Electronic device and method for controlling display in electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10642437-B2
Application number	US-201916558821-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 3, 2019
Priority date	Oct 17, 2016
Publication date	May 5, 2020
Grant date	May 5, 2020

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a touchscreen, at least one processor electrically connected with the touchscreen, and a memory electrically connected with the processor. The memory may store instructions executed to enable the at least one processor to display a first window for running a first application and a second window for running a second application on the touchscreen, display a virtual keypad on a portion of the first window and a portion of the second window corresponding to a first input to a focused window of the first window and the second window, and vary a size of the virtual keypad corresponding to a second input to the virtual keypad.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a touchscreen display having a display area, and
at least one processor configured to:
display, on the touchscreen display, a first execution screen of a first application and a second execution screen of a second application side by side, wherein the first execution screen and the second execution screen together occupy an entirety of the display area of the touchscreen display,
receive a first user input for displaying a virtual keypad while the first execution screen and the second execution screen are displayed side by side and occupy the entirety of the display area of the touchscreen display, the virtual keypad including a plurality of keys respectively representing a plurality of characters, and
in response to the first user input, display together, on the touchscreen display, the virtual keypad, a part of the first execution screen, and a third execution screen of the second application smaller than the second execution screen, wherein the part of the first execution screen, the third execution screen, and the virtual keypad occupy the entirety of the display area of the touchscreen display.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first execution screen and the second execution screen are displayed in a horizontal mode.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the virtual keypad is displayed in a horizontal direction.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the virtual keypad is a single keypad.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
receive a second user input for reducing display sizes of the plurality of keys of the virtual keypad, and
in response to the second user input, display together, on the touch screen display, the plurality of keys having the reduced display sizes, the part of the first execution screen, and the third execution screen.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the second user input includes a drag gesture.

7. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the second user input is received substantially on an edge of the plurality of keys.

8. A method for controlling an electronic device, comprising:
displaying, on a touchscreen display of the electronic device, a first execution screen of a first application and a second execution screen of a second application side by side, the touchscreen display including a display area, and the first execution screen and the second execution screen together occupying an entirety of the display area of the touchscreen display;
receiving a first user input for displaying a virtual keypad while the first execution screen and the second execution screen are displayed side by side and occupy the entirety of the display area of the touchscreen display, the virtual keypad including a plurality of keys respectively representing a plurality of characters; and
in response to the first user input, displaying together, on the touchscreen display, the virtual keypad, a part of the first execution screen, and a third execution screen of the second application smaller than the second execution screen, wherein the part of the first execution screen, the third execution screen, and the virtual keypad occupy the entirety of the display area of the touchscreen display.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the virtual keypad is displayed in a horizontal direction.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the virtual keypad is a single keypad.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving a second user input for reducing display sizes of the plurality of keys of the virtual keypad; and
in response to the second user input, displaying together, on the touch screen display, the plurality of keys having the reduced display sizes, the part of the first execution screen, and the third execution screen.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second user input includes a drag gesture.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second user input is received substantially on an edge of the plurality of keys.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Sun-Young
• Ko Jeong-Won
• Kwon Joong-Hun
• Kim Chang-Hwan
• Nam Sang-Deuk
• Nam Seung-Wook
• Park Myoung-Soo
• Lee Kyung-Jun
• Lee Dong-Oh
• Jung Jun-Won
• Yang Hui-Chul
• LEE Hyun-Yeul
• Jeong Lim Soojin

Classifications

• H03K17/9622

  using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard · CPC title

• G06F2203/04806

  Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation · CPC title

• G06F3/0202

  Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device · CPC title

• G06F2203/04803

  Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas · CPC title

• H03K17/98

  having a plurality of control members, e.g. keyboard · CPC title