METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING DISPLAY AREA OF USER INTERFACE AND RECORDING MEDIUM USING THE SAME

• US 20090265662A1
• Filed: 03/02/2009
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Bamford, Drew
• Application Number:
  US12/395,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20090265662A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/800
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• 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 an apparatus for adjusting a display area of a user interface, and a recording medium using the same are provided. In this method, a first user interface and a second user interface are displayed on a touch screen of a portable electronic device. The first user interface is located in a first direction side of the second user interface and the second user interface is located in a second direction side of the first user interface. Then, the touch screen detects a touch signal. When the touch signal is moved toward the first direction, the display area of the second user interface is enlarged. When the touch signal is moved toward the second direction, the display area of the first user interface is enlarged. Accordingly, the size of the display area of the first and the second user interface can be adjusted by the user.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting a display area of a user interface, adapted to a portable electronic device having a touch screen, comprising:

displaying a first user interface and a second user interface on the touch screen, wherein the first user interface is in a first direction side of the second user interface and the second user interface is in a second direction side of the first user interface;

detecting a touch signal by the touch screen;

enlarging the display area of the second user interface when the touch signal is moved toward the first direction; and

enlarging the display area of the first user interface when the touch signal is moved toward the second direction.

2. The method for adjusting a display area of a user interface according to claim 1, wherein,

when the touch signal is moved toward the first direction, the method further comprising the step of reducing the display area of the first user interface;

and

when the touch signal is moved toward the second direction, the method further comprising the step of reducing the display area of the second user interface.

3. The method for adjusting a display area of a user interface according to claim 1, when the touch signal is moved toward the first direction, the method further comprising:

changing the first user interface into a simplified interface.

4. The method for adjusting a display area of a user interface according to claim 1, wherein the first user interface corresponds to a first function and the second user interface corresponds to a second function.

5. The method for adjusting a display area of a user interface according to claim 1, wherein the step of enlarging the display area of the first user interface or the second user interface comprises:

calculating a displacement of the touch signal; and

determining an enlargement scale of the display area of the first user interface or the second user interface based on the displacement.

6. The method for adjusting a display area of a user interface according to claim 1, wherein the step of enlarging the display area of the first user interface or the second user interface comprises:

calculating a displacement of the touch signal;

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

enlarging the display area of the first user interface or the second user interface when the displacement of the touch signal exceeds the first predetermined value.

7. The method for adjusting a display area of a user interface according to claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the touch signal by the touch screen further comprises:

determining whether a time length during which the touch signal stays in the touch screen exceeds a second predetermined value; and

enlarging the display area of the first user interface or the second user interface when the time length of the touch signal exceeds the second predetermined value.

8. The method for adjusting a display area of a user interface according to claim 1, when the touch signal is moved toward the first direction, the method further comprising:

determining whether a start point of the touch signal is in the display area of the second user interface;

if so, enlarging the display area of the second user interface; and

if not, executing no actions.

9. The method for adjusting a display area of a user interface according to claim 1, when the touch signal is moved toward the second direction, the method further comprising:

determining whether a start point of the touch signal is in the display area of the first user interface;

if so, enlarging the display area of the first user interface; and

if not, executing no actions.

10. The method for adjusting a display area of a user interface according to claim 1, when the touch signal is moved toward the first direction, the method further comprising:

determining whether a start point of the touch signal is in the display area of the second user interface and whether an end point of the touch signal is in the display area of the first user interface;

if so, enlarging the display area of the second user interface; and

if not, executing no actions.

11. The method for adjusting a display area of a user interface according to claim 1, wherein the step of enlarging the display area of the first user interface or the second user interface further comprises:

enlarging the display area of the first user interface or the second user interface when the touch signal terminates.

12. The method for adjusting a display area of a user interface according to claim 1, wherein the first direction is “

up” and

the second direction is “

down.”

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 and to enable the portable electronic device to perform the method for adjusting a display area of a user interface according to claim 1.

13. An apparatus for adjusting a display area of a user interface, comprising:

a touch screen, for detecting a touch signal;

a first display module, for displaying a first user interface on the touch screen;

a second display module, for displaying a second user interface on the touch screen, wherein the first user interface is in a first direction side of the second user interface and the second user interface is in a second direction side of the first user interface; and

an adjusting module, for adjusting a size of the display area of the first user interface and the second user interface according to the touch signal detected by the touch screen, wherein

the display area of the second user interface is enlarged when the touch signal is moved toward the first direction, and the display area of the first user interface is enlarged when the touch signal is moved toward the second direction.

14. The apparatus for adjusting a display area of a user interface according to claim 13, wherein when the touch signal is moved toward the first direction, the adjusting module further comprises changing the first user interface into a simplified interface.

15. The apparatus for adjusting a display area of a user interface according to claim 13, wherein the adjusting module further comprises calculating a displacement of the touch signal and determining an enlargement scale of the display area of the first user interface or the second user interface based on the displacement.

16. The apparatus for adjusting a display area of a user interface according to claim 13, wherein the adjusting module further comprises determining whether the displacement of the touch signal exceeds a first predetermined value, and enlarging the display area of the first user interface or the second user interface when the displacement of the touch signal exceeds the first predetermined value.

17. The apparatus for adjusting a display area of a user interface according to claim 13, wherein the adjusting module further comprises determining whether a time length during which the touch signal stays in the touch screen exceeds a second predetermined value, and enlarging the display area of the first user interface or the second user interface when the time length of the touch signal exceeds the second predetermined value.

18. The apparatus for adjusting a display area of a user interface according to claim 13, wherein when the touch signal is moved toward the first direction, the adjusting module further determines whether a start point of the touch signal is in the display area of the second user interface, and if so, the display area of the second user interface is enlarged;

and if not, no actions are executed.

19. The apparatus for adjusting a display area of a user interface according to claim 13, wherein when the touch signal is moved toward the first direction, the adjusting module further determines whether the start point of the touch signal is in the display area of the second user interface and whether an end point of the touch signal is in the display area of the first user interface, and if so, the display area of the second user interface is enlarged;

and if not, no actions are executed.