Method and an electronic device for one-hand user interface

• US 10,452,232 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2016
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Sagong, Jin, Kim, Chul Kwi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Linh K
• Application Number:
  US15/197,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20160378282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• 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 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An electronic device includes a touch panel configured to receive a user input at a location and a display configured to output at least one object on at least one of a plurality of grid areas. The plurality of grid areas is arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. A processor is configured to rearrange an output location of the at least one object outputted on the at least one grid area in response to receiving the user input.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch screen;

at least one sensor;

at least one memory storing instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions to;

control the touch screen to display a plurality of objects related to a plurality of applications,

detect whether a user is gripping the electronic device with a right hand or a left hand via the at least one sensor,

in response to the detected result and a first user input on a specified area, control the touch screen to display the plurality of objects on a circular shape on the touch screen while the user is grasping the electronic device, and

in response to a second user input, move at least part of the plurality of objects along a perimeter of the circular shape.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

control the touch screen to display the plurality of objects related to the plurality of applications on at least one grid area of a plurality of grid areas arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to rearrange an output location of the plurality of objects based on the detected user'"'"'s hand gripping the electronic device.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the circular shape includes a circle, an ellipse, a spiral, or a parabola.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first user input comprises a gesture of touching a finger of a user'"'"'s hand at a first location on the touch screen and moving the finger to a second location on the touch screen thereof spaced apart from the first location by a distance.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first user input comprises a touch or a double touch gesture in the specified area.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the specified area of the touch screen excludes an area on which the plurality of objects is displayed.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the touch screen comprises:

a main display area on which the plurality of objects is outputted; and

at least one sub-display area extending to a lateral side of the electronic device from the main display area,

wherein the specified area on which the first user input is received is included in the at least one sub-display area.

9. A method for implementing a one-hand user interface in an electronic device, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of objects related to a plurality of applications on a touch screen of the electronic device;

detecting whether a user is gripping the electronic device with a right hand or a left hand;

in response to the detected result and a first user input on a specified area, displaying the plurality of objects on a circular shape on the touch screen while the user is grasping the electronic device; and

in response to a second user input, moving at least part of the plurality of objects along a perimeter of the circular shape.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein displaying a plurality of objects related to a plurality of applications comprises:

displaying the plurality of objects related to the plurality of applications on at least one grid area of a plurality of grid areas arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns.

11. The method of claim 9, the displaying the plurality of objects on the circular shape comprising:

rearranging an output location of the plurality of objects based on the detected user'"'"'s hand gripping the electronic device.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first user input comprises a gesture of touching a finger of a user'"'"'s hand at a first location of the touch screen and moving the finger to a second location on the touch screen thereof spaced apart from the first location by a distance.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the circular shape comprises a circle, a spiral, or a parabola.