Patent Publication Number: US-11379116-B2

Title: Electronic apparatus and method for executing application thereof

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     This application is a continuation application of prior application Ser. No. 15/032,522, filed on Apr. 27, 2016, which is a U.S. National Stage application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of an International application number PCT/KR2014/010480, filed on Nov. 4, 2014, which is based on and claimed priority of a Korean patent application number 10-2013-0132807, filed on Nov. 4, 2013, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of each of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Various embodiments of the present invention relate an electronic device with a touch-screen and a method of executing applications in the electronic device. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In recent years, the touch-screen market has grown fast. As mobile terminals, laptop computers, smartphones, etc., are equipped with a touch-screen panel, the portable touch-screen market is growing rapidly. In addition, home appliances start to employ a touch-screen panel. In the near future, most home appliances will be equipped with a touch-screen panel. 
     A touch-screen is configured to have a surface layer for sensing input actions and a display layer for performing an outputting function. A touch-screen-based electronic device receives a user input, or a touch gesture, analyzes and recognizes the user input, and outputs a corresponding result. When the touch screen receives a touch input from the user and transmits a corresponding control command to the electronic device, the electronic device analyzes and recognizes the touch input via the touch sensor, processes a corresponding function, and outputs the result on the touch-screen. 
     Electronic devices such as terminals, etc. are capable of executing applications to perform various functions. In order to perform a particular function in a terminal, the user activates the corresponding application in the terminal and the terminal executes the function of the activated application. The touch-screen provides users with more intuitive and efficient operations in activating applications in the devices. 
     DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     Conventional electronic devices are disadvantageous in that, in order to execute functions of an application, they execute the application first and then perform the functions according to inputs that the user applies to the touch screen every time. The present invention has been made to address the above problems and disadvantages, and to provide at least the advantages described below. The present invention provides an electronic device with a touch screen and a method of easily and efficiently executing applications in the electronic device. 
     Solution to Problem 
     In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a method of executing applications in an electronic device is provided. The method includes: creating, on a touch-screen, a keyboard interface including a virtual input keypad and an output area in response to a first user input; receiving a second user input via the virtual input keypad, and displaying the second user input on the output area; determining a data attribute of the second user input; displaying a menu including one or more applications corresponding to the data attribute; and receiving a third user input selecting one of the one or more applications included in the menu and executing the selected application. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes: a touch-screen for receiving user inputs and displaying a keyboard interface including a virtual input keypad and an output area; and a controller for controlling: the display of the keyboard interface in response to a first user input; the display of the second user input, received by via the virtual input keypad, on the output area; the determination of a data attribute of the second user input; the display of a menu including one or more applications corresponding to the data attribute; and the execution of an application selected by a third user input, from among the one or more applications included in the menu. 
     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     Embodiments of the present invention allow users to execute functions of an application, more conveniently, using a keyboard interface. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows screens that describe a method of executing applications via a keyboard interface according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  shows screens that describe a method of executing applications via a keyboard interface according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  shows screens that describe a method of executing a call application via a keyboard interface according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  shows screens that describe a method of recognizing an image when a call application is executed via a keyboard interface, according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  shows screens that describe a method of executing an application via a keyboard interface according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     MODE FOR THE INVENTION 
     Various embodiments of the present invention are described in detail referring to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or similar parts. Detailed descriptions of well-known functions and structures incorporated herein may be omitted to avoid obscuring the subject matter of the invention. 
     The terms as used in the present disclosure are merely for the purpose of describing particular embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Unless defined otherwise, all terms used herein, including technical terms and scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains. Such terms as those defined in a generally used dictionary are to be interpreted to have the meanings equal to the contextual meanings in the relevant field of art, and are not to be interpreted to have ideal or excessively formal meanings unless clearly defined in the present disclosure. 
     In the present disclosure, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless expressly stated otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “includes,” “comprises,” “including” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the electronic device  100  is capable of including a touch-screen  110 , a controller  140 , a storage unit  130  and a communication unit  140 . 
     The touch-screen  110  is configured to simultaneously receive and display touch inputs and perform a displaying function. The touch-screen  110  is implemented to include a touch receiving unit  111  and a display unit  112 . 
     The touch receiving unit  111  is capable of receiving a user&#39;s touch inputs applied to the touch-screen. The touch receiving unit  111  is capable of including a touch sensor for detecting a user&#39;s touch inputs. The touch sensor may be implemented with a resistive type, a capacitive type, an electromagnetic induction type, a pressure type, and any other types of sensors employing various touch technologies. The touch sensor may also be implemented to detect direct contact inputs or proximity inputs close thereto but apart therefrom within a certain distance. 
     The display unit  112  displays information processed by the electronic device  100 . The display unit  112  is capable of displaying a keyboard interface. The display unit  112  is also capable of displaying applications executed via the keyboard interface. 
     The controller  120  is capable of controlling all the functions of the electronic device  100 . 
     The controller  120  is capable of including a keyboard interface executing unit  121 , a data attribute determining unit  122  and an application executing unit  123 . 
     When a first user input is detected via the touch receiving unit  111 , the keyboard interface executing unit  121  is capable of outputting a keyboard interface to the display unit  112 . The first user input may be a dragging-input starting from an edge of the touch-screen. For example, when detecting a dragging input applied to the touch screen in a direction from the bottom to the top, the keyboard interface executing unit  121  may display a keyboard interface on an area of the touch-screen, e.g., a bottom area of the touch-screen. 
     The displayed keyboard interface may include a virtual input pad and an output area. The virtual input pad may be configured, based on various types of text, e.g., Korean, English, symbols, and numbers. In addition, the virtual input pad may include a text switching key. When the text switching key is selected, the keyboard interface executing unit  121  is capable of switching between types of text for the virtual input pad. 
     The keyboard interface executing unit  121  is capable of receiving a second user input via the virtual input pad, and displaying the received input on the output area. 
     The data attribute determining unit  122  is capable of determining a data attribute of the second user input. The data attribute determining unit  122  is capable of determining one or more applications corresponding to the determined data attribute and displaying the application menu on the screen. The data attribute may be determined based on a text type of the second user input. For example, when the text type is English, starting with ‘www’ or ‘http,’ the data attribute is considered to be a URL address. When the text type is number, starting with ‘010,’ ‘02,’ etc., the data attribute is considered to be a contact phone number. When the data attribute is determined as a URL address, the data attribute determining unit  122  is capable of displaying an Internet browser application menu. When the data attribute is determined as a contact phone number, the data attribute determining unit  122  is capable of displaying a call or message application menu. 
     When a second user input, e.g., Korean text, is input, the data attribute determining unit  122  is capable of determining whether the received, second user input corresponds to a name contained in the contact details stored in the storage unit  130 . When the received, second user input has characters corresponding to a name contained in the contact details, the data attribute determining unit  122  is capable of displaying the name on the output area in preview mode. When the user perceives that the name displayed in preview mode is a name that he/she wants to search for, he/she selects the displayed name. When the data attribute determining unit  122  ascertains that the second user input corresponds to a name contained in the contact details, it is capable of determining that the data attribute corresponds to a contact name and displaying a call or message application menu. 
     When a second user input, e.g., a number, is input, the data attribute determining unit  122  is capable of determining whether the received, number corresponds to a number contained in the contact details stored in the storage unit  130 . When the received, second user input has characters corresponding to a number contained in the contact details, the data attribute determining unit  122  is capable of displaying the number on the output area in preview mode. When the user perceives that the number displayed in preview mode is a number that he/she wants to search for, he/she selects the displayed number. When the data attribute determining unit  122  ascertains that the second user input corresponds to a number contained in the contact details, it is capable of determining that the data attribute corresponds to a contact number and displaying a call or message application menu. 
     The second user input may be determined as it has a data attribute or various types of attributes. For example, the second user input may be determined based on a contact name or a keyword. In this case, the data attribute determining unit  122  may display all the applications corresponding to the data attributes, e.g., a call or message application, a search application, etc. 
     In addition, the data attribute determining unit  122  is capable of determining data attributes of the second user input according to various settings and displaying application menus corresponding to the determined data attributes. 
     The application executing unit  123  is capable of executing an application selected by a third user input, from among the displayed application menus. For example, when a call or message application is selected, the application executing unit  123  is capable of executing a call or message function via a contact name or number displayed on the output area of the keyboard interface. When an Internet browser application is selected, the application executing unit  123  is capable of executing the Internet browser via an URL address displayed on the output area of the keyboard interface. When a search application is selected, the application executing unit  123  is capable of executing a search function via a keyword displayed on the output area of the keyboard interface. 
     The storage unit  130  is capable of storing data and applications required for functions according to embodiments of the present invention therein. The storage unit  130  is capable of storing contact details containing names and phone numbers therein. 
     The communication unit  140  is capable of allowing the electronic device  100  to transmit/receive data to/from other devices. 
       FIG. 2  shows screens that describe a method of executing applications via a keyboard interface according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
     Diagram a illustrates an embodiment which displays a keyboard interface  200  in response to a first user input. The keyboard interface  200  may be located in at least part of the area of the touch-screen. The keyboard interface  200  is capable of including a virtual input pad  210  and an output area  220 . The virtual input pad  210  may be set in various modes according to text types, including a key for switching between text types. 
     Referring to diagrams b to e, when the user inputs a second user input to the virtual input pad  210 , the second user input is displayed on the output area  220 . The data attribute of the second user input is determined and a menu  230  including one or more applications corresponding to the determined data attribute is displayed. When the input, e.g., Hong Gil Dong, corresponds to a name contained in the contact details, the menu  230  may include call and message applications. Since data may be determined as various types, the menu  230  may also include a search application, App Market application, etc. The menu  230  may also include a default application according to a user&#39;s settings. As shown in diagram b, the menu  230  may be displayed on the output area  230  of the keyboard interface  200 . As shown in diagram c, the menu  230  may be displayed on an area outside the keyboard interface  200 . As shown in diagram d, the menu  230  may be displayed in a form of a notification window  240 . In addition, the menu  230  may be displayed in such a way that one of the application menus is substituted by one of the keys of the virtual input pad  210 . For example, when an input, “Hong Gil Dong,” corresponds to a name contained in the contact details, the call application menu  250  is displayed, substituting the Enter key. 
     Referring to diagram f, when the second user input corresponds to at least part of a name contained in the contact details, the corresponding name and contact number are displayed on a display box  260 . It should be understood that a number of names and contact numbers may be displayed on the display box. 
       FIG. 3  shows screens displaying an application menu in response to a second user input according to various embodiments of the present invention. As shown in diagram a, when an URL address as a second user input is input, one of the keys of the virtual input pad  210  is displayed with being substituted by an Internet browser application menu  310 . As shown in diagram b, when data in Korean as a second user input, not contained in the contact details, is input, a phone number search application menu  320  for searching for a phone number using the web according to settings may be displayed. 
     Referring to diagrams c and d, when a second user input is received, the electronic device is capable of extracting expectable input data from the second user input and displaying the extracted data on the output area  220 . When the user selects among input data or expectable input data displayed on the output area  220 , i.e., selected data  330 , the electronic device determines the attribute of the selected data  330  and displays an application menu  340  corresponding to the determined data attribute. When the selected data is a Korean word, a search menu, an Internet browser, App Market application menu, etc. according to settings may be displayed. 
       FIG. 4  shows screens that describe a method of executing a call application via a keyboard interface according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
     As shown in diagram a, the keyboard interface  200  may be set as a basic option to provide the virtual input pad  210  with a Korean character-based keyboard layout. When a text switching key  410  of the virtual input pad  210  is selected, the virtual input pad  210  switches from the Korean character-based keyboard layout to a numeric-based keyboard layout as shown in diagram b. When switching to a virtual input pad  210  with a number-based keyboard layout, the electronic device is capable of displaying a call application menu  420  which is substituted for one of the keys of the virtual input pad  210 , e.g., Enter key. When the text switching key  410  is selected to switch the virtual input pad  210  from the Korean character-based keyboard layout to a numeric-based keyboard layout, a list of one or more calls that have recently been made may be displayed on the output area  220 . When speed dial numbers have already been set for phone numbers, the virtual input pad  210  may display contact details corresponding to the phone numbers on the numeric keys the number of which serve as speed dial numbers. 
     As shown in diagram c, when the user inputs a second user input corresponding to a contact number and then a third user input for selecting a call application menu  420 , the electronic device executes a call application and makes a call connection to the received contact number. As shown in diagram d, when the user applies a long-push input to a speed dial number, the electronic device makes a call connection to the contact number corresponding to the speed dial number. Alternatively, when the user inputs a speed dial number and then select a call application menu  420 , the electronic device makes a call connection to the contact number corresponding to the speed dial number. 
     Referring to diagrams e and f, when the second user input corresponds to at least part of a contact number or contact numbers contained in the contact details, one or more contact numbers are displayed on the output area  220 . In this case, contact numbers may be displayed alone or along with contact names. When the user selects one of the displayed contact numbers, the electronic device performs call connection to the corresponding contact number. Alternatively, when the user selects one of the displayed contact numbers and then a call application menu  420 , the electronic device performs call connection to the selected contact. 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  shows screens that describe a method of recognizing an image when a call application is executed via a keyboard interface, according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
     As shown in diagram  501  of  FIG. 5A , an application including an image, e.g., an image of a contact detail, may be executed on a touch-screen  500 . When a first user input is applied to the touch screen  500 , the corresponding keyboard interface  200  is displayed on the screen. An image recognition menu  510  may be displayed on the keyboard interface  200  according to the settings. Alternatively, the image recognition menu  510  may be displayed only when the application including images is being executed on the touch-screen  500 . Although the embodiment is implemented in such a way that the image recognition menu  510  is displayed on the output area  220  of the keyboard interface  200 , it should be understood that the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the image recognition menu  510  may be implemented with a phone number recognition menu. 
     When the image recognition menu  510  is selected, a notification window  520  for requesting the selection of an image to be recognized may be displayed as shown in diagram  502  of  FIG. 5A . Outputting the notification window  520  may be optionally omitted. After that, the user may apply an image selection input  530  to the touch-screen  500  as shown in diagram  503  of  FIG. 5A . The image selection input  530  may be an underline or a circle for selecting an image. In the embodiment, the electronic device receives a phone number in a form of image. The electronic device is capable of performing character recognition on the selected image. While character recognition is performing, the notification window  540  is displayed as shown in diagram  504  of  FIG. 5B . When character recognition has been completed, the notification window  540  disappears. After that, as shown in diagram  505  of  FIG. 5B , when a call application menu  550  is selected, the electronic device is capable of performing call connection to the recognized phone number. When call connection to the recognized phone number is performed, the call connection notification window  560  is displayed on the screen as shown in diagram  506  of  FIG. 5B . 
       FIG. 6  shows screens that describe a method of executing an application via a keyboard interface according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
     Referring to diagram a, when the touch-screen  500  does not have an input field for requesting the input of data, e.g., when an idle state screen or a home screen is displayed, the electronic device is capable of receiving a first user input and outputting a keyboard interface  200  on the touch-screen  500 . The displayed keyboard interface  200  may be divided into a virtual input pad  210  and an output area  220 . The virtual input pad  210  may contain one or more application menus according to a user&#39;s settings. The virtual input pad  210  may be set in such a way as to contain application menus which are frequently used or essential. The output area  220  may display recently used application icons in a form of history. For example, the output area  220  may display icons in order of execution from the latest to the oldest, e.g., in order of a call icon, a message icon, a camera icon, etc. When the user selects an icon corresponding to an application, the electronic device is capable of executing the application. That is, according to various embodiment of the present invention, the keyboard interface  200  serves as a tool for executing applications. 
     Referring to diagram b, when the user inputs a second user input to the virtual input pad  210 , the electronic device displays the received input on the output area  220 . When data of “Hong Gil Dong” as a second user input corresponds to a name contained in the contact details, the electronic device displays, on the output area  220 , contact details corresponding to the name, e.g., a photo, a name, a phone number, etc. The electronic device may further display a message asking the user whether he/she wants to make a call to a corresponding contact. 
     Referring to diagram c, when the electronic device receives the second user input via the virtual input pad  210 , it searches for an application menu starting with data of the second user input and displays the second user input along with the searched application menu on the output area  220 . For example, when the user inputs a letter “car,” the electronic device displays application icons starting with “car” on the output area  220 . The application search may be performed for applications stored in the electronic device. Alternatively, the application search is performed with respect to servers via a network. According to an embodiment, when the electronic device has not searched for an application menu starting with data of the received, second user input as shown in diagram c, it determines whether the corresponding list is stored in the contact details as shown in diagram b. 
     The embodiments of the present invention described in the description and drawings are merely provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of the invention and are not suggestive of limitation. Although embodiments of the invention have been described in detail above, it should be understood that many variations and modifications of the basic inventive concept herein described, which may be apparent to those skilled in the art, will still fall within the spirit and scope of the embodiments of the invention as defined in the appended claims.