Method and apparatus for browsing media content and executing functions related to media content

• US 8,543,940 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2010
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Cho, Sung-Dae, Kim, Chung-Hoon, Hwang, Yoon-Choon, Singhal, Nitin
• Primary Examiner(s): Theriault, Steven B
• Application Number:
  US12/911,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20110099514A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 715/835, 715/838, 715/840, 715/760, 382/284
• US Class Current: 715/809
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A method and apparatus for browsing media content and executing functions related to the media content are provided. Under the state that a collage image generated by combining a plurality of image elements corresponding respectively to a plurality of media contents is displayed, if a selection input is generated on the collage image, a preview window for a media content corresponding to a location of a point where the selection input is generated is configured to overlay the preview window on the collage image. If a function execution input is generated on the collage image, a representative function is performed using a media content corresponding to a location of a point where the function execution input is generated.

Claims

1. A method for browsing media content and executing functions related to the media content by a browser device, comprising:

displaying a collage image generated by combining a plurality of image elements corresponding respectively to a plurality of media contents into the collage image;

if a selection input is generated on the collage image, obtaining at least one element of an image element and a text element corresponding to a pixel location where the selection input is generated using a meta data file, where the obtained at least one element corresponds to a specific media content from among the plurality of media contents; and

configuring a preview window for the specific media content using the obtained at least one element to overlay the preview window on the collage image,

wherein the text element corresponds to the specific media content and includes information about the specific media content,

wherein the meta data file includes identifier information of each of the plurality of image elements corresponding to respectively to pixel locations of the collage image, and

wherein the obtaining the at least one element of the image element and the text element corresponding to the pixel location where the selection input is generated using the meta data file comprises;

sensing whether there is the selection input generated on the collage image;

determining location coordinates of the pixel corresponding to the location of the point where the selection input is generated;

determining a label allocated to the location coordinates; and

obtaining at least one element of the image element and the text element corresponding to the one of the plurality of media contents corresponding to the determined label.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if a function execution input is generated on the collage image, obtaining a text element corresponding to a pixel location where the function execution input is generated using the meta data file; and

performing a representative function using a media content corresponding to the obtained text element according to information about the representative function included in the obtained text element,

wherein the meta data file includes identifier information of each of a plurality of text elements corresponding to respectively to pixel locations of the collage image.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, if a function icon included in the preview window is selected, performing a function corresponding to the function icon using the specific media content corresponding to the obtained at least one element.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

confirming a current location of a pointer on the collage image;

confirming representative information by obtaining a text element corresponding to the location of the pointer; and

overlaying a window including the representative information on the collage image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the collage image is generated as one image by arranging and combining the plurality of image elements.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of image elements is arranged in image element regions of the collage image and a gray level of an image element is allocated to each pixel corresponding to each of the image element regions as a label.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein, if a type of the specific media content is phonebook data, an outgoing call is made using a telephone number registered in a name entry corresponding to a location of a point where the function execution input is generated.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a type of the plurality of media contents is any one of image data, moving picture data, text data, and audio data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the at least one element and the text element corresponding to the location of the point where the selection input is generated comprises:

checking a gray level of a pixel in a metadata file at a location corresponding to the location of the point where the selection input is generated in the collage image;

determining a one of the plurality of image elements corresponding to the location of the point where the selection input is generated according to the checked gray level; and

obtaining at least one element and a text element corresponding to one of the plurality of media contents corresponding to the determined one of the plurality of image elements.

10. A browser device for browsing media content and executing functions related to the media content, comprising:

a display;

a memory for storing a plurality of media contents; and

a controller for controlling the display to display a collage image generated by combining a plurality of image elements corresponding respectively to a plurality of media contents into the collage image, if a selection input is generated on the collage image, obtaining at least one element of an image element and a text element corresponding to a pixel location where the selection input is generated, using a meta data file, where the obtained at least one element corresponds to a specific media content from among the plurality of media contents, and configuring a preview window for the specific media content using the at least one element to overlay the preview window on the collage image,

wherein the text element corresponds to the specific media content and includes information about the specific media content,

wherein the meta data file includes identifier information of each of the plurality of image elements corresponding to respectively to pixel locations of the collage image, and

wherein the controller senses whether there is the selection input generated on the collage image, determines location coordinates of the pixel corresponding to the location of the point where the selection input is generated, determines a label allocated to the location coordinates, and obtains at least one element of the image element and the text element corresponding to the one of the plurality of media contents corresponding to the determined label.

11. The browser device of claim 10, wherein, if a function execution input is generated on the collage image, the controller obtains a text element corresponding to a pixel location where the function execution input is generated using the meta data file, and performs a representative function using the specific media content according to information about the representative function included in the obtained text element,

wherein the meta data file includes identifier information of each of a plurality of text elements corresponding to respectively to pixel locations of the collage image.

12. The browser device of claim 10, wherein, if a function icon included in the preview window is selected, the controller performs a function corresponding to the function icon using the specific media content corresponding to the obtained at least one element.

13. The browser device of claim 10, wherein the controller confirms a current location of a pointer on the collage image, confirms representative information by obtaining a text element corresponding to the location of the pointer, and overlays a window including the representative information on the collage image.

14. The browser device of claim 10, wherein the collage image is generated as one image by arranging and combining the plurality of image elements.

15. The browser device of claim 14, wherein the plurality of image elements is arranged in image element regions of the collage image and a gray level of an image element is allocated to each pixel corresponding to each of the image element regions as a label.

16. The browser device of claim 11, wherein, if a type of the specific media content is phonebook data, an outgoing call is made using a telephone number registered in a name entry corresponding to a location of a point where the function execution input is generated.

17. The browser device of claim 10, wherein a type of the plurality of media contents is any one of image data, moving picture data, text data, and audio data.

18. The browser device of claim 10, wherein obtaining the at least one element and the text element corresponding to the location of the point where the selection input is generated includes checking a gray level of a pixel in a metadata file at a location corresponding to the location of the point where the selection input is generated in the collage image, determining a one of the plurality of image elements corresponding to the location of the point where the selection input is generated according to the checked gray level, and obtaining at least one element and a text element corresponding to one of the plurality of media contents corresponding to the determined one of the plurality of image elements.