METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERIPHERAL CONNECTION

• US 20130132880A1
• Filed: 11/16/2012
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Chun, Young-Soo
• Granted Patent: US 9,389,772 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/771
• 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 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• 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: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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

Attaching a peripheral device to a portable terminal includes determining one or more application programs operating in connection with an attached peripheral device, displaying a depiction of a plug of the attached peripheral device and the one or more application programs on a screen of the portable terminal, and, when a user drags the displayed depiction of a plug to select one of the one or more application programs, executing the selected application program.

Claims

1. A method of an electronic device for attaching a peripheral device, the method comprising:

determining one or more application programs operating in the electronic device in connection with an attached peripheral device;

displaying a depiction of a plug of the attached peripheral device and the one or more application programs on a screen of the electronic device; and

when a user drags the depiction of the plug to select one of the one or more application programs, executing the selected application program in the electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a type of the attached peripheral device before determining the one or more application programs operating in connection with the attached peripheral device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining an attachment of the peripheral device through a general-purpose input/output (GPIO) interface, when determining the type of the attached peripheral device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying movement of the depiction of the plug toward the selected application program on the screen of the electronic device when the user drags the plug to select one of the one or more application programs.

5. An apparatus operating with a peripheral device attached thereto, the apparatus comprising:

a peripheral device connecting unit configured to connect a peripheral device to a user device; and

a connection managing unit configured to determine one or more application programs operating in connection with an attached peripheral device, to display a depiction of a plug of the attached peripheral device and the one or more application programs on a screen of the user device, and to execute, when a user drags the depiction of the plug to select one of the one or more application programs, the selected application program.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the connection managing, unit is configured to determine a type of the attached peripheral device before determining the one or more application programs operating in connection with the attached peripheral device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the connection managing unit is configured to determine an attachment of the peripheral device through a general-purpose input/output (GPIO) interface of the peripheral device connecting unit, when determining the type of the attached peripheral device.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the connection managing unit is configured to display movement of the depiction of the plug toward the selected application program when the user drags the depiction of the plug to select one of the one or more application programs.

9. A method of an electronic device for detaching a peripheral device, the method comprising:

displaying, on a screen of the electronic device, one or more application programs including an application program to be closed and operating in connection with an attached peripheral device;

displaying on the screen of the electronic device a depiction of a plug of the attached peripheral device operating in connection with the application program to be closed; and

closing execution on the electronic device of the application program to be closed, when a user drags the depiction of the plug to separate the depiction of the plug from the application program to be closed.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising selecting the application program to be closed before displaying the one or more application programs including the application program to be closed and operating in connection with the attached peripheral device.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising detecting a detachment of the attached peripheral device.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying movement of the depiction of the plug away from the application program to be closed when the user drags the depiction of the plug to separate the depiction of the plug from the application program to be closed.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein further comprising executing, when the user drags the depiction of the plug to select an other one of the one or more application programs, the other selected application program.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying movement of the depiction of the plug toward the other selected application program when the user drags the depiction of the plug to select the other one of the one or more application programs.

15. An apparatus operating with a peripheral device detached therefrom, the apparatus comprising:

a peripheral device connecting unit configured to a peripheral device to a user device; and

a connection managing unit configured to display one or more application programs including an application program to be closed and operating in connection with an attached peripheral device, to display a depiction of a plug of the attached peripheral device operating in connection with the application program to be closed, and to close execution of the application program to be closed when a user drags the plug to separate the plug from the application program to be closed.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the connection managing unit is configured to select the application program to be closed before displaying the one or more application programs including the application program to be closed and operating in connection with the attached peripheral device.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the connection managing unit is configured to detect detachment of the attached peripheral device.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the connection managing unit is configured to display movement of the depiction of the plug away the application program to be closed when the user drags the depiction of the plug to separate the plug from the application program to be closed.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the connection managing unit is configured to execute, when the user drags the depiction of the plug to select an other one of the one or more application programs, the selected other application program.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the connection managing unit is configured to display movement of the depiction of the plug toward the selected other application program when the user drags the depiction of the plug to select the other one of the one or more application programs.