Method and system for configuring an idle screen in a portable terminal

• US 8,788,964 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2009
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Shin, Seung Woo, Oh, Jung Yeob, Lee, Myeong Lo
• Primary Examiner(s): Belousov, Andrey
• Application Number:
  US12/581,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20100100841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,737 Days
• Field of Search: 715/784
• US Class Current: 715/784
• 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 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A method and system for configuring an idle screen with an extended virtual area and for displaying a variety of contents on the idle screen extended by the virtual area is described. The method includes providing an idle screen that displays at least one content, and providing a virtual area that extends the idle screen and displays contents. The method may further include checking the settings of the virtual area when the virtual area is provided, and providing, if the virtual area is set, the idle screen extended by the virtual area where contents are provided by the extended idle screen.

Claims

1. A method to display an idle screen in a portable terminal, the method comprising:

providing an idle screen layer comprising the idle screen;

providing a virtual area layer comprising a virtual area to extend the idle screen and at least one content arranged on the virtual area;

displaying the idle screen layer;

displaying, overlaying the idle screen layer, a portion of the virtual area layer corresponding to the idle screen with the at least one content arranged on the portion; and

detecting a scroll request,

wherein the virtual area layer is configured to be scrolled over the idle screen layer in response to the scroll request being detected to enable a scrolled portion of the virtual area layer and the at least one content arranged thereon to be displayed, and

wherein detecting the scroll request comprises determining whether a hold content is set by a hold function, the hold content comprising one of the at least one content, and

wherein the virtual area layer is scrolled by holding the hold content at the same location on the idle screen layer and moving other contents of the at least one content in the virtual area layer according to the scroll request, based on the determination that the hold content is set by the hold function.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

checking a state of a setting of the virtual area when the idle screen is displayed; and

providing the idle screen extended by the virtual area, the idle screen comprising the virtual area comprising at least some other content.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

scrolling the virtual area layer in a scroll direction according to the scroll request; and

displaying, overlaying the idle screen layer, the at least some other content arranged on the scrolled portion of the virtual area layer.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein detecting the scroll request comprises:

controlling a scroll indicator displayed on the idle screen by controlling at least one content displayed on the idle screen, or by touching the idle screen.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining, in response to the scroll request, whether selected content selected according to the scroll request exists.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

fixing and displaying the hold content at a fixed position on the idle screen while the virtual area layer is scrolled.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

fixing and displaying, if the selected content exists and if selection of the selected content is retained, the selected content at a position on the idle screen while the virtual area is scrolled.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

fixing positions of the hold content and the selected content on the idle screen; and

displaying, overlaying the idle screen layer, at least one content arranged on the scrolled portion of the virtual area layer and the hold content and the selected content.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting movement of one of the displayed content as the scroll request;

scrolling, in response to the scroll request, to a scrolled portion of the virtual area layer; and

displaying, on the idle screen, at least the one of the displayed content over at least some of the scrolled portion of the virtual area layer.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein detecting movement of one of the displayed content as a scroll request comprises detecting movement of the one of the displayed content to an edge of the idle screen layer, the method further comprising:

determining, in response to detecting the movement of the one of the displayed content to the edge of the idle screen layer, whether the one of the displayed content is the hold content; and

effectuating, if the one of the displayed content is the hold content, the scrolling to the scrolled portion of the virtual area.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

detecting, in association with the one of the displayed content, release of the hold function of the hold content at a position associated with the scrolled portion of the virtual area; and

arranging the one of the displayed content at the position.

9. A portable terminal, comprising:

a display unit configured to provide;

an idle screen layer comprising an idle screen, and

a virtual area layer comprising a virtual area to extend the idle screen and at least one content arranged on the virtual area layer;

a storage unit configured to store setting information associated with a function of the virtual area layer and arrangement information associated with the at least one content; and

a controller configured to;

control the display unit to display the idle screen layer,

control the display unit to display, overlaying the idle screen layer, the portion of the virtual area layer corresponding to the idle screen with the at least one content arranged on the portion,

detect a scroll request,

control, in response to detection of the scroll request, scroll operations to enable a scrolled portion of the virtual area to scroll over the idle screen layer and be displayed, and

determine whether a hold content is set by a hold function, the hold content comprising one of the at least one content,

wherein the controller is further configured to control the display unit to scroll through a portion of the virtual area layer by holding the hold content at the same location on the idle screen layer and moving other contents of the at least one content in the virtual area layer according to the scroll request, based on the determination that the hold content is set by the hold function.

10. The portable terminal of claim 9, wherein the setting information comprises:

information regarding activation and/or deactivation of the virtual area, information regarding a hold function, and virtual area size information to set a size of the virtual area.

11. The portable terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display unit to scroll through the scrolled portion of the virtual area in response to the scroll request.

12. The portable terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to control the scroll operations in association with a scroll indicator provided on the idle screen, the scroll operations being controlled in association with a content provided via the idle screen or in response to a touch event on the idle screen.

13. The portable terminal of claim 11, wherein, in response to the scroll operations, the controller is further configured to determine whether a selected content, selected according to the scroll request, exists.

14. The portable terminal of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display unit to fix and display the hold content at a fixed position on the idle screen while the scrolled portion of the virtual area is scrolled through.

15. The portable terminal of claim 13, wherein, if the selected content exists, the controller is further configured to control the display unit to fix and display, while the selection of the selected content is retained, the selected content at a position on the idle screen while the scrolled portion of the virtual area is scrolled.

16. The portable terminal of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to fix positions of the hold content and the selected content on the idle screen and to control the display unit to display the at least one content arranged on the scrolled portion of the virtual area and the hold content and the selected content on the idle screen.

17. The portable terminal of claim 13, wherein the controller comprises:

a virtual area managing unit configured to control extension of the idle screen via the virtual area layer;

a scroll processing unit configured to control the scroll operations; and

a hold function managing unit configured to;

fix the hold content at a position on the idle screen, and

control display of the hold content irrespective of the scroll operations.

18. The portable terminal of claim 17, wherein the virtual area managing unit is further configured to activate and/or deactivate the virtual area, call the at least one content arranged on the virtual area layer based on at least some of the arrangement information when the virtual area is activated, and control display of the at least one content arranged on the virtual area layer on the idle screen.

19. The portable terminal of claim 17, wherein the scroll processing unit is further configured to control the scroll operations executed in association with a scroll indicator, a touch event, and a movement of a content, and further configured to fix, in association with the hold function managing unit, corresponding positions of hold content and selected content on the idle screen when at least the portion of the virtual area is scrolled through.

20. The portable terminal of claim 17, wherein the scroll processing unit is further configured to detect the scroll operations, and wherein the hold function managing unit is further configured to determine whether the selected content exists in response to detection of the scroll operations by the scroll processing unit, and further configured to output a control value based on the determination to the scroll processing unit.

21. The portable terminal of claim 20, wherein the hold function managing unit is further configured to manage the hold function to hold the hold content, and further configured to fix and control the display unit to display the hold content and the selected content on the idle screen when the scroll operations are controlled.

22. The portable terminal of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to add or remove a content on the idle screen in response to reception of a user request.

23. The portable terminal of claim 22, wherein the controller is further configured to adaptively change and store an arrangement of content on the idle screen according to the scroll operations.

28. The portable terminal of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:

detect movement of a one of the displayed content as a scroll request;

control, in response to the scroll request, scroll operations to a scrolled portion of the virtual area; and

control display, on the idle screen, of at least the one of the displayed content over at least some of the scrolled portion of the virtual area.

29. The portable terminal of claim 28, wherein the controller is further configured to:

detect the movement of the one of the displayed content to an edge of the idle screen layer;

determine, in response to detection of the movement of the one of the displayed content to the edge of the idle screen layer, whether the one of the displayed content is the hold content; and

effectuate, if the one of the displayed content is the hold content, the scroll operations to the scrolled portion of the virtual area.

30. The portable terminal of claim 29, wherein the controller is further configured to:

detect, in association with the one of the displayed content, release of the hold function of the hold content at a position associated with the scrolled portion of the virtual area; and

arrange the one of the displayed content at the position.

24. A display unit of a portable terminal, comprising:

at least one display screen configured to;

provide an idle screen layer comprising an idle screen presentation;

provide a virtual area layer to extend the idle screen presentation, the virtual area layer comprising a navigable virtual area presentation and at least one content arranged on the virtual area layer;

display the idle screen layer; and

display, overlaying the idle screen layer, a portion of the virtual area layer corresponding to the idle screen with at least one content arranged on the portion,

wherein the virtual area layer is configured to be scrolled over the idle screen layer in response to detection of a scroll request to enable a scrolled portion of the navigable virtual area presentation and the at least one content arranged thereon to be displayed, and

wherein the at least one display screen is further configured to scroll through a portion of the virtual area layer by holding a hold content at the same location on the idle screen layer and moving other contents of the at least one content in the virtual area layer according to the scroll request, based on a determination that the hold content is set by a hold function, the hold content comprising one of the at least one content.

31. The display unit of claim 24, wherein the at least one display screen is further configured to:

display movement of one of the displayed content as a scroll request;

display, in response to the scroll request, scrolling to a scrolled portion of the navigable virtual area presentation; and

display, over the idle screen, at least the one of the displayed content over at least some of the scrolled portion of the navigable virtual area presentation.

32. The display unit of claim 31, wherein display of the scrolling to the scrolled portion of the navigable virtual area presentation is effectuated if the one of the displayed content is the hold content and is moved to an edge of the idle screen layer.

33. The display unit of claim 32, wherein, if the hold function of the hold content is released at a position associated with the scrolled portion of the navigable virtual area presentation, the at least one display screen is further configured to display arrangement of the one of the displayed content at the position.