Onscreen function execution method for mobile terminal having a touchscreen

• US 9,041,681 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2008
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lim, Wan Soo, Kim, Hyo Young, Lim, Dok Shin, Lim, Kyoung Ae, Kim, Min Suk, Shin, Young Sun, Jeon, Hee Kyung
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US12/014,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20080192021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,689 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-185, 178 1801- 1809, 178 1901- 1906
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• 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 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• 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: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals

Abstract

An onscreen function execution method for a mobile terminal having a touchscreen is provided. The method allows for executing functions of an activated application by a tap on a specific area of the touchscreen. An onscreen function execution method of the present invention includes mapping active regions of the touchscreen to functions of at least one application, displaying an application screen in response to an application activation command and executing, if a tap is detected on one of the active regions, a function mapped to the application activation command. The active regions may include a function execution display region and the applications may comprise a camera application, a music player application, an idle mode screen application and the like. The method allows a user to execute functions of an activated application by tap on the touchscreen.

Claims

1. A method for capturing an image using a mobile terminal having a touchscreen, the method comprising:

activating a camera application in response to a user activation command;

displaying a preview image on the touchscreen;

receiving a touch input to a region of the touchscreen on which the preview image is displayed; and

in response to the touch input to the region of the touchscreen on which the preview image is displayed,

adjusting a focus so that a displayed preview image becomes focused, and

capturing an image according to the adjusted focus.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

saving the image that is captured.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the image that is captured.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the displaying of the image that is captured comprises:

displaying the image that is captured on at least part of the region of the touchscreen on which the preview image was displayed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the region of the touchscreen on which the preview image is displayed corresponds to a viewfinder region.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

displaying a viewfinder bracket in the viewfinder region.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the displaying of the viewfinder bracket comprises:

displaying the viewfinder bracket so as to be overlaid with the preview image.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

in response to the focus being adjusted, changing a color of the viewfinder bracket.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

in response to the capturing of the image according to the adjusted focus, changing a color of the viewfinder bracket.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying one or more of a function icon and a menu bar on the touchscreen.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the touch input to the region of the touchscreen on which the preview image is displayed for the adjusting of the focus and the capturing of the image corresponds to a touch input to a region other than one or more regions at which one or more of a function icon and a menu bar is displayed.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch input is a tap gesture.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the capturing of the image occurs after adjustment of the focus is complete.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the capturing of the image occurs a preset period of time after a point in time when the adjusting of the focus is started.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting of the focus occurs for a preset period of time.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform the method of claim 1.

17. A mobile terminal for capturing an image, the mobile terminal comprising:

a control unit configured to activate a camera application in response to a user activation command, to display a preview image on a touchscreen, to receive a touch input to a region of the touchscreen on which the preview image is displayed, and, in response to receiving the touch input to the region of the touchscreen on which the preview image is displayed, to adjust a focus so that a displayed preview image becomes focused and to capture an image according to the adjusted focus; and

the touchscreen.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17, further comprising:

a storage unit,

wherein the control unit is further configured to save the image that is captured.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the control unit is further configured to display the image that is captured.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the control unit is further configured to display the image that is captured on at least part of the region of the touchscreen on which the preview image was displayed.

21. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the region of the touchscreen on which the preview image is displayed corresponds to a viewfinder region.

22. The mobile terminal of claim 21, wherein the control unit is further configured to display a viewfinder bracket in the viewfinder region.

23. The mobile terminal of claim 22, wherein the control unit is further configured to display the viewfinder bracket so as to be overlaid with the preview image.

24. The mobile terminal of claim 23, wherein the control unit is further configured to change a color of the viewfinder bracket in response to the focus being adjusted.

25. The mobile terminal of claim 23, wherein the control unit is further configured to change a color of the viewfinder bracket in response to the capturing of the image according to the adjusted focus.

26. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the control unit is further configured to display one or more of a function icon and a menu bar on the touchscreen.

27. The mobile terminal of claim 26, wherein the touch input to the region of the touchscreen on which the preview image is displayed for the adjusting of the focus and the capturing of the image corresponds to a touch input to a region other than one or more regions at which one or more of a function icon and a menu bar is displayed.

28. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the touch input is a tap gesture.

29. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the control unit is further configured to capture the image after adjustment of the focus is complete.

30. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the control unit is further configured to capture the image a preset period of time after a point in time when the adjusting of the focus is started.

31. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the control unit is further configured to adjust the focus for a preset period of time.