Method and apparatus for moving items using touchscreen

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9626071-B2
Application number	US-201213548490-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2012
Priority date	Jul 19, 2011
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

A method for moving or copying displayed items in response to at least one touch event on a touch screen is provided. The method comprises: detecting a user selection of one or more items; displaying an object corresponding to the one or more selected items at a predetermined location; moving the object to a point selected by the user; and moving the selected one or more items in association with the object. The object can be a convergence of a first object depicting a number representing a numerical count of the selected items, and a object visually representing the items.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for moving or copying displayed items on a touch screen, the method comprising:
in response to one touch event:
(i) detecting selection of a plurality of items for a subsequent action;
(ii) visually distinguishing each of the plurality of selected items;
(iii) performing a thumbnail display event by generating and displaying a plurality of thumbnails representing the plurality of selected items, in which each one of the plurality of thumbnails corresponds to one of the plurality of selected items; and
(iv) displaying an object comprising a convergence of the displayed thumbnails;
detecting a selection of the object after the object is displayed;
moving the object from a first location to a second location after the object is selected; and
moving or copying to the second location the plurality of selected items associated with the object when the object is moved and upon displaying the plurality of selected items in the second location, ending display of the object.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the object includes a number indicating a numerical count of the plurality of selected items.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the object is moved based on a drag starting at the first location and ending at the second location.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
detecting a drop event of the object at the second location; and
wherein the moving or copying of the plurality of selected items occurs at the second location responsive to the detecting of the drop event.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of selected items are dropped into a folder located at the second location.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein an input for the selection of the plurality of items is responsive to a first touch contact at one or more locations of the plurality of items, and the moving of the object to the second location is responsive to a second touch contact following a release of the first touch contact, and
displaying another object at a same time that the object comprising the convergence of the thumbnails is displayed.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the moving or copying of the plurality of selected items occurs at a folder located at the second location.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein:
each one of the plurality of selected items is associated with a different icon; and
the object includes a graphical representation of a stack of icons in which a portion of the icon of each of the plurality of selected items is visible.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying multiple folders in a folder area and displaying a plurality of items, which belong to one of the folders, in an item area, wherein the second location is in the folder area.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting a selection of an additional item after the object is displayed; and
updating the object based on the selection of the additional item.

11. An apparatus for moving or copying displayed items, the apparatus comprising:
a display unit configured to display items;
a touch screen; and
a controller configured to in response to one touch event:
detect selection of a plurality of the items for a subsequent action;
visually distinguish each of the plurality of selected items;
perform a thumbnail display event generates and displays a plurality of thumbnails representing the plurality of selected items, in which each one of the plurality of thumbnails corresponds to one of the plurality of selected items;
display, via the display unit, an object comprising a convergence of the displayed plurality of thumbnails in response to a touch event;
detect, via the touch screen, a selection of the object after the object is displayed;
move the object from a first location to a second location after the object is selected; and
move or copy to the second location the plurality of selected items associated with the object when the object is moved and upon displaying the selected plurality of items in the second location, end a display of the object.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the apparatus includes a portable communication terminal, and the controller is further configured to display another object at a same time that the object comprising the convergence of the displayed plurality of thumbnails is displayed.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the object includes a number indicating a numerical count of the plurality of selected items.

14. A non-transitory recording medium storing code which when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform a process for moving or copying displayed items on a touch screen, the process comprising:
in response to one touch event:
(i) detecting selection of a plurality of items for a subsequent action;
(ii) visually distinguishing each of the plurality of selected items;
(iii) performing a thumbnail display event by generating and displaying a plurality of thumbnails representing the plurality of selected items, in which each one of the plurality of thumbnails corresponds to one of the plurality of selected items; and
(iv) displaying an object comprising a convergence of the displayed icons
detecting a selection of the object after the object is displayed;
moving the object from a first location to a second location after the object is selected; and
moving or copying to the second location the plurality of selected items when the object is moved and upon displaying the plurality of selected items in the second location, ending a display of the object.

15. The non-transitory recording medium of claim 14 , wherein the processor and the touch screen are part of a portable terminal.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of thumbnails comprise icons, and each of the plurality of selected items is associated with a different respective icon and the object includes an image of a stack of icons in which each respective icon of the plurality of selected items is at least partially visible.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of thumbnails comprise icons, and each of the plurality of selected items is associated with a different respective icon and the object includes an image of a stack of icons in which each respective icon of the plurality of selected items is at least partially visible.

18. The non-transitory recording medium of claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of selected items is associated with a different respective icon and the object includes an image of a stack of icons in which each respective icon of the plurality of selected items is at least partially visible.

Assignees

• Lee Jae Myoung
• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Jae Myoung

Classifications

• G06F3/04886

  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 · CPC title

• G06F3/0486

  Drag-and-drop · CPC title

• G06F3/04817 Primary

  using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) · CPC title

• G06F3/04883

  for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title