APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RECEIVING TOUCH INPUT IN AN APPARATUS PROVIDING A TOUCH INTERFACE

• US 20140359497A1
• Filed: 06/03/2014
• Published: 12/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LEE, Yohan, Kang, Jaehyeon, Na, Boyeon
• Granted Patent: US 9,886,183 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An input method of a terminal is provided. The method includes receiving a first input for displaying a selection User Interface (UI); displaying the selection UI on a display unit of the terminal according to the first input; receiving a second input for selecting one or more specific coordinates on the display unit; selecting the one or more specific coordinates among specific coordinates on the display unit based on the second input and the selection UI; and performing functions corresponding to the one or more selected coordinates.

Claims

1. An input method of a terminal, the method comprising:

receiving a first input for displaying a selection User Interface (UI);

displaying the selection UI on a display unit of the terminal according to the first input;

receiving a second input for selecting one or more specific coordinates on the display unit;

selecting the one or more specific coordinates among specific coordinates on the display unit based on the second input and the selection UI; and

performing a function corresponding to the one or more selected coordinates.

2. The input method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a third input for moving the selection UI; and

moving the selection UI based on the third input.

3. The input method as claimed in claim 2, wherein receiving the third input comprises receiving a drag input in one or more directions, and wherein moving the selection UI comprises moving the selection UI based on at least one of a direction and a speed of the drag input.

4. The input method as claimed in claim 2, wherein receiving the first input comprises receiving a slide input and a hold input in a first direction, wherein displaying the selection UI comprises extending or moving the selection UI and displaying the selection UI during an input time of the hold input in a direction corresponding to the first direction, wherein receiving the second input comprises receiving a release input, and wherein receiving the third input comprises receiving a drag input in one or more directions, and further comprises stopping an extension or a movement of the selection UI when the third input has been received.

5. The input method as claimed in claim 1, wherein displaying the selection UI comprises displaying a selection area inside or outside of the selection UI, and wherein selecting the one or more specific coordinates comprises selecting one or more specific coordinates among specific coordinates on the display unit based on a position of the selection area.

6. The input method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an auxiliary UI informing that one of the one or more specific coordinates has been selected based on the second input.

7. The input method as claimed in claim 1, wherein receiving the first input further comprises receiving a fourth input for displaying the selection UI and receiving a fifth input for extending the selection UI, and wherein displaying the selection UI comprises displaying the selection UI based on the fourth input, extending or moving the selection UI, and displaying the selection UI based on at least one of the fourth input and the fifth input.

8. The input method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the fourth input includes at least one of a slide input and a touch input applied two or more times, wherein the fifth input includes a hold input, and wherein displaying the selection UI comprises displaying the selection UI based on a direction of the slide input, extending or moving the selection UI, and displaying the selection UI based on the direction of the slide input.

9. The input method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a sixth input for stopping an extension or a movement of the selection UI; and

displaying the selection UI in a fixed size based on the sixth input.

10. The input method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

displaying only a part of the selection UI according to the second input; and

displaying the selection UI when a touch input has been received in the terminal within a preset time.

11. A terminal for receiving a user input, the terminal comprising:

a display unit configured to display an area corresponding to one or more coordinates;

an input unit configured to receive a first input for displaying a selection User Interface (UI) on the display unit and a second input for selecting one or more coordinates among the coordinates; and

a controller configured to control the display unit to display the selection UI according to the first input, to select the one or more coordinates among the one or more coordinates based on the second input and the selection UI, and to perform a function corresponding to the one or more selected coordinates.

12. The terminal as claimed in claim 11, wherein the input unit is configured to receive a third input for moving the selection UI, and wherein the controller is configured to move the selection UI based on the third input.

13. The terminal as claimed in claim 12, wherein the third input includes a drag input in one or more directions, and wherein the controller is configured to move the selection UI based on at least one of a direction and a speed of the drag input.

14. The terminal as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first input includes a slide input and a hold input in a first direction, wherein the second input includes a release input, wherein the third input includes a drag input in one or more directions, and wherein the controller is configured to extend or move the selection UI, to display the selection UI during a input time of the hold input in a direction which corresponds to the first direction, and to stop an extension or a movement of the selection UI when the third input has been received.

15. The terminal as claimed in claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to display a selection area inside or outside of the selection UI, and to select one or more icons corresponding to the selected coordinates based on a position of the selection area.

16. The terminal as claimed in claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to display an auxiliary UI informing that the selected coordinate has been selected based on the second input.

17. The terminal as claimed in claim 11, wherein the input unit is configured to receive a fourth input for displaying the selection UI and a fifth input for extending the selection UI, and wherein the controller is configured to display the selection UI based on the fourth input, to extend or move the selection UI, and to display the selection UI based on at least one of the fourth input and the fifth input.

18. The terminal as claimed in claim 17, wherein the fourth input includes at least one of a slide input and a touch input applied two or more times, wherein the fifth input includes a hold input, and wherein the controller is configured to display the selection UI based on a direction of the slide input, to extend or move the selection UI, and to display the selection UI based on the direction of the slide input.

19. The terminal as claimed in claim 17, wherein the input unit is configured to receive a sixth input for stopping an extension or a movement of the selection UI, and wherein the controller is configured to display the selection UI in a fixed size based on the sixth input.

20. The terminal as claimed in claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to display only a part of the selection UI according to the second input and to display the selection UI when a touch input has been received in the input unit within a preset time.