Touch screen device and method of displaying and selecting menus thereof

• US 20070250786A1
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Shin, Sang Hyun, Kim, Yu Mi, Park, Ho Joo, Jeon, Byeong Hui
• Granted Patent: US 7,737,958 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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 touch screen device and method for displaying and selecting menus thereof are provided. The touch screen device includes a screen with a display for displaying menu images thereon and a detector for detecting a touch on a screen, and a controller which displays one or more menu bars on the screen. Each of the menu bars may have an expanded portion at one end thereof, and the menu bars may be displayed such that the expanded portions are arranged in a zigzag pattern to facilitate menu selection and reduce input errors. When two or more menu bars are erroneously touched, the controller may enlarge and display the touched menus so that a new touch input for the correct menu can be easily made. Thus, menus displayed on the touch screen may be arranged for easy selection, and input errors may be easily corrected.

Claims

1. A method of displaying and selecting a plurality of menus on a touch screen device for a portable terminal, the portable terminal having a screen with a prescribed viewing area in x and y directions, the method comprising:

representing the plurality of menus as a corresponding plurality of menu bars;

displaying the plurality of menu bars within the prescribed viewing area of the portable terminal such that the plurality of menu bars are arranged extending sequentially in either the x direction or the y direction within the prescribed viewing area;

calculating a touch area corresponding to a touch detected on a surface of the screen of the touch screen device in an area corresponding to at least one of the plurality of menu bars; and

executing a menu corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of menu bars if the calculated touch area is greater than a predetermined touch area, or requesting a new touch input if the calculated touch area is less than the predetermined touch area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein requesting a new touch input comprises enlarging two or more of the plurality of menu bars if a result of the calculating step indicates that two or more menu bars of the plurality of menu bars were touched, and requesting a new touch input to select one of the enlarged two or more menu bars of the plurality of menu bars.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising returning to a previous arrangement of the plurality of menu bars if the new touch input is not received within a predetermined amount of time.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the new touch input is in an active area outside of either of the enlarged two or more menu bars.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising executing an uppermost of the enlarged two or more menu bars if the new touch input is received in an upper half of the touch screen, and executing a lowermost of the enlarged two or more menu bars if the new touch input is received in a lower half of the touch screen.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the new touch input is in an active area of one of the enlarged two or more menu bars of the plurality of menu bars.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising returning to a previous arrangement of the plurality of menu bars if a touch input is received in any area outside of the active area of one of the enlarged two or more menu bars of the plurality of menu bars within the predetermined amount of time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of menu bars includes an expanded portion formed at one end thereof.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein displaying the plurality of menu bars within the prescribed viewing area of the portable terminal comprises displaying the plurality of menu bars such that the expanded portions are arranged in an alternating pattern.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein an expanded portion formed on a left end of one of the menu bars is interposed between expanded portions formed on a right end of adjacent menu bars if the plurality of menu bars are disposed horizontally within the prescribed viewing area.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein an expanded portion formed on a top end of one of the menu bars is interposed between expanded portions formed on a bottom end of adjacent menu bars if the plurality of menu bars are disposed vertically within the prescribed viewing area.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein executing a menu corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of menu bars comprises detecting a touch in an expanded portion of at least one of the plurality of menu bars, and executing a menu corresponding to the touched expanded portion.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the plurality of menu bars within the prescribed viewing area comprises arranging the plurality of menu bars in accordance with user preferences.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the plurality of menu bars within the prescribed viewing area comprises arranging the plurality of menu bars in a descending order based on a number of touches on the respective menu bars.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the controller comprises:

a touch panel controller coupled to the touch pad, wherein the touch pad controller is configured to detect a touch on the touch panel and convert the touch into a corresponding signal; and

a main controller coupled to the touch pad controller, the screen, and the storage device, wherein the main controller is configured to determine a touch type from the signal generated by the touch panel controller, to retrieve a corresponding command of the plurality of predetermined commands stored in the storage device, and to execute the retrieved command.

18. The device of claim 13, further comprising a count extractor configured to count a number of touches on each of the plurality of menu bars.

20. The device of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to enlarge two or more of the plurality of menu bars if a result of the calculation made by the controller indicates that two or more menu bars of the plurality of menu bars were touched, and to request a new touch input to select one of the enlarged two or more menu bars of the plurality of menu bars.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the controller is configured to return the display to a previous arrangement of the plurality of menu bars if the new touch input is not received within a predetermined amount of time.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the new touch input is in an active area of one of the enlarged two or more menu bars of the plurality of menu bars.

23. The device of claim 20, wherein the controller is configured to return the display to a previous arrangement of the plurality of menu bars if a touch input is received in an area outside of the active area of one of the enlarged two or more menu bars of the plurality of menu bars within the predetermined amount of time.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the new touch input is in an active area outside of either of the enlarged two or more menu bars.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the controller is configured to execute an uppermost of the enlarged two or more menu bars if the new touch input is received in an upper half of the touch screen, and to execute a lowermost of the enlarged two or more menu bars if the new touch input is received in a lower half of the touch screen.

15. A touch screen device for a portable terminal, comprising:

a screen, comprising;

a display with a prescribed viewing area in x and y directions, wherein the display is configured to display a plurality of menu bars, and wherein the plurality of menu bars are sequentially positioned in the x or the y direction of the prescribed viewing area; and

a touch panel coupled to the display, wherein the touch panel is configured to detect a touch within a prescribed portion of the prescribed viewing area; and

a controller coupled to the screen, wherein the controller is configured to calculate a touch area corresponding to a touch detected on a portion of the touch panel corresponding to at least one menu bar, and to execute at least one menu corresponding to the at least one menu bar if the calculated touch area is greater than a predetermined touch area, or to request a new touch input if the calculated touch area is less than the predetermined touch area.

16. The device of claim 15, further comprising a storage device coupled to the screen and the main controller and configured to store a plurality of predetermined commands corresponding to the plurality of menu bars.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to arrange the plurality of menu bars displayed on the display in accordance the number of touches counted by the count extractor.

26. The device of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of menu bars includes an expanded portion formed at one end thereof.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the plurality of menu bars are displayed such that the expanded portions are arranged in an alternating pattern.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein an expanded portion formed on a left end of one of the menu bars is interposed between expanded portions formed on a right end of adjacent menu bars if the plurality of menu bars are disposed horizontally within the prescribed viewing area, and an expanded portion formed on a top end of one of the menu bars is interposed between expanded portions formed on a bottom end of adjacent menu bars if the plurality of menu bars are disposed vertically within the prescribed viewing area.