Patent Publication Number: US-2009231284-A1

Title: Portable Electronic Device and Program Image Selecting Method

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a portable electronic device and a program image selecting method, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a portable electronic device which is capable of quickly selecting a program image and a program image selecting method. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Notebook computer has been becoming more and more popularized. In order to develop its characters such as high mobility and space-saving, notebook computers tend to be of light weight, thin thickness, and small volume. Owing to the restriction of the volume, notebook computers are designed to be more delicate than desktop computers. 
     There was no pointing device in notebook computers in the early days. However, as the development of windows software, various types of pointing devices (e.g. trackballs, track points, track pads, track boards, touch pads, pop up mice, touch pens, etc) configured to notebook computers have gradually appeared on the market to substitute for difficultly portable desk mice. Among those pointing devices mentioned above, the touch pad is the most popular and practical pointing device at present. The touch pad, a flat board disposed in front of a keyboard, is capable of sensing a use&#39;s movement thereon so as to direct a cursor&#39;s movement. Thereby, the cursor could be moved to select the required program image to perform the program. 
     However, when there are several programs installed in the computer system and only one of them is required to be performed, users have to carefully search for the images representing the programs, selects the image representing the program which is required to be performed and then clicks the image to perform the program. Thus, time is wasted during the process of searching for the images so that the user&#39;s working schedule is affected. On the other hand, when the user is processing other programs, he has to suspend the present proceeding program to search for the required program images instead of processing the present program and the searching simultaneously. 
     In the prior art, many operating systems are provided with hot bar. Users could directly move the cursor to the hot bar and select a program image on the hot bar to perform a program corresponding to the program image instead of suspending the processing program. However, when the user is processing plenty of programs, it could waste the user&#39;s time to move the cursor and then affect the user&#39;s working schedule. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is to provide a portable electronic device for quickly selecting the required program image so as to perform the corresponding program relative to the program image; therefore the time for selecting the program image could be effectively saved and the problems mentioned above is thus solved. 
     According to an embodiment, the portable electronic device of the invention includes a display unit and an input module. The display unit is for displaying frames. The input module is coupled to the display unit and includes a control unit and a hotkey. The hotkey is for controlling the display unit to display a sub-window in the frame. Moreover, the hotkey could be used for controlling the display unit to close a sub-window in the frame as well. 
     In the embodiment, the sub-window displayed by the display unit includes a selecting section and at least one program image. When the display unit displays the sub-window in the frame, the control unit could be operated by a user to control one of the program images to overlap the selecting section. In the embodiment, the program image overlapping the selecting section is the required program image. 
     In the embodiment, the user uses a touch unit to slide along a direction on an operation surface of the control unit to control the program image to move, so as to make the required program image to overlap the selecting section. Practically, the user could control the selecting section to move to overlap the required program image by means of the control unit as well. 
     Another aspect of the invention is to provide a program image selecting method for quickly selecting a required program image by means of cooperating with a control unit and a hotkey of a portable electronic device, and further performing the program corresponding to the program image. 
     According to an embodiment, the program image selecting method of the invention includes the following steps. Firstly, a sub-window is displayed in a frame by a display unit of the portable electronic device when a user presses the hotkey, therein the sub-window includes a selecting section and several program images. Subsequently, the control unit is operated by the user to control one of the program images to overlap the selecting section. In the embodiment, the program image overlapping the selecting section is the required program image. 
     In the embodiment, the user could use a touch unit to slide along a direction on an operation surface of the control unit to control the program image to move, so as to make the required program image to overlap the selecting section. Practically, the user could control the selecting section to move to overlap the required program image by means of the control unit as well. 
     The objective of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE APPENDED DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a portable electronic device according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2A  illustrates a display unit in  FIG. 1  displaying a sub-window in a frame. 
         FIG. 2B  illustrates the program images in  FIG. 2  arranged in a circle in the sub-window. 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart demonstrating a program image selecting method according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart demonstrating a program image selecting method according to another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart demonstrating a program image selecting method according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a portable electronic device and a program image selecting method. The portable electronic device and the program image selecting method are capable of selecting the required program image quickly. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B .  FIG. 1  illustrates the portable electronic device  1  according to an embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 2A  illustrates a display unit  12  in  FIG. 1  displaying a sub-window  122  in a frame  120 .  FIG. 2B  illustrates program images  1222  in  FIG. 2  arranged in a circle in the sub-window  122 . In the embodiment, the portable electronic device  1  is a notebook computer. However, in practical applications, the portable electronic device  1  could also be, but not limited to, a mobile phone, a PDA or other appropriate electronic apparatuses. 
     Furthermore, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the portable electronic device  1  includes an input module  10  and a display unit  12 . The display unit  12  is for displaying frames. The input module  10  is coupled to the display unit  12  and includes a control unit  100  and a hotkey  102 . Generally, the user could control the frame and a cursor in the frame by means of an input module (e.g. keyboard) and the control unit. In the embodiment, the control unit  100  is a touch panel of a notebook computer. However, in practical applications, the control unit  100  could be an input device such as a mouse, a keyboard, a touch panel, a trace panel or a plotting board, etc. 
     In the embodiment, pressing the hotkey  102  could control the display unit  12  to display a sub-window  122 . Please notice that the position of the hotkey  102  could be disposed in an appropriate position on the input module  10  in practical applications, which depends on the requirement of the user or the designer. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , when the hotkey  102  in  FIG. 1  is pressed, the display unit  12  displays the sub-window  122  in the frame  120 . Please notice that the position of the sub-window  122  in the embodiment is displayed on the lower half of the frame  120 , but the sub-window  122  could be also displayed on any position of the frame  120  in practical applications, depending on the requirement of the user or the designer instead of being limited to the embodiment. Moreover, the size of the sub-window  122  could be adjusted as the requirements in practical applications. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2A , the sub-window  122  in the embodiment comprises a selecting section  1220  and at least one program image  1222 . Practically, the program image  1222  could be, but not limited to, a shortcut of a program. In other wards, each program image  1222  could represent a corresponding program. When one of the program images  1222  is selected, the program relative to the selected program image  1222  could be performed. For example, when one of the program images  1222  is a shortcut of word software, performing the program image  1222  is performing the word software; thus the operations of word editing could be processed. Practically, the number of the program images and their corresponding programs could be determined by the designers, or substituted by users themselves, so that the purpose of customization is thus achieved. 
     The program images  1222  could be arranged according to a basis in the sub-window  122 , such as arranged in a row in the embodiment. Practically, the way of arrangement of the program images  1222  could depend on the requirement of the designers or users. For example, when a user is not satisfied with the program images  1222  arranged in a row, the program images  1222  could be arranged in a circle by means of a menu or an instruction, as shown in  FIG. 2B . In addition, the sequence, the size or the visual angle of the program images  1222  could be adjusted by users in practical applications. Moreover, the backdrop color or the backdrop image of the sub-window  122  could also be adjusted. 
     When the display unit  12  displays the sub-window  122  in the frame  120 , the control unit  100  could be operated by a user to control one of the program images  1222 , namely, the first program image  1224 , to overlap the selecting section  1220 . Practically, the first program image  1224  is the required program image. Moreover, the control unit  100  could further control the portable electronic device  1  to perform the program relative to the first program image  1224 . 
     In the embodiment, users could use a touch unit (not shown in the figure) to slide substantially along a direction D on an operation surface of the control unit  100  to control the first program image  1224  to overlap the selecting section  1220 . For example, users could use their finger (the touch unit) to slide left and right on the touch panel (the control unit  100 ) to control the program images  1222  arranged in a row to move to the selecting section  1220  in turn. When users stop sliding their fingers, the program image  1222  overlapping the selecting section  1220  is the first program image  1224 . Practically, the touch unit could be users&#39; fingers or other appropriate hardware such as touch pen, etc. Otherwise, depending on the difference of the control units  100 , users could process different operation to control the first program image  1224  to overlap the selecting section  1220 . For example, if the control unit  100  is a keyboard, users could control the movement of the selecting section  1220  or the program image  1222  by means of the direction keys of the keyboard so as to make the first program image  1224  to overlap the selecting section  1220 . 
     Practically, the selecting section  1220  could be a visible section or an invisible section. For example, when a user&#39;s finger slides on the control unit  100 , the program images  122  could be magnified or glittered in turn as a way of reminder to remind users that the invisible section  1220  is overlapping the program image  1222 . 
     Practically, one of the selecting section  1220  and the program image  1222  could be moved according to a user&#39;s operation on the control unit  100 . For example, when a user uses a touch unit to slide substantially along a direction D on an operation surface of the control unit  100 , the program images  1222  are controlled by the control unit  100  to move in turn to the selecting section  1220  which is at a fixed position and overlap the selecting section  1220 . On the other hand, when a user uses a touch unit to slide substantially along a direction D on an operation surface of the control unit  100 , the selecting section  1220  could be controlled by the control unit  100  to move to the program images  1222  which are in fixed positions in turn and overlap one of the program images  1222 . 
     Moreover, in practical applications, the movements of the selecting section  1220  or the program images  1222  could be phasic. In other words, when the touch unit stops sliding on the operation surface of the control unit  100  and the selecting section  1220  does not overlap one of the program images  1222 , the selecting section  1220  or the program images  1222  could keep moving along the same direction until the selecting section  1220  overlaps one of the program images  1222 . 
     To summarize, when users are processing other programs on the portable electronic device, a sub-window could be displayed in the frame of a display unit by means of a hotkey. The sub-window includes a selecting section and program images. Subsequently, users could select the program image in turn by means of the control unit. Therefore the users could quickly select or perform other programs while other programs are being processed. 
     According to another embodiment, the difference between the present embodiment and the previous embodiment is that when the selecting section overlaps one of the first program images, the display unit further displays a sub-menu frame relative to the first program image. For example, if a program image represents a shortcut of a folder, when the control unit controls the program image to overlap the selecting section, the display unit further displays the sub-menu frame to reveal the shortcuts of the programs included in the folders. In other words, when the hotkey controls the display unit to display the sub-window, the first program image could be selected from the sub-window by means of the control unit; when the display unit displays the sub-menu frame relative to the first program image, a second program image could be selected from the sub-menu frame by means of the control unit. 
     Furthermore, according to another embodiment, when the display unit displays the sub-window, the display unit could be controlled to close the sub-window by means of pressing the hotkey. According to another embodiment, when the control unit controls the portable electronic device to perform the program relative to the first program image, the display unit could close the sub-window automatically and return to the original frame to process the program relative to the first program image or other programs. 
     In the embodiment mentioned above, when the display unit displays the sub-window, the control unit is only in charge of the selection of the program images in the sub-window. However, the control unit, practically, could also control the frame (e.g. the cursor in the frame) and the sub-window to achieve the effect of simultaneous operation. On the other hand, the portable electronic device could be further coupled to an external input unit to control the cursor in the frame. For example, a notebook computer could be externally coupled to a mouse. Thereby, the cursor in the frame could be controlled by means of the external input unit to quickly select the required program instead of suspending the present processing program and the time for selecting the program image could be saved. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  is a flow chart demonstrating a program image selecting method according to an embodiment of the invention. As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the program image selecting method of the invention could quickly select a required program image by means of cooperating with a control unit and a hotkey of a portable electronic device. The method includes the following steps. Firstly, in the step S 20 , a sub-window is displayed in a frame by a display unit of the portable electronic device when a user presses the hotkey, therein the sub-window includes a selecting section and several program images. Subsequently, in the step S 22 , the control unit is operated by the user to control one of the program images, i.e. the first program image, to overlap the selecting section. In the embodiment, the first program image is the program image the user wants to select. 
     Practically, the method of performing the step S 22  could use a touch unit to slide along a direction on an operation surface of the control unit to control the first program image to move to the selecting section and overlap the selecting section. On the other hand, the touch unit could also slide along a direction on the operation surface of the control unit to control the selecting section to move to overlap the first program image. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  is a flow chart demonstrating a program image selecting method according to another embodiment of the invention. As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the difference between the present embodiment and the previous embodiment is that the program image selecting method in the embodiment further includes the following steps of controlling the portable electronic device to perform a first program relative to the first program image in step S 24 , and the display unit closing the sub-windows in the frame in step S 26 . Practically, in step S 24 , the portable electronic device could be controlled to perform the first program by means of the control unit. For example, after the control unit controls the selecting section and the first program image to overlap, the portable electronic device could be controlled to perform the first program relative to the first program image by means of the touch unit clicking the operation surface of the control unit. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 5  is a flow chart demonstrating a program image selecting method according to another embodiment of the invention. As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the difference between the present embodiment and the previous embodiment is that the program image selecting method in the embodiment further includes the following steps of judging if the first program image has a sub-menu in the step S 220 . If yes, a sub-menu frame is displayed in the frame by the display unit in the step S 222  and a second program image is selected from the sub-menu frame. Subsequently, the step S 224  is performed to control the portable electronic device to perform a second program relative to the second program image. Then the step S 226  is performed to control the display unit to close the sub-windows and the sub-menu frame. If the judging result in the step S 220  is no, the program image selecting method performs the step S 24 . Please notice that in practical applications, the second program image could be selected from the sub-menu frame by means of the control unit in the step S 222 . 
     Furthermore, in practical applications, while the display unit is controlled to display the sub-window in the program image selecting method of the previous embodiment, the hotkey could be pressed to control the display unit to close the sub-window. Moreover, in practical applications, while the display unit is controlled to display the sub-menu frame in the program image selecting method of the previous embodiment, the hotkey could be pressed to control the display unit to close the sub-menu frame. 
     Compared to the prior art, the portable electronic device and the program image selecting method of the invention enable users to quickly select the required program image and perform the program relative to the program image with the portable electronic device. By means of the customization program images in the menu-window, users could search for the required program image from the customization program images without suspending the present processing program. Moreover, the program images or the selecting section in the frame could be moved by means of the control unit to reach the purpose of selecting the required program image without controlling the cursor. To summarize, the portable electronic device and the program image selecting method of the invention could save the time for searching and selecting the program image. 
     Although the present invention has been illustrated and described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it should be understood that it is in no way limited to the details of such embodiment but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.