Abstract:
A portable electronic device having two input units, a processor, a memory and a display unit, allows single handed operation for the repositioning of desktop icons and shortcuts. The input unit includes a touch panel and another sensor and movements of the device are interpreted as commands to rearrange the current display locations of desktop items, for more convenient and personalized operations on the items. A method for arranging the functional icons of the electronic device is also provided.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from China Patent Application No. 201210577650.3, filed on Dec. 27, 2012 in the China Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to an electronic device and a method for arranging functional icons of the electronic device. 
         [0004]    2. Discussion of Related Art 
         [0005]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a touch panel is usually deployed in a portable electronic device  200  to control the portable electronic device  200 . 
         [0006]    However, when the portable electronic device  200  is held and operated with one hand of a user, some functional icons of the portable electronic device  200  are difficult to reach with one hand, especially if the electronic device is large size. Thus, the portable electronic device  200  is difficult to use with one hand operation. 
         [0007]    What is needed, therefore, is to provide an electronic device and a method for arranging functional icons of the electronic device, which can overcome the above-described shortcomings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an electronic device of prior art in use. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of one embodiment of an electronic device. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart of inputting an arranging command by a touch panel of one embodiment. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of inputting an arranging command by a gravity sensor of one embodiment. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view of inputting an arranging command by a gravity sensor of another embodiment. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a schematic view of inputting an arranging command by a gravity sensor of another embodiment. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view of inputting an arranging command by an audio sensor of one embodiment. 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a schematic view of inputting an arranging command by an audio sensor of another embodiment. 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a flow chart of inputting an arranging command by a single arranging button of one embodiment. 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a schematic view of inputting an arranging command by a left side arranging button of one embodiment. 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  is a schematic view of inputting an arranging command by a right side arranging button of one embodiment. 
           [0020]      FIG. 12  is a flow chart of arranging shortcuts of the electronic device of one embodiment. 
           [0021]      FIG. 13  is a flow chart of arranging functional bottoms of a file of the electronic device of one embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one.” 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , an electronic device  100  of one embodiment is provided. The electronic device  100  is capable of rearranging functional icons of the electronic device  100 . The functional icons mean icons which can be operated and activated directly by touching, such as shortcuts on desktop of the electronic device  100  or functional buttons of an application program. The electronic device  100  can be a smart phone, a pad, a notebook PC or other portable electronic device. 
         [0024]    The electronic device  100  includes an input unit  12 , a processor  14 , a memory  16  and a display unit  18 . 
         [0025]    The input unit  12  includes a touch panel  122  and a second input element  124 . The touch panel  122  can be a capacitive touch panel, a resistive touch panel, a pressure sensitive touch panel, an infrared touch panel, or combinations thereof. The second input element  124  can be a gravity sensor, an audio sensor, or at least one physical button. The input unit  12  inputs arranging commands, thus the functional icons on the display unit  18  can be located in a predeterminated area of the display unit  18 . For example, the predeterminated area can be defined according to different habits and different requirements of different users, such as a left side of the display unit  18 , a right side of the display unit  18 , a top side of the display unit  18 , or a lower side of the display unit  18 . 
         [0026]    The memory  16  stores different kinds of data, such as systems, different kinds of application programs, or data generated during using the electronic device  100 . The memory  16  can be a smart media card, a secure digital card, a compact flash card, a multi media card, a memory stick, an extreme digital card, or a trans flash card. 
         [0027]    The display unit  18  displays the functional icons. 
         [0028]    The processor  14  includes a detecting module  142 , a setting module  144 , and a display controlling module  146 . 
         [0029]    The detecting module  142  detects a layout information of the functional icons on the display unit  18  and transmits the layout information to the setting module  144 . The layout information includes quantity information of the functional icons and positional information of the functional icons. 
         [0030]    The setting module  144  receives the arranging commands and the layout information, and inputs a rearranging command to the display controlling module  146  according to the arranging commands and the layout information. 
         [0031]    The display controlling module  146  rearranges the functional icons according to the rearranging commands and controls the display unit  18  to display the functional icons as rearranged. 
         [0032]    Methods for arranging the functional icons of the electronic device  100  of one embodiment includes steps of:
       S10, inputting an arranging command;   S12, obtaining the layout information of the functional icons on the display unit  18 ; and   S14, rearranging the functional icons on a predetermined area of the display unit  18  according to the arranging command and the layout information of the functional icons.       
 
         [0036]    In step S10, the arranging command can be inputted to the setting module  144  by the input unit  12 . 
         [0037]    In one embodiment, the arranging command is inputted to the setting module  144  by the touch panel  122 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , a command window having a number of arranging commands is opened by continuously pressing a blank area of the touch panel  122 ; and an arranging command of command window is chosen and transmitted to the setting module  144  by the touch panel  122 . 
         [0038]    In another embodiment, the second input element  124  includes a gravity sensor, and the arranging command is inputted to the setting module  144  by the gravity sensor. Referring to  FIG. 4 , the electronic device  100  is inclined left side down, and that orientation is signaled by the gravity sensor; thus, a left side arranging command is transmitted to the setting module  144 . Referring to  FIG. 5 , the electronic device  100  can be inclined right side down, and that orientation is signaled by the gravity sensor; thus, a right side arranging command is transmitted to the setting module  144 . Referring to  FIG. 6 , the command window is opened by shaking the electronic device  100 ; and an arranging command of command window is chosen and transmitted to the setting module  144  by the touch panel  122 . 
         [0039]    In some embodiments, the second input element  124  includes an audio sensor, and the arranging command is inputted to the setting module  144  by the audio sensor. Referring to  FIG. 7 , a spoken command “arrange icons on left side” is received by the audio sensor; thus, a left side arranging command is signaled to the setting module  144  by the audio sensor. Referring to  FIG. 8 , a spoken command of “arrange icons on right side” is received by the audio sensor; thus, a right side arranging command is signaled to the setting module  144  by the audio sensor. 
         [0040]    In some other embodiments, the second input element  124  includes a single arranging button, and the arranging command is inputted to the setting module  144  through the arranging button. Referring to  FIG. 9 , the command window is opened by pressing the arranging button; and an arranging command of the command window is chosen and transmitted to the setting module  144  by the touch panel  122 . 
         [0041]    In some other embodiments, the second input element  124  includes a left side arranging button and a right side arranging button, and the arranging command is inputted to the setting module  144  through the left side arranging button and the right side arranging button directly. Referring to  FIG. 10 , a left side arranging command is directly inputted to the setting module  144  by pressing the left side button. Referring to  FIG. 11 , a right side arranging command is directly inputted to the setting module  144  by pressing the right side button. 
         [0042]    In step S12, the layout information of the functional icons includes quantity information and positional information of the functional icons. In one embodiment, the layout information of the functional icons on the display unit  18  is timely obtained by the detecting module  142  and timely transmitted to the setting module  144 . For example, the layout information of the functional icons is obtained by the detecting module  142  every second. In another embodiment, a detecting command is inputted to the detecting module  142  by the setting module  144  only after an arranging command has been given and a current layout information of the functional icons is detected by the detecting module  142  and fed back to the setting module  144 . 
         [0043]    In step S14, a rearranging command is inputted to the display controlling module  146  by the setting unit  144  according to the arranging command and the layout information. Thus, the functional icons are rearranged and displayed on the display unit  18  by the display controlling module  146 . 
         [0044]    Referring to  FIG. 12 , the electronic device  100  is operated by a left hand of a user, and a method for arranging shortcuts on desktop of the electronic device  100  of one embodiment includes steps of: pressing a blank area of the touch panel  122  with the left thumb successively to open a command window, the command window includes a left side arranging command, a right side arranging command, a top side arranging command, and a lower side arranging command; inputting the left side arranging command to the setting module  144  by touch panel  122 ; obtaining an layout information of shortcuts by the detecting module  142  and transmitting the layout information of shortcuts to the setting module  144 ; inputting a left side rearranging command to the display controlling module  146  by the setting module  144  according to the left side arranging command and the layout information of shortcuts; and rearranging the shortcuts on the left side of the display unit  18 . 
         [0045]    Referring to  FIG. 13 , the electronic device  100  is held and operated by a left hand of a user, and a method for arranging functional bottoms of a file on desktop of the electronic device  100  of another embodiment includes steps of: pressing a left side arranging button to input a left side arranging command to the setting module  144 ; transmitting a detecting command to the detecting module  142  after the arranging command is obtained by the setting module  144 ; obtaining an layout information of the functional bottoms of the file and transmitting the information of the functional bottoms of the file to the setting module  144 ; inputting a left side rearranging command to the display controlling module  146  by the setting module  144  according to the left side arranging command and the information of the functional bottoms of the file; and rearranging the functional bottoms of the file on the left side of the display unit  18  as required. 
         [0046]    The method for arranging the functional icons of the electronic device of the present embodiment is simple, and the functional icons can be quickly rearranged to a side of the display unit. Thus, the electronic device is suitable for single hand operation and is more personalized. 
         [0047]    The above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate rather than limit the disclosure. Variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the spirit of the disclosure as claimed. The above-described embodiments illustrate the scope of the disclosure but do not restrict the scope of the disclosure.