Method for controlling display and device using the same

• US 9,891,754 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2010
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lim, Eun Young, Park, Min Kyu, Choo, Hee Jeong, Kim, Hyun Ki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): HEGARTY, KELLY B
• Application Number:
  US12/706,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20100214322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,919 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for controlling a display and a display using the same. The method includes: detecting the approach of a user'"'"'s hand to the display unit, determining a user'"'"'s input hand shape; and displaying a display screen corresponds to the determined user'"'"'s input hand shape. Through the present invention, a user may render a higher menu list and a lower menu list to be displayed on one screen, and may control display screen shift direction and speed, merely by performing a finger extending and folding action. Further, the user may control the size of a display screen by inputting the finger extending and folding action.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an electronic device having a display unit, comprising:

storing a menu list including a plurality of hierarchical layers, each layer of the plurality of hierarchical layers comprising one or more menu list items;

detecting a hand disposed over the display unit;

detecting a count of extended fingers of the hand;

selecting a depth of the plurality of hierarchical layers based on the count of the extended fingers, the depth indicating a particular layer of the plurality of hierarchical layers; and

displaying the particular layer of the plurality of hierarchical layers,

wherein the count of the extended fingers equals the depth at which the menu list is presented after a first layer of the plurality of hierarchical layers is displayed,

wherein after the first layer is displayed, successive additions to the count of extended fingers cause display of successive additional hierarchical layers at successive depths of the plurality of hierarchical layers,

wherein display of each successive additional hierarchical layer includes reducing a display size of all hierarchical layers displayed previously, and

wherein a total number of fingers pressed on a touch screen of the display unit equals the selected depth of the plurality of the hierarchical layers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the hand over the display unit is detected based on light reflected from the hand.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting the count of the extended fingers comprises identifying an image information item based on the light.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a first change in a shape of the hand.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein detecting the first change in the shape of the hand comprises detecting a second change in an area of the hand.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the plurality of hierarchical layers comprises:

identifying a region of the display unit over which at least one of the extended fingers is positioned; and

displaying at least one of the plurality of hierarchical layers in the identified region.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of hierarchical layers includes a top layer of the menu.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning each of the plurality of hierarchical layers to a different one of the extended fingers, wherein the assigning is performed based on an order in which the extended fingers are arranged.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two of the hierarchical layers are displayed in an order indicating a hierarchical relationship between the at least two layers.

10. An electronic device comprising a display unit, a sensor unit for detecting a hand, and a control unit configured to:

store, in a memory unit, a menu list including a plurality of hierarchical layers, each layer of the plurality of hierarchical layers comprising one or more menu list items;

detect a count of extended fingers of the hand;

select a depth of the plurality of hierarchical layers based on the count of the extended fingers, the depth indicating a particular layer of the plurality of hierarchical layers; and

control the display unit to display the particular layer of the plurality of hierarchical layers,

wherein the count of the extended fingers equals the depth at which the menu list is presented after a first layer of the plurality of hierarchical layers is displayed,

wherein after the first layer is displayed, successive additions to the count of extended fingers cause display of successive additional hierarchical layers at successive depths of the plurality of hierarchical layers,

wherein display of each successive additional hierarchical layer includes reducing a display size of all hierarchical layers displayed previously, and

wherein a total number of fingers pressed on a touch screen of the display unit equals the selected depth of the plurality of the hierarchical layers.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein:

the hand over the display unit is detected based on light reflected from the hand; and

the count of the extended fingers comprises identifying an image information item based on the light.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein displaying the plurality of hierarchical layers comprises:

identifying a region of the display unit over which at least one of the extended fingers is positioned; and

displaying at least one of the plurality of hierarchical layers in the identified region.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the control unit is further configured to assign each of the plurality of hierarchical layers to a different one of the extended fingers, wherein the assigning is performed based on an order in which the extended fingers are arranged.

14. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein at least two of the hierarchical layers are displayed in an order indicating a hierarchical relationship between the at least two layers.

15. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of hierarchical layers includes a top layer of the menu.