User interface for and method of managing icons on group-by-group basis using skin image

• US 20060112354A1
• Filed: 11/18/2005
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Sang-shin, Kim, Hee-jeong, Koh, Soo-hyeon, Jeon, Ji-hyun
• Granted Patent: US 7,603,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/835
• 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

Abstract

A user interface for and method of managing icons on a group-by-group basis using a skin image. The user interface includes an icon room which selectively provides a skin image or a reduced skin image on a desktop background depending on whether the skin image or the reduced skin image is activated, and a plurality of icon images which are included in the icon room and are provided on the skin image when the icon room is activated.

Claims

1. A user interface for managing icons on a group-by-group basis using a skin image, the user interface comprising:

an icon room which selectively provides a skin image or a reduced skin image on a desktop background depending on whether the skin image or the reduced skin image is activated; and

a plurality of icon images which are included in the icon room and are provided on the skin image when the icon room is activated.

2. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the reduced skin image is extracted from the same image file as that of the skin image.

3. The user interface of claim 1, wherein, when a signal for adjusting the size of the icon room is received, the size of the skin image or the reduced skin image is adjusted and the number of provided icon images is changed according to the adjusted size of the skin image or the reduced skin image.

4. The user interface of claim 1, wherein, when a signal for moving the position of the icon room is received, the provided skin image or reduced skin image is moved and the plurality of icon images included in the icon room is provided over the moved skin image.

5. The user interface of claim 1, wherein, when the focus of a pointing device is lost from the skin image, the icon room is deactivated.

6. The user interface of claim 5, wherein, when the icon room is deactivated, the icon room provides the reduced skin image and a portion of the icon images included in the icon room is removed.

7. The user interface of claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of icon rooms, and when icon images provided by the plurality of icon rooms overlap, a skin image of an activated icon room is provided in an overlapping area.

8. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the icon images included in the icon room and objects linked to each of the icon images have at least one common attribute.

9. The user interface of claim 8, wherein the common attribute includes at least one of an execution program, multimedia content, and a document.

10. The user interface of claim 8, wherein there are a plurality of icon rooms and the icon images on the desktop background are automatically included in a relevant icon room according to attributes that are set for the icon rooms.

11. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the plurality of icon rooms is arranged on the desktop background according to a user-set criterion.

12. A method for managing icons on a group-by-group basis using a skin image, the method comprising:

selectively providing a skin image or a reduced skin image of an icon room on a desktop background according to whether the icon room is activated;

receiving an input signal activating the icon room; and

providing a plurality of icon images included in the icon room on the provided skin image.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the reduced skin image is extracted from the same image file as that of the skin image.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving an input signal adjusting the size of the icon room;

adjusting the size of the skin image of the icon room; and

changing the number of the plurality of icon images according to the adjusted size of the skin image.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving an input signal for moving the position of the icon room;

providing a moved skin image of the icon room; and

providing a plurality of icon images included in the icon room on the moved skin image.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein, when the focus of a pointing device is lost from the skin image, the icon room is deactivated.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving an input signal deactivating the icon room;

providing a reduced skin image of the icon room; and

removing the icon images provided on the skin image of the icon room.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein there are a plurality of icon rooms, and when icon images provided by the plurality of icon rooms overlap, a skin image of an activated icon room is provided in an overlapping area.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the icon images included in the icon room and objects linked to each of the icon images have at least one common attribute.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the common attribute includes at least one of an execution program, multimedia content, and a document.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein there exists a plurality of icon rooms and the icon images on the desktop background are automatically included in a relevant icon room according to attributes that are set for the icon rooms.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of icon rooms is arranged on the desktop background according to a user-set criterion.

23. A user interface comprising:

an icon room selectively providing a skin image or a reduced skin image on a desktop background depending on whether the skin image or the reduced skin image is activated; and

at least one icon image disposed in the icon room and provided on the skin image when the icon room is activated.