User interface of electronic apparatus for displaying application indicators

• US 9,104,292 B2
• Filed: 12/25/2008
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Yu-Chuan
• Primary Examiner(s): RIEGLER, PATRICK F
• Application Number:
  US12/344,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20090172594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,420 Days
• Field of Search: 715/810, 715/850, 715/782, 715/811, 715/822, 715/825, 715/830, 715/834, 715/835
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• 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 1/72472 wherein the items are sorted according to specific criteria, e.g. frequency of use
• 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 user interface of electronic apparatus includes at least one launched indicator and at least one non-launched indicator, and the arrangement of the launched indicator and non-launched indicators forms a loop path so that the indicators can have a revolution around a center of the loop path according to a direction command inputted by a user. Each launched indicator indicates an executed program, each non-launched indicator indicates a non-executed program, and the indicator moved to a specific location is defined as a selectable indicator. The user can control the program indicated by the selectable indicator with any operation.

Claims

1. A user interface, implemented on an electronic apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of launched indicators, each launched indicator indicating an executed program that is executed by a processing circuit;

a plurality of non-launched indicators, each non-launched indicator indicating a non-executed program, wherein the arrangement of the plurality of launched indicators and the plurality of non-launched indicators forms a loop path, and the plurality of launched indicators and the plurality of non-launched indicators have a revolution around a center of the loop path according to a received direction command;

a specific location in the loop path, wherein when one of the plurality of launched indicators or one of the plurality of non-launched indicators is moved to the specific location, a selectable indicator indicates that the executed programs or the non-executed programs can be called or operated; and

a specific function icon at an inner location surrounded by the loop path, the specific function icon indicating a close function against executed programs, when at least one launched indicator of the plurality of launched indicators is dragged to the location of the specific function icon with a dragging command, the close function carries out to close the executed program indicated by the dragged launched indicator and the dragged launched indicator transforms into another non-launched indicator,

wherein locations of the plurality of launched indicators are up and down respectively exchanged with locations of the plurality of non-launched indicators by flipping up and down the loop path, and

wherein the user interface is displayed by a displaying device coupled to the processing circuit.

2. The user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of launched indicators and the plurality of non-launched indicators are displayed on a touch panel of the electronic apparatus.

3. The user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one launched indicator of the plurality of launched indicators is a flame captured from an image displayed when the executed program indicated by the at least one launched indicator is executed.

4. The user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of non-launched indicators are icons.

5. The user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the specific function icon is selected by a selection command, the close function carries out to close all executed programs indicated by the plurality of launched indicators and the plurality of launched indicators transform into other non-launched indicators.

6. The user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locations of the plurality of launched indicators and the plurality of non-launched indicators are arranged according to the frequency corresponding to the plurality of launched indicators that have been selected and the frequency corresponding to the plurality of non-launched indicators that have been selected.

7. The user interface as claimed in claim 6, wherein a highest frequency launched indicator that has the highest frequency of being selected is arranged at a center of the lower half part of the loop path.

8. The user interface as claimed in claim 6, wherein a highest frequency non-launched indicator that has the highest frequency of being selected is arranged at a center of the upper half part of the loop path.

9. The user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein executed program related information is displayed around the plurality of launched indicators indicating executed programs.

10. A method for generating a user interface, implemented on an electronic apparatus, comprising:

providing a plurality of non-launched indicators for each indicating a non-executed program;

using a processing circuit to provide a plurality of launched indicators for each indicating an executed program;

arranging the plurality of non-launched indicators and the plurality of launched indicators to form a loop path;

when a direction command is received, making the plurality of non-launched indicators and the plurality of launched indicators have a revolution around a center of the loop path according to the received direction command;

providing a specific function icon at an inner location surrounded by the loop path, wherein the specific function icon indicates a close function against the executed programs;

when at least one launched indicator of the plurality of launched indicators is dragged to the location of the specific function icon with a dragging command, using the processing circuit for carrying out the close function to close the executed program indicated by the dragged launched indicator and transforming the dragged launched indicator into another non-launched indicator;

defining the executed programs or the non-executed programs indicated by the plurality of launched indicators or the plurality of non-launched indicators moved to a specific location in the loop path as operable programs; and

exchanging locations of the plurality of launched indicators with locations of the plurality of non-launched indicators up and down respectively by flipping up and down the loop path wherein the launched indicators and the non-launched indicators are displayed on the loop path.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least one launched indicator of the plurality of launched indicators is provided by capturing from an image displayed when the executed program indicated by the at least one launched indicator is executed.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the plurality of non-launched indicator are provided by providing icons.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising when the specific function icon is selected by a selection command, carrying out the close function to close all executed programs indicated by the plurality of launched indicators and transforming the plurality of launched indicators into other non-launched indicators.

14. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step of arranging the plurality of non-launched indicators and the plurality of launched indicators to form the loop path further comprises arranging the locations of the plurality of launched indicators and the plurality of non-launched indicators according to the frequency corresponding to the plurality of launched indicators that have been selected and the frequency corresponding to the plurality of non-launched indicator that have been selected.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein a highest frequency launched indicator that has the highest frequency of being selected is arranged at a center of the lower half part of the loop path.

16. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising displaying executed program related information around the plurality of launched indicators indicating executed programs.

17. A user interface, implemented on an electronic apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of launched indicators, each launched indicator indicating an executed program that is executed by a processing circuit;

a plurality of non-launched indicators, each non-launched indicator indicating a non-executed program, wherein the arrangement of the plurality of launched indicators and the plurality of non-launched indicators forms a loop path, and the plurality of launched indicators and the plurality of non-launched indicators have a revolution around a center of the loop path according to a received direction command;

a specific location in the loop path, wherein when one of the plurality of launched indicators or one of the plurality of non-launched indicators is moved to the specific location, a selectable indicator indicates that the executed programs or the non-executed programs can be called or operated; and

a specific function icon at an inner location surrounded by the loop path, the specific function icon indicating a close function against executed programs, when the specific function icon is selected by a selection command, the close function carries out to close all executed programs indicated by the plurality of launched indicators and the plurality of launched indicators transform into other non-launched indicators,

wherein locations of the plurality of launched indicators are up and down respectively exchanged with locations of the plurality of non-launched indicators by flipping up and down the loop path, and

wherein the user interface is displayed by a displaying device coupled to the processing circuit.

18. A method for generating a user interface, implemented on an electronic apparatus, comprising:

providing a plurality of non-launched indicators each for indicating a non-executed program;

using a processing circuit to provide a plurality of launched indicators each for indicating an executed program;

arranging the plurality of non-launched indicators and the plurality of launched indicators to form a loop path;

when a direction command is received, making the plurality of non-launched indicators and the plurality of launched indicators have a revolution around a center of the loop path according to the received direction command;

providing a specific function icon at an inner location surrounded by the loop path, wherein the specific function icon indicates a close function against the executed programs;

when the specific function icon is selected by a selection command, using the processing circuit for carrying out the close function to close all executed programs indicated by the plurality of launched indicators and transforming the plurality of launched indicators into other non-launched indicators;

defining the executed programs or the non-executed programs indicated by the plurality of launched indicators or the plurality of non-launched indicators moved to a specific location in the loop path as operable programs; and

exchanging locations of the plurality of launched indicators with locations of the plurality of non-launched indicators up and down respectively by flipping up and down the loop path wherein the plurality of launched indicators and the plurality of non-launched indicators are displayed on the loop path.