Patent ID: 8730180

Claim:
A mobile terminal, comprising: a touch-screen display configured to display information; a speaker configured to output sound data; a microphone configured to receive voice data; a mobile communication module configured to perform a calling function with at least one other terminal; a sensing unit respectively located in a corresponding area of the speaker or the microphone and configured to: sense a touch and drag operation that starts and ends in the corresponding area of the speaker or the microphone, and generate a detection signal including a sensing location, a drag direction and a drag distance of the touch and drag operation; and a controller configured to: receive the detection signal, determine a control target and a volume of the control target based on the detection signal, control a volume of the determined control target to match the determined volume, determine the speaker as the control target when the sensing location is related to the sensing unit located in the corresponding area of the speaker, and the microphone as the control target when the sensing location is related to the sensing unit located in the corresponding area of the microphone, and gradually increase and decrease the volume of the control target based on the drag direction and the drag distance, wherein the speaker, the microphone and the sensing unit are mounted on an area of the mobile terminal that excludes the display, wherein the volume of the control target is gradually increased or decreased without displaying a user interface on the touch-screen display for inputting commands to gradually increase or decrease the volume, wherein said display is further configured to display call information related to the calling function, and wherein the controller is further configured to control the touch-screen display to display a speaker phone function mode allowing a speakerphone mode to be selected on the mobile terminal when another touch and drag operation includes touching the speaker and dragging the touch into an area of the touch-screen display, and to control the touch-screen display to display a microphone mute function mode allowing a microphone mute mode to be selected on the mobile terminal when the another touch and drag operation includes touching the microphone and dragging the touch into the area of the touch-screen display.