User interface providing method for mobile terminal having touch screen

• US 20080215980A1
• Filed: 02/14/2008
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LEE, Heui Jin, OH, Kyung Ho, KIM, Jung Min, BEOCK, Jong Han
• Application Number:
  US12/070,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20080215980A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/61 wherein solid state memory is used for storing A/V content storing computer data in solid state memories G06F
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

A user interface providing method and apparatus for a mobile terminal is disclosed. A managing area and a touch action area are set on a touch screen. A desired data file in the managing area is dragged and dropped into the touch action area, thereby playing the data file. The user can play a particular data file through simple drag and drop actions. As a result, the user can use a desired function of the mobile terminal in an intuitive manner.

Claims

1. A user interface providing method for a mobile terminal having a touch screen, comprising:

displaying a data file list on the touch screen;

selecting, in response to a drag event, a data file in the data file list;

detecting events occurring to the selected data file; and

playing, when a drop event has occurred to the selected data file, the selected data file.

2. The user interface providing method of claim 1, wherein playing the selected data file comprises:

extracting coordinates of a location at which the drop event has occurred; and

playing the selected data file when the extracted coordinates belong to a touch action area.

3. The user interface providing method of claim 2, wherein playing the selected data file comprises:

preventing playing of the selected data file when the extracted coordinates do not belong to the touch action area.

4. The user interface providing method of claim 1, further comprising:

extracting coordinates of a file indicator of the selected data file when a drop event has not occurred to the selected data file; and

playing the selected data file when the extracted coordinates of the file indicator belong to a touch action area.

5. The user interface providing method of claim 4, further comprising redisplaying the file indicator at the extracted coordinates to represent movement of the selected data file when a drop event has not occurred to the selected data file.

6. The user interface providing method of claim 5, wherein the file indicator is a name or icon of the selected data file.

7. The user interface providing method of claim 1, wherein the displaying a data file list comprises:

setting a managing area and a touch action area on the touch screen; and

displaying the data file list in the managing area.

8. The user interface providing method of claim 7, wherein the managing area is used to display a list of data files and the touch action area is used to play a data file that is dragged from the managing area and is dropped into the touch action area.

9. The user interface providing method of claim 7, wherein the managing area comprises a folder zone and a file zone.

10. The user interface providing method of claim 9, wherein the folder zone is used to display a folder list and the file zone is used to display a file list subordinate to a selected folder of the folder list with expansion of the managing area.

11. The user interface providing method of claim 1, wherein the data file is one of a music file, text file, image file, and video file.

12. A user interface providing method for a mobile terminal having a touch screen, comprising:

displaying a data file list on the touch screen;

selecting, in response to a drag event, a data file in the data file list;

detecting events occurring to the selected data file; and

executing an application associated with the selected data file when a drop event has occurred to the selected data file.

13. The user interface providing method of claim 12 wherein the executing an application comprises:

extracting coordinates of a location at which the drop event has occurred;

checking the presence of an application associated with the selected data file when the extracted coordinates belong to a touch action area; and

executing, if an application associated with the selected data file is present, the application.

14. The user interface providing method of claim 13, wherein the executing an application comprises:

redisplaying the data file list when an application associated with the selected data file is not present.

15. The user interface providing method of claim 13, wherein checking the presence of an application comprises:

determining whether an application supporting a filename extension of the selected data file is present in the mobile terminal.

16. The user interface providing method of claim 13, further comprising:

extracting coordinates of a location at which the drop event has occurred; and

redisplaying the data file list when the extracted coordinates do not belong to the touch action area.

17. The user interface providing method of claim 12, further comprising:

extracting coordinates of a file indicator of the selected data file when a drop event has not occurred to the selected data file;

checking the presence of an application associated with the selected data file when the extracted coordinates belong to a touch action area; and

executing the application when an application associated with the selected data file is present.

18. The user interface providing method of claim 17, further comprising

redisplaying the file indicator at the extracted coordinates to represent movement of the selected data file when a drop event has not occurred to the selected data file.

19. The user interface providing method of claim 18, wherein the file indicator is a name or icon of the selected data file.

20. The user interface providing method of claim 12, wherein the application is one of an image viewer, music player, video player, and file viewer.

21. The user interface providing method of claim 12, wherein the displaying a data file list comprises:

setting a managing area and a touch action area on the touch screen; and

displaying the data file list in the managing area.

22. The user interface providing method of claim 21, wherein the managing area comprises a folder zone and a file zone.

23. The user interface providing method of claim 22, wherein the folder zone is used to display a folder list and the file zone is used to display a file list subordinate to a selected folder of the folder list with expansion of the managing area.

24. The user interface providing method of claim 21, wherein the managing area is used to display data files and the touch action area is used to play a data file that is dragged and dropped into the touch action area.

25. An apparatus for controlling the operation of a mobile terminal having a touch screen, comprising:

a processor in communication with a memory, the memory including software instruction which when accessed by the processor causes the processor to execute the steps of;

displaying a data file list on the touch screen;

selecting, in response to a drag event, a data file in the data file list;

detecting events occurring to the selected data file; and

executing the selected data file when a drop event has occurred.