Object moving method and electronic device implementing the same

• US 9,606,665 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2014
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Hyunsuk, Kim, Minho, Oh, Jiwoong
• Primary Examiner(s): OSORIO, RICARDO
• Application Number:
  US14/531,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20150123921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• 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 moving an object by an electronic device having a touch screen. The method includes recognizing at least two first touch inputs through the touch screen, recognizing transitions of the at least two first touch inputs to adjacent inputs that move adjacent to each other, and moving an object displayed on the touch screen in response to movements of the adjacent inputs.

Claims

1. A method of moving an object by an electronic device having a touch screen, the method comprising:

recognizing at least two first touch inputs through the touch screen;

recognizing transitions of the at least two first touch inputs to adjacent inputs that move adjacent to each other;

determining a target among objects displayed on the touch screen, wherein the target is included at least partially in a touch area corresponding to the adjacent inputs; and

moving the target in response to movements of the adjacent inputs,

wherein recognizing transitions of the at least two first touch inputs to adjacent inputs comprises recognizing a pick up gesture,

wherein moving the target comprises moving an object determined as the target in response to a hovering movement gesture, and

recognizing a put down gesture.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recognizing transitions of the adjacent inputs to at least two second touch inputs;

recognizing transitions of the at least two second touch inputs to spacing inputs that move away from each other; and

completing movement of the target in response to the spacing inputs.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recognizing transitions of the adjacent inputs to at least two second touch inputs;

recognizing transitions of the at least two second touch inputs to spacing inputs that move away from each other;

recognizing transitions of the spacing inputs to release inputs that are released from the touch screen; and

completing movement of the target in response to the release inputs.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein recognizing a pick up gesture comprises:

recognizing a gesture by which physical bodies touch down on the touch screen;

recognizing a touch coupling gesture by which the physical bodies contact each other while touching the touch screen; and

recognizing a gesture by which the physical bodies contacting each other touch up from the touch screen.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the target is positioned at a touch point or a touch area corresponding to the touch coupling gesture.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein recognizing a put down gesture comprises:

recognizing a gesture by which physical bodies touch down on the touch screen;

recognizing a touch separation gesture by which the physical bodies move away from each other while touching the touch screen; and

recognizing a gesture by which the physical bodies that have moved away from each other touch up from the touch screen.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an object determined as the target to be distinguished from other objects.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein completing movement of the target comprises displaying the target in a state that is the same as the other objects.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recognizing hovering down regarding the target;

recognizing a drag on the touch screen; and

changing a page, which is to be displayed on the touch screen, and displaying the movement target on the changed page in response to the hovering down and the drag.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the target comprises:

moving a different object to an empty area created by movement of the target; and

moving the target to the empty area created by movement of the different object.

11. A method of moving an object by an electronic device having a touch screen, the method comprising:

recognizing at least two first touch inputs through the touch screen;

determining at least one target among objects displayed on the touch screen;

recognizing transitions of the at least two first touch inputs to adjacent inputs that move adjacent to each other; and

moving the at least one target in response to movements of the adjacent inputs,

wherein recognizing transitions of the at least two first touch inputs to adjacent inputs comprises recognizing a pick up gesture, by which physical bodies touch down on the touch screen, move adjacent to each other, and touch up, and

wherein the at least one target is determined based on touch points corresponding to touch downs, respectively.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising gathering objects, which have been determined as the at least one target, at a location and displaying the objects in response to the pick up gesture.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein completing movement of the at least one target comprises distributing the objects, which have been gathered at a location, and displaying the objects in response to a put down gesture by which the physical bodies touch down on the touch screen, move away from each other, and touch up, and completing movement of the at least one target in response to the put down gesture.

14. An electronic device comprising:

a display module;

a touch panel installed on a touch screen of the display module and configured to sense a user input; and

a processor configured to control the display module in response to the user input,

wherein the processor is configured to recognize at least two first touch inputs through the touch screen, recognize transitions of the at least two first touch inputs to adjacent inputs moving adjacent to each other, determine a target among objects displayed on the touch screen, and move the target in response to movements of the adjacent inputs,

wherein the target is included at least partially in a touch area corresponding to the adjacent inputs, and

wherein the processor is configured to;

move the target in response to a hovering movement gesture after recognizing a pick up gesture, and

complete movement of the target in response to a put down gesture.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, further comprising a communication module, and the processor is configured to control the communication module so as to transmit data related to the first touch inputs, the adjacent inputs, and movements of the adjacent inputs to an external device.