Method for changing an input mode in an electronic device

• US 10,545,663 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2014
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yoon, Sung-Jin, Cho, Pyo-Je, Hong, Yoo-Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Theriault, Steven B
• Application Number:
  US14/546,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20150143277A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,897 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing

Abstract

A method in an electronic device is provided. The method includes detecting a number of input tools on a touch screen, switching into one input mode among at least two set input modes according to the number of the detected input tools, and receiving a set content or changing a layout of a displayed content according to a touch-inputted input tool among the detected input tools, a relative length change, and a movement direction of the touch-inputted input tool.

Claims

1. A method in an electronic device, the method comprising:

detecting a hovering event by a plurality of input tools on a touch screen at a first time;

switching to one input mode corresponding to a number of the plurality of input tools among at least two input modes;

displaying a virtual reference line for the plurality of input tools according to the switched one input mode;

detecting a touch input by a first input tool among the plurality of input tools at a second time; and

displaying a content based on a first length associated with the first input tool and a second length associated with at least one second input tool which is in a hovering state at the second time among the plurality of input tools and the virtual reference line,

wherein the first length is determined based on a first position of the first input tool at the first time and a second position of the first input tool at the second time,

wherein the second length is determined based on a third position of the second input tool at the first time and a fourth position of the second input tool at the second time, and

wherein a display area of the virtual reference line is changed in response to detecting a change of an area where hovering over the touch screen is detected.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the hovering event comprises, when the first input tool is positioned on the touch screen at less than a set height and for more than a set time, detecting the plurality of input tools.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a key pad corresponding to the switched one input mode in a first area where hovering over the touch screen is detected by the first input tool.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising, if the first area where hovering over the touch screen is detected is changed to a second area, changing a display area of the key pad from the first area to the second area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the content comprises:

determining a movement direction of the first input tool; and

displaying the content corresponding to the movement direction.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second input tool comprises an input tool which a touch input is not detected at the second time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the content comprises:

comparing the first length and the second length;

when the first length is longer than the second length, displaying a first content among a plurality of contents associated with the first input tool and the switched one input mode;

when the first length is equal to the second length, displaying a second content among the plurality of contents associated with the first input tool and the switched one input mode; and

when the first length is shorter than the second length, displaying a third content among the plurality of contents associated with the first input tool and the switched one input mode.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the content comprises:

changing at least one layout of the content based on the first length, the second length and the switched one input mode.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein changing the at least one layout of the content comprises changing at least one of a font, a font size, a thickness, a color, a transparency, and a display type of the content.

10. An electronic device comprising:

a display;

at least one processor; and

a memory configured to store instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to;

detect a hovering event by a plurality of input tools on a touch screen at a first time,

switch to one input mode corresponding to a number of the plurality of input tools among at least two input modes,

display a virtual reference line for the plurality of input tools according to the switched one input mode,

detect a touch input by a first input tool among the plurality of input tools at a second time, and

display a content based on a first length associated with the first input tool and a second length associated with at least one second input tool which is in a hovering state at the second time among the plurality of input tools and the virtual reference line,

wherein the first length is determined based on a first position of the first input tool at the first time and a second position of the first input tool at the second time,

wherein the second length is determined based on a third position of the second input tool at the first time and a fourth position of the second input tool at the second time, and

wherein the processor is configured to change a display area of the virtual reference line from a first area to a second area if an area where hovering over the touch screen is detected is changed from the first area to the second area.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein when the first input tool is positioned on the touch screen at less than a set height and for more than a set time, the processor detects the hovering event.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to control the display to display a key pad corresponding to the switched one input mode in the first area where hovering over the touch screen is detected.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein, if the first area where hovering over the touch screen is detected is changed to the second area, the processor is configured to change a display area of the key pad from the first area to the second area.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to determine a movement direction of the first input tool, and control the display to display the content corresponding to the movement direction.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the second input tool comprises an input tool which a touch input is not detected at the second time.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to:

compare the first length and the second length;

when the first length is longer than the second length, control the display to display a first content among a plurality of contents associated with the first input tool and the switched one input mode;

when the first length is equal to the second length, control the display to display a second content among the plurality of contents associated with the first input tool and the switched one input mode; and

when the first length is shorter than the second length, control the display to display a third content among the plurality of contents associated with the first input tool and the switched one input mode.

17. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to change at least one layout of the content based on the first length, the second length and the switched one input mode.

18. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to change at least one of a font, a font size, a thickness, a color, a transparency, and a display type of the content.