A mobile terminal, comprising: a sensing unit configured to sense a posture of the mobile terminal; a touch screen including a touch sensor and a display unit configured to switch between an inactivated state in which illumination is not applied to the display unit and an activated state in which illumination is applied to the display unit; and a controller configured to release a locked state of the mobile terminal and switch the display unit to the activated state, when a touch pattern is input in the inactivated state of the display unit and the input touch pattern matches one of at least one predefined pattern, characterized in that in the inactivated state of the display unit, the touch sensor is configured to execute a doze mode, in which touch inputs are detectable with a lower rate than in the activated state of the display unit; and when a first touch input is applied while the display unit is in the inactivated state and the touch sensor is executing the doze mode, the touch sensor is configured to execute an active mode for more accurately sensing a subsequent touch input, wherein when the input touch pattern matches one of at least one predefined pattern and the display unit is switched to the activated state, the touch sensor is configured to execute the active mode, wherein the controller determines whether the input touch pattern matches one of at least one predefined pattern based on the posture of the mobile terminal wherein a camera unit is configured to receive a user's facial image, and the controller is configured to recognize the pupils from the user's facial image and to determine a relative position of the posture of the mobile terminal with respect to the user's facial image to determine the posture of the mobile terminal. a sensing unit configured to sense a posture of the mobile terminal; a touch screen including a touch sensor and a display unit configured to switch between an inactivated state in which illumination is not applied to the display unit and an activated state in which illumination is applied to the display unit; and a controller configured to release a locked state of the mobile terminal and switch the display unit to the activated state, when a touch pattern is input in the inactivated state of the display unit and the input touch pattern matches one of at least one predefined pattern, characterized in that in the inactivated state of the display unit, the touch sensor is configured to execute a doze mode, in which touch inputs are detectable with a lower rate than in the activated state of the display unit; and when a first touch input is applied while the display unit is in the inactivated state and the touch sensor is executing the doze mode, the touch sensor is configured to execute an active mode for more accurately sensing a subsequent touch input, wherein when the input touch pattern matches one of at least one predefined pattern and the display unit is switched to the activated state, the touch sensor is configured to execute the active mode, wherein the controller determines whether the input touch pattern matches one of at least one predefined pattern based on the posture of the mobile terminal wherein a camera unit is configured to receive a user's facial image, and the controller is configured to recognize the pupils from the user's facial image and to determine a relative position of the posture of the mobile terminal with respect to the user's facial image to determine the posture of the mobile terminal.