METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING USER INTERFACE

• US 20110131521A1
• Filed: 12/01/2010
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: YOOK, Hyun-gyoo, WHANG, Yu-shik, CHO, Berm-jin
• Granted Patent: US 9,417,788 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/772
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• 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: 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2747 Scrolling on a display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

The apparatus includes: a memory which maintains an application driving a list of a plurality of items; a display controller which controls the list to be displayed on the screen which is divided into a plurality of areas and each of the plurality of items is located in each of the plurality of areas; a processor which detects a change of an operation progress status of the plurality of items, wherein the display controller provides a visual feedback corresponding to the operation progress status of at least one of the plurality of items in the area of a corresponding item, whose change of the operation progress status is detected.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing a user interface, the apparatus comprising:

a memory which maintains an application driving a list of a plurality of items;

a display controller which controls the list to be displayed on a screen which is divided into a plurality of areas and each of the plurality of items is located in each of the plurality of areas; and

a processor which detects a change of an operation progress status of the plurality of items,

wherein the display controller provides a visual feedback corresponding to the operation progress status of at least one of the plurality of items in the area of a corresponding item, whose change of the operation progress status is detected.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display controller displays a progress bar corresponding to the operation progress status of the at least one item in the area of the corresponding item.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation progress status displays a completion of an operation and the display controller undoes the visual feedback provided to the at least one item which displays the completion of the operation in the area of the corresponding item.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the memory maintains types of available lists,

the processor detects the type of the list, and

the display controller receives from the memory a display control method corresponding to the type of the list, and displays the display control method on the screen.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the types of the list comprise at least one of:

a basic list in which the plurality of items is sequentially arranged,

a grouping list in which the plurality of items is grouped and arranged according to a preset classification standard, and

an expandable list in which additional information or a subordinate item of the item selected among the plurality of items is inserted into the list.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display controller controls a number M of soft keys corresponding to the number M of options of a number N of options provided in a menu of the application to overlay the list on the screen and the number M is equal to or smaller than a preset integer.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein if the number N is greater than the number M, an option menu is added to the screen which displays a window comprising an ‘

N-M’

number of options which is not comprised in the number M of options as a response to a touch gesture selecting the option menu.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the number M of soft keys is provided in a lower left side and a lower right side of the screen and is labeled as at least one of an icon and a text displaying the number M of options, and the option menu is provided between the lower left side and the lower right side, and occupies a smaller area than the number M of soft keys.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein if an overlaying area between the plurality of items of the list and the number M of soft keys occurs, the display controller inserts a dummy area of a preset size into one of an upper part and a lower part of the item corresponding to the overlaying area and moves a location of the item corresponding to the overlaying area on the screen.

10. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the processor determines whether to select a first item of the plurality of items as a response to a touch gesture in an area excluding an area of the number M of soft keys in the area corresponding to the first item if the number M of soft keys overlays at least a part of the area corresponding to the first item.

11. A method for providing a user interface, the method comprising:

maintaining in a memory an application which drives a list of a plurality of items;

displaying the list on a screen which is divided into a plurality of areas and each of the plurality of items is provided in each of the plurality of areas;

detecting a change of an operation progress status of the plurality of items; and

providing a visual feedback corresponding to the operation progress status of at least one item in the area of a corresponding item, whose change of the operation progress status is detected.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the providing the visual feedback comprises displaying a progress bar in the area of the at least one item corresponding to the operation progress status of the corresponding item.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the providing the visual feedback comprises:

displaying a completion of an operation in the area of the corresponding item; and

undoing the visual feedback provided to the at least one item which displays the completion of the operation in the area of the corresponding item.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

maintaining in the memory types of available lists; and

detecting the type of the list,

wherein the displaying the list on the screen comprises receiving from the memory a display control method corresponding to the type of the list among the types of the list and displaying the list on the screen.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the types of the list comprise at least one of:

a basic list in which the plurality of items is sequentially arranged,

a grouping list in which the plurality of items is grouped and arranged according to a preset classification standard, and

an expandable list in which additional information or a subordinate item of the item selected among the plurality of items is inserted into the list.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the displaying the list on the screen comprises overlaying a number M of soft keys on the list corresponding to the number M of options of a number N of options comprised in a menu of the application on the screen, and the number M is equal to or smaller than a preset integer.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein if the number N is larger than the number M, an option menu is added to the screen which displays a window comprising an ‘

N-M’

number of options which is not comprised in the number M of options as a response to a touch gesture selecting the option menu.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the number M of soft keys is provided in a lower left side and a lower right side of the screen and is labeled as at least one of an icon and a text displaying the number M of options, and the option menu is provided between the lower left side and the lower right side, and takes a smaller area than the number M of soft keys.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the displaying the list on the screen comprises:

inserting a dummy area of a preset size into one of an upper part and a lower part of the item corresponding to an overlaying area between the plurality of items of the list and the number M of soft keys; and

moving a location of the item corresponding to the overlaying area on the screen if the overlaying area between the plurality of items of the list and the M number of soft keys occurs.

20. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

determining whether to select a first item of the plurality of items as a response to a touch gesture in an area excluding an area of the number M of soft keys from the area corresponding to the first item if the number M of soft keys overlays at least a part of the area corresponding to the first item.