METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPERATING USER INTERFACE AND RECORDING MEDIUM USING THE SAME

• US 20090265628A1
• Filed: 11/30/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Bamford, Drew, Shotel, Micah
• Granted Patent: US 8,935,632 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/702
• 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for operating a user interface, and a recording medium using the same are provided. First, a plurality of user interfaces is provided and one of them is displayed on a touch screen of a portable electronic device. Then, the touch screen is used for detecting a touch signal. When the touch signal is moved toward a first direction, the currently displayed user interface is switched to another one. When the touch signal is moved toward a second direction, an item of the currently displayed user interface is switched to another item. Accordingly, a more intuitive and convenient manner for operating the user interface is provided for the user.

Claims

1. A method for operating a user interface, adapted to a portable electronic device with a touch screen, comprising:

providing a plurality of user interfaces and displaying one of the user interfaces on the touch screen;

detecting a touch signal by the touch screen;

switching a currently displayed user interface to another user interface when the touch signal is moved toward a first direction; and

switching an item in the currently displayed user interface to another item when the touch signal is moved toward a second direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction are substantially perpendicular to each other.

2. The method for operating a user interface according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a representational icon bar on a first margin of the user interface, wherein the representational icon bar comprises a plurality of representational icons respectively corresponding to each of the user interfaces.

3. The method for operating a user interface according to claim 2, further comprising:

displaying an item icon bar on a second margin of the user interface, wherein the item icon bar comprises a plurality of item icons respectively corresponding to each of the items in the user interface.

4. The method for operating a user interface according to claim 3, further comprising:

moving the representational icon bar toward the first direction when the touch signal is moved toward the first direction.

5. The method for operating a user interface according to claim 3, further comprising:

moving the representational icon bar toward a direction opposite to the first direction when the touch signal is moved toward the first direction.

6. The method for operating a user interface according to claim 3, further comprising:

moving the item icon bar toward the second direction when the touch signal is moved toward the second direction.

7. The method for operating a user interface according to claim 3, wherein the process of displaying the representational icon bar on the first margin of the user interface comprises:

displaying a magnified representational icon corresponding to the currently displayed user interface in the representational icon bar.

8. The method for operating a user interface according to claim 3, wherein the process of displaying the item icon bar on the second margin of the user interface comprises:

displaying a magnified item icon corresponding to the currently displayed item in the currently displayed user interface in the item icon bar.

9. The method for operating a user interface according to claim 3, wherein

the representational icon bar is displayed on an upper part or a lower part of the user interface;

and

the item icon bar is displayed on a left part or a right part of the user interface.

10. The method for operating a user interface according to claim 1, wherein

the first direction is left or right;

and

the second direction is up or down.

11. The method for operating a user interface according to claim 1, wherein the process of detecting the touch signal by the touch screen further comprises:

determining whether a displacement of the touch signal exceeds a preset value; and

switching the user interface or the item when the displacement exceeds the preset value.

20. A recording medium for recording a computer program, the computer program comprising a plurality of program codes adapted to be loaded into a portable electronic device to enable the portable electronic device to perform the method for operating a user interface according to claim 1.

12. An apparatus for operating a user interface, comprising:

a touch screen, adapted to detect a touch signal;

a user interface display module, adapted to display one of a plurality of user interfaces on the touch screen;

a switch module, adapted to selectively switch the user interface or an item according to the touch signal detected by the touch screen, wherein

the currently displayed user interface is switched to another user interface when the touch signal is moved toward a first direction; and

an item in the currently displayed user interface is switched to another item when the touch signal is moved toward a second direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction are substantially perpendicular to each other.

13. The apparatus for operating a user interface according to claim 12, further comprising:

a representational icon bar display module, adapted to display a representational icon bar on a first margin of the user interface, wherein the representational icon bar comprises a plurality of representational icons respectively corresponding to each of the user interfaces.

14. The apparatus for operating a user interface according to claim 13, further comprising:

an item icon bar display module, adapted to display an item icon bar on a second margin of the user interface, wherein the item icon bar comprises a plurality of item icons respectively corresponding to each of the items in the user interface.

15. The apparatus for operating a user interface according to claim 13, wherein the switch module further comprising:

moving the representational icon bar toward a direction opposite to the first direction when the touch signal is moved toward the first direction.

16. The apparatus for operating a user interface according to claim 13, wherein the representational icon bar is displayed in the first direction and the item icon bar is displayed in the second direction.

17. The apparatus for operating a user interface according to claim 13, wherein the representational icon bar display module further comprises displaying a magnified representational icon corresponding to the currently displayed user interface in the representational icon bar.

18. The apparatus for operating a user interface according to claim 13, wherein the item icon bar display module further comprises displaying a magnified item icon corresponding to the currently displayed item in the currently displayed user interface in the item icon bar.

19. The apparatus for operating a user interface according to claim 12, wherein

the first direction is right or left;

and

the second direction is up or down.