Touch screen device and operating method thereof

• US 20070273663A1
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Shin, Sang Hyun, Chae, Ji Suk, Yoo, Kyung Hee, Kim, Yu Mi, Kim, Ji Ae, Bae, Seung Jun, Ham, Young Ho, Park, Ho Joo, Kang, Seong Cheol, Koo, Yoon Hee
• Granted Patent: US 9,058,099 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A touch screen device and an operating method are provided in which only a specific position on a touch screen is activated to receive signals. The touch screen device includes a screen including a display configured to display menu images thereon and a detector configured to detect a screen touch, and a controller configured to control operations of the device according to the screen touch detected by the detector. The controller may cause the detector to be divided into an execution area configured to execute a menu when the menu placed on the execution area is touched, and a selection area configured to sequentially move the menu images to the execution area when the selection area is touched. Alternatively, the controller may cause the detector to be divided into a moving area configured to move a menu from a touch point along a drag line while the menu is dragged, and an execution area configured to execute the relevant menu when the touch on the execution area is released. With a touch screen device so configured, the menus are executed only in a limited execution area.

Claims

1. A method of operating a touch screen device having a touch screen having a predetermined viewing area and a detector configured to detect a touch on the touch screen and a controller configured to control operation of the touch screen device according to the screen touch detected by the detector, wherein the touch screen is divided by the controller into a selection area having a plurality of menu images corresponding to a plurality of menus displayed thereon and an execution area configured to execute a menu when one of the plurality of menu images is placed thereon or thereunder, the method comprising:

detecting a screen touch in the selection area;

detecting at least one of movement of a selected one of the plurality of menu images displayed in the selection area into the execution area or movement of the execution area to a selected one of the plurality of menu images displayed in the selection area;

detecting a screen touch in the execution area; and

executing a menu corresponding to the selected menu image in response to the screen touch in the execution area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting at least one of movement of a selected one of the plurality of menu images displayed in the selection area into the execution area or movement of the execution area to a selected one of the plurality of menu images displayed in the selection area comprises detecting movement of the execution area to a selected one of the plurality of menu images displayed in the selection area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting at least one of movement of a selected one of the plurality of menu images displayed in the selection area into the execution area or movement of the execution area to a selected one of the plurality of menu images displayed in the selection area comprises detecting movement of a selected one of the plurality of menu images displayed in the selection area into the execution area.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein when a selected one of the plurality of menu images displayed in the selection area is moved into the execution area, a menu image previously located in the execution area pops out of the execution area.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein when a selected one of the plurality of menu images displayed in the selection area is moved into the execution area, a menu image previously located in the execution area pops out of the execution area and returns to its original location in the selection area.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, when a screen touch is detected in the selection area, continuously moving the plurality of menu images while the touch is maintained.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein continuously moving the plurality of menu images while the touch is maintained comprises continuously moving the plurality of menu images in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

8. A method of operating digital equipment having a touch screen device, comprising the method of claim 1.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the digital equipment comprises a MP3 player, a portable media player, a portable terminal, a navigation system, or a notebook computer.

10. A touch screen device, comprising:

a touch screen having a predetermined viewing area and a detector configured to detect a touch on the touch screen; and

a controller configured to control operation of the touch screen device according to the screen touch detected by the detector, wherein the touch screen is divided by the controller into a selection area having a plurality of menu images corresponding to a plurality of menus displayed thereon and an execution area configured to execute a menu when one of the plurality of menu images is placed thereon or thereunder, wherein when a screen touch is detected in the selection area, the detector detects at least one of movement of a selected one of the plurality of menu images displayed in the selection area into the execution area or movement of the execution area to a selected one of the plurality of menu images displayed in the selection area, and thereafter if the detector detects a screen touch in the execution area, the controller executes a menu corresponding to the selected menu image in response to the screen touch in the execution area.

11. The touch screen device of claim 10, wherein when a screen touch is detected in the selection area, the detector detects movement of the execution area to a selected one of the plurality of menu images displayed in the selection area.

12. The touch screen device of claim 10, wherein when a screen touch is detected in the selection area, the detector detects movement of a selected one of the plurality of menu images displayed in the selection area into the execution area.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein when a selected one of the plurality of menu images displayed in the selection area is moved into the execution area, a menu image previously located in the execution area pops out of the execution area.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein when a selected one of the plurality of menu images displayed in the selection area is moved into the execution area, a menu image previously located in the execution area pops out of the execution area and returns to its original location in the selection area.

15. The touch screen device of claim 10, wherein when a screen touch is detected in the selection area, the controller continuously moves the plurality of menu images while the touch is maintained.

16. The touch screen device of claim 15, wherein when a screen touch is detected in the selection area, the controller continuously moves the plurality of menu images in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction while the touch is maintained.

17. The touch screen device of claim 10, wherein the touch screen is a resistive or capacitive touch screen.

18. Digital equipment comprising the touch screen device of claim 10.

19. The digital equipment of claim 18, wherein the digital equipment comprises a MP3 player, a portable media player, a portable terminal, a navigation system, or a notebook computer.