Abstract:
A method for transition between sequential pages displayed by an electronic device which runs a slideshow presentation application program such as Microsoft® PowerPoint. The method includes the steps as follows. Generate input signals from a user tracing a simple shape with his fingertip on the screen. Identify the traced shape. The type of transition display property which is associated with the predefined shape is acquired when the traced and identified shape is substantially similar to a predefined shape stored in the storage unit. The transition to next displayed page is displayed with the acquired type of display transition property. A related electronic device is also provided.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to an electronic device and a method for transition between sequential pages displayed on the electronic device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    A popular slideshow presentation application program is PowerPoint. The types of display properties of one or more slideshows of a PowerPoint (PPT) electronic file are predefined by the PowerPoint application program. That is, the digital representation of text or images can be tailored according to a user&#39;s preferences. The display properties can provide dynamic effects for the displayed slides of the PPT file. In particular, when the slideshow proceeds from one slide to the next, the display of transition from the preceding slide to the next slide can have different desired dynamic effects. For example, the transition may occur by way of “vertical blinds,” or by way of “horizontal blinds.” However, during a given slideshow, when a next slide needs to be displayed and the user (presenter) wants to change the type of dynamic effect that occurs in the displayed transition to the next slide, the user must effect such change by complicated manual input. This is time-consuming and inconvenient. 
         [0005]    Therefore, what is needed is an electronic device and a method for transition between sequential pages displayed on the electronic device without the limitations described above. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The emphasis is placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts or sections throughout the views. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram showing display of a shape of a track of a user&#39;s sliding touch operation on a touch screen of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with the embodiment. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram showing a shape of a track of a user&#39;s fingertip motion captured by a camera of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with the embodiment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a method for transition between sequential pages displayed on an electronic device, such as the one of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an electronic device  1 . The electronic device  1  can run one or more presentation applications, such as PowerPoint of Microsoft® Corporation. A PowerPoint (PPT) electronic file can provide one or more slideshows for display on the electronic device  1 . The electronic device  1  comprises an input unit  11 . When displaying a slideshow, the electronic device  1  can change both the current slide being displayed and the type of dynamic effect displayed in the transition from the current slide to the next slide. For example, the transition may occur by way of “vertical blinds,” or by way of “horizontal blinds.” Each type of dynamic effect is predefined, and is referred to herein as a “predefined type of display transition property” or as a “display transition property.” The electronic device  1  effects both the change in the slide being displayed and a change in the type of display transition property by way of a shape drawn or traced on the input unit  11  by a user. The electronic device  1  identifies the shape and effects a corresponding change in the type of display transition property without any interruption to the slideshow. The electronic device  1  is typically a terminal device such as a personal computer or a tablet computer, for example. 
         [0012]    The input unit  11  generates input signals in response to received user inputs. The input unit  11  is typically a touch screen, or a touchpad, or a camera, or another component or device which can detect and capture a shape traced by a user. In the embodiment, the input unit  11  comprises a touch screen  111  and a camera  112 . 
         [0013]      FIG. 2  shows a shape traced on the touch screen  111  of the electronic device  1 . The touch screen  111  generates touch signals in response to a user&#39;s touch operation  1111  applied thereon. 
         [0014]      FIG. 3  shows a shape of a path of a user&#39;s moving fingertip, as captured by the camera  112  of the electronic device  1 . The camera  112  captures a series of still pictures of a moving fingertip (or hand) of the user to obtain a movement track  1121 , or records a video of the fingertip&#39;s movement track  1121 , and then generates corresponding image signals. The captured series of pictures yielding the movement track  1121 , or the video of the filmed fingertip&#39;s movement track  1121 , are each stored by way of time vectors in a storage unit  10  of the electronic device  1 . 
         [0015]    The storage unit  10  also stores a number of slides containing still or moving content such as text, pictures, videos, and movies. The storage unit  10  further stores a number of predefined shapes, a number of types of display transition properties, and a mapping table recording a relationship between the predefined shapes and the types of display transition properties. In the mapping table, each type of display transition property is associated with a predefined shape or a number of predefined shapes. For example, a vertical snake shape is associated with a vertical blinds display transition property. In another example, the display transition property for vertical blinds can be associated with a number of shapes, such as a shape having a track of “□” (a square), a shape having a track of “Δ” (a triangle), and a shape having a track of “S.” The predefined shapes, the types of display transition properties, and the mapping table can all be default settings of the system of the electronic device  1 , or can be predefined by a user of the electronic device  1 . 
         [0016]    The electronic device  1  further comprises a processor  12  and a display unit  13 . The processor  12  comprises a shape identification module  121 , an acquisition module  122 , and a transition control module  123 . 
         [0017]    When the electronic device  1  is activated, a presentation application program such as PowerPoint is started, in order to play a slideshow. The change from the current slide and the type of display transition property that applies in the change to the next slide can both be effected by a shape traced by a user. The shape is detected by the touch screen  111 , and/or the path of the shape traced by the user is captured by the camera  112 . 
         [0018]    The shape identification module  121  identifies the shape traced by the user according to touch signals received from the touch screen  111  or image signals received from the camera  112  without preference. For example, in one embodiment, the shape identification module  121  receives signals from both the touch screen  111  and the camera  112 . In such case, the shape identification module  121  processes the touch signals from the touch screen  111  and the image signals from the camera  112  in the order in which the signals are received. 
         [0019]    The shape identification module  121  further compares the identified shape with the predefined shapes stored in the storage unit  10 , to determine whether the identified shape is substantially the same as one of the predefined shapes. The shape identification module  121  also transmits a determination (i.e. a result of the comparison) to the acquisition module  122 . 
         [0020]    The acquisition module  122  acquires a type of display transition property associated with the determined predefined shape from the storage unit  10 , if the identified shape is substantially the same as one of the predefined shapes stored in the storage unit  10 . 
         [0021]    The transition control module  123  controls the display unit  13  to undergo transition to the next slide with the acquired type of display transition property. For example, if the default type of display transition property for the next slide is vertical blinds and the acquired type of display transition property is horizontal blinds, the transition control module  123  controls transition to the next slide with horizontal blinds. 
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of an exemplary method for transition between sequential pages displayed on an electronic device, such as the electronic device  1 . The electronic device  1  comprises a storage unit  10  and an input unit  11 . The storage unit  10  stores a number of predefined shapes, a number of types of display transition properties, and a mapping table recording a relationship between the predefined shapes and the types of display transition properties. The input unit  11  generates input signals in response to user operations. The method typically comprises the following steps, each of which is related to the various components contained in the electronic device  1 . 
         [0023]    In step S 40 , when the electronic device  1  is activated, a presentation application program is activated, and the display unit  13  displays a slideshow associated with the presentation application program. 
         [0024]    In step S 41 , the input unit  11  generates input signals in response to received user inputs. In detail, the touch screen  111  generates touch signals in response to a user&#39;s touch operation  1111  thereon; and the camera  112  captures a series of pictures of the movement of the user&#39;s fingertip (or hand) to obtain a movement track  1121 , or records a video of the fingertip&#39;s movement track  1121 , and then generates corresponding image signals. 
         [0025]    In step S 42 , the shape identification module  121  identifies the shape traced by the user according to the touch signals received from the touch screen  111  or the image signals received from the camera  112  without preference. In one example, the shape identification module  121  receives signals from both the touch screen  111  and the camera  112 . In such case, the shape identification module  121  processes the touch signals from the touch screen  111  and the image signals from the camera  112  in the order in which the signals are received. 
         [0026]    In step S 43 , the shape identification module  121  compares the identified shape with the predefined shapes stored in the storage unit  10 , and determines whether the identified shape is substantially the same as one of the predefined shapes stored in the storage unit  10 . If the determination is yes, the procedure goes to step S 44 ; otherwise, the procedure goes back to step S 41 . 
         [0027]    In step S 44 , the acquisition module  122  acquires a type of display transition property associated with the predefined shape from the storage unit  10 . 
         [0028]    In step S 45 , the transition control module  123  records the acquired type of display transition property, stores the acquired type of display transition property with the next presentation object (e.g. a slide), and controls the display unit  13  to undergo transition to the next slide with the acquired type of display transition property. 
         [0029]    Although the present disclosure has been specifically described on the basis of various embodiments thereof, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure.