Electronic device and method for implementing icon board based operation interface thereof

• US 8,701,036 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2011
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Li-Hsuan, Chang, Yu-Chi, Hsu, Hung-Yang
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHREWSBURY, NATHAN K
• Application Number:
  US13/171,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20120047456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• Field of Search: 715/781
• US Class Current: 715/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34

Abstract

An electronic device and a method for implementing an icon board based operation interface thereof are provided. In the method, a plurality of areas within a screen frame on a screen of the electronic device are arranged for respectively displaying a plurality of function boards, in which each of the function boards is corresponding to one of a plurality of main functions supported by the electronic device. For each main function including at least one sub-function, a sub-function icon thereof is generated according to a relevant historical operating information, and a main function icon of the main function and the sub-function icon of each sub-function are displayed together on the function board of the main function.

Claims

1. A method for implementing an icon board based operation interface, used in an electronic device comprising a screen, wherein the electronic device supports a plurality of main functions, each of the main functions comprising at least one sub-function, the method comprising:

arranging a plurality of areas within a screen frame on the screen for respectively displaying a function board for each of the main functions;

for each of the main functions, determining whether most current operating information of the at least one sub-function is stored in a storage unit of the electronic device;

generating a sub-function icon according to the most current operating information, wherein the sub-function icon includes a text or an image when the most current operating information of the at least one sub-function is stored in the storage unit of the electronic device, and

using a default icon as the sub-function icon when the most current operating information of the sub-function is not stored in the storage unit of the electronic device;

for each of the main functions, displaying a main function icon of the main function and the sub-function icon of each of the at least one sub-function together on the function board of the main function.

2. The method for implementing the icon board based operation interface of claim 1, wherein a usage frequency of each of the at least one sub-function is higher than a threshold value.

3. The method for implementing the icon board based operation interface of claim 1, wherein after the step of determining whether the most current operating information of the at least one sub-function is stored in the storage unit, the method further comprises:

if yes, accessing a database to obtain further information related to the most current operating information; and

displaying the further information on the function board.

4. The method for implementing the icon board based operation interface of claim 1, wherein the main function icon comprises at least one of a text and an image corresponding to a title of the main function.

5. The method for implementing an icon board based operation interface of claim 1, after the step of displaying the main function icon and the sub-function icon of each of the least one sub-function together on the function board for each of the main functions, the method further comprises:

when receiving a selection instruction exerted on the sub-function icon, executing the sub-function corresponding to the sub-function icon; and

updating at a specific moment the most current operating information of the sub-function according to an execution result.

6. The method for implementing an icon board based operation interface of claim 1, wherein after the step of displaying the main function icon and the sub-function icon of each of the least one sub-function together on the function board for each of the main functions, the method further comprises:

when receiving a selection instruction exerted on the main function icon, displaying a sub-function menu of the main function corresponding to the main function icon.

7. The method for implementing an icon board based operation interface of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

when powering on the electronic device or receiving an instruction of displaying the operation interface, arranging the areas within the screen frame for respectively displaying the function board of each of the main functions.

8. The method for implementing an icon board based operation interface of claim 1, wherein the function board is a two-dimensional function board or a three-dimensional function board.

9. An electronic device, comprising:

a screen;

a processing unit, coupled to the screen to provide a plurality of main functions, wherein each of the main functions respectively comprises at least one sub-function; and

an operation interface implementation module, coupled to the screen and the processing unit to arrange a plurality of areas within a screen frame on the screen for respectively displaying a function board for each of the main functions;

a storage unit, coupled to operation interface implementation module and the processing unit,

wherein for each of the main functions, the operation interface implementation module determines whether most current operating information of the at least one sub-function is stored in the storage unit of the electronic device,

wherein when the most current operating information of the at least one sub-function is stored in the storage unit of the electronic device, the operation interface implementation module generates a sub-function icon according to the most current operating information, wherein the sub-function icon includes a text or an image,

wherein when the most current operating information of the sub-function is not stored in the storage unit of the electronic device, the operation interface implementation module uses a default icon as the sub-function icon,

wherein for each of the main functions, the operation interface implementation module displays a main function icon of the main function and the sub-function icon of each of the at least one sub-function together on the function board of the main function.

10. The electronic device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the operation interface implementation module accesses a database to obtain further information related to the most current operating information if the most current operating information is stored in the storage unit, and displays the further information on the function board.

11. The electronic device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the processing unit executes the sub-function corresponding to the sub-function icon when receiving a selection instruction exerted on the sub-function icon, updates at a specific moment the most current operating information of the sub-function according to an execution result, and stores the updated most current operating information into the storage unit.

12. The electronic device as claimed in claim 9, wherein when receiving a selection instruction exerted on the main function icon, the processing unit displays a sub-function menu of the main function corresponding to the main function icon.