METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MOVING ITEMS USING TOUCHSCREEN

• US 20130024821A1
• Filed: 07/13/2012
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LEE, Jae Myoung
• Granted Patent: US 9,626,071 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/863
• 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 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• 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

Abstract

A method for moving or copying displayed items in response to at least one touch event on a touch screen is provided. The method comprises: detecting a user selection of one or more items; displaying an object corresponding to the one or more selected items at a predetermined location; moving the object to a point selected by the user; and moving the selected one or more items in association with the object. The object can be a convergence of a first object depicting a number representing a numerical count of the selected items, and a object visually representing the items.

Claims

1. A method for moving or copying displayed items in response to at least one touch event on a touch screen, the method comprising:

detecting a user selection of one or more items;

displaying an object corresponding to the one or more selected items at a predetermined location;

moving the object to a point selected by the user; and

moving or copying the selected one or more items in association with the object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the object corresponding to the one or more selected items is a number indicating a numerical count of the selected items, the object being a first object, and the method further comprising:

displaying a second object representing the selected items,

wherein moving the first object moves the second object along with the first object.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

moving the object to the selected point along a drag with the predetermined location as a starting point of the drag.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

detecting a drop event of the object at the selected point; and

wherein the moving or copying the selected one or more items occurs at the selected point responsive to the drop event detection.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the selected one or more items are dropped into a folder located at the selected point.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a user selection of one or more items is responsive to a first touch contact at one or more locations of the one or more items, and moving the object to a point selected by the user is responsive to a second touch contact at the selected point following a release of the first touch contact.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein moving or copying the selected one or more items occurs at a folder located at the selected point.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein, the one or more items is a plurality of items, and the second object is a representation of stacked items, with a portion of each item visible in the representation;

and

the first and second objects are displayed together at the predetermined location which is in proximity to the selected items.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying an object includes:

moving a thumbnail indicating the one or more selected items to a point where a touch has occurred; and

displaying a first object indicating a numerical count of the selected items and a second object representing the selected items when the thumbnail is moved to the point where the touch has occurred.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying multiple folders in a folder area and displaying a plurality of items, which belong to one of the folders, in an item area,

wherein moving the object moves the object to the folder area in response to a drag or flick with the predetermined location as a starting point.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

selecting one item additionally; and

displaying the first object whose number has increased by one as the one item is additionally selected.

12. An apparatus for moving or copying displayed items, the apparatus comprising:

a display unit that displays one or more user-select items of a plurality of displayed items in a distinct manner, and further displays an object corresponding to the one or more selected items at a predetermined location;

a touch screen that generates touch events; and

a controller that controls operations of the display unit, including moving the object according to a touch event generated in the touch screen, and moving or copying the selected one or more items in association with the object.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus consists of a portable communication terminal.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the object corresponding to the one or more selected items is a number indicating a numerical count of the selected items, the object being a first object, and the display unit that further displays a second object representing the selected items, wherein moving the first object moves the second object along with the first object.

15. A recording medium storing code which when executed by a processor causes a computing device connected to a display to control movement or copying of displayed items in response to an input event detected via an input device, by:

detecting a user selection of one or more items;

displaying an object corresponding to the one or more selected items at a predetermined location;

moving the object to a point selected by the user; and

moving the selected one or more items in association with the object.

16. The recording medium of claim 15, wherein the computing device connected to a display is a portable terminal integrated with the display, and the input device is a touch screen including the display.