Method and medium for variably arranging content menu and display device using the same

• US 20070008300A1
• Filed: 06/08/2006
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Joon-ah, Lee, Hyun-jeong, Yang, Gyung-hye, Shim, Jung-hyun
• Application Number:
  US11/448,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20070008300A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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

A method and medium for variably arranging a content menu and a display device using the same are disclosed. The method for variably arranging a content menu includes a) detecting position information of a user'"'"'s finger touched with a touch screen, b) setting an attention area in accordance with the detected position information, and c) arranging menu icons in accordance with the set attention area. The display device includes a position information detection unit for detecting position information of a user'"'"'s finger touched with a touch screen, an area setting unit for setting an attention area in accordance with the position information detected by the position information detection unit, and a menu control unit for arranging menu icons in the attention area set by the area setting unit. Since the menu icons are arranged in the area near the user'"'"'s finger by sensing the position of the user'"'"'s finger touched with the touch screen, the menus can be manipulated efficiently and variably.

Claims

1. A method for variably arranging a content menu, comprising:

a) detecting position information of a user'"'"'s finger touched with a touch screen;

b) setting an attention area in accordance with the detected position information; and

c) arranging menu icons in accordance with the set attention area.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step a) comprises:

calculating a pressure point of a part touched with the touch screen as a coordinate value; and

detecting the position information of the user'"'"'s finger in accordance with the calculated coordinate value.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step a) comprises:

calculating an area of a part touched with the touch screen using infrared rays emitted from the periphery of the part touched with the touch screen;

calculating a central point of the calculated area as a coordinate value; and

detecting the position information of the user'"'"'s finger in accordance with the calculated coordinate value.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step a) comprises:

scanning the user'"'"'s finger touched with the touch screen on a rear surface of the touch screen to sense an image; and

detecting a shape of the user'"'"'s finger and position information using the sensed image.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step b) comprises setting first to n-th attention areas by setting an area within a certain distance plus a diameter length of a menu to be arranged in the touch screen based on the position of the user'"'"'s finger touched with the touch screen as the first attention area, and setting an area adjacent to the first attention area within a certain distance plus the diameter length based on the first attention area as the second attention area.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step b) comprises setting first to n-th attention areas by setting an area within a certain angle of both directions based on a direction of the user'"'"'s finger touched with the touch screen as the first attention area, and setting an area adjacent to the first attention area within a certain angle of both directions based on the first attention area as the second attention area.

7. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising before the step c):

determining a corner nearest to the position of the coordinate value among both corners of the touch screen as a reference line for menu arrangement; and

setting L1 if the determined reference line for menu arrangement is a right corner of the touch screen, and setting L2 if the determined reference line is a left corner.

8. The method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising before the step c):

determining a corner nearest to the position of the coordinate value among both corners of the touch screen as a reference line for menu arrangement; and

setting L1 if the determined reference line for menu arrangement is a right corner of the touch screen, and setting L2 if the determined reference line is a left corner.

9. The method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising before the step c):

setting L1 if the user'"'"'s finger detected by the scan result has a left orientation angle based on a vertical axis of the touch screen, and setting L2 if the user'"'"'s finger has a right orientation angle.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the step c) comprises:

c1) determining whether the circumference of a menu arrangement area where the menu icons are arranged is included in a part below an upper corner of the touch screen;

c2) determining a start point and an end point of menu icon arrangement in accordance with the determined result;

c3) determining an arrangement direction of the menu icons from the start point to the end point; and

c4) arranging the menu icons in accordance with the determined arrangement direction.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step c1) comprises setting S1 if the circumference of the menu arrangement area is not included in the part below the upper corner of the touch screen and setting S2 if the circumference of the menu arrangement area is included in the part below the upper corner of the touch screen.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the step c2) comprises in the case of S1:

setting an intersection point between the upper corner of the touch screen and the circumference as a start point and an apex in a diagonal direction of the start point as an end point if an intersection point between the circumference and both corners of the touch screen does not occur; and

setting the intersection point between the upper corner of the touch screen and the circumference as a start point and an intersection point occurring in the nearest corner as an end point if the intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner of both corners of the touch screen occurs.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the step c2) comprises in the case of S2:

setting an intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner as a start point and an end point if the intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner occurs;

setting an intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner as a start point and an intersection point between the circumference and a lower corner as an end start point if the intersection point between the circumference and the lower corner as well as the nearest corner occurs; and

setting an apex between the nearest corner of both corners of the touch screen and the upper corner as a start point and an apex between the nearest corner and the lower corner as an end point if no intersection point between the circumference and the corners of the touch screen occurs.

14. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the arrangement direction in the step c3) is counterclockwise in the case of L1 and clockwise in the case of L2.

15. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step c4) comprises arranging the menu icons considering the attention area along with first to n-th access areas divided depending on the user'"'"'s access easiness.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first access area is provided with a first higher menu icon, the first higher menu icon is moved to the second access area if a menu icon lower than the first higher menu icon is generated, and the lower menu icon is arranged in the first access area.

17. A computer-readable medium comprising computer readable instructions for executing the method of claim 1.

41. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step c) comprises:

c1) determining whether the circumference of a menu arrangement area where the menu icons are arranged is included in a part below an upper corner of the touch screen;

c2) determining a start point and an end point of menu icon arrangement in accordance with the determined result;

c3) determining an arrangement direction of the menu icons from the start point to the end point; and

c4) arranging the menu icons in accordance with the determined arrangement direction.

42. The method as claimed in claim 41, wherein the step c1) comprises setting S1 if the circumference of the menu arrangement area is not included in the part below the upper corner of the touch screen and setting S2 if the circumference of the menu arrangement area is included in the part below the upper corner of the touch screen.

43. The method as claimed in claim 42, wherein the step c2) comprises in the case of S1:

setting an intersection point between the upper corner of the touch screen and the circumference as a start point and an apex in a diagonal direction of the start point as an end point-if an intersection point between the circumference and both corners of the touch screen does not occur; and

setting the intersection point between the upper corner of the touch screen and the circumference as a start point and an intersection point occurring in the nearest corner as an end point if the intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner of both corners of the touch screen occurs.

44. The method as claimed in claim 42, wherein the step c2) comprises in the case of S2:

setting an intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner as a start point and an end point if the intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner occurs;

setting an intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner as a start point and an intersection point between the circumference and a lower corner as an end start point if the intersection point between the circumference and the lower corner as well as the nearest corner occurs; and

setting an apex between the nearest corner of both corners of the touch screen and the upper corner as a start point and an apex between the nearest corner and the lower corner as an end point if no intersection point between the circumference and the corners of the touch screen occurs.

45. The method as claimed in claim 41, wherein the arrangement direction in the step c3) is counterclockwise in the case of L1 and clockwise in the case of L2.

46. The method as claimed in claim 41, wherein the step c4) comprises arranging the menu icons considering the attention area along with first to n-th access areas divided depending on the user'"'"'s access easiness.

47. The method as claimed in claim 46, wherein the first access area is provided with a first higher menu icon, the first higher menu icon is moved to the second access area if a menu icon lower than the first higher menu icon is generated, and the lower menu icon is arranged in the first access area.

48. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the step c) comprises:

c1) determining whether the circumference of a menu arrangement area where the menu icons are arranged is included in a part below an upper corner of the touch screen;

c2) determining a start point and an end point of menu icon arrangement in accordance with the determined result;

c3) determining an arrangement direction of the menu icons from the start point to the end point; and

c4) arranging the menu icons in accordance with the determined arrangement direction.

49. The method as claimed in claim 48, wherein the step c1) comprises setting S1 if the circumference of the menu arrangement area is not included in the part below the upper corner of the touch screen and setting S2 if the circumference of the menu arrangement area is included in the part below the upper corner of the touch screen.

50. The method as claimed in claim 49, wherein the step c2) comprises in the case of S1:

setting an intersection point between the upper corner of the touch screen and the circumference as a start point and an apex in a diagonal direction of the start point as an end point if an intersection point between the circumference and both corners of the touch screen does not occur; and

setting the intersection point between the upper corner of the touch screen and the circumference as a start point and an intersection point occurring in the nearest corner as an end point if the intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner of both corners of the touch screen occurs.

51. The method as claimed in claim 49, wherein the step c2) comprises in the case of S2:

setting an intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner as a start point and an end point if the intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner occurs;

setting an intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner as a start point and an intersection point between the circumference and a lower corner as an end start point if the intersection point between the circumference and the lower corner as well as the nearest corner occurs; and

setting an apex between the nearest corner of both corners of the touch screen and the upper corner as a start point and an apex between the nearest corner and the lower corner as an end point if no intersection point between the circumference and the corners of the touch screen occurs.

52. The method as claimed in claim 48, wherein the arrangement direction in the step c3) is counterclockwise in the case of L1 and clockwise in the case of L2.

53. The method as claimed in claim 48, wherein the step c4) comprises arranging the menu icons considering the attention area along with first to n-th access areas divided depending on the user'"'"'s access easiness.

54. The method as claimed in claim 53, wherein the first access area is provided with a first higher menu icon, the first higher menu icon is moved to the second access area if a menu icon lower than the first higher menu icon is generated, and the lower menu icon is arranged in the first access area.

18. A display device comprising:

a position information detection unit detecting position information of a user'"'"'s finger touched with a touch screen;

an area setting unit setting an attention area in accordance with the position information detected by the position information detection unit; and

a menu control unit arranging menu icons in the attention area set by the area setting unit.

19. The display device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the position information detection unit calculates a pressure point of a part touched with the touch screen as a coordinate value, and detects the position information of the user'"'"'s finger in accordance with the calculated coordinate value.

20. The display device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the position information detection unit calculates a central point of an area of a user'"'"'s finger part touched with the touch screen as a coordinate value using infrared rays emitted from the periphery of the part touched with the touch screen, and detects the position information in accordance with the calculated coordinate value.

21. The display device as claimed in claim 18, further comprising an image sensing unit for scanning the user'"'"'s finger touched with the touch screen on a rear surface of the touch screen to sense an image;

wherein the image sensing unit detects a shape of the user'"'"'s finger and position information using the image sensed by the image sensing unit.

22. The display device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the area setting unit sets first to n-th attention areas by setting an area within a certain distance plus a diameter length of a menu to be arranged in the touch screen based on the position of the user'"'"'s finger touched with the touch screen as the first attention area and setting an area adjacent to the first attention area within a certain distance plus the diameter length based on the first attention area as the second attention area.

23. The display device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the area setting unit sets first to n-th attention areas by setting an area within a certain angle of both directions based on a direction of the user'"'"'s finger touched with the touch screen as the first attention area, and setting an area adjacent to the first attention area within a certain angle of both directions based on the first attention area as the second attention area.

24. The display device as claimed in claim 19, further comprising a nearest corner determining unit that determines a corner nearest to the position of the coordinate value among both corners of the touch screen as a reference line for menu arrangement, sets L1 if the determined reference line for menu arrangement is a right corner of the touch screen, and sets L2 if the determined reference line is a left corner.

25. The display device as claimed in claim 20, further comprising a nearest corner determining unit that determines a corner nearest to the position of the coordinate value among both corners of the touch screen as a reference line for menu arrangement, sets L1 if the determined reference line for menu arrangement is a right corner of the touch screen, and sets L2 if the determined reference line is a left corner.

26. The display device as claimed in claim 21, further comprising a nearest corner determining unit that sets L1 if the user'"'"'s finger detected by the scan result has a left orientation angle based on a vertical axis of the touch screen, and sets L2 if the user'"'"'s finger has a right orientation angle.

27. The display device as claimed in claim 24, wherein the menu control unit comprises:

a determining unit for determining whether the circumference of a menu arrangement area where the menu icons are arranged is included in a part below an upper corner of the touch screen;

a start/end point determining unit for determining a start point and an end point of menu icon arrangement in accordance with the determined result of the determining unit;

a menu arrangement determining unit for determining an arrangement direction of the menu icons from the start point to the end point determined by the start/end point determining unit; and

a menu arrangement unit arranging the menu icons in accordance with the arrangement direction determined by the menu arrangement determining unit.

28. The display device as claimed in claim 27, wherein the determining unit sets S1 if the circumference of the menu arrangement area is not included in the part below the upper corner of the touch screen, and sets S2 if the circumference of the menu arrangement area is included in the part below the upper corner of the touch screen.

29. The display device as claimed in claim 28, wherein the start/end point determining unit, in the case of S1, sets an intersection point between the upper corner of the touch screen and the circumference as a start point and an apex in a diagonal direction of the start point as an end point if an intersection point between the circumference and both corners of the touch screen does not occur, and sets an intersection point between the upper corner of the touch screen and the circumference as a start point and an intersection point occurring in the nearest corner as an end point if the intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner of both corners of the touch screen occurs.

30. The display device as claimed in claim 28, wherein the start/end point determining unit, in the case of S2, sets an intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner as a start point and an end point if the intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner occurs, sets an intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner as a start point and an intersection point between the circumference and a lower corner as an end start point if the intersection point between the circumference and the lower corner as well as the nearest corner occurs, and sets an apex between the nearest corner of both corners of the touch screen and the upper corner as a start point and an apex between the nearest corner and the lower corner as an end point if no intersection point between the circumference and the corners of the touch screen occurs.

31. The display device as claimed in claim 27, wherein the arrangement direction of the menu arrangement determining unit is counterclockwise in the case of L1, and clockwise in the case of L2.

32. The display device as claimed in claim 27, wherein the menu arrangement unit arranges the menu icons considering the attention area along with first to n-th access areas divided depending on the user'"'"'s access easiness.

33. The display device as claimed in claim 32, wherein the menu arrangement unit includes a first higher menu icon arranged in the first access area, the first higher menu icon being moved to the second access area if a menu icon lower than the first higher menu icon is generated, and the lower menu icon being arranged in the first access area.

55. The display device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the menu control unit comprises:

a determining unit for determining whether the circumference of a menu arrangement area where the menu icons are arranged is included in a part below an upper corner of the touch screen;

a start/end point determining unit for determining a start point and an end point of menu icon arrangement in accordance with the determined result of the determining unit;

a menu arrangement determining unit for determining an arrangement direction of the menu icons from the start point to the end point determined by the start/end point determining unit; and

a menu arrangement unit arranging the menu icons in accordance with the arrangement direction determined by the menu arrangement determining unit.

56. The display device as claimed in claim 55, wherein the determining unit sets S1 if the circumference of the menu arrangement area is not included in the part below the upper corner of the touch screen, and sets S2 if the circumference of the menu arrangement area is included in the part below the upper corner of the touch screen.

57. The display device as claimed in claim 56, wherein the start/end point determining unit, in the case of S1, sets an intersection point between the upper corner of the touch screen and the circumference as a start point and an apex in a diagonal direction of the start point as an end point if an intersection point between the circumference and both corners of the touch screen does not occur, and sets an intersection point between the upper corner of the touch screen and the circumference as a start point and an intersection point occurring in the nearest corner as an end point if the intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner of both corners of the touch screen occurs.

58. The display device as claimed in claim 56, wherein the start/end point determining unit, in the case of S2, sets an intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner as a start point and an end point if the intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner occurs, sets an intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner as a start point and an intersection point between the circumference and a lower corner as an end start point if the intersection point between the circumference and the lower corner as well as the nearest corner occurs, and sets an apex between the nearest corner of both corners of the touch screen and the upper corner as a start point and an apex between the nearest corner and the lower corner as an end point if no intersection point between the circumference and the corners of the touch screen occurs.

59. The display device as claimed in claim 55, wherein the arrangement direction of the menu arrangement determining unit is counterclockwise in the case of L1, and clockwise in the case of L2.

60. The display device as claimed in claim 55, wherein the menu arrangement unit arranges the menu icons considering the attention area along with first to n-th access areas divided depending on the user'"'"'s access easiness.

61. The display device as claimed in claim 60, wherein the menu arrangement unit includes a first higher menu icon arranged in the first access area, the first higher menu icon being moved to the second access area if a menu icon lower than the first higher menu icon is generated, and the lower menu icon being arranged in the first access area.

62. The display device as claimed in claim 26, wherein the menu control unit comprises:

a determining unit for determining whether the circumference of a menu arrangement area where the menu icons are arranged is included in a part below an upper corner of the touch screen;

a start/end point determining unit for determining a start point and an end point of menu icon arrangement in accordance with the determined result of the determining unit;

a menu arrangement determining unit for determining an arrangement direction of the menu icons from the start point to the end point determined by the start/end point determining unit; and

a menu arrangement unit arranging the menu icons in accordance with the arrangement direction determined by the menu arrangement determining unit.

63. The display device as claimed in claim 62, wherein the determining unit sets S1 if the circumference of the menu arrangement area is not included in the part below the upper corner of the touch screen, and sets S2 if the circumference of the menu arrangement area is included in the part below the upper corner of the touch screen.

64. The display device as claimed in claim 63, wherein the start/end point determining unit, in the case of S1, sets an intersection point between the upper corner of the touch screen and the circumference as a start point and an apex in a diagonal direction of the start point as an end point if an intersection point between the circumference and both corners of the touch screen does not occur, and sets an intersection point between the upper corner of the touch screen and the circumference as a start point and an intersection point occurring in the nearest corner as an end point if the intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner of both corners of the touch screen occurs.

65. The display device as claimed in claim 63, wherein the start/end point determining unit, in the case of S2, sets an intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner as a start point and an end point if the intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner occurs, sets an intersection point between the circumference and the nearest corner as a start point and an intersection point between the circumference and a lower corner as an end start point if the intersection point between the circumference and the lower corner as well as the nearest corner occurs, and sets an apex between the nearest corner of both corners of the touch screen and the upper corner as a start point and an apex between the nearest corner and the lower corner as an end point if no intersection point between the circumference and the corners of the touch screen occurs.

66. The display device as claimed in claim 62, wherein the arrangement direction of the menu arrangement determining unit is counterclockwise in the case of L1, and clockwise in the case of L2.

67. The display device as claimed in claim 62, wherein the menu arrangement unit arranges the menu icons considering the attention area along with first to n-th access areas divided depending on the user'"'"'s access easiness.

68. The display device as claimed in claim 67, wherein the menu arrangement unit includes a first higher menu icon arranged in the first access area, the first higher menu icon being moved to the second access area if a menu icon lower than the first higher menu icon is generated, and the lower menu icon being arranged in the first access area.

34. A method for variably arranging a content menu, comprising:

a) detecting position information of a user'"'"'s finger touched with a corner of a touch screen;

b) setting an attention area in accordance with the detected position information; and

c) arranging menu icons in accordance with the set attention area.

35. The method as claimed in claim 34, wherein the step b) comprises setting first to n-th attention areas by setting the first attention area to arrange the menu icons in a line along the corner of the touch screen touched with the user'"'"'s finger, and setting the second attention area adjacent to the first attention area within an area plus a diameter length of a menu to be arranged in the touch screen based on the first attention area.

36. The method as claimed in claim 35, wherein the step c) comprises arranging the menu icons in a line along the attention area, and additionally arranging a menu concealment icon if the n-th attention area does not have any sufficient space where the menu icons are to be arranged in a line.

37. A computer-readable medium comprising computer readable instructions for executing the method of claim 34.

38. A display device comprising:

a position information detection unit detecting position information of a user'"'"'s finger touched with a corner of a touch screen;

an area setting unit setting an attention area in accordance with the detected position information; and

a menu control unit arranging menu icons in accordance with the set attention area.

39. The display device as claimed in claim 38, wherein the area setting unit sets first to n-th attention areas by setting the first attention area to arrange the menu icons in a line along the corner of the touch screen touched with the user'"'"'s finger, and setting the second attention area adjacent to the first attention area within an area plus a diameter length of a menu to be arranged in the touch screen based on the first attention area.

40. The display device as claimed in claim 39, wherein the menu control unit arranges the menu icons in a line along the attention area, and additionally arranges a menu concealment icon if the n-th attention area does not have any sufficient space where the menu icons are to be arranged in a line.