Patent Publication Number: US-2011066762-A1

Title: Electronic device for shortening input response time and method thereof

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to an electronic device for shortening input response time and a method thereof. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     In general, when contact is made with a touch screen of an electronic device, all contact points on the touch screen are scanned, and the contact point corresponding to the touch operation are then detected. A function corresponding to the active contact point is executed. However, since all contact point must be scanned, response time of the touch operation on the electronic device is extended. 
     Therefore, what is needed is an electronic device for shortening input response time. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of the hardware infrastructure of an electronic device for shortening input response time in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a plurality of sub-input units and a corresponding dynamic table of the device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of one sub-input unit of  FIG. 2  in operation. 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of the hardware infrastructure of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 , including a detection module, in accordance with another exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of a method used by an electronic device, such as that of  FIG. 1  or  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of the hardware infrastructure of an electronic device for shortening input response time in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, including a processing unit  20 , an input unit  30 , and a storage unit  40 . The input unit  30  is configured for receiving user input, and includes a plurality of sub-input units, each of which corresponds to a function and is assigned a sign. In the exemplary embodiment, the input unit  30  may be a touch screen or keyboard, or other input devices. 
     The storage unit  40  is configured for storing a dynamic table. The dynamic table stores relationships between the signs of the sub-input units and use frequencies thereof. In the dynamic table, all signs of the sub-input units are stored according to a descending order of use frequency. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the input unit  30  includes fourteen sub-input units, respectively assigned: A, B, C . . . N. The first sub-input unit is sub-input unit A, with use frequency of 50. The second sub-input unit is sub-input unit B, with use frequency of 48. The third sub-input unit is sub-input unit G, with use frequency of 47, and so on. The last sub-input unit is sub-input unit N, with use frequency of 5. 
     The processing unit  20  includes a sub-input unit determination module  21 , an accumulation module  22 , and an update module  24 . 
     The sub-input unit determination module  21  is configured for scanning each of the sub-input units of the electronic device  1  according to the descending order of the use frequencies stored in the dynamic table to determine which sub-input unit is touched when the input unit  30  receives the contact notification. As shown in  FIG. 3 , when the input unit  30  receives the contact notification, the sub-input unit determination module  21  scans the sub-input units to determine which sub-input unit is selected, that is, the sub-input unit determination module  21  determines whether the sub-input unit A is selected, and, if no, the sub-input unit determination module  21  continues scanning other sub-input units until the sub-input unit D is determined as the operative sub-input unit. 
     The accumulation module  22  is configured for accumulating the use frequency of the sub-input unit being selected when the selection of the sub-input unit is determined. 
     The update module  24  is configured for re-sorting all signs of the sub-input units according to the use frequency when use frequency is accumulated. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , in another embodiment, the electronic device  1  further includes a detection module  23 . The detection module  23  is configured for detecting operation time of the selected sub-input unit, when more than one sub-input unit, including the selected sub-input unit, has the same use frequency, and the update module  24  re-sorts the sub-input units according the detected operation time among the sub-input units with the same use frequency. 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart of a method used by an electronic device as described in the preceding disclosure. 
     In step S 601 , the sub-input unit determination module  21  scans each of the sub-input units of the electronic device  1  according to the use frequency order stored in the dynamic table to determine which sub-input unit is selected when the input unit  30  receives the contact notification. 
     In step S 602 , the accumulation module  22  accumulates the use frequency of the selected sub-input unit when the selected sub-input unit is determined. 
     In step S 603 , the update module  24  re-sorts the sign of the selected sub-input unit in the dynamic table according to the use frequency when the use frequency of the selected sub-input unit is accumulated. 
     In another embodiment, the method further includes, when the use frequencies of the sub-input units are the same, the detection module  23  detecting the operation time of the sub-input units when the sub-input unit is touched newly. The updating module  24  re-sorts the sub-input units according to the detected operation time among the sub-input units with equal use frequencies. 
     Although the present disclosure has been specifically described on the basis of the exemplary embodiment thereof, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the embodiment without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure.