ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD FOR IMPLEMENTING USER INTERFACES

• US 20100153876A1
• Filed: 12/17/2009
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Hyun Jin, Kwak, Ji Yeon, Yoon, Soo Yeoun, Park, Yong Gook
• Granted Patent: US 9,600,139 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/800
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• 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 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• 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

An electronic device and a user interface implementing method therein are disclosed. The method includes displaying at least one content, displaying a shortcut key corresponding to the at least one content if close contact is detected, and executing a function corresponding to the at least one content if the shortcut key is selected. The shortcut key can invoke a function corresponding to the at least one content if an input tool closely approaches the at least one content in an area on the touch screen and is located within a distance from the surface of the touch screen.

Claims

1. A method for implementing user interfaces in an electronic device having a touch screen, the method comprising:

displaying a content in an area of a touch screen;

displaying, on the touch screen, a shortcut key to execute a function corresponding to the content, the shortcut key being displayed in response to detection of a close contact, the close contact being detected if an input tool is located within a distance of the area; and

executing the function corresponding to the content if the shortcut key is selected.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying a shortcut key comprises:

determining whether the detected close contact is retained for a time period.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying information corresponding to the content.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enlarging and displaying the content in response to detection of the close contact.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an execution frequency corresponding to a number of times the function corresponding to the content is executed; and

setting the shortcut key to invoke the function according to the execution frequency.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the content comprises phonebook data or a menu.

7. A device having a touch screen, comprising:

a sensing unit to detect a close contact, the close contact being detected in response to an input tool being located within a distance of an area of the touch screen;

a display unit to display the content in the area and a shortcut key associated with the content, the shortcut key being displayed in response to detection of the close contact; and

a controller to control the display unit to display the content and the shortcut key associated with the content, and to execute a function corresponding to the content in response to selection of the shortcut key.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the controller determines whether the detected close contact is retained for a time period and controls the display unit to display the shortcut key if the detected close contact is retained for the time period.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the controller controls the display unit to display information corresponding to the content.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the controller enlarges and displays the content on the display unit in response to detection of the close contact.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the controller determines an execution frequency corresponding to a number of times the function corresponding to the content is executed, and invokes the function according to the execution frequency, and wherein

a storage unit stores the execution frequency, the content, and the shortcut key.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the content comprises phonebook data or a menu.