Patent Publication Number: US-2012026105-A1

Title: Electronic device and method thereof for transmitting data

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to data management and, particularly, to an electronic device with touch input and method for transmitting data based on the touch input. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Touch-enabled devices are in widespread use. However, if, during playback or display of content, transfer of the content to another device is desired, the current operation often needs to be abandoned, which is inconvenient. 
     Therefore, it is desirable to provide an electronic device and a method to overcome the described limitations. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present disclosure should 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 present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an electronic device, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIGS. 3A-3B  are schematic diagrams illustrating a process of defining display contact, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram illustrating a data transmission interface of the device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating a method for transmitting data applied in an electronic device, such as, for example, that of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an electronic device  1  capable of transmitting data directly is provided in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. The electronic device  1  includes a touch screen  10 . The touch screen  10  displays a graphical user interface (GUI) which includes a number of icons corresponding to various operations. The operations are implemented in response to contact with the corresponding icon. In the embodiment, the touch screen  10  is a multi-point touch screen capable of producing contact signals in response to display contact. In other embodiments, the electronic device  1  further includes physical controls. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the electronic device  1  further includes a processing unit  20  and a storage unit  30 . The storage unit  30  stores electronic files, which include, but are not limited to, audio files, videos, digital images, texts, and others. The storage unit  30  further stores relationships between functions and display contacts (hereinafter “display contact-function relationships”). 
     The processing unit  20  includes a contact detection module  201 , a function determination module  202 , and an execution module  203 . The contact detection module  201  receives the contact signals from the touch screen  10  and detects a corresponding display contact. The function determination module  202  determines a function corresponding to the detected display contact according to the display contact-function relationships. The execution module  203  executes the determined function. 
     The display contact-function relationships can be provided as a system default setting. For example, a display contact comprising contact for a predetermined time and then moving contact can be recognized as representing data transmission in the system default setting. In the embodiment, the processing unit  20  further includes a display contact definition module  204  for defining the display contact-function relationships. The electronic device  1  further provides a definition mode allowing pre-defining of the display contact-function relationships. For example, the electronic device  1  provides an icon or menu item allowing entry to definition mode. When the electronic device  1  enters the definition mode, the display contact definition module  204  directs the touch screen  10  to display icons of the electronic device  1  for selection, requests definition of the display contact for a selected function, and stores the defined display contact associated with the function in the storage unit  30 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3A , when the electronic device  1  enters the definition mode, the display contact definition module  204  directs the touch screen  10  to display the icons for selection. If a camera icon is selected, the display contact definition module  204  directs the touch screen to inquire whether a specific display contact is to be pre-defined for the function. If Yes is chosen, the display contact definition module  204  directs the touch screen  10  to display an interface as shown in  FIG. 3B . Referring to  FIG. 3B , when, for example, a C shape display contact is entered, the display contact definition module  204  stores the specific display contact associated with the camera function in the storage unit  30 , after which, execution of the C shape display contact executes the camera function. 
     The processing unit  20  further includes a display content determination module  205 , and a recipient selection module  206 . Referring also to  FIG. 4 , during display of an electronic file, such as an image as shown in  FIG. 4 , if the contact detection module  201  detects a specific display contact such as prolonged contact followed by a slide, the function determination module  202  determines the function corresponding to the display contact is a data transmitting function. The function determination module  202  transmits a data transmitting signal to the display content determination module  205  and the recipient selection module  206  respectively. The display content determination module  205  registers the currently active electronic file (namely the display content determination module determines the currently active electronic file), and the recipient selection module  206  directs the touch screen  10  to display an address list stored in the storage unit  30 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the recipient selection module  206  transmits a send signal to the execution module  203  after at least one recipient is selected. The execution module  203  transmits the electronic file determined by the display content determination module  205  to the at least one selected recipient when receiving the send signal. In the embodiment, the address list includes all of the contacts of the electronic device  1 . In other embodiment, the address list only includes some of the contacts preselected by the user. In the embodiment, the address list displayed on the touch screen uses a form of a dialog box. 
     Therefore, in the embodiment, when the user enjoys one electronic file and wants to transmit the electronic file to other people, he/she can transmit the electronic file to the selected people by touching the touch screen  1  directly. 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating a method for transmitting data of an electronic device such as, for example, that of  FIG. 1 . In step S 501 , the display contact detection module  101  detects whether the user touches a point of the touch screen  10  for a predetermined time and then slide on the touch screen  10 . 
     If not, the process returns to step S 501 , if yes, in step S 502 , the function determination module  202  determines the function corresponding the display contact is a data transmitting function. 
     In step S 503 , the display content determination module  205  determines an electronic file displayed on the touch screen currently, namely the display content determination module  205  determines the currently active electronic file. 
     In step S 504 , the recipient selection module  206  determines at least one recipient receiving the electronic file according to user&#39;s selection. In detail, the recipient selection module  206  directs the touch screen  10  to display an address list for selection, and determines at least one recipient according to the user&#39;s selection from the address list. 
     In step S 505 , the execution module  203  transmits the electronic file determined by the display content determination module  205  to the at least one recipient determined by the recipient selection module  206 . 
     It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.