IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20160062611A1
• Filed: 08/28/2015
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LIANG, Shilong
• Granted Patent: US 10,474,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• 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: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

A method of displaying an image includes: receiving a user input of selecting an image displayed on a display included in the communication device; selecting an image according to the user input; and activating an application using the selected image when the selected image is displayed on a foreground of the display, and displaying the selected image and the activated application to overlap with each other.

Claims

1. A communication device configured to display an image, the communication device comprising:

a display;

a user interface configured to receive a user input for selecting an image that is displayed on the display; and

a controller configured to select the image according to the user input, activate an application using the selected image while the selected image is displayed in a foreground of the display, and control the display to display the selected image and the activated application overlapping each other.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the application comprises a communication application that is used for communicating with an external device.

3. The communication device of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to determine one or more contact information items from a plurality of contact information items included in a contact information list displayed via the communication application, based on a selecting input obtained via the user interface, and

sets the selected image as an avatar image to identify the determined one or more contact information items.

4. The communication device of claim 3, wherein the display is configured to display the determined contact information item that includes the set avatar image.

5. The communication device of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a background color of the selected image by using a predetermined method,

edit the selected image by using the determined background color, and

set the edited image as the avatar image.

6. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to receive an image-selecting input for selecting a part of a screen or a whole area of the screen of the communication device, and

the controller is further configured to select the image of the selected part of the screen or the selected whole area of the screen which is determined based on the received image-selecting input.

7. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to receive an object selection input of selecting at least one of a plurality of object images displayed on the display, and

the controller is configured to obtain the selected at least one object image based on the received object selection input.

8. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the display is configured to display the selected image on an uppermost layer of a screen of the communication device.

9. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the user input comprises an input of selecting a part of a screen or a whole area of the screen displayed on the display.

10. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to select the selected image by selecting a part of a screen or a whole area of the screen displayed on the display according to the user input, and editing an image in the selected part of the screen or the selected whole area of the screen.

11. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the editing of the image comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of an operation of resizing the image in the selected part of the screen or the selected whole area of the screen and an operation of resetting a width-to-length ratio of the image in the selected part of the screen or the selected whole area of the screen.

12. A method of displaying an image, which is performed by a communication device, the method comprising:

receiving a user input of selecting an image displayed on a display included in the communication device;

selecting the image according to the user input; and

activating an application using the selected image while the selected image is displayed in a foreground of the display, and displaying the selected image and the activated application overlapping each other.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the application comprises a communication application that is used for communicating with an external device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining one or more contact information items, from a plurality of contact information items included in a contact information list displayed via the communication application, based on the user input, and

setting the selected image as an avatar image to identify the determined one or more contact information items.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising displaying the determined contact information item that includes the set avatar image.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the setting the selected image as the avatar image comprises:

determining a background color of the selected image by using a predetermined method,

editing the selected image by using the determined background color, and

setting the edited image as the avatar image.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the user input comprises selecting a part of a screen or a whole area of the screen displayed on the display.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the user input comprises an input of selecting at least one of a plurality of object images displayed on the display, and

the selected at least one image comprises an object image selected according to the user input.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the displaying of the selected image and the activated application overlapping each other comprises displaying the selected image on an uppermost layer of the display.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable recording storage medium having stored thereon a computer program which, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 12.