METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPERATING A DISPLAY UNIT OF A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20110115817A1
• Filed: 11/18/2010
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: CHUN, Jin Wook
• Granted Patent: US 8,988,459 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/629
• 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 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• 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

A method and apparatus that can display an additional display region in a display area on a display unit are provided. The method and apparatus are configured in such a way as to provide a display area and an additional display region. The display area is displayed on the display unit. The additional display region to be displayed on the display unit is virtually prepared. The additional display region is displayed on the display unit according to a detected signal output from the motion detector. The items displayed on the display area and the additional display region are associated with each other to perform a corresponding user function.

Claims

1. A method for operating a display unit of a mobile device, the method comprising:

displaying a preset display area on a display unit;

determining whether a detected signal is created while the display area is being displayed; and

displaying, if a detected signal is created, a preset additional display region on the display unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of whether a detected signal is created comprises:

detecting that the mobile device is tilted in a certain direction; and

acquiring a tilt detected signal corresponding to the tilted direction.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the displaying of the preset additional display region comprises:

displaying the preset additional display region on a certain area of the display unit, adjacent to an area that is opposite to the tilted direction or in a same direction as the tilted direction.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the displaying of the preset additional display region comprises:

overlaying and displaying the additional display region on the display area.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the displaying of the preset additional display region comprises:

moving the display area in a certain direction by a size corresponding to a certain region of the additional display region which is being displayed on the display unit; and

removing part of the display area from the display unit according to the movement of the display area.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a particular input signal via an input unit; and

setting, according to the particular input signal, a mode selected from a mode so that the additional display region is displayed on a certain area of the display area, opposite to the tilted direction, and a mode so that the additional display region is displayed on a certain area of the display area, in the same as the tilted direction.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying at least one item on the display area and the additional display region.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

selecting a particular item on the display area or the additional display region, according to a preset input signal or touch event; and

fixing a location of the selected item on the display unit.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

activating a user function corresponding to a particular item displayed on the additional display region, according to the selected item.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

removing the additional display region from the display unit according to a preset condition.

11. An apparatus for operating a display unit of a mobile device, the apparatus comprising:

a motion detector for creating a detected signal according to a motion of the mobile device;

a display unit for displaying a preset display area and for selectively displaying a preset additional display region according to a preset detected signal output from the motion detector; and

a controller for controlling the display unit to display or remove the additional display region on or from the display unit, according to the detected signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a storage unit for storing preset items that are displayed on the display area and on the additional display region.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising at least one of

a touch panel for creating a touch event to select, move, or activate one of the items on the display area and the additional display region, and

an input unit for creating an input signal to select, move, or activate one of the items on the display area and on the additional display region.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein, if a particular item is selected on the display area or on the additional display region, the controller fixes a location of the selected item on the display unit.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller comprises:

a detecting unit for receiving a detected signal output from the motion detector;

a display area managing unit for displaying the additional display region on the display unit according to the detected signal; and

a function control unit for activating, if an item on the display area and the additional display region is selected according to a user'"'"'s input, a user function corresponding to the selected item.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the display area managing unit controls areas of the display unit, on which the additional display region is displayed, according to a direction of the detected signal.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the display area managing unit removes the additional display region from the display unit and restores the display area on the display unit, according to a preset condition.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the display area managing unit performs a control operation so that the additional display region is displayed on a certain area of the display area, in a same direction as a direction of the detected signal or a direction opposite to the direction of the detected signal.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the additional display region is overlaid and displayed on the display area, or

wherein the display area is moved in a certain direction by a size corresponding to a certain region of the additional display region which is being displayed on the display unit and part of the display area is removed from the display unit according to the movement of the display area.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

an input unit for creating an input signal to set a mode selected from a mode so that the additional display region is displayed on a certain area of the display area, opposite to the tilted direction, and a mode so that the additional display region is displayed on a certain area of the display area, in a same direction as the tilted direction.