Method and device to search for and execute content using a touch screen

• US 9,007,311 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2009
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kwak, Ji Yeon, Kim, Hyun Jin, Park, Min Kyu
• Primary Examiner(s): Karimi, Pegeman
• Application Number:
  US12/535,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20100060599A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,079 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 715/764, 715/846, 715/862, 715/863
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/287 Visualization; Browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/907 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A method and device to search for and execute content are provided. The method of searching for and executing content includes displaying at least one content icon, and identifying, if an approach to one of the at least one content icon is detected, a content icon of a position at which the approach is detected. The method further comprises determining a classification category of a content corresponding to the identified content icon, searching for at least one related content classified in the same classification category as the content corresponding to the identified content icon, displaying the identified content icon and at least one related content icon corresponding to the at least one related content using a preset display method, and executing, if one of the at least one content icon is touched, a content corresponding to the touched content icon.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

displaying content icons;

in response to detecting an approach of a touch input means to a content icon of the displayed content icons, searching for at least one related content classified in a category related to content corresponding to the approached content icon;

moving at least one related content icon of the displayed content icons to an area within a preset distance from the approached content icon while the approach is detected, the least one related content icon corresponding to the at least one related content; and

in response to detecting a touch of the touch input means to one content icon of the moved at least one related content icon and the approached content icon, executing content corresponding to the touched one content icon.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one related content comprises content having a file format identical to or similar to the content corresponding to the approached content icon.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one related content comprises content having at least one of a content name, content generation time point, and content generation source identical to or similar to a content name, content generation time point, and content generation source of the content corresponding to the approached content icon.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one related content comprises at least one of content having a linked function to the content corresponding to the approached one content icon, content having a high use frequency in relation to a use frequency of the content corresponding to the approached content icon, and a most recently used content corresponding to the content corresponding to the approached content icon.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein when the content corresponding to the approached content icon is a picture content, the at least one related content comprises at least one of content comprising a same person image as a person image provided in the picture content corresponding to the approached content icon, content comprising a same location image as a location image provided in the picture content corresponding to the approached content icon, and content generated by the same photographing means as a photographing means of the picture content corresponding to the approached content icon.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the displayed at least one related content icon comprises dividing a display area into a plurality of divided areas and displaying, in one divided area of the divided display area, the approached content icon and the at least one related content icon.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

displaying content icons other than the approached content icon and the at least one related content icon in other divided areas apart from the one divided area,

wherein each of the other divided areas comprises content icons corresponding to contents classified in the same classification category.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the at least one related content icon corresponding to the at least one related content comprises generating the at least one related content icon.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one related content icon of the displayed content icons is moved in any direction to the area within the preset distance from the approached content icon while the approach is detected.

10. A device, comprising:

an approach detection unit to detect an approach of a touch input means;

a touch detection unit to detect a touch of the touch input means;

a display unit to display content icons and content corresponding to the content icons;

a storage unit to store the content icons and the content corresponding to the one content icons; and

a controller to;

when an approach detection signal associated with detection of the approach of the touch input means to a content icon of the displayed content icons is received from the approach detection unit, search, in the storage unit, for at least one related content classified in a category related to content corresponding to the approached content icon;

move at least one related content icon of the displayed content icons to an area within a preset distance from the approached content icon while the approach is detected, the at least one related content icon being corresponding to the at least one related content; and

when a touch detection signal associated with the touch of the touch input means to one content icon of the moved at least one related content icon and the approached content icon is received from the touch detection unit, execute content corresponding to the touched one related content icon.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to move the at least one related content icon of the displayed content icons in any direction to the area within the preset distance from the approached content icon while the approach is detected.

12. A method, comprising:

identifying, in response to detecting an approach of a touch input means to a first content icon displayed on a touch screen, an attribute of a first content corresponding to the first content icon;

searching for at least one second content having an attribute related to the attribute of the first content in response to the approach to the first content icon; and

displaying, on an area of the touch screen, at least one second content icon corresponding to the searched at least one second content;

moving the displayed at least one second content icon in any direction to an area within a preset distance from the first content icon while the approach is detected; and

in response to detecting a touch input of the touch input means to one content icon of the moved at least one second content icon and the approached first content icon, executing content corresponding to the touched one content icon.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein searching for the at least one second content comprises at least one of:

searching for a content associated with a file format corresponding to a file format associated with the first content;

searching for a content comprising a content name, content generation time point, and/or content generation source corresponding to a content name, content generation time point, and/or content generation source associated with the first content;

searching for a content comprising a linked function to the first content;

searching for a content having a high use frequency relative to a use frequency of the first content; and

searching for a most recently used or accessed content.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein moving the displayed at least one second content icon comprises:

dividing the display area into a plurality of portions and displaying the first content icon and the at least one second content icon in the same portion.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein moving the displayed at least one second content icon comprises one of:

displaying the first content icon and the at least one second content icon in one portion of the display area and other content icons in other portions of the display area;

or

displaying the first content icon and the at least one second content icon in one portion of the display area, and displaying the other content icons in the other portions of the display area, each portion of the display area corresponding to a content classification category and comprising content icons corresponding to the respective content classification categories.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein identifying, in response to the approach to the first content icon displayed on the touch screen, the attribute of the first content corresponding to the first content icon comprises:

determining if a touch input means is within a preset distance of the display area.