A mobile terminal including a wireless communication unit configured to perform wireless communication, a touch screen 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: sense a plurality of touch inputs on the display unit when the display unit is in the inactivated state and no illumination is applied to the display unit, and release a locked state of the mobile terminal and switch the display unit to the activated state in which illumination is applied to the display unit, when the plurality of touch inputs match a predetermined pattern.
