Onscreen function execution method for mobile terminal having a touchscreen

• US 9,395,913 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2015
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lim, Wan Soo, Kim, Hyo Young, Lim, Dok Shin, Lim, Kyoung Ae, Kim, Min Suk, Shin, Young Sun, Jeon, Hee Kyung
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US14/613,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20150153947A1
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178, 178 1801- 1809, 178 2001- 2004
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• 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 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• 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: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals

Abstract

An onscreen function execution method for a mobile terminal having a touchscreen is provided. The method allows for executing functions of an activated application by a tap on a specific area of the touchscreen. An onscreen function execution method of the present invention includes mapping active regions of the touchscreen to functions of at least one application, displaying an application screen in response to an application activation command and executing, if a tap is detected on one of the active regions, a function mapped to the application activation command. The active regions may include a function execution display region and the applications may comprise a camera application, a music player application, an idle mode screen application and the like. The method allows a user to execute functions of an activated application by tap on the touchscreen.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a camera unit configured to output image data;

a control unit electrically coupled to the camera unit;

a touch screen electrically coupled to the control unit;

a storage unit electrically coupled to the control unit; and

a touch signal processing circuit configured;

to determine a position of a touch on the touch screen, and

to output position data corresponding to the position of the touch,

wherein the storage unit stores instructions that, when executed, cause the control unit;

to display a button on a first screen displayed on the touch screen, the first screen including a camera application icon,

to display a menu including one or more icons in response to a first touch input on the button, the menu overlying the first screen,

to activate a camera application in response to a second touch input on the camera application icon,

to display an image on the touch screen, using the camera application, based on the image data from the camera unit, the button overlying the image,

to display a generally rectangular indicator overlying the displayed image on the touch screen, and

to perform focusing of the image in response to a third touch input on the touch screen.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the control unit to capture the image after locking the image for a predetermined period of time.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the instructions further cause the control unit to display the captured image on a portion of the touch screen.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the control unit to remove the generally rectangular indicator after the image is captured.

5. A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

displaying, by an electronic device including a touch screen and a camera unit, a button on a first screen displayed on the touch screen, the first screen including a camera application icon;

displaying, by the electronic device, a menu including one or more icons in response to a first touch input on the button, the menu overlying the first screen;

activating, by the electronic device, a camera application in response to a second touch input on the camera application icon;

displaying, by the electronic device, an image on the touch screen, using the camera application, based on the image data from the camera unit, the button overlying the image;

displaying, by the electronic device, a generally rectangular indicator overlying the displayed image on the touch screen; and

performing, by the electronic device, focusing of the image in response to a third touch input on the touch screen.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

capturing, by the electronic device, the image after locking the image for a predetermined period of time.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

displaying, by the electronic device, the captured image on a portion of the touch screen.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

removing, by the electronic device, the generally rectangular indicator after the image is captured.

9. An electronic device comprising:

a camera unit configured to output image data;

a control unit electrically coupled to the camera unit;

a touch screen electrically coupled to the control unit;

a storage unit electrically coupled to the control unit; and

a touch signal processing circuit configured;

to determine a position of a touch on the touch screen, and

to output position data corresponding to the position of the touch,

wherein the storage unit stores instructions that, when executed, cause the control unit;

to display a button on a first screen displayed on the touch screen, and

to display a menu including one or more icons in response to a touch input on the button, while removing the button from the first screen, the menu overlying the first screen.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the menu includes a central portion and a first pair of icons positioned on opposite sides of the central portion.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the menu further includes a second pair of icons positioned on opposite sides of the central portion.

12. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein at least one of the icons represents an application installed on the electronic device.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the control unit to activate an application program in response to a selection of one of the icons.

14. A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

displaying, by an electronic device including a touch screen, a button on a first screen displayed on the touch screen, the first screen including a plurality of icons for application programs;

receiving, by the electronic device, a first touch input on the button via the touch screen; and

displaying, by the electronic device, a menu including one or more icons in response to the first touch input, while removing the button from the first screen, the menu overlying the first screen.

15. The method of claim 14, the menu includes a central portion and a first pair of icons positioned on opposite sides of the central portion.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the menu further includes a second pair of icons positioned on opposite sides of the central portion.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the icons represents an application installed on the electronic device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

activating, by the electronic device, an application corresponding to the selected icon in response to a selection of one of the icons.

19. A non-transitory machine-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

displaying, by an electronic device including a touch screen and a camera unit, a button on a first screen displayed on the touch screen, the first screen including a camera application icon;

displaying, by the electronic device, a menu including one or more icons in response to a first touch input on the button, the menu overlying the first screen;

activating, by the electronic device, a camera application in response to a second touch input on the camera application icon;

displaying, by the electronic device, an image on the touch screen, using the camera application, based on the image data from the camera unit, the button overlying the image;

displaying, by the electronic device, a generally rectangular indicator overlying the displayed image on the touch screen; and

performing, by the electronic device, focusing of the image in response to a third touch input on the touch screen.

20. A non-transitory machine-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

displaying, by an electronic device including a touch screen, a button on a first screen displayed on the touch screen, the first screen including a plurality of icons for application programs;

receiving, by the electronic device, a first touch input on the button via the touch screen; and

displaying, by the electronic device, a menu including one or more icons in response to the first touch input, while removing the button from the first screen, the menu overlying the first screen.