ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING APPLICATION PROGRAMS

• US 20130061172A1
• Filed: 02/24/2012
• Published: 03/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Inventors: Huang, Kai-Hung, Weng, Ju-Hsien, Feng, Chia-Hui
• Application Number:
  US13/403,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20130061172A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/808
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An electronic device and a method for operating application programs are provided. In the method, an application program listing frame is displayed on a touch screen of the electronic device, wherein the application program listing frame comprises a first icon corresponding to a first application program. When a first touch operation applied to the first icon is detected by the touch screen, the first application program is launched. However, when a second touch operation applied to the first icon is detected by the touch screen, a first simple frame related to the first application program is popped out from the application program listing frame while the first application program is not running. A size of the first simple frame is smaller than the application program listing frame, and the first touch operation is different from the second touch operation.

Claims

1. A method for operating application programs, adapted to an electronic device including a touch screen, the method comprising:

displaying an application program listing frame on the touch screen, wherein the application program listing frame comprises a first icon, and the first icon corresponds to a first application program;

when a first touch operation applied to the first icon is detected by the touch screen, launching the first application program; and

when a second touch operation applied to the first icon is detected by the touch screen, popping out a first simple frame related to the first application program from the application program listing frame while maintaining the first application program in a non-running state, wherein a size of the first simple frame is smaller than the application program listing frame, and the first touch operation is different from the second touch operation.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of the first simple frame related to the first application program popping out from the application program listing frame comprises:

obtaining an information satisfying a time condition from a storage space, wherein content of the information is related to a use of the first application program;

displaying the information in the first simple frame; and

popping out the first simple frame according to a display location of the first icon on the application program listing frame.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of the first simple frame related to the first application program popping out from the application program listing frame comprises:

selecting at least one main function from all executable functions of the first application program;

displaying a control button corresponding to each of the at least one main function in the first simple frame;

popping out the first simple frame according to a display location of the first icon on the application program listing frame;

when the control button corresponding to one of the at least one main functions is selected, executing the main function related to the selected control button and producing an execution result frame; and

displaying the execution result frame in the first simple frame.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of the first simple frame related to the first application program popping out from the application program listing frame comprises:

displaying a launch button used to launch the first application program in the first simple frame; and

popping out the first simple frame according to a display location of the first icon on the application program listing frame.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the application program listing frame comprises a second icon corresponding to a second application program, and after the step of the first simple frame related to the first application program popping out from the application program listing frame, the method further comprises:

if the second icon is not covered by the first simple frame, then when the touch screen further detects the first touch operation applied towards the second icon, closing the first simple frame and launching the second application program; and

when the touch screen further detects the second touch operation applied towards the second icon, closing the first simple frame and popping out a second simple frame related to the second application program from the application program listing frame.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein after the step of the first simple frame related to the first application program popping out from the application program listing frame, the method further comprises:

when the touch screen detects any touch operation outside the first simple frame, closing the first simple frame.

7. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch screen;

a storage unit, storing a first application program; and

a processing unit, coupled to the touch screen and the storage unit, wherein the processing unit displays an application program listing frame on the touch screen, and the application program listing frame includes a first icon corresponding to the first application program,

wherein when a first touch operation applied to the first icon is detected by the touch screen, the processing unit launches the first application program,

and when the touch screen detects a second touch operation applied to the first icon, the processing unit causes a first simple frame to pop out from the application program listing frame while the first application program is maintained in a non-running state, wherein the first simple frame is related to the first application program, and the size of the first simple frame is smaller than the application program listing frame, and the first touch operation is different from the second touch operation.

8. The electronic device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the processing unit is further arranged for obtaining an information satisfying a time condition from a storage space, displaying the information on the first simple frame, and popping out the first simple frame according to a display location of the first icon on the application program listing frame, wherein content of the information is related to a use of the first application program.

9. The electronic device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the processing unit is further arranged for selecting at least one main function from all executable functions of the first application program, displaying a control button corresponding to each of the at least one main function in the first simple frame, and popping out the first simple frame according to a display location of the first icon on the application program listing frame;

and when the control button corresponding to one of the at least one main functions is selected, the processing unit executes the main function related to the selected control button and produces an execution result frame, and displays the execution result frame in the first simple frame.

10. The electronic device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the processing unit is further arranged for displaying a launch button used to launch the first application program in the first simple frame, and popping out the first simple frame according to a display location of the first icon of the application program listing frame.

11. The electronic device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the application program listing frame comprises a second icon corresponding to a second application program, and if the second icon is not covered by the first simple frame, then when the touch screen further detects the first touch operation applied towards the second icon, the processing unit closes the first simple frame and launches the second application program;

and when the touch screen further detects the second touch operation applied towards the second icon, the processing unit closes the first simple frame and pops out a second simple frame related to the second application program from the application program listing frame.

12. The electronic device as claimed in claim 7, wherein after the first simple frame pops out, when the touch screen detects any touch operation outside the first simple frame, the processing unit closes the first simple frame.