METHOD FOR OPERATING ELECTRONIC DEVICE, ELECTRONIC DEVICE, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20160253047A1
• Filed: 02/29/2016
• Published: 09/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Hyung-Min, Park, Soo-Wan, Shin, Seung-Ho, Kwak, Young-Min, Lee, Joon-Seok, Choi, Kang-Sik, Hyun, Chul-Hwan, Yang, Chang-Mo, Wang, Jee-Yeun
• Application Number:
  US15/056,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20160253047A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• 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 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A method for operating a user interface of an electronic device is provided. The method includes displaying at least one fluid graphic element on a display of the electronic device, determining whether a preset second condition associated with the at least one fluid graphic element is satisfied, and performing a preset function of the electronic device if the second condition is satisfied.

Claims

1. A method for operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

displaying at least one fluid graphic element on a display of the electronic device;

determining whether a preset second condition associated with the at least one fluid graphic element is satisfied; and

performing a preset function of the electronic device if the second condition is satisfied.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second condition comprises at least one of when a second input is detected;

when a context associated with the at least one fluid graphic element, which coincides with a preset context, is detected;

when the at least one fluid graphic element is positioned at a preset screen region on the display;

when a preset time elapses from generation of the at least one fluid graphic element;

when the at least one fluid graphic element moves according to a preset moving pattern;

when a current attribute value of the at least one fluid graphic element falls within a preset threshold range; and

when a current position of the at least one fluid graphic element coincides with a preset position.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the at least one fluid graphic element is performed when a preset first condition is satisfied, and

wherein the first condition comprises at least one of when a context associated with the electronic device, which coincides with a preset context, is detected;

when an event requiring notification to a user occurs, when the electronic device is positioned in a preset area or place;

when the electronic device enters a lock mode;

when a preset time elapses;

when the electronic device operates according to a preset operation pattern;

when a user'"'"'s biometric information matches a preset state;

when an attribute value indicating a current state of the electronic device falls within a preset threshold range, and when the current state of the electronic device matches a preset state.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the at least one fluid graphic element comprises:

generating the at least one fluid graphic element in response to a first input; and

gradually increasing a size of the generated at least one fluid graphic element in response to the first input.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a boundary fluid graphic element that gradually protrudes from a display region boundary of the display toward a central portion of the display and automatically connecting the at least one fluid graphic element with the boundary fluid graphic element, if a distance between an edge of the at least one fluid graphic element and the display region boundary is less than or equal to a preset threshold value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the preset function of the electronic device comprises:

transforming or moving the at least one fluid graphic element in response to a second input; and

performing the preset function of the electronic device if at least one attribute of the transformed or moved at least one fluid graphic element satisfies a preset condition,

wherein the at least one attribute comprises information associated with size, area, number, arrangement, or position of the transformed or moved at least one fluid graphic element.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the preset function of the electronic device comprises:

unlocking or releasing a use limitation of at least one function of the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the preset function of the electronic device comprises:

removing a visual effect applied to at least a portion of a screen of the display, and

wherein the visual effect comprises at least one of a blur effect for blurring the at least a portion of the screen of the display, a dimming effect for dimming the at least a portion of the screen of the display, a masking effect for displaying a preset image on the at least a portion of the screen of the display, and a transparent effect for transparently displaying the at least a portion of the screen of the display.

9. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having recorded thereon a program for executing a method for operating an electronic device, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying at least one fluid graphic element on a display of an electronic device;

determining whether a preset second condition associated with the at least one fluid graphic element is satisfied; and

performing a preset function of the electronic device if the second condition is satisfied.

10. An electronic device comprising:

a display configured to display a screen; and

a processor configured to display at least one fluid graphic element on the display, to determine whether a preset second condition associated with the at least one fluid graphic element is satisfied, and to perform a preset function of the electronic device if the processor determines that the second condition is satisfied.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the second condition comprises at least one of when a second input is detected;

when a context associated with the at least one fluid graphic element, which coincides with a preset context, is detected;

when the at least one fluid graphic element is positioned at a preset screen region on the display;

when a preset time elapses from generation of the at least one fluid graphic element;

when the at least one fluid graphic element moves according to a preset moving pattern;

when a current attribute value of the at least one fluid graphic element falls within a preset threshold range; and

when a current position of the at least one fluid graphic element coincides with a preset position.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the at least one fluid graphic element is displayed on a locked screen displayed on the display.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to display the at least one fluid graphic element if a preset first condition is satisfied, and

wherein the first condition comprises at least one of when a context associated with the electronic device, which coincides with a preset context, is detected;

when an event requiring notification to a user occurs;

when the electronic device is positioned in a preset area or place;

when the electronic device enters a lock mode;

when a preset time elapses;

when the electronic device operates according to a preset operation pattern;

when a user'"'"'s biometric information matches a preset state;

when an attribute value indicating a current state of the electronic device falls within a preset threshold range; and

when the current state of the electronic device matches a preset state.

14. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to generate the at least one fluid graphic element in response to a first input and to gradually increase a size of the generated at least one fluid graphic element in response to the first input.

15. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to display a boundary fluid graphic element that gradually protrudes from a display region boundary of the display toward a central portion of the display and automatically connect the at least one fluid graphic element with the boundary fluid graphic element, if a distance between an edge of the at least one fluid graphic element and the display region boundary is less than or equal to a preset threshold value.

16. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to generate the at least one fluid graphic element in response to a first input, and

the first input comprises a touch input or a hovering input on the display, and

the second condition comprises, when a second input associated with the at least one fluid graphic element is detected, and the second input comprises a swipe input or a drag input continuing from the first input on the display.

17. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to transform or move the at least one fluid graphic element in response to a second input, and to perform the preset function of the electronic device if at least one attribute of the transformed or moved at least one fluid graphic element satisfies a preset condition, and the at least one attribute comprises information associated with size, area, number, arrangement, or position of the transformed or moved at least one fluid graphic element.

18. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to unlock or release a use limitation of at least one function of the electronic device, if the processor determines that the second condition is satisfied.

19. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to remove a visual effect applied to at least a portion of a screen of the display, and wherein the visual effect comprises at least one of a blurring effect for blurring the at least a portion of the screen of the display, a dimming effect for dimming the at least a portion of the screen of the display, a masking effect for displaying a preset image on the at least a portion of the screen of the display, and a transparent effect for transparently displaying the at least a portion of the screen of the display.

20. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to detect inclination information of the electronic device and to move the at least one fluid graphic element based on the inclination information.