BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and/or other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a display apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 2 through 4 are diagrams illustrating a first user interface of the display apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 5 and 6 are other diagrams illustrating the first user interface of the display apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 7 through 9 are diagrams illustrating a second user interface of the display apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a third user interface of the display apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and
FIGS. 11 through 13 are flowcharts illustrating operations of the display apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a display apparatus 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the display apparatus 100 displays a user interface on a screen to interface with a user. For example, the display apparatus 100 may include portable devices such as a mobile phone, a portable data assistant (PDA), and a portable media player (PMP). Further, the display apparatus 100 may include a television (TV).
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the display apparatus 100 include a UI generating part 110, a display part 120, a user input part 130, and a controller 140. The UI generating part 110 generates a user interface including at least one of a plurality of UI menu items for a user to select operations of the display apparatus 100. The display part 120 displays the user interface generated by the UI generating part 110. Herein, the displaying part 120 may include a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) to display the user interface thereon, and the like. Through the user input part 130, a user inputs his or her instruction to adjust a size of the UI menu item of the user interface. Herein, the user input part 130 may include at least one input means such as a button to receive the instruction from the user.
The controller 140 generally controls the respective parts of the display apparatus 100. In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the controller 140 controls the UI generating part 110 to adjust a size of the UI menu item of the user interface according to a user's instruction. For example, the controller 140 controls the UI generating part 110 to increase or decrease the size of the UI item menu of the user interface according to the user's instruction.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a first user interface 10 of the display apparatus 100 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The first user interface 10 may be displayed as a main menu screen. In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the user interface 10 includes at least one UI menu item 11. Each UI menu item 11 may have an iconic shape to select a function of the display apparatus 100. Also, the UI menu item 11 may include an image to represent the function of the display apparatus 100. For example, the UI menu item 11 may include an image to represent the function of the display apparatus 100 such as watching a broadcasting program or a movie, listening to the music, reading a text or an E-mail letter, and the like.
The UI menu item 11 may be formed as an icon having predetermined size on the user interface. In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the UI menu item 11 is formed as an icon having an enough size to occupy at least one of latticed sections 12 that the user interface 10 is divided into. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, a first UI menu item 11a of plural UI menu items occupies four sections 12, and a second UI menu item 11b occupies one section 12. Here, each size of the UI menu items 11 may be preset. However, the number of the sections 12 occupied by the UI menu item 11, that is the size of the UI menu item 11, is not limitable to this exemplary embodiment. Alternatively, the size of the UI menu item 11 may vary as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.
Further, in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the UI menu item 11 may be formed as an icon having a predetermined size and positioned at the preset section group corresponding to the predetermined size. At this time, the section group may include at least one section 12. For example, the UI menu item 11 having a bigger size may be positioned upper and more left, and the UI menu item having a smaller size may be displayed lower and more right according to a preset configuration of the section group. Particularly, as illustrated in FIG. 3, a third UI menu item 11c having the biggest size is positioned at a leftmost section group. A fourth UI menu item 11d having a second-biggest size is positioned at a section group next to the third UI menu item 11c. Finally, fifth UI menu items 11e having a smallest size are positioned at a lower section 12 and a right section 12 of the fourth UI menu item 11d. However, the preset configuration of the section groups where the respective UI menu items 11 having various sizes are positioned is not limitable to this exemplary embodiment. Alternatively, various configurations of the section group may be preset or determined.
The controller 140 controls the UI generating part 110 to increase or decrease one of the plural UI menu items of the first user interface 10 in size depending on a user's instruction, and to display the first user interface 10. In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the controller 140 controls the UI generating part 110 to increase the size of one of plural UI menu items depending on the user's instruction. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5, when a user selects to increase the size of a sixth UI menu item 11f of the plural UI menu items 11 having various different sizes and to position the sixth UI menu item 11f at a position of section group where the seventh UI menu item 11g was positioned, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the sixth UI menu item 11f is increased in size as big as the seventh UI menu item 11g and positioned at the position of the seventh UI menu item 11g. At the same time, the seventh UI menu item 11g is decreased in size as small as an original size of the sixth UI menu item 11f and positioned at another position of section group where the sixth UI menu item 11f has just positioned. That is, when a user selects the sixth UI menu item 11f to increase the size of the sixth UI menu item, the sixth UI menu item 11f and the seventh UI menu item 11g exchange their positions and their sizes.
FIGS. 7 through 9 are drawings illustrating a second user interface 20 of the display apparatus 100 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The second user interface 20 is an example of a screen to set up a size of the UI menu item 11. In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the second user interface 20 includes a name item 21 and a size item 22 corresponding to the UI menu item 11 to be positioned thereon. For example, when the second user interface 20 includes the name items 21 corresponding to a plurality of UI menu items 11 to be positioned thereon, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the name items 21 of the plural UI menu items 11 such as “Camera,” “Photo,” “Record,” “Movie,” “Game,” and “Music” are listed up on the second user interface 20.
The second user interface 20 includes the size items 22 corresponding to a plurality of UI menu items 11. Further, the size items 22 may be positioned next to the name items 21. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the respective size items 22 positioned on the user interface 20 may be classified into a large size group L, a middle size group M, and a small size group S. In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, one size group having a point 24 among the three size groups L, M, and S represents the size group corresponding to the current UI menu item, and the other size groups without the point 24 represents size groups having concerned sizes of which the current UI menu item may be changed. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the “Camera” item belongs to the large size group L, and the point 24 is put on the large size group L. The “Photo” item and the “Record” item belong to the middle size group M, and the point 24 is put on the middle size group M. Finally, the “Movie” item, the “Game” item, and the “Music” item belong to the small size group S, and the point 24 is put on the small size group S (refer to the point 24 put on the respective size groups by name as illustrated in FIG. 7). Further, the “Photo” item and the “Record” item, respectively corresponding to the middle size group M having the points 24 between the two groups M and L may increase its size by moving the point 24 from the middle size group M to the large size group L. Similarly, the “Movie” item, the “Game” item and the “Music” item, respectively corresponding to the small size group S having the points 24 among the three size groups S, M, and L may increase its size by moving the point 24 from the small size group S to the middle size group M or the large size group L (refer to FIG. 7).
When a user selects one of the name items 21 of the menu item 11, the selected name item 21 is highlighted by name item. Accordingly, the user may move a highlight 23 by manipulating the user input part 130 to select one of the name items 21. For example, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the user may select the “Photo” item below the “Camera” item to increase it in size by moving the highlight 23 downward from the “Camera” item to the “Photo” item.
In addition, the user may determine a size of the menu item 11 to be increased by manipulating the user input part 130 and moving the point 24 from the small size group S or the middle size group M to the middle size group M or the large size group L. For example, as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the user may increase the “Photo” item from the middle size to the large size by moving the point 24 from the middle size group M to the large size group L. At this time, it is preferable but not necessary that the “Camera” item is decreased from the large size to the middle size by moving the point 24 from the large size group L to middle size group M (refer to 24a of FIGS. 8 and 24b of FIG. 9).
FIG. 10 is a drawing illustrating a third user interface 30 of the display apparatus 100 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The third user interface 30 is another example of a screen for setting up a size of the UI menu item 11. The third user interface 30 includes identity-numbers 31 corresponding to an area occupied by the UI menu items 11 that has been positioned on the user interface 10. At this time, the area may include at least one section 12. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the third user interface 30 includes an identity-number ‘1’ 31a corresponding to an area occupied by the first UI menu item 11a, an identity-number ‘4’ 31b corresponding to another area occupied by the second item menu 11b, and the like. Here, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the first UI menu item 11a and the second item menu 11b have been positioned in separate section groups on the first user interface 10. Also, the identity-numbers ‘1’ 31a of a first menu item and the identity-number ‘4’ 31b of a second menu item are displayed at separate areas on the third user interface 30, as shown in FIG. 10.
A user may determine a UI menu item 11 to be increased its size and its desired size by selecting the identity-numbers 31 of the area through the user input part 130. That is, the user may determine a UI menu item 11 to increase its size and its necessary size by selecting the identity-number 31 corresponding to an area occupied by the UI menu item 11 and the identity-number 31 corresponding to another area occupied by another UI menu item 11 with the desired size. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 10, when the user wants to increase the size of the second UI menu item 11b to be as big as the first UI menu item 11a, and the increased second UI menu item 11b to be displayed at the area of the first UI menu item 11a, the user may select the first identity-number ‘4’ 31b corresponding to area that has been occupied by the second UI menu item 11b, and then the second identity-number ‘1’ 31a corresponding to the area that has been occupied by the first UI menu item 11a on the first user interface 10. Accordingly, the user can increase the size of the second UI menu item 11b to be as big as the first UI menu item 11a, and display the increased second UI menu item 11b at the area of the first UI menu item 11a. Here, the user may select the first identity-number ‘4’ 31b and the second identity-number ‘1’ 31a regardless of a selecting sequence.
On the other hand, methods for selecting the identity-numbers 31 of the UI menu items 11 may vary. For example, the user may select the identity-numbers 31 by directly inputting the identity-numbers 31, highlighting the identity-numbers 31 and/or moving the highlight through the user input part 130. Herein, the user input part 130 may include a number input button (not shown), a moving button (not shown) to move upward, downward, left, and right, and the like.
In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a computer program may operate the controller 140. Herein, the controller 140 may include a storing means such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory) to store the computer program, and a microprocessor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) to operate the computer program.
FIGS. 11 through 13 are flowcharts illustrating operations of the display apparatus 100 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 11, when a user inputs a user instruction to display a main menu screen through the user input part 130, the controller 140 of the display apparatus 100 controls the UI generating part 110 to generate the first user interface 10 including at least one UI menu item 11, and the display part 120 to display the generated first user interface 10 thereon (S100). Then, the user inputs another instruction to adjust a size of the UI menu item 11 through the user input part 130 (S110). Based on a result of the instruction in operation S110, the controller 140 controls the UI generating part 110 to increase or decrease the size of a determined UI menu item of the first user interface 10, and the display part 120 to display it thereon (S120).
Particularly, in operation S120, as illustrated in FIG. 12, the controller 140 controls the UI generating part 110 to generate the second user interface 20 to determine a desired UI menu item 11 and its size and to display the second user interface 20 (S200). Then, the controller 140 controls the UI generating part 110 to adjust a size of the determined UI menu item 11 based on the determined size, and the display part 120 to display the UI menu item having the adjusted size thereon (S210).
Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 13, the controller 140 controls the UI generating part 110 to generate the third user interface to select a UI menu item to be decreased or increased and an area to be occupied by the UI menu item (S300). Here, first and second identity-numbers 31 may corresponds to respective areas occupied by a desired UI menu item 11 and another UI menu item 11 having a desired size. Also, the controller 140 controls the display part 130 to display the third user interface 30. Then, the controller 140 controls the UI generating part 110 to position the selected UI menu item at the selected area (S310). Also, the controller 140 controls the display part 120 to display the third selected UI menu of the user interface 30 thereon.
Although a few exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that changes may be made in these exemplary embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents. For example, the display apparatus 100 may include a touch screen (not shown) to sense a contact of the user instead of the user input part 130 and the display part 120. At this time, the user may determine a desiring UI menu item and its section group by directly contacting the touch screen (not shown). Accordingly, the user can exactly, conveniently select the necessary item and the selection group by increasing the size of his or her often-used or preferential UI menu items rather than other UI menu items.
On the other hands, the present invention may be applied for an image processing apparatus 100a such as a set top box (not shown) for a TV to process a user interface displayed on a screen of the TV (refer to FIG. 1, 100a). At this time, in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the image processing apparatus 100a may include a configuration as the same or almost same as that of the display apparatus 100 excluding a display part 120.
As apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a size of a UI menu item on a user interface can be adjusted depending on a user's preference, thereby facilitating prompt selection of the UI menu item and improving convenience when manipulating the user interface. For example, a user can alleviate the difficult process of selecting desired UI menu items by increasing the size of his or her often-used UI menu items rather than other UI menu items. Accordingly, the user can simply access the necessary UI menu items without trouble.
Also, according to the present invention, the user can directly access his or her preferential UI menu item without difficulty by adjusting a size of preferred a UI menu item based on a user's preference, thereby satisfying the user's preference and improving agility and convenience when manipulating the user interface.
In Particular, according to the present invention, the user can exactly and conveniently select his or her preferential UI menu item on a user interface such as a touch screen by adjusting a size of the preferred UI menu item based on a user's preference, thereby more exactly selecting the UI menu items and improving the convenience when manipulating the user interface.
Patent Application
20070277105
