User interface method and apparatus for mobile terminal having touchscreen

• US 9,104,301 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2008
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Oh, Jung Yeob, Kim, Soon Hwa
• Primary Examiner(s): TILLERY, RASHAWN N
• Application Number:
  US12/346,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20090228820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,415 Days
• Field of Search: 715/769, 715/810, 715/864
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• 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: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/60 Rotation of whole images or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• 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 user interface method and apparatus for a mobile terminal having a touchscreen are provided. The apparatus and method improve interactivity using a toolbar menu mode screen which allows a user to execute functions and commands with drag and drop behaviors on the touchscreen to graphical objects such as toolbar, icons, and other active objects. An interface apparatus includes a touchscreen unit that displays a screen including a second region for presenting a toolbar having at least one User Interface (UI) element representing a specific function and a first region for activating, when the UI element is dragged from the toolbar and dropped in the first region on the touchscreen, the function represented by the UI element. The interface apparatus also includes a control unit which detects a drag and drop action of the UI element and activates, when the drag and drop action is detected, the function associated with the UI element in the form of an active function object. The interface apparatus of the present invention registers the frequently used functions with the toolbar in the form of icons such that, when an icon is dragged from the toolbar to the main window, the function represented by the icon is activated.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a sensor for detecting an orientation of the mobile terminal;

a touch screen unit for displaying a screen and detecting a touch input; and

a control unit for;

controlling the touch screen unit to display a screen including a second region for presenting a toolbar having at least one User Interface (UI) element corresponding to at least one function installed in the mobile terminal and a first region for displaying activation of the function represented by the UI element;

in response to a change of the orientation of the mobile terminal from a portrait posture to a landscape posture or vice versa, maintaining the second region for the toolbar at a position that is relatively the same as a position of the second region for the toolbar before the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal;

changing the orientation of the UI element within the second region according to the changed orientation of the mobile terminal;

changing the orientation of at least a part of the first region in accordance with the orientation of the UI element within the second region; and

activating the function associated with the UI element when the UI element is dragged from the toolbar and dropped in the first region via the touch input on the touch screen unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the UI element comprises an icon symbolizing the function represented by the UI element.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the control unit comprises:

a toolbar manager for retrieving and presenting a function list listing functions that can be registered with the toolbar, and for creating a matching table that matches functions selected from the function list with corresponding icons; and

a toolbar driver for activating, when the drag and drop activity of the icon is detected, the function matched with the icon in the matching table.

4. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the screen comprises a marker such that, when a touch is detected on the marker and the toolbar is not shown, the toolbar is displayed, and

wherein, when a touch is detected on the marker and the toolbar is shown, the toolbar is hid.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the screen comprises a third region which presents information on the function when a touch is detected on the icon representing the function.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the control unit controls, when at least two active function objects are overlapped, the active function objects to appear in a semi-transparent state.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the control unit controls, when a touch is detected on one of the overlapped active function objects, the touched active function object to be moved in front of the other active function objects on the screen.

8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the active function object comprises a zoom button and, when a touch is detected on the zoom button, the control unit controls to zoom in or out the active function object at a certain percentage.

9. The apparatus of claim 3,

wherein the toolbar comprises a photo album function icon representing a photo album function, and

wherein, when a drag and drop activity of the photo album function icon is detected on the touch screen unit, the control unit controls the displaying of an active photo album function object having a presentation window for presenting an image stored in association with the photo album function and a first submenu button and a second submenu button for executing functions provided by the photo album function.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control unit controls switching between folders storing images when a touch is detected on the first submenu button, and controls the setting of the image presented in the presentation window as a background image of the mobile terminal when a touch is detected on the second submenu button.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit removes the UI element dragged and dropped in the first region from the toolbar.

22. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein, if the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal is from the portrait posture to the landscape posture counterclockwise or vice versa, the control unit controls the touch screen unit to maintain a position of the toolbar that is relatively the same as a position of the toolbar before the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal while changing the orientation of the UI element clockwise or vice versa according to the changed orientation of the mobile terminal.

23. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein, in response to the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal from the portrait posture to the landscape posture or vice versa, the control unit controls the touch screen unit to maintain a position of the toolbar that is relatively the same as a position of the toolbar before the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal and to maintain a position of submenu buttons that is relatively the same as a position of the submenu buttons before the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal while changing the orientation of the UI element according to the changed orientation of the mobile terminal.

24. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein, in response to the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal is from the portrait posture to the landscape posture or vice versa, the control unit controls the touch screen unit to maintain a position of the toolbar that is relatively the same as a position of the toolbar before the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal and to maintain a position of submenu buttons that is relatively the same as a position of the submenu buttons before the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal while changing the orientation of the UI element in the toolbar and icons in the submenu buttons according to the changed orientation of the mobile terminal.

25. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein, if the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal is from the portrait posture to the landscape posture counterclockwise or vice versa, the control unit controls the touch screen unit to maintain a position of the toolbar that is relatively the same as a position of the toolbar before the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal and to maintain a position of submenu buttons that is relatively the same as a position of the submenu buttons before the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal while changing the orientation of the UI element in the toolbar and icons in the submenu buttons clockwise or vice versa according to the changed orientation of the mobile terminal.

11. An interface method for a mobile terminal having a touch screen unit, the method comprising:

detecting an orientation of the mobile terminal;

displaying a screen including

a second region for presenting a toolbar having at least one User Interface (UI) element corresponding to at least one function installed in the mobile terminal and

a first region for displaying activation of the function represented by the UI element;

in response to a change of the orientation of the mobile terminal from the portrait posture to a landscape posture or vice versa, maintaining the second region for the toolbar at a position that is relatively the same as a position of the second region for the toolbar before the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal;

changing the orientation of the UI element within the second region according to the changed orientation of the mobile terminal;

changing the orientation of at least a part of the first region in accordance with the orientation of the UI element within the second region; and

activating the function associated with the UI element when the UI element is dragged from the toolbar and dropped in the first region via a touch input on the touch screen unit.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the UI element comprises an icon symbolizing the function represented by the UI element.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

displaying, when the mobile terminal enters a toolbar menu mode, a function list listing at least one function that can be registered with the toolbar; and

creating a matching table which matches functions selected from the function list with corresponding icons.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining, when a touch is detected on a corresponding icon, information on the function represented by the icon from a setting information file; and

presenting the information of the function in a third region.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising rendering, when at least two active function objects are overlapped in the first region, the active function objects to appear in a semi-transparent state.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising arranging, when a touch is detected on one of the overlapped active function objects, the touched active function object moved in front of the other active function objects on the screen.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying, when the toolbar includes a photo album function icon representing a photo album function and the photo album function icon is dragged from the toolbar and dropped in the first region, an active photo album function object having a presentation window for presenting an image stored in association with the photo album function, a first submenu button and a second submenu button for executing functions provided by the photo album function.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising, when a touch is detected on the first submenu button, switching between folders storing images.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising setting, when a touch is detected on the second submenu button, the image presented in the presentation window as a background image of the mobile terminal.

21. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

removing the UI element dragged and dropped in the first region from the toolbar.

26. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

if the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal is from the portrait posture to the landscape posture counterclockwise or vice versa, maintaining a position of the toolbar that is relatively the same as a position of the toolbar before the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal while changing the orientation of the UI element clockwise or vice versa according to the changed orientation of the mobile terminal.

27. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

in response to the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal from the portrait posture to the landscape posture or vice versa, maintaining a position of the toolbar that is relatively the same as a position of the toolbar before the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal and maintaining a position of submenu buttons that is relatively the same as a position of submenu buttons before the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal while changing the orientation of the UI element according to the changed orientation of the mobile terminal.

28. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

in response to the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal from the portrait posture to the landscape posture or vice versa, maintaining a position of the toolbar that is relatively the same as a position of the toolbar before the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal and maintaining a position of submenu buttons that is relatively the same as a position of the submenu buttons before the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal while changing the orientation of the UI element in the toolbar and icons in the submenu buttons according to the changed orientation of the mobile terminal.

29. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

if the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal is from the portrait posture to the landscape posture counterclockwise or vice versa, maintaining a position of the toolbar that is relatively the same as a position of the toolbar before the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal and maintaining a position of submenu buttons that is relatively the same as a position of the submenu buttons before the change of the orientation of the mobile terminal while changing the orientation of the UI element in the toolbar and icons in the submenu buttons clockwise or vice versa according to the changed orientation of the mobile terminal.