Menu executing method and apparatus in portable terminal

• US 9,195,389 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2011
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Young-Joo, Hong, Sun-Gi
• Primary Examiner(s): LEGGETT, ANDREA C.
• Application Number:
  US13/011,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20110202878A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,768 Days
• Field of Search: 715/825, 715/829
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• 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 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• 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

Provided is a menu execution method and apparatus in a portable terminal. The menu execution method includes displaying, on a touch screen, an item list which comprises a plurality of divided regions in each of which a corresponding item is formed, recognizing a user gesture at one of a first position and a second position, the second position being different from the first position, and executing a menu corresponding to the recognized position, in which a first menu for providing a first service related to the item formed in the divided region is preset in the first position of the divided region on the touch screen, and a second menu for providing a second service related to the item formed in the divided region is preset in the second position of the divided region on the touch screen, the first and second services being different.

Claims

1. A task execution method operable in a portable terminal, the task execution method comprising:

displaying, on a touch screen in response to user input that results in execution of a particular service function, an item list which comprises a plurality of divided regions in each of which a corresponding item of the executed service function is formed;

recognizing a user gesture at one of a first position and a second position, the second position being different from the first position in a particular divided region of the plurality of divided regions, in which the first position is located in a first sub-region and the second position is located in a second sub-region of the particular divided region and wherein the first and second sub-regions are adjacent to and associated with an item-marked region of the particular divided region; and

executing a preset executable task corresponding to the position of the recognized user'"'"'s gesture,

wherein a first executable task for providing a first service related to the item formed in the particular divided region is preset corresponding to the first position of the divided region and a second executable task for providing a second service related to the item formed in the particular divided region is preset corresponding to the second position of the particular divided region on the touch screen, the second service being different from the first service.

2. The task execution method of claim 1, wherein the item is formed between the first position and the second position.

3. The task execution method of claim 1, wherein if a user gesture with respect to the item is recognized, a menu for executing at least one service, which is related to the item and is different from the first service and the second service, is displayed.

4. The task execution method of claim 3, wherein if a user gesture with respect to the item is recognized, a window for displaying a plurality of menus, which are related to the item and are different from the first service and the second service, is formed.

5. The task execution method of claim 1, wherein the item is displayed in the form of a text or an icon which is selectable by a user input means.

6. The task execution method of claim 1, wherein the user gesture is one pointing action selected from the group consisting of:

a long press touch, a tap, and a flick.

7. The task execution method of claim 1, wherein the executable task is user selectable.

8. The task execution method of claim 1, wherein the executable task is one of a plurality of execution commands included in menu lists applicable to the item.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second sub-regions are each unmarked sub-regions, and the recognized user gesture is a user gesture that excludes any touch input on the item-marked region.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second executable tasks corresponding to the first and second positions are preset without user controlled set-up thereof.

11. The task execution method of claim 1, wherein the currently executed service function is a phone book function, and each item in the item list is a phone book contact.

12. The task execution method of claim 11, wherein the first service related to the item is a first type of communication service, and the second service related to the item is a second type of communication service.

13. The task execution method of claim 12, wherein the first type of communication service is a messaging service and the second type of communication service is a voice communication service.

14. A task execution apparatus in a portable terminal, the task execution apparatus comprising:

a touch screen; and

a controller for;

displaying, on the touch screen in response to user input that results in execution of a particular service function, an item list which comprises a plurality of divided regions in each of which a corresponding item of the executed service function is formed;

recognizing a user gesture at one of a first position and a second position in a divided region of the plurality of divided regions, the second position being different from the first position in which the first position is located in a first sub-region and the second position is located in a second sub-region of a particular divided region and wherein the first and second sub-regions are adjacent to and associated with an item-marked region of the particular divided region; and

executing an executable task corresponding to the recognized position,

wherein a first executable task for providing a first service related to the item formed in the particular divided region is preset corresponding to the first position of the divided region on the touch screen, and a second executable task for providing a second service related to the item formed in the particular divided region is preset corresponding to the second position of the divided region on the touch screen, the first and second services being different.

15. The task execution apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller comprises:

a gesture sensing unit for;

sensing the user gesture in the divided region where the item is displayed, and

identifying a region where a user gesture signal is input; and

a menu setting unit for;

displaying a menu for executing at least one service, that is related to the item and is different from the first service and the second service, if the user gesture signal sensed by the gesture sensing unit is a user gesture for the item, and

forming a window for displaying a plurality of menus which are different from the first service and the second service.

16. The task execution apparatus of claim 14, wherein the user gesture represents an action selected from the group consisting of:

a long press touch, a tap, and a flick.

17. The task execution apparatus of claim 14, wherein the executable task is one of a plurality of execution commands included in menu lists applicable to the item.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program, which when loaded into a controller causes the controller to execute the steps of:

displaying, on a touch screen in response to user input that results in execution of a particular service function, an item list which comprises a plurality of divided regions in each of which a corresponding item of the executed service function is formed;

recognizing a user gesture at one of a first position and a second position, the second position being different from the first position in a particular divided region of the plurality of divided regions in which the first position is located in a first sub-region and the second position is located in a second sub-region of the particular divided region and wherein the first and second sub-regions are adjacent to and associated with an item-marked region of the particular divided region; and

executing a preset executable task corresponding to the position of the recognized user'"'"'s gesture,

wherein a first executable task for providing a first service related to the item formed in the particular divided region is preset corresponding to the first position of the divided region and a second executable task for providing a second service related to the item formed in the particular divided region is preset corresponding to the second position of the particular divided region on the touch screen, the second service being different from the first service.

19. A task execution method operable in a portable terminal, the task execution method comprising:

displaying, on a touch screen in response to user input that results in execution of a particular service function, an item list which comprises a plurality of divided regions in each of which a plurality of divided sub-regions are formed, the sub-regions of each divided region including an item-marked region representing an item of the item list, and plural unmarked regions each adjacent to the item-marked region; and

in response to recognizing a user gesture at one of the unmarked regions of a particular divided region, executing, without further user input, a preset communication function with respect to the item of the particular divided region.

20. The task execution method of claim 19, wherein:

the currently executed service function is a phone book function, and each item in the item list is a phone book contact;

the preset communication function is a function of automatic dialing to a terminal of the phone book contact of the particular divided region; and

further comprising, in response to recognizing a user gesture at a further one of the unmarked regions of the particular divided region, executing another preset type of communication service with respect to the phone book contact of the particular divided region.

21. The task execution method of claim 20, wherein the item-marked region of the particular divided region is located between the one of the unmarked regions and the further one of the unmarked regions.

22. The task execution method of claim 20, further comprising, executing a preset executable task for a third service related to the item when the recognized user gesture is a non-directional gesture, wherein the third service is different from the first and second types of communication.

23. A task execution apparatus in a portable terminal, the task execution apparatus comprising:

a touch screen; and

a controller for;

displaying, on a touch screen in response to user input that results in execution of a particular service function, an item list which comprises a plurality of divided regions in each of which a plurality of divided sub-regions are formed, the sub-regions of each divided region including an item-marked region representing an item of the item list, and plural unmarked regions each adjacent to the item-marked region; and

in response to recognizing a user gesture at one of the unmarked regions of a particular divided region, executing, without further user input, a preset communication function with respect to the item of the particular divided region.

24. The task execution apparatus of claim 23, wherein the controller executes a preset executable task corresponding to the recognized user gesture by:

executing a first executable task for providing a first service related to the item when the recognized user gesture is a directional gesture toward a first position in a first one of the unmarked sub-regions; and

executing a second executable task for providing a second service related to the item when the recognized user gesture is a directional gesture toward a second position in a second one of the unmarked sub-regions,

wherein the second service being different from the first service.

25. The task execution apparatus of claim 24, wherein the item-marked region is formed is located between the first position and the second position of the particular divided region.

26. The task execution apparatus of claim 25, wherein the controller executes a preset executable task for a third service related to the item when the recognized user gesture is a non-directional gesture, wherein the third service is different from the first service and the second service.