DISPLAY DEVICE FOR EXECUTING MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME

• US 20140033117A1
• Filed: 12/03/2012
• Published: 01/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Chul-Joo, KIM, Kang-Tae, KIM, Eun-Young, SUN, Kwang-Won, SHIN, Ki-Hyuck, JEONG, Sun-Young, LEE, Jae-Yul
• Granted Patent: US 10,088,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/796
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• 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 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A method for controlling a display device that executes multiple applications and has a touch screen is provided. The control method includes displaying multiple windows for executing the multiple applications on the touch screen based on a display level of each of the windows, receiving a top-level display command for one of the multiple windows, fixing, as a top level, a display level of a top-level display window for which the top-level display command is received, and displaying the top-level display window in a level higher than the other windows.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a display device that executes multiple applications and has a touch screen, the method comprising:

displaying multiple windows for executing the multiple applications, on the touch screen based on a display level of each of the windows;

receiving a top-level display command for one of the multiple windows;

fixing, as a top level, a display level of a top-level display window for which the top-level display command is received; and

displaying the top-level display window in a level higher than the other windows.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting that a control event is entered in a window different from the top-level display window; and

displaying the top-level display window in a level higher than the window in which the control event is entered.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising setting a display level of the window in which the control event is entered as a next highest display level after the top level.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising displaying the window in which the control event is entered in a level higher than the remaining windows except for the top-level display window.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a top-level display window pause event for temporarily stopping the displaying of the top-level display window.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising, upon detecting the top-level display window pause event, stopping the displaying of the top-level display window while the top-level display window pause event lasts.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the stopping of the displaying of the top-level display window comprises:

adjusting a visibility of the top-level display window to zero (0), adjusting a display position of the top-level display window to the outside of the touch screen, or adjusting a size of the top-level display window to zero (0).

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the top-level display window pause event corresponds to a drag from an outside to an inside of the top-level display window.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising stopping the displaying of the top-level display window until a touch on the touch screen by the drag ends.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising stopping the displaying of the top-level display window until a predetermined time has elapsed since the time that the drag was input.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising stopping the displaying of the top-level display window while the drag passes through an inner area of the top-level display window.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising displaying again the top-level display window maintaining a top display level in a level higher than the other windows if the top-level display window pause event ends.

13. A display device for executing multiple applications, the device comprising:

a touch screen for displaying multiple windows for executing the multiple applications based on a display level of each of the windows, and for receiving a top-level display command for one of the multiple windows; and

a controller for fixing, as a top level, a display level of a top-level display window for which the top-level display command is received, and for displaying the top-level display window in a level higher than the other windows.

14. The display device of claim 13, wherein, if the touch screen detects that a control event is entered in a window different from the top-level display window, the controller displays the top-level display window in a level higher than the window in which the control event is entered.

15. The display device of claim 14, wherein the controller sets a display level of the window in which the control event is entered as a next highest display level after the top level.

16. The display device of claim 15, wherein the controller displays the window in which the control event is entered in a level higher than the remaining windows except for the top-level display window.

17. The display device of claim 13, wherein the touch screen detects a top-level display window pause event for temporarily stopping the displaying of the top-level display window.

18. The display device of claim 17, wherein, if the touch screen detects the top-level display window pause event, the controller stops the displaying of the top-level display window while the top-level display window pause event lasts.

19. The display device of claim 18, wherein, to stop the displaying of the top-level display window, the controller adjusts a visibility of the top-level display window to zero (0), adjusts a display position of the top the top-level display window to the outside of the touch screen, or adjusts a size of the top-level display window to zero (0).

20. The display device of claim 17, wherein the top-level display window pause event corresponds to a drag from an outside to an inside of the top-level display window.

21. The display device of claim 20, wherein the controller stops the displaying of the top-level display window until a touch on the touch screen by the drag ends.

22. The display device of claim 20, wherein the controller stops the displaying of the top-level display window until a predetermined time has elapsed since the time that the drag was input.

23. The display device of claim 20, wherein the controller stops the displaying of the top-level display window while the drag passes through an inner area of the top-level display window.

24. The display device of claim 18, wherein if the top-level display window pause event ends, the controller displays again the top-level display window maintaining a top display level in a level higher than the other windows.

25. A window display method for displaying multiple windows in a partially overlapping manner based on a display level of each of the windows, the method comprising:

setting a display level for each of the multiple windows;

receiving a top-level display command for one of the multiple windows; and

fixing, as a top level, a display level of a top-level display window for which the top-level display command is received.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising setting a display level of a window in which a control event is entered, as a next highest display level, if the control event is entered in a window different from the top-level display window.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising stopping displaying the top-level display window while maintaining a display level of the top-level display window as a top level upon detecting a top-level display window pause event for temporarily stopping displaying the top-level display window.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising displaying again the top-level display window maintaining a top display level in the top level according to a display level, if the top-level display window pause event ends.