Method and apparatus for controlling touch screen using timeline bar, recording medium with program for the same recorded therein, and user terminal having the same

• US 9,122,388 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2011
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hwang, Sung-Jae
• Primary Examiner(s): BAUTISTA, XIOMARA L
• Application Number:
  US13/324,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20120151401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• Field of Search: 715/764, 715/765, 715/771, 715/784, 715/786, 715/800, 715/810, 715/833, 715/835, 715/863, 715/864, 345/169, 345/173, 345/660, 345/661
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Abstract

A method for controlling a touch screen using a timeline bar is provided. The method includes detecting a first dragging that starts from a bar on a timeline, zooming in the timeline according to a distance between the timeline and a final touch point of the first dragging, and shifting the bar on the zoomed-in timeline by a second dragging. Thus, it is possible to more precisely control the content even on a small touch screen just like on a large touch screen. In addition, the timeline blockage caused by the finger tip may be prevented, so the user may control the content more intuitively in the desired level.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a touch screen using a timeline bar, the method comprising:

detecting a first dragging that starts from a bar on a timeline;

zooming in the timeline according to a distance between the timeline and a final touch point of the first dragging; and

shifting the bar on the zoomed-in timeline by a second dragging.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the timeline is zoomed-in in proportion to the distance.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first dragging is a multi-touch dragging in which an area of the timeline is detected as a touch point.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein if a distance between two touch points is decreased by the multi-touch dragging, the timeline is zoomed-out.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first dragging and the second dragging are performed consecutively.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first dragging is performed in a first direction of the touch screen, and the second dragging is performed in a second direction of the touch screen, the first direction being substantially orthogonal to the second direction.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the final touch point of the first dragging is determined when the distance between the timeline and the touch point remains unchanged for a predetermined time or more.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising restoring the zoomed-in timeline to an initial form thereof if the touch is released after the second dragging.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a content frame in a position corresponding to a position of the bar shifted by the second dragging is displayed on the touch screen.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first dragging and the second dragging are dragging gestures by a user'"'"'s finger tip.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein identification markers are displayed on the timeline at regular intervals.

12. A non-transient, computer-readable recording medium in which a program command for implementing the method as set forth in claim 1 is recorded.

13. A mobile device comprising a touch screen and a control apparatus for controlling the touch screen using a timeline bar,

wherein the control apparatus is implemented using computer-readable code stored in a non-transient, computer-readable recording medium, and includes a timeline bar generator configured to generate a timeline and a bar on the touch screen, a touch detector configured to detect a length of a first dragging that starts from the generated timeline, and a controller configured to zoom in the timeline according to the dragging length detected by the touch detector.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the controller zooms in the timeline according to a distance between the timeline and a touch point, if the distance between the timeline and the touch point remains substantially unchanged for a predetermined time.

15. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the controller shifts the bar displayed on the touch screen depending on a touch point of a second dragging that is performed after the timeline is zoomed-in.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, further comprising a display configured to display a content frame corresponding to a position of the shifted bar.

17. A non-transient recording medium in which a program command for driving the mobile device as set forth in claim 13 is recorded.