PORTABLE DEVICE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING MULTI-APPLICATION THEREOF

• US 20140245203A1
• Filed: 02/26/2014
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Youngkyoo, JANG, Dongho, LEE, Jaekyung
• Granted Patent: US 10,180,767 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• 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 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57

Abstract

A portable device which simultaneously executes a plurality of applications by using a multi-screen and a method of operating a multi-application thereof. The method involves receiving an input according to a user selection of a multi-application icon for executing a plurality of applications in respective windows simultaneously. Based on the selected multi-application icon, the applications and respective windows are identified. Execution images respectively associated with the applications are then displayed on the windows simultaneously.

Claims

1. A method in a portable device, the method comprising:

receiving an input according to a user selection of a multi-application icon for executing a plurality of applications in respective windows simultaneously;

identifying the applications and the windows respectively for the applications based on the selected multi-application icon; and

displaying execution images respectively associated with the applications on the windows simultaneously.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising mapping, to the multi-application icon, screen division information for the plurality of applications, wherein the screen division information includes location information of each application to generate an image to be displayed at each of the respective windows, where the windows form an overall multi-screen, and size information of each of the windows.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

updating the multi-application icon to correspond to changed screen division information if the screen division information is changed on the multi-screen.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a multi-application icon generation screen including a plurality of icons when a signal of activating a multi-application icon generation mode is inputted;

sensing selection of at least two icons in the multi-application icon generation screen; and

generating a multi-application icon by combining the selected at least two icons when a multi-application icon generation signal is inputted.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a multi-application icon generation screen when a signal of activating a multi-application icon generation mode is inputted; and

detecting touch on a first icon on the multi-application icon generation screen, detecting drag movement of the touch to a second icon, and generating a multi-application icon by combining the first icon and the second icon when the touch is released.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a screen of generating a multi-application icon including an icon area displaying a plurality of icons and an icon-storing area temporarily storing icons for generating a multi-application icon when a signal of activating a multi-application icon generation mode is inputted; and

generating a multi-application icon by combining at least two icons which are moved to the icon-storing area when a multi-application icon generation signal is inputted after moving at least two icons to the icon-storing area in the icon area.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

inputting, when a multi-application icon is generated, a name of the generated multi-application icon.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

outputting a multi-application icon editing screen according to screen division information when editing of a specific multi-application icon is requested;

sensing a change of the screen division information which is mapped to the specific multi-application icon in the multi-application icon editing screen; and

reflecting the changed screen division information to the specific multi-application icon.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the reflecting of the changed screen division information to the specific multi-application icon comprises:

changing sizes and locations of a plurality of icons included in the multi-application icon.

10. A portable device comprising:

a touch screen to receive an input according to a user selection of a multi-application icon for executing a plurality of applications in respective windows simultaneously; and

a controller to control identifying the applications and the windows respectively for the applications based on the selected multi-application icon, and to control displaying execution images respectively associated with the applications on the windows simultaneously.

11. The portable device of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to map, to the multi-application icon, screen division information for the plurality of applications, the screen division information includes location information of each application'"'"'s execution image to be displayed at each of the respective windows, where the windows form an overall multi-screen, and size information of each window.

12. The portable device of claim 11, wherein the controller updates the multi-application icon to correspond to changed screen division information if the screen division information is changed on the multi-screen.

13. The portable device of claim 10, wherein the controller controls to display a multi-application icon generation screen including a plurality of icons when a signal of activating a multi-application icon generation mode is inputted, and generate a multi-application icon by combining the selected at least two icons when a multi-application icon generation signal is inputted in a state in which at least two icons have been selected.

14. The portable device of claim 10, wherein the controller controls to display a multi-application icon generation screen when a signal of activating a multi-application icon generation mode is inputted, and generate a multi-application icon by combining a first icon and a second icon when a touch is released after the first icon is touched and moved the second icon in the multi-application icon generation screen.

15. The portable device of claim 10, wherein the controller controls to display a screen of generating a multi-application icon including an icon area displaying a plurality of icons and an icon-storing area temporarily storing icons for generating a multi-application icon when a signal of activating a multi-application icon generation mode is inputted, and generate a multi-application icon by combining at least two icons which are moved to the icon-storing area when a multi-application icon generation signal is inputted after the at least two icons move to the icon-storing area in the icon area.

16. The portable device of claim 10, wherein the controller controls to generate a name of a generated multi-application icon by combining a name of a plurality of icons when generating the multi-application icon by combining the plurality of icons.

17. The portable device of claim 10, wherein the controller controls to display a pop-up window for inputting a name of the generated multi-application icon when the multi-application icon is generated by combining a plurality of icons.

18. The portable device of claim 10, wherein the controller controls to output a multi-application icon editing screen according to screen division information when editing of a specific multi-application icon is requested, and reflect a changed screen division information to the specific multi-application icon when screen division information, which is mapped to the specific multi-application icon in the multi-application icon editing screen, is changed.

19. The portable device of claim 18, the controller controls to change sizes and locations of a plurality of icons included in the multi-application icon according to the changed screen division information.

20. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded a program for executing a method in a portable device, wherein the method comprises:

receiving an input according to a user selection of a multi-application icon for executing a plurality of applications in respective windows simultaneously;

identifying the applications and the windows respectively for the applications based on the selected multi-application icon; and

displaying execution images respectively associated with the applications on the windows simultaneously.