METHOD AND AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR ONE-HAND USER INTERFACE

• US 20160378282A1
• Filed: 06/29/2016
• Published: 12/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Chul Kwi, Sagong, Jin
• Granted Patent: US 10,452,232 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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

Abstract

An electronic device includes a touch panel configured to receive a user input at a location and a display configured to output at least one object on at least one of a plurality of grid areas. The plurality of grid areas is arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. A processor is configured to rearrange an output location of the at least one object outputted on the at least one grid area in response to receiving the user input.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch panel configured to receive a user input at a location;

a display configured to output at least one object on at least one grid area of a plurality of grid areas arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns; and

a processor configured to rearrange an output location of the at least one object outputted on the at least one grid area in response to receiving the user input.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to rearrange the output location of the at least one object by changing an arrangement sequence of at least one of the plurality of rows in response to the receiving of the user input.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to rearrange the output location of the at least one object by changing an arrangement sequence of at least one of the plurality of columns in response to the receiving of the user input.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor configured to detect whether a user'"'"'s hand gripping the electronic device is a right hand or a left hand,

wherein the processor is configured to rearrange the output location of the at least one object based on the user input and the detection result of the sensor.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein if the hand gripping the electronic device is detected as being the right hand and if the user input is received, the processor is configured to rearrange the output location of the at least one object by exchanging an upper-left grid area for a lower-right grid area in the plurality of grid areas.

6. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein if the hand gripping the electronic device is detected as being the left hand and if the user input is received, the processor is configured to rearrange the output location of the at least one object by exchanging an upper-right grid area for a lower-left grid area in the plurality of grid areas.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to output at least a part of the at least one object on the display by arranging at least the part of the at least one object along a perimeter of a shape in response to receiving a first user input and is configured to change an object arranged along the perimeter of the shape in a sequence in response to receiving a second user input.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the shape includes a polygon, a circle, an ellipse, a spiral, or a parabola.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the user input comprises a gesture of touching a finger of a user'"'"'s hand at a first location and moving the finger to a second location thereof spaced apart from the first location by a distance.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the user input comprises a touch or a double touch gesture in the location.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the location is included in an area of the display that excludes an area on which the at least one object is outputted.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the display comprises:

a main display area on which the at least one object is outputted; and

at least one sub-display area extending to a lateral side of the electronic device from the main display area,

wherein the location on which the user input is received is included in the at least one sub-display area.

13. A method for implementing a one-hand user interface in an electronic device, the method comprising:

outputting at least one object on at least one grid area of a plurality of grid areas of a display, where the plurality of grid areas are arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns;

receiving a user input on an area of the display; and

rearranging an output location of the at least one object outputted on the at least one grid area in response to receiving the user input.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the rearranging of the output location of the at least one object includes changing an arrangement sequence of at least one of the plurality of rows in response to the receiving of the user input.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the rearranging of the output location of the at least one object includes changing an arrangement sequence of at least one of the plurality of columns in response to the receiving of the user input.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

detecting whether a user'"'"'s hand gripping the electronic device is a right hand or a left hand,

wherein the rearranging of the output location of the at least one object is based on the user input and the hand detection result.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein if the hand gripping the electronic device is detected as being the right hand and if the user input is received, the rearranging of the output location of the at least one object includes exchanging an upper-left grid area for a lower-right grid area in the plurality of grid areas.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein if the hand gripping the electronic device is detected as being the left hand and if the user input is received, the rearranging of the output location of the at least one object includes exchanging an upper-right grid area for a lower-left grid area in the plurality of grid areas.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the rearranging the output location comprises:

outputting at least a part of the at least one object on the display by arranging at least the part of the at least one object along a perimeter of a shape in response to receiving a first user input,

changing an object arranged along the perimeter of the shape in a sequence in response to receiving a second user input.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the shape comprises a polygon, a circle, a spiral, or a parabola.