Icon operation method and icon operation module

• US 9,395,879 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2009
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, Yi-Hua
• Primary Examiner(s): PITARO, RYAN F
• Application Number:
  US12/548,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20100058244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,518 Days
• Field of Search: 715/766, 715/763, 715/790
• 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 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An icon operation method is provided. The method is suitable for a display displaying an operation option image having several icons. Each icon represents an operation. The method comprises steps of grouping some of the icons so that the icons in the same group are partially stacked with each other.

Claims

1. An icon operation method, suitable for a display, wherein the display displays an operation option image having a plurality of icons, an application is executed in response to one of the icons being selected, another application is executed in response to another one of the icons being selected, and the icon operation method comprises:

detecting a selection operation for selecting one of the plurality of icons;

executing an application operation triggered by the selected icon and displaying a user interface window of the application operation on the display in response to the selection operation;

detecting whether the application operation triggered by the selected icon is terminated while the user interface window is displayed;

switching the user interface window to the operation option image, by closing the user interface window, in response to that the application operation triggered by the selected icon is terminated; and

modifying the selected icon to be displayed with a screen capture thumbnail of the user interface window in response to the termination of the application operation triggered by the selected icon, wherein the screen capture thumbnail is a thumbnail of an image of the user interface window and the image is captured in response to the termination of the application operation triggered by the selected icon.

2. The icon operation method as claimed in claim 1, while the display displays the operation option image having the plurality of icons, further comprising:

grouping a portion of the plurality of icons so that the plurality of icons in a same group is partially stacked with each other.

3. The icon operation method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the method of grouping the plurality of icons comprises selecting a portion of the plurality of icons with a gesture figure mode on the display.

4. The icon operation method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the gesture figure mode further comprises at least two input apparatuses respectively located on two terminals of the plurality of icons to be grouped on the display, and the plurality of input apparatuses simultaneously moves to a set point in opposing directions on the display to group the plurality of icons.

5. The icon operation method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising when one input apparatus points to one of the plurality of icons in the same group through the display, the pointed icon popping out from the plurality of stacked and grouped icons.

6. The icon operation method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising having at least two input apparatuses simultaneously located on a set point of the plurality of icons in the same group on the display, and the plurality of input apparatuses move away from the set point simultaneously in opposing directions on the display to expand the plurality of icons in the same group.

7. The icon operation method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method of displaying the user interface window on the display comprises expanding the selected icon to a full screen size of the display directly.

8. The icon operation method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising selecting the plurality of icons in the same group with one input apparatus through the display to expand the plurality of icons in the same group.

9. An icon operation method, suitable for a display, wherein the display displays an operation option image having a plurality of icons, an application is executed in response to one of the icons being selected, another application is executed in response to another one of the icons being selected, and the icon operation method comprises:

detecting a selection operation for selecting one of the plurality of icons;

executing an application operation triggered by the selected icon and displaying a user interface window of the application operation on the display in response to the selection operation;

detecting whether the application operation triggered by the selected icon is terminated while the user interface window is displayed;

switching the user interface window to the operation option image, by closing the user interface window, in response to that the application operation triggered by the selected icon is terminated; and

performing a screen capture to capture an image of the user interface window in response to that the application operation triggered by the selected icon is terminated, and then modifying the selected icon to be displayed with a thumbnail of the captured image of the user interface window in response to the termination of the application operation triggered by the selected icon.

10. The icon operation method as claimed in claim 9, while the display displays the operation option image having the plurality of icons, further comprising:

grouping a portion of the plurality of icons so that the plurality of icons in a same group is partially stacked with each other.

11. The icon operation method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the method of grouping the plurality of icons comprises selecting a portion of the plurality of icons with a gesture figure mode on the display.

12. The icon operation method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the gesture figure mode further comprises at least two input apparatuses respectively located on two terminals of the plurality of icons to be grouped on the display, and the plurality of input apparatuses simultaneously moves to a set point in opposing directions on the display to group the plurality of icons.

13. The icon operation method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising when one input apparatus points to one of the plurality of icons in the same group through the display, the pointed icon popping out from the plurality of stacked and grouped icons.

14. The icon operation method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising having at least two input apparatuses simultaneously located on a set point of the plurality of icons in the same group on the display, and the plurality of input apparatuses move away from the set point simultaneously in opposing directions on the display to expand the plurality of icons in the same group.

15. The icon operation method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the method of displaying the user interface window on the display comprises expanding the selected icon to a full screen size of the display directly.

16. The icon operation method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising selecting the plurality of icons in the same group with one input apparatus through the display to expand the plurality of icons in the same group.