Electronic device and method for controlling display in electronic device

• US 10,642,437 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2019
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Sun-Young, Ko, Jeong-Won, Kwon, Joong-Hun, Kim, Chang-Hwan, Nam, Sang-Deuk, Nam, Seung-Wook, Park, Myoung-Soo, Lee, Kyung-Jun, Lee, Dong-Oh, Jung, Jun-Won, Yang, Hui-Chul, Lee, Hyun-Yeul, Jeong Lim, Soojin
• Primary Examiner(s): Nwugo, Ojiako K
• Application Number:
  US16/558,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20190391690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 245 Days
• Field of Search: 340 22, 341 22
• 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 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• 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: H01H 13/66 the operating member having only two positions
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/98 having a plurality of control members, e.g. keyboard

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a touchscreen, at least one processor electrically connected with the touchscreen, and a memory electrically connected with the processor. The memory may store instructions executed to enable the at least one processor to display a first window for running a first application and a second window for running a second application on the touchscreen, display a virtual keypad on a portion of the first window and a portion of the second window corresponding to a first input to a focused window of the first window and the second window, and vary a size of the virtual keypad corresponding to a second input to the virtual keypad.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a touchscreen display having a display area, and

at least one processor configured to;

display, on the touchscreen display, a first execution screen of a first application and a second execution screen of a second application side by side, wherein the first execution screen and the second execution screen together occupy an entirety of the display area of the touchscreen display,

receive a first user input for displaying a virtual keypad while the first execution screen and the second execution screen are displayed side by side and occupy the entirety of the display area of the touchscreen display, the virtual keypad including a plurality of keys respectively representing a plurality of characters, and

in response to the first user input, display together, on the touchscreen display, the virtual keypad, a part of the first execution screen, and a third execution screen of the second application smaller than the second execution screen, wherein the part of the first execution screen, the third execution screen, and the virtual keypad occupy the entirety of the display area of the touchscreen display.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first execution screen and the second execution screen are displayed in a horizontal mode.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the virtual keypad is displayed in a horizontal direction.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the virtual keypad is a single keypad.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive a second user input for reducing display sizes of the plurality of keys of the virtual keypad, and

in response to the second user input, display together, on the touch screen display, the plurality of keys having the reduced display sizes, the part of the first execution screen, and the third execution screen.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the second user input includes a drag gesture.

7. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the second user input is received substantially on an edge of the plurality of keys.

8. A method for controlling an electronic device, comprising:

displaying, on a touchscreen display of the electronic device, a first execution screen of a first application and a second execution screen of a second application side by side, the touchscreen display including a display area, and the first execution screen and the second execution screen together occupying an entirety of the display area of the touchscreen display;

receiving a first user input for displaying a virtual keypad while the first execution screen and the second execution screen are displayed side by side and occupy the entirety of the display area of the touchscreen display, the virtual keypad including a plurality of keys respectively representing a plurality of characters; and

in response to the first user input, displaying together, on the touchscreen display, the virtual keypad, a part of the first execution screen, and a third execution screen of the second application smaller than the second execution screen, wherein the part of the first execution screen, the third execution screen, and the virtual keypad occupy the entirety of the display area of the touchscreen display.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the virtual keypad is displayed in a horizontal direction.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the virtual keypad is a single keypad.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a second user input for reducing display sizes of the plurality of keys of the virtual keypad; and

in response to the second user input, displaying together, on the touch screen display, the plurality of keys having the reduced display sizes, the part of the first execution screen, and the third execution screen.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second user input includes a drag gesture.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the second user input is received substantially on an edge of the plurality of keys.