Touch screen device and operating method thereof

• US 9,041,658 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2007
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Ho Joo, Chae, Ji Suk, Ham, Young Ho, Yoo, Kyung Hee, Kim, Ji Ae, Kim, Yu Mi, Shin, Sang Hyun, Bae, Seung Jun, Koo, Yoon Hee, Kang, Seong Cheol
• Primary Examiner(s): Beck, Alexander S
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEINBERG, JEFFREY S
• Application Number:
  US11/785,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20070273669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,961 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 715/863, 715/861, 715/765, 715/777
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A touch screen device and an operating method are provided in which only a specific position on a touch screen is activated to receive signals. The touch screen device includes a screen including a display configured to display menu images thereon and a detector configured to detect a screen touch, and a controller configured to control operations of the device according to the screen touch detected by the detector. The controller may cause the detector to be divided into an execution area configured to execute a menu when the menu placed on the execution area is touched, and a selection area configured to sequentially move the menu images to the execution area when the selection area is touched. Alternatively, the controller may cause the detector to be divided into a moving area configured to move a menu from a touch point along a drag line while the menu is dragged, and an execution area configured to execute the relevant menu when the touch on the execution area is released. With a touch screen device so configured, the menus are executed only in a limited execution area.

Claims

1. A touch screen device, comprising:

a touch screen comprising a display configured to display menu images thereon and a detector configured to detect a screen touch; and

a controller configured to control operations of the touch screen device according to the screen touch detected by the detector, wherein the touch screen is divided by the controller into an execution area configured to execute a menu corresponding to a menu image placed on the execution area when the execution area is touched, and a selection area configured to display one or more menu images and sequentially move the one or more menu images to the execution area when the selection area is touched irrespective of whether the touch on the selection area is dragged or not.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein when a touch is detected on the selection area, the controller causes the one or more menu images to be continuously moved while the touch on the selection area is maintained.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller causes the one or more menu images to pass through the execution area one-by-one while the touch on the selection area is maintained.

4. Digital equipment comprising the touch screen device of claim 1.

5. The digital equipment of claim 4, wherein the digital equipment comprises a MP3 player, a portable media player, a portable terminal, a navigation system, or a notebook computer.

6. A touch screen device, comprising:

a touch screen comprising a display configured to display menu images thereon and a detector configured to detect a screen touch; and

a controller configured to control operations of the touch screen device according to the screen touch detected by the detector, wherein the touch screen is divided by the controller into a moving area configured to move a menu image from a touch point along a drag line while the menu image is dragged, and an execution area configured to execute a menu corresponding to the menu image when the touch is released on the execution area, wherein when the menu image is dragged into the execution area, a menu image previously located in the execution area pops out of the execution area and returns to its original position in the moving area.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the controller returns the menu image to an initial position before the touch, when the touch is released from the moving area.

8. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the touch screen is a resistive or capacitive touch screen.

9. Digital equipment comprising the touch screen device of claim 6.

10. The digital equipment of claim 9, wherein the digital equipment comprises a MP3 player, a portable media player, a portable terminal, a navigation system, or a notebook computer.

11. A touch screen device, comprising:

a touch panel configured to detect a screen touch;

a touch panel controller configured to signalize the touch detected on the touch panel and control the touch panel;

a display configured to display images;

a panel information storage device configured to store data of the touch panel; and

a main controller configured to control operation of the touch panel controller and the display, wherein the main controller is further configured to control operations of the touch screen device according to the screen touch detected by the touch panel, wherein the touch panel is divided by the main controller into an execution area configured to execute a menu corresponding to a menu image placed on the execution area when the execution area is touched, and a selection area configured to display one or more menu images and sequentially move the one or more menu images to the execution area when the selection area is touched irrespective of whether the touch on the selection area is dragged or not.

12. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the panel information storage device stores partition information of the touch panel divided into the execution area and the selection area.

13. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the partition information is classified by operation mode.

14. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the panel information storage device is a NOR flash memory.

15. The device as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

a USB port connected to an external device configured to update or modify the partition information stored in the panel information storage device.

16. The device as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

a data storage device configured to store data of the touch screen device; and

a RAM configured to drive the touch screen device.

17. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein a portion of the data storage device is configured into the panel information storage device.

18. A method of operating a touch screen device in which a touch screen configured to detect a screen touch is divided into an execution area and a selection area, the method comprising:

displaying menu images;

recognizing the screen touch;

executing a relevant menu corresponding to a menu image placed on the execution area when the touch point is within the execution area; and

sequentially moving one or more menu images placed on the selection area to the execution area when the touch point is within the selection area irrespective of whether the touch on the selection area is dragged or not.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the one or more menu images are continuously moved while the touch on the selection area is maintained.

20. A method of operating digital equipment having a touch screen device, comprising the method of claim 18.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the digital equipment comprises a MP3 player, a portable media player, a portable terminal, a navigation system, or a notebook computer.

22. A method of operating a touch screen device in which a touch screen configured to detect a screen touch is divided into a moving area and an execution area, the method comprising:

displaying menu images;

recognizing the screen touch;

moving a menu image along a drag line when the menu image is dragged; and

executing a relevant menu corresponding to the menu image when the touch is released on the execution area, wherein when the menu image is dragged into the execution area, a menu image previously located in the execution area pops out of the execution area and returns to its original position in the moving area.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising returning the menu image of the relevant menu to an initial position before the touch, when the touch is released from the moving area.

24. A method of operating digital equipment having a touch screen device, comprising the method of claim 22.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the digital equipment comprises a MP3 player, a portable media player, a portable terminal, a navigation system, or a notebook computer.