Method and apparatus for providing a user interface

• US 9,116,601 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2011
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yang, Pil-eun, Ryu, Young-jae, Oh, Yoo-ra
• Primary Examiner(s): Shih, Haoshian
• Application Number:
  US13/026,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20110202868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,653 Days
• Field of Search: 715/733, 715/744, 715/748, 715/769, 715/810, 715/815, 715/825, 719/328, 719/329, 707/706, 707/707
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/027 Arrangements and methods specific for the display of internet documents
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing a user interface in which user interfaces related to child elements are displayed on neighboring zones of a user interface related to a parent element. In the method, a first user interface related to a parent element that is associated with a plurality of child elements is displayed on a display screen. A plurality of second user interfaces related to the plurality of child elements are then displayed on neighboring zones of the first user interface.

Claims

1. A method for providing a user interface, the method comprising:

displaying a first user interface and a plurality of second user interfaces;

receiving a keyword through the first user interface;

transmitting the keyword to at least one of a plurality of contents providers, wherein each of the plurality of contents providers corresponds to each of the plurality of second user interfaces;

receiving information related to the keyword from the at least one contents provider; and

displaying at least one indicator corresponding to the information in the first user interface and the plurality of second user interfaces,

wherein transmitting the keyword comprises;

transmitting, when the first user interface is selected, the keyword to the plurality of contents providers; and

transmitting, when one of the plurality of second user interfaces is selected, the keyword to the contents provider corresponding to the selected second user interface,

wherein each of the plurality of second user interfaces respectively displays an abstract of the information received from the corresponding at least one contents provider, wherein the abstract indicates a number of contents which are included in the information received from the corresponding at least one contents provider.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an abstract of the information through the first user interface, wherein the abstract indicates a total number of contents which are included in the information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information comprises an abstract of searched contents related to the keyword.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the abstract of the searched contents comprises an abstract of at least one of a content name, a thumbnail image, and a name of a contents provider.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is displayed considering a usage frequency of the at least one contents provider.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the first user interface and the plurality of second user interfaces comprises:

displaying the first user interface; and

displaying, when the displayed first user interface is selected, the plurality of second user interfaces on neighboring regions of the first user interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein an image related to the keyword is displayed through the first user interface.

15. The method of claim 1,

wherein displaying at least one indicator corresponding to the information comprises:

displaying, when the first user interface is selected, a first indicator corresponding to the information in the first user interface; and

displaying, when one of the plurality of second user interfaces is selected, a second indicator corresponding to the information in the selected second user interface.

8. An apparatus for providing a user interface, the apparatus comprising:

a display unit for displaying a first user interface and a plurality of second user interfaces;

a control unit for receiving a keyword through the first user interface; and

a communication unit for transmitting the keyword to at least one of a plurality of contents providers, wherein each of the plurality of contents providers corresponds to each of the plurality of second user interfaces, and receiving information related to the keyword from the at least one contents provider,

wherein the display unit further displays at least one indicator corresponding to the information in the first user interface and the plurality of second user interfaces,

wherein the communication unit transmits the keyword to the plurality of contents providers when the first user interface is selected, and transmits the keyword to one of the plurality of contents providers when the second user interface corresponding to the contents provider is selected, and

wherein each of the plurality of second user interfaces respectively displays an abstract of the information received from the corresponding at least one contents provider, wherein the abstract indicates a number of contents which are included in the information received from the corresponding at least one contents provider.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the display unit further displays an abstract of the information through the first user interface, and wherein the abstract indicates a total number of contents which are included in the information.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the information comprises an abstract of searched contents related to the keyword.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the abstract of the searched contents comprises at least one of a content name, a thumbnail image, and a name of a contents provider.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the display unit displays the information considering a usage frequency of the at least one contents provider.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the display unit displays the plurality of second user interfaces when the displayed first user interface is selected.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the display unit displays an image related to the keyword through the first user interface.

16. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the display unit displays, when the first user interface is selected, a first indicator corresponding to the information in the first user interface;

and

displays, when one of the plurality of second user interfaces is selected, a second indicator corresponding to the information in the selected second user interface.