Scrolling method of mobile terminal and apparatus for performing the same

• US 8,881,050 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2010
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Mee Young, Yoon, Kyoung Sik, Kim, Byoungju, Lee, Sung Sik
• Primary Examiner(s): Sax, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOI, DAVID E
• Application Number:
  US12/834,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20110010659A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 715/784, 345/173, 345/156
• 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 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A scrolling method and apparatus devices having display screens such as a mobile terminal. When a first image on a screen cannot be moved in a direction by a touch input, a region of the first image is modified in response to the touch input and the modified image is subsequently restored to the first image after the touch is released or a preset amount of time passes. The modification of the region of the image provides an indication that is fed back to the user so that the end or last part of the image is displayed and cannot be moved further, so that undesired repetitive touch input can be prevented.

Claims

1. A scrolling method of a mobile terminal comprising:

displaying a plurality of user-selectable items in a defined area of a display screen, wherein the plurality of user-selectable items are arranged in rows;

receiving a touch input for scrolling the plurality of user-selectable items along the defined area of the display screen in a downward direction corresponding to a downward direction of a user'"'"'s touch;

expanding at least one gap between the rows while maintaining a top edge of a first row fixed to a top edge of the defined area of the display screen, in response to receiving the touch input for scrolling when the plurality of user-selectable items displayed on the defined area of the display screen cannot be scrolled further in the downward direction; and

restoring the at least one gap between rows on the display screen to an original size in further response to an event;

wherein expanding at least one gap comprises expanding an upper space between an item name of a user-selectable item and an upper edge of a displaying region of that item, and expanding at least one lower space between the item name and a lower edge of the displaying region of that item.

2. The scrolling method of a mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

expanding at least one additional gap between the plurality of user-selectable items.

3. The scrolling method of a mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein said expanding at least one additional gap comprises concurrently setting a plurality of additional gaps between the rows at different ratios relative to their original sizes.

4. The scrolling method of claim 1, wherein the user-selectable items are templates of a webpage.

5. The scrolling method of a mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the modifying of the displaying region of the first item comprises modifying a size of the displaying region of the first item.

6. The scrolling method of a mobile terminal of claim 5, further comprising:

modifying a size of a displaying region of a second item located adjacent to the first item concurrently with modifying of the size of the first item such that an amount of size change applied to the second item is less than an amount of size change applied to the first item.

7. The scrolling method of a mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a touch input for scrolling the plurality of user-selectable items along the defined area of the display screen in an upward direction corresponding to an upward direction of a user'"'"'s touch;

modifying a displaying region of a last item of the plurality of user-selectable items such that a bottom edge of the displaying region of the last item remains fixed to a bottom edge of the defined area of the display screen in response to receiving the touch input for scrolling when the plurality of user-selectable items displayed on the defined area of the display screen cannot be scrolled further in an upward direction corresponding to the upward direction of the user'"'"'s touch; and

restoring the modified displaying region of the last item on the display screen.

8. The scrolling method of a mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the modifying of the displaying region of the last item comprises modifying a size of the displaying region of the last item.

9. The scrolling method of a mobile terminal of claim 8, further comprising:

modifying a size of a displaying region of a third item located adjacent to the last item concurrently with modifying of the size of the last item such that an amount of size change applied to the third item is less than an amount of size change applied to the last item.

10. The scrolling method of a mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein each row contains a plurality of independently selectable items, and the method further comprising:

receiving a touch input for scrolling the plurality of user-selectable items along the defined area of the display screen in a leftward direction corresponding to a leftward direction of a user'"'"'s touch;

expanding at least one gap between columns such that a right edge of a last column remains fixed to a right edge of the defined area of the display screen in response to receiving the touch input for scrolling when the plurality of user-selectable items displayed on the defined area of the display screen cannot be scrolled further in the leftward direction; and

restoring the at least one gap between columns on the display screen to an original size in further response to an event.

11. The scrolling method of a mobile terminal of claim 10, further comprising:

increasing sizes of the user-selectable items included in the expanded at least one row and the expanded at least one column.

12. A scrolling method of a mobile terminal comprising:

displaying a plurality of user-selectable items in a defined area of a display screen, wherein the plurality of user-selectable items are arranged in rows;

receiving a touch input for scrolling the plurality of user-selectable items along the defined area of the display screen in a downward direction corresponding to a downward direction of a user'"'"'s touch;

expanding at least one gap between the rows while maintaining a top edge of a first row fixed to a top edge of the defined area of the display screen, in response to receiving the touch input for scrolling when the plurality of user-selectable items displayed on the defined area of the display screen cannot be scrolled further in the downward direction;

reducing a size of displaying regions of remaining items except for at least one item with a displaying region encompassing the expanded gap, so as to maintain a display of the same number of items as displayed preceded the touch input; and

restoring the at least one gap between rows on the display screen to an original size in further response to an event.

13. The scrolling method of claim 12, wherein the user-selectable items are templates of a webpage.

14. A scrolling apparatus of a mobile terminal comprising:

a display unit for displaying a plurality of user-selectable items in a defined area of a display screen, wherein the plurality of user-selectable items are arranged in rows;

a touch panel for receiving a touch input for scrolling the plurality of user-selectable items along the defined area of the display screen in a downward direction corresponding to a downward direction of a user'"'"'s touch; and

a control unit for expanding at least one gap between rows while maintaining a top edge of a first row fixed to a top edge of the defined area of the display screen, in response to receiving the touch input for scrolling when the plurality of user-selectable items displayed on the defined area of the display screen cannot be scrolled further in the downward direction, and restoring the at least one gap between rows on the display screen to an original size in further response to an event;

wherein the control unit reduces a size of displaying regions of remaining items except for at least one item with a displaying region encompassing the expanded gap, so as to maintain a display of the same number of items as displayed preceded the touch input.

15. The scrolling apparatus of a mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein the user-selectable items are templates of a webpage.

16. A scrolling apparatus of a mobile terminal comprising:

a display unit for displaying a plurality of user-selectable items in a defined area of a display screen, wherein the plurality of user-selectable items are arranged in rows;

a touch panel for receiving a touch input for scrolling the plurality of user-selectable items along the defined area of the display screen in a downward direction corresponding to a downward direction of a user'"'"'s touch; and

a control unit for expanding at least one gap between rows while maintaining a top edge of a first row fixed to a top edge of the defined area of the display screen, in response to receiving the touch input for scrolling when the plurality of user-selectable items displayed on the defined area of the display screen cannot be scrolled further in the downward direction, and restoring the at least one gap between rows on the display screen to an original size in further response to an event;

wherein the control unit expands the at least one gap by expanding an upper space between an item name of a user-selectable item and an upper edge of a displaying region of that item, and expanding at least one lower space between the item name and a lower edge of the displaying region of that item.

17. The scrolling apparatus of a mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the control unit expands at least one additional gap between the plurality of user-selectable items, whereby a plurality of gaps are expanded.

18. The scrolling apparatus of a mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein, the control unit expands the at least one additional gap concurrently setting a plurality of additional gaps at different ratios relative to their original sizes.

19. The scrolling apparatus of claim 16, wherein the user-selectable items are templates of a webpage.

20. The scrolling apparatus of a mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the control unit modifies a size of the displaying region of the first item.

21. The scrolling apparatus of a mobile terminal of claim 20, wherein the control unit modifies a size of a displaying region of a second item located adjacent to the first item concurrently with modifying of the size of the first item such that an amount of size change applied to the second item is less than an amount of size change applied to the first item.

22. The scrolling apparatus of a mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the control unit receives a touch input for scrolling the plurality of user-selectable items along the defined area of the display screen in an upward direction corresponding to an upward direction of a user'"'"'s touch, modifies a displaying region of a last item of the plurality of user-selectable items such that a bottom edge of the displaying region of the last item remains fixed to a bottom edge of the defined area of the display screen in response to receiving the touch input for scrolling when the plurality of user-selectable items displayed on the defined area of the display screen cannot be scrolled further in the upward direction corresponding to the upward direction of the user'"'"'s touch, and restoring the modified-displaying region of the last item on the display screen to an original size.

23. The scrolling apparatus of a mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein each row contains a plurality of independently selectable items, and the control unit receives a touch input for scrolling the plurality of user-selectable items along the defined area of the display screen in a leftward direction corresponding to the leftward direction of a user'"'"'s touch, expands at least one gap between columns such that a right edge of a last column remains fixed to a right edge of the defined area of the display screen in response to receiving the touch input for scrolling when the plurality of user-selectable items displayed on the defined area of the display screen cannot be scrolled further in the leftward direction, and restoring the at least one gap between columns on the display screen to an original size.

24. The scrolling apparatus of a mobile terminal of claim 23, wherein the control unit increases sizes of the user-selectable items included in the expanded at least one row and expanded at least one column.