User interfacing method and electronic device for performing the same

• US 10,627,926 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2017
• Issued: 04/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Han, Sang Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Pardo, Thuy N
• Application Number:
  US15/423,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20170220137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 345156, 345173, 345174, 345175, 345184
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/001 Electromechanical switches for setting or display in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/00 Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/08 Touch switches specially adapted for time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path

Abstract

Disclosed is an electronic device including a rotation member that rotates in a first direction or a second direction, a memory configured to store a specific rotation pattern, and a controller configured to, if a rotation pattern of the rotation member between the first direction and the second direction matches with the specific rotation pattern, perform a functional operation corresponding to the specific rotation pattern.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a rotation member configured to rotate in a first direction and a second direction;

a memory configured to store a specific direction switching pattern; and

a controller configured to;

receive a direction switching pattern of alternating at least one rotation in the first direction and at least one rotation in a second direction from the rotation member,

determine, after the direction switching pattern is completed, whether the direction switching pattern of the rotation member switching between the first direction and the second direction matches with the specific direction switching pattern, and

perform a functional operation corresponding to the specific direction switching pattern, wherein the specific direction switching pattern is set based on a number of switching rotational directions between the first direction and the second direction for a specific time period.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the rotation member is structured with a ring shape surrounding a periphery of the electronic device and is rotatable about a center of a surface of the electronic device.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the rotation member provides discrete haptic responses at a specific rotation angle range during rotation thereof.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to further perform a functional operation corresponding to rotation of the rotation member in the first direction or a functional operation corresponding to rotation of the rotation member in the second direction.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the functional operation corresponding to the specific direction switching pattern depends on an application being executable by the electronic device.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein if the direction switching pattern of the rotation member matches with the specific direction switching pattern, the controller is configured to perform a functional operation related to playback of a multimedia content.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the functional operation related to the playback of the multimedia content comprises at least one of playback and stop of the multimedia content, playback of a next multimedia content, playback of a previous multimedia content, setting of a shuffle playback mode, release of the shuffle playback mode, setting of a repeated playback mode, or release of the repeated playback mode.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a display configured to output a content,

wherein if the direction switching pattern of the rotation member matches with the specific direction switching pattern, the controller is configured to perform a functional operation for changing an output magnification of the content.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication circuit configured to communicate with an external device by using a specific protocol,

wherein, if the direction switching pattern of the rotation member matches with the specific direction switching pattern, the controller is configured to transmit a specific message to the external device through the communication circuit.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the external device that receives the specific message is designated in advance, and the specific message comprises at least one of a specific text or a specific image.

11. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the external device that receives the specific message is connected to the electronic device through short range communication, and the specific message comprises an instruction on a functional operation of the external device.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the number of switching rotational directions is more than twice, and

switching rotational direction means either;

rotating clockwise and switch rotating to counterclockwise;

or

rotating counterclockwise and switch rotating to clockwise.

13. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a circular display exposed to one surface of the housing;

a wheel structure arranged on the one surface of the housing, surrounding the circular display, and being rotatable in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction;

a sensor configured to detect rotation of the wheel structure;

a processor arranged within the housing and electrically connected to the circular display and the sensor; and

a memory electrically connected to the processor,

wherein the memory stores instructions, when executed, cause the processor to;

display a first screen on the circular display;

monitor rotation of the wheel structure by using the sensor;

receive a direction switching pattern of alternating at least one rotation in the first direction and at least one rotation in a second direction from the wheel structure;

determine, after the direction switching pattern is completed, whether the direction switching pattern of the wheel structure switching between the first direction and the second direction matches with a specific direction switching pattern stored in the memory, wherein the specific direction switching pattern is set based on a number of switching rotational directions between the first direction and the second direction for a specific time period based on the monitored rotation of the wheel structure; and

modify at least a portion of the first screen to display the modified portion of the first screen on the circular display or perform a specific function of the electronic device corresponding to the specific direction switching pattern.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

monitor a rotational direction or a rotation distance of the wheel structure, by using the sensor.

15. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the sensor comprises an optical sensor or a magnetic sensor.

16. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

determine whether the wheel structure performs a first rotation in the first direction by at least a first rotation distance and performs a second rotation in the second direction by at least second rotation distance immediately after the first rotation for the specific time period.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

determine whether the wheel structure performs a third rotation in the first direction by at least a third rotation distance, immediately after the second rotation, and performs a fourth rotation in the second direction by at least a fourth rotation distance immediately after the third rotation for the specific time period.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the third rotation distance corresponds to the first rotation distance and the fourth rotation distance corresponds to the second rotation distance.

19. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

when the processor determines that one of the first to fourth rotations or a combination of two or more thereof is performed, perform at least one corresponding function of a plurality of functions of the electronic device.

20. The electronic device of claim 13, further comprising:

a sound interface,

wherein the instructions further cause the processor to modify a sound signal provided to the sound interface corresponding to the specific direction switching pattern.