WINDOW EXPANSION METHOD AND ASSOCIATED ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20150058797A1
• Filed: 07/29/2014
• Published: 02/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Jong-Min, KOAG, Bu-Sic, KIM, Joo-Yong, JUNG, In-Hyung
• Granted Patent: US 10,139,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/800
• 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 3/0481 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A window expansion method and an associated electronic device are provided. The method includes detecting an occurrence of an expansion event for expanding a window area, and expanding the window area based on the expansion event.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a display unit including a window area for displaying data and a non-window area; and

a controller configured to expand the window area based on an expansion event for an expansion of the window area when the expansion event occurs.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to calculate a size for the expansion of the window area based on the expansion event, and to expand the window area to an extent of the size for the expansion of the window area.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to calculate the size for the expansion of the window area to display input data when the input data is detected in the non-window area, and to expand the window area to the extent of the size for the expansion of the window area.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the input data includes at least one of a user'"'"'s touch input, a user'"'"'s note input, and a drawing input.

5. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether an object inserted into the window area goes beyond the window area, to calculate the size for the expansion of the window area to display the object, if the object goes beyond the window area, and to expand the window area to the extent of the calculated size for the expansion of the window area.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to calculate the size for the expansion of the window area as an extent to which the object deviates off the window area.

7. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether a sub-window for display exceeds the window area in size, to calculate the size for the expansion of the window area to display the sub-window, if the sub-window exceeds the window area in size, and to expand the window area to the extent of the calculated size for the expansion of the window area.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to calculate the size for the expansion of the window area as an extent to which the sub-window exceeds the window area.

9. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to hold the expansion of the window area for a time period when the input data is detected in the non-window area, and to expand the window area to an extent of the calculated size for the expansion of the window area after a lapse of the time period.

10. A window expansion method, the method comprising:

detecting an occurrence of an expansion event for expanding a window area; and

expanding the window area based on the expansion event.

11. The window expansion method of claim 10, wherein the expanding of the window area based on the expansion event comprises:

calculating a size for an expansion of the window area based on the expansion event; and

expanding the window area to an extent of the calculated size for the expansion of the window area.

12. The window expansion method of claim 10, wherein the expansion event comprises an event in which input data is detected in a non-window area.

13. The window expansion method of claim 12, wherein the expanding of the window area based on the expansion event comprises:

calculating a size for the expansion of the window area to display the input data detected in the non-window area; and

expanding the window area to an extent of the calculated size for the expansion of the window area.

14. The window expansion method of claim 12, wherein the input data includes at least one of a user'"'"'s touch input, a user'"'"'s note input, and a drawing input.

15. The window expansion method of claim 10, wherein the detecting of the occurrence of the expansion event for expanding the window area comprises:

determining whether an object inserted into the window area goes beyond the window area; and

if it is determined that the object goes beyond the window area, determining that the expansion event has occurred.

16. The window expansion method of claim 15, wherein the expanding of the window area based on the expansion event comprises:

calculating a size for the expansion of the window area to display the object; and

expanding the window area to an extent of the calculated size for the expansion of the window area.

17. The window expansion method of claim 16, wherein the calculating of the size for the expansion of the window area to display the object comprises:

calculating the size for the expansion of the window area as an extent to which the object deviates off the window area.

18. The window expansion method of claim 10, wherein the detecting of the occurrence of the expansion event for expanding a window area comprises:

determining whether a sub-window for display in the window area exceeds the window area in size; and

if it is determined that the sub-window exceeds the window area in size, determining that the expansion event has occurred.

19. The window expansion method of claim 18, wherein the expanding of the window area based on the expansion event comprises:

calculating a size for the expansion of the window area to display the sub-window; and

expanding the window area to an extent of the calculated size for the expansion of the window area.

20. The window expansion method of claim 19, wherein the calculating of the size for the expansion of the window area to display the sub-window comprises:

calculating the size for the expansion of the window area as an extent to which the sub-window exceeds the window area.

21. The window expansion method of claim 12, wherein expanding the window area based on the expansion event comprises

holding the expansion of the window area for a time period;

and

expanding the window area to an extent of the calculated size for the expansion of the window area after a lapse of the time period.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform the method of claim 10.