ELECTRONIC APPARATUS AND TOUCH MENU CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20110066978A1
• Filed: 03/16/2010
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Compal Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Compal Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Sung, Peng-Hsiang
• Application Number:
  US12/725,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20110066978A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/823
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An electronic apparatus and a touch menu control method thereof are provided. In the method, when a touch device detects a first touch signal, a menu controlling module is configured to start a menu controlling program to display a touch menu on a display device. The touch menu comprises a plurality of items and each of the items corresponds to a function. When the first touch signal exists, sequentially selecting one of the items every first predetermined time. Moreover, selecting the function corresponding to a currently selected item when the first touch signal is interrupted. Finally, executing a currently selected function according to a second touch signal detected by the touch device.

Claims

1. A touch menu control method of an electronic apparatus, wherein the electronic apparatus has a touch device and a display device, the control method comprising:

displaying a touch menu on the display device when the touch device detects a first touch signal, wherein the touch menu comprises a plurality of items, and each of the items corresponds to a function;

while the first touch signal exists, sequentially selecting one of the items every first predetermined time;

when the first touch signal is interrupted, selecting the function corresponding to a currently selected item; and

executing a currently selected function according to a second touch signal detected by the touch device.

2. The touch menu control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the currently selected item is the item corresponding to the function which was last executed.

3. The touch menu control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of sequentially selecting one of the items every first predetermined time comprises:

determining whether a first touch signal existing time is longer than the first predetermined time;

if the first touch signal existing time is longer than the first predetermined time, selecting the next item in sequence to serve as the currently selected item, and counting the first touch signal existing time again;

determining whether the first touch signal still exists; and

if the first touch signal still exists, repeating the above-described steps until the first touch signal is interrupted.

4. The touch menu control method as claimed in claim 3, wherein after the step of determining whether the first touch signal existing time is longer than the first predetermined time, the step of sequentially selecting one of the items every first predetermined time further comprises:

if the first touch signal existing time is shorter than the first predetermined time, determining whether the first touch signal still exists; and

if the first touch signal still exists, again determining whether the first touch signal existing time is longer than the first predetermined time.

5. The touch menu control method as claimed in claim 1, after the step of displaying the touch menu on the display device when the touch device detects the first touch signal, the control method further comprising:

when the first touch signal has lasted for at least a second predetermined time, selecting the next item in sequence to serve as the currently selected item, wherein the second predetermined time is longer than the first predetermined time.

6. The touch menu control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of sequentially selecting one of the items every first predetermined time further comprises:

marking the currently selected item in the touch menu.

7. The touch menu control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of executing the currently selected function comprises:

if the currently selected item corresponds to an adjusting function, executing an incremental adjustment on an operation of a hardware device corresponding to the currently selected item according to directionality of the second touch signal; and

if the currently selected item corresponds to a starting function, starting a program corresponding to the currently selected item.

8. The touch menu control method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the step of executing the incremental adjustment further comprises:

displaying a degree of the incremental adjustment on the display device.

9. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a display device;

a touch device configured to detect a first touch signal; and

a menu controlling module coupled to the display device and the touch device, wherein;

the menu controlling module is configured to start a menu controlling program to display a touch menu on the display device when the touch device detects a first touch signal, wherein the touch menu comprises a plurality of items, and each of the items corresponds to a function;

the menu controlling program is configured to sequentially select one of the items every first predetermined time while the first touch signal exists;

the menu controlling program is configured to select the function corresponding to a currently selected item when the first touch signal is interrupted; and

the menu controlling program is configured to execute a currently selected function when a second touch signal is detected by the touch device.

10. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

an input and output controller (I/O controller) coupled between the touch device and the menu controlling module, wherein the menu controlling program recognizes detection of the first touch signal and the second touch signal by the touch device through the I/O controller.

11. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein after the menu controlling module starts the menu controlling program to display the touch menu on the display device, the menu controlling program selects one of the items to serve as the currently selected item.

12. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein if the currently selected function is an adjusting function, the menu controlling program informs the I/O controller to execute an incremental adjustment on an operation of a hardware device corresponding to the currently selected item.

13. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the I/O controller outputs an adjustment signal to execute the incremental adjustment on the operation of the hardware device corresponding to the currently selected item according to directionality of the second touch signal and a type of the hardware device.

14. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the I/O controller informs the menu controlling program of a degree of the incremental adjustment, so as to display the degree of adjustment on the display device.

15. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein if the currently selected function is a starting function, the menu controlling program informs the I/O controller to output a starting signal to start a program corresponding to the currently selected item.

16. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the menu controlling module further comprises:

a setting interface configured to add, delete, or modify the items of the touch menu when the setting interface receives an item management signal.

17. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the setting interface is further configured to modify the functions corresponding to the items when the setting interface receives a function management signal.

18. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the setting interface is configured to adjust the first predetermined time and a second predetermined time when the setting interface receives a time management signal.