METHOD AND DEVICE TO SEARCH FOR AND EXECUTE CONTENT USING A TOUCH SCREEN

• US 20100060599A1
• Filed: 08/04/2009
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Hyun Jin, Kwak, Ji Yeon, Park, Min Kyu
• Granted Patent: US 9,007,311 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/287 Visualization; Browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/907 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• 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

Abstract

A method and device to search for and execute content are provided. The method of searching for and executing content includes displaying at least one content icon, and identifying, if an approach to one of the at least one content icon is detected, a content icon of a position at which the approach is detected. The method further comprises determining a classification category of a content corresponding to the identified content icon, searching for at least one related content classified in the same classification category as the content corresponding to the identified content icon, displaying the identified content icon and at least one related content icon corresponding to the at least one related content using a preset display method, and executing, if one of the at least one content icon is touched, a content corresponding to the touched content icon.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

displaying at least one content icon;

identifying, if an approach to one of the at least one content icon is detected, a content icon at a position at which the approach is detected;

determining a classification category of content corresponding to the identified content icon;

searching for at least one related content classified in the same classification category as the content corresponding to the identified content icon;

displaying the identified content icon and at least one related content icon corresponding to the at least one related content; and

executing, if one of the at least one content icon is touched, content corresponding to the touched content icon.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one related content comprises content having a file format identical to or similar to the content corresponding to the identified content icon.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one related content comprises content having at least one of a content name, content generation time point, and content generation source identical to or similar to that of the content corresponding to the identified content icon.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one related content comprises at least one of content having a linked function to the content corresponding to the identified content icon, content having a high use frequency in relation to a use frequency of the content corresponding to the identified content icon, and a most recently used content.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein when the content corresponding to the identified content icon is a picture content, the at least one related content comprises at least one of content comprising a same person image as a person image provided in the picture content corresponding to the identified content icon, content comprising a same location image as a location image provided in the picture content corresponding to the identified content icon, and content generated by the same photographing means as that of the picture content corresponding to the identified content icon.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the identified content icon and at least one related content icon corresponding to the at least one related content comprises moving and displaying at least one presently displayed related content icon to an area within a distance of the identified content icon.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the identified content icon and at least one related content icon corresponding to the at least one related content comprises dividing a display area into a plurality of divided areas and displaying, in one divided area of the divided display area, the identified content icon and the at least one related content icon.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising displaying content icons other than the identified content icon and the at least one related content icon in other divided areas apart from the one divided area, wherein each of the other divided areas comprises content icons corresponding to contents classified in the same classification category, according to a classification reference.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the identified content icon and at least one related content icon corresponding to the at least one related content comprises generating and displaying the at least one related content icon in an area within a set distance from the identified content icon.

10. A device, comprising:

an approach detection unit to detect an approach of a touch device;

a touch detection unit to detect a touch of the touch device;

a display unit to display at least one content icon and content corresponding thereto;

a storage unit to store the at least one content icon and content corresponding thereto; and

a controller to identify, when an approach detection signal is received from the approach detection unit, a content icon at a position at which the approach is detected, to determine a classification category of content corresponding to the identified content icon, to search, in the storage unit, for at least one related content classified in the same category as the content corresponding to the identified content icon, to display the identified content icon and at least one related content icon corresponding to the at least one related content in the display unit, and to execute, if a touch detection signal is received from the touch detection unit, a content corresponding to the touched content icon.

11. A method, comprising:

identifying, in response to an approach to a touch device, a first content icon corresponding to first content;

determining second content related to the first content;

displaying, on a display area, a second content icon corresponding to the second content; and

executing, in response to selection by the touch device, the first content icon and/or the second content icon.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining second content comprises at least one of:

determining second content associated with a file format corresponding to a file format associated with the first content icon;

determining second content comprising a content name, content generation time point, and/or content generation source corresponding to a content name, content generation time point, and/or content generation source associated with the first content icon;

determining second content comprising a linked function to the first content;

determining second content having a high use frequency relative to a use frequency of the first content; and

determining a most recently used or accessed content.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein displaying a second content icon comprises one of:

moving, if the second content icon is presently displayed, the second content icon within a preset distance of the first content icon;

dividing the display area into a plurality of portions and displaying the first content icon and the second content icon in the portions; and

generating and displaying the second content icon.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein displaying the first content icon and the second content icon comprises one of:

displaying the first content icon and the second content icon in one portion of the display area and other content icons in other portions of the display area;

displaying the first content icon and the second content icon in one portion of the display area, and displaying the other content icons in the other portions of the display area, each portion of the display area corresponding to a content classification category and comprising content icons corresponding to the respective content classification categories.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein identifying, in response to an approach to a touch device, a first content icon, comprises determining if the touch device is within a preset distance of the display area.