Apparatus and method for switching split view in portable terminal

• US 9,298,341 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2013
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Youngri, Park, Wonkyu, Yoon, Sungjin, Han, Bonghee, Lee, Yujin, Jeung, Jihong, Hong, Yoojin
• Primary Examiner(s): NABI, REZA U
• Application Number:
  US14/026,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20140089832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 715/769
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• 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 3/04883 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

Abstract

A method of displaying a view in a portable terminal includes: displaying a plurality of applications as a split view corresponding to a split display region of a display unit; reducing and displaying an application of the split view and switchable candidate applications in a switch mode; displaying an application selected from the candidate applications and changing an application displayed on the split view in a previous state to the candidate application; and enlarging and displaying the split view when the switch mode is terminated.

Claims

1. A method of displaying a view in a portable terminal, the method comprising:

displaying in an application switch mode a plurality of applications undergoing execution in a split view display region of a display in which the split view is apportioned according to a quantity of the plurality of applications undergoing execution that are designated for display;

entering a switch mode controlled by a controller to switch a display of one of the plurality of applications undergoing execution with a selected switchable candidate application in response to a received request and additionally displaying a plurality of switchable candidate applications in the display that are retrieved from memory when the portable terminal is in the switch mode;

reducing a displayed size of the applications undergoing execution in the split view region when additionally displaying the plurality of switchable candidate applications in the display;

displaying a selected switchable candidate application in place of one of the plurality of applications undergoing execution that is displayed in the split view display region by moving display of the one of the plurality of applications being executed to a display position at which the selected switchable candidate application was displayed prior to selection; and

enlarging and displaying the split view without displaying the plurality of switchable candidate applications when the switch mode is terminated,

wherein the switch mode is detected by the controller as a pinch close operation through an action using multiple fingers,

wherein the application is detected by the controller as an action dragging the candidate application to drop the application from the split view, and

wherein the application displayed as the split view is moved to a position of the candidate application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the enlarging and displaying the split view is performed following a pinch open operation.

3. An apparatus for displaying a view in a portable terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a display that provides a visual output displays a plurality of applications being executed as a split view in a split display region of the display in which the split view is apportioned according to a quantity of the plurality of applications undergoing execution that are designated for display;

a touchscreen input that detects touch associated with requesting a switch mode and in response generates a switch mode signal and an application selection signal; and

a controller that receives the switch mode signal and application selection signal from the touchscreen input, and the controller includes a microprocessor configured to perform an application switch operation by swapping one of the plurality of applications being executed from the split view with a switchable candidate application following a touch interaction when the switch mode is detected, and displaying a at least one candidate application on the display,

wherein the controller reduces the split view in the switch mode to display a reduced-size split view of applications being executed and additionally display the candidate applications, and in response to selection of one of the candidate applications to perform the application switch application, swapping a display in the split view of one of the applications being executed with the selected candidate application, and moving display of one of the applications being executed from the split view to a corresponding position of a position being vacated by the selected candidate application,

wherein the controller detects the switch mode following a multi-finger pinch close operation gesture, and

wherein the controller moves the candidate application according to a drag signal, and displays a selected application on a split view of in a position at which the drag signal is terminated.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controller enlarges the reduced split view to terminate the switch operation when a pinch open is detected.