ONSCREEN FUNCTION EXECUTION METHOD FOR MOBILE TERMINAL HAVING A TOUCHSCREEN

• US 20080192021A1
• Filed: 01/14/2008
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LIM, Dok Shin, KIM, Hyo Young, KIM, Min Suk, SHIN, Young Sun, JEON, Hee Kyung, LIM, Wan Soo, LIM, Kyoung Ae
• Granted Patent: US 9,041,681 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals

Abstract

An onscreen function execution method for a mobile terminal having a touchscreen is provided. The method allows for executing functions of an activated application by a tap on a specific area of the touchscreen. An onscreen function execution method of the present invention includes mapping active regions of the touchscreen to functions of at least one application, displaying an application screen in response to an application activation command and executing, if a tap is detected on one of the active regions, a function mapped to the application activation command. The active regions may include a function execution display region and the applications may comprise a camera application, a music player application, an idle mode screen application and the like. The method allows a user to execute functions of an activated application by tap on the touchscreen.

Claims

1. An onscreen function execution method for a mobile terminal having a touchscreen, the method comprising:

mapping an active region of the touchscreen to a function of at least one application;

displaying an application screen in response to an application activation command; and

executing, if a tap is detected on the active region, the function mapped to the active region.

2. The onscreen function execution method of claim 1, wherein the active region comprises a function execution display region.

3. The onscreen function execution method of claim 1, wherein the at least one application comprises a plurality of applications and each application comprises one of a camera application, a music player application and an idle mode screen application.

4. The onscreen function execution method of claim 3, wherein a plurality of active regions of the touchscreen are respectively mapped to a plurality of functions of the camera application and wherein the plurality of functions of the camera application comprise at least one of a viewfinder function, a focusing function, a capture function and a save function.

5. The onscreen function execution method of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of active regions comprises at least one of a function execution display region for displaying a viewfinder image and a captured image.

6. The onscreen function execution method of claim 5, wherein the displaying of the application screen comprises presenting a viewfinder image in the function execution display region.

7. The onscreen function execution method of claim 6, wherein the executing of the function comprises:

capturing, if a tap is detected on the function execution display region, the viewfinder image; and

displaying, if a tap is detected on the viewfinder image, a captured image.

8. The onscreen function execution method of claim 7, wherein the executing of the function comprises:

focusing, if a tap is detected on the function execution display region, the viewfinder image; and

capturing, if a tap is detected on the viewfinder image, the viewfinder image.

9. The onscreen function execution method of claim 3, wherein a plurality of active regions of the touchscreen are respectively mapped to a plurality of functions of the music player application and wherein the plurality of functions of the music player application comprise at least one of a playback function and a pause function.

10. The onscreen function execution method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of active regions comprises an image display region associated with a music file.

11. The onscreen function execution method of claim 10, wherein the displaying of the application screen comprises displaying an image associated with a playing music file in the image display region.

12. The onscreen function execution method of claim 11, wherein the executing of the function comprises:

stopping, if a tap is detected on the image display region, the playing of the music file; and

replaying, if a tap is detected on the image display region again, the music file.

13. The onscreen function execution method of claim 3, wherein a plurality of active regions of the touchscreen are respectively mapped to a plurality of functions of the idle mode screen application and wherein the plurality of functions of the idle mode screen application comprise an application activation function with an application icon.

14. The onscreen function execution method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the active regions comprises an idle mode image region for displaying an idle mode image.

15. The onscreen function execution method of claim 14, wherein the idle mode image comprises a display starting point.

16. The onscreen function execution method of claim 15, wherein the displaying of the application screen comprises displaying, if a tap is detected on the display starting point, application icons on the idle mode image region.

17. The onscreen function execution method of claim 16, wherein the display starting point is displayed at a center of the idle mode image region.

18. The onscreen function execution method of claim 17, wherein the application icons comprise a primary application icon positioned on the display starting point and secondary application icons positioned around the primary application icon.

19. The onscreen function execution method of claim 18, wherein the primary application icon represents a main menu icon, and the secondary application icons comprise at least one of a camera application, a music player application, a message application and a voice communication application.

20. A mobile terminal having a touchscreen, the mobile terminal comprising:

a control unit for mapping an active region of the touchscreen to a function of at least one application and for executing, if a tap is detected on the active region, the function mapped to the active region; and

a display unit for displaying an application screen in response to an application activation command.