DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING DISPLAY

• US 20150294627A1
• Filed: 04/15/2015
• Published: 10/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yoo, Jaebong, Kang, Hyuk, Hong, Dukki
• Granted Patent: US 10,417,974 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/062 Adjustment of illumination source parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0646 Modulation of illumination source brightness and image signal correlated to each other
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0686 with two or more screen areas displaying information with different brightness or colours
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/08 Arrangements within a display terminal for setting, manually or automatically, display parameters of the display terminal
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/04 Changes in size, position or resolution of an image
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0428 Gradation resolution change
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/14 Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2358/00 Arrangements for display data security
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3426 the different display panel areas being distributed in two dimensions, e.g. matrix
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/10 Intensity circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions

Abstract

According to various embodiments, a display control method of an electronic device includes: determining content to display to the outside of an electronic device based on contextual information associated with the electronic device; automatically configuring one region of a display functionally connected to the electronic device as a highlighted region; and displaying, through the highlighted region, at least a part of the content in a higher visibility state than the remaining region of the display except for the highlighted region in response to an input. In addition, other embodiments can be made.

Claims

1. A display control method comprising:

determining content to display to the outside of an electronic device based on contextual information associated with the electronic device;

configuring one region of a display functionally connected to the electronic device as a highlighted region; and

displaying at least a part of the content in a higher visibility state than the remaining region of the display except for the highlighted region in response to a user input based on the configured highlighted region.

2. The display control method of claim 1, wherein the contextual information comprises an event, a location, time, a battery state, and a running application, which are related to the electronic device, information related to an accessory functionally connected to the electronic device, information related to an external device connected to the electronic device, or information acquired from a sensor functionally connected to the electronic device.

3. The display control method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the content comprises:

determining at least one of a function and an application associated with an event relevant to the electronic device as the at least a part of the content in response to the event.

4. The display control method of claim 3, wherein the event comprises an event generated in at least one case among a case where ambient environment information measured by a sensor functionally connected to the electronic device corresponds to a first designated condition, a case where state information of the electronic device corresponds to a second designated condition, and a case where the electronic device receives a call or a message from an external device.

5. The display control method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the content comprises:

determining a current date, a day of the week, time, or at least one combination thereof as the at least a part of the content when locking is configured to restrict at least some functions of the electronic device.

6. The display control method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the content comprises:

acquiring recently updated information from a website that provides information updated in real time when the website exists in a visit history associated with the electronic device; and

determining the recently updated information as the at least a part of the content.

7. The display control method of claim 1, wherein the configuring of the region of the display functionally connected to the electronic device as the highlighted region comprises:

determining the location of the highlighted region based on the contextual information, a designated location, or the user input.

8. The display control method of claim 1, wherein the user input comprises at least one of a proximity input, a touch input, a gesture input, and a gaze input that are associated with the electronic device.

9. The display control method of claim 1, wherein the configuring of the region of the display functionally connected to the electronic device as the highlighted region comprises:

determining one or more of the shape and the size of the highlighted region based on at least one of the contextual information, information configured in relation to the highlighted region, a user input associated with the electronic device, a display attribute of the content, and a display setting of the highlighted region.

10. The display control method of claim 1, wherein the configuring of the region of the display functionally connected to the electronic device as the highlighted region comprises:

configuring the remaining region of the display, except for a region where a blocked content designated by a user is displayed, as the highlighted region when the at least a part of the content is determined to correspond to the blocked content.

11. The display control method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the at least a part of the content comprises:

adjusting a display setting of the highlighted region based on at least one of the contextual information, information configured in relation to the highlighted region, a user input associated with the electronic device, and a display attribute of the content.

12. The display control method of claim 11, wherein the adjusting of the display setting comprises:

reducing the brightness of the highlighted region when a battery level of the electronic device is lower than a predetermined reference.

13. The display control method of claim 11, wherein the adjusting of the display setting comprises:

controlling the display to turn off at least some of multiple light emitting devices constituting the highlighted region.

14. The display control method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the at least a part of the content comprises:

adjusting a display attribute of the content based on at least one of the contextual information, information configured in relation to the highlighted region, a user input associated with the electronic device, and a display setting of the highlighted region.

15. The display control method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the at least a part of the content comprises:

adjusting the color, brightness, or size of the content, magnifying, reducing, or rotating the content, or reversing the left and the right of the content based on the contextual information.

16. The display control method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the at least a part of the content comprises:

recognizing at least one of a touch input, a proximity input, and a gaze input, which are associated with the highlighted region, while the at least a part of the content is being displayed through the highlighted region; and

executing a function or an application corresponding to the input using the highlighted region.

17. The display control method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the at least a part of the content comprises:

recognizing at least one of a proximity movement input, a swipe input, and a gaze movement input, which are associated with the highlighted region, while the at least a part of the content is being displayed through the highlighted region; and

moving the highlighted region based on the input.

18. The display control method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the at least a part of the content comprises:

recognizing a user input associated with the electronic device while the at least a part of the content is being displayed through the highlighted region; and

adjusting at least one of the size and the shape of the highlighted region based on the user input.

19. The display control method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the at least a part of the content comprises:

turning off at least some pixels in the remaining region, or controlling display of the remaining region to output the same color through the at least some pixels.

20. The display control method of claim 19, wherein the controlling of the display of the remaining region comprises:

controlling the display of the remaining region such that the at least some pixels and the remaining pixels except for the at least some pixels in the remaining region form a grid pattern.

21. The display control method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the at least a part of the content comprises:

recognizing an event generated in the electronic device while the at least a part of the content is being displayed through the highlighted region; and

executing at least one of a function and an application, which are associated with the event, using at least a part of the highlighted region in response to the event.

22. The display control method of claim 21, wherein the event comprises an event generated in at least one case among a case where ambient environment information measured by a sensor functionally connected to the electronic device corresponds to a first designated condition, a case where state information of the electronic device corresponds to a second designated condition, and a case where the electronic device receives a call or a message from an external device.

23. The display control method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the at least a part of the content is based on at least one of a plurality of modes, and the plurality of modes comprise a first mode for executing a function or an application corresponding to a touch or proximity input associated with at least the highlighted region and a second mode for adjusting the location, shape, size, or display setting of the highlighted region based on the touch or proximity input.

24. The display control method of claim 23, wherein the plurality of modes further comprise a third mode for executing a function or an application related to the at least a part of the content displayed through the highlighted region or adjusting the location, shape, size, or display setting of the highlighted region based on the touch or proximity input.

25. The display control method of claim 24, wherein the displaying of the at least a part of the content comprises:

determining one of the plurality of modes based on at least one of the contextual information, the content, designated setting information, or a user input.

26. An electronic device comprising:

a display configured to display content; and

a display control module, functionally connected to the display, is configured to;

determine the content based on contextual information associated with the electronic device; and

control the display to display, through one region thereof, at least a part of the content in a higher visibility state than another region thereof.

27. The electronic device of claim 26, wherein the display comprises at least one of an Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED), a Liquid-Crystal Display (LCD), and electronic paper (e-paper).

28. The electronic device of claim 26, wherein the display control module is further configured to:

detect an event related to the electronic device; and

determine at least one of a function and an application, which are associated with the event, as the at least a part of the content in response to the event.

29. The electronic device of claim 28, further comprising:

an environmental information sensor functionally connected to the display control module and configured to;

measure ambient environment information of the electronic device; and

generate an event related to the ambient environment information when the ambient environment information corresponds to a designated condition.

30. The electronic device of claim 29, wherein the display control module is further configured to detect the event related to the ambient environment information when the state of the electronic device corresponds to a designated condition.

31. The electronic device of claim 28, wherein the display control module is further configured to detect an event related to a call or a message when the electronic device receives the call or the message from an external device.

32. The electronic device of claim 26, wherein the display control module is further configured to:

recognize a user input associated with the region of the display; and

execute a function or an application, which corresponds to the user input using the region while the at least a part of the content is being displayed through the region.

33. The electronic device of claim 26, wherein the display control module is further configured to:

recognize a user input associated with the region of the display; and

dynamically adjust at least one of the location, size, shape, or display setting of the region and a display attribute of the content based on the user input while the at least a part of the content is being displayed through the region.

34. The electronic device of claim 26, wherein the display control module is further configured to turn off at least some pixels of light emitting devices constituting at least one of the region and the other region of the display or control display of the other region to output the same color through the at least some pixels.

35. The electronic device of claim 34, wherein the display control module is configured to control the display of the other region such that the at least some pixels and other pixels except for the at least some pixels among pixels in the other region form a grid pattern.

36. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, comprising a plurality of instructions configured to, when executed by a processor of an electronic device, cause the processor to:

determine content to display to the outside of an electronic device based on contextual information associated with the electronic device;

configure at least one region of a display screen functionally connected to the electronic device as a highlighted region; and

display, through the highlighted region, at least a part of the content in a higher visibility state than the remaining region of the display screen except for the highlighted region.