Method, device, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium for browsing various sticker contents through swipe-to-preview interface

Methods, devices, and non-transitory computer-readable recording mediums for browsing various sticker contents through swipe to preview may be provided. A sticker content browsing method performed by a computer device, which includes at least one processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions included in a memory, including providing a swipe-to-preview interface configured to enable a user to scroll sticker contents and displaying a subset of the sticker contents in response to a control instruction of the user input to the swipe-to-preview interface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This U.S. non-provisional application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0147807, filed Nov. 1, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

Some example embodiments relate to user interfaces (UI) for browsing sticker contents.

Related Art

An instant messenger is a general communication tool and refers to software capable of transmitting and receiving messages or data in real time. A user may register a contact on a messenger and may send and receive messages with a counterpart on a contact list in real time. Due to such a messenger function, the messenger is commonly used in a mobile environment of a mobile communication terminal as well as in a personal computer (PC).

Currently, delivering a message using a sticker in a form of a graphic image is popular. In response to a specific keyword input from a user, a sticker corresponding to the specific keyword is automatically converted and delivered as a message through the sticker.

However, a path capable of browsing other contents in a preview is not provided before transmitting a sticker within a messenger. Therefore, there is no way for a user to take an action within the preview and the user may simply close the corresponding preview or transmit a message.

SUMMARY

Some example embodiments may provide a swipe-to-preview interface for browsing sticker contents.

Some example embodiments may provide methods and/or systems that may browse other sticker contents through a mobile gesture within a swipe-to-preview interface.

According to an aspect of at least one example embodiment, there may be provided a sticker content browsing method performed by a computer device including at least one processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions included in a memory. The sticker content browsing method may include, by the at least one processor, providing a swipe-to-preview interface configured to enable a user to scroll sticker contents, and displaying a subset of the sticker contents in response to a control instruction of the user input to the swipe-to-preview interface.

The displaying may include displaying the subset of the sticker contents on the swipe-to-preview interface according to an order logic of sticker contents configured in relation to a keyword input from the user.

The displaying may include, in response to a selection of one sticker content the subset of the configured sticker contents, displaying a previous sticker content of the selected one sticker content, the selected one sticker content, and a subsequent sticker content of the selected one sticker content in order on the swipe-to-preview interface.

The displaying may include receiving swipe information as the control instruction of the user to the sticker contents displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface.

The displaying may include moving a location of the sticker contents according to the received swipe information and displaying corresponding sticker contents at the moved location.

The displaying may include displaying a specific one of the subset of the sticker contents that is positioned at the center of the swipe-to-preview interface to be highlighted rather than one or more of the subset of the sticker contents that are positioned around the swipe-to-preview interface.

The providing may include, in response to a selection on one sticker content among sticker contents configured in relation to a keyword input from the user, providing the swipe-to-preview interface.

The displaying may include adjusting a size of the swipe-to-preview interface based on a type of a specific sticker content moved according to the received swipe information.

The type of sticker content may include a first sticker content not including a text or an action, a second sticker content including a text, or a third sticker content including an action, and the displaying may include setting the size of the swipe-to-preview interface to be maintained when the type of sticker content is the first sticker content or the second sticker content, t and setting the size of swipe-to-preview interface to expand by assigning an expansion effect to the swipe-to-preview interface when the type of sticker content is the sticker content including the action.

The displaying may include dynamically expanding the swipe-to-preview interface by size information set to correspond to a size of the specific sticker content including an action when the type of the specific sticker content is a sticker content including the action.

The displaying may include moving the sticker contents by applying a browsing speed of the sticker contents according to strength of the received swipe information.

The displaying may include, in a case that the subset of the sticker contents including a specific sticker content including a text, displaying the sticker content including the text to be smaller than one or more other sticker contents included in the subset of the sticker contents.

The displaying may include, in response to sound being included in the sticker contents, providing a user interface configured to enable ON/OFF of the sound.

The displaying may include, in response to double tap information being input as the control instruction of the user at a central area of the swipe-to-preview interface, transmitting sticker content selected by the user.

The displaying may include, in response to double tap information being input as the control instruction of the user at a central area of the swipe-to-preview interface, moving sticker contents configured in relation to a keyword input from the user to a specific area.

According to an aspect of at least one example embodiment, there is provided a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor, cause a computer device to perform the sticker content browsing method.

According to an aspect of at least one example embodiment, there is provided a computer device including at least one processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions included in a memory. The at least one processor is configured to provide a swipe-to-preview interface configured to enable a user to scroll sticker contents, and to display a subset of the sticker contents in response to a control instruction of the user input to the swipe-to-preview interface.

The at least one processor may be configured to receive swipe information as the control instruction of the user to the sticker contents displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface and to display corresponding sticker contents at a location moved according to the received swipe information.

The at least one processor may be configured to adjust a size of the swipe-to-preview interface based on a type of sticker content corresponding to a location moved according to the received swipe information.

When the type of sticker content is a sticker content including an action, the at least one processor may be configured to dynamically expand the swipe-to-preview interface by size information set to correspond to a size of the sticker content including the action.

According to some example embodiments, it is possible to provide a user interface capable of more quickly browsing a sticker through a change to a scroll method.

According to some example embodiments, it is possible to improve a browsing speed through a change from a method of viewing sticker content per page to a method of viewing sticker content using a scroll.

According to some example embodiments, it is possible to browse sticker contents in more detail and slowly while swiping on a preview screen.

According to some example embodiment, it is possible to browse various recommended stickers on a preview screen through a swipe without a need to going back to a list to view other stickers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, some example embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Such example embodiments relate to a user interface for browsing sticker contents. A swipe-to-preview interface enables a user to browse various sticker contents through a simple gesture.

A sticker content browsing system according to some example embodiments may be implemented by at least one computer device. A sticker content browsing method according to some example embodiments may be performed by at least one computer device included in the sticker content browsing system. Here, a computer program according to an example embodiment may be installed and run on the computer device and the computer device may perform the sticker content browsing method according to some example embodiments under control of the computer program. The aforementioned computer program may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium to implement the sticker content browsing method in conjunction with the computer device.

FIG.1illustrates an example of a network environment according to at least one example embodiment. Referring toFIG.1, the network environment may include a plurality of electronic devices110,120,130, and140, a plurality of servers150and160, and a network170.FIG.1is provided as an example only. A number of electronic devices or a number of servers is not limited thereto. The network environment ofFIG.1is provided as one example of environments and environments applicable to example embodiments are not limited to the network environment ofFIG.1.

Each of the plurality of electronic devices110,120,130, and140may be a fixed terminal or a mobile terminal that is configured as a computer device. For example, the plurality of electronic devices110,120,130, and140may be a smartphone, a mobile phone, a navigation device, a computer, a laptop computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP), a tablet PC, and the like. For example, althoughFIG.1illustrates a shape of a smartphone as an example of the electronic device110, the electronic device110used herein may refer to one of various types of physical computer devices capable of communicating with other electronic devices120,130, and140, and/or the servers150and160over the network170in a wireless or wired communication manner.

The communication scheme is not limited and may include a near field wireless communication scheme between devices as well as a communication scheme using a communication network (e.g., a mobile communication network, wired Internet, wireless Internet, and a broadcasting network) includable in the network170. For example, the network170may include at least one of network topologies that include a personal area network (PAN), a local area network (LAN), a campus area network (CAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), a broadband network (BBN), and the Internet. Also, the network170may include at least one of network topologies that include a bus network, a star network, a ring network, a mesh network, a star-bus network, a tree or hierarchical network, and the like. However, they are provided as examples only.

Each of the servers150and160may be configured as a computer device or a plurality of computer devices that provides an instruction, a code, a file, content, a service, etc., through communication with the plurality of electronic devices110,120,130, and140over the network170. For example, the server150may be a system that provides a service, for example, a content browsing service, to the plurality of electronic devices110,120,130, and140connected over the network170.

FIG.2is a block diagram illustrating an example of a computer device according to at least one example embodiment. Each of the plurality of electronic devices110,120,130, and140or each of the servers150and160may be implemented by a computer device200ofFIG.2.

Referring toFIG.2, the computer device200may include a memory210, a processor220, a communication interface230, and an input/output (I/O) interface240. The memory210may include a permanent mass storage device, such as a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), and a disk drive, as a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium. The permanent mass storage device, such as ROM and a disk drive, may be included in the computer device200as a permanent storage device separate from the memory210. Also, an OS and at least one program code may be stored in the memory210. Such software components may be loaded to the memory210from another non-transitory computer-readable recording medium separate from the memory210. The other non-transitory computer-readable recording medium may include a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium, for example, a floppy drive, a disk, a tape, a DVD/CD-ROM drive, a memory card, etc. According to other example embodiments, software components may be loaded to the memory210through the communication interface230, instead of the non-transitory computer-readable recording medium. For example, the software components may be loaded to the memory210of the computer device200based on a computer program installed by files received over the network170.

The processor220may be configured to process instructions of a computer program by performing basic arithmetic operations, logic operations, and I/O operations. The computer-readable instructions may be provided by the memory210or the communication interface230to the processor220. For example, the processor220may be configured to execute received instructions in response to a program code stored in a storage device, such as the memory210.

The communication interface230may provide a function for communication between the communication device200and another apparatus, for example, the aforementioned storage devices. For example, the processor220of the computer device200may forward a request or an instruction created based on a program code stored in the storage device such as the memory210, data, and a file, to other apparatuses over the network170under control of the communication interface230. Inversely, a signal, an instruction, data, a file, etc., from another apparatus may be received at the computer device200through the communication interface230of the computer device200. A signal, an instruction, data, etc., received through the communication interface230may be forwarded to the processor220or the memory210, and a file, etc. may be stored in a storage medium, for example, the permanent storage device, further includable in the computer device200.

The I/O interface240may be a device used for interfacing with an I/O device250. For example, an input device may include a device, such as a microphone, a keyboard, and a mouse, and an output device may include a device, such as a display and a speaker. As another example, the I/O interface240may be a device for interfacing with an apparatus in which an input function and an output function are integrated into a single function, such as a touchscreen. The I/O device250may be configured as a single apparatus with the computer device200.

Also, according to other example embodiments, the computer device200may include a greater or smaller number of components than the number of components ofFIG.2. However, there is no need to clearly illustrate most conventional components. For example, the computer device200may be configured to include at least a portion of the I/O device250or may further include other components, such as a transceiver and a database.

Hereinafter, a method and apparatus for providing an interface for sticker content browsing according to some example embodiments will be described. Here, the term “sticker content” may correspond to, for example, an emoji, a sticker, and an emoticon, and may be configured in a two-dimensional (2D) form or a three-dimensional (3D) form that includes sound, movement, and the like.

In an example embodiment, a swipe-to-preview interface may operate in a message transmission and reception service (e.g., an instant messaging service, a social network service, etc.). For example, the swipe-to-preview interface may be a function provided for browsing sticker contents on a preview screen provided in a preview form for transmitting sticker content to a chatroom in the message transmission and reception service.

FIG.3is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method performed by a computer device according to at least one example embodiment.

The computer device200according to the example embodiment may provide a client with a sticker content browsing service through connection to an exclusive application installed on the client or a website/mobile site related to the computer device200. A sticker content browsing system implemented on a computer may be configured in the computer device200. For example, the sticker content browsing system may be implemented in a form of a program that independently operates or may be configured in an in-app form of a specific application to be operable on the specific application.

Referring toFIG.3, the processor220of the computer device200may be configured as a component to perform the following sticker content browsing method. Depending on example embodiments, components of the processor220may be selectively included in or excluded from the processor220. Also, depending on example embodiments, the components of the processor220may be separated or merged for functional representation of the processor220.

The processor220and the components of the processor220may control the computer device200to perform operations S310and S320included in the following sticker content browsing method ofFIG.3. For example, the processor220and the components of the processor220may be configured to execute an instruction according to a code of at least one program and a code of an OS included in the memory210.

Here, the components of the processor220may be representations of different functions performed by the processor220in response to an instruction provided from a program code stored in the computer device200.

The processor220may read a instruction from the memory210to which instructions related to control of the computer device200are loaded. In this case, the read instruction may include an instruction for controlling the processor220to perform the following operations S310and S320.

Referring toFIG.3, in operation S310, the processor220may provide a swipe-to-preview interface in a scroll form for browsing sticker contents. In response to a selection on one sticker content among sticker contents configured in relation to a keyword input from a user, the processor220may provide the swipe-to-preview interface in the scroll form for browsing the sticker contents. Here, the swipe-to-preview interface may be provided to receive control information of the user and to enable the user to browse the sticker contents in the scroll form.

FIG.4illustrates an example of an operation of providing a swipe-to-preview interface according to at least one example embodiment. The processor220may configure sticker contents related to a keyword (e.g., wow!!) input from the user in an auto-suggestion area410. The auto-suggestion area410represents an area for providing the sticker contents configured in relation to the keyword input from the user. For example, in relation to the keyword input from the user, sticker contents including (1) sticker content basically provided from a message transmission and reception service400, (2) recommended sticker content for encouraging the user to purchase, (3) free trial sticker content that induces purchase through trial of the user, (4) free sticker content, (5) sticker content already purchased, and (6) sticker content with a desired (or alternatively, preset) size or more may be configured, and the configured sticker contents may be provided in the auto-suggestion area410.

A control instruction of the user may be input to the auto-suggestion area410or sticker content configured in the auto-suggestion area410. For example, a touch of the user may be input to a partial area of the auto-suggestion area410, or one sticker content420among the sticker contents configured in the auto-suggestion area410may be selected by the user.

In response to the control instruction of the user being input to the auto-suggestion area410or the one sticker content420among the sticker contents configured in the auto-suggestion area410, the processor220may provide a swipe-to-preview interface430in a scroll form for browsing sticker contents.

For example, sticker contents may be displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface430based on the sticker content420selected by the user from among the sticker contents configured in the auto-suggestion area410. The processor220may display the swipe-to-preview interface430with previous sticker content of selected sticker content and subsequent sticker content of the selected sticker content based on the selected sticker content. Here, when the sticker contents are positioned at the center of the swipe-to-preview interface430, the sticker contents may be highlighted to be larger and darker than when the sticker contents are positioned as sides of the swipe-to-preview interface430. Also, a user interface for terminating the swipe-to-preview interface430as well as the sticker contents may be displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface430.

The processor220may display the sticker contents on the swipe-to-preview interface430according to an order logic of the sticker contents configured in the auto-suggestion area410.FIG.5illustrates an example of an operation of configuring sticker contents in a swipe-to-preview interface according to at least one example embodiment. The order logic represents ordering the configured sticker contents based on a keyword input from the user. The order logic may be determined based on data accumulated from the user. Although the same keyword is input from users, order of sticker contents and stickers displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface430may differ for each user. The order logic may determine the order of sticker contents through analysis of, for example, user identification information that includes an age and a gender of the user, sticker interest/preference of the user, a sticker use ratio of the user, an OS of an electronic device used by the user, and identification information of the electronic device.

In operation S320, the processor220may display the found sticker contents in response to a control instruction input to the swipe-to-preview interface. The processor220may display the sticker contents on the swipe-to-preview interface according to an order logic of sticker contents configured in relation to a keyword input from the user.

FIGS.6and7illustrate examples of an operation of displaying sticker contents on a swipe-to-preview interface according to at least one example embodiment. The processor220may differently display the sticker contents on a swipe-to-preview interface based on a type of sticker content. The type of sticker content may include sticker content including a text and sticker content including an action. For example, in the case of the sticker content including the text, the processor220may display the sticker content including the text to be smaller than other sticker contents on the swipe-to-preview interface.

Referring to (a) ofFIG.6, recommended sticker content may be displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface. The recommended sticker content represents sticker content recommended to induce the user to purchase. The swipe-to-preview interface may provide a “Buy” user interface with an indication of “Recommend” for the recommended sticker content. The “Buy” user interface is provided such that a user desiring to purchase may move to a corresponding purchase site and may purchase the recommended sticker content.

Referring to (b) ofFIG.6, free trial sticker content may be displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface. The free trial sticker content represents sticker content that provides a free trial available for free for one day to induce the user to purchase. The swipe-to-preview interface may provide a “Buy” user interface with an indication of “Free for 1 day” for the free trial sticker content. The “Buy” user interface is provided such that a user desiring to purchase may move to a corresponding purchase site and may purchase the free trial sticker content.

Referring to (c) ofFIG.6, free sticker content may be displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface. The free sticker content represents sticker content provided for free to the user. The swipe-to-preview interface may display an indication of “Free” for the free sticker content.

Referring to (a) ofFIG.7, sticker content provided from a message transmission and reception service may be displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface. The sticker content provided from the message transmission and reception service represents free sticker content that is basically provided to all users from the message transmission and reception service. In some example embodiments, already purchased sticker content may be displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface. The already purchased sticker content represents sticker content as to which payment is completed by the user to use the sticker content.

For example, it is assumed that the same sticker content is used in (a), (b), and (c) ofFIG.6and (a) ofFIG.7. When a text is added to the same sticker content, the sticker content of (a), (b), (c) ofFIG.6to which the text is added may be displayed to be smaller than the sticker content of (a) ofFIG.7on the swipe-to-preview interface.

Referring to (b) ofFIG.7, sticker content with a desired (or alternatively, preset) size or more may be displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface. The sticker content with the desired (or alternatively, preset) size or more represents sticker content with a larger size than that of general sticker content. For example, the sticker content with the desired (or alternatively, preset) size or more may include sticker content that includes an action.

Referring to (c) ofFIG.7, sticker content with a desired (or alternatively, preset) size or more may be displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface. The sticker content with the desired (or alternatively, preset) size or more represents large-sized sticker content recommended to induce the user to purchase. The swipe-to-preview interface may provide a “Buy” user interface with an indication of “recommend” for the sticker content with the desired (or alternatively, preset) size or more. The “Buy” user interface is provided such that a user desiring to purchase may move to a corresponding purchase site and may purchase the sticker content with the preset size or more.

Referring to (b) and (c) ofFIG.7, when a text is added even to the same sticker contents each with the desired (or alternatively, preset) size or more, the sticker content with the desired (or alternatively, preset) size or more in (b) ofFIG.7may be displayed to be smaller than the sticker content with the desired (or alternatively, preset) size or more to which the text is applied in (c) ofFIG.7on the swipe-to-preview interface.

Also, the sticker contents described inFIGS.6and7may be configured to output sound. A user interface (not shown) for ON/OFF of sound may be provided on the swipe-to-preview user interface. The user may listen to the sound of sticker contents using the user interface for ON/OFF of sound.

FIG.8illustrates an example of an operation of browsing sticker contents in response to a control instruction of a user according to at least one example embodiment. The control instruction may be input from the user to sticker contents displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface430. Control information of the user refers to mobile gesture information that includes a tap, a split tap, a flick, and a swipe and represents inputting an instruction using a finger on a touchscreen. For example, gestures of using five fingers starting from a single finger may be present. A tap gesture refers to tapping a touchscreen of an electronic device with a finger, a split tap gesture refers to tapping with one finger on the touchscreen first and then another finger, a flick gesture refers to softly flicking a finger left/right and up/down, and a swipe gesture refers to swiping the touchscreen longer than the flick. Here, the flick gesture on the swipe-to-preview interface also could be referred to as the swipe gesture.

The processor220may receive swipe information as the control instruction of the user. The processor220may move a location of sticker contents based on the received swipe information and may display corresponding sticker contents at the moved location. When the sticker contents corresponding to the moved location are positioned at the center of the swipe-to-preview interface430, the sticker contents may be highlighted to be larger and darker than when the sticker contents are positioned at sides of the swipe-to-preview interface430. For example, when three sticker contents are displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface430, the sticker content positioned at the center of the swipe-to-preview interface430may be displayed to be larger and darker and the sticker contents at both sides may be displayed to be relatively smaller and lighter. Also, a size of sticker content displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface430and a size of the swipe-to-preview interface430may be adjusted according to a type of sticker content positioned at the center of the swipe-to-preview interface430. When sticker content including an action is positioned at the center of the swipe-to-preview interface430, the size of the sticker content including the action may increase. According to an increase in the size of the sticker content including the action displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface430, the size of the swipe-to-preview interface430may also be expand.

An example in which swipe information is input in a left direction or a right direction is described. Here, without being limited to the left/right direction, the swipe information may be configured to be input in up (upper) and down (lower) directions. For example, swipe information may be input in the left direction or the right direction by a user810. In response to the swipe information being input in the left direction from the user810, sticker contents configured in the swipe-to-preview interface430may move in the left direction. In response to the swipe information being input in the right direction from the user810, the sticker contents configured in the swipe-to-preview interface430may move in the right direction. For example, it is assumed that (N−2)-th sticker content (e.g., heart), (N−1)-th sticker content (e.g., trapezoid), N-th sticker content (e.g., rounded rectangle), (N+1)-th sticker content (e.g., rhombus), and (N+2)-th sticker content (e.g., star) are configured in the swipe-to-preview interface430. For example, the (N−1)-th sticker content (e.g., trapezoid), the N-th sticker content (e.g., rounded rectangle), and the (N+1)-th sticker content (e.g., rhombus) may be displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface430. For clarity of description, an example in which one sticker content is moved according to swipe information of the user and displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface430is described. In response to the swipe information being input in the right direction to the swipe-to-preview interface430from the user810, the (N−2)-th sticker content (e.g., heart), the (N−1)-th sticker content (e.g., trapezoid), and the N-th sticker content (e.g., rounded rectangle) may be displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface430. In response to the swipe information being input in the left direction to the swipe-to-preview interface430by the user810, the N-th sticker content (e.g., rounded rectangle), the (N+1)-th sticker content (e.g., rhombus), and the (N+2)-th sticker content (e.g., star) may be displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface430.

For example, a moving speed of sticker contents displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface430may be determined according to strength of the swipe information input from the user810. That is, the swipe-to-preview interface430may be configured such that a browsing speed of sticker contents may be applied according to the strength of the swipe information input from the user810. For example, when swipe information is quickly or forcefully input in the left direction or the right direction from the user810, sticker contents displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface430may be quickly moved. In some example embodiments, when swipe information is slowly or weakly input in the left direction or the right direction from the user810, sticker contents displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface430may be slowly moved.

A control instruction may be input for sticker content desired by the user810among sticker contents that are configured to move on the swipe-to-preview interface430. Here, double tap information may be input as the control instruction of the user810. For example, in response to the double tap information being input as the control instruction of the user810at the center of the swipe-to-preview interface430, sticker content selected by the user may be transmitted to a chatroom of a message transmission and reception service.

Also, in response to double tap information being input as the control instruction of the user810around the center of the swipe-to-preview interface430, movement to the auto-suggestion area410including sticker contents configured in relation to a keyword input from the user810may be performed. That is, the swipe-to-preview interface430may be terminated. In some example embodiments, a user interface for terminating the swipe-to-preview interface430may be provided at a specific location of the swipe-to-preview interface430. For example, the user interface for terminating the swipe-to-preview interface430may be displayed at an upper right end of the swipe-to-preview interface430. In response to a selection on the user interface for terminating the swipe-to-preview interface430displayed at the upper right end of the swipe-to-preview interface430from the user810, the swipe-to-preview interface430may be terminated.

FIG.9illustrates an example of an operation of adjusting a size of a swipe-to-preview interface in a case that sticker content includes an action, according to at least one example embodiment.

The processor220may adjust the size of the swipe-to-preview interface430based on a type of sticker content corresponding to a location moved according to swipe information of a user. For example, the type of sticker content may include a sticker content, a sticker content including a text, and/or a sticker content including an action.

The processor220may set the size of the swipe-to-preview interface430to be maintained when the type of sticker content is the sticker content or the sticker content including the text and may set the size of swipe-to-preview interface430to expand by assigning an expansion effect to the swipe-to-preview interface430when the type of sticker content is the sticker content including the action. Here, the expansion effect represents that the size of the swipe-to-preview interface430is expanded. The user may recognize that the size of the swipe-to-preview interface430is being expanded.

When the type of sticker content is the sticker content including the action, the processor220may dynamically expand the swipe-to-preview interface430by size information set to correspond to a size of the sticker content including the action. For example, a process in which, in response to occurrence of the expansion effect, the swipe-to-preview interface430expands by a size set to correspond to a size of the sticker content including the action may be displayed. When sticker content corresponding to a location moved according to a control instruction of the user is the sticker content or the sticker content including the text rather than the sticker content including the action, the processor220may reduce the size of the expanded swipe-to-preview interface430.

The methods according to some example embodiments may be configured in a form of program instructions performed through various computer methods and recorded in non-transitory computer-readable media. The media may include, alone or in combination with program instructions, data files, and data structures. The program instructions recorded in the media may be specially designed and configured for the example embodiments or may be known to and available to those skilled in the computer software art. Examples of the media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes; optical media such as CD-ROM and DVDs; magneto-optical media such as floptical disks; and hardware devices that are specially configured to store and perform program instructions, such as ROM, RAM, flash memory, and the like. Examples of program instructions include a machine language code as produced by a compiler and a high-level language code executable by a computer using an interpreter.

The methods (as well as the computer devices) according to some example embodiments of the present disclosure provide a swipe-to-preview interface in response to a selection on one sticker contents configured in relation to a keyword input from a user, and enable the user to preview a subset of the sticker contents displayed on the swipe-to-preview interface and take an action within the preview screen, Thus, a dedicated user interface configured to allows a user to browse other sticker contents before transmitting a sticker content may be provided within a message, instead of automatically converting and delivering a sticker content corresponding to a specific keyword as in the conventional methods. Thus, there is no need for a user to perform additional operations to generate a preview screen including sticker contents, from which the user can select a sticker content different from the one initially recommended by the system, thereby consuming lesser computing resources and less power.

While this disclosure includes specific example embodiments, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that various alterations and modifications in form and details may be made in these example embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims and their equivalents. For example, suitable results may be achieved if the described techniques are performed in a different order, and/or if components in a described system, architecture, device, or circuit are combined in a different manner, and/or replaced or supplemented by other components or their equivalents. Therefore, other implementations, other example embodiments, and equivalents are within the scope of the following claims.