Method and system for displaying screens on the touch screen of a mobile device

• US 9,405,454 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2011
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Seung Myung
• Primary Examiner(s): Chauhan, Ulka
• Assistant Examiner(s): Valdez, Patrick F
• Application Number:
  US13/314,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20120147057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,699 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method for displaying screens on the touch screen of a mobile device includes displaying, on a first screen, at least two or more object items and an object item group within which at least two or more object items are arranged at a first set interval and rearranging and displaying the object items included in the object item group at a second set interval when an input is received that displays the object item group. When a touch or drag gesture is applied to the group of object items displayed at the first set interval, the object items are then displayed at a second set interval on the screen of a mobile device.

Claims

1. A method for displaying screens on a touch screen of a mobile device, comprising:

displaying, on a first screen, an object item group within which object items are arranged to be spaced apart by a first set interval, each object item being an application icon or a folder icon; and

when an input to the object item group is detected, rearranging and displaying the object items included in the object item group on a second screen spaced apart by a second set interval,

wherein when the detected input is a touch gesture, the object items are rearranged and displayed in a grid format, and when the detected input is a drag gesture different than the touch gesture, the object items are rearranged and displayed connected to one another according to a uniform tilt angle, and

wherein in response to detecting further movement of the drag gesture in a first direction, the object item group expands while a uniform degree of tilt between each pair of object items is maintained, and the object item group expands in both the first direction and a second direction that is opposite the first direction, a distance of expansion in the first direction being proportional to a distance of expansion in the second direction.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating the object item group by:

detecting a selection of an object item displayed on a screen, the selection dragging and dropping the selected object item on a location where other object items are located or where the object item group is displayed; and

generating the object item group by rearranging the selected object item and object items included in the object item group to be spaced apart by the first set interval.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein generating the object item group comprises:

piling up at least two or more object items at the location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein when the detected input is the touch gesture, rearranging and displaying the object items comprises:

displaying the second screen;

identifying object items in the object item group; and

rearranging and displaying the identified object items on the second screen spaced apart by the second set interval.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said rearranging and displaying the identified object items on the second screen spaced apart from each other at the second set interval comprises:

moving the object items, piled up in the object item group on the first screen, to the second screen from a top to a bottom in order, and rearranging them in the grid format.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the object item group is expanded such that object items of the object item group is connected to another object item of the object item group top-to-bottom while maintaining a uniform degree of tilt among the object items.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when a drag distance of the drag input expanding the object item group exceeds a preset distance, executing scrolling of the object items in response to any drag gestures on the object item group.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the object item group is displayed such that a top and bottom of the object item group contact a top and bottom of a display unit of the mobile device respectively.

9. A mobile device for displaying items and rearranging displayed items within screens on a touch screen, comprising:

at least one processor, configured to;

display, on a first screen, an object item group within which object items are spaced apart by a first set interval, each object item being an application icon or a folder icon; and

when an input to the object item group is detected, rearrange and display the object items included in the object item group on a second screen spaced apart by a second set interval,

wherein when the detected input is a touch gesture, the object items are rearranged and displayed in a grid format, and when the detected input is a drag gesture different than the touch gesture, the object items are rearranged and displayed connected to one another according to a uniform tilt angle, and

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to expand the object item group both in a first direction and a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, a distance of expansion in the first direction being proportional to a distance of expansion in the second direction.

10. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

detect a selection of an object item, the selection dragging and dropping the selected object item on a location where object items other than the selected object item or an object item group is displayed; and

generate the object item group by rearranging the selected object item, and the object items included in the object item group to be spaced apart by the first set interval.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to generates the object item group by piling up at least two or more object items at the location.

12. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

when the detected input is the touch gesture;

display the second screen;

identify object items in the object item group; and

rearrange and displays the identified object items in the object item group on the second screen spaced apart by the second set interval.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

move the object items piled up in the object item group on the first screen to the second screen from a top to a bottom in order; and

rearrange the moved object items in the grid format.

14. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein, in response to detecting continued movement of the drag gesture, the at least one processor is further configured to expand the object item group while maintaining a uniform degree of tilt between each pair of object items.

15. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein when a drag distance of the drag gesture expanding the object item group exceeds a preset distance, scrolling the object items is executed in response to any drag gestures on the object item group.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the object item group is displayed such that a top and bottom of the object item group screen contact a top and bottom of a display unit of the mobile device respectively.

17. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the object item group is expanded such that object items of the object item group is connected to another object item of the object item group top-to-bottom while maintaining a uniform degree of tilt among the object items.