Method of operating handheld electronic device and touch interface apparatus and storage medium using the same

• US 9,395,874 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2013
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, Hui-Wen, Kao, Yih-Feng, Hou, Chun-Yao, Chou, Fu-Chiang, Shih, Chin-Chung
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson, Jason
• Application Number:
  US13/957,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20130318470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156
• 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 3/0481 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• 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

A method of operating a handheld electronic device and a touch interface apparatus and a storage medium using the same are provided. In this method, an operating interface displayed on a touch screen of the handheld electronic device is used to operate a function module of the handheld electronic device. First, the function module of the handheld electronic device is activated to display a user interface corresponding to the function module on the touch screen. Next, an operating function of the function module is activated, so as to display a corresponding operating interface on the touch screen. In the meantime, the user interface of the function module is reduced simultaneously and displayed on an area of the touch screen excluding the operating interface. Accordingly, a convenient operating interface is provided for the user to operate while the content of original displayed frame remains.

Claims

1. A method of operating a handheld electronic device, the method suitable for using an operating interface displayed on a touch screen of the handheld electronic device to operate a function module of the handheld electronic device, comprising;

activating the function module of the handheld electronic device and displaying a user interface of the function module on the touch screen;

activating an operating function of the function module and displaying a first operating interface on the touch screen;

receiving a touch input comprising a slide operation on the first operating interface; and

switching the first operating interface to a second operating interface with a same size as the first operating interface and different key arrangement in response to receiving the touch input on the operating interface, wherein the first operating interface is switched to the second operating interface without switching the user interface displayed on the touch screen a first operation performed on the first operating interface is different from a second operation performed on the second operating interface, wherein the first operating interface comprises a plurality of alphabetical buttons and the second operating interface comprises a plurality of directional buttons.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first operating interface is displayed adjacent to a lower margin of the touch screen.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first key input of the first operating interface and executing an operating action corresponding to the function module.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second key input on the second operating interface; and

switching the second operating interface back to the first operating interface in response to receiving the second key input on the second operating interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein when the function module is a phone book function module, the first operating interface comprises navigation buttons and a confirmation button.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein when the function module is a music player function module, the first operating interface comprises a rewind button and a play button.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein when the function module is a text messaging function module, the first operating interface comprises one or a combination of an English alphabet keypad, a Chinese phonetic symbol keypad, a numeric keypad, a T9 keypad, and a 20 key keypad.

8. A handheld electronic device, comprising:

a touch screen, configured to display;

a user interface, displaying a frame of the function module on a touch screen of the handheld electronic device when the function module of the handheld electronic device is activated; and

a first operating interface, displayed on the touch screen to provide a user with an operating function of the function module when the operating function of the function module is activated;

wherein the first operating interface is switched to a second operating interface with a same size as the operating interface and different key arrangement when receiving a touch input comprising a slide operation on the first operating interface, wherein the first operating interface is switched to the second operating interface without switching the user interface displayed on the touch screen and a first operation performed on the first operating interface is different from a second operation performed on the second operating interface, wherein the first operating interface comprises a plurality of alphabetical buttons and the second operating interface comprises a plurality of directional buttons.

9. The handheld electronic device of claim 8, wherein the operating interface further comprises a first key input for executing an operating action corresponding to the function module.

10. The handheld electronic device of claim 8, wherein the first operating interface is displayed adjacent to a lower margin of the touch screen.

11. The handheld electronic device of claim 8, wherein the second operating interface further comprises a second key input which switches the second operating interface back to the first operating interface.

12. A non-transitory storage medium for storing a computer program, wherein the computer program comprises a plurality of program segments to be loaded into a handheld electronic device, such that the handheld electronic device is configured by the computer program to execute:

activating the function module of the handheld electronic device and displaying a user interface of the function module on a touch screen of the handheld electronic device;

activating an operating function of the function module and displaying a first operating interface on the touch screen;

receiving a touch input comprising a slide operation on the first operating interface; and

switching the first operating interface to a second operating interface with a same size as the first operating interface and different key arrangement in response to receiving the touch input on the operating interface,

wherein the first operating interface is switched to the second operating interface without switching the user interface displayed on the touch screen and a first operation performed on the first operating interface is different from a second operation performed on the second operating interface, wherein the first operating interface comprises a plurality of alphabetical buttons and the second operating interface comprises a plurality of directional buttons.

13. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 12, wherein the first operating interface is displayed adjacent to a lower margin of the touch screen.

14. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 12, wherein the computer program stored in the storage medium further configures the handheld electronic device to execute:

receiving a first key input of the first operating interface and executing an operating action corresponding to the function module.

15. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 12, wherein the computer program stored in the storage medium further configures the handheld electronic device to execute:

receiving a second key input on the second operating interface; and

switching the second operating interface back to the first operating interface in response to receiving the second key input on the second operating interface.