Mobile terminal performing a different operation based on a type of a tap applied to a display and control method thereof

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a display unit;

a proximity sensor configured to detect an object within a reference distance from the proximity sensor;

a touch sensor configured to sense a tap applied to the display unit; and

a controller configured to:

perform one of a plurality of operations in response to a tap applied to the display unit and in response to whether the object is detected as being positioned within the reference distance from the proximity sensor, the tap being applied while the display unit is in a deactivated state, wherein:

the plurality of operations comprise a first operation, a second operation, and a third operation;

the first operation is performed when the tap does not correspond to a pre-set condition and the proximity sensor does not detect the object within the reference distance, and the first operation comprises:

maintaining the deactivated state of the display unit; and

periodically driving the touch sensor with a first period;

the second operation is performed when the tap corresponds to the pre-set condition and the proximity sensor does not detect the object within the reference distance, and the second operation comprises:

switching the display unit from the deactivated state to an activated state; and

periodically driving the touch sensor with a second period shorter than the first period; and

the third operation is performed when the proximity sensor detects the object within the reference distance, and the third operation comprises:

maintaining the deactivated state of the display unit; and

controlling the touch sensor to be deactivated.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a type of a tap object used to tap the display unit via at least one of an accelerometer or the touch sensor in response to the tap; and

perform any one of the plurality of operations based on the type of the tap object.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , further comprising an audio output unit,

wherein the controller is further configured to control the audio output unit to output audio data while maintaining the deactivated state of the display unit, and

wherein the audio data is output when an execution of a voice recognition function is initiated and the audio data is output to receive a voice input from a user.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the tap applied to the display unit includes a first tap input applied on a first spot of the deactivated display unit and a second tap input on the deactivated display unit, and wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a region of the display unit that corresponds to the first tap input,

determine if the second tap input is applied within the region in a predefined time period from the first tap input,

in response to the second tap input being applied within the region in the predefined time period, activate the display unit and periodically drive the touch sensor with the second period, and

in response to the second tap input being applied to a spot outside of the region, maintain the deactivation of the display unit and periodically drive the touch sensor with the first period.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to continue to drive the touch sensor with the first period until the second tap input is applied within the region of the display unit that corresponds to the first tap input.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 4 , wherein the first region corresponds to a narrow region considered as a same spot as the first tap input.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 4 , wherein the predefined time period is 200 milliseconds to 2 seconds.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 4 , wherein the first period to drive the touch sensor is set so the touch sensor is deactivated a predetermined number of times per second.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 8 , wherein the predetermined number of times includes at least 20 times per second.

10. A mobile terminal comprising:

a display unit;

a proximity sensor configured to detect an object positioned within a reference distance from the proximity sensor;

a touch sensor configured to sense a tap applied to the display unit; and

a controller configured to:

perform one of a plurality of operations in response to a tap applied to the display unit and in response to whether the object is detected as being positioned within the reference distance from the proximity sensor, the tap being applied while the display unit is in a deactivated state, wherein:

the plurality of operations comprise a first operation, a second operation, and a third operation;

the first operation is performed when the tap does not correspond to a pre-set condition and the proximity sensor does not detect the object within the reference distance, and the first operation comprises:

maintaining the deactivated state of the display unit; and

periodically driving the touch sensor with a first period;

the second operation is performed when the tap corresponds to the pre-set condition and the proximity sensor does not detect the object within the reference distance, and the second operation comprises:

switching the display unit from the deactivated state to an activated state;

periodically driving the touch sensor with a second period shorter than the first period; and

the third operation is performed when the proximity sensor detects the object within the reference distance and the third operation comprises:

maintaining the deactivated state of the display unit; and

periodically driving the touch sensor with a third period greater than the second period.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a type of a tap object used to tap the display unit via at least one of an accelerometer or the touch sensor in response to the tap; and

perform any one of the plurality of operations based on the type of the tap object.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 10 , further comprising an audio output unit,

wherein the controller is further configured to control the audio output unit to output audio data while maintaining the deactivated state of the display unit, and

wherein the audio data is output when an execution of a voice recognition function is initiated and the audio data is output to receive a voice input from a user.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 10 , wherein the tap applied to the display unit includes a first tap input applied on a first spot of the deactivated display unit and a second tap input on the deactivated display unit, and

wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a region of the display unit that corresponds to the first tap input,

determine if the second tap input is applied within the region in a predefined time period from the first tap input,

in response to the second tap input being applied within the region in the predefined time period, activate the display unit and periodically drive the touch sensor with the second period, and

in response to the second tap input being applied to a spot outside of the region, maintain the deactivation of the display unit and periodically drive the touch sensor with the first period.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to continue to drive the touch sensor with the first period until the second tap input is applied within the region of the display unit that corresponds to the first tap input.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 13 , wherein the first region corresponds to a narrow region considered as a same spot as the first tap input.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 13 , wherein the predefined time period is 200 milliseconds to 2 seconds.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 13 , wherein the first period to drive the touch sensor is set so the touch sensor is deactivated a predetermined number of times per second.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17 , wherein the predetermined number of times includes at least 20 times per second.