METHOD OF OPERATING A DISPLAY UNIT AND A TERMINAL SUPPORTING THE SAME

• US 20130307783A1
• Filed: 05/10/2013
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LEE, Chungkyu, PARK, Eunyoung, SONG, Pillsun
• Granted Patent: US 9,606,726 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• 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: G06T 3/20 Linear translation of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. panning
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3827 Portable transceivers

Abstract

A method of operating a display unit enhances functionality of one hand control and a terminal supports the same. The method of operating the input area, output on the display unit, includes: determining whether one-hand operation mode is set; and displaying a first input module in which a key map area is displayed to be biased to a specific direction based on a center of the display unit when the one-hand operation mode is set.

Claims

1. A method of operating an input area which is output on a screen of a display unit, the method comprising:

determining whether an one-hand operation mode is set;

displaying a first input module on the screen in which a key map area having keys is displayed to be biased to a specific direction based on a center of the display unit when the one-hand operation mode is set; and

displaying a change item for changing the first input module to a second module having a key map with keys of the same key types as the keys of the key map area and which is displayed to be biased to a direction other than the specific direction.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

changing an arranged direction of the terminal from a horizontal mode to a vertical mode or from the vertical mode to the horizontal mode; and

adjusting the first input module and the change item according to the changing of the arranged direction of the terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the change item comprises arranging the change item opposite to the specific direction of the first input module.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a blank area spaced apart from a side periphery and a bottom periphery of the specific direction biased from the first input module by a predetermined width.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

changing an arranged direction of the terminal from a horizontal mode to a vertical mode or from the vertical mode to the horizontal mode; and

arranging the first input module to be biased to the specific direction by adjusting at least one of a location and a size of the first input module according to the changing of the arranged direction of the terminal.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a specific input signal through the key map area; and

displaying additional information associated with the specific input signal on an additional information output area of the first input module.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the displaying of the additional information comprises:

displaying at least one recommended word associated with the specific input signal; and

displaying at least one phone number of phone book information associated with the specific input signal.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a touch event at a specific location on the screen of the display unit;

wherein the displaying of the first input module comprises outputting the first input module in a direction corresponding to location of the touch event.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

generating the touch event at another location on the screen of the display unit;

removing the first input module; and

outputting a second input module in a direction biased toward the other location.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the first input module comprises:

creating the first input module by adjusting at least one of a size and a location of an input module of a basic form symmetrically displayed based on a center of the screen of the display unit or in which at least one key is arranged at the center of the screen of the display unit, and at least one of a size and a location of the input module of the basic form based on a predetermined touchable distance; and

displaying the first input module.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving an input signal corresponding to a selected touchable range; and

applying the touchable range to adjust at least one of the size and the form of the first input module.

12. A terminal for supporting an operation of an input area which is output on a screen of a display unit, the terminal comprising:

the display unit displaying a key map area including keys; and

a controller determining whether a one-hand operation mode is set, and controlling the display unit to display a first input module in which a key map area is biased to a specific direction based on a center of the display unit,

wherein the display unit displays a change item for changing the first input module to a second module having a key map with keys of the same key types as the keys of the key map area and which is displayed to be biased to a direction other than the specific direction.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the display unit displays the first input module and the change item by adjusting at least one of a location and a size according to the changing of the arranged direction of the terminal, if an event for changing an arranged direction of the terminal from a horizontal mode to a vertical mode or from the vertical mode to the horizontal mode,

14. The terminal of claim 12, wherein the display unit displays a blank area spaced apart from a side periphery and a bottom periphery of the specific direction biased from the first input module by a predetermined width.

15. The terminal of claim 12, wherein the controller arranges the first input module to be biased to the specific direction by adjusting at least one of a location and a size of the first input module according to the changing of the arranged direction of the terminal when an arranged direction of the terminal is changed from a horizontal mode to a vertical mode or from the vertical mode to the horizontal mode.

16. The terminal of claim 12, wherein the display unit displays an additional information output area including additional information associated with a specific input signal when the specific input signal is generated through the key map area.

17. The terminal of claim 16, wherein the additional information output area displays at least one of:

at least one recommended word associated with the specific input signal; and

at least one phone number of phone book information associated with the specific input signal.

18. The terminal of claim 12, wherein the controller controls the display unit such that the first input module is output in a direction of a touch event when the touch event is generated at a specific location on the screen of the display unit;

and

removes the first input module and outputs a second input module in a direction biased toward another location on the screen when the touch event is generated at the other location on the screen of the display unit.

19. The terminal of claim 12, wherein the controller adjusts at least one of a size and a location of an input module of a basic form having a corresponding key map with keys of the same key types as the keys of the first input module based on a previously defined touchable range and symmetrically displayed based on a central line of the display unit or in which keys are arranged at a central portion of the screen to generate and display the first input module.

20. The terminal of claim 19, wherein the controller receives an input signal corresponding to a selected touchable range, and applies the touchable range according to the received input signal to adjust at least one of the size and the form of the first input module.