Terminal and method for setting menu environments in the terminal

• US 10,712,907 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2016
• Issued: 07/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ha, Young-Hee
• Primary Examiner(s): Blaufeld, Justin R.
• Application Number:
  US15/172,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20160283059A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,502 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 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

An apparatus and method for setting a menu environment in a mobile terminal are provided. The apparatus includes a controller for switching to an environment setting mode of a menu according to a type of a gesture having occurred on the menu.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a touch sensor;

a display;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing computer program instructions configured, if executed by the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to;

detect a touch input at a portion of the display corresponding to a displayed icon;

identify the touch input as a first input gesture based on a time duration of the touch input;

identify the touch input as a second input gesture based on a pressure value of the touch input;

execute an application corresponding to the displayed icon if the touch input is identified as the first input gesture;

display a pop-up window including a menu having at least one configurable setting associated with the application if the touch input is identified as the second input gesture; and

in response to another touch input being identified, at a portion of the display corresponding to the displayed icon, as the first input gesture while displaying the pop-up window, execute the application corresponding to the displayed icon.

2. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the computer program instructions are further configured, if executed by the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

determine a type of gesture associated with the first input gesture, and

wherein the application is executed if the first input gesture is a short touch gesture.

3. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the displayed icon is displayed in a first mode, and

wherein the computer program instructions are further configured, if executed by the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

determine a type of gesture associated with the first input gesture, and

display the displayed icon in a second mode if the first input gesture is determined to be a long touch gesture.

4. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the computer program instructions are further configured, if executed by the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

initiate a timer if the touch input is identified as the first input gesture, and

determine whether the first input gesture is maintained for a first time duration based on the timer, and

wherein the application is executed if the first input gesture is maintained for the first time duration.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the computer program instructions are further configured, if executed by the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

determine whether the first input gesture is maintained for a second time duration based on the timer, and

perform a function associated with the displayed icon if the first input gesture is maintained for the second time duration.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a pressure sensor,

wherein the computer program instructions are further configured, if executed by the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to determine the pressure value of the second input gesture based on a signal generated by the pressure sensor.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first input gesture is identified based on a signal generated by the touch sensor.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a touch sensor;

a display;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing computer program instructions configured, if executed by the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to;

display an icon corresponding to an application on the display;

detect a first input corresponding to a short touch at a portion of the display corresponding to the displayed icon;

detect a second input corresponding to a pressure touch at the portion of the display corresponding to the displayed icon;

execute the application corresponding to the displayed icon if the first input is detected;

display a pop-up window including a menu having at least one configurable setting associated with the application if the second input is detected; and

in response to another input corresponding to the short touch being detected at a portion of the display corresponding to the displayed icon, while displaying the pop-up window, execute the application corresponding to the displayed icon,

wherein the second input is associated with a touch pressure value greater than a touch pressure value associated with the first input.

9. The apparatus of claim 8,

wherein the displayed icon is initially displayed in a first mode in which a setting with respect to a user interface is not supported, and

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

based at least in part on a determination that the signal indicative of the user input corresponds to a long touch, display the user interface in a second mode in which the setting with respect to the user interface is supported.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the menu is displayed as part of the pop-up window.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the application is configured to control the a network interface.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a touch sensor;

a display;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing computer program instructions configured, if executed by the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to;

display an icon corresponding to an application on the display;

detect a touch input at a portion of the display corresponding to the displayed icon;

execute a first function associated with the displayed icon if the touch input corresponds to a short touch;

execute a second function associated with the displayed icon if the touch input corresponds to a long touch;

execute a third function associated with the displayed icon if the touch input corresponds to a pressure touch; and

in response to another touch input corresponding to the short touch being detected at a portion of the display corresponding to the displayed icon while executing the third function, execute the first function associated with the displayed icon,

wherein the pressure touch is associated with a touch pressure value greater than a touch pressure value associated with the short touch or the long touch.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a pressure sensor separate from the touch sensor,

wherein the pressure sensor is configured to measure a pressure associated with the touch input.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the executing of the first function includes at least executing the application.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the computer program instructions are further configured, if executed by the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

display, as at least part of the executing of the second function, a user interface in a setting mode in which at least one setting with respect to the user interface can be modified.

16. The apparatus of claim 12,

wherein the computer program instructions are further configured, if executed by the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

display, as at least part of the executing of the third function, a menu associated with the application, and

wherein the menu includes at least one setting of the application.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the menu is displayed as at least part of a pop-up window.