG. 2  is applied when a mobile communication terminal  10  user directly connects the mobile communication terminal  10  to a computer  41  and performs a task such as transferring or updating data. However it is not limited to a direct connection as shown in the figure, but includes different types of short range wireless communication methods such as Bluetooth, Zigbee and the like. 
       FIG. 3  shows the mobile communication terminal  10  and the computer  41  connected through a wireless network  20  and the Internet. As shown in the figure, the wireless network  20  refers to the mobile communication network  21  of a TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) or a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) scheme and the wireless LAN  22  such as a Wi-Fi (Wireless-Fidelity) or WiBro (Wireless Broadband) network for performing communication based on a TCP/IP (Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol). The wireless LAN  22  and the mobile communication network  21  are respectively connected to the Internet through a gateway server  31  and a communication company server  32 , which can be referred to as a gateway server, and the computer  41  connected to the Internet controls the mobile communication terminal  10 . 
     The connection between the mobile communication terminal  10  and the computer  41  through the Internet as shown in  FIG. 3  is applied when a remote control customer service is provided. The remote control customer service is provided by a communication company which attracts controlled mobile communication terminals  10  as subscribers or an Internet information providing company which distributes paid data or application programs in association with the wireless network  20 , and a user of the computer  41  can be a call center agent of the communication company or the Internet information providing company. 
     SUMMARY 
     When a computer control program and a mobile control program are respectively installed on a computer  41  and a mobile communication terminal  10  the programs may be executed while connecting the mobile communication terminal  10  and the computer  41  as described above, the mobile communication terminal  10  may be controlled by the computer  41 . Specifically, the computer control program may transmit a manipulation command to the mobile control program and the mobile control program may receive and input the manipulation command into the operating system of the mobile communication terminal  10  and transmit screen information to the computer control program. Generally, the screen display unit  50  may be implemented on the screen of the computer  41  as shown in  FIG. 1 , and an image output on the display of the mobile communication terminal  10  may be output on the screen display unit  50  of the computer  41 . 
       FIG. 4  is an exemplary view showing a mobile communication terminal  10  controlled by a computer  41  according to a conventional technique. As shown in the figure, although the display of the mobile communication terminal  10  is switched to a sleep mode, the screen display unit  50  of the computer  41  maintains an image displayed before the sleep mode is enabled. 
     The mobile communication terminal  10  having a touch screen as an input and output means may switch the display into a sleep mode when there is no input for a predetermined time period through the touch screen or a key button. Furthermore, the sleep mode is a mode in which operation of the display may be stopped by disabling the power supplied to the display or the power of the backlight disposed on a back of the display may be disabled. 
     It may be possible to suppress unnecessary consumption of power and extend the lifespan of the display hardware by switching the display of the mobile communication terminal  10  into the sleep mode. However, as shown in  FIG. 4 , when the mobile communication terminal  10  is controlled by the computer  41 , although the display of the mobile communication terminal  10  is switched to sleep mode, the computer control program installed on the computer  41  does not reflect the sleep mode, and the screen display unit  50  may maintain an image displayed before the sleep mode is enabled, and thus the mobile communication terminal  10  may not be controlled efficiently, and erroneous manipulation of the mobile communication terminal  10  may occur. 
     Transition into the sleep mode of the display of the mobile communication terminal  10  may stop operation of the display by the operating system of the mobile communication terminal  10  when there is no input for a predetermined time period through the hardware such as the touch screen or a key button. Therefore, when the mobile communication terminal  10  is controlled by the computer  41  and an input does not occur through the hardware of the mobile communication terminal  10 , the display of the mobile communication terminal  10  may switch to the sleep mode in a control process. In addition, transition to the sleep mode may not change an image output on the display, but may stop the operation of the hardware. Thus, since screen information that the computer control program receives may not change, the computer control program may not determine a transition to the sleep mode. 
     The transition to the sleep mode may occur while controlling the mobile communication terminal  10  by the computer  41  and may generate a problem when the computer  41  at a remote site remotely controls the mobile communication terminal  10  through the Internet and the wireless network  20  as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     In other words, as shown in  FIG. 3 , establishing a session between the mobile communication terminal  10  and the computer  41  may be performed when a call center agency of a communication company or an Internet information providing company provides a remote control service using a computer  41  to the mobile communication terminal  10 . In particular, the computer  41  user may not visually confirm the display of the controlled mobile communication terminal  10 , and thus although the controlled mobile communication terminal  10  is switched to the sleep mode, the agency may not determine a sleep mode and may perform the remote control, thereby causing an erroneous manipulation of the mobile communication terminal  10 . 
     Particularly, when the user of the mobile communication terminal  10  inputs personal information or authentication information during the remote control through the Internet and the wireless network  20 , and when the agent performing the remote control while the display of the mobile communication terminal  10  is in a sleep mode, the agent may not detect the sleep mode and may erroneously manipulate the mobile communication terminal  10  Furthermore, since the agent may also aid a user in operating the mobile communication terminal  10 , the agent must determine a sleep mode of the mobile communication terminal  10  to prevent erroneous manipulation. 
     Accordingly, the present invention provides a method of controlling a plurality of screen states of a computer and a controlled mobile communication terminal, in which a computer control program installed on the computer  41  for controlling the mobile communication terminal  10  may detect a sleep mode of the display of the mobile communication terminal  10 , and the computer control program may disable the sleep mode of the display of the mobile communication terminal  10 . 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method of controlling a screen state of a mobile communication terminal including a touch screen as an input and output means through a computer  41 , may include: executing a mobile control program and a computer control program respectively installed on the mobile communication terminal  10  and the computer  41 , and establishing a session between the mobile communication terminal  10  and the computer  41 ; transmitting a sleep signal to the computer  41  by the mobile control program, when an operating system of the mobile communication terminal  10  switches a display of the mobile communication terminal  10  to a sleep mode; and switching a screen display unit  50  of the computer  41  to a sleep mode by the computer control program receiving the sleep signal. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method of controlling a screen state of a mobile communication terminal including a touch screen as an input and output means through a computer  41 , may include: executing a mobile control program and a computer control program respectively installed on the mobile communication terminal  10  and the computer  41 , and establishing a session between the mobile communication terminal  10  and the computer  41 ; transmitting a sleep signal to the computer  41  by the mobile control program, when an operating system of the mobile communication terminal  10  switches a display of the mobile communication terminal  10  to a sleep mode; switching a screen display unit  50  of the computer  41  to a sleep mode and setting a sensing area  51  on the screen display unit  50  by the computer control program of the computer  41  receiving the sleep signal; transmitting a restoration signal to the mobile communication terminal  10  by the computer control program, when a manipulation is sensed in the sensing area  51  of the screen display unit  50  of the computer  41 ; and inputting a manipulation signal into the operating system of the mobile communication terminal  10  and operating the display of the mobile communication terminal  10  by the mobile control program of the mobile communication terminal  10  receiving the restoration signal. In addition, a skin  55 , which is an image of an outer appearance of the mobile communication terminal  10 , may be included in the screen display unit  50 , and the sensing area  51  may be set in the skin  55 . 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exemplary view showing a control state of a mobile communication terminal controlled by a computer, according to the prior art. 
         FIG. 2  is an exemplary view showing a method of direct connecting a computer and a mobile communication terminal, according to the prior art. 
         FIG. 3  is an exemplary view showing a method of connecting a computer and a mobile communication terminal through the Internet and a wireless network, according to the prior art. 
         FIG. 4  is an exemplary view showing a mobile communication terminal controlled by a computer, according to a prior art method. 
         FIG. 5  is an exemplary view showing a mobile communication terminal controlled by a computer, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is an exemplary flowchart, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is an exemplary view showing a method of releasing a sleep mode of a mobile communication terminal through a computer, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is an exemplary flowchart illustrating a process of disabling a sleep mode, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is an exemplary view showing a sensing area, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is an exemplary view showing a screen display unit applying a skin, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 SYMBOLS USED IN THE DRAWINGS 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 10: Mobile communication terminal 
                 20: Wireless network 
               
               
                 21: Mobile communication network 
                 22: Wireless LAN 
               
               
                 31: Gateway server 
                 32: Communication company 
               
               
                   
                 server 
               
               
                 41: Computer 
                 50: Screen display unit 
               
               
                 51: Sensing area 
                 55: Skin 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. 
     Additionally, it is understood that the term controller refers to a hardware device that includes a memory and a processor. The memory is configured to store the modules/units and the processor is specifically configured to execute said modules to perform one or more processes which are described further below. 
     Furthermore, the control logic of the present invention may be embodied as non-transitory computer readable media on a computer readable medium containing executable program instructions executed by a processor, controller or the like. Examples of the computer readable mediums include, but are not limited to, ROM, RAM, compact disc (CD)-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, flash drives, smart cards and optical data storage devices. The computer readable recording medium can also be distributed in network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable media is stored and executed in a distributed fashion, e.g., by a telematics server or a Controller Area Network (CAN). 
     Hereinafter, detailed configuration and processing procedures of the present invention will be given with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     First,  FIG. 5  is an exemplary view showing a mobile communication terminal  10  controlled by a computer  41  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, when the mobile communication terminal  10  is not manipulated for a predetermined time period while the mobile communication terminal  10  is controlled by the computer  41 , the display of the mobile communication terminal  10  may switch to a sleep mode, and a screen display unit  50  of the computer  41  may also turn into a sleep mode. 
     The sleep mode of the display of the mobile communication terminal  10  may be associated with the sleep mode of the screen display unit  50  of the computer  41  which controls the mobile communication terminal  10  through a mobile control program and a computer control program respectively installed on the mobile communication terminal  10  and the computer  41 , and the control procedure is shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     In other words, the present invention may be performed when the mobile communication terminal  10  is controlled by the computer  41 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the mobile control program and the computer control program respectively installed on the mobile communication terminal  10  and the computer  41  may be executed, and a session may be established between the mobile communication terminal  10  and the computer  41 . 
     The method of establishing a session between the mobile communication terminal  10  and the computer  41  may be classified into a method of directly connecting the mobile communication terminal  10  and the computer  41  through a USB or the like as shown in  FIG. 2  and a method connecting the mobile communication terminal  10  and the computer  41  through a wireless network  20  and the Internet as shown in  FIG. 3 . In establishing the session, there may be a difference in the physical structure of the connection, but the logical configuration may be the same since communications may be performed between the control program installed on the computer  41  and the controlled program mounted on the mobile communication terminal  10 . 
     In the method directly connecting the computer  41  and the mobile communication terminal  10  shown in  FIG. 2 , the control program installed on the computer  41  may be a USB system program or a USB client device driver embedded in the operating system, and the mobile control program installed on the mobile communication terminal  10  may be a program module or an application program embedded in the operating system of the mobile communication terminal  10  communicating with the computer control program. The method of establishing a connection through the Internet as shown in  FIG. 3  may be applied when a communication company or an Internet information providing company provides a remote control customer service, wherein the computer control program and the mobile control program may be a remote control program installed in the computer  41  and the mobile communication terminal  10 . 
     When the mobile control program and the computer control program respectively installed on the mobile communication terminal  10  and the computer  41  are executed by a processor and a session is established between the mobile communication terminal  10  and the computer  41 , the screen display unit  50  for outputting the screen information output on the display of the mobile communication terminal  10  may be implemented on the screen of the computer  41  as shown in the upper figure of  FIG. 5 , by extracting an image output on the display and transmitting the extracted image to the computer control program through the mobile control program of the mobile communication terminal  10 . 
     When the mobile communication terminal  10  is not manipulated directly for a predetermined time period while the session is established between the computer  41  and the mobile communication terminal  10  and the mobile communication terminal  10  is controlled by the computer  41  as described above, the display of the mobile communication terminal  10  may be switched to a sleep mode by disabling the power of the entire display or the backlight disposed on a back of the display by the operating system of the mobile communication terminal  10 . Furthermore, the mobile control program of the mobile communication terminal  10  may sense the sleep mode and transmit a sleep signal to the control program of the computer  41 . 
     Transition of the display into the sleep mode by the operating system of the mobile communication terminal  10  may not change the image information output on the display, but may control the operating state of display hardware. Thus, in the conventional method, the mobile control program of the mobile communication terminal  10  does not consider the sleep mode and maintains an image displayed right before the transition to the sleep mode, and accordingly, the screen display unit  50  of the computer  41  does not reflect the sleep mode of the display of the mobile communication terminal  10 . However, in the present invention, the mobile control program may sense the display hardware manipulating signal of the operating system of the mobile communication terminal  10  and may transmit a sleep signal to the control program of the computer  41 , and thus the computer control program may switch the screen display unit  50  to the sleep mode as shown in the lower figure of  FIG. 5 . 
     Furthermore, the sleep signal transmitted to the control program of the computer  41  from the control program of the mobile communication terminal  10  does not need to contain specific image information, and it may be sufficient to transmit a signal for confirming the sleep mode of the display. The control program of the computer  41  receiving the sleep signal may switch the screen display unit  50  of the computer  41  to a sleep mode, and thus a computer user may correctly confirm the display state of the mobile communication terminal  10  in real-time. 
     Moreover,  FIGS. 7 to 10  are exemplary views showing disabling the sleep mode of the mobile communication terminal  10  through the computer  41  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and details of the process are described below. 
     In the present invention the mobile communication terminal  10  may be controlled by a processor on the computer  41 , and the sleep mode of the display of the mobile communication terminal  10  (i.e., a control target) may be controlled by manipulating the computer  41  (i.e., a control subject). 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , the process is the same as that of  FIG. 6  described above, and may further include: in response to the screen display unit  50  switching to the sleep mode, setting, by the computer control program, a sensing area  51  on the screen display unit  50  as shown in the upper figure of  FIG. 7 . 
     The sensing area  51  set on the screen display unit  50  may be an area for sensing a manipulation, such as a click, a double click, a drag or a scroll, input through an input device of the computer  41 , such as a mouse or the like. The sensing area  51  may be set within the screen display unit  50  as shown in the upper figure of  FIG. 7 , or the entire screen display unit  50  may be set as the sensing area  51 . The sensing area  51  may be an icon or a skin  55  displayed in the screen display unit  50  as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 10  described below. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , when a manipulation is sensed in the sensing area  51  of the screen display unit  50  of the computer  41 , the computer control program, executed by a processor, may transmit a restoration signal to the mobile communication terminal  10 , and the mobile control program of the mobile communication terminal  10  receiving the restoration signal may input a manipulation signal into the operating system of the mobile communication terminal  10 , and the display of the mobile communication terminal  10  may operate. 
     Since permission of the mobile control program installed on the mobile communication terminal  10  may be set to be higher than those of the other application programs in the operating system of the mobile communication terminal  10 , an input the same as or similar to a hardware manipulation for disabling the sleep mode of the display of the mobile communication terminal  10  may be input through the mobile control program. 
     In other words, a home button at a lower portion of the mobile communication terminal  10  or a power button on a side surface of the mobile communication terminal  10  may be manipulated as a direct hardware manipulation for disabling the sleep mode of the display of the mobile communication terminal  10 , and the operating system of the mobile communication terminal  10  may sense the direct hardware manipulation and may resume operation of the display. The mobile control program may input the same signal into the operating system without direct manipulating the hardware. 
     Moreover,  FIGS. 9 and 10  show various exemplary embodiments of the sensing area  51  set in the screen display unit  50 , and an icon displayed in the screen display unit  50  and a skin  55  implemented at the outer portion of the screen display unit  50 . 
     The icon of  FIG. 9  may be output on the screen display unit  50  by the computer control program so a computer user may recognize a manipulation method for disabling the sleep mode of the controlled mobile communication terminal  10 , and a character string or the like describing the manipulation method may be displayed in addition to the icon. 
     The skin  55  of  FIG. 10  may output an image of the outer appearance of the mobile communication terminal  10  in an outer portion of the screen display unit  50 , and the computer user may operate the skin similarly to direct manipulation of the mobile communication terminal  10 , thereby increasing user convenience. 
     When the skin  55  is included in the screen display unit  50 , a home button at the lower portion of the mobile communication terminal  10  or a power button on the side surface of the skin  55  may be set as a sensing area  51  as shown in  FIG. 10 , and a restoration signal for disabling the sleep mode of the mobile communication terminal  10  may be transmitted by manipulating (handling) the sensing area  51  using an input device such a mouse or the like. 
     According to the present invention, in controlling the mobile communication terminal  10  through the processor on the computer  41 , a sleep mode of the display of the mobile communication terminal  10  may be detected and controlled. Therefore, erroneous manipulation of the mobile communication terminal may be prevented in the control process, thereby increasing user convenience. 
     While the present invention has been described with reference to the exemplary illustrative embodiments, it is not to be restricted by the embodiments but only by the accompanying claims. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.