ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A DISPLAY

• US 20160179341A1
• Filed: 12/18/2015
• Published: 06/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: YANG, Ji-Eun, CHO, Han-Ju, SHIN, Dong-Jun, KANG, Doo-Suk, LEE, Eun-Ju, JOO, Jae-Seok, JIN, In-Ji
• Granted Patent: US 10,509,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/438 Presentation of query results
• 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 3/04817 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 3/0484 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 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

Electronic devices and methods for controlling a display are provided. The method includes extracting at least one function applicable to at least two applications displayed on a display, displaying the extracted at least one function as an icon, and applying a function corresponding to the displayed icon to at least one application of the at least two applications, corresponding to selection of the displayed icon.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a display of an electronic device, the method comprising:

extracting at least one function applicable to at least two applications displayed on the display;

displaying the extracted at least one function as an icon; and

applying a function corresponding to the displayed icon to at least one application of the at least two applications, corresponding to selection of the displayed icon.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the extracting of the at least one function comprises:

identifying a type of the at least two applications displayed; and

determining at least one recommendation function commonly applicable according to the identified type.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the extracting of the at least one function comprises determining at least one normal function commonly applicable regardless of the type of the at least two applications displayed.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the displaying of the extracted at least one function comprises:

generating a window including an icon indicating the at least one recommendation function and an icon indicating the at least one normal function; and

displaying the generated window.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, if the displayed icon is dragged to a first area where a first application of the at least two applications is displayed, applying the function corresponding to the selected icon to the first application.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, if the displayed icon is touched, commonly applying the function corresponding to the selected icon to the at least two applications.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, if the displayed icon is dragged to a first area where a first application of the at least two applications is displayed:

controlling display of the first application according to the function corresponding to the selected icon; and

displaying a result of the control on a second area where a second application of the at least two applications is displayed.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the displaying of the result on the second area comprises displaying, on the second area, data corresponding to an object included in the first application, corresponding to selection of the object.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the controlling of the display of the first application comprises, if the icon is an icon indicating a search function, applying a visual effect to at least one searchable object of a plurality of objects included in the first application.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the displaying of the result on the second area comprises:

determining an attribute of an object selected from the at least one searchable object; and

displaying data corresponding to the attribute of the selected object on the second area.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising displaying, if the selected object is a name, at least one data item corresponding to the name selected from data stored in the electronic device on the second area.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising displaying, if the selected object is a web address, a web browser opened to the web address on the second area.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the at least two applications are applications for achieving the same purpose, determining an application that displays earlier a result corresponding to the selected icon; and

providing a visual effect to the determined application.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the determined application is determined through priority according to the purpose.

15. The method of claim 4, wherein the recommendation function comprises at least one of:

a search function for searching for data depending on a type of the at least two applications displayed,

a recommendation function applicable to the at least two applications displayed, and

a comparison function for comparing the at least two applications displayed.

16. The method of claim 4, wherein the normal function comprises at least one of:

a capturing function for capturing the displayed applications,

a scrolling function for scrolling the displayed applications,

a zooming function for adjusting zoom of the displayed applications, and

a printing function for printing out the displayed applications.

17. An electronic device for controlling a display, the electronic device comprising:

a display configured to display at least two applications; and

a controller configured to;

extract at least one function applicable to at least two applications displayed,

display the extracted at least one function as an icon on the display, and

apply a function corresponding to the displayed icon to at least one application of the at least two applications, corresponding to selection of the displayed icon.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to:

identify a type of the at least two applications displayed; and

determine at least one recommendation function commonly applicable depending on the identified type.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to determine at least one normal function commonly applicable regardless of the type of the at least two applications displayed.

20. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to:

generate a window including an icon indicating the at least one recommendation function and an icon indicating the at least one normal function; and

display the generated window on the display.

21. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to apply, if the displayed icon is dragged to a first area where a first application of the at least two applications is displayed, the function corresponding to the selected icon to the first application.

22. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to commonly apply, if the displayed icon is touched, the function corresponding to the selected icon to the at least two applications.

23. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to, if the displayed icon is dragged to a first area where a first application of the at least two applications is displayed:

display the first application according to the function corresponding to the selected icon; and

display a result of the control on a second area where a second application of the at least two applications is displayed.

24. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein the controller is further configured to display, on the second area, data corresponding to an object included in the controlled first application, corresponding to selection of the object.

25. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein the controller is further configured to apply, if the icon is an icon indicating a search function, a visual effect to at least one searchable object of a plurality of objects included in the first application.

26. The electronic device of claim 25, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine an attribute of an object selected from the at least one searchable object; and

display data corresponding to the selected object on the second area.

27. The electronic device of claim 26, wherein the controller is further configured to display, if the selected object is a name, at least one data item corresponding to the name selected from data stored in the electronic device on the second area.

28. The electronic device of claim 26, wherein the controller is further configured to display, if the selected object is a web address, a web browser opened to the web address on the second area.

29. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to, if the at least two applications are applications for achieving the same purpose:

determine an application that displays earlier a result corresponding to the selected icon; and

provide a visual effect to the determined application.

30. The electronic device of claim 29, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the application through priority according to the purpose.

31. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to split a display area of the display corresponding to the number of applications displayed on the display.

32. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the recommendation function comprises at least one of:

a search function for searching for data depending on a type of the at least two applications displayed,

a recommendation function applicable to the at least two applications displayed, and

a comparison function for comparing the at least two applications displayed.

33. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the normal function comprises at least one of:

a capturing function for capturing the displayed applications,

a scrolling function for scrolling the displayed applications,

a zooming function for adjusting zoom of the displayed applications, and

a printing function for printing out the displayed applications

34. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program including a command to control a display of an electronic device, the program including instructions to perform a method comprising:

extracting at least one function applicable to at least two applications displayed on a display;

displaying the extracted at least one function as an icon; and

applying a function corresponding to the displayed icon to at least one application of the at least two applications, corresponding to selection of the displayed icon.