Method for operating user interface and electronic device thereof

• US 9,632,690 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2014
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Inventors: Lin, Hsuan-Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Shrewsbury, Nathan
• Application Number:
  US14/191,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20150149954A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A method for operating a user interface and an electronic device using the method are provided. The electronic device has a touch screen that displays the user interface, and the user interface includes at least one operable object. The method includes: detecting a first touch through a sensor located on a side of the touch screen to obtain a first touch signal corresponding to the first touch; if the first touch signal continuously exists, detecting a second touch through the touch screen to obtain a second touch signal corresponding to the second touch; determining a target region on the user interface according to the first touch signal and the second touch signal; moving the at least one operable object in the target region to a specific region on the user interface at a specific speed.

Claims

1. A method for operating a user interface, the method being adapted to an electronic device having a touch screen, the touch screen displaying the user interface comprising at least one operable object, the method comprising:

detecting a first touch by a sensor located on one side of the touch screen to obtain a first touch signal corresponding to the first touch;

if the first touch signal continuously exists, detecting a second touch through the touch screen to obtain a second touch signal corresponding to the second touch, wherein the first touch signal corresponds to a first touch position, and the second touch signal corresponds to a second touch position;

obtaining a base direction according to the first touch position and the second touch position;

obtaining a target region by extending by a distance toward the base direction from the second touch position on the user interface;

determining whether the at least one operable object is located within the target region;

moving the at least one operable object in the target region to a specific region on the user interface at a specific speed if it is determined that the at least one operable object is located within the target region; and

maintaining the at least one operable object at an original location on the user interface if it is determined that the at least one operable object is not located within the target region,

wherein a distance between the at least one operable object and the second touch position before the at least one operable object is moved is greater than a distance between the at least one operable object and the second touch position after the at least one operable object is moved.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a first distance is between the first touch position and the second touch position, a second distance is between the first touch position and the target region, and the second distance is greater than the first distance.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein before the step of moving the at least one operable object in the target region to the specific region on the user interface at the specific speed, the method further comprises:

setting a region where the second touch position is located or a region surrounding the second touch position as the specific region.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first touch signal comprises a force parameter associated with a press force of the first touch, and the step of moving the at least one operable object in the target region to the specific region on the user interface at the specific speed further comprises:

adjusting at least one of the target region, the number of the at least one to-be-moved operable object in the target region, the specific speed, and the specific region according to the force parameter.

5. An electronic device comprising:

a touch screen configured to display a user interface, the user interface comprising at least one operable object;

a sensor located on one side of the touch screen; and

a processor coupled to the touch screen and the sensor,

wherein the sensor is configured to detect a first touch, and the processor is configured to obtain a first touch signal corresponding to the first touch according to the first touch detected by the sensor;

if the first touch signal continuously exists, the touch screen is configured to detect a second touch, and the processor is further configured to obtain a second touch signal corresponding to the second touch according to the second touch detected by the touch screen, wherein the first touch signal corresponds to a first touch position, and the second touch signal corresponds to a second touch position;

the processor is further configured to obtain a base direction according to the first touch position and the second touch position and obtain a target region by extending by a distance toward the base direction from the second touch position on the user interface;

the processor is further configured to determine whether the at least one operable object is located within the target region and move the at least one operable object in the target region to a specific region on the user interface at a specific speed only if it is determined that the at least one operable object is located within the target region,

wherein a distance between the at least one operable object and the second touch position before the at least one operable object is moved is greater than a distance between the at least one operable object and the second touch position after the at least one operable object is moved.

6. The electronic device as recited in claim 5, wherein a first distance is between the first touch position and the second touch position, a second distance is between the first touch position and the target region, and the second distance is greater than the first distance.

7. The electronic device as recited in claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to set a region where the second touch position is located or a region surrounding the second touch position as the specific region.

8. The electronic device as recited in claim 5, wherein the first touch signal comprises a force parameter associated with a press force of the first touch, and the processor is further configured to adjust at least one of the target region, the number of the at least one to-be-moved operable object in the target region, the specific speed, and the specific region according to the force parameter.