Mobile terminal and method of controlling the same

1. A method of controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

displaying an operation screen on a display module of the mobile terminal;

receiving a fingerprint-touch input through a user input unit of the mobile terminal, the user input unit being configured to identify a fingerprint, the user input unit including first keys for entering a character and second keys for entering different control commands;

if fingerprint information of a fingerprint-touch input received through one of the first keys corresponds to a first of a plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, displaying on the operation screen a character corresponding to a combination of a detected location of the fingerprint-touch input received through one of the first keys and the first of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information; and

if fingerprint information of a fingerprint-touch input received through one of the second keys corresponds to a second of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, performing a control operation at a first predefined speed and if the fingerprint information of the fingerprint-touch input received through said one of the second keys corresponds to a third of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, performing the control operation at a second predefined speed different than the first predefined speed.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information is stored in a memory of the mobile terminal on at least one of a finger-by-finger basis, a user-by-user basis, and a pattern-by-pattern basis.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating, by the mobile terminal, a haptic effect corresponding to the displayed character.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

displaying on the operation screen a menu for associating combinations of each of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information and different parts on the user input unit with different characters or symbols.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

if none of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information match the fingerprint information of the received fingerprint-touch input, performing an operation corresponding to the detected location of the received fingerprint-touch input.

6. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a display module configured to display an operation screen thereon;

a user input unit configured to identify a fingerprint, the user input unit including first keys for entering a character and second keys for entering different control commands;

a memory configured to store a plurality of fingerprint information therein; and

a controller configured to:

receive a fingerprint-touch input through the user input unit,

if fingerprint information of fingerprint-touch input received through one of the first keys corresponds to a first of the previously stored plurality of fingerprint information, display on the operation screen a character corresponding to a combination of a detected location of the fingerprint-touch input received through one of the first keys and the first of the stored plurality of fingerprint information, and

if fingerprint information of fingerprint-touch input received through one of the second keys corresponds to second of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, perform a control operation at a first predefined speed corresponding to the fingerprint-touch input received through one of the second keys and if the fingerprint information of the fingerprint-touch input received through said one of the second keys corresponds to a third of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, perform the control operation at a second predefined speed different than the first predefined speed.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6 , wherein the memory stores the plurality of fingerprint information on at least one of a finger-by-finger basis, a user-by-user basis, and a pattern-by-pattern basis.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 6 , wherein the display module is disposed on a first body of the mobile terminal and the user input unit is disposed on a second body of the mobile terminal, the second body being slidably coupled to the first body.

9. A method of controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

displaying an operation screen on a display module of the mobile terminal, the operation screen including an indicator region for displaying a number of indicators corresponding to a state of the mobile terminal, the display module configured to identify a fingerprint, the number of indicators being classified into a predefined number of indicator groups according to a user command;

detecting, by the display module, a fingerprint-touch input to the indicator region; and

if fingerprint information of the detected fingerprint-touch input corresponds to a first one of a plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, displaying in a display area on the operation screen a first indicator group including at least one indicator corresponding to the first one of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, and if the fingerprint information of the detected fingerprint-touch input corresponds to a second one of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, displaying in the display area a second indicator group including at least one indicator corresponding to the second one of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, wherein the second indicator group includes different indicators than the first indicator group.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information are stored in a memory of the mobile terminal on at least one of a finger-by-finger basis, a user-by-user basis, and a pattern-by-pattern basis.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

setting, by the mobile terminal, the display area below the indicator region in response to a drag input followed by the detected fingerprint-touch input, the display area having a size corresponding to a distance of the drag input.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

setting, by the mobile terminal, the display area on one side of the operation screen.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

displaying additional information on the displayed at least one indicator.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

removing, by the mobile terminal, the display area from the operation screen in response to a touch input detected in the display area.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

generating, by the mobile terminal, a haptic effect in connection with the displaying of the at least one indicator belonging to the predefined indicator group.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the predefined number of indicator groups comprise at least one of the following:

an indicator group related to a state of a connection of the mobile terminal to a network;

an indicator group related to a state of a connection of the mobile terminal to an external device;

an indicator group related to an operating state of the mobile terminal; and

an indicator group for alerting a user to an occurrence of an event.

17. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a display module configured to identify a fingerprint and display an operation screen including an indicator region for displaying a number of indicators corresponding to a state of the mobile terminal, the number of indicators being classified into a predefined number of indicator groups according to a user command;

a memory configured to store a plurality of fingerprint information therein; and

a controller configured to:

detect a fingerprint-touch input to the indicator region, and

if fingerprint information of the detected fingerprint-touch input corresponds to one of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, display in a display area on the operation screen a first indicator group including at least one indicator corresponding to the first one of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, and if the fingerprint information of the detected fingerprint-touch input corresponds to a second one of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, display in the display area a second indicator group including at least one indicator corresponding to the second one of the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information, wherein the second indicator group includes different indicators than the first indicator group.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17 , wherein the memory stores the plurality of previously-stored fingerprint information on at least one of a finger-by-finger basis, a user-by-user basis, and a pattern-by-pattern basis.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 17 , wherein the controller is further configured to remove the display area from the operation screen in response to a touch input detected from the display area.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 17 , wherein the predefined number of indicator groups comprise at least one of the following:

an indicator group related to a state of a connection of the mobile terminal to a network;

an indicator group related to a state of a connection of the mobile terminal to an external device;

an indicator group related to an operating state of the mobile terminal; and

an indicator group for alerting a user to an occurrence of an event.