Abstract:
An operating method and device for showing dynamic wallpapers in mobile systems are provided. In one aspect, the disclosed method includes the steps of: displaying a selected video as the dynamic wallpaper; shrinking the display region of the dynamic wallpaper if a user inputs a shrinking command; and expanding the display region of the dynamic wallpaper if a user inputs an expanding command. In another aspect, the disclosed method includes the steps of creating a new display window for new video playback, wherein the dynamic wallpaper is paused when the new video is under a playback operation. A user may control the dynamic wallpaper and the new display window playing the new video to be shrunk, expanded, and/or moved by touching a screen with different gestures.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This Application claims priority of China Patent Application No. 201210213818.2, filed on Jun. 25, 2012, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a wallpaper shown on an electronic device, and more particularly, to a dynamic wallpaper displaying method for a mobile system. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Mobile phones, tablet PCs and other mobile systems have been widely used in our daily lives and works. Since these systems have the characteristics of being thin, light and low power consumption, the ability for information processing is not as good as a desktop computer or other powerful systems, and many functions may be discarded. For example, the mobile systems can play video or other multimedia files on their screen, but the mobile systems can only play still images as wallpapers. That is, dynamic wallpapers cannot be implemented on mobile systems by means of video playbacks. 
         [0006]    Therefore, it is desirable for a mobile system with limited hardware resources to play video as dynamic wallpapers. The dynamic wallpaper provides users with rich and colorful visual effects when using the mobile systems. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In one embodiment, a dynamic wallpaper displaying method for a mobile system is provided. The method comprises the steps of: selecting a video by a user; and playing the video as a dynamic wallpaper of the mobile system, wherein audio associated with the video is muted when the selected video is played as the dynamic wallpaper. 
         [0008]    In the above embodiment, the dynamic wallpaper is displayed in full screen. 
         [0009]    In the above embodiment, the method comprises a step of shrinking a display region of the dynamic wallpaper when the user inputs a shrinking command; and expanding the display region of the dynamic wallpaper when the user inputs an expanding command. 
         [0010]    In another embodiments, a mobile system that is capable of playing a video serving as dynamic wallpaper is provided. The mobile system comprises: a screen; a non-volatile memory, storing control codes of the mobile system; a microprocessor, operating the control codes to execute the steps of: playing a video selected by a user for playback as a dynamic wallpaper on the screen of the mobile system; and muting audio associated with the selected video when the selected video is played as the dynamic wallpaper. 
         [0011]    In the above embodiment, the dynamic wallpaper is displayed in full screen. 
         [0012]    In the above embodiment, the microprocessor operates the control codes to shrink a display region of the dynamic wallpaper when the user inputs a shrinking command; and to expand the display region of the dynamic wallpaper when the user inputs an expanding command. 
         [0013]    In the above embodiment, the microprocessor operates the control codes to create a new display window for playing a new video and the video of the dynamic wallpaper has been paused when the new video is played. 
         [0014]    In the above embodiment, the microprocessor operates the control codes to shrink, expand or move the new display window. 
         [0015]    In the above embodiment, the method further comprises a method for displaying a new video when the dynamic wallpaper is displayed, the method comprising the steps of: pausing video playback of the dynamic wallpaper; showing a notification message to inform a user that video playback of the dynamic wallpaper has been paused; and playing a selected video in a new display window, wherein the new display window is displayed on the dynamic wallpaper. 
         [0016]    In the above embodiment, the dynamic wallpaper is displayed in full screen. 
         [0017]    In the above embodiment, the method comprises a step of shrinking a display region of the dynamic wallpaper when the user inputs a shrinking command; and expanding the display region of the dynamic wallpaper when the user inputs an expanding command. 
         [0018]    In the above embodiment, the method comprises a step of shrinking the new display window when the user inputs a shrinking command; and expanding the new display region window when the user inputs an expanding command. 
         [0019]    A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]    The present invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0021]      FIG. 1A  shows a exemplary diagram of a dynamic wallpaper on a mobile system according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 1B  shows the variations of the dynamic wallpaper  100  after a period of time. 
           [0023]      FIG. 2A  depicts a schematic diagram showing a new display window created for displaying another video when the dynamic wallpaper is activated. 
           [0024]      FIG. 2B  depicts a schematic diagram showing an expanded window of  FIG. 2A . 
           [0025]      FIG. 2C  is a schematic diagram showing how to modify the situation when the right side of the expanded window exceeds the right margin of the screen. 
           [0026]      FIG. 2D  depicts a schematic diagram showing a user moves the window when the dynamic wallpaper is activated. 
           [0027]      FIG. 3A  depicts a shrinking operation of the dynamic wallpaper. 
           [0028]      FIG. 3B  shows a diagram of shrunk dynamic wallpaper. 
           [0029]      FIG. 3C  depicts a schematic diagram where the user expands the new display window via a gesture. 
           [0030]      FIG. 3D  shows a diagram of the new display window of  FIG. 3C  after expansion 
           [0031]      FIG. 3E  shows a diagram of the new display window of  FIG. 3D  after horizontal expansion. 
           [0032]      FIG. 4  shows a functional block diagram of the mobile system according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0033]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  show a flowchart of an operation method of the dynamic wallpaper according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0034]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  show a flow chart for creating a new display window to play another video when the dynamic wallpaper is activated according to an embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0035]    The following descriptions show embodiments of carrying out the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims. 
         [0036]    Please refer to  FIG. 1A , which shows an exemplary diagram of a dynamic wallpaper displayed on a mobile system according to an embodiment of the invention. The dynamic wallpaper  100  displays a window  102 A displaying a video.  FIG. 1B  shows the variations of the dynamic wallpaper  100  after a period of time. For example, compared with the windows  102 A, the car in the window  102 B moves to right a lot, and the cloud in the window  102 A moves left a little bit. Notably, the video played in  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B  may be input to the mobile system via the user or may be a default video stored by the manufacture inside the mobile system. To a person having ordinary skills in the art, a graphic user interface instructing the user to input video or audio files may be designed for the conventional mobile systems. Furthermore, the input video/audio files may be recorded by video recorders or mobile devices. In other embodiments, the video/audio files are received from other storage devices, such as a USB card, or SD card. In one embodiment, those skilled in the art may design an interface for a user to select video/audio files from the mobile devices, wherein the selected one is used for the dynamic wallpaper playback. 
         [0037]    In one embodiment, when the function of the dynamic wallpaper  100  is activated, the mobile system may play the video but muting associated audio to save power and prevent the user from being affected by the audio playback when executing other operations. Furthermore, in another embodiment, the mobile system allows the user to play the audio associated with the video as the dynamic wallpaper playing currently. In yet another embodiment, the video information may be retrieved from video files with any format, such as an AVI, MPEG, MOV, ASF, or RM format or the like. In fact, any video file that may be recognized by the mobile system is able to be applied to the invention. In one embodiment, if the resolution of the video file is higher than the resolution of the screen of the mobile system, the video file is played with the highest resolution of the mobile system. 
         [0038]    Please refer to  FIG. 2A , which depicts an exemplary diagram showing a window created for displaying another new video when the dynamic wallpaper function is executing. In  FIG. 2A , the newly created window plays video in the window  202 A. Since the hardware resources of the mobile system are limited, the window  102 B pauses video playback, i.e., the screen of the window  102 B is paused when the window  202 A plays new video. Thus, hardware resources, such as a CODEC, are all bound to play the new video shown in the window  202 A, and currently frozen window  102 B does not cause user&#39;s vision in clutter. Furthermore, in order to notify the user that the window  102 B playing the dynamic wallpaper has been paused now, an indication message “PAUSE”  208  may be shown on the screen of the mobile phone system. Once the user closes the window  202 A, the indication message  208  may be withdrawn. Although the embodiment is illustrated with the message “PAUSE”, those skilled in the art may use any word, graphics term or message to replace the message  208  to inform the user that the dynamic wallpaper  100  has been paused. Of course, the dynamic wallpaper may be directly paused without showing any notification message. Any ordinary person having skills in the art may vary or modify the disclosed embodiments as requirements of his/her practical applications. 
         [0039]      FIG. 2A  depicts a schematic diagram showing a new display window created for displaying another new video when the dynamic wallpaper function has been activated. Since the screen size of the mobile system is not large enough, the user may expand the window  202 A when the window  202 A is too small for viewing. In  FIG. 2A , the user may use two fingers to touch the screen at the positions  204 A and  204 B and then his/her fingers may move outwardly to form an expanding gesture, wherein the screen displays frozen dynamic wallpaper  100  now. For example, the expanding gesture is formed when one finger is moved from the position  204 A to the position  204 C along the direction shown by arrow  206 A and another finger is moved from the position  204 B to the position  204 D along the direction shown by arrow  206 B. The screen of the mobile system detects two fingers&#39; movements and calculates coordinates before movements, i.e., the coordinates of the positions  204 A and  204 B, and also coordinates after movements, i.e., the coordinates of the positions  204 C and  204 D. Then, the mobile system calculates an expanding ratio according to the coordinates of the four positions so as to expand the window  202 A according to the expanding ratio. Finally, the video is played in the expanded window  202 A again. For example, when the user inputs an expanding instruction via the input window in  FIG. 2A , the window  202 A is then expanded as the window  202 B in  FIG. 2B . 
         [0040]    In one embodiment, the calculation of the expanding ratio can be determined according to a ratio between lengths before and after movements. The length before movement may be the length between the positions  204 A and  204 B, and the length after movement may be the length between the positions  204 C and  204 D. Furthermore, the center of the positions  204 A and  204 B, which may be acquired according to the coordinates of the positions  204 A, may be served as the center of the window  202 B. In one embodiment, the calculation of the expanding ratio may be determined according to a ratio of the X-axis and a ratio of the Y-axis. The ratio of the X-axis may be determined according to a projection length between the positions  204 A and  204 B on the X-axis and a projection length between the positions  204 C and  204 D on the X-axis. Similarly, the ratio of the Y-axis may be determined according to a projection length between the positions  204 A and  204 B on the Y-axis and a projection length between the positions  204 C and  204 D on the Y-axis. One skilled in the art may use other methods to calculate the expanding ratio of the window  202 A. If the expanding ratio is too large, the window  202 A may be expanded to full screen for video playback. In one embodiment, if only one side of the expanded window  202 A exceeds the boundary of the screen, this side of the expanded window  202 A is cut along the edge of the screen such that the expanded window  202 A is not out of the screen. For example, in  FIG. 2C , when the window  202 A is expanded as shown by window  202 C, the mobile system detects the right side of the window  202 C exceeds the right edge of the screen, such as the dashed frame  212 . The dashed frame  212  is shifted to the left along the arrow  216  until the right side of the dashed frame  212  meets along the right edge of the screen. The calibrated frame is shown as the frame  214 . Thus, a user may see the whole screen of the played video. 
         [0041]      FIG. 2D  depicts a schematic diagram showing a user moving the window when the dynamic wallpaper is activated. When the user moves the window  202 A, the video playback in the window  202 A may be paused, wherein the boundary of the window  202 A is shown by the dashed line to indicate the movement. For example, the dashed frame  218  is moved from the position  224 A (the center of the window  202 A) to the position  224 B (the center of the dashed frame  218 ) along the direction of the arrow  222 A. This may help the user to determine the position of the window for placement. When the user determines a new position for placing the window, the mobile system automatically restores the video playback in the window  202 A. In one embodiment, when the user moves the window, only the dashed frame  218  is shown to inform the user to where the dashed frame  218  is moved. In another embodiment, the window  202 A may show a frozen frame accompanied with user&#39;s movements. Those skilled in the art can modify or change the described embodiment according to applications. 
         [0042]    Note that when the user moves the window, the user may use a single finger to move the window. The mobile system determines the movement of the dashed frame  218  according to the moving direction of the user&#39;s finger. In other words, the mobile system adjusts the movement of the center of the dashed frame  218  according to the movement of the user&#39;s finger. 
         [0043]    The invention provides the shrinking/expanding functions for the window playing video on the dynamic wallpaper, and also the shrinking/expanding functions of the dynamic wallpaper itself. Please refer to  FIG. 3A .  FIG. 3A  depicts a shrinking/expanding operation of the dynamic wallpaper. In  FIG. 3A , two fingers of a user are placed on the positions  302 A and  302 B to inform the mobile system to execute a shrinking operation to the dynamic wallpaper  100  according to movements of the arrows  304 A and  304 B generated from user&#39;s gesture. When the mobile system detects a shrinking ratio, the video of the dynamic wallpaper is displayed in window  102 C, such as that shown in  FIG. 3B . Then, if the user feels the size of the window  102 C is too small, the user may use two fingers to touch the screen so as to expand the window  102 C. In  FIG. 3C , the user&#39;s two fingers are placed at positions  306 A and  306 B to inform the mobile system to slightly expand the window  102 C (that is why the lengths of the arrows  308 A and  308 B are not too long). When the mobile system determines the expanding ratio, the window  102 C is expanded as the window  102 D in  FIG. 3D . If the user wants to expand the dynamic wallpaper in one direction, such as X-axis (horizontal axis or direction), the user&#39;s fingers can touch the positions of  310 A and  310 B and moves according to arrows  312 A and  312 B so as to inform the mobile system to expand the window  102 D along the horizontal direction. When the mobile system determines the expanding ratio, the window  102 D is expanded to window  102 E shown in  FIG. 3E . 
         [0044]    Note that the window shrinking operation is similar to the window expanding operation but the only difference is an opposite gesture. Furthermore, the calculation of the shrinking ratio is the same as the expanding ratio but the only difference is lengths before/after movements are opposite. That is, the length after the shrinking operation is shorter than that before the shrinking operation, while the length after the expanding operation is larger than that before the expanding operation. Note that there is blank area  1001  that is not covered by the window  102 C exists in  FIGS. 3B-3E . In  FIG. 3B , the blank area  1001  exists around the window  102 C and the blank area  1001  exists only in areas upper and bottom of the window  102 C in  FIG. 3E . The blank area may remain blank or display another image as the wallpaper according user settings. One skilled in the art may modify the described embodiment according to practical applications. Furthermore, if the resolution of the video file of the dynamic wallpaper is higher than the resolution of the screen of the mobile system, the video file of the dynamic wallpaper is played with the highest resolution of the mobile system. 
         [0045]    Please refer to  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  shows a function block diagram of the mobile system according to an embodiment of the invention. The mobile system  400  shown in  FIG. 4  comprises a motherboard  401  and a screen  402  coupled to the motherboard  401 , wherein the motherboard  401  transmits the video to be displayed to the screen  402 . The motherboard  401  further comprises a non-volatile memory  403 , a microprocessor  404 , a memory  405  and a CODEC  406  and the screen  402  comprises one touch sensor  407 . The non-volatile memory  403  stores codes required by the mobile system and/or the microprocessor  404  to execute operations, such as reading instructions from users, calculating a shrinking/expanding ratio, and performing dynamic wallpaper operations (shrinking/expanding, displaying/canceling an indication message (PAUSE)). The non-volatile memory may further store default videos and/or images of the mobile system. The microprocessor  404  is the core of the mobile system that executes the codes stored in the non-volatile memory  403  to control the mobile system to execute operations indicated by its user. The operations comprise showing a user interface to inform the user to input the video required by the dynamic wallpaper, calculating the shrinking/expanding ratios and movements, calculating the center point of the window after shrinks, expansions or movements, adjusting the window size/placement if the area is expanded or moved exceeding the margin of the screen, pausing or resuming the video of the dynamic wallpaper, or transmitting the video to the CODEC for decoding and playback. The memory  405  may store temporal data of the mobile system, including those codes required by the microprocessor  404 , images, videos, values for calculating the expanding/shrinking ratio and other operations. The CODEC  406  acts as a decoder to decode and transmits video data to the screen  406  for playback, while the audio data are decoded and transmitted to the speaker of the mobile system (not shown in  FIG. 4 ). The screen  402  not only displays images and videos, but also comprises a touch sensor  407  to detect a user&#39;s touches, such as the positions of fingers, and gestures (movements). The detected touch positions and gestures are transmitted to the microprocessor for further processing. Note that the video data is usually large, such that the invention introduces the hardware CODEC  406  for the sake of accelerating video decoding processing. When other modules of the mobile system needs the CODEC  406  for some operations, such as video playback of the new window  202 A, applications associated with the dynamic wallpaper  100  releases controls of the CODEC  406 . When none of the modules needs the CODEC  406 , applications associated with the dynamic wallpaper  100  catches controls of CODEC  406  back so as to continue video playback. In other embodiments, the CODEC  406  and the microprocessor  404  may be integrated in an identical chip. 
         [0046]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate the operation procedure of the dynamic wallpaper of the invention. When the user activates the dynamic wallpaper function (step S 502 ), the mobile system informs the user to select a video for playback (step S 504 ). If the user does not select a video or the selected video is lost, the mobile system plays a default video as the dynamic wallpaper (step S 506 ). If the user selects a video and it is available, the selected one is then played as the dynamic wallpaper (step S 508 ). Furthermore, default setting of the dynamic wallpaper is played video in full screen. Thus, when the video to be played is determined, the video is played in full screen. In one embodiment, the setting of the full screen may be changed, and it may be easily modified or changed for those skilled in the art. 
         [0047]    When at least one of user&#39;s fingers touches the screen, the mobile system detects the positions and/or gestures to determine whether the user wants to execute a shrinking operation, expanding operation or a moving operation (Step S 510 ). If the user wants to execute shrinking operation, a shrinking ratio is first calculated (step S 512 ) and then the window the dynamic wallpaper is shrunk according to the shrinking ratio (step S 514 ). If the user wants to execute an expanding operation, an expanding ratio is first calculated (step S 518 ), then the window is expanded according to the expanding ratio (step S 520 ) and the selected video is played in the expanded window (step S 522 ). If the user wants to execute a moving operation, associated movement is first calculated (step S 524 ), then the new window is moved according to the movement (step S 526 ) and the selected video is played in the moved new window (step S 528 ). Note that the steps S 524  to S 528  are executed after the dynamic wallpaper is shrunk. 
         [0048]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  show a flow chart of a method for opening a new display window to play another video when the dynamic wallpaper is activated according to an embodiment of the invention. When the dynamic wallpaper function is executed and the user wants to play another video (step S 602 ), the mobile system pauses the video of the dynamic wallpaper (step S 604 ) and shows a notification message “PAUSED” to inform the user that the dynamic wallpaper has been paused (step S 606 ). Then, a new display window is created to display the video the user wants to play (step S 608 ). In one embodiment, the notification message “PAUSED” may be flashed to notify the user the dynamic wallpaper remains in pause state, which may be modified according to practical applications and the invention is not limited thereto. For example, the flash interval of the notification message “PAUSED” may be increased to reduce the affect on the user. In another example, the notification message “PAUSED” is shown but not flashed. Any person having ordinary skills in the art may modify, change or adjust the notify mechanism for the user. When the video selected by the user is played in the newly created display window, the mobile system detects whether user&#39;s fingers touch the screen or not. The mobile system detects the positions of the user&#39;s fingers and/or gestures to determine a next operation, such as shrinking, expanding or moving operation (step S 610 ). If the user wants to execute a shrinking operation, a shrinking ratio is first calculated (step S 612 ) and then the new display window is shrunk according to the shrinking ratio (step S 614 ). If the user wants to execute expanding operation, an expanding ratio is first calculated (step S 618 ) and then the new display window is expanded according to the expanding ratio (step S 620 ). If the user wants to execute a moving operation, a movement is first calculated (step S 624 ), then the new display window is moved according to the movement (step S 626 ) and the user&#39;s selected video is played in the moved new window (step S 628 ). Note that the invention introduces the shrinking, expanding or moving operation to a currently active window; therefore, when the user selects a new video for playback, the dynamic wallpaper does not respond to the operations because the new display window becomes the active window now, and these operations are applied to this new display window. When the user closes the new display window, the dynamic wallpaper is automatically resumed for video playback (the notification message will be withdrawn) and the user needs not input any recovery instruction or operation. 
         [0049]    While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.