Electronic device and method of controlling object in electronic device

• US 10,416,843 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2015
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hong, Jee-Eun, Kwak, Kyung-Moon, Jung, Young-Il
• Primary Examiner(s): Shiberou, Mahelet
• Application Number:
  US14/877,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20160147384A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a display module functionally connected to the electronic device and an object control module configured to create object property information based on a characteristic of an application and configure and display an object for controlling at least some functions of the application based on the object property information when the application is executed.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a display functionally connected to the electronic device; and

at least one processor configured to;

detect a characteristic of an application and create object property information using the characteristic of the application in response to execution of the application,

configure an object for controlling at least one function of the application using the object property information and the characteristic of the application, while the application is executed,

change a shape and a position of the object for displaying the object on the display based on the characteristic of the application, and

display the object with the changed shape on the changed position while the application is executed.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the object property information comprises at least one of the shape of the object, a number of items contained in the object, functions of the items contained in the object, or a location of the object.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, when a second function is changed and executing while a first function of the application is executed, the at least one processor is further configured to:

create another object property information based on the second function, and

configure and display another object for controlling at least one function of the application based on the object property information.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, when an event occurs while the application is executed, the at least one processor is further configured to:

create another object property information based on information of the event, and

configure and display another object for controlling the event based on the object property information.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, while execution screens of a plurality of applications are displayed in a plurality of windows, respectively, the at least one processor is further configured to:

create another object property information based on a characteristic of an application executed in an activated window among the plurality of windows, and

configure and display another object for controlling the application executed in the activated window based on the other object property information.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, while displaying an execution screen of an identical application in a plurality of windows, the at least one processor is further configured to:

create another object property information based on a characteristic of the identical application, and

configure and display another object for controlling the identical application based on the other object property information.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein, when an input for selecting a specific application is detected after a specific item is selected from at least one item contained in the other object, the at least one processor is further configured to perform a function corresponding to the specific item in the specific application.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, while displaying a plurality of applications in a plurality of windows, respectively, the at least one processor is further configured to:

create a plurality of pieces of object property information based on the characteristics of the plurality of applications, and

configure and display another object for controlling the plurality of applications based on the plurality of pieces of object property information.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to distinguishably arrange and display a plurality of items contained in the other object for controlling the plurality of applications, based on at least one of shapes, sizes, colors, or locations thereof according to the plurality of pieces of object property information.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, while executing the application, the at least one processor is further configured to:

identify at least one hold detection signal, and

distinguishably display the object in at least one partial area of the display that correspond to the at least one hold detection signal.

11. A method of controlling an object in an electronic device, the method comprising:

detecting a characteristic of an application and creating object property information using the characteristic of the application in response to execution of the application;

configuring the object for controlling at least one function of the executed application using the object property information and the characteristic of the application, while the application is executed;

changing a shape and a position of the object for displaying the object on a display based on the characteristic of the application; and

displaying the object with the changed shape on the changed position while the application is executed.

12. The method of claim 11,

wherein the object property information comprises at least one of the shape of the object, a number of items contained in the object, functions of the items contained in the object, or a location of the object.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

creating, when a second function is changed and executing while a first function of the application is executed, another object property information based on the second function; and

configuring and displaying another object for controlling at least one function of the application based on the object property information.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

creating, when an event occurs while the application is executed, another object property information based on information of the event; and

configuring and displaying another object for controlling the event based on the object property information.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

creating, while execution screens of a plurality of applications are displayed in a plurality of windows, respectively, another object property information based on a characteristic of an application executed in an activated window among the plurality of windows; and

configuring and displaying another object for controlling the application executed in the activated window based on the other object property information.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

creating, while displaying an execution screen of an identical application in a plurality of windows, another object property information based on a characteristic of the application; and

configuring and displaying another object for controlling the application based on the other object property information.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

displaying at least one item contained in the object; and

performing, when an input for selecting a specific application is detected after a specific item is selected from at least one item contained in the object, a function corresponding to the specific item in the specific application.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

creating, while displaying a plurality of applications in a plurality of windows, respectively, a plurality of pieces of object property information based on characteristics of the plurality of applications; and

configuring and displaying an object for controlling the plurality of applications based on the plurality of pieces of object property information,

wherein the displaying of the object comprises distinguishably arranging and displaying a plurality of items contained in the object for controlling the plurality of applications, based on at least one of shapes, sizes, colors, or locations thereof according to the plurality of pieces of object property information.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

identifying, while executing the application, at least one hold detection signal; and

distinguishably displaying the object in one or more partial areas of the display that correspond to the at least one hold detection signal.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform the method of claim 11.