Method and apparatus of electronic paper comprising a user interface

• US 9,323,378 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2010
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choe, Sung Yul
• Primary Examiner(s): HIGGS, STELLA
• Application Number:
  US12/732,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20110047460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,224 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An e-paper apparatus comprising a user interface and a method for an e-paper are provided. The e-paper apparatus and method are provided based on a user manipulation of digital contents that is similar to a user handling a paper or a book. The e-paper apparatus and method may provide a user interface for an e-paper that is easily and tangibly used by a user.

Claims

1. An electronic paper (e-paper) display apparatus comprising a user interface, the apparatus comprising:

a flexible display configured to display an e-paper, through a front face and a back face of the flexible display;

a touch interface, including a sensor, configured to receive a user input, wherein the user input corresponds to manipulating the e-paper displayed on the front face and the back face of the flexible display, the manipulation comprises any of;

folding or bending of the flexible display, touching both faces of the folded or bent flexible display, and dragging a memo on the flexible display;

an e-paper controller, including a processor, configured

to display the memo on the e-paper, in response to the user folding or bending the flexible display along a plurality of axes that bound a memo area on the e-paper,

to delete the a memo displayed on the e-paper, in response to the user folding or bending of the flexible display along an axis that traverses the memo area, touching the memo on both sides of the axis and on one face of the e-paper, and then dragging the memo in a direction from a point on the flexible display to a point off of the flexible display.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises:

a touch sensor configured to sense a touch on the touch interface;

a pressure sensor configured to sense a pressure applied to the e-paper; and

a gravity-directional sensor configured to sense a change in a gravity direction of the e-paper.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the manipulation by the user comprises the user turning over the flexible display; and

the e-paper controller is further configured to control the e-paper to change a page displayed on the flexible display, in response to the manipulation.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the manipulation by the user comprises the user bending the flexible display and leaving the flexible display bent; and

the e-paper controller is further configured to control the e-paper to display a page selection menu on the flexible display, in response to the manipulation.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the flexible display is configured to display a list;

the manipulation by the user comprises the user touching at least one of a front face and back face of the flexible display with a finger, to select an element from among the list, and the user dragging the finger while touching at least one of the front face and back face of the flexible display; and

the e-paper controller is further configured to control the e-paper to store or delete the selected element in the list depending on a drag direction of the finger, in response to the manipulation.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the manipulation by the user comprises bending a corner of the flexible display;

and

the e-paper controller is further configured to control the e-paper to set a bookmark on a page displayed on the flexible display, in response to the manipulation.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the manipulation by the user comprises bending a corner of the flexible display; and

the e-paper controller is further configured to control the e-paper to move to a page where a bookmark is set, in response to the manipulation.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the manipulation by the user comprises touching at least one of a front face and a back face of a corner of the flexible display, over the course of a preset time threshold; and

the e-paper controller is further configured to control the e-paper to display a bookmark setting menu on the flexible display, in response to the manipulation.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the manipulation by the user comprises touching a bookmark displayed on the flexible display; and

the e-paper controller is further configured to control the e-paper to display a bookmark delete menu on the flexible display, in response to the manipulation.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the manipulation by the user comprises dragging a bookmark displayed on the flexible display;

and

the e-paper controller is further configured to control the e-paper to display a bookmark list on the flexible display, in response to the manipulation.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the e-paper is configured to display the list on the first face of the flexible display of the e-paper, and the touch interface is configured to receive user input through the back face of the flexible display.

12. A method of controlling an electronic paper (e-paper) based on user manipulation, the method comprising:

receiving user input through a touch interface of a flexible display of the e-paper, the touch interface including a sensor, wherein the user input corresponds to manipulating the e-paper displayed on the front face and the back face of the flexible display, and the manipulation comprising any of folding or bending the flexible display, simultaneously touching both faces of the folded or bent flexible display, and dragging a memo on the flexible display;

controlling the e-paper, by use of a processor,

to display the memo on the e-paper, in response to the user folding or bending the flexible display along a plurality of axes that bound a memo area on the e-paper, and

to delete the memo displayed on the e-paper, in response to the user folding or bending of the flexible display along an axis that traverses the memo area, touching the memo on both sides of the axis and on one face of the e-paper, and then dragging the memo in a direction from a point on the flexible display to a point off of the flexible display.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the sensed manipulation by the user comprises turning over the flexible display; and

the processor controls the e-paper to change a page displayed on the flexible display, in response to the manipulation.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein

the sensed manipulation by the user comprises turning over the flexible display;

and

the processor controls the e-paper to change contents displayed on the flexible display, in response to the manipulation.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein

the sensed manipulation by the user comprises bending the flexible display and leaving the flexible display bent;

and

the processor controls the e-paper to display a page selection menu on the flexible display, in response to the manipulation.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein

the sensed manipulation by the user comprises touching at least one of a front face and back face of a corner of the flexible display, over the course of a preset time threshold;

and

the processor controls the e-paper to display a bookmark setting menu on the flexible display, in response to the manipulation.

17. A method of an electronic paper (e-paper) being manipulated by a user, the method comprising:

displaying a list on a flexible display of the e-paper;

sensing, by use of a sensor, a first manipulation by the user through the flexible display of the e-paper, the first manipulation comprising the user simultaneously touching both a front face and a back face of the flexible display of the e-paper, thereby selecting elements being displayed from among the list;

sensing, by use of a sensor, a second manipulation by the user through the flexible display of the e-paper, the second manipulation comprising the user simultaneously touching and dragging both the front face and the back face of the flexible display of the e-paper, thereby dragging the selected elements; and

controlling the e-paper, by use of a processor,

to display a memo on the e-paper, in response to the user folding or bending the flexible display along a plurality of axes that bound a memo area on the e-paper, and

to delete the memo displayed on the e-paper, in response to the user folding or bending of the flexible display along an axis that traverses the memo area, touching the memo on both sides of the axis and on one face of the e-paper, and then dragging the memo in a direction from a point on the flexible display to a point off of the flexible display.